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ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON
A short story by Sabri Bebawi- based on reality
Mr. and Mrs. Nutter had enjoyed a blissful six years together, rekindling their relationship after twenty years apart. They lived in luxury on the eighth floor of a Manhattan high-rise, surrounded by attentive staff. However, Mr. Sparrow Nutter was in for a shock. He discovered that Mrs. Electra Nutter had been covering for her cousin Elizabeth, who was involved in a long-term affair. Despite Mr. Nutter's advice against such deceit, Mrs. Nutter's actions persisted.
One night, Mr. Nutter grew suspicious of Mrs. Nutter's late-night chat and, after hours of questioning, concluded that she was untruthful. The following day, Mrs. Nutter revealed that her late-night chat was with a friend named George, which Mr. Nutter found unconvincing, reminding him of the saying, “Lies do not have legs.”
Stricken by betrayal and suffering from health issues, Mr. Nutter devised a plan for revenge. He organized a party and, during it, used a speakerphone to reveal Mrs. Nutter’s ongoing deception, causing her to flee in distress; despite Mr. Nutter’s efforts to find her, she vanished, leaving no trace. Elizabeth, too, disappeared, leaving behind a web of deceit and heartbreak.
Mr. Sparrow Nutter had always advised his cherished companion not to engage in deceptive behavior, mainly cheating, which he despised and viewed as cowardly. She agreed, but whether she had truly stopped, no one could say for sure. Most likely, she hadn’t.
One pleasant Saturday evening, on April 20th, Mr. and Mrs. Nutter were lying in bed, enjoying each other’s company while Mrs. Nutter was engaged in a lengthy chat on her device. Curiosity got the better of Mr. Nutter, and with an innocent tone, he asked, “Who are you chatting with, my love?”
In an instant, Mrs. Electra Nutter bolted from the bed, rushed out of the room, and hurriedly deleted the conversation. This sudden action triggered suspicion in Mr. Nutter, who, being a seasoned prosecutor, journalist, and university professor, instinctively began to ask probing, logical questions. His queries stretched from one to the next, and by the time dawn broke after eight hours of interrogation, Mr. Sparrow Nutter concluded that Mrs. Electra Nutter was not being honest with him. At that moment, he decided to leave her for good at daybreak. Where would he go? He didn’t yet know.
Sunday morning dawned in a calm, quiet atmosphere. Mrs. Nutter approached her husband, likely after consulting various confidants—lovers, friends, and others—and confessed, “It was George, my friend. I’m sorry. I was worried you’d be upset about me chatting with him so late.” Mr. Nutter laughed at her explanation, as he knew George well and saw no issue with him conversing with Mrs. Nutter. In fact, when she asked if she could join George for lunch, Mr. Nutter had no objections or concerns.
The situation immediately reminded him of what his mother used to say: “Lies do not have legs.” It also brought to mind the words of Shakespeare: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” The matter had never been resolved.
For many months, Mr. Nutter endured the agony of trying to make sense of what had happened and why the one he had thought his best love could betray him. The stress, as it often does, took its toll, and within five months, Mr. Nutter's cancer returned, possibly with a vengeance. This only compounded his unceasing sadness and depression.
As a philosopher and writer, Mr. Nutter devised a plan that he knew would leave a lasting impact. Using what he knew about Mrs. Electra Nutter’s cousin’s affair and relying on his skills as a detective, he orchestrated the chaos he so desperately wanted. This was, notably, the first time in his life that Mr. Nutter sought revenge, having never been a vengeful person before. The emotional strain must have had a profound effect on his mind.
The Plan
Mr. Nutter convinced Mrs. Nutter that they should host a grand party in their luxurious apartment, inviting friends and family as a way to recover and recharge. Mrs. Nutter happily agreed, and the event was set for the upcoming Saturday.
Invitations went out to all their friends and family from New York. Among the guests were Mrs. Nutter’s beloved parents, who Mr. Nutter greatly admired. All of their friends were invited—except, curiously, only the husband of Mrs. Nutter’s best friend received an invitation. Mrs. Nutter didn’t think twice about why only the husband was invited; she assumed Mr. Nutter disliked her friend due to her history of infidelity.
The day of the party arrived, and guests began to stream in. Everyone was greeted warmly, offered drinks, and treated to hors d'oeuvres. Once everyone had gathered, Mr. Nutter asked for their attention. He stood in front of the crowd, phone in hand, and made an unexpected announcement, asking for a few moments of silence. Curious but confused, the guests complied.
Mr. Nutter dialled a number on his phone, put it on speaker, and when the person on the other end answered, he calmly asked, “Hi, this is Mr. Nutter. May I speak with Electra? She said she’d be with you most of the night tonight.”
The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on the phone. The voice on the other end responded, “Oh! Yes, but she’s in the bathroom at the moment. I’ll tell her to call you as soon as she gets out, Mr. Nutter.”
With a gentle smile, Mr. Nutter replied, “Thank you,” and hung up.
Mrs. Nutter was visibly nervous, as she had every reason to be. Mr. Nutter turned to his guests and said, “Now, listen carefully. Electra’s phone is about to ring.” Sure enough, the phone rang, and Mrs. Nutter, as well as everyone else, was utterly bewildered.
Hesitantly, Mrs. Nutter answered the phone on speaker. The voice on the other end shouted angrily, “You didn’t tell me you were with Ricardo! Your husband just called, asking for you, and I told him you were in the bathroom. You better call him back!”
There was a stunned silence throughout the room. Suddenly, Mrs. Nutter let out a scream and fled the apartment. Mr. Nutter chased after her, but she had already made it into the elevator. Desperately, he took the next one and ran through the streets of Manhattan, calling out her name like a madman. He couldn’t catch up with her and eventually returned to the apartment.
Guests bombarded him with questions about what had just transpired and how he’d conceived such a plan. Mr. Nutter smiled and answered, “Elementary, my dear Watson.”
No one ever heard from Mrs. Nutter again—not even her parents. The first guest to leave was Elizabeth’s husband, the cousin of Mrs. Electra Nutter. He rushed home, desperate to find out what had happened. When he arrived, he called for Elizabeth, but she was nowhere to be found. She had disappeared into thin air.
It seemed that Mrs. Nutter had called her cousin and told her what had occurred, and the two of them—Mrs. Nutter and Elizabeth—had vanished together. Their web of deceit, infidelity, and dishonor had swept them away like leaves in the wind.
(c) Sabri Bebawi