Post by frankthetriviaman on Nov 29, 2016 1:44:22 GMT -5
In this story, we return to our roots with a murder mystery, inspired in part by one of my favorite board games, Clue
.........
Gunnarson was driving North one day; there was an old friend he had not seen in a while, and he decided that it was about time he go see him after all these years. it would have been faster to take a train, but an accident had closed part of the line and he would not be able to head up that way. So, he found himself forced to travel by car this time. It was a long journey, compounded by the fact that it was his first time driving such a long distance and only having a map to rely on, this was to be a journey he would not soon forget.
As the day went on, suddenly, he heard a strange noise, and saw smoke starting to come from his car's engine. Forced to pull over to the side of the road, he opened the hood, and could not believe what had happened. He was effectively stranded. He looked up and saw gray clouds looming overhead. He decided the best thing he could do was find the nearest place with a phone, and call for help.
He looked around; he could tell that he was just outside a small town, but he was not sure where the best place to go was. Then, he saw it: not too far away, a rather large mansion. It seemed to be a bit old in design, but the outside looked clean and maintained, so he knew someone was living there. As he walked to the front door, he thought about the storm he had heard on the radio broadcast earlier that day... he sincerely hoped someone would be home, because that storm sounded very nasty.
He knocked a few times on the door. "Hello? Anyone there?" Gunnarson called out. At last, someone opened the door. It was a young looking man, no older than 34 from what Gunnarson could deduce. Though they had never met before, Gunnarson had this feeling about him that he was someone he could trust.
"Ah, good evening" the man began. "I'm... quite sorry sir, but I can't help but feel like I recognize you from somewhere. Have we met before?" He asked politely.
"I don't think so. But my line of work does put me in the papers from time to time. Perhaps you've read on me." Gunnarson offered.
"Maybe. What is your name?" The man asked.
"Gunnarson. Adolf Gunnarson" the Swede replied. Then, the man smiled.
"Ah, yes! I knew I recognized you from somewhere! I've read about many of your cases and I am quite fascinated by your work. Dr. James Walker, at your service" Dr. Walker said, extending his hand. The two men then shook hands.
"Pleasure to meet you Dr. Walker; I was wondering if I could use your telephone? My car has broken down and I am in need of help" Gunnarson explained.
"Well, there is a terrible storm coming in from the looks of it; once it gets going you won't want to drive in it. Tell you what; for the night you can have one of my guest rooms. It's the least I can do for one of England's best detectives" Dr. Walker explained. "Please, come in; let me introduce you to my friends. I was having a bit of a gathering today, so I hope that is all right with you" Dr. Walker explained.
"Not aa problem; guess it's a good thing I brought my suitcase with me; I didn't want to leave it in the car unattended" Gunnarson explained.
Gunnarson entered the hall of the mansion, where Dr. Walker signaled an older looking man to come forward. He seemed to be in his mid 50s.
"This is my butler, Howard Ellis. If there is anything you need, please ask him" Dr. Walker explained "Take this bag to the guest room on the second floor. The green room would be best" Dr. Walker explained.
"Right away sir. Pleased to meet you Mr. Gunnarson" Mr. Ellis said as he took the suitcase up the stairs and to the guest room.
"Come, let me show you around" Dr. Walker said as they around the rooms. At the first door, Gunnarson was shown a room with some seats, but half of the walls were glass and plants were growing in pots around the room, it was the conservatory. But Gunnarson noticed that something was out of place.
"Why is there a lead pipe and spanner (wrench) in the conservatory? Wouldn't those be stored somewhere?" He asked.
"Oh, terribly sorry. There's a leak in the ceiling I've been meaning to fix. The plumber found the problem and he was supposed to replace the leaking pipe, but he hasn't come around in over a week" Dr. Walker explained.
"Makes sense to me" Gunnarson acknowledged. Then they came to another door. It was a big, empty room with some chairs and tables along the sides. It was the ballroom, but they only used it for special occasions when many people would be attending. Then they came to the library, where Gunnarson met the first guest of the night. It was an older man, early 60s from the look of it. He was reading the Bible, and Gunnarson could tell exactly who this was from the way he was dressed.
"A Man of the Cloth, I presume?" Gunnarson asked. The priest looked up and smiled.
"Reverend Edward Dixon, at your service. I've been the local Church's minister here ever since Walker here was a young lad" Reverend Dixon explained.
