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August 30 - September 5, 2023
He didn’t just suspect Wycherly’s death to be murder—he willed it so.
To have such tunnel vision is a dangerous way to investigate a death.
young Wycherly had been taken unawares and pushed to his death.
Do they not see the strangulation evidence around his neck? 🤔
“Surely you can see how a man in your situation could be . . . sensitive, shall we say, inclined to look for foul play everywhere.”
Hamilton’s hands tightened into fists at his side. “My suspicions about Stephen Wycherly have nothing to do with the fire that killed my parents.”
I disagree. I quote, “He didn’t just suspect Wycherly’s death to be murder—he willed it so.” - willing it to be a murder sounds like he is exactly looking for foul play everywhere.
His older brother, Donald, had been on his way to a promising medical career when the fire took their parents, reducing all of the family’s possessions to ashes.
How old was he?
his younger brother trapped in the basement, their parents perished in the fire.
How much younger?
and had spent the past seven years slouching around Scotland
Has it only been 7 years since the fire or Donald was only on a drinking bender for 7 years?
“Your assumption is correct. Stephen Wycherly was murdered.”
I suppose in 1880 a police detective could tell a potential witness it was murder. Today all you get is “the investigation is ongoing”.
“That’s from Lear, isn’t it?” “Ah, you like the Bard?” “I do.”
Why does every character know or can identify play or poem quotes made by another character? Was this common in the 1880s like knowing a ton of movie quotes?
“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to talk about an ongoing investigation,” Hamilton replied, a little too quickly.
Yet he could tell a potential witness it was murder? 😆👏🏼👏🏼🤦🏻♀️
Expectation is the root of all heartache.’”
Not a quote by Shakespeare. The proverb has an unknown origin.
“Not at the moment, I think,” Ian said, but he folded the letter carefully and slid it into his vest pocket.
I like how evidence keeps going into his pockets instead of bags to preserve it and filed as evidence at the police station. 🕵🏼♂️
The detective shook his head. “Later, Sergeant. Well, shall we?”
Hamilton identifies Dickerson as a Sergeant and neither guy picks up on the fact he’s a police officer?
“Well,” ventured Rat Face, “they’re coppers, obviously.”
Well, didn’t take a genius. 🤦🏻♀️
Dickerson shivered. “I still don’ get why bloke’d do sommit like that.”
How about because it’s winter and the homeless would rather be locked up with a bed and meal then try to survive the cold on the streets. 🤦🏻♀️👏🏼👏🏼
He went to bed at night hugging his anger, holding it close as a lover. He feared if he let go of it, he would have nothing. He knew he was holding on to his pain, worrying it as one might pick at a scab, but it gave him a perverse sense of comfort.
Those that have gone through tragic loss know this pain well.
Instead, he felt the leather belt being wrapped around his throat quick as a flash.
The birth of the method he chooses for his victims.
“I saw the way you peered at me when I lit that cigarette. I’ve also noticed you don’t smoke.” “It’s bad for your health,” Ian muttered without turning around. “Surely as a ‘medical man’ you ought to know that.”
Would they have known that in the 1880s? I think not.
He rose and stretched himself, padding across the carpet in the direction of the bedrooms.
Ian has more than one bed yet had the boy sleep on the couch? Harsh.
“Oh, this? Just something I found in poor Stephen’s room,” she said, plucking the card from between the pages. “I don’t suppose it’s anything, but I thought I’d give it to the investigating detective all the same.” “What an unusual design.”
A playing card was found on Stephen’s body though why would there be a second card?
“Tut-tut, man—that was centuries ago!
Tut-tut 😂😂🫠
Ian put his face in his hands and wept.
That was unexpected.
“Voudriez-vous passer à une autre chambre?”
Would you like to move to another room?
“Un petit peu.”
A little bit.
n’est-ce pas?”
Is it not?
“I have here the details of our murders—there were three in all, within the space of two months, last autumn.”
3 murders, 2 cards
“But you said you had three victims—yet only two cards?” “He left nothing on the first victim. And yet all of the other aspects of the crimes are identical.”
