Heidelberg University Square, August 12, 1897, 10:10 a.m.

“Dr. Werner, are you all right?”

The doctor started at the sound of the constable’s voice. In his head he’d been somewhere else entirely, going over bloody events from long ago. He came to himself a little and turned. The constable who was assisting him with his experiment had climbed up onto the platform. Down in the square, somebody had called the rest of the police and they were doing their best to escort the audience out in an orderly fashion.

“Hmm?”

“I said that I think I’d better escort you home. You must be shaken.”

“Oh, yes,” Dr. Werner said, as if just realizing what they were talking about. “What a terrible accident.”

To be continued…