Chapter 11

“What do you think?” Dashiell asked as they walked back to Regina’s car.

“I don’t think she did it,” Regina replied.

Dashiell nodded. “I don’t think so either. Her surprise read as genuine to me, and she didn’t act like someone who has been caught by the police.”

“That was my thinking. So where does that leave us?”

“Well, clearly it leaves us with Ms. Bartlett.”

“But they were together. Bartlett couldn’t have killed her without Jessica knowing. Besides, Carolyn Bartlett is a world-renowned photographer. What reason would she have for killing Elaine Scofield? And more importantly, how would she have done it?”

“Both excellent questions,” Dashiell acknowledged. “I suppose when we discover the answers, we’ll have solved the mystery.”

Regina stopped walking and looked at Dashiell. “Would you stop talking like Sherlock Holmes. Doesn’t it make much more sense to say the butler did it? He had opportunity. If Bartlett’s story matches the one we just heard, then we’ll know Mrs. Scofield was alive at 11 am. And by his own admission, the only other person to visit the office was Watson.”

Dashiell kept walking, forcing Regina to match his stride. “That leaves two problems. First, as you pointed out, there’s the question of how he did it.”

“That’s your department,” she cut in.

Dashiell nodded. “Yes. But more importantly, there’s the fact that Watson came to us, well me, in particular. If he did it, why would he come to me?”

“To make himself look innocent, of course.”

Dashiell shook his head. “No, he was already well on his way to that. He could have just contacted the police. There was no evident cause of death which could be tied to him. And if he used an occult means, then there is likely no evidence that the M.E. could identify.

“That means one of two things. One, either it gets chalked up to natural causes, and there is no investigation, or two, you call me and I tell you it’s too late, because more than six hours have elapsed and I can’t raise her soul. Either way, he’s got no incentive to even hint at the occult if he did it.”

They paused as they reached the car. “Alright then. So our only other suspect has no means, motive or opportunity, and an airtight alibi. The Captain’s going to love this.”

Dashiell couldn’t help but smile. “Forget about the Captain. What about the Chief?”

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