Leak

Jacques Futrelle

Description

In this detective tale from Jacques Futrelle, lead investigator Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, Ph.D., LL.D., F.R.S., M.D., M.D.S., also known as The Thinking Machine, comes to the aid of a businessman whose high-value deals are being imperiled by the apparent presence of a spy in his office.

Sujets

• Short story

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776587254
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE LEAK
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JACQUES FUTRELLE
 
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The Leak Epub ISBN 978-1-77658-725-4 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77658-726-1 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
The Leak
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"Really great criminals are never found out, for the simple reason thatthe greatest crimes—their crimes—are never discovered," remarkedProfessor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen positively. "There is genius inthe perpetration of crime, Mr. Grayson, just as there must be in itsdetection, unless it is the shallow work of a bungler. In this lattercase there have been instances where even the police have uncovered thetruth. But the expert criminal, the man of genius—the professional, Imay say—regards as perfect only that crime which does not and cannot bemade to appear a crime at all; therefore one that can never under anycircumstances involve him, or anyone else."
The financier, J. Morgan Grayson, regarded this wizened little man ofscience—The Thinking Machine—thoughtfully, through the smoke of hiscigar.
"It is a strange psychological fact that the casual criminal glories inhis crime beforehand, and from one to ten minutes afterward," TheThinking Machine continued. "For instance, the man who kills for revengewants the world to know it is his work; but at the end of ten minutescomes fear, and then paradoxically enough, he will seek to hide hiscrime and protect himself. With fear comes panic, with panicirresponsibility, and then he makes the mistake—hews a pathway whichthe trained mind follows from motive to a prison cell."
"These are the men who are found out. But there are men of genius, Mr.Grayson, professionally engaged in crime. We never hear of them becausethey are never caught, and we never even suspect them because they makeno mistake. Imagine the great brains of history turned to crime. Well,there are today brains as great as any of those of history; there ismurder and theft and robbery under our noses that we never dream of.