Mote Mystery Theater
The Case of the Murdered Millionaire
1. JJBiener - 1/23/2001 12:57:41 AM Welcome to the Mote Mystery Theater. I will be your host for this little adventure into murder and mayhem. My guest on this ride is one Robert Bascombe, Private Investigations, Inc. He has been drawn into this mystery somewhat reluctantly, and he finds himself in need of some assistance. I told him about some of the people who frequent this place . . . but he decided to come here anyway.
Before Mr. Bascombe begins, I would like to set a few ground rules. There will be no spamming or flaming in this thread. I will be merciless in this regard. Off topic discussions of short duration will be tolerated as long as they get back on track quickly. Protracted discussions will be moved elsewhere. Questions are welcome as are suggestions, comments, and general discussion. If you think you know whodunit, email me at jjbiener@yahoo.com with who, what, where, when, why and how. At the end I will announce the winners.
Now that the rules are clear, let’s open up the Case of the Murdered Millionaire. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Robert Bascombe.
2. Bascombe - 1/23/2001 1:02:36 AM
Sunday morning arrived with all the subtlety of a boot to the head. My head was splitting and my back felt like someone had danced the Macarena on it in golf spikes. As my vision cleared I realized that I had spent the night on the couch in my office. That explained the backache. It took a few minutes to remember why I had stayed in my office the night before. Saturday night I was at the Corner Bar in St. Charles listening to JJ and his band until the wee hours. Too much drinking, too much smoking, too much of a blonde named Helga explained the headache. It was easier to crawl back to my office than to find my way home drunk and bleary-eyed.
My mouth tasted like a monkey had slept in it, a monkey with athlete’s foot. I needed something to kill the taste so I microwaved a cup of cold coffee mixed with a shot of Jack Daniels. I sipped the scalding coffee and lit up a cigarette. Through the haze of steam and smoke I saw the front page of the late edition sitting on my desk. I must have picked it up on my way over here last night but I sure as hell didn’t remember doing so.
The headline announced the death of Anthony Berkshire III. I skimmed the article but it was just a rehash of last night’s 6 o’clock news report. The official story was that Berkshire had died in an accident involving a .38 he kept in his study. The unofficial story was that he had blown his own brains out. Speculation was the order of the day as is usually the case when a local millionaire dies under unusual circumstances.
3. Bascombe - 1/23/2001 1:07:55 AM
I had turned to the sports page to check the hockey scores when the phone rang. The ringing phone felt like a scalpel being driven through my eye and into my brain. I swore a blood oath at that moment to never drink again. Well I swore, anyway. I grabbed at the phone just hoping the pain would stop. I mumbled something into the phone and waited. A tentative voice on the other end said, “Bascombe? This is Juliette Berkshire."
“Holy Fuck!!” I am not sure if I said it or only thought it.
“Uh, hello? “
Juliette Berkshire was Anthony Berkshire’s niece and principle heir. And as of yesterday she was one of the Midwest’s wealthiest women. She and I had met back in the early 90’s when I was doing some security work for one her uncle’s companies. She was all of 19 at the time and for some screwball reason thought I was some dangerous and romantic figure. It didn’t take her long to realize the truth about me and move on to more likely suspects.
“Jules, uh, hello.”
“I’m sorry to call you like this, but I need your help. You heard about Uncle. There’s something wrong. I know it. Can we talk?”
I looked at my watch. “Meet me in two hours, 12 o’clock, at Llewellyn’s Pub in the Central West End. I’ll buy you lunch.”
I found my car and drove back to my tiny apartment. I showered, dressed and took four Advil to kill the throbbing behind my eyes. I walked the two blocks to the pub to wait for Juliette.
4. Bascombe - 1/23/2001 1:11:49 AM
She was 10 minutes early. She saw me in a corner booth and came right over. She hadn’t changed much. Long, straight, dirty-blonde hair. Slim figure. Small features. I remembered a warm, easy smile, but it was nowhere in evidence at that moment.
She tried some small talk, and when that didn’t work she got to the point.
“There is something wrong. The police are missing something.”
“You mean your uncle’s death wasn’t an accident.”
“What? Oh, no, of course not. That is just what they told the press to protect the family. The police believe it was suicide. But I can’t accept that. Uncle would never do that.”
“People do all kinds of things . . .”
“Not Uncle. He would not have gone quietly like that. He would have fought until the bitter end. He actually looked forward to being a burden on the few of us family members he had left. He wouldn’t have missed that for the world. Something is wrong here, and you have to find it for me.”
“I would love to help, but this is a little out of my league. Bad checks, unfaithful spouses, that’s my bread and butter. Murder is a whole different ball game.”
“I know, but you are the only person I can trust with this.”
Then she just looked at me. Have you ever had one of those moments of utter clarity when every ounce of your being is shouting at you to stop and not take that step? When you know with absolute certainty that disaster is inevitable if you take this path? And you take it anyway?
“OK, where do I start?”
She smiled a little and said, “Come out to Uncle’s house tonight. You can look things over, I will give everything I have about his death.”
5. Bascombe - 1/23/2001 1:15:23 AM
I went out to the Berkshire Estate around 7:00 pm Sunday. I talked with both Juliette and the housekeeper, Ms Eloise Michaelson. I examined the study where Berkshire died. These are the facts as I know them at this point.
Anthony Berkshire had several guests spending the weekend at the estate. These were:
Juliette Berkshire – Berkshire’s niece
Blake Haskell – Juliette’s fiancé
Mitchell Fergeson – Bershire’s attorney
Amira Stevens – Juliette’s mother and wife of Berkshire’s late brother
Maxwell Stevens – Amira’s second husband
Dr. William Forrester – Berkshire’s friend and physician
The staff included
Eloise Michaelson – Berkshire’s housekeeper
Ralph Chasten – Berkshire’s Driver
Titus McGee – Estate’s groundskeeper
A few minutes before 8:00 am Saturday Morning, a shot was heard coming from Berkshire’s private study. The guests and staff quickly arrived outside the study door, but it was locked and bolted from the inside. Blake Haskell ran around to other side of the house to see if he could gain entry through the door leading from study to the garden. It too was locked and bolted from the inside. The windows were also locked. Through the window, Haskell was able to see Berkshire’s body slumped in his desk chair with a pool of blood staining the carpet underneath. Haskell used his cell phone to call the police and an ambulance.
When the police and paramedics arrived they had to break down the door to the study. Berkshire was DOA. He had apparently died instantaneously from a single gunshot wound that entered through the roof of his mouth and exited out the top of his skull. The assumption of the police on the scene was that the wound was self-inflicted.
6. Bascombe - 1/23/2001 1:17:39 AM
I went back to my apartment to consider if there was anything I could do for Juliette. I turned on CNN as I tried to find a plausible case for murder. Unfortunately, the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the police were right.
I was about to give up when I thought of JJ and the Mote. I called him Monday morning and had him set up this thread for me. I thought with the people here, someone would be able to come up with a plausible theory I could follow up on.
I will continue to investigate and keep you informed of what I find. If you have suggestions, post them here and I will try to follow up.
Thanks.
Bascombe
7. AceofSpades - 1/23/2001 1:37:49 AM
"My mouth tasted like a monkey slept in it"-- ha, ha, nice one, Marlowe. I mean, Bascombe.
8. don s. - 1/23/2001 1:53:50 AM
Jerry Falwell has just released a video which solves this mystery fairly definitively. It was Sen. Hillary, in the Rotunda, with a candlestick. (The .38 wound was courtesy of Dan Burton, post-mortem.)
9. PelleNilsson - 1/23/2001 5:49:20 AM
Bascombe
I suggest you start by establishing in which order the persons arrived at the scene, from where they (purportedly) came, and exactly what they were doing when they heard the shot.
10. Dr.XavierTColtrane - 1/23/2001 9:03:45 AM
> took four Advil to kill the throbbing behind my eyes
Some of Hollywood's clever new product placement.
Blake Haskell did it. Pin it on the fiance, Bascombe, and your way is clear to the dame and her fortune.
11. Dr.XavierTColtrane - 1/23/2001 9:08:20 AM
When I woke up this morning, my tongue tasted like I'd slept under a chicken roost with my mouth open.
12. RickNelson - 1/23/2001 12:56:44 PM
I need this list for a reference:
Juliette Berkshire – Berkshire’s niece
Blake Haskell – Juliette’s fiancé
Mitchell Fergeson – Bershire’s attorney
Amira Stevens – Juliette’s mother and wife of Berkshire’s late brother
Maxwell Stevens – Amira’s second husband
Dr. William Forrester – Berkshire’s friend and physician
The staff included
Eloise Michaelson – Berkshire’s housekeeper
Ralph Chasten – Berkshire’s Driver
Titus McGee – Estate’s groundskeeper
None suspect:
Jule's tops this list, so far she is behaving properly. Unless some indication arrises that she is "acting" as a diversion she is now off my list of who-done-it.
Haskell: If he's linked to someone besides Jules then he might be involved. A love triangle of sorts, say with Amira would make him a prime suspect.
Fergeson: Not likely to be the murderer, if in fact a murder has been commited. He had almost nothing to gain, unless as with Haskell he is involved romanticly, maybe with Jule's or Amira.
Forrester: For the same reasons as Fergeson.
All staff: ruled out for now.
13. RickNelson - 1/23/2001 1:01:35 PM
Suspects:
Amira: With Berkshire out of the way, she can manipulate the inheritance by killing off Jules. So, watch and see if an attempt is made upon Jules. That will make Amira the most likely suspect.
Stevens: He could either be working alone, seizing an opportunity to get closer to the inheritance, or working in collusion with Amira.
Amira and Stevens are prime suspects, if in fact a murder has occurred. The only evidence of foul play is Jule's "feeling" that something isn't right, Berkshire wouldn't kill himself, he would rather become a burden to his relatives.
Now, with that said, motive is implied.
How was Berkshire murdered, well that's a topic for subjective and suggestive reasoning. I would put it to you, that perhaps a mechanism is involved, one which is not readily visible once the act has done its job (of murder). What mechanism will be very difficult to reason, without access to the physical site. Conjecture may allow that, Berkshire is suprised by a distraction directly in front of him, while he sits at his desk. This distraction causes a suprised expression which includes an opening of the mouth, perhaps to express words of suprise. Then with split second timing the gun, placed in a position which could shot up into the open mouth of Berkshire, explodes its projectile into the helpless Berkshire. The gun could possibly have been in a box upon the desktop, when fired it pops out and lands on the desk or on the floor not far away, thus implying a self-inflicted wound. This scenario allows for the bolted and locked doors and windows.
The distraction could have been a hologram, a (pop-up) creature, which retracted and disappeared into a hiding place, or something else. There is a possibility that Berkshire was induced to kill himself.
14. RickNelson - 1/23/2001 1:01:54 PM
To force, or push Berkshire to kill himself might involve someone who is proficient with the powers of suggestion. This will again include the two prime suspects and add perhaps the doctor or lawyer. Though these last two on the face of it have nothing to gain.