Then was his first victim his father? 🤔🤫
and Ian, two years younger,
So then Ian probably 16 when the fire happened. In the 1880s, if Donald was starting medical school he was probably 18.
he tore off a piece of the meat and put it in a bowl for the cat, placing another one of cream next to it.
Is he ever going to buy the cat actual cat food?
“Mais pourquoi?
But why?
vraiment incroyable.”
Truly incredible
“You said this club, the Owl’s Nest, was hard to find,” said Crawford. “How would the killer know about it?” “I think Stephen Wycherly took him there.”
“Oui, c’est la même chose.
Yes, it’s the same.
Armed with only vague references to an owl and a Chinaman named Pong,
How does he not tie the owl clue to the Owl’s Nest he’s already identified?
“It is called the Owl’s Nest.” Ian couldn’t help the surprise that came over his face. “The Owl’s Nest, did you say?” “Why—do you know it?” “I intend to.”
Okay, maybe he did put the two clues together.
But sleep failed him, as it had so often recently, and he spent a wretched night wrestling with what was left of his conscience.
Has he never considered his brother is setting up to frame him for the murders? He already knows what his brother is capable of, he wouldn’t be wrestling with his conscience if he was smart. 🃏❤️🔥
“I say, Rodney, there’s one of your typical Scottish ‘raggediers’ now.” His accent was British, exaggeratedly well-bred.
raggediers - children wearing dirty, ragged clothes.
Derek ignored the barb. “I were passin’ by and I ’eard some fellas what worked there standin’ jes’ outside, sayin’ as how this fancy performer had jes took ’is own life in ’is hotel room, like.”
Guess he wasn’t framing him. 🫤🤷🏻♀️
He tried to lift his hand to pet it, but before he could summon the will, unconsciousness overtook him.
Probably has a concussion. 🤕
“Judging from this,” he said, “I believe this victim may be related to his killer. Brothers, perhaps.”
Closing in. They now have at least a last name as a lead. 🕵🏼♀️
“There’s a resemblance between this man and Henry Wright—they could be brothers,” Ian said, threads of excitement spiraling in his stomach.
He just said that.
“What on earth were you up to last night?” Ian asked, taking in his unshaven face. “Nowt so much as you, by the look of it, sir.” “Never mind about me—what about you?” “I, er, saw a young lady, sir.”
That’s unexpected for Dickerson.
“I believe it was broken in the attack, and the killer removed the broken bits to cover the fact that there was a struggle.”
Why didn’t he straighten the drawer and envelope opener?
“Oh, yes—I remember,” he said, pulling a bottle of Glenlivet from his desk drawer. He poured some into a couple of empty teacups and handed one to Ian.
I love how casually everyone drinks on the job. 🥃
RE: INSP GERARD INQUIRY. SKELETON PLAYING CARDS PURCHASED BY M. EDWARD WRIGHT IN NOV. LAST YEAR AT LE MAGASIN DE MAGIE. REGARDS, INSP. LAROUE, SURETE NATIONALE “He must have sent an inquiry to his colleagues in Paris before the killer got to him,” said Crawford. “Good man.”
Brilliant. 🤓
Dickerson coughed delicately. “Me, uh, lady friend is lookin’ after Prince.”
I think it’s Miss Caroline Tierney, Dickerson clearly had a thing for her. 🤭
Rounding the corner, he saw Donald’s bulky figure splayed upon the sofa. Snoring loudly, he looked as if he had dropped unconscious onto the couch.
Totally like an alcoholic to leave the door ajar. 😣
Donald laughed bitterly. “Not drunk enough, unfortunately, to forget what he did to me.” Something in his voice made a chill run down Ian’s spine. “What are you talking about?” “He thought he could ‘change’ me—make
OMG. His brother. Although it would have been great to read about the look on each brother’s face if the had run into each other at the Owl’s Nest. 😝
“Good Lord, Ian, don’t you ever tire of quoting Shakespeare?”
He might not, but I bet people get tired of hearing it. 😆
“I wish you were the strangler, so help me—then I could solve the crime and get you out of my hair once and for all!”
I thought he learned his lesson the first time. 🤦🏻♀️
