2006 Advent Drabble -CSI Gornetz Platz(20/12/06 p25/26 x4)
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#1: 2006 Advent Drabble -CSI Gornetz Platz(20/12/06 p25/26 x4) Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:15 am
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Here it is, this years build up to the season of peace on Earth and goodwill to all men, the Advent Drabbles.
For those new to Advent Drabbles...sureal would sum them up best, links to old ones may be available soon, last years may be in the archive.
This year sees Pat and Carolyn and a new member of the team, the mystery drabbler...read on if you dare!


Advent Introduction

Nurse was discovered in the early hours of 1st December. She was dead of course. Anyone would be when a crimson and silver scarf had been pulled that tightly around their neck. A school scarf in fact. A Chalet School scarf.

This was only the first in a bizarre series of events on the Gornetz Platz that December. In fact, in some ways it was the most ordinary and least talked about event that month. What will follow will be a series of reports drawn up by the various police teams involved in the different events that followed. Each event had all the usual reports; Scene of Crime; Forensic; Background and Witness reports. Taken separately they are somewhat unusual, but put together they tell a disturbing story of events that will horrify and shock the average reader. It is as well that you are not the average reader.

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:13 pm; edited 40 times in total
#2:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:36 am
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Squee for Advent Drabbles! Smile Thanks you three!
#3:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:00 am
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Never was an average reader thank goodness.
#4:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:39 am
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Intriguing stuff! Thanks, Advent Drabblers.
#5:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:39 am
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A murder in Advent? Shocked Laughing

Thank you!Mr. Green
#6:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:25 am
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Definitely not an average reader! Very curious.
#7:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:32 am
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Curiouser and curiouser.....my day has just cheered up!
#8:  Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:16 am
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I've been looking forward to this. Intriuging
#9:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:20 am
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*shakes head*

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear


This does not bode well


But having been through this before (literally) I am definately not the average reader!

Thanks guys!
#10:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:47 am
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Thank you ladies! (Assuming mystery drabbler is female as well Wink )
#11:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:58 am
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I suppose an average reader might be easily scared, but not CBBers.

Thank you.
#12:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:19 am
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Thanks guys.
Looking forward to this!
#13:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:28 am
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Scene of Crime Report 1

Summary,
At the request of the Gornetz Platz Polizei this writer assisted in processing the scene when a middle aged female, identified as a nurse at a local private girls school was discovered dead in suspicious circumstances.

Scene
Miss H Wilson, who was able to identify the body, discovered it at the side of the main road along the Gornetz Platz at 05.15am on 1st December. There was no snow covering the body and local weather reports indicate that the snow stopped at 11.47pm on 31st November. There were no distinguishable footprints apart from a single one on the edge on the road, showing a narrow foot in a shoe with no grips.

The body was laying face up, and a silver and crimson scarf was tied tightly around the neck. There were flecks of a fragrant white substance on one end. The scarf was twisted and showed signs of being stretched. It was not removed from the body, this being left for the coroner. A quick search of the pockets revealed a purse with some loose change; a small container which opened to reveal a set of plasters and a bandage; and a small flask of good quality brandy and a book entitled “Cecily Holds The Fort”. The body was fully dressed in outdoor clothes, including gloves and a large scarf tied crosswise around the chest, over the top of her coat. She was wearing studded boots and woollen gloves, one of which had a tear on the little finger. There were several blue fibres attached to the glove. Both gloves were also covered in what appeared to be dog hairs.

On the road were various tyre marks, most covered with the light dusting of snow common to this area of the country, but one was more recent, and showed a heavy vehicle with chained tyres. Photos were taken.

In the vicinity there were several small finds that may or may not be relevant. These were all photographed, bagged and removed as evidence.

Processing
Photos of everything taken, road, roadside, body from various angles, evidence removed, local cats and dogs, several prefects from The Chalet School and a rather stunning cloud formation.
Footprint was cast and removed to lab for comparisons with victims shoe and any other later recovered from suspects.
Grains of white substance were removed from scarf and bagged before being sent to the lab for analysis.
Blue fibres removed and kept for analysis.
Hairs removed from gloves and sent for analysis. Hairs taken from local dogs and cats for comparison.
Brandy removed to the lab for the ‘quality’ to be tested by various members of the team in a subjective manner.
Small items bagged and removed to lab for further evaluation.

Evidence Collected:
Footprint (1)
White substance
Blue Fibres (4 strands)
Photos (a Vikkiworth)
Doorkey (1) 2metres from body (right)
Empty chocolate box (1) 50 cm from body (feet)
Tennis ball (1) 4 metres (left)
Signed photo of J M Bettany, crumpled. 1 metre (right)
Small tag of black leather, triangle shaped. 50 cm (left)
Empty coke can 2 metres (head)


Pending
Analytical report on white substance
Analysis of hairs. Comparison with those already removed from local dogs and cats by crime scene team.
Enlargement of tread photos for comparison
#14:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:07 am
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Special place this Gornetz Platz - they even have a 31st November Wink
#15:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:09 am
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Duh! I will hold my hands up to that little error, esp as the mystery writer pointed it out to me and I forgot to edit it! Rolling Eyes
#16:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:45 am
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Thanks Advent Drabblers! Smile

*has a little giggle about the 31st of November*

The head of my MPhil course told us that out thesis was due on the 31st of September. It caused great confusion.
#17:  Author: Tiffany, Location: Is this a duck I see behind me? PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:23 am
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Oooooh!
#18:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:22 pm
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We got a note from our admin. yesterday telling us to be back at work on 2nd Jan 2006. You're in good company, Carolyn!
#19:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:15 pm
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I love the Vikkiworth of photos!! Laughing Laughing

Thank you.
#20:  Author: RroseSelavy, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:34 pm
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*Squee!* I'm looking forward to seeing how this unfolds Very Happy

