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Post by Toz76 on May 19, 2017 1:05:49 GMT -5
"That could be a problem." Hardstuckle commented. "Who here is a smoker?"
All the men but Gunnarson, as well as Cricket and the three old ladies, raised their hands.
"That doesn't narrow it down too much." Hardstuckle sighed.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 19, 2017 1:08:16 GMT -5
"What? I never see you smoke!" I said to Cricket, shocked.
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Post by Toz76 on May 19, 2017 1:10:06 GMT -5
"I mostly do it when I'm alone." Cricket explained. "It's relaxing. I've never seen you smoke either, come to think of it."
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Post by Eyes on May 19, 2017 1:12:11 GMT -5
"I don't smoke very often," I said.
"This really isn't the point about often or not," said Gunnarson. "The point is - the killer smokes."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 19, 2017 1:15:18 GMT -5
"More specifically, he or she was smoking during this trip. And I can vouch for me and Hartley; neither of us brought cigarettes on this trip" Gunnarson explained.
"And I forgot my lighter before the trip started, so I couldn't light a cigarette even if I wanted to" Picard added
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Post by Eyes on May 19, 2017 1:17:04 GMT -5
"Unless you used someone else's lighter," said Gunnarson. "In which case... this crime may have been between two people..."
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 19, 2017 1:21:41 GMT -5
But they couldn't prove that. So for now, everyone went back to the resort; there wasn't much else to be done since little evidence was found.
Gunnarson, alone in his room, felt like he needed someone to talk to, so he picked up the phone.
"Hello, Gent? It's me, Gunnarson"
"Oh, hello Gunnarson! Working another case I see? I got alerted this afternoon about a murder in a cave, and you were in the area" Gent said.
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Post by Eyes on May 19, 2017 1:23:06 GMT -5
"I was in the cave itself actually..."
"Oh man!" said Gent.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 19, 2017 1:25:36 GMT -5
"So, how goes semi-retirement?" Gunnarson asked.
"Oh, absolutely wonderful! Being able to focus on the office has allowed me to calm down immensely. And the best part is I've taken care of an enormous backlog of paperwork that was just piling up" Gent explained.
"good to hear; I must confess though, the field isn't the same without you" Gunnarson said.
"I know my friend; but after that mess of a case, I just can't take field work anymore" Gent explained.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 25, 2017 13:44:40 GMT -5
Revive time
.......
"It's unfortunate, but understandable" Gunnarson assured.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't talk now- I'm taking care of business at home" Gent said.
"Terribly sorry; good night Gent" Gunnarson replied.
"Good night Gunnarson" and they hung up.
Next day, Gunnarson revealed some interesting findings.
"So, I was thinking back, and it occurs to me that if the major stank of cigarette smoke, then so would the killer at the time. Now, Hartley and I didn't bring cigarettes with us, I know that much, so tell me know... who else did not have cigarettes on their person?" Gunnarson asked
"We didn't; smoking indoors is improper" one of the old maids said as the other two nodded in agreement.
"Now I know most of us had knives on our persons, but some of you did not, correct?" Gunnarson asked.
"Yes; we don't own any" one of the missionaries explained as the other nodded in agreement.
"We, that substantially narrows down the suspect pool" Gunnarson observed.
"So... it was Picard or the nephew?" I asked.
"That's what the evidence suggests; your both smokers and had knives- not to mention the fact that as I recall, the nephew here stunk of cigarette smoke..." Gunnarson observed.
"But I didn't have a lighter! I couldn't smoke even if I wanted to! What about Cricket- she stunk of cigarette smoke too!" Picard argued.
"Now that you mentioned it she did, but.. wait a minute, we were together most of the time, and you told me you left your cigarettes in the hotel room!" I said, confused.
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Post by Eyes on May 25, 2017 15:06:55 GMT -5
"But before we deal with that, I think I should tell you that I found out something that proves the nephew didn't commit the murder."
"You did? What's that?" asked Robert.
"Well," said Gunnarson...
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 25, 2017 15:21:33 GMT -5
"...it turns out our friend Robert here has a bit of an aversion to killing; I had overheard a while back that while he was in the service, he refused to carry a firearm and served strictly as a medic" Gunnarson explained.
"It's true! I cannot bring myself to kill another man! I insisted that I strictly be a medic!" Robert blurted out.
"But he's the only one here with a substantial relationship to the major; how can anyone else here have a motive?" One of the old maids asked.
"more importantantly... does that mean Picard is the murderer?" I asked.
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Post by Eyes on May 25, 2017 15:25:45 GMT -5
"But this is outrageous! L'indescriptible!"
"Hold on," said Gunnarson. "Just because all the evidence points to you does not mean you couldn't have been framed or something of that sort. I've had several cases in which it looked like one person was ready to swing on the gallows and yet - it was impossible that they were the murderer!"
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 25, 2017 15:31:58 GMT -5
"But...Gelb confessed to murdering Farley after all" I pointed out.
"I... I meant another case" Gunnarson said, trying to not remember the case that brought him to court.
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Post by Eyes on May 25, 2017 15:34:57 GMT -5
"I've had several you know, many before you even came. I might tell you about them some time. That year was just... a really bad one for me..."
"Well that's an understatement," I said.
"Anyways, back to the case at hand," said Gunnarson.
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 25, 2017 15:37:51 GMT -5
"Well, where should we start?" I asked.
"Where else? I would like to start by bringing up the point that we all need to look at- the fact is, this murder wasn't a chance event or unintentional. No, the rope was sabotaged with a knife, and the killer did it with intent. But that is the question, what could possibly motivate any of us to kill the Major?" Gunnarson proposed.
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Post by Tug on May 26, 2017 0:05:58 GMT -5
"But no one had any intent to kill the Major..." questioned Picard
"Precisely... So what if..."
"The Major was never the intended target...."
"You're on to it Hartley my boy!"
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Post by frankthetriviaman on May 26, 2017 0:16:07 GMT -5
A killer without a motive? What nonsense!" One of the missionaries pointed out.
"Indeed. But that is not what I am getting at. What I am saying is that we are looking at this murder the wrong way. Usually, figuring out motive leads to a suspect. But here, we must figure out the suspect to get to the motive. And since beyond the nephew no one here has a substantial relationship to the major... we need to consider all possibilities until ruled out" Gunnarson explained.
"but even if that assumption is true, who is the intended target?" Hartley asked
"Now now, let's not jump the gun. Instead, let's focus on the evidence and see where it leads us" Gunnarson assured.
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Post by Toz76 on May 26, 2017 0:24:04 GMT -5
"First, let us assume the major was killed because he had a physical resemblance to the intended target. Obviously, he resembles his nephew, and Gothart and Hartley also could be mistaken for him at a distance. Then, there's proximity. Picard, Robert, Hartley, Cricket, and myself were closest to him when he was discovered. If we assume the major wasn't the intended victim, it opens up new possibilities worth considering."
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Post by Tug on May 26, 2017 0:28:11 GMT -5
"And again, we are in a cave, no matter how well lit it seems, lights and shadows can be deceiving..." added Hartley
"But who could the murderer be targeting to kill the Major instead?" asked Gothart
"Tell me, who were the last few people to meet with the Major?"
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