"What type of Christianity do you preach?" Gunnarson asked.
"Anglican" Reverend Dixon replied.
"I grew up in a Lutheran house, but my parents taught me to respect all of the Christian faiths" Gunnarson acknowledged.
"Good lad. Perhaps we can chat at dinnertime" the Reverend said before returning to his Bible.
"Come on, there is more to see" Dr. Walker said as they moved on. Then in the study, they met another man, closer to Walker's age, doing some work at a desk.
"Henry, is now a good time for that?" Walker asked.
"Sorry, its just that I feel I am so close to a breakthrough!" The man replied.
"This is Professor Henry Miller, an old friend of mine. He teaches at one of England's most famous universities and has been doing a fair amount of research in his spare time" Walker explained.
"Wait a minute... Adolf Gunnarson! The detective! What a pleasure it is to meet you. Oh, hang on, its a bit chilly in here, let me go adjust the fire..." Professor Miller said, taking the fire poker and adjusting some of the wood in the fireplace.
"Well, we won't bother you then, come on Gunnarson" Walker said as they moved on. He was shown the dining room next.
"Dinner will be ready in an hour. I'll be sure an extra plate is put out" Walker assured.
"That's a rather lovely candlestick on the table; why is that the centerpiece?" Gunnarson asked.
"It's been in my family for generations. We don't light candles in it anymore, but it has been around so long, I cannot put it away" Walker explained. Then they peeked into the kitchen. "Ms. Ellis? How is dinner coming along?" Walker asked.
"It will be ready in an hour; when Howard gets back down here let him know he's got to stop leaving the rat poison here!" She said, pointing to a bottle on the counter. "It has no place in the kitchen!" She continued.
"That's Samantha Ellis; she and her brother Howard were both hired by my mother to take care of the mansion; they've worked here since I was a baby" Walker explained.
Moving on, they came to the lounge, where an older man was cleaning his revolver.
"Brooks, is now a good time?" Walker asked.
"You heard Sergeant Hamilton! With that burglary ring out there, and even going as far as killing their victims, we need to defend ourselves! It's ridiculous if you ask me, completely ridiculous" The man said.
"Well, I keep my old service revolver on me to, in case of emergencies" Gunnarson explained, showing his.
"Ah, a fellow military man I see. Colonel Thomas Brooks, at your service. Walker here was one of my best men you know; but then a lucky break let him go home about a month after D-Day We lived in the same town, so it was easy to stay in touch" he explained.
"I... don't really want to discuss my service right now" Gunnarson said, feeling pained.
"Quite all right; you'll talk about when you feel ready, and not a moment sooner!" Colonel Brooks assured.
Leaving the lounge, they passed the Billiard room, and the bathroom. Then they came to the trophy room, where a police officer was standing.
"Is the room secure?" Walker asked.
"Well, normally we wouldn't do this, you know that Walker. But Chief Gent really wants this ring broken up. It is unorthodox, but with your mansion having so many valuable items it is for the best" he said.
"Gent does take his job seriously" Gunnarson pointed out.
"Ah, Mr. Gunnarson, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Sergeant Gordon Hamilton, at your service" the officer said cordially.
"Pleasure to meet you... hey wait a second, don't you officers use webleys? And not that often either" Gunnarson asked, noting the pistol on Hamilton.
"Yes, but with the seriousness of the burglary ring, we have to be prepared. Have to arm myself with this Browning Hi-power just to even the odds" Sergeant Hamilton explained.
"Makes sense, there is a lot of stuff here and... wait, is that a sword and... knife?" Gunnarson asked.
"Dagger, actually. But yes, that sword and dagger were each used by ancestors of mine in battle. Now, they are prized heirlooms" Walker explained. "Dinner will be ready in an hour; will you be joining us Sergeant?" Walker asked.
"As soon as I am certain this house is secure" Sergeant Hamilton explained.
They passed by the drawing room, where Gunnarson observed four women sitting and talking to each other.
"Over there is Ellen Clarke, an old family friend, and next to her is her stepdaughter, Emily Parker. Over there is Lady Sarah Goodwin, a distant cousin to the Royal Family, and that is Alice Warren. She's a physician, and the only female doctor in town if you'll believe that" Walker said.