Thanks, Advent Drabblers.
#21:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:45 pm
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Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing

*notes that Miss H Wilson was at the scene*

Thanks Advent Drabblers Laughing
#22:  Author: Hannah-Lou, Location: Glasgow PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:00 pm
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I am new to advent drabbles, but I don't think I'm an "average reader", so I'm enjoying this and looking forward to more! Laughing
#23:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:02 pm
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Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and Mystery Drabbler. This is really intriguing so far and I look forward to reading more!
#24:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:44 pm
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Fascinating. *needs Mr. Spock smiley*

I love the new unit for photography.
centiVikkis, kiloVikkis...
Too bad V is already taken. Guess the it'll have to be one of those two-letter abbreviations. Vk, maybe?
#25:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:13 pm
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Background Report 1

Name
Nurse Nurse. I thought this was an error, but having checked with the Public Records Office in England this is her full name.

Age
57

Main Residence
The Chalet School Sanatorium [1]
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
24 Hospital Cottages
Hospital Rd
Tiverton
Devon

Family Relationships
No known surviving relatives. Evidence suggests that Nurse was an only child and both parents died within a week of each other after a long period of nursing at home. Nurse Nurse has a distant cousin, District Nurse (they come from a very dedicated family) however the two have had no communication since the death of Mr and Mrs Nurse (Geriatric and Psychiatric) over 20 years ago.

Other Significant Relationships
Nurse Nurse appears to have had no close friends. Her time appears to have been spent either working; in the School Sanatorium Sitting Room, mainly with the Matron [2] who does not admit to a close friendship with her; or walking alone. With no close friends this would appear to have been a very lonely life. The school secretary on questioning revealed that Nurse received very little mail, mainly bank and solicitor’s letters, she also commented that these letters had been much more frequent of late and that Nurse appeared to use the same solicitor as Mrs Maynard, [3] or at least received letters from the same solicitor.

Employment
Nurse Nurse had been employed by the Chalet School as a nurse in their sanatorium for an indefinite length of time. The school does not appear to keep detailed staff records and no one questioned seemed to be aware of the precise date of her arrival, but it appears that she was with the school prior to their removal to Switzerland, or if not no one seemed to think it important. This is a live in position, but very isolating as Nurse was considered neither domestic nor teaching staff and was therefore not able to socialise with either group. Her duties were mainly assisting the school Matron with the nursing part of her duties and oversight of the school sick room under the Matron’s supervision. In a school of this size there would be girls or staff in the sanatorium or needing care in their rooms or dormitories most days, but the duties were not arduous and when looking at her previous employment this seems to be accepted by the school. The sparse records they do have include a letter from her training school saying that she was a conscientious and tidy student who suffered from a delicate constitution and a letter from the proprietor of a private nursing home who commented on her ability to follow instructions, her dedication to her job, her rapport with patients and their families and her physical difficulties. A note at the end of the letter adds that she had a tendency to be slightly compulsive about reading children’s books.

Other Notes
Nurse Nurse had the tidiest room I have ever seen, the bed was made in the same fashion as those in the dormitories only much neater, the floor was polished and all clothes and shoes away in the drawers and wardrobe. The dressing table was empty, but the drawers revealed a plain brush and comb and a simple lavender toilet water. There was no make up and no jewellery apart from three rings, which from the age of the boxes I would suspect where her parents wedding rings. There were none of the solicitors letter mentioned by Miss Dene, and her bank statements show her only income as her salary from the school. This was mainly spent locally, with some saved into a deposit account each month. There had been no withdrawals from the deposit account for two years until recently and in the past two months £250 had been removed each month. There was no sign of the money or of any recent purchase. Her bookcase was full of books by only one author, J M Bettany and the only photograph in the room was also of the same person. This resided on the bedside table. The bedside table drawer contained a Bible, a prayer book and a book on the history of names with the inscription ‘Neil Shepherd’ inside the front cover. There was also a scrap of paper tucked inside which read, ‘You may find this informative, Grizel enjoyed it.’ And signed Dr Shepherd.


Footnotes
[1] The Chalet School is a rather old fashioned private girl’s school. It is supposedly run on ‘English lines’ but is unlike any other in it’s teaching methods. It is renown for teaching languages, but concentrates mainly on the standard three. The staff are mainly ex pupils of the school and many current pupils have family links to the school founder (Lady Russell) They are well known in the circles from which they draw their pupils, and their theories on teaching have attracted some attention in the educational world. They are also often recommended as a school for ‘difficult’ children and thus occasionally attract wealthy but violent or maladjusted girls.

[2] Matron has a role that is a mix and match of nurse and housekeeper. She overseas the health of the girls and staff and many of the general household tasks, but the maids and kitchen staff report to the cook and not to Matron. Everyone I spoke to seemed to be slightly scared of her, and many commented that she would know anything that was going on in the school without being told.

[3] Mrs Maynard aka Joey aka J M Bettany. Known at the school as being the first pupil and sister of the founder, Mrs Maynard has sustained an unusual interest in her old school, not only sending her children there and being a shareholder, but living next door and as overheard by the staffroom ‘half the time still living here.’ She is better known to the public as the one time mediocre but popular children’s author. She has not been published or reprinted in several years now.
#26:  Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:26 pm
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thank you advent drabblers!!

this is my first year of getting to see the advent drabbles and im enjoying them muchly, so far!
#27:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:08 pm
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Witness Reports 1