15. PelleNilsson - 1/23/2001 1:08:48 PM
Fingerprints on the gun?
16. PelleNilsson - 1/23/2001 1:09:11 PM
Paraffin test?
17. RickNelson - 1/23/2001 1:13:44 PM
Pelle,
If the gun is mechanized in such a way, that it is propelled into his mouth, he would naturally reach for it and put fingerprints on it, also he would have traces of gun powder as well. This mechanism would undoubtedly be robotic and move very fast.
The desk would need to be checked for hidden doors of some such and other boxes upon the desk-top should be checked. Any sudden disappearance of a box/object from the desk-top will draw instant suspician to that party.
18. RickNelson - 1/23/2001 1:15:33 PM
Also, the power of suggestion is still plausible.
19. Fielding - 1/23/2001 1:26:42 PM
Where's Count Floyd?
20. RickNelson - 1/23/2001 1:37:10 PM
I didn't see a count Floyd.
Additional needs to establish any possible reason to explore the time wasting conjecture I posted:
The backgrounds of all needs investigation. What are their professions, what are/were their academic pursuits, and what were their interests outside of work and academia? These will help establish whether any of the suspects have the skill to create the mechanism in that scenario and whether a suspect would have the skill to hypnotise someone into killing themselves.
The mechanism scenario gives rise to a lot of doubt, owing to the limits of synchronization and the probability for chance to make this a near impossible feat.
The hypnosis scenario might be furthered if one of the guests has strong connections and training with hypnosis.
Add this to the investigation: What types of evidence was left in the room. Everything counts as evidence at this point.
21. RickNelson - 1/23/2001 1:38:10 PM
ttfn.
22. Indiana Jones - 1/23/2001 1:38:15 PM
Were the bolted/locked doors verified by police?
That is, it wasn't that Haskell or someone else tried the door, said it was locked, and then no on one else checked it?
23. OhioSTOPAS - 1/23/2001 2:47:36 PM
What was the layout of the study? Specifically, I'm wondering if Blake really could have seen, from the window outside, blood on the floor under the victim's chair. (I, too, suspect that shifty golddigger.)
24. OhioSTOPAS - 1/23/2001 2:47:56 PM
Was an autopsy performed? Was the victim drugged, or unconscious, or even already dead when shot?
25. JJBiener - 1/23/2001 4:06:07 PM
Bascombe is following up on the suggestions made and should be able to respond this evening. He told me that he has obtained a copy of the police report and the preliminary autopsy which he will share as well. He is trying to arrange for interviews with the staff and guests.
26. Bascombe - 1/24/2001 12:39:36 AM
First thing Tuesday morning, I called a friend of mine at the precinct handling the Berkshire case. I told him I was doing some follow up for Berkshire’s niece and asked if I could get a copy of the report and autopsy. He said he would have to confirm with the niece, but assuming it checked out he saw no problem. I told I would be by around 11:00.
I went by JJ’s to use his computer and checked out this thread. Aside from a couple of smart-ass comments there wasn’t anything worthwhile. I then searched the local paper’s web site and a couple of news banks. I was looking for anything of interest about any of the individuals involved. There were a few society columns and reports on charitable events, but nothing of substance. I went to the web site of a research firm and ordered full background checks and logged off. I knew the background checks would take until Thursday to complete so I would have to make do without them until then.
I went by the precinct. There was a package waiting for me at the front desk. Back in my car, I quickly paged through material. The photos of the scene took away any appetite I had. I decided to just drink my lunch so I took the package and walked across the street to the Starbucks. When I ordered coffee, black, the girl looked at me like I was from Mars. She just shook her head and said, “Whatever?!” I am still not sure how I had offended her.
I took the coffee to a booth in back and spread out the contents of the package on the table. I examined the pictures and didn’t see anything of interest. The gun was there on the floor where it would have fallen if Berkshire had really killed himself. The entry and exit wounds were consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot. The room showed no signs of a struggle or even anything out of place. If a man were to decide to sit down at his desk and take his life, this is how it would look.
27. Bascombe - 1/24/2001 12:40:37 AM
Next I read through the autopsy report. The report was only on the physical examination of the body. The toxicology and lab tests weren’t ready yet. The cause of death was in fact a single gunshot to the brain. The powder burns inside the mouth and the broken teeth indicated that the gun was in the victim’s mouth when it was fired. A paraffin test confirmed that the pistol had been in the victim’s hand when it was fired.
There was no other trauma to the head, neck or body. No bruising. No broken bones. No lacerations. No serious puncture wounds.
The police report didn’t provide any more hope than the autopsy. The police confirmed that both doors to the study were locked and bolted from the inside. The police had to break down the door to the study when they arrived. There was no evidence of secret doors, secret passages, or mechanical devices. There were no signs of forced entry or struggle.
The bullet was located and tested. The blood on the bullet was the victim’s. A ballistics test confirmed that it had been fired by the .38 pistol found in the room near the victim. The gun was indeed registered to the victim and it was kept in the victim’s desk drawer.
The statements of the guests and the staff were in the package as well. I looked through them, but they didn’t seem to offer anything of value.
I sat for a while trying to come up with something to offer Juliette that would confirm her feelings. The problem was that there wasn’t any evidence to contradict the assumption of suicide.
I gathered up the reports and photos and went back to my car. It was almost 3:00 pm so I called JJ and let him know what I found. He told me he had checked the thread and apparently some of the same questions I had were your minds as well. I told him to tell you I would post tonight.
28. Bascombe - 1/24/2001 12:41:36 AM
I then called Juliette and told her I wanted to take another look at the study and talk to her and the housekeeper. I knew I was grasping at straws, but I didn’t have anything else to go on. I grabbed a sandwich at a fast food place and ate it as I drove out to the house.
Juliette was waiting for me at the front door as I drove up. As I got out of the car, she said, “I know what’s wrong. Come here.” I followed her into the house and down the hall to the study. She said, “Look around. I finally figured out what was bothering me.” I looked around and shrugged. I obviously didn’t see what she saw.
“What?”
“The room’s been searched. Before Uncle died, someone searched this room.”
“How can you tell? Nothing is out of place.”
“But it is, that’s what you don’t see. My uncle was precise. If a book was the slightest bit out of place he would put it back. If a picture was crooked, he would fix it. Immediately. They have a name for it. Obsessive something or other. Someone went through this room looking for something, and then they tried to put everything back the way it was. Only it’s not perfect. It was always perfect.”
I wasn’t sure I went along with Juliette’s thinking, but it did show me the mistake I had made. I jumped to same conclusion the police did. I assumed Berkshire committed suicide and I looked at the evidence with that in mind. By doing so I was not really looking for evidence of murder. I was only looking for evidence to support my assumption. I also forgot that murder requires motive, means and opportunity. I was so hung up on opportunity, I ignored the other two.
This was going to require a different tack than the one I was taking. It was time to rethink my plan.
29. cmboyce - 1/24/2001 1:13:40 AM
Looking good, here, JJ! Ask your friend Bascombe if he or Juliette has any idea of the contents of the dead man's will. There seems to be the likeliest motive.
Also, had he enemies—business victims, say (and what was his business, come to think of it); or lovers' husbands; or boytoys, what have you?
Indeed, is his life an open book? Or might some South American cocaine smuggler turn up in the denoument? Could he have offed himself to avoid a blackmailer's revelations of something?
Means? Seems like we need the toxicology reports. He could have been chock full of bad acid or something, that made him pop himself off.
And, if a murderer had to be present to do the murdering (as opposed to a gamble on the consequences of bad acid, or shame, on the intended victim), then Bascombe must undertake a further examination of the scene, for... there must be a way out of that room, beside doors and windows.
Denh-da-denh-denh...duuuuuuuunh!!
I (and much of the Mote, I daresay) will tune in tomorrow.
30. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 7:05:04 AM
When was the last time the victim was seen alive? By whom?
Is there any evidence that the shot the guests heard was actually the shot that killed him? What did the autopsy report say about the time of death?
31. RickNelson - 1/24/2001 9:32:35 AM
Bascombe,
Thanks for confirming there are no mechanical devices. I'm also gratified you've started the search of backgrounds, when I suggested we all needed to know about their careers, academic pursuits and side pursuits, my hope was the search would be a top priority. Sorry to be so long winded, I suppose you've no patience for it. I like to play Sherlock Holmes now and again, I'm grateful you're sharing the case. I'm glad to see someone mention the contents of the Will and I know we're all curious about the toxicological report.
This comment of yours has me smiling a bit, you can deduce why yourself.
"...there wasn’t anything worthwhile. I then searched the local paper’s web site and a couple of news banks. I was looking for anything of interest about any of the individuals involved."
Great idea for a thread JJ.
32. RickNelson - 1/24/2001 9:47:04 AM
cmboyce,
This part of your ideas is a good to explore, can't leave stones unturned as it were.
"Could he have offed himself to avoid a blackmailer's revelations of something? " Adding that we all want to know if Berkshire was a "player", fetishist, or degenerate, so we can satisfy the dark-side of our curious nature.
Then of course we need to know of Berkshire's health. Was he dieing?
Was he in the know that his sister was going to fight his Will and he was determined to give his inheritance to his neice? So, did he then sacrificed himself for her?
As for his doctor make sure his background includes the histories of his patients. Did any of them die under similar circumstance or was he investigated for any patient complaints?
Was his lawyer connected in any way to Amira's husband?
Try and find the answer to Jule's observed search of Berkshire's office, that is, what could have been the subject of a search? A copy of his Will? Incriminating evidence of blackmail or something else? Furthermore, was the subject of the search found and removed?
33. cmboyce - 1/24/2001 9:51:53 AM
Looking good, here, Pelle and Rick. Where's that layabout Bascombe. Doubtless sleeping off some debauch. Possibly even with the lissome Juliette. (Supposing she is lissome. She certainly should be.)
34. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 10:00:23 AM
I don't think this line of enquiry will yield anything definite, although it should be undertaken nonetheless. Bascombe will probably find that several people, perhaps all of them, stood to gain in one way or the other from Berkshire's death.
What Bascombe needs to think about is opportunity. What makes the seemingly impossible possible? There is some piece of misdirection involved like when the conjurer fools you into looking at his right hand when he performs the trick with the left one. I have already hinted that the time of death may not be what it appears to be.
Another possibility: when Juliette draws Bascombe's attention to the slight disorder in the study is is because she herself has performed the search?
35. cmboyce - 1/24/2001 10:13:14 AM
And in what did this "slight disorder" consist? Mis-replaced books? Wrinkled rugs? Half-empty bottles?
36. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 10:20:54 AM
Clarification: That she has performed the search after the murder.
37. cmboyce - 1/24/2001 10:41:24 AM
If she did so, why would she point out the evidence to Bascombe, given that (at least in her opinion) he would not have been aware of it otherwise?
