To Kill a Vampire
by Hy Conrad

The Solution

Who killed Thad Jericho?

The cowboy, Herbert Horner

The Explanation

What clue did Jonah notice?

The corkscrew

Jonah led his mother and the three costumed suspects into the kitchen. He opened the drawers one by one and rummaged around. "What are you looking for, Sherlock?" asked the zombie.

"A corkscrew."

"It's in the victim, honey," said his mother, a little embarrassed.

"I know that," said Jonah. "I was looking for another one."

"There isn't another one," said the gypsy. "This is a corporate apartment. They furnished it with a bare minimum of essentials."

"Then we have a problem," replied Jonah. "Because at the same time you were opening a bottle of wine, Mr. Horner says he saw the corkscrew in Mr. Jericho's chest."

The gypsy thought. "He's right. How could that be?"

"It couldn't," said Carol. "Mr. Horner, you lied about seeing the body on the balcony. Why?"

Horner didn't answer, but Jonah did. "To make us think that Mr. Jericho was dead before he arrived. He was trying to give himself an alibi. Mr. Horner is the killer."