Gwynneth Lloyd - Matron at the girl’s school

Nurse and I had been dealing with a sick child all last evening, and when she finally fell asleep just after 11.00, we decided that we both needed some hot chocolate to help us settle down for the night. We sat in the small sitting room given over to Nurse at the entrance to the school san, and sipped our drinks appreciatively. It’s not often that you get time to yourself in a large school you know. By the time we had finished our drinks the snow had stopped falling and the moon came out, flooding the countryside in light. Nurse said that she wished that she could go out for a walk in it, it looked so lovely, so I said ‘Why not?’
She took me at my word and was soon bundled up in warm clothing and slipping downstairs and out of the little side door near the san. I stayed upstairs in her room ready to let her back in. I could see quite a long distance, and before long I could see Nurse tramping up the road, looking around her as she went. I stood at the window to watch her, and saw that she wasn’t the only one out and about at that hour, late though it was. A car came down the road form the big San, and though it slowed as it passed Nurse, it didn’t stop. Then she met someone out walking like she was. I could see the two of them together talking, and I’m sure she knew this person. We all know everyone else up here on the Platz after all. The figure was taller than Nurse and slim with dark hair. Colours are hard to make out in moonlight, but I’m sure the hair was dark - very dark. I went back to my chair then, and I think I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew it was morning, and Nurse hadn’t come back.


Dr Philip Graves

I was late leaving work last night, as we’d all stayed to do our annual Secret Santa Draw, and then stayed around talking afterwards, as you do. It was a good idea as it happened, because by the time I left, just before midnight, the snow had stopped which made driving home a lot easier. Jack Maynard and Jem Russell left together just before me, as Jem is staying with Jack while he’s out here. I was taking it easy even though I had chains on my tyres, and when I saw someone walking up the road I slowed even more. It was Nurse from the school san. I know her as we’re called out to see any sick girls that are beyond her training. I waved at her as I went my, though I don’t suppose she saw me. I could see the lights of Jack’s car ahead of me, but I live on the San side of the school, so I turned into my drive almost immediately after passing Nurse. The headlights picked out a tall dark figure just as I swung towards the gates, and when I got out I heard someone whistle, like you would for a dog. I didn’t see anyone else that night. My wife was sound asleep in bed when I got upstairs.


Miss Helena Wilson - Headmistress of St Mildred’s Finishing School

I woke up very early - it must have been around 5.00 am - and found that it had stopped snowing sometime during the night and was freezing hard. I don’t get a lot of opportunity to ski, and I thought I’d take advantage of my early start. It was wonderful skiing by moonlight, though I had to be careful. I thought I’d risk coming back along the road as ther would be no traffic at that hour, and I was right. I saw no one at all on the road, and there were no lights on in any of the houses, not even in any of the doctor’s, and they can keep very odd hours indeed. At first I thought the lump by the side of the road was a fallen tree, but as I got nearer I could see it wasn’t. Nurse must have been out for quite a time as she was frozen solid, but there was no snow on her, so it she had to have fallen after the snow had stopped. I thought it was an accident until I saw the tie. How could anyone desecrate the school scarf like that?


Miss Rosalie Dene, School Secretary

I didn’t know Nurse well - I don’t think any of us did! She kept to the San pretty much all of the time, a Loner and very dedicated to her job. She didn’t go into Interlaken very often either, only to buy the necessary items. I don’t think she had many friends back in England either. I handle all the post for the school, and the distribution to the staff. They all have pigeonholes in the staff room you see, and I shove them in there for them to pick up. That’s about the only time I saw Nurse out of the school San - when she came to pick up her post. Not that there was much of it - and then only business letters. Nothing personal at all. Come to think of it, the business letters had been coming a bit more frequently lately. I didn’t take a lot of notice to be honest. I don’t have the time for anything like that. I’m rushed off my feet for most of the day. The only thing I did notice was that one of them was the same firm of solicitors that Mrs Maynard uses. I’ve seen the same envelopes over at Freudesheim anyway.
#28:  Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:14 pm
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Advent Drabblers, with these posts you are spoiling us.
#29:  Author: KathrynW, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:22 pm
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Thanks Advent Drabblers! It's all very intriguing Very Happy
#30:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 6:31 pm
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This is my first year of Advent Drabbles - will we get this many every day? *looks hopeful*

These are brilliant, thank you!
#31:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:26 pm
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Wow!! Thankyou

Are we going to get 3 posts every day? Shocked

Last edited by Dawn on Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:13 am; edited 1 time in total
#32:  Author: Tiffany, Location: Is this a duck I see behind me? PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:34 pm
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Gollygosh, look how much of this there is already! Will it go on for all of Advent?
#33:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:35 pm
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Advent Drabblers wrote:
She is better known to the public as the one time mediocre but popular children’s author. She has not been published or reprinted in several years now.



*giggles hysterically*


Thanks, this is fab!
#34:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:35 pm
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Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female aged mid-fifties. No evidence of ever having married or had any children. Good muscle tone and generally very fit, considering her age. Teeth in poor condition - probably all the chocolates. Height approx 168 cm, weight 64kg.


Time of Death - Body was discovered approximately 5.15am, removed to mortuary by 8am. Allowing for the low temperature overnight retarding the physical process estimate time of death to be between 2200 and 0200 - with likelihood that it was just after midnight.


Cause of Death - scarf around neck pointed to strangulation as being possible cause - further examination confirmed this - ligature marks on the neck and bleeding in the eyes. Attack was from behind, however victim did have some warning and attempted to fight off attacker - one glove was torn and some fibres and hairs isolated. Marks on neck point to attacker being taller than victim


Results

Blood analysis showed high levels of alcohol and chocolate
Hair was dog hair - large breed, St Bernard
Footprint was a lady's court shoe, expensive - nothing extraordinary, can be obtained from half a dozen shops in Geneva - generally only bought by the rich.
White substance identified as Old Spice talcum powder - possibly pointing to fact victim had a 'man friend'
Blue fibres proved elusive - eventually tracked down as from a baby blanket - not a problem to identify then - only 347 babies on the Platz....no 348...er 349 - twins just been born.
Brandy identified positively as Napoleon Brandy, very good quality. Medical examiner had to test rather a large quantity to be certain of this.....


