I think that Juliette's having brought in the dick seems to exculpate her. Unless, she wants him to discover some phony trail that she doesn't want to be presenting. But she'd be much smarter to do the same ruse on the cops, whose imprimatur on the phony evidence would be much more valuable than that of some guy she went and hired.
Of course, this may be a mere circumstantial red herring, and J. simply hasn't got her head on straight, and there's nothing wrong the room at all.
38. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 10:49:49 AM
why would she point out the evidence to Bascombe
Because Bascombe, so far, seems like a rather dense fellow.
39. JJBiener - 1/24/2001 10:53:05 AM
Bascombe checked in with me little while ago. He was on his way to Dr. Forrester's office. From there he is going to the attorney Fergeson to ask some questions about the will.
Last night after he posted, he went back to his apartment and went through the statements of the guests and staff. There is something about the statements that is bothering him. He is sure there is something there that will shed some light, but he just can't quite figure it out.
He said he would post later with what he finds.
40. cmboyce - 1/24/2001 10:58:54 AM
Very good. Breath is bated.
41. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 11:18:11 AM
Bascombe: conspicuous wording forces me to ask - "Have the police checked the windows? Can they be locked from the outside?"
42. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 11:19:28 AM
Just when I tried to post that, I couldn't get access to the site. I felt distinctly like the guy who says:
"Its all perfectly obvious. The murdererer is... ARRRRRGGGH! (falls to ground with knife in back)."
43. JJBiener - 1/24/2001 11:46:26 AM
Rask - The police report confirmed that the windows were locked and they could not be unlocked from the outside.
44. cmboyce - 1/24/2001 12:00:17 PM
Hmm. Could not be unlocked from the outside? But could they (or the door) be locked from the outside?
45. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 12:08:11 PM
explicitly phrased, could any of the doors and windows be conventionally locked behind a killer, as they closed the door or window behind them while leaving?
46. JJBiener - 1/24/2001 12:35:46 PM
The windows were standard windows with no external locking mechanism. The door to the garden was a french-style door with a lock in the door handle and a slide bolt about a foot above the handle. The door was both locked and bolted.
47. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 1:25:43 PM
I say again: misdirection. Doors and windows were bolted from the inside. There are no secret passageways. The murder wants us to focus on the seemingly impossible. Unless the plot has a supertwist: it is suicide but Berkshire himself with Juliette as an accomplice after the fact has planted evidence (which Bascombe will find) that rules it out. Purpose: to disprove suicide but make it impossible to find a murderer. Motive: gigantic life insurance which is not valid in case of suicide.
48. DocBrown - 1/24/2001 1:44:57 PM
On those looking for finding the means/opportunity:
If Bascombe cannot find any means by which the French doors or windows might be opened, I would ask questions about the housekeeper and groundskeeper. They are the most likely to know of ventilation shafts, paneled-over chimneys, or other escape routes.
Were the locks on the windows or doors painted shut? That is common with old houses and would certainly make a difference. But we don't know whether or not the Berkshire Estate was old. Maybe it is brand new. Bascombe, what is your observation?
Still, something tells me that this is the wrong direction.
Is anyone bothered by the fact that there is no suicide note, or other final message? A murder who wanted the investigation to conclude quickly should have tried to fabricate something, even on a typewriter or email. The lack of a note leaves so many unanswered questions that it just begs for further investigation. A murderer would not want that.
Let us suppose for a moment that the wound was self inflicted. In this case there must have been something going on in the final hours of Berkshire's life about which Jules was unaware. Cmboyce alluded to this possibility: maybe Bascombe is not really investigating a murder but some other crime that drove Berkshire to kill himself.
One way to explain the lack of a note would be the possibility that Berkshire was determined to take something to his grave with him.
Check his answering machine, voice mail, email, and safety deposit boxes, than ask Jules if she knows any place else that Berkshire might have left a suicide note. Go forth and sleuth, Bascombe!
(You might not be able to get to the safety deposit boxes until the will has been read. In that case, just find out if he put anything there in the final days of his life).
49. DocBrown - 1/24/2001 1:53:01 PM
The toxicology report is not back yet, leaving the possibility that Berkshire was drugged. Because one of the suspects is a doctor, we must remember that pretty much anything might have been used. A negative toxicology report would not rule out drugs.
Or something simple like air injected into the bloodstream.
50. DocBrown - 1/24/2001 2:13:07 PM
The idea that the study may have been searched is fascinating.
Something out of place might show where Berkshire put his suicide note, if he left one. If he only wanted someone close to him, like Jules, to find the note he might have concealed it where only she would look (in an encyclopedia out of sequence, etc.).
Assuming now that Berkshire was murdered, the searched study could mean two things:
1) Someone searched the study late in the night and found something that made tham want to kill Berkshire. They waited for Berkshire to enter the room that morning, killed him before he had a chance to properly arrange the study, and escaped by means as yet unknown.
2) Someone (perhaps the murder, perhaps not) needed to find something of Berkshire's, but they did not know where to look and they would not or could not ask Berkshire. They may have searched the rest of the house, and they may still be searching.
Does Bascombe have some 21st century survellience equipment for catching those unfaithful spouses? Gadgets like this Spy Cam sound like they are right up his alley. If he has some, we would be glad to discuss its use in gathering evidence for his investigation.
51. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 2:25:18 PM
Pelle seems to be on an interesting track, but the validity of the insurance policy in case of suicide can be determined easily enough (as I understand it, suicide only voids a policy if done within a year or two after getting the policy).
I still think there is a gimmick with the windows or doors. Any holes in the glass of the window, through which a lock could be manipulated from the outside? I saw that in a Remington Steele episode once.
52. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 2:34:16 PM
Well, if we ignore my rather convoluted suicide theory and assume murder, I think future developments will show that the shot heard was not the shot that killed Berkshire (climbing out on a long, slender limb). Some sleight of hand is involved and the murderer needed time to enact it. It may be a question of minutes. Big weakness of theory: what about the shot that actually killed him?
53. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 2:38:08 PM
silencer? Is a silencer available for the type of gun used?
54. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 2:41:54 PM
But the killer still has to get out of a locked room. Possibilities:
1) One exit could be locked from the outside, through some gimmick.
2) A secret exit.
3) The killer didn't leave the room until after the police broke down the door.
4) suicide.
55. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 2:50:04 PM
5) the outside exits *weren't* locked from the inside until after the police opened the room.
To eliminate 5). Did any of the other guests or the police confirm that the outside exits were locked before the police broke into the room?
To eliminate 3) Were all guests present and accounted for before the arrival of the police?
option 2) is eliminated per one of the detective's statements. Assuming the above are excluded, that leaves suicide, a gimmick, or something I haven't considered.
56. wabbit - 1/24/2001 3:34:22 PM
JJ/Bascombe,
Would the killer have had time to replace a pane of glass?
57. JJBiener - 1/24/2001 3:43:00 PM
Rask - When the police arrived, all of the guests and staff were present and accounted for. There was no one in the room except the victim. The police confirmed the doors and windows were locked and the garden door was bolted when they entered the room.
Wabbit - All of the guests and staff had arrived outside the study within a few minutes of the gunshot. It is unlikely that they could have replaced a window pane in that amount of time.
58. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 3:46:12 PM
Raskolnikov's (5) has promise. Suppose a bit of confusion when the police enters the room, screams, tears and so on. The chap who earlier reported that the back door was locked (or an accomplice) sneaks up to it, slides the bolt (which has been oiled) and exclaims "Look this one is bolted too!"
Wabbit's theory is also interesting but it requires, I think, a displacement of the actual time of the murder. Also, the stuff that keeps the pane in place (don't know the word in English) would have been soft but that could have been overlooked because the immediate evidence makes suicide a foregone conclusion.
59. Raskolnikov - 1/24/2001 3:50:56 PM
JJ: did any of the guests enter the study with the police, or were they kept out in the hallway?
60. JJBiener - 1/24/2001 4:12:21 PM
Pelle - Suppose a bit of confusion when the police enters the room, screams, tears and so on. The chap who earlier reported that the back door was locked (or an accomplice) sneaks up to it, slides the bolt (which has been oiled) and exclaims "Look this one is bolted too!"
The police preserved the crime scene until their investigation was finished. No one but the police entered the room. I doubt a murderer would risk trying to sneak over to the door to lock it. Too great a risk of being caught.
61. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 4:26:59 PM
Note JJ's reference to "the time of the gunshot" not "the time of the murder (or death". I sense fishiness. But then we Swedes are abnormally sensitive to that (to preempt the obvious rejoinder).
62. JJBiener - 1/24/2001 4:32:38 PM
Pelle - "Time of the gunshot" is for convenience. It is an unambiguous point in time relative to the guests and staff. The autopsy confirmed that the gunshot wound was the cause of death. Granted there could have been two or more shots fired, but so far Bascombe hasn't uncovered any evidence of a second shot.
Perhaps he should look behind the grassy knoll. (g)
63. PelleNilsson - 1/24/2001 4:38:45 PM
More fishiness. The autopsy report did not confirm that "the gunshot wound" was the cause of death but that "a gunshot wound" was.
But I have to log out now. I look forward to read Bascombe's report with my second cup of morning coffee.
64. JJBiener - 1/24/2001 4:42:50 PM
Pelle - He only had one gunshot wound. That doesn't imply that there was necessarily only one gunshot.
65. Bascombe - 1/25/2001 2:25:31 AM
I left JJ’s about midnight and drove back to my apartment. On my way, I drove through White Castle and picked up a sack of belly bombers and some onion rings. The couple in the next apartment sounded like they were holding a rodeo in their bedroom, so I put on some Stevie Ray loud enough to drown out the noise. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and the bag from White Castle and went to work on statements of the guests and staff. By the time I finished my sixth burger, I had a pretty clear idea of the chain of events.
Saturday morning started out normal enough. The housekeeper woke at 6:00 am and dressed. She arrived in the kitchen at 6:30 am to prepare breakfast for Berkshire. Berkshire came down at 6:45 am and ate his breakfast. He was finished at 7:00 am and went to his study to work.
Dr. Forrester came down to the kitchen at 7:15 am on his way out for his morning run. Forrester runs every morning from 7:15 am to 8:00 am. When he is staying at the house he has a course through the estate that takes him exactly 45 minutes.
At 7:30 am Eloise began making breakfast for Chasten and McGee, the driver and groundskeeper. They arrived at 7:45 am and were still there eating breakfast with Eloise when they heard the shot fired a couple of minutes before 8:00 am.
Juliette and Blake, Amira and Maxwell Stevens and Mitchell Fergeson were in their respective rooms when they heard the gunshot.
After the gunshot, Eloise, Chasten and McGee were the first to arrive at the door. They knocked and listened but heard nothing. A few seconds later Juliette and Fergeson came from the direction of the bedrooms followed a minute later by Amira and Maxwell. Another minute or so passed before Forrester arrived from the kitchen and Blake arrived from the direction of the bedrooms.