"Well, I think one day there will be just as many lady doctors as male doctors. In fact, I... wait, why is there a rope on the table?" Gunnarson asked, confused.
"What? That's still there. Don't worry, I'll get Howard to take care of it" Walker assured.
Gunnarson was lead up the stairs by Walker. They passed the master bedroom, and finally came to Gunnarson's guest room.
"I hope you enjoy the accommodations. Why don't you get settled in and we'll talk more over dinner."
"I think I will; thank you for everything, Dr. Walker" Gunnarson said.
"My pleasure" and with that, Dr. Walker left the room.
Gunnarson had a rather enjoyable evening. The guests and host were quite courteous and enjoyed listening to him talk about past cases. And they also had plenty to share that night. After enjoying the meal in the dining room, they proceeded to the drawing room and talked some more. Everyone was friendly and courteous, and yet Gunnarson could not help but think that something was not quite right. As if underneath all that he was seeing, something was being hidden. He was having a nice time though, so he didn't really think about it. Several hours later after night fell though, there was trouble.
"The snow has really come down; I don't think we'll be able to get out tonight" Sergeant Hamilton said, looking out the front door.
"Bother. Does that mean we must spend the night here too?" Colonel Brooks asked.
"It's not a problem, is it Dr. Walker?" Ms. Parker asked.
"Not at all. Samantha, Howard, please go prepare the other guest rooms. After that you man turn in for yourselves. As for me, I shall be in the master bedroom if anyone needs anything" Dr. Walker said as he proceeded to bed.
Soon, everyone was getting settled in for the night. Before going to bed, Gunnarson used the phone in the room to call Gent and tell him about the situation.
"Well Gunnarson, I hope it works out" Gent explained.
"Me too. Oh, I met a Sergeant Hamilton today; he said you're dealing with a burglary ring in this neck of the woods; how is that pursuit going?" Gunnarson asked.
"What are you talking about? There's no burglary ring going on over there. The last major crime in that neck of the woods was about 3 years ago. Since then everything has been rather petty."
Gunnarson was shocked. "Sorry Gent, I have to go; suddenly something does not feel quite right" Gunnarson said as he hung up. He climbed into bed and proceeded to go to sleep... and yet, he had the strangest feeling something was amiss.
.........
Literary Mosaic 7
Tangled Webs
Or, The Ten Suspects
Or, The Ten Suspects
Gunnarson was driving North one day; there was an old friend he had not seen in a while, and he decided that it was about time he go see him after all these years. it would have been faster to take a train, but an accident had closed part of the line and he would not be able to head up that way. So, he found himself forced to travel by car this time. It was a long journey, compounded by the fact that it was his first time driving such a long distance and only having a map to rely on, this was to be a journey he would not soon forget.
As the day went on, suddenly, he heard a strange noise, and saw smoke starting to come from his car's engine. Forced to pull over to the side of the road, he opened the hood, and could not believe what had happened. He was effectively stranded. He looked up and saw gray clouds looming overhead. He decided the best thing he could do was find the nearest place with a phone, and call for help.
He looked around; he could tell that he was just outside a small town, but he was not sure where the best place to go was. Then, he saw it: not too far away, a rather large mansion. It seemed to be a bit old in design, but the outside looked clean and maintained, so he knew someone was living there. As he walked to the front door, he thought about the storm he had heard on the radio broadcast earlier that day... he sincerely hoped someone would be home, because that storm sounded very nasty.
He knocked a few times on the door. "Hello? Anyone there?" Gunnarson called out. At last, someone opened the door. It was a young looking man, no older than 34 from what Gunnarson could deduce. Though they had never met before, Gunnarson had this feeling about him that he was someone he could trust.
"Ah, good evening" the man began. "I'm... quite sorry sir, but I can't help but feel like I recognize you from somewhere. Have we met before?" He asked politely.
"I don't think so. But my line of work does put me in the papers from time to time. Perhaps you've read on me." Gunnarson offered.
"Maybe. What is your name?" The man asked.
"Gunnarson. Adolf Gunnarson" the Swede replied. Then, the man smiled.
"Ah, yes! I knew I recognized you from somewhere! I've read about many of your cases and I am quite fascinated by your work. Dr. James Walker, at your service" Dr. Walker said, extending his hand. The two men then shook hands.
"Pleasure to meet you Dr. Walker; I was wondering if I could use your telephone? My car has broken down and I am in need of help" Gunnarson explained.
