“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Fine.” You say after a heated, intelligent discussion with Benson. “I’ll take a look at it.”
“Come on!” he says, “it’s your friend Stephan!”
“Stephan!” you yell, jumping out of your chair. “I’m on my way.”You pick up your hat and coat and step out of your office.
“It’s a murder.” Benson tells you. “Oh, and Jones told me to give you this file.”
You sigh, and open the folder.
CASE:
The murder of Stephan Anderson, 45
SCENE OF CRIME:
Anderson’s grand oceanside mansion.
SUSPECTS:
At the time of the murder, there were five people: the cook, the maid, two friends, and his niece.
Both the cook and maid had rooms in the mansion, and the three guests had all stayed overnight.
When you go to the mansion, the five suspects had all been lined up in front of a large bay window. It was mid-afternoon, and you had to shield your eyes to see the five frightened people.
“Give me a little background information, Benson.”
“Well, sir, all the suspects had agreed that Stephan Anderson had been found murdered in the morning, shortly before six-thirty A.M, but he had been alive a few minutes past midnight, when they all headed to bed. Nobody had heard anything during the night. We have no idea who it was.”
Now you look at the suspects. Silently, you nod to the maid to tell her story.
She said: "I retired to my room shortly past eleven last night, after cleaning the dining room where Mr. Anderson dined with his guests, and helped the cook put away the leftover food. I was reading a novel until about twelve-twenty, and heard occasional laughter and talk, although I couldn't make out the words. This morning, I heard a scream, which was from Miss Mandy, so I rushed down with the cook and his two friends. Mr. Anderson was laying dead in front of that window. The lieutenant moved his body about fifteen minutes before you arrived, but there was blood on the side of the head, from a gunshot, maybe. I didn't hear anything, but whoever did it could have used a muffler. I'm innocent, though."
Now it is the Cook’s turn.
You say “Mr. …”
“Parch, sir.”
“Go on, Mr. Parch.”
"It's like the maid says. She was cleaning the dining room while I tidied up the kitchen, and we both stored the leftovers in the refrigerator and talked for a few minutes about his guests. I went upstairs and to my room about the same time she did, but fell asleep after I took a shower and brushed my teeth. That was about eleven-thirty maybe, and I slept soundly until this morning, when a scream woke me. I rushed downstairs with the others, and there was the body. I tell you, I didn't do it. I've been with Mr. Anderson for eight years, and he knows he can trust me."
You look at Mandy, Stephan’s neice.
Mandy: "I was up until midnight with my uncle and his friends, talking and joking around. I fell asleep at about one-fifteen, but woke at six-twenty-four, and was thirsty, so I went down to the kitchen to get a glass of water. On the way back, I passed by the bay window, and in the light coming through it I saw my uncle was sprawled on the ground, with a huge bloody wound on the side of his head. I screamed and the others were here in just one or two minutes."
The guests, a brother and a sister, explain their alibi.
“Well, we were here for a business deal with Mr. Anderson. We are part of the Fences Company, where we sell antiques. Mr. Anderson wanted a special Ancient Chinese vase. We were to negotiate a price for it. Now it looks like we can’t.” the brother tried to joke.
“Thank you for your time, all of you. Officers, please arrest—“
Who murdered Stephan Anderson, and how do you know?