66. Bascombe - 1/25/2001 2:26:36 AM
After knocking repeatedly, Blake ran around to the garden door leading to the study. Forrester offered to go, but he was flushed and out of breath from his run, so Blake went. Blake found the door and windows locked and bolted. After calling the police he returned to the hall outside the study. He did not see anyone on the grounds coming or going.
A few minutes later the police arrived and their report covers it from there.
If one these people killed Berkshire, I had to find out why. If any of them had an axe to grind, they didn’t let on in their statements. If I start with the assumption that Berkshire was murdered, the killer was clever enough to keep from giving himself away.
I went to bed but the White Castles laid in my stomach like a brick. It was almost an hour before I fell into a fitful sleep.
This morning I went by to see Forrester. I was curious about Berkshire’s health and habits and I figured his physician would be the place to start. I told his receptionist who I was and what I wanted. Forrester was with a patient, but he showed me to his office once he had finished.
He motioned for me to take a chair as he sat down behind his desk. I studied him for a moment to size up the man. He was in his late 50’s. His once dark hair was now sprinkled with gray with white patches on his temples. He was relatively tall, 6’2” or so, and about 185 lbs. He had an easy, good-natured air about him though I could tell he was a little uncomfortable about my presence.
I explained to him why I was there and what I wanted from him. He paused for a moment, and I could see him sizing me up.
“I have been hesitant to say anything out of respect for the family. I’ve know Tony . . . I guess I should say I knew Tony for over 10 years. We became personal friends far beyond the normal doctor – patient relationship.
67. Bascombe - 1/25/2001 2:27:55 AM
“Since you’ll be seeing the toxicology report soon, I had better explain some things first. 8 years ago Tony had a serious skiing accident. He spent several weeks in the hospital, but he eventually pulled through. The accident left him with chronic pain. I prescribed a variety of painkillers but they either left him too drowsy to function or they didn’t touch the pain. Somehow he managed to get some illegal medication from Canada that gave him some release. He also tried a variety of different drugs, some legal some not, to test different combinations to see what would work. I couldn’t be involved with that since it could cost me my license to practice
“To be honest with you, I wasn’t very surprised when I heard he committed suicide.. I couldn’t have predicted it to save my own life mind you, but I am not surprised. Chronic pain takes a toll on the spirit and eventually it needs to find its release. I don’t condone suicide or advocate it to anyone, but I do understand. Sometimes understanding is what being a doctor is about.”
I thought for a moment then shifted gears. “You were at the house Saturday morning. You had spent Friday night there.”
“Yes, that’s not unusual. The estate is nearly an hour from the city at the best of times and late at night it seems even longer. Tony gave me a standing invitation to stay there whenever I wanted.”
“You were out on a run when the shot was fired. How soon did you make it back to house after you heard the shot.”
“I was just finishing up and heading for the kitchen when I heard the shot. I sprinted up the hill to find out what happened.”
“I understand you take the same route everyday.”
68. Bascombe - 1/25/2001 2:30:31 AM
“What? Oh, on my run. Yes, of course. I start at the kitchen door and run out to the property line. I follow the property line to the lake then I run a couple of laps around the lake. From there I head up the hill to the house. It takes me almost exactly 45 minutes to run it everyday.”
“Did you see anyone on your run that day?”
“No, I can’t say I did. Sometimes I see McGee when I head out, but I don’t believe I saw anyone that morning.”
“Can you think of any reason why someone would kill Berkshire?”
“I am sorry. I am going to have to pull rank on that one and invoke confidentiality rules. I am sure there are people out there who wanted him dead, but I am not going to speculate without evidence.”
“If you think of anything that might help, please let me know.”
“Call me if you have any more questions.”
I left the office and checked my watch. I had an appointment to talk to Fergeson and I was going to be late if I didn’t hurry. I jumped on the highway to head into the city when I hit road construction. I ended up 20 minutes late. Furgeson wasn’t happy that I put him off his schedule.
Juliette told him I would be coming by so he prepared some materials for me. He handed me a stack of information on Berkshire’s finances and a copy of the will. He summed it up like this.
“Tony was a very wealthy man. Now Juliette is a very wealthy woman. She has asked me to represent her in dealing with the will and the estate. The will has bequests to Juliette’s mother, his staff and various charitable organizations. But the bulk of the estate goes to Juliette.”
“Did he make any changes to his will or talk about making changes recently?”
69. Bascombe - 1/25/2001 2:32:32 AM
“No, the last time it was updated was when Juliette came of age few years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear he had made threats about changing his will to disinherit someone for some perceived slight, but he was never serious. I think he honestly believed he would outlive them all.”
He paused for a moment. “I’m not sure how much I should say. I don’t want to upset the family at a time like this, but I am really having trouble with this. It is completely out of character for Tony to take his own life. I can’t tell you how many times he told me he would dance on my grave. Usually whenever I advised him against some risky business venture he was planning. He was in the middle of an acquisition that is supposed to be signed on Friday. It doesn’t make sense.”
He cut off the interview at that point and ushered me out.
I took the papers he gave me and went back to my apartment. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and called the pizza place on the corner. I spent the next few hours going over the will and the financial records for anything looked suspicious. Nothing jumped out at me so I drove here to JJ’s to talk it over with him and to post.
We’ll see what tomorrow brings. I want to talk to Eloise again. As with most domestic help, I think she knows more that she is letting on. Something is off kilter here and I suspect she can provide some light.
70. jonesatlaw - 1/25/2001 5:00:48 AM
I think that Bascombe should take a careful look at the autopsy report again. Specifically, he should look at the pattern of powder burns in the mouth. Was the muzzle in contact or close contact with the hard palate? If it was (and it should be) what is the shape of the wound pattern? Does is match the shape of the muzzle of the weapon found?
71. jonesatlaw - 1/25/2001 5:07:13 AM
Further, was there an exit wound? If so, are there blood/body material on the ceiling, walls, or drapery?
The answers to these questions will tell Bascombe whether there was a murder or suicide. Who is responsible in the case of murder remains to be seen.
72. Indiana Jones - 1/25/2001 8:47:03 AM
Did any of the other guests or the police confirm that the outside exits were locked before the police broke into the room?
I would like to point out to both Rask and Pelle that I asked this question in post #22. Normally, I don't object too much to not having my posts read, but in this case, I think it's going to be rather difficult to solve the murder without being observant.
73. Indiana Jones - 1/25/2001 9:11:04 AM
I don't think the gunshot is the sticking point because the killer could easily fake it (a firecracker left somewhere in the study to go off, perhaps exploded by a remote device such as is used to power model airplanes).
The problem is the locked door. Because of JJ's explicit description of the mechanism of the outside door, I'm thinking that must be significant.
Buscombe should check the mechanism of the French door very carefully to see if it has been tinkered with or if it could be rigged to lock upon closing. Are there any strange scratches, traces of metal, or other indications of such? (Why was it locked and bolted?) Is it possible by swinging both doors simultaneously to have the bolt catch upon closing?
74. Indiana Jones - 1/25/2001 9:12:51 AM
Another comment: That the doctor was out of breath should be suspicious. If he runs the same route every day and at the same pace, it should no longer be that challenging for him.
75. cmboyce - 1/25/2001 9:20:14 AM
The doctor reported that, upon hearing the shot, he sprinted up a hill to the house. Whether true or not, that accounts for his being winded on arrival.
Otoh, the lawyer seems convincing in his assessment of Berkshire's state of mind re suicide, while the doc provides a motive for it. And a means. And an excuse for what is clearly going to be an unusual toxicology report. I think this puts the doc in something of a suspicious light.
Jonesatlaw's concerns need to be addressed. It seems odd to me, too, that there has been no mention of the gore one would expect from such a death. And that with the palate sounds like something the autopsy report should have dealt with. Interview the coroner.
76. Indiana Jones - 1/25/2001 9:20:40 AM
To follow up on wabbit's question, JJ, you said a "window pane." What about a pane in the French doors?
French doors are characterized by their individual panes of glass, which are called lights. A French door typically has 10 to 15 lights and frequently a door unit consists of two doors.
Also, if the gunshot was faked (via firecracker or some other method), the killer would have had additional time to put such a pane back.
77. Indiana Jones - 1/25/2001 9:28:37 AM
cm: But would he have been so out of breath that he couldn't even run around to check the back door? Someone who runs that much every day should be in better shape. I agree with your comment regarding the toxicology report.
(Note to Bascombe: Did Blake suggest he go instead of Forrester, or did Forrester suggest Blake go? Also, I'd like to see Pelle's question about cause of death answered.)
78. Indiana Jones - 1/25/2001 10:10:29 AM
I think it would help to have a diagram of the layout of the house and grounds.
79. JJBiener - 1/25/2001 11:24:16 AM
Jones - The conclusion of the autopsy report was that the gun in question was the gun that fired the bullet. The powder burns indicate the gun was in the victim's mouth when it went off. A parrafin test confirmed that the victim was holding the gun when it went off.
When Bascombe used the phrase early on that Berkshire blew his brains out, he wasn't using it a strictly a figure of speech. The scene was extremely unsettling for Juliette which is why she didn't immediately recognize that things were out of place. Bascombe told me that he tried to avoid the gorey details, but if you really want to hear about blood, brain and bone fragments he might be willing to oblige.
He also said something interesting. Based on the location of the some of the blood, he is confident that the room was searched before the gun was fired.
80. JJBiener - 1/25/2001 11:38:55 AM
Indy - Did any of the other guests or the police confirm that the outside exits were locked before the police broke into the room?
I thought this was answered. The windows and doors were checked by the police after they broke down the study door but before anyone else was allowed to enter the room. No one had the opportunity to lock the windows or door before they were checked by the police.
There was no evidence of any tampering with the panes in the French door. Your question about the mechanism struck a chord. Bascombe says he intends to examine it more closely for any signs of tampering.
The hill from the lake to the house is very steep. It would be a challenge to any runner especially one in middle age. That's why he likes it. His normal route in the city is not nearly as challenging. Eloise said he comes in red faced and out of breath after his run whenever he's there.
81. Raskolnikov - 1/25/2001 12:02:13 PM
well, this all seems set up to imply that the victim was drugged, the room was then searched, and just before the killer was ready to leave, he fired the gun using the victim's hand.
Where are the drugs? In what room were the kept? Are there anyone else's fingerprints on the bottle? Any beverages near the victim?
82. RickNelson - 1/25/2001 12:17:39 PM
Red Flag
The doctor says:
“I have been hesitant to say anything out of respect for the family. I’ve know Tony. . . I guess I should say I knew Tony for over 10 years. We became personal friends far beyond the normal doctor – patient relationship."
and:
“To be honest with you, I wasn’t very surprised when I heard he committed suicide.. I couldn’t have predicted it to save my own life mind you, but I am not surprised. Chronic pain takes a toll on the spirit and eventually it needs to find its release."
