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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 0:27:34 GMT -5
"Perhaps now would be a good time to speak with my friend Hartley..."
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I had been sitting in the back, watching the trial. The case looked bleak against Gunnarson.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 0:32:17 GMT -5
I approached them and asked if there was anything I could do to help.
"Perhaps you can help me look at the case; it's the best we've got since they have cleaned up the crime scene" Mason explained.
"Worth a shot" I shrugged.
And so, under supervision Gunnarson, Mason and I when we got back to where Gunnarson was being held, the three of us were looking over photographs, reports, ANYTHING that might help us.
But I had nothing. I remembered what he said, "Solve this case for Gunnarson" Holmes said, but I had nothing.
Picture after picture, report after report... and it all pointed towards my friend. I felt hopeless
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 0:33:54 GMT -5
But then I asked-
"Is it at all possible that Rodgers did it and lied?"
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 0:38:32 GMT -5
"Doubt it... I looked at him, and could tell that he was telling the truth" Gunnarson said to me.
"Well, what do we know then?" Mason said.
"If I could suggest... I think we need to focus more on the framing Gunnarson aspect than the murder of Orwell aspect. Think about it- why go through all the effort to frame Gunnarson? Clearly someone has it out for him. So it would have to be someone who resembles Gunnarson, someone who has knowledge of lock picking, since he didn't force the door open... oh my God" I realized.
"What?" Gunnarson asked.
"This whole thing... it was planned. Even Rodgers. The murderer... he WANTED Rodgers to see him, because he knew that would cement Gunnarson's framing" I said.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 0:43:28 GMT -5
"I kind of thought that already... but do you mean that Rodgers, and ONLY Rodgers, needed to have seen the killing? No one else?"
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 0:59:42 GMT -5
"Exactly. He knew that having all six of the other neighbors witness the murder could cause problems... like maybe one of them could have seen through the plan, so he... he picked someone who would not analyze the situation in depth... someone who wasn't really a detective, but an honest man nonetheless. Perhaps most importantly, someone who has a routine and sticks to it- someone who is always home by a certain time, and who can be in the right place at the right time... to witness the murder take place... someone like Rodgers" I pointed out.
"Yes, that is true, he always is home by six" Gunnarson noted.
"But what about the other five neighbors?" Mason asked.
"Three of the apartments on the floor are currently empty, and Mr Bracken doesn't get home till late at night, but..." Gunnarson was thinking.
"Yes?" I asked.
"The apartment next to me... Fredrickson recently moved out an a new tenant moved in. Thing is, he's awfully secretive; haven't seen much of him" Gunnarson said.
"Are your two apartments connected in any way?" Mason asked.
"No; at least; not that I'm aware of... unless... unless he used the exterior ledge to crawl from his window to mine. In theory, I suppose he..."
It was then a light bulb went off in our minds.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 1:04:55 GMT -5
"You don't think..."
"It's certainly possible..."
"So you're saying that..."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 1:10:54 GMT -5
"... he got into your apartment through the window, took the gun, killed the victim, went back, and escaped." I explained.
"There's only one way to prove this" Gunnarson said, explaining something to me.
......
"Are you sure this is not going to get me in trouble?" the landlord said as he went to the neighboring apartment.
"Yes; and this is an emergency. If it is true, we have to be sure. There could be a murderer on the lose" I told him.
We got to the door, and when we went inside, I was shocked. There, on the table, I saw it...
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 1:13:19 GMT -5
It was a strange box, unlike anything I had ever seen. I went up to it, and...
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 1:14:42 GMT -5
...felt it at first, then I looked around it. And when I opened it, it was a shock.
"Oh my God, this is it! This is..."
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 1:17:20 GMT -5
And suddenly I realized everything. I realized how the murder was committed. I realized who the murderer was. I realized why it was done. I had no proof until now, but in a sudden flash I understood everything.
I turned to the landlord.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 1:21:17 GMT -5
"Have you seen the tenant since the shooting?" I asked.
"Only once; said he was leaving on business. He left the next day. Seemed to be in a rush" he said.
"This box... it's key evidence to a murder- it needs to be recovered" I explained.
"Well; alright; as far as I'm concerned, it was recovered in good faith" he said, and I recovered the box and brought it to Mason's office.
When we met, I showed him the contents.
"Just look at these papers! On them, you can clearly see..."
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 1:25:38 GMT -5
"...the motive and means!" cried Mason. "This is what we've been waiting for! Thank you very much, Hartley. Let me hold on to these for the time being, I'll show them to Gunnarson tomorrow. You go home and have a good rest, I'll call Gunnarson up and let him know." "Why not go to him now?" I asked. "Goddamn visiting hours are over. " So I went to bed. But next morning there was an unpleasant surprise waiting for me. "Hartley?" Mason had called me up on the hotel phone. "Yes?" "There's been a break-in at the office... the papers... are gone." My head reeled...
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 1:31:08 GMT -5
"...wait, this makes no sense! The tenant is out of town, the landlord didn't care, and the only ones who knew about the box were me and Mason... who else is there?" I said to myself. "You didn't tell anyone about the papers, did you?" I asked Mason on the phone.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 1:35:29 GMT -5
"Of course not! Only Gunnarson, whom I called up at Scotland Yard last night."
"And he's indisposed," I said to myself.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 1:44:46 GMT -5
I got off the phone and subsequently began making my way to Mason's office; but on the way I had a lucky break.
As I made my way there, a few blocks from his office I saw a car that had crashed into a building; the barely conscious driver had a broken neck, broken arm and two broken legs and was being hauled off to the hospital.
"What happened here?" I asked as I approached.
"They guy broke into a private law firm then drove off; police were chasing him for hours till he ended up driving himself into a wall; may have been drunk but we're not sure. No idea why he broke into the law firm, but we did find a box of papers and stuff in the trunk" he said, indicating the open trunk. I recognized the box.
"Sir, please, let me have that box- that is critical evidence in a murder trial, and the man's life is on the line" I explained. Saying it was on behalf of Terrence Mason, I recovered the stolen papers and rushed to his office post haste.
"The box! But how did you find it?" Mason asked.
"The thief was drunk or something; he crashed his car into a wall" I explained as Mason saw the box.
"Oh, thank God. It's all here, everything" he said in relief.
"So do you need time to go prepare for the trial?" I asked.
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 23:35:53 GMT -5
"Actually, I've pretty much got it ready."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 3, 2017 23:40:43 GMT -5
An hour later, the court reconvened and the trial resumed.
"Is the defense ready to present its case?" the judge asked.
"We are, your honor" Mason said.
"Very good; proceed" the judge said.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the last 24 hours have been rather eventful. Now I am sure that everything does look stacked against Gunnarson and the case is quite solid. But please keep an open mind, because I have recently discovered evidence which will prove that something far more sinister has taken place here" Mason said as he presented the box.
"Within this box, found in the apartment next to Gunnarson's, is the key to this case" Mason explained. Then he took out the first piece of paper.
"Now this piece of paper reveals something rather shocking, for it is a..."
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on May 3, 2017 23:55:01 GMT -5
"...hospital bill."
The courtroom was confused. A hospital bill?
"I know that sounds strange, but look closer and you'll find..."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 4, 2017 0:06:36 GMT -5
"... that it seems to contain a lot of references to "reconstructions" and other body augmenting procedures. It seems that who this was billed to, he was trying to change his appearance."
"But what does that have to do with anything?" The judge asked.
"Simple, for you see..."
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