Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine Annual, No. 3, 1973

When things were settled down a little, there would be an opportunity to destroy that dangerous little roll of tape.

“I said good-by to my wife about half-past eleven,” Mr. Saunders was telling the village constable. “She answered me and said something about us having a good time.”

Mr. Saunders watched the thickset elderly constable writing slowly in his notebook.

That was a nice touch, thought Mr. Saunders, not to be too precise...

“She said she would listen to the radio,” said Mr. Saunders and waited for Mr. Reynolds.

“I can confirm this,” said Mr. Reynolds. “I heard her answer, ‘Good-by. I will listen to the radio.’ She turned it on because she didn’t hear me say ‘Good-by.’ The music came on quite loud though I can’t say what they were playing.”

The constable wet his pencil and then wrote.

“Something on the Light Program,” said Mr. Saunders.

“I have no ear for music,” said Mr. Reynolds. “I was trying to place what it was when we were in the hall.”

“In the hall — downstairs?” asked the constable, frowning. “You are sure of that, sir?”

“Positively,” said Mr. Reynolds, frowning.

Mr. Saunders was watching the constable’s face and he felt his own growing tighter.

The constable was pursing his lips.

“There was Mrs. Dale’s Diary up to 11:15 on the Light Program,” said the constable. “After that, no music. I had the set on at the station—”

“But I heard the music, constable,” said Reynolds. “It was just after half-past eleven. The music came up — I have no ear for tunes — but I’d swear to the time.”

“There was no music,” said the policeman. “There couldn’t have been—” The constable went on talking and his eyes bored suspiciously into Mr. Saunders. Mr. Saunders listened and knew he was undone.

“You see, sir, there was a power breakdown and the transmitter at Droitwich, which serves this area, went off the air...”

Soliloquy by Marty Brill

He held life — and sudden death — in his strong fingers. Today he would show the world his power.

* * *

You see, I’m very powerful! Yes, I certainly am! I’m probably the strongest man on this earth! My dear mother taught me never to lie, so I am merely stating the honest facts. I hate liars, you see. I like a man to be what he really is and to do what he really can do. When a man lies to me, I get angry — oh yes, very angry!

“I want to take his head in my two hands and squeeze it, just keep right on squeezing if until I feel it giving in! Oh, I could do it, all right! I could squeeze that head until it was squashed into — well, into mush! I could do it, because I’m very powerful, you see!

“I’m not just boasting.

“No, I’m telling you all of this merely because I wish to remain a truthful man at all times. Also, I’m warning you. Yes, when I get angry, I simply forget how powerful I am. I don’t realize what I’m doing, when I get angry. And, when a man lies to me I get angry, very angry. I hate liars, you see.

“Now, that man on the bus. I knew he was staring at me! I was watching him carefully out of the corner of my eye. He was staring at me all right! Now, I don’t believe that a man ought to stare at other people. I get very angry when a man stares at me. So, I got right up and slapped that stupid man!

“And then that stupid man started screaming! So, I told him that he ought not to have stared at me! And he kept right on screaming! Then he hollered that he had not been staring at me! He lied, you see. And, I hate liars! And, his lying screams were hurting my ears.

“So, I put my hand over his mouth and squeezed that stupid man’s head. Then, the head — well, his head gave way, and, everyone was screaming. Then those policemen came; and, well — you know all the rest of it.

“I just wanted to tell you the Whole truth. Now, those policemen have been lying to me! They’ve been lying about that chair, Father!

“Yes, I know that it’s really the electric chair! Those policemen have lied to me about it, but I know what it is, all right! And, I am getting very angry about it all! I hate liars, you see. So, I’m going to fool them! I’m not going to let them know how angry I am about their lies! No, Father, I’m going to lead them on!

“I’m going to let them take me and strap me into that chair! I’m going to sit there, listening to all their lies, getting angrier and angrier, until they think they’ve got me all strapped and bound! But, they don’t know how powerful I am, you see! So, then I’m going to tear those straps right off! I’m going to tear their stupid straps into little shreds!

“Then I’m going to get those lying policemen! I’m going to get their heads in my two hands and squeeze them! Just keep right on squeezing them until — well, you know!

“I can do it, when I’m really very angry. That’s because I’m very powerful, you see!

“Just watch. I can take your head like this and...”

The Cure by Carroll Mayers