The lawyer says:
He paused for a moment. “I’m not sure how much I should say. I don’t want to upset the family at a time like this, but I am really having trouble with this. It is completely out of character for Tony to take his own life. I can’t tell you how many times he told me he would dance on my grave. Usually whenever I advised him against some risky business venture he was planning. He was in the middle of an acquisition that is supposed to be signed on Friday. It doesn’t make sense.”
If the doctor is such a personal friend outside of their doctor patient relationship, why is he making such a blatantly contradictory statement of the lawyers?
Fishy mighty fishy. Now add that the doctor is the only suspect who clearly had opportunity and an implied aliby. He becomes someone to watch very closely.
83. RickNelson - 1/25/2001 12:22:17 PM
cont.
Bascombe might try and connect him in some way to any of the other suspects. Be open to any connection, familial, love, business, etc...
I want to know the statements of all the other suspects now. Did anyone else give a similar contradictory statement. The lawyer and Jules both agree that Berkshire was of a mind to live a long time.
As for physical evidence, I want to know of any tampering of the lock mechanisms also, but to me it is vital to know if there were any out of the ordinary, yet seemingly beyond suspicion items to investigate more intently. Such as remnants of something, string perhaps, wire, anything. Ask the housekeeper if she cleaned up something that wasn't always there to clean before, yet seemed to ordinary to be considered suspicious.
The drugs Berkshire has taken must be investigated too. Were there any hallucinagens, or drugs which may affect the minds ability to reason? Also, why didn't the doctor, being such a very close friend, stay close to Berkshire's drug choices. This seems very suspicious and I say, stay right up on the doctor!
87. DocBrown - 1/25/2001 12:37:24 PM
Hey Bascombe! What am I, chopped liver?
I'd like answers to a couple of easy questions I asked yesterday, f it's not too much trouble.
Roughly how old does the house appear to be?
Are the windows painted shut?
Is anyone even looking for a suicide note, or other final message? The lawyer (Furgeson) should be concerned about this. He claims that he cannot understand the suicide, so I would expect him to be looking for closure.
I think the motive was next Friday's acquisition, about which we know nothing. Find out something about that, Bascombe.
In a couple of hours I'll be back to explain why I believe that is a more important lead than the Doctor's strange statements.
88. JJBiener - 1/25/2001 12:47:54 PM
Posts 84-86 were deleted at the request of the poster. They were intended for another thread.
89. JJBiener - 1/25/2001 12:59:41 PM
Doc - The house was relatively new. It was built in the last 5 years. The windows and doors were not painted shut. They were well maintained.
There was no sign of a suicide note either written or email. A suicide may or may not leave one. A murderer may have thought that the circumstances would be evidence enough of suicide that a note would not be necessary. A note could also provide evidence against the murderer if not done with extreme care. The murderer may not have wanted to take that risk. It is hard see what the lack of a note tells us.
The question about the acquisition is a good one. It presents the possibility that someone other than the guests or the staff is responsible. I will see if Bascombe can follow up on that.
Thanks.
90. PelleNilsson - 1/25/2001 1:43:11 PM
I'm pursuing my misdirection idea. I think Bascombe should focus on the time of death not on the bolted doors. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now just suppose that the murderer was in the room and then wasn't. My jaundiced eye, reinforced by a G&T, now falls on Forrester. The very precision of his movments arouse suspicion. He runs for exactly 45 mins, starting exactly at 7.15. This might be a spiel he has worked on for years while building his Plan. He was flushed when he arrived. But was it because he had sprinted up the hill or because the Plan depended on swift movements? Forrester feels that he "needs to explain things" because Bascombe will soon see the toxicology report. So Berkshire was full of dope? Administered by Forrester to get him pliant?
91. DocBrown - 1/25/2001 3:18:31 PM
Ways to throw suspicion away from the doctor:
8 years ago Tony had a serious skiing accident. He spent several weeks in the hospital, but he eventually pulled through. The accident left him with chronic pain. I prescribed a variety of painkillers . . .
These facts should be easily verifyable for a great investigator like Bascombe. Assuming they prove true, ask Juliette if she knew about them. Normally I would expect her to know about the accident and resulting pain (if it was that severe). But if she knew that chronic pain was a part of his everyday life, I would expect her to mention it when Bascombe asked about motives for suicide. Either way her answer should be interesting.
If the accident/pain story is false, then the doctor is hiding something, and doing a poor job of it.
If Doctor Forrester had wanted to kill Berkshire, he had hundreds of easier ways of doing it that would appear accidental. All of us must be very trusting of our doctors in this way. Forrester is the only character for which this is true. The doctor would only stage the death in this elaborate way if he absolutely needed the death to appear as a suicide.
Based on the evidence so far, Forrester had nothing to gain by making it appear as a suicide.
Either way, if the toxicology report comes back with some exotic and illegal stuff in Berkshire's system, the police will jump on that. The Feds will get involved, too, and Forrester will be under a microscope from several different directions. If he were the murder he had to know this would happen, and murders do not like to be under an investigative microscope.
Forrester may be arrested and even put on trial for some drug violation (of which he is innocent, based on his statements), but I think is not the murderer.
Despite RickNelson's red flags, I think there are much hotter leads than Doctor Forrester.
92. DocBrown - 1/25/2001 3:27:01 PM
In fact, based on the evidence so far, Forrster would have had every motivation to make the death appear accidental instead of suicidal. If pain killers/sedatives/depressants were involved in a suicide then the supplier might be accused of contributing to the death. In that case the doctor would obviously be suspect #1. It makes no sense to bring so much suspicion to himself.
But then there was this:
Bascombe: “I understand you take the same route everyday.”
Forrester: “What? Oh, on my run. Yes, of course.
Freudian slip? Perhaps Forrester is hiding something. When he has the time, Bascombe might want to follow Forrester and see where he goes in a typical day.
93. OhioSTOPAS - 1/25/2001 3:41:17 PM
"Either way, if the toxicology report comes back with some exotic and
illegal stuff in Berkshire's system, the police will jump on that."
What would be interesting is if the toxicology report comes back with NO evidence of medication. That would suggest that someone had maliciously replaced the victim's painkillers with placebos.
94. DocBrown - 1/25/2001 3:47:15 PM
BTW the library in my house has French doors. There is no way in the freaking world I could squeeze my body through one of the individual windows. Unless one of the suspects is a 7 year old, don't bother pursuing the "removed a glass pane and put it back" avenue.
But I can think of a way that someone could bolt my French doors behind himself. It requires some sort of low odor, quick drying adhesive and careful preparation.
The lock is easy. I can have my door lock behind me as I walk out. Close the door and click! it's locked.
The bolt takes some trickery. One side of the bolt is held to one door by four screaw, the other side is held on by four other screws. If I were to unscrew the screws on one side I could open one of the doors while the bolt assemble held together. This could only be done from inside the door, but we have to assume the killer was inside.
Suppose you had removed the screws on correct side, opened the door, then glued the screws in pace on the latch. Leaving the door ajar, you could reem out the holes in the other door and put some glue inside them. When the door was closed the screws would slip into the holes. Once the glue was dry it would appear that the door had been locked the whole time.
The trickiest part is getting a glue that is strong enough that it will not fall apart when spomeone tries to open the door. It must also dry quickly and have little odor. Some sort of Super Glue might do the trick.
If this was done to the bolt, a firm tug on the door by a burly PI like Bascombe should reveal the trickery.
95. OhioSTOPAS - 1/25/2001 4:12:07 PM
If the French doors don't close too tightly, you could probably slide the deadbolt closed from outside merely by using a string.
96. cmboyce - 1/25/2001 8:09:43 PM
I think it would be very useful to have more detail on just how the room was "disturbed" by the hypothesized searcher. What did Juliette see? Was it a single disturbance, localized? If so, the "searcher" may have not been a searcher, but rather a hider.
97. jonesatlaw - 1/25/2001 8:53:19 PM
Bascombe- Don't ignore the gore! You need to check the autopsy and crime scene photos for a couple of things. First, where there hemorrages in the head surrounding the wound or in the mouth? Was blood pooled around the head where it lay upon discovery? Finally, were there any areas which should have been in the splatter pattern which are not splattered as the rest of the area is? Whether the shot is antemortem or postmortem depends on the answers.
98. AytchMan - 1/26/2001 1:21:11 AM
Great stuff, JJ!
Bascombe--
Can you run down a couple of things for us? I think these have been mentioned but not specifically asked:
Does the autopsy report clearly establish the time of death? It will help us immensely if we can determine whether Berkshire actually died at 8am.
Can we get more details on the will? List of charitable organizations and their senior directors and officials. Perhaps one of the organizations in the will was connected to one of the guests, establishing a motive.
Also on the will: more details on amounts of money to specific recipients, any restriction or conditions, non-standard clauses as well as the possibility of a forged signature.
Details on the insurance policy: beneficiaries, amounts, conditions.
It's a long shot but I'm curious about any connection between the announcements of charitable meetings in the paper one day and the fact that Berkie was leaving some money to one or more charities. Anything there?
Is a sketch of the mansion available, especially the crime scene?
99. Bascombe - 1/26/2001 1:34:33 AM
I was back out at the Berkshire house bright and early. I went around to the kitchen entrance and knocked on the door. Eloise let me in and offered to cook me breakfast. I settled for coffee.
Eloise Michaelson is a short, stout woman with round, pink cheeks and an easy laugh. She wore a carefully pressed print dress with a full apron. She was an exercise in constant motion. She moved from task to task like a ballet dancer moving from position to position. Her movements were smooth and practiced as if she were performing a domesticated tai chi.
“I suppose you know just about everything that goes on in the house, don’t you?”
“I know a bit, I suppose”
“You know Juliette doesn’t believe her uncle killed himself.”
“I assumed that is why you are here.”
“I need to know what was going on around here. Not the sanitized version they told the police. The real story.”
“The real story? Do you know about the argument Friday night? Blake and Mr. Berkshire. Terrible fight. They yelled at each other for almost 45 minutes. They were in the study. Blake finally stormed out and slammed the door. I went in to check on Mr. Berkshire. I could tell he was angry. He was pacing back and forth adjusting the books and pictures on the shelves. He did that when he was upset. Everything had to be perfect.”
“Did you hear what they were arguing about?”
“I don’t know for sure. I suspect it was about the girl, Juliette. That is what they usually argue about. Mr. Berkshire made no secret of the fact that he thought Blake was only after Juliette’s money. It upset Blake no end, I can tell you that.”
“Do you believe Blake killed Berkshire?”
Eloise thought for a moment before she answered, “No, it couldn’t be Blake. Blake is a decent boy. That is not something he would do.”
“Did you hear anything the morning of the murder?”
100. Bascombe - 1/26/2001 1:35:26 AM
“I’m sorry sir, Ralph and Titus and myself were talking. I didn’t think to listen for anything. How could I have known?”
I left the house and tracked down Juliette at her apartment. I wasn’t too happy that Juliette had failed to mention the fight between her fiancé and her uncle. An explanation was definitely in order.
When she opened the door, I didn’t waste any time. “Why didn’t you tell me about the fight?”