*Hic*




Report dictated by R Quincy, ME.
#35:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:36 pm
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Very puzzling! Rolling Eyes
#36:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:39 pm
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That's the idea Lottie! Twisted Evil
#37:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:05 pm
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Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and Mystery Drabbler. I am finding the reports very interesting to read.
#38:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:14 pm
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So who is the murderer? I mean certain of the clues point one way - but surely not! Shocked


Many thanks Advent Drabblers.
#39:  Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:19 pm
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Ooh, this is ace. I've been wrestling with a piece of CSI/Chalet School crossover fiction for a while. Was thinking about getting Hilda Annersley and Gil Grissom together...
#40:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:20 pm
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but this isn't a cross-over! It just uses the style.
#41:  Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:22 pm
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I know, it just reminded me of the bizarreness I decided to shelve! Very Happy

Looking forward to more Advent updates...
#42:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 2:07 am
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Agrees with Lesley - but thinks it is too early in advent to ee a solution already.
#43:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:25 am
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Scene of Crime Report 2

Summary

Great surprise today - I was called to the Gornetz Platz again - two days running! Little did I know just how many times I would be called to that place. Anyway, this time the victim was a school girl, a pupil of that fancy foreign school, An English girl.

Scene

I was taken to a large store room high up in the attics of the School; the body had been discovered by one of the Matrons of the School - frighteningly efficient women - she (I never did discover her name, she didn't appear to have one other than Matron) had been investigating why there appeared to be a leak in one of the dormitories, Hyacinth or Rhododendron or something, I've never been very green-fingered myself, get hay fever every summer. Anyway, said Matron started poking around in all the storage rooms and got a shock. The room was full of old props and equipment, closest to the door were things that had been used in a recent Halloween party. On the floor in the middle of the room was a large tin bowl, looking at that it was easy to see the reason why there had been a leak, the bowl was filled almost to the top with a pale lemon fluid and, lying on the floor, her head floating face down in the bowl, was a school girl.

The girl was identified as Felicity Maynard, the fourth daughter of the family that lived in a large house right next door to the School - suppose they needed that large house if she was fourth daughter - she was dressed in the school uniform of the day - I say day because they seem to change it at the drop of a hat. She was quite petite although I was told she was sixteen years old, silvery-fair hair and blue eyes.

The surrounding area was all wet - Miss Mayanrd had not, it appeared, gone quietly - and just about everything was wet. The liquid itself was not water, there was a faint smell of lemons. Near the body was a small embroidery case, one given to children when they are first starting out. A small card inside said With Love from Mother. On the floor there was a book on ballet dancing. Beneath the fingernails of one hand there appeared to be a substance, possibly even skin samples.

Processing

Photographs of scene taken from all conceivable angles (some not for general consumption)
Photographs of unidentified flying object buzzing past attic room window
Photograph of Matron tripping down stairs and damaging shoulder - apparently a regular occurance and rather funny to watch!
Samples of lemon coloured fluid
Samples of embroidery thread
Card with short note upon it
Couple of stray apples that rolled out from beneath a box - well I hadn't had any breakfast!

Evidence Collected

Lemon coloured fluid
Photographs of crime scene
Substance beneath fingernails
Card with short written message

Pending

Analysis of lemon fluid
Identification of substance from beneath fingernails
Analysis of handwriting
Call from International UFO detectors
#44:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:41 am
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Shocked Not Felicity? I have no idea who could be behind these hienous crimes!
#45:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:42 am
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Goodness - are you going to kill off a person a day till Christmas? Rolling Eyes There won't be anyone left!
#46:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:06 am
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Witness Reports 2


Matron

Huh! I do have a name, even though no one ever seems to use anything but Matron, and I’m not an old girl like Matron Henschell, nor have I been here since the Dark Ages, like some members of staff I could mention. My name happens to be Susan Donnelly, and I’m new at the school this term. I had gone upstairs to investigate a leak where no leak should be, as there was liquid dripping into Honeysuckle. (Hyacinths and Rhododendrons would look hideous on curtains - please don’t put ideas into people’s heads!). Anyway, I had never been up here myself before today, so I explored a bit, opening various doors at random before I found the cause of the leak. I’m glad I’m no spineless jellyfish (to use Matron Lloyd’s favourite expression) as finding the body of one of the girls was a bit of a shock as none of them are supposed to be upstairs at all at this time of day. That it was Felicity Maynard was a bigger one, as she isn’t the sort of girl to make enemies. She does have a special friend however, and that’s Lucy Peters. They are both mad keen on ballet - were I suppose I should say where Felicity is concerned. I can’t be sure, but I think that it was Lucy’s embroidery case lying on the floor. I didn’t pick it up of course, but it certainly looked familiar.


Lucy Peters

Felicity snuck upstairs to get a clean hanky, and I asked her to get my embroidery case at the same time. We have to be careful going upstairs during the day, and you never know when there’s going to be a Matron about. There’s an awful lot of them, and they are always where you least want them to be! Felicity was only supposed to go as far as our dormy, grab the things and get back down before she was caught. I think that killing her is a bit of a strong punishment. Who am I going to practice ballet with now? No one else here is interested.


