CRIME DETAILS

BACKGROUND

Mrs Woodcock’s official house party guests arrived on Friday night. They were due to leave first thing on Monday morning. Journalists of various criminal, horticultural and other magazines, including Casey “Catch’em” Trent, the great American undercover reporter, had been invited for Sunday lunch and then to attend Professor Bloom’s briefing. This briefing was due to take place in the ballroom at 3.00pm. Lunch finished at 2.00pm when Mrs Whyte cleared the dining room. She then retired to the kitchen to wash up. At this point the journalists went en masse to look round Mrs Woodcock’s conservatory of rare shrubs.

Mrs Whyte was last seen alive by both Laura Woodcock and Reverend Lidius Beane at 2.10pm. Mrs Woodcock had gone to the kitchen to speak to Mrs Whyte about the evening meal. While she was there Reverend Beane also came to see Mrs Whyte. Mrs Woodcock left the pair together.

Reverend Beane states that Mrs Whyte had invited him to take a look at her herb garden. He left her in the garden at approximately 2.20pm and when he saw her last she was heading back to the kitchen.

Mrs Whyte’s body was found by Richard Tarragon shortly before 3.00pm. He immediately raised the alarm.

SUSPECT STATEMENTS

However, during the crucial time between 2.10pm and 3.00pm, all suspects declare themselves to be in places other than the kitchen.

• Laura Woodcock states that after leaving Mrs Whyte, she went outside to prune her roses in the rose garden.

• Lidius Beane declares that after leaving Mrs Whyte in the herb garden, he went to the library to read the “News of the World”

• Fleur Rouge says that immediately after lunch she retired to the lounge to watch television.

• Eric Bloom declares that during the crucial time he was in the ballroom, making last minute preparations for his briefing.

• Dr Charlotte Black states that she went to the study where she wrote up some notes concerning medical research she is conducting.

• Richard Tarragon says that after lunch he went to the stables, saddled one of Mrs Woodcock’s horses, and went for a ride. Returning, he entered the kitchen for a glass of water and discovered Mrs Whyte’s body.

The assembled journalists spent the crucial time together in Mrs Woodcock’s conservatory, and so can be eliminated as suspects.

CRIME SCENE

Mrs Whyte was found lying face down in the kitchen. There was a wound to the back of her head, obviously caused by a heavy blow. Lying by her body was a blood-stained candlestick.

On the kitchen units was a bottle of “Natracalm Tea”. By it was an empty cup and saucer. The cup contained dregs of “Natracalm Tea”.

The washing machine had been pulled away from the wall. The bolt holding the washing machine drum in place had been loosened.

PLAN OF ACTION

It is now 4.00pm on Sunday, an hour after the crime was discovered. As some of the finest investigative journalists are assembled at the Grange, the six suspects have decided to delay calling in the police. With the talented Casey Trent leading the investigation, they, and the other assembled journalists, are going to have a try at solving the crime themselves. If they are successful, they can then hand over the guilty party to the police, and leave without a stain on their character.

So far Casey has instructed them to fingerprint the candlestick using the flour shaker from the kitchen. Fingerprints have been discovered on it. And, having taken the fingerprints of the six suspects, it has been proved that the last person to hold the candlestick was Dr Charlotte Black.