“Eloise?” I nodded. “I should have told you. I should have told the police, but it was really nothing. This wasn’t the first time Blake and Uncle fought, but this was probably the worst. Uncle threatened to disinherit me if Blake and I married. He thinks . . . he thought Blake was only interested in me for my money. But Blake isn’t like that. I just couldn’t get Uncle to see that.”
“Was Blake with you when you heard the gunshot?”
She hesitated for moment looking down at her feet. Finally she let out a sigh and said, “No, when I woke around 7:00 he wasn’t in our room. I didn’t know where he had gone. When I heard the shot I ran towards the study. A minute or two later I noticed Blake had come up behind me. When we couldn’t get the door open and Uncle didn’t respond to our knocking, Blake went around to the garden door. He came back a few minutes later and told us what he saw. He said he had called for an ambulance and the police. I don’t think he left my side the rest of the day.”
She paced around the room and ran her fingers through her hair. She turned to me and said, “Blake couldn’t have done it. Blake wouldn’t have done it. He’s not violent. He couldn’t have killed Uncle. I know it.”
101. Bascombe - 1/26/2001 1:36:39 AM
“Why did you lie to the police?”
“Blake talked to police first. He said we were together when the shot was fired. I wasn’t thinking, I just went along with it. I don’t know why, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I couldn’t just contradict him like that in front of the police. They would assume he was guilty of something.”
I just looked at her for moment and she said, “He’s not guilty. . . .He’s not.”
After I left Juliette’s, I drove by Blake’s place of employment, a coed health club for upscale singles. It was kind of a meat market for well-toned meat. I asked for Blake at the front desk. He was working with one of the members, but he came over a few minutes later. I told him who I was and what I was doing.
He shrugged and said, “What can I do?”
“I want to know about the fight last Friday between you and Berkshire. I want to know where you were Saturday morning.”
“I guess you talked to Juliette. The fight was the same old fight we’ve had ever since J. and I got engaged. He didn’t think I was good enough for her, and to be honest he’s probably right. He also thought I was interested in her money, but that is flat wrong. I don’t give a damn about money. If I did, do you think I’d be a personal trainer? It’s not what you’d call a high paying gig. When he threatened to disinherit her, cut her off, I said fine. We’d get by just fine.
“I went back to the bedroom and J. and I stayed up late talking. She was really upset by the whole thing. She was even more upset than I was. She finally fell asleep, but I just tossed and turned. Around 6 o’clock I got dressed and went out for a walk. The bedroom has an outside door. I wound up down by the lake. I sat down on the edge and tossed stones into the lake for I don’t know how long. It was about 10 to 8 when I realized what time it was and I walked back up to the house.”
102. Bascombe - 1/26/2001 1:38:00 AM
“Where were you when you heard the gunshot?”
“About 20 feet from the house.”
“Was Juliette in the room when you went it?”
“No. She had already left.”
“Why did you tell the police that you two were together?”
“I don’t know. I guess I panicked. I didn’t think Juliette could have been involved, but I didn’t want to take any chances. It was silly, but I wasn’t thinking too clearly, not with a dead body in the house and all. You understand.”
“Did you see anyone while you were out?”
“No, not a soul. Why?”
“Just curious.”
After I left the health club, I called JJ. He filled me in on some of the discussion in the thread. I thought the questions about the bolt on the garden door in the study had merit so I drove back out to the estate. I told Eloise what I wanted and she let me in. I went to study and checked the back door again. The bolt slid easily open and closed. Both pieces were firmly in place and neither showed any signs of tampering.
I opened the door and examined the area around the latch. There was a tiny space between the doors so I thought an experiment was in order. I borrowed a piece of thread from Eloise. I wrapped it around the knob on the bolt and then carried the ends outside and closed the door behind me. I tugged on the thread to see if it would set the bolt. The thread broke. Next I tried a piece of string, but that was too thick. I was about to give up when I had one last thought. Dental floss. A sharp tug on both ends set the bolt. A steady pull on one end and the floss pulled free. The door was locked and bolted.
Congratulations to Mr. Stopas. The man nailed it.
103. Bascombe - 1/26/2001 1:39:19 AM
I thanked Eloise for her assistance and went back to my car. I called my buddy over at the precinct about the toxicology report. It still wasn’t ready. The lab found some inconsistencies and wanted to run some additional tests. It could be as late as Monday before it was ready.
I drove over to JJ’s. The background checks were in his inbox. I printed them out and skimmed through them. There was a lot of information and not much help. I figured a closer look could wait until morning.
104. PelleNilsson - 1/26/2001 1:57:01 AM
Just the obvious observation: Blake should have seen Forrester by the lake. One of them is lying.
Congratulations to Ohio.
105. AytchMan - 1/26/2001 2:53:42 AM
Good job, Ohio.
Bascombe, more questions:
Has the angle of the gunshot (within the room) been conclusively determined? Are the blood spatters on the wall, etc. consistent with Berkie sitting upright at his desk when shot?
When did Haskell call the police on his cell phone? Was he already carrying it when everybody arrived at the door? Rhetorical question: who hears a gunshot, grabs a cell phone and runs to investigate? Examine the cell phone, Basc old bean.
106. AytchMan - 1/26/2001 4:04:58 AM
J. Robert McBascombe, Esquire:
Can we conclusively determine that Berkie's body was not moved?
Which bedrooms have outside doors?
Finally, from your conversation with Blake:
“Was Juliette in the room when you went it? [sic]”
“No. She had already left.”
Please clarify this. In the room when he left? When he went in? Which room?
107. PelleNilsson - 1/26/2001 7:37:39 AM
I wonder if we are seeing a misdirection on the metalevel here. That Bascombe could slip the bolt in place with a dental thread does not mean it was actually done that way. The narrator of the tale may cleverly have worked Ohio's idea into the plot to sow more confusion.
But if it was done that way there is now a strong case (too strong, I suspect) against Blake. He has no alibi for the time after he and Juliette withdrew for the night. By the way how did Julietta know what Blake had told the police? He enters the study, shoots Berkshire, locks the front door and exits by the back door, which he has to leave unlocked because of time constraints. He arrives in front of the study and offers to go round and try the back door. Any noise will be thought to come from him trying to open the door, but what he is doing is sliding the bolt in place. The motive is of course obvious. What remains to solve is why Berkshire let him do it. We may hypothezise that Blake slipped something into Berkshire's breakfeast ingredients. If Berkshire was such a pedantic fellow he probably had exactly the same breakfast everyday at the same time.
108. RickNelson - 1/26/2001 10:52:13 AM
Bascombe,
What do you conclude of the method of death and who would be able to perform it upon Berkshire?
It's supposed that Berkshire shot himself up into his mouth with a hand gun, while seated at his desk.
Let's examine this method and how someone could do this to Berkshire and even more importantly why Berkshire would let them do it?
Again, I'm drawn to the supposition that Berkshire was drugged and influenced to either do this to himself or to let the perpetrator do it to him, while not putting up a fight.
This gives me more food for thought about who could get that close to Berkshire, that he would let them put a gun in his mouth without a struggle. Was he tricked? Told something and then suprised by the gun going off? That doesn't seem likely. What seems more likely is that either the doctor or Jules somehow induced Berkshire to put the gun in his mouth and then fire it. He would have to have been hypnotized in some way, via drug or method. I'm more inclined to think the doctor is intimately involved because he knows about drugs, he's contradicted two others testimony about Berkshire's willingness to live a long time and the suprise an apparent suicide brings. He's also deflected his involvement with the drugs Berkshire sought to ease supposed pain. He's also emphasized the pain was a daily struggle, adding to the suggestion that Berkshire had a motive to kill himself. So who is correct about whether Berkshire had any motive to kill himself?
109. JJBiener - 1/26/2001 11:24:11 AM
Bascombe called a few minutes ago. He gave me some answers you might be interested in. He confirmed the ski accident and the chronic pain with both Juliette and Eloise. The police report said that there was no evidence the body had been moved. All of the evidence at the scene was consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. All of the bedrooms have external doors.
He gave me one other piece of information to answer a question from earlier. He found out that the acquisition involed a .com called DirectDrive.com. It is a website for planning roadtrips. The company had started as a one man operation. The owner had to raise capital so he sold 55% of the company to outside investors. Berkshire had arranged to buy out those investors. His plan was to sell off the database and the assets and close the company at a significant profit to himself. Any guesses who started DirectDrive.com? None other than Maxwell Stevens, husband of Amira and houseguest at the Berkshire residence at the time of Berkshire's death.
Bascombe is on his way to talk to them now.
110. OhioSTOPAS - 1/26/2001 2:19:45 PM
Thanks for the congratulations on guessing the string/deadbolt trick, but I owe it all to Ellery Queen ("The Chinese Orange Mystery").
We're still waiting for the toxicology report, right?
111. DocBrown - 1/26/2001 3:15:00 PM
(Good sleuthing, Ohio)
Zounds! Suddenly I find myself wondering about the circumstances of Berkshire's brother's death. The Stephens' only relationship to Berkshire is through him. That includes Juliette.
It did seem strange that Maxwell was spending the night in the family home of his wife's previous husband. But if there was business to be transacted it makes much more sense. I presume that when you talk to them we will learn how Maxwell and Amira felt about Berkshire's plans for directDrive.com?
Bascombe, I suggest that you question someone outside the family about the death of Berkshire's brother. Start with the lawyer, when you get the chance.
I hate to say it, Bascombe, but between the disaproval over her engagement and the destruction of her stepfather's business, the person with the most reasons to hate the victim is your client. Note that Blake's little visit to the lake ruins her alibi as badly as his. Even if Blake didn't care about money, perhaps she did. Also, she lied to the police just as much as Blake did.
Why would she murder someone, stage it to look like suicide, then hire you to prove it was a murder? She might be trying to frame someone else, but in that case why include the suicide ruse?
Unless she was the one on drugs, Juliette remains an illogical suspect.
112. DocBrown - 1/26/2001 3:25:25 PM
Of course Julitette might have staged the suicide because the person she is trying to frame is very intelligent. If she wants us to beleive that a doctor or lawyer is the killer, she would have to commit the crime cleverly enough to befit their intelligence.
Still, if Juliette has hired you because she wants to frame someone else for the murder, I would expect the planted evidence incriminating her victim to have been right in your face. So far it isn't. She would want the crime solved quickly and decisively, which it is not. She is still an illogical suspect.
We need to know about the death of Berkshire's brother.
113. AytchMan - 1/26/2001 3:26:24 PM
Pelle--
I wonder if we are seeing a misdirection on the metalevel here.
We are and we aren't. I don't think Bascombe is deliberately misrepresenting the facts but he's very circumspect in his answers. Review all of the conversation about the window/door locking (starting around message 41). He never quite answers the direct questions.
114. OhioSTOPAS - 1/26/2001 3:37:35 PM
Here's a possible scenario: The doctor strengthened or altered the victim's painkiller medication - which, you'll recall, tended to make him drowsy (or so says the doctor!) - to knock him out. (The doctor volunteered the info about the medication so that suspicions would not be raised when an autopsy finds these drugs in the victim's system.)