Carlotta von Ahlen

I saw Lucy and Felicity talking together as we came out of Mittagessen. They were talking in the corridor too. I thought they were arguing but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Lucy came into Hall for Rest, and got out a deck chair for herself and a spare one that I suppose was for Felicity. There was no sign of her at all, and Lucy was a bit late. It’s a bit frightening having another death so soon. We’ve had plenty of accidents and near misses over the years - Mother told me about a lot as she was here when it started. But somehow no one has died until now.
#47:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:13 am
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Oh no, poor Felicity - love that Lucy Peters thinks she was killed because she broke the rules! Laughing
#48:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:50 am
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How heartless Lucy is - 'who am I going to practise ballet with now?' not 'Oh no my best friend has died' Laughing Laughing Laughing

Thank you very much, and I am having fun guessing who Mystery is - I have a theory! Wink
#49:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:12 am
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I kept expecting each update tot be the last one, and there was another...and another.... Not that I'm complaining, mind you!

Am utterly baffled.
#50:  Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:43 am
    —
Wow. This is not what I was expecting at all and at this rate it will be hard to keep up with. But great fun so far. Thank you.
#51:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:28 pm
    —
Background Report 2

Name
Felicity Maynard

Age
16 according to the school. “The same age as Felix of course, they are twins, I have two sets, as well as triplets,” according to their mother. She appears to collect children and regard them purely as part of a collection.

Main Residence
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
Freudesheim
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Family Relationships
Her parents are Dr and Mrs Maynard who live next door to the school. Dr Maynard is the head of the sanatorium at the other end of the Platz. Mrs Maynard is a children’s author and prolific mother. Felicity is one of 11 children and numerous adoptees and other hangers on that reside for part of the year at Freudesheim. She has a twin brother who is currently in England.

Other Significant Relationships
Apart from her brothers and the boys of the household at Freudesheim Felicty appears to have no boyfriend and her parents were shocked at the question, saying that they were not the sort of people who left school at 15 (well who does) and that Felicity was too young for that sort of thinking yet, and anyway it far healthier to be concerned with sports and school. It is worth noting that her eldest sister was engaged at 17 and married not long after.
According to the school her close friends were Lucy Peters and Carlotta von Alhen, although they also report that this term those two have not been as close friends and that Felicity was increasingly unhappy with her position between the two.


Employment
Felicity was still at school, and was expected to be there for another 2 or 3 years. There had apparently been some talk a few years ago of her joining the Royal Ballet School in London, but this had been vetoed by her parents who thought she was too young to be sent to school in another country. (This from parents who sent their sons away at 7 and who are involved with a school whose pupils come mainly from England.)
According to her school reports she was a hard worker but not amongst the more intelligent pupils. She did all her lessons diligently and was keen on singing and music, however the generally accepted view was that she lived for her ballet lessons and everything else came a long way second to them.

Other Notes
Felicity’s cubicle at school revealed very little. It was clean and tidy and organised exactly in the one way Matron allowed. I gathered that a ‘dorm inspection’ had taken place earlier that day so this was only to be expected. The rest of her belongings were also very general, letters from her sisters that were full of generalities, the only one of note being from her sister Len that included a strange paragraph that said Felicity should not trouble mama with her worries as ‘it is not a good time for her to be worried’ and that since Carlotta was involved ‘mama would worry even more’.
An examination of Felicity’s workbox revealed that her embroidery case was there and was full of needles and silks. There was also an elaborate piece of embroidery, a tray cloth that apparently Felicity had been working on during ‘hobbies’.
#52:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:36 pm
    —
goodness - who is it and who next? Shocked Shocked

Thanks AdventDrabblers Laughing
#53:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:37 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and Mystery Drabbler. I am sorry to hear about Felicity.
#54:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 2:11 pm
    —
Thanks Advent Drabblers.

Joey isn't 'busy' again is she? Wonder what the writer of the last report would make of yet another Maynard!
#55:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:05 pm
    —
Wow! So much since yesterday. Thank you, O prolific Advent drabblers.

A new matron, yet. Now that's suspicious in itself ....

*giggles at Jo's "collection."*
Guess she got bored of jig-saws for Hobbies. Very Happy
#56:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:56 pm
    —
I am utterly baffled. Not that it takes much. Thank you, oh drabbling threesome!
#57:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 6:45 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female, analysis of bone growth would place age at mid-teens therefore can concur with her stated age of 16 years. Very slim but not emaciated. Physical development and musculature of lower limbs is pronounced - would equate to victim being a dancer. No evidence of ever having had a boyfriend. Height 160cm, weight 48kg.


Time of Death - Body was discovered early afternoon and removed to the mortuary by 1600hrs. Victim was last seen alive just after the midday meal.Would place time of death as between 1200 and 1400hrs.


Cause of Death - Examination of the lungs revealed them to be full of fluid placing cause of death at drowning. Heightened levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline point to victim being conscious but not sufficiently strong enough to fight off her attacker.


Results
Blood analysis show no abnormalities
Lemon coloured fluid identified as a type of home-made lemonade
Embroidery thread standard used in the School by all the girls
Substance beneath fingernails proved to be skin samples, but not enough to obtain DNA evidence, unfortunately.
Handwriting analysis proved note had been written by a Mrs Phoebe Peters - mother of Lucy Peter. In trying to establish this the investigator had to sit through three hours of tales from Mrs J Maynard about how she was responsible for Mrs Peters meeting her husband - poor woman is probably in shock from loss of daughter but has a funny way of showing it.
Bite marks on apples showed Scene of Crime Officer hadn't had any breakfast - again!
Had call from UFO detectors - they say it was a weather balloon, but I don't believe them.




Report dictated by H Caine.
#58:  Author: Tiffany, Location: Is this a duck I see behind me? PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 6:46 pm
    —
Oooh! Are you going to kill someone every day? Do you take requests? Wink
#59:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:06 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
There had apparently been some talk a few years ago of her joining the Royal Ballet School in London, but this had been vetoed by her parents who thought she was too young to be sent to school in another country. (This from parents who sent their sons away at 7 and who are involved with a school whose pupils come mainly from England.)



*giggles*


I like the idea of a death a day... (hint hint). Who will be next? Bill? Hilda?


