2 mystery stories: speaking activity+perfect modals practice

Isidor Fink: a real life locked room mystery

On 9th March 1929, the body of 31-year-old Isidor Fink was found in the back room of the laundry he owned on
Fifth Avenue, New York. Fink was an immigrant from modern day Lithania and it seems that he had very few
friends and no family. On that evening, he had made several laundry deliveries beofre returning to his living
quarters at 10:15 p.m. At 10.30 his neughbour heard screams (but no gunshots) and decided to call the police.
A police officer happened to be nearby and managed to reach the scene only a few minutes after the first screams
had been heard. After interviewing the neighbour, the officer tried the front door but found that it had been locked
from the inside. Testing the windows, he found them all nailed shut on the inside, too. Because the windows were
too small for an adult to get through, the police officer asked a small boy to climb in and unlock the dront door.
The officer was finally able to get into the apartment and survey the scene. Finks body lay on the floor ten metres
from the doorway. There were 3 gunshot wounds to the body: 2 in the chest and one in his left wrist. However,
there was no gun in the apartment, and no valuables had been stolen; there was money both in Finks pocket and
in his cash register.
The police searched the premises for hidden doors, but none were discovered. They investigated Finks
background, but found no connections with the gangsters who terrorised much of NY at that time. However, Fink
was certainly frightened of something: he had made the laundry into a kind of fortress. All the windows had heavy
iron bars, and it was equipped with the best locks that money could buy.
No one was ever arrested for the murder of Isidor Fink and no motive was ever found. Two years later in a radio
interview, the officer in charge of the investigation, Commissioner Mulrooney, declared the case an unsolvable
mystery and to this day it remains in the unsolved cases files of NY City Police.
1. maybe suicide? not possible, no gun
He might have committed suicide. He cant have committed suicide, there was no gun found.
2. murderer got into his room from the outside? not possible, barred doors and windows
The murderer might have got into his room from the outside. He cant have got into his room from the outside
because of barred doors and windows.
3. murderer was maybe inside? in the laundry?
The murderer might have been inside.- He might have been in the laundry.
4. why was a bullet in the wrist? he was certainly trying to unlock the door and escape
He must have tried o unlock the door.
5. a dissatisfied customer killed him? not possible because no one kills because of that
A dissatisfied customer might have killed him. - He cant have killed him because no one kills for that reason.
6. the officer certainly did it maybe a burglar?
The officer must have done it or it might have been a burglar.

Travis Walten: abducted by aliens?

On November 5th, 1975, a forestry worker called Travis Walten was driving home through the woods near
Snowflake, Arizona with 6 of his colleagues, when a golden disc about 6m wide suddenly appeared, hovering above
the ground ahead of them. The seven men stared in amazement. Then Travis did something extraordinary. He got
out of his truck and walked towards the disc. I was afraid it would fly away and I would miss a chance of a lifetime,
he wrote later.
As Travis got closer, the disc made a loud noise. Then, according to all seven men, a beam of blue-green light shot
out from the disc and held Travis above the ground before throwing him backwards. He landed several metres
away and didnt move. Lets get out of here! screamed one of the men in the truck and they drove away.
After a short distance, the man stopped and decided to go back and find their friend. When they got to where the
disc had been, it was gone, and so was Travis. The police were soon involved and the searches began. But no trace
of him could be found.
As the days passed, police became suspicious of the mens story. All of the men were given a lie detector test, which
they all passed. Then, five days after the disappearance, Traviss brother-in-law received a phone call. This is
Travis and I need help. Come an get me. Travis was found on the floor of the phone booth wearing the same
clothing as when he had disappeared. He seemed afraid and upset and kept talking about aliens with terrifying
eyes. He thought hed only be gone for a few hours.
After he recovered, Travis told an extraordinary story of being inside the UFO. He described strange aliens with
enormous brown eyes and humans who smiled but said nothing. Soon after the event, Travis was given a lie
detector test. He failed. A few months later, he took two more tests, both of which he passed.
1. maybe it was a hoax? not possible, the other 6 men corroborated the story
It might have been a hoax It cant have been a hoax, the other 6 men.
2. they conspired it together to claim insurance? maybe to get fame
They might have conspired it together to claim insurance They might have done it to get fame
3. he was certainly an LSD addict? not possible all 7 men to hallucinate
He must have been an LSD addict It cant have been that all 7 men hallucinated.
4. why didnt he pass the lie detector test the first time? he was certainly stressed
He must have been stressed.
5. why did the 6 men leave Travis and drove away ? probably they were afraid
They might have left him because they were afraid.
6. why did Travis get out of the truck? maybe out of curiosity?
He might have left the truck out of curiosity.