Then, with victim unconscious, put gun in his hand and pull trigger, exit via French doors, slide deadbolt closed, and run around house as if returning from run.
Ipso facto, Q.E.D., and Bob's-your-uncle.
115. OhioSTOPAS - 1/26/2001 3:45:33 PM
P.S. This scenario would reconcile Blake's story and explain why Blake didn't see the doctor at the lake.
116. AytchMan - 1/26/2001 3:47:23 PM
Ohio--
Entirely possible. But I think there's a conclusive piece (or pieces) of evidence still missing that we'd need to nail this down. Either we still haven't asked the right question or Bascombe still has a couple of revelations up his sleeve.
What would prove it?
117. OhioSTOPAS - 1/26/2001 3:49:18 PM
Well, we still need a plausible motive for the doctor to want to murder Berkshire (but motive is just a minor detail for any good whodunit!).
118. PelleNilsson - 1/26/2001 3:52:25 PM
I think my case against Blake (Message # 107) is stronger than Ohio's case against Forrester. But I doubt any of them will hold up, at least not for the reasons we have advanced.
119. AytchMan - 1/26/2001 3:52:37 PM
Separate issue but maybe related:
My guess is that there's a second will floating around somewhere. One of those kill-him-before-the-new-will-takes-effect deals. That could be why somebody was messing around in the study -- looking for it or hiding it.
Bascombe: how can we determine what was moved in the study? Does Jules know what was out of place?
120. Bascombe - 1/27/2001 2:16:56 AM
I woke up hungry this morning so I start off by frying up a couple eggs and making some toast. I went through the background reports as I ate. Something in Maxwell Stevens’ report looked familiar. I checked against the information Berkshire’s attorney gave and found why. The company Berkshire was about to acquire was owned, at least in part, by Stevens. I dug into the details of the acquisition and found it troubling. Stevens was not on board with the transaction. His partners owned the majority of the company and they were ready to sell. The recent slump in tech stocks made them skittish and they were looking for any excuse to get out. They were selling to Berkshire at a fraction of their original investment. Berkshire was getting a bargain.
I had a feeling Berkshire’s plans did not sit well with Stevens. Stevens had built the business, a web site called DirectDrive.com, from the ground up. He had only taken on investors to expand into new areas. Berkshire’s plans were to sell off the company piece by piece. Considering what he was going to pay for his shares, he was going to make out like a bandit. Stevens though would have been left with little or nothing. I couldn’t say for sure, but that sounded like a motive for murder.
Add to that the fact that Amira, as the wife of Berkshire’s late brother, was remembered in his will with a comfortable sum of money. Not enough to retire on, but enough to make a difference in their quality of life.
The other reports were predictable. Nothing out of the ordinary. Forrester’s report only went back to 1988. There was note on his file apologizing for the incomplete information. Forrester had moved from California in 1988 and information prior to that was unavailable.
121. Bascombe - 1/27/2001 2:18:17 AM
I called JJ and told him what I found in the Stevens’ report. I wanted to find out if they had anything to say about the matter so I headed over to their office. The office was in one of those generic office buildings that have sprouted up like a rash across much of suburbia. It was quiet, spacious, comfortable with ample parking, but ultimately it had no character. I found their door down a non-descript hallway on the second floor. I walked in, but there was no one at the front desk. A couple of impromptu, stand up meetings were going on in a rat’s maze of cubicles. No one even noticed me for several minutes. Finally a young woman dressed in blue jeans and Nine Inch Nails t-shirt came up asked me what I wanted. When I told her she directed me past the cube farm to a couple of offices by the window.
I introduced myself and looked around the office. A white marker board covered with boxes and circles and arrows with cryptic labels dominated one wall. I am sure there was something profound in all that, but I didn’t have a clue.
I explained to Maxwell and Amira why I was there. I wanted to know why they were at the estate last Friday night. Amira spoke.
“You know I was married to Tony’s brother before he died. Well, I wanted to talk to Tony about this buyout he was planning. I thought if I could talk to him, he wouldn’t go through with it. He invited us out to the estate to talk about it.”
“What did he say when you discussed it?”
“He didn’t say anything. We never had a chance to talk. We were going to talk Friday night, but he got into this big to do with Blake Haskell, Juliette’s fiancé, you know. After that we decided to wait until Saturday. We were going to approach him after lunch. We never got the chance.”
122. Bascombe - 1/27/2001 2:19:28 AM
“I guess it would be safe to say that Berkshire’s death will be rather profitable for you?”
“I wouldn’t say that, no. I wouldn’t even think that. The man is dead. When my husband died, Tony was there when I needed him. He helped with the arrangements and gave me anything I needed. There is nothing profitable about this.”
Maxwell spoke up, “This was just business. I have put a lot of effort and a lot of money into this company, but it is still just business. It isn’t worth killing over.”
I left the Stevens’ office and went by the precinct. My friend was just getting the toxicology report off the fax as I arrived. It showed traces of various painkillers and narcotics like Forrester said it would. There was an insufficient amount of them to incapacitate Berkshire. There was however one other chemical found in the bloodstream. I believe the street name is roofies, the date rape drug. It doesn’t show up on a normal tox screen, that’s why they needed the extra tests. Berkshire had indeed been drugged.
I now know how the murder was committed. All I need is the answers to a couple of questions and I will know who and why. Sunday night, Juliette will gather all of people who were there Saturday morning. Then I will confront the killer.
123. RickNelson - 1/27/2001 3:20:20 PM
So, Bascombe is making a conclusin, here's what I think so far:
I'm still focusing upon the doctor, my suspicion increased knowing his records go no further back than '88. Blake didn't see him when he walked back from the lake, nor while he thought over things sitting down by the lake. So, where was the doctor?
I hope Bascombe is going to ask about the contradictory statement of the doctor and Jules about Berkshire's desire to live? Why did the doctor, who stated he and Berkshire were very close, feel the need to state that he was not suprised Berkshire killed himself, and why did he not insist upon knowing more about the unprescribed drugs Berkshire took? That is a glaring problem for me, because a doctor needs to know about drug interactions in order to properly prescribe medicine.
Now, we know Berkshire was drugged with the "date rape" drug. The doctor could have obviously obtained it, but it is also a street drug so, any of them could have. Blake would be a likely suspect, working for as a trainer, he would come into contact with a variety of people and a source. He's not off the list at all, but doesn't have a strong motive in my opinion, unless there is yet more evidence we haven't been privy to.
Motive is still the problem in the doctor's case too, there's been nothing to nail down from the evidence Bascombe has presented.
There is no other evidence and all of it's circumstantial anyway to focus suspicion upon any of the others, motive or no motive.
124. OhioSTOPAS - 1/28/2001 7:12:57 AM
Note that Eloise prepared breakfast for Berkshire and had the opportunity to drug him.
125. cmboyce - 1/29/2001 11:16:00 AM
We know that the victim had fastidiously arranged everything in the study just the night before, in response to his fight with Blake (and we presumeably know that for a reason), and that Julietta discovered it un-arranged the next morning. She seems (at least) to be right in believing that the murderer had done the rearranging. Perhaps Blake had done so, to hide the evidence of the fight, but this this supposes too much assumption-of-investigators-knowledge on Blake's part and is a needless oversophistication, imo.
But if indeed the study had been searched (& I'd still like to know more about the particular disruptions that are the evidence for that), then let's hypothesize that the murderer conducted the search after the murder. Looking for what, then? A second will, to dispose of? This would suggest the murderer was an heir in the first will and not in the second: presumeably Julietta and/or Blake are the only likely suspects in this case.
If the object of the search was something related to the upcoming dotcom sale, then Amira and whoever-he-is are the likeliest.
Trouble is, I can't think of a way to identify something that is, by hypothesis, not there anymore.
126. RickNelson - 1/29/2001 12:01:58 PM
I think the study was gone through that morning, just prior to Berkshire's death. I believe it to be the doctor, who could have slipped the drug into Berkshire's coffee, when Berkshire entered the study and found his "good" friend Forrester in his study. The doctor could have explained he wanted to chat with him that morning as his reason for being in the study. Perhaps Forrester wouldn't have killed him had he not gone into the study, before the doctor could find the desire of his search and escape through the french doors, which he already had set to lock and bolt with dental floss. This so he could come around as usual, per his set schedule and timed morning run. The doctor, being caught, yet undiscovered just yet, he quickly administered the drug to the coffee Berkshire had with him. Then, when he had Berkshire in a groggy state, killed him and used his preplanned escape. So, whatever he was searching for is important, but if it will point to the doctor conclusively, we don't know as yet.
This same scenario holds for Blake as well. So, Bascombe has yet something hidden from us, which he will spring upon the group.
127. Bascombe - 1/30/2001 1:42:26 AM
A couple of phone calls and a little time on the Internet confirmed my analysis. Juliette had the guests and the staff meet in the study at Berkshire’s estate. Eloise had done an excellent job getting the place in shape. You could hardly tell there was blood and gore all over the room a few days ago.
I arrived a few minutes later. I always liked this scene in the movies. I felt like a cross between Hercule Poirot and Charlie Chan. I was accompanied by my friend from the precinct. I paced the floor and began talking to the group.
“I believe you know why I asked you to meet here. I would like to share with you the results of my investigation. You were all here on the estate when it appeared Anthony Berkshire committed suicide. The police who investigated believed it was suicide. The coroner believed it was suicide. To be honest when Juliette first came to me, I believed it was suicide. As I am sure you know, I no longer believe it was suicide.
“This is what I believe the chain of events were that lead to the death of Anthony Berkshire. The killer came to the garden door and was let in by the victim. There were no sounds or evidence of a struggle, so I assume Berkshire knew his killer and was not immediately afraid to be in the same room.
“The killer slipped a drug into Berkshire’s coffee which quickly took effect. While Berkshire was unconscious, the killer searched the room. Timing was important to the killer, but I believe the object in question was located, taken and later disposed of. The killer hid the object and the coffee cup with evidence of the drug outside in the garden to be retrieved later.
128. Bascombe - 1/30/2001 1:43:37 AM
“The killer went back inside and took Berkshire’s gun from his desk drawer. He then placed the gun in the victim’s hand, put the barrel in the victim’s mouth then pulled the trigger. He let go of the victim’s hand and let the gun drop to the floor. He went out the garden door and used a piece of dental floss to bolt the door behind him. The killer then re-entered the house and became just another concerned individual outside the study.
“The killer was counting on the police believing Berkshire had committed suicide. That is why the murder was so carefully staged. A full search of the grounds would have revealed the stashed items and unmasked the killer. The killer was correct. The police immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was a suicide. When looked at from that point of view, there was no evidence to contradict that assumption. That was the same mistake I made when I first looked at the case. I realized a short time later that suicide was not the ONLY conclusion that could be drawn from the evidence.