Thanks. I like this far more than an advent calender, and it contains less calories!
#60:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:30 pm
    —
This is fantastic! Thank you Advent Drabblers!
#61:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:45 pm
    —
Excellent!!
Well done Carolyn, Pat and mystery drabbler number 3.....!
#62:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:11 pm
    —
Thanks, Advent drabblers. It was really good to see Jo so concerned over the death of one of her daughters.
#63:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:15 pm
    —
Really really enjoying this

and I can see why I was firmly told to kep up with it on a daily basis Laughing
#64:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:27 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and Mystery Drabbler. I feel sorry for the investigator who had to sit through the tale about the Peters.
#65:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:23 pm
    —
Tiffany wrote:
Oooh! Are you going to kill someone every day? Do you take requests? Wink


We had to plan everything well in advance, so unfortunately, no!
#66:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:24 am
    —
Another update!
#67:  Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right! PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 2:19 am
    —
Fantastic!
#68:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 12:12 pm
    —
Scene of Crime Report 3


Summary

At the request of the Gornetz Platz Polizei this writer assisted in processing the scene when a female, identified as a mistress at a local private girls school was discovered dead in suspicious circumstances.


Scene

The body was found by Miss Nancy Wilmott, also a member of the teaching staff at the school, at the leading edge of a small landslide and identified as that of a Miss Kathleen Ferrars, also a teacher at the school. The body was lying face down, partially covered by the mud rocks and snow of the landslide, with only the legs protruding. Miss Wilmott herself uncovered the rest of the body, and attempted resuscitation without success. The body was dressed in a ski suit, and one ski was still attached to the boot, and a matching ski was found lying a few feet away. Both ski sticks were still attached to the wrists by their loops. The woman was wearing a St Christopher medallion with the words ‘Love from Nancy’ inscribed on the reverse, and a carried a small photograph of a woman identified as Miss Nancy Wilmot in her breast pocket. A large number of footprints were found around the body.

The landslide had a point of origin a few hundred metres above the place at which the body was discovered, and investigation showed that it had been started when a large boulder became dislodged and rolled down the slope, taking rocks, earth and snow with it. There was evidence of a mark in the soil around the boulder suggesting that a lever might have been used to dislodge the boulder. Photographs were taken. There were no footprints in the snow in this area, and it looked as though these had been swept away as far as a small footpath a few metres away uphill. There were four different sets of footprints discovered on this path. A cigarette butt was found lying on the snow near the original site of the boulder, and fibres attached to a nearby tree.


Processing

Photos were taken of everything: the landslide, the body, the footprints around it and on the footpath, the large boulder, the site from which the aforementioned boulder had originated, and the marks under this position. Also of the Jungfrau which looks remarkably stunning from this position.

Casts were made of all footprints, Miss Wilmotts boots and the gauge marks. Also various tree bark patterns for my daughter’s botany project.

The cigarette butt was bagged and removed for analysis.


Evidence collected

Footprints various.
St Christophers medallion
Photo of Miss Wilmott (worth holding onto as the woman is quite attractive)
Fibres
Cigarette butt
Small tree branch lying near the footpath.


Pending

Forensic analysis of cigarette butt
Comparison of print casts with Miss Wilmott’s boots, and any other subsequently taken for checking.
Analysis of fibres taken from tree.
Analysis of branch.
#69:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 12:48 pm
    —
Oh dear! Poor Kathie.
#70:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:05 pm
    —
And Kathie too! Is no one safe?

Thanks Advent Drabblers.
#71:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:13 pm
    —
Thank you, Advent Drabblers!
#72:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 5:23 pm
    —
Background Report 3

Name
Kathie Ferrars

Age
29

Main Residence
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
34 Sedgley Park Rd
Finchampton
Hampshire
England

Family Relationships
Miss Ferrars had been an orphan since birth, being raised in England by her aunt and uncle. The uncle is now deceased and a fair proportion of Miss Ferrars salary has been paying towards a nursing home for her aunt. This aunt appears to have been her only living family. No other relatives have been traced and according to the nursing home it is only friends who visit her aunt, no other relatives.

Other Significant Relationships
Kathie had no male friends that we can trace, her name is not linked with any of the Dr at the san, as is usual here, one mainly female community and one mainly male and the obvious does happen, but not it appears in her case. It has been reported that she often holidays with a Miss Nancy Wilmott, but further conversation about their relationship was firmly quashed by any staff member, even in private as ‘Chalet girls do not talk like that’, even though neither myself nor staff members could be considered Chalet girls. The closest comment I got was from a Miss Andrews who said ‘Well, there may have been, but then there was also that sixth for…no, there is nothing I can tell you about their relationship, they were collegues that is all, that is all there could ever be here.’

Employment
Kathie appears to have been popular with the girls at school, and this has led to some tensions in the staff room of late according to some sources. There had been clashes between ‘older’ and ‘younger’ staff with Kathie one of the leading lights of the younger staff at the school. However this has not affected her standing in the school and I was given to understand that she would have been eligible for promotion and considered favourably for it if any opportunity for promotion other than dead man’s shoes had existed.

Other Notes
Kathie Ferrars had an extremely untidy bedroom, underwear, washing, books, papers, were all in piles and scattered around the floor and just about every flat surface in her room. On the bed, under the duvet and upside down with his feet resting on the pillow was a small soft giraffe, quite new looking and with his name, Jaffe written in a scrawl on the label. There was also a neat note pinned to the pillow signed by Matron asking her tidy and saying she would be around in the morning to show her once more how to make a bed.
Searching through the room took some time, but nothing of any significance was found apart from one cardboard box full of make-up, chocolate and vodka hidden underneath a loose floorboard.
#73:  Author: KathrynW, Location: London PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:12 pm
    —
*giggles*

That does not at all sound like my room. No. Not at all.

