Ungodly Murder

Based on Somerset Maughan’s short story, ‘Rain,’– think Diabolique meets Walter Mosley as told by Agatha Christie.

When Mr. Jefferson is found dead, suicide is the consensus. When Nina and Mani return home to Oakland after helping Dolores and Zadi get a new start in life, they speculate on Mr. Jefferson’s death. Nina is convinced Mr. Jefferson’s inner conflicts with carnal desires versus religious convictions led to him killing himself.

Mani narrates a story told to him by O’Callaghan, a sailor in love with Zadi, about how he found Jefferson on the promenade and beat him, leaving him for dead. Then Mani relates a story from Moira, a hotel guest, about Dolores and Zadi killing Mr. Jefferson. But Nina doesn’t believe it. Finally, Nina reads a letter from Stevens, the hotel owner who confesses that his wife, Martha, killed Jefferson because he abused her kids.