“I began to look at the situation with the assumption that Berkshire was murdered. Following up on a suggestion I figured out the string trick to bolt the door. That left open the possibility for murder.
“I began going through the suspects one by one to see which ones I could eliminate. Based on what I knew at that point, the killer was someone familiar to Berkshire and familiar enough with the house to know how to lock the garden door and know where Berkshire’s gun was stored. This would tend to implicate the staff, but since they were sitting in the kitchen together when the shot was fired, I decided that they were unlikely suspects. They all could have been lying, but that would be quite a stretch.
129. Bascombe - 1/30/2001 1:44:30 AM
“My next thought was Dr. Forrester. From all accounts, he is a frequent guest and he had sufficient opportunity to learn about the door and the gun. But then he didn’t seem to have a motive. Plus he has an alibi. He was just returning from his morning run. When he appeared in the hall he was out of breath and flushed. He could fake being out of breath, but being flushed is an involuntary response. The distance from the garden door to the kitchen door is not sufficient to cause someone as healthy as Dr. Forrester to become flushed.
“Let’s move on. Let’s look at Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. Berkshire was about to cut his business out from under him. Berkshire was going to cut up the business and sell it piecemeal. This may not be motive by itself, but combine that with the inheritance Mrs. Stevens would receive on Berkshire’s death, and it becomes a cause for concern. They could conceivably be the ones who searched the study looking for information to stop the take over, but since that deal was in the hands of the lawyers, I can’t imagine what they would be looking for. We can safely rule them out because we know where they were at the time of the murder. When the shot was fired, the staff arrived at the study first and saw them coming from their bedroom. They could have run from the study across the back of the house to the outside door of their bedroom to make it appear that is where they had been. But if they had done that, they would have been observed by Blake returning from the lake.
130. Bascombe - 1/30/2001 1:45:16 AM
“Let’s talk about Blake for a minute. The terrible fight he had with Berkshire the night before would make him a prime suspect. He even has a terrible alibi. He claims he was down by the lake until shortly before the shot was fired. He didn’t see anyone, so he in effect has no alibi. Blake is a bright young man and I find it very difficult to believe that he would go to all the trouble to plan such an elaborate murder and then leave himself with such a lame explanation for where he had been. What he doesn’t realize is that his story is backed up by Mr. McGee, the groundskeeper. McGee saw Blake down by the lake on his way to breakfast. That is not conclusive, but it does support Blake’s story.
“Juliette had motive, if you believe money is a motive for murder. But she like Mr. and Mrs. Stevens and the attorney would have been seen running back to the bedrooms if they had committed the crime. Also, she didn’t have to bring me in. She could have sat back and let the police rule it a suicide.
“We once again seem to be out of suspects. Well, not so fast. Dr, Forrester, what happens if take a large dose of niacin?”
The doctor just looked at me blinking, so I answered for him.
“It causes the blood to rush to one’s face so that person becomes red and flushed. As if that person had just complete a long, intense workout. Correct?
“If you had been out on your run as you claim, why didn’t Blake see you as you circled the lake? How could McGee have seen Blake and not seen you? Why were you the only one to claim Berkshire was suicidal? Why did you do nothing to stop your friend and patient from taking harmful and illegal drugs?
131. Bascombe - 1/30/2001 1:46:13 AM
“When I first took this case, I did a background check on everyone here. That’s how found out about the takeover of Mr. Stevens’ company. I thought it curious, Doc, that your records only go back to 1988 when you moved here from L.A. The company I use for background could find no official records of you in California. It seems someone made those records disappear. Fortunately, newspaper records are not so easily disposed of. I found the articles from 1984 about the woman who died from your malpractice. I read about the investigation for criminal negligence. I read about how key evidence came up missing at your trial. I read how you dropped from sight after the hung jury resulted a mistrial.
“That is what Berkshire was blackmailing you with, wasn’t it? That is what you were looking for when you searched the study. That is what he had been holding over your head. That is how he managed to obtain the drugs he needed. He had your help. He owned you top to bottom and everything in between, and this was your only chance to be free.”
Forrester looked like someone had let the air out of him. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. The police handcuffed him and led him out without a struggle. Forrester was not a murderer by nature. When faced with the knowledge that his secret was out he just folded. He provided the police with a full confession. Which is lucky for all involved since the only evidence I had against him was circumstantial. I guess it is better than nothing.
I left the Berkshire estate and went by JJ’s. I told him the news then typed up this final installment. He and I are going to go celebrate with a couple of beers over at Growler’s pub. We’ll drink one for you as well. Thanks for your help. I will see you next time.
Bascombe.
132. OhioSTOPAS - 1/30/2001 6:03:59 AM
As I said (Message # 114), ipso facto, Q.E.D., and Bob's-your-uncle.
Nice job, JJ!
133. RickNelson - 1/30/2001 11:57:49 AM
Great mystery JJ,
I think a close read of my post #126 just prior to Bascombe's finale' will reveal I was hot on the correct trail. This was and is an excellent distraction. Hope you've more.
134. PelleNilsson - 1/30/2001 12:33:31 PM
Thanks JJ! This was great fun. One piece of critique, though. In a puzzle mystery, like this one, convention requires that the reader has access to all the clues. Bascombe pulled far too many pieces of new evidence out of his hat in those last posts.
135. AytchMan - 1/30/2001 1:30:18 PM
Thanks, JJ, very entertaining. I agree with Pelle, though. We never had enough clues to really solve it, just develop suspicions.
Did you create the mystery completely or adapt it from a well-known story? Good job, whichever. Even though it was set in the '90's, I felt like it was back in the '40's.
136. robertjayb - 1/30/2001 1:57:21 PM
.
Thanks, JJB.
137. JJBiener - 1/30/2001 3:30:12 PM
Ohio and Rick - I am truly impressed with your abilities at detective work. I assume you have spent many and hour curled up with a good mystery.
Give me some time and I will try another. These things are a blast for me. Especially watching the reactions and the speculation.
138. JJBiener - 1/30/2001 3:33:37 PM
Pelle - Critique understood and accepted. The problem is that I am not yet good enough to give away all the clues without giving away the plot. I will try better next time. To be fair, though, everything Bascombe pulled out of a hat had been at least foreshadowed if not explicitly stated. Not good enough, I grant you, but it was still fun.
139. JJBiener - 1/30/2001 3:39:48 PM
H - It was an original mystery. It was based on a common formula, but the details were original. Now that this one is done, I need start work on the next one.
The tone is deliberate. I am huge fan of film noir and detective stories from the 40's and 50's. I try to model my detectives after the ones that appear in those films and stories. I love how they work the details into the story.
140. PelleNilsson - 1/30/2001 3:47:50 PM
JJ
Yes it was fun. Please don't misunderstand me. I realise the difficulties. I couldn't do half as good as you did.
141. AytchMan - 1/30/2001 3:54:19 PM
jj--
It must be a fascinating process. Have you considered some way of folding in one of those logic puzzles we do over in the Quiz Thread (Mr. Green lives in the house next to the architect)? I've thought about doing that myself but could never quite make it all hang together in a story.
142. JJBiener - 1/30/2001 4:47:07 PM
Pelle - If you ever have the desire to write a mystery, I suggest you read Evelyn Waugh's book on mystery writing. It is excellent. I never would be able to do this if I hadn't read that book. Come to think of it, I may read it again before I do my next mystery. I little refresher might come in handy.
143. JJBiener - 1/30/2001 4:55:42 PM
H - I do want to incorporate puzzles into my next mystery. I am tentatively planning on using a serial killer who leaves puzzles as clues at each murder scene. The solution of each puzzle with be a clue to a bigger puzzle. Solving the bigger puzzle will lead Bascombe and the police to the killer. It will be up to Bascombe to solve it as quickly as possible to prevent further killing. There may also be a personal element involved.
That will take some time to figure out. I may also increase the gore factor. It seems some people missed that in this last case.
144. cmboyce - 1/30/2001 10:53:45 PM
JJ, congrats on a job well done! I join hte others in looking forward to the next. Your description in #143 sounds wonderful, but I can't imagine putting such a thing together in less than a year or so!
145. RickNelson - 1/30/2001 11:42:18 PM
JJ,
These are great mystery decades, "The tone is deliberate. I am huge fan of film noir and detective stories from the 40's and 50's" I have seen quite a few Charlie Chan films and many others I just couldn't name. Mystery is one of my favorite plot themes. As far as reading a good mystery I defer, I couldn't tell you one I've read. I will conclude my indoctrination into the realm of deduction is solely from film sources. The public television mysteries are great, Poiroit, Cadfael, or any of them. I especially loved the A&E Sherlock Holmes series.
This was/is a great fun for me.
146. jonesatlaw - 1/31/2001 12:14:05 AM
JJ- Bravo! I hope you will forgive my obsession with the mechanics of things in the thread, it is an occupational hazard. I tend to look at the least pleasant aspects of a crime scene investigation first, since it is the part that people will shortchange because of their distaste for it. Of course, the more experienced and/or jaded the folks involved are, the less important the rule. Also, I'm always looking for more information, and your little jewel is about making the most of the information given. It was enjoyable, and I look forward to the next case.
147. DocBrown - 1/31/2001 12:35:03 PM
JJ, that was absolutely wonderful! It was beter than a murder mystery party.
I have no criticisms, but a few comments/suggestions.
Next time I'd like to get to know Bascombe a bit better. He's intelligent, opinionated, and he likes to eat. But otherwise I don't know a thing about him. Does he ever get dangerous cases, like Mannix or Magnum PI?
I have a question about your proposed formula for the next mystery. How do you plan to give Bascombe a set of suspects in a serial killing? Generally, serial killings make difficult whodunnits. You might be able to sleuth out the location of the next killing or the identy of the next victim, but you generally don't get a pool of suspects. You would need some props (e.g. maps, long lists of names of potential victims, etc.) to give your readers a shot at solving it. That seems like a lot of work.
Working with a finite set of suspects, like you did this time, is a lot more manageable. If you do pull off a serial killing, I will be very imressed.
148. JJBiener - 1/31/2001 1:45:05 PM
Doc - I am not sure I can do the serial killer formula. As you said, murder mysteries as opposed to the police procedural require that the list of suspects be introduced early on. Agatha Christie was particularly good at this style of mystery. I have some ideas. We'll see what happens.
149. DocBrown - 1/31/2001 1:52:40 PM
Good luck, JJ.
Will we get to find out the most important personal aspect of any Private Investigator . . . what sort of car he drives?
In almost every post he mentions driving here or there, but I believe that so far he has only referred to "my car." Please give him some appropriate wheels so we can identify with him!
I picture Bascombe in something European, but you might surprise me. That's the point.
150. JJBiener - 1/31/2001 2:18:29 PM
Doc - I will be sure to include some more personal details about Bascombe, including his car.
151. DocBrown - 1/31/2001 3:18:43 PM
Thanks, JJ. I am very much looking forward to it!
The Mote | Mote Archive
back to top