"Well, there is a terrible storm coming in from the looks of it; once it gets going you won't want to drive in it. Tell you what; for the night you can have one of my guest rooms. It's the least I can do for one of England's best detectives" Dr. Walker explained. "Please, come in; let me introduce you to my friends. I was having a bit of a gathering today, so I hope that is all right with you" Dr. Walker explained.
"Not aa problem; guess it's a good thing I brought my suitcase with me; I didn't want to leave it in the car unattended" Gunnarson explained.
Gunnarson entered the hall of the mansion, where Dr. Walker signaled an older looking man to come forward. He seemed to be in his mid 50s.
"This is my butler, Howard Ellis. If there is anything you need, please ask him" Dr. Walker explained "Take this bag to the guest room on the second floor. The green room would be best" Dr. Walker explained.
"Right away sir. Pleased to meet you Mr. Gunnarson" Mr. Ellis said as he took the suitcase up the stairs and to the guest room.
"Come, let me show you around" Dr. Walker said as they around the rooms. At the first door, Gunnarson was shown a room with some seats, but half of the walls were glass and plants were growing in pots around the room, it was the conservatory. But Gunnarson noticed that something was out of place.
"Why is there a lead pipe and spanner (wrench) in the conservatory? Wouldn't those be stored somewhere?" He asked.
"Oh, terribly sorry. There's a leak in the ceiling I've been meaning to fix. The plumber found the problem and he was supposed to replace the leaking pipe, but he hasn't come around in over a week" Dr. Walker explained.
"Makes sense to me" Gunnarson acknowledged. Then they came to another door. It was a big, empty room with some chairs and tables along the sides. It was the ballroom, but they only used it for special occasions when many people would be attending. Then they came to the library, where Gunnarson met the first guest of the night. It was an older man, early 60s from the look of it. He was reading the Bible, and Gunnarson could tell exactly who this was from the way he was dressed.
"A Man of the Cloth, I presume?" Gunnarson asked. The priest looked up and smiled.
"Reverend Edward Dixon, at your service. I've been the local Church's minister here ever since Walker here was a young lad" Reverend Dixon explained.
"What type of Christianity do you preach?" Gunnarson asked.
"Anglican" Reverend Dixon replied.
"I grew up in a Lutheran house, but my parents taught me to respect all of the Christian faiths" Gunnarson acknowledged.
"Good lad. Perhaps we can chat at dinnertime" the Reverend said before returning to his Bible.
"Come on, there is more to see" Dr. Walker said as they moved on. Then in the study, they met another man, closer to Walker's age, doing some work at a desk.
"Henry, is now a good time for that?" Walker asked.
"Sorry, its just that I feel I am so close to a breakthrough!" The man replied.
"This is Professor Henry Miller, an old friend of mine. He teaches at one of England's most famous universities and has been doing a fair amount of research in his spare time" Walker explained.
"Wait a minute... Adolf Gunnarson! The detective! What a pleasure it is to meet you. Oh, hang on, its a bit chilly in here, let me go adjust the fire..." Professor Miller said, taking the fire poker and adjusting some of the wood in the fireplace.
"Well, we won't bother you then, come on Gunnarson" Walker said as they moved on. He was shown the dining room next.
"Dinner will be ready in an hour. I'll be sure an extra plate is put out" Walker assured.
"That's a rather lovely candlestick on the table; why is that the centerpiece?" Gunnarson asked.
"It's been in my family for generations. We don't light candles in it anymore, but it has been around so long, I cannot put it away" Walker explained. Then they peeked into the kitchen. "Ms. Ellis? How is dinner coming along?" Walker asked.
"It will be ready in an hour; when Howard gets back down here let him know he's got to stop leaving the rat poison here!" She said, pointing to a bottle on the counter. "It has no place in the kitchen!" She continued.
"That's Samantha Ellis; she and her brother Howard were both hired by my mother to take care of the mansion; they've worked here since I was a baby" Walker explained.
Moving on, they came to the lounge, where an older man was cleaning his revolver.
"Brooks, is now a good time?" Walker asked.
"You heard Sergeant Hamilton! With that burglary ring out there, and even going as far as killing their victims, we need to defend ourselves! It's ridiculous if you ask me, completely ridiculous" The man said.