Thanks advent drabblers, fab stuff Very Happy
#74:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:35 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female aged late twenties to early thirties, small and slim but with good underlying musculature and muscle tone. This woman was fit - as evidenced by development of lower limbs - would suggest that victim kept herself fit during both winter and summer. A small scar on one ankle would suggest damage to an ankle when still at school herself - probably from hockey or lacross. Victim had a scar on her abdomen and, on further examination, had an appendectomey in the past. Heart and lungs healthy with no evidence of heart disease - slight shadow noted on lungs but this had not been picked up on any previous medical


Time of Death - Body discovered at approximately 1000hrs, removed to mortuary by midday. Evidence suggests that, at time of examination, body had been dead approximately two to four hours placing time of death just before discovery (NB was discovered by woman - Nancy Wilmot - that was obviously considered a great frined by the victim.


Cause of Death - Due to landslide there were, of course, numerous injuries, including fractures to the spine and skull as well as internal injuries. It was possible, however, to ascertain which injuries were actually responsible for death - victim died of asphyixiation cause by burial beneath snow and mud. One slight anomally and one that means this is more likely to be a murder rather than an accident - victim sustained violent blow to head causing unconsciousness prior to being buried by avalanche.


Results

Blood analysis shows fairly high blood alcohol level. Liver analysis shows mild damage to liver due to prolonged high alcohol intake - but no more so than any other school mistress having to face hoards of young minds.
Stomach contents showed that Miss Ferrars' last meal, breakfast, consisted of a healthy portion of porridge and bread twist and an equal portion, but less than healthy, couple of vodkas and a large bar of fruit and nut.
Four different footprint casts were examined and investigated - one print matched that of the victim herslef, one that of Miss Wilmot and two others were unknown. Of the two unknown both were identified as being the standard hiking shoe worn by most inhabitants of the Platz. One was of a size that could be for a taller woman or short man, while the other for a tall man or very tal woman.
Cigarette butt was a Laramie, saliva on the butt was isolated and shown to be from a pregnant goat. (pause while examiner kicks useless piece of machinery)
Branch had been torn from tree - requiring considerable strength - some scratches on large boulder were a close match for end of branch and may have been used as the lever to start boulder rolling.
Fibres on tree were from a woollen scarf - crimson thread.


Report dictated by S Holmes.
#75:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:42 pm
    —
KathrynW wrote:

That does not at all sound like my room. No. Not at all.

Mine either!
Even though people are dying I can't help smiling
Does that make me any less of a person? Wink
#76:  Author: KathrynW, Location: London PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:10 pm
    —
No less of a person at all - I'm doing exactly the same!

Thanks guys Very Happy
#77:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:13 pm
    —
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

NOBODY is allowed to kill Kathie, not eevn the advent triumvirate.

*sobs*

*sulks*

*eagerly awaits next episode*
#78:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:20 pm
    —
Good grief - there are pages since I was last here. Shocked So Nurse, Felicity and now Kathie - who? why?

Very, very intrigued.

Thanks, I think. Rolling Eyes
#79:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:37 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Other Addresses
34 Sedgley Park Rd

I'm sure I know someone who lives on Sedgley Park Road!

*wonders if this is relevant*

*makes note to check address book*

Thanks Advent Drabblers Laughing
#80:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:08 pm
    —
Witness Reports 3


Miss Nancy Wilmott - School mistress

Kathie and I had decided to take advantage of the good snow and a couple of free periods to get out of school and ski by ourselves. When you live in a community it’s sometimes very difficult to find time to yourself. It was gorgeous skiing weather - fresh crisp snow, bright sun - and we were really enjoying ourselves. We needed to clear the air, as we’d had a slight disagreement about the Christmas holidays.

(Break in the transcript while Miss Wilmott controlled her emotions)

I felt my boot loosen so I called to Kathie to go on, and stopped to re-tie it. If I hadn’t we’d probably both have been killed. I heard the noise before I saw what was happening, and yelled at Kathie to move faster, but it was too late. That awful mass of earth came down and buried her. I got there as fast as I could and dug her out, but it was too late. She looked squashed, flattened, and I knew I couldn’t do anything to help. It didn’t stop me trying though. (sobs)


Miss Sharlie Andrews - School mistress

I was friends with both Kathie and Nancy, but not special friends if you know what I mean. I saw them go out, and would have loved to join them, but they didn’t want me along. They needed time to themselves, to be honest, especially today. It’s been a fraught term, and being stuck in the school during the blizzard didn’t help. Everyone’s tempers were on a short fuse, and I think they’d had a quarrel. They were hardly talking last night anyway, and were sitting on opposite sides of the sitting room. Not normal behaviour for those two, believe me. I suppose that sounds a bit bitchy, but I’ve been affected by being stuck indoors like everyone else. Only I had to teach this morning, and they were both free. What exactly are you suggesting about their relationship? Really? Well, there may have been, but then there was also that sixth for…no, there is nothing I can tell you about their relationship, they were colleagues that is all, that is all there could ever be here.


Eigen Battenburger, resident of the Gornetz Platz and NOT connected to the school or the San!

I saw the two ladies as they skied - they were skiing cross-country rather than downhill you understand - and they were talking, quite seriously I thought. I was too far away to hear them and neither was aware that anyone else was around. I heard the landslide start and turned to look. It caught the lady very quickly. She had no chance to escape at all. The other lady I could not see. The place where the landslide started was obvious as there was a path of destruction all the way down the slope, and just there I saw a figure move and the arch of a cigarette fall to the ground. It was too far to see who it was or whether it was a man or a woman. It could have been either.
#81:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:23 pm
    —
Curiouser and curiouser! Very Happy

Thank you very much!

