Death in the sauna

He still had some time. Still sweaty from the sauna Bob passed a slightly arrogant looking gentleman in a fine bathrobe. He was almost colliding with a young lady. The blonde woman excused herself verbally. She had been in her thoughts. "Everything is all right," Bob answered. He had already forgotten the slightly hectic woman when he jumped into the ice-cold water of the diving pool.

Refreshed and rested, Bob set off ten minutes later to the Finn Sauna. As expected it was well frequented. But he could still get a comfortable place in the corner diagonally opposite the sauna oven. As soon as he had made himself comfortable, the sauna master with a bucket and scoop came around the corner.

In accordance with the beginning of the ritual, he tore the door wide open and let fresh air into the sauna. Some latecomers used this to quickly find a place for the ritual. Then the sauna master closed the door and cast a large scoop of water on the hot stones of the oven. A gigantic cloud of steam rose, which the man skillfully swirled with the towel and fanned out to the guests.

After three ladles he announced a short break and disappeared. Soon he was back with a tray of small soft drinks. Under applause the small glasses were distributed and the refreshing spritzer was drunk. Orange juice. Bob especially liked orange juice. He emptied the glass in one go and handed it back to the tray. After the master had collected all the glasses and brought them outside, he reappeared with a bucket and trowel for the second infusion. Meanwhile, another person quickly rushed into the sauna and sat down by the oven on the lowest step. Some guests muttered disapproving about the disturbance, but it was soon forgotten.

All eyes were already directed to the sauna master with anticipation, when he saw the Water skillfully distributed on the stones. An enormous steam cloud spread out in the small room. But even before the sauna master could continue the ritual with the towel, a blood-curdling cry tore the damp, hot air apart.
Only when the steam had spread a little, did the shocked visitors see the reason. A young man lay on the floor next to the sauna stove, covered in blood. There was a deep gash in his throat from which he was bleeding heavily.

Bob was immediately wide awake. With presence of mind, he grabbed the sauna master's towel and told him to call an ambulance, while Bob pressed the rolled up towel onto the open wound. After the emergency doctor has taken care of the young man and taken him to the ambulance detective Bob asked all the guests to retire to an adjacent rest room.

Many of the guests were still in shock and could not contribute anything helpful to the clarification of the unexpected act. A young woman and two men had been particularly badly affected.
Only now did Bob identify the young blonde who almost knocked him down. Now she sat there, white as a sheet, and trembled. Yes, she had been sitting next to the man, but she hadn't noticed anything at all. He had fallen against her shoulder and then to the floor.

One of the two men was hit particularly hard by the shock. He said that he could not see blood and was therefore completely off balanced. He could not remember anything at all.

While Bob was still hearing the tall man, he saw the other man whom he intended to question wavering dangerously. He helped the slender man in his mid-thirties to lie down on the floor and put his feet up. He held on to Bob with hands that were as cold as if he had stuck them in the fresh snow. He, too, stated that he couldn't remember anything because he was so shocked.

After completing his interviews, Detective Bob took a look at everyone present. Nobody had noticed anything special. Nobody had made any suspicious comments.

Maybe the crime scene gives more clues. However, as intensively as he looked, he did not find any weapon at the scene of the crime. He was sure that he would have to find a knife, a dagger or something similar. After all, the sauna visitors could not have anything when they left the sauna.

But all he found, to his displeasure, was the blood of the victim on the wooden bench and on the floor in front of the stove. No murder weapon far and wide.

So, how could the man be killed without a weapon being found? Suddenly, Bob remembered the man with the icy cold hands. He was also in the sauna. Why were his hands so cold? That was really mysterious.

Bob thought long and hard and came to the following conclusion: “The slender man with the cold hands came into the sauna just before the murder. In his sauna towel he had brought a large and very pointed ice-cone with him. He rammed it into the victim's neck. Then he just let the cone fall and in the heat of the sauna it quickly melted into water”. An almost perfect murder.