"Well, I keep my old service revolver on me to, in case of emergencies" Gunnarson explained, showing his.
"Ah, a fellow military man I see. Colonel Thomas Brooks, at your service. Walker here was one of my best men you know; but then a lucky break let him go home about a month after D-Day We lived in the same town, so it was easy to stay in touch" he explained.
"I... don't really want to discuss my service right now" Gunnarson said, feeling pained.
"Quite all right; you'll talk about when you feel ready, and not a moment sooner!" Colonel Brooks assured.
Leaving the lounge, they passed the Billiard room, and the bathroom. Then they came to the trophy room, where a police officer was standing.
"Is the room secure?" Walker asked.
"Well, normally we wouldn't do this, you know that Walker. But Chief Gent really wants this ring broken up. It is unorthodox, but with your mansion having so many valuable items it is for the best" he said.
"Gent does take his job seriously" Gunnarson pointed out.
"Ah, Mr. Gunnarson, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Sergeant Gordon Hamilton, at your service" the officer said cordially.
"Pleasure to meet you... hey wait a second, don't you officers use webleys? And not that often either" Gunnarson asked, noting the pistol on Hamilton.
"Yes, but with the seriousness of the burglary ring, we have to be prepared. Have to arm myself with this Browning Hi-power just to even the odds" Sergeant Hamilton explained.
"Makes sense, there is a lot of stuff here and... wait, is that a sword and... knife?" Gunnarson asked.
"Dagger, actually. But yes, that sword and dagger were each used by ancestors of mine in battle. Now, they are prized heirlooms" Walker explained. "Dinner will be ready in an hour; will you be joining us Sergeant?" Walker asked.
"As soon as I am certain this house is secure" Sergeant Hamilton explained.
They passed by the drawing room, where Gunnarson observed four women sitting and talking to each other.
"Over there is Ellen Clarke, an old family friend, and next to her is her stepdaughter, Emily Parker. Over there is Lady Sarah Goodwin, a distant cousin to the Royal Family, and that is Alice Warren. She's a physician, and the only female doctor in town if you'll believe that" Walker said.
"Well, I think one day there will be just as many lady doctors as male doctors. In fact, I... wait, why is there a rope on the table?" Gunnarson asked, confused.
"What? That's still there. Don't worry, I'll get Howard to take care of it" Walker assured.
Gunnarson was lead up the stairs by Walker. They passed the master bedroom, and finally came to Gunnarson's guest room.
"I hope you enjoy the accommodations. Why don't you get settled in and we'll talk more over dinner."
"I think I will; thank you for everything, Dr. Walker" Gunnarson said.
"My pleasure" and with that, Dr. Walker left the room.
Gunnarson had a rather enjoyable evening. The guests and host were quite courteous and enjoyed listening to him talk about past cases. And they also had plenty to share that night. After enjoying the meal in the dining room, they proceeded to the drawing room and talked some more. Everyone was friendly and courteous, and yet Gunnarson could not help but think that something was not quite right. As if underneath all that he was seeing, something was being hidden. He was having a nice time though, so he didn't really think about it. Several hours later after night fell though, there was trouble.
"The snow has really come down; I don't think we'll be able to get out tonight" Sergeant Hamilton said, looking out the front door.
"Bother. Does that mean we must spend the night here too?" Colonel Brooks asked.
"It's not a problem, is it Dr. Walker?" Ms. Parker asked.
"Not at all. Samantha, Howard, please go prepare the other guest rooms. After that you man turn in for yourselves. As for me, I shall be in the master bedroom if anyone needs anything" Dr. Walker said as he proceeded to bed.
Soon, everyone was getting settled in for the night. Before going to bed, Gunnarson used the phone in the room to call Gent and tell him about the situation.
"Well Gunnarson, I hope it works out" Gent explained.
"Me too. Oh, I met a Sergeant Hamilton today; he said you're dealing with a burglary ring in this neck of the woods; how is that pursuit going?" Gunnarson asked.
"What are you talking about? There's no burglary ring going on over there. The last major crime in that neck of the woods was about 3 years ago. Since then everything has been rather petty."
Gunnarson was shocked. "Sorry Gent, I have to go; suddenly something does not feel quite right" Gunnarson said as he hung up. He climbed into bed and proceeded to go to sleep... and yet, he had the strangest feeling something was amiss.
