The Locked Village Hall

The heavy snow fell all night. By morning, the small village was completely cut off. No cars could move. No one could leave. Then someone found the body of Mr. Harrison in the village hall. The door was locked from inside. The windows were shut. Six people were in the hall that evening. One of them must be the killer.

Detective Green arrived on foot. She looked at the six people. There was the doctor, the teacher, the farmer, the shop owner, the young student, and the old widow. They all said they were innocent. The doctor said he was reading by the fire. The teacher said she was preparing her lessons. The farmer said he was checking the animals. The shop owner said he was counting money. The student said he was listening to music. The widow said she was sleeping.

Green checked every story. The doctor's book was cold. The teacher's papers were old. The farmer's boots were dry. The shop owner's money was neat. The student's music player was dead. The widow's bed was untouched.

One by one, their alibis failed. But then Green saw something strange. The widow's hands were clean, but her shoes were wet. She had gone out in the snow. Why?

The widow began to cry. She said her husband had been cruel to her for years. That night, he laughed at her in front of everyone. She followed him to the hall and locked the door. She did not plan to kill him, but she did. The others listened in silence. Outside, the snow kept falling. No one spoke. The truth was as cold as the winter night.