(She had vodka and fruit and nut for breakfast?! Laughing )
#82:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:34 pm
    —
Very curious about this sixth for... Laughing

Thanks you three Very Happy
#83:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:42 pm
    —
Quote:
On the bed, under the duvet and upside down with his feet resting on the pillow was a small soft giraffe, quite new looking and with his name, Jaffe written in a scrawl on the label.


I am extremely relieved nothing has happened to Jaffe!


This is brilliant, thank you!
#84:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:45 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and Mystery Drabbler. I'm sorry to hear about Kathie.
#85:  Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right! PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:26 pm
    —
Thanks! Oh i do love death and destruction advent style! Not sorry in the slightest. It's only a story about a story. Wink
#86:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:33 pm
    —
Who's next??

A sixth for....? Which sixth for.....?
#87:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:01 am
    —
Quote:
Cigarette butt was a Laramie, saliva on the butt was isolated and shown to be from a pregnant goat. (pause while examiner kicks useless piece of machinery)

This had me giggling away!

Thanks Advent Drabblers. Fabulous as ever!
#88:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:38 am
    —
Wonderful thank you.
#89:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:35 am
    —
Will anyone be left by the end of Advent?

Poor Kathie, but ... most amused by details ranging from saliva analysis to Jaffe's foot position -- not to mention a witness unconnected to school and san Laughing
#90:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:48 am
    —
Love the breakfast! Laughing


Thanks drabblers.
#91:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:34 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 4

Summary,
This was the fourth death that the Scene of Crime team was asked to help the Gornetz Platz Police in recent days. We processed the scene according to usual procedures. The victim was identified as a Tristran Denny, a music teacher at The Chalet School, which seems to have had some small degree of misfortune in recent days. Whilst a case like this would always be investigated, the events of recent days make it more suspicious.

Scene
An excitable maid discovered the body when she went into the singing room to dust prior to the lesson that day. She was unable to give much assistance, as she was hysterical, but may calm down later. The body was identified by many staff who were all still milling around when we arrived, as Mr Tristan Denny. I was assured by the Head Mistress, Miss Hilda Annersely that the door had been locked since the body was discovered, however it appears that there could have been 10 minutes or so between the maid screaming and Miss Annersley ordering the room locked during which time at least some staff would have been in, if only to remove the maid.

The body was laid on his back right in the middle of the dias. A conductors baton was in his hand, as if he had been conducting the choir. Half of his face was obscured by blue material that was tight over his nose and stuffed down into his mouth. This was held in place by some kind of tape. Closer examination revealed the material to be a gentian blue school gymslip. It was left in place to be removed by the coroner as part of the autopsy. There may be a name on it as we were told that the school Matron insists on labels on everything. Indeed we noticed that the deceased himself was labelled, with his name written on his hand in what appears to be indelible ink. One oddity was that he also appeared to be wearing odd socks, one blue with an argyle pattern and one plain black apart from a cartoon character emblazoned across one side. Other than this his clothes were unremarkable, black denim jeans, Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen frilly shirt and a purple paisley floppy tie. There was possible evidence of a struggle in the room, but not near the body. A chair at the back was upturned and a curtain near it was hanging slightly askew. The window was open. There was no evidence of restraint immediately visible on the body, but further investigation may change that. The victim’s pockets contained a battered copy of a book, The Republic by Plato, a train ticket to Berne for tomorrow along with a ticket for an afternoon concert by a notable choir. There was also a packet of menthol drops, a green and a brown inhaler, an empty paracetamol packet, a prescription for antibiotics signed by a Dr at the local hospital (they also seem to act as GP’s for the community) a ladies handkerchief with the initial J on it, and a note that read ’11.30 am’ It is worth noting that the body was discovered shortly after noon while the main part of the school was at mitagessen.

The room itself was tidy, chairs set in lines but no tables, and room in-between the lines for the girls to stand. There were several music stands at one side and a large pile of music on top of the piano. The open music was Farrar’s Brittany, but the music in the pile, which seemed to be ready for a lesson, was all Christmas carols. On the dias was one music stand, which was empty. There was a cupboard which when opened revealed more music, various notebooks which on further examination were the deceased’s own unpublished compositions and a small pristine stack of his published work. There was also a small box containing various tablets and inhalers. These appeared to be spare copies of the ones in his pocket.

Processing
The body was quietly placed in body bag and removed for autopsy, with all clothing and the gymslip still in place.
The contents of the pockets were collected and bagged in evidence bags to be dealt with in relevant and irrelevant ways.
The curtains were removed and bagged up.
Other small items of relevance and interest were also removed and bagged.
Photographs of the scene taken, of the room, the body, the window, the corridor outside and very detailed close ups of the unpublished music.



Evidence Collected
Body with Gymslip over face and mouth
Inhalers removed and taken to be compared with his Dr’s prescription.
Menthol drops sent to lab to check they are what they appear to be.
Handkerchief sent to labs for DNA testing to see if we can discover who it belongs to. The letter J is too common in this community for it to be obvious.
Note sent for handwriting analysis
Tickets photocopied so they don’t go to waste and then given to my next-door neighbour.
Curtain removed with care for fingerprinting.
Open music on piano removed for fingerprinting



Pending
Forensic reports on Gymslip
Evidence of name on Gymslip
Report on menthol drops
Handwriting analysis
Fingerprinting of curtain
#92:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:57 am
    —
Poor Mr Denny - I'm sure everyone must be wondering if it's going to be them next, now!

*hopes it was a clean handkerchief* Laughing

Thanks, AdventDrabblers
#93:  Author: Caty, Location: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:54 am
    —
Just caught up on this. That'll teach me to leave my computer off over the weekend. Thank you Advent drabblers.
#94:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:33 pm
    —
Witness Reports 4


Miss Hilda Annersley, Headmistress of the school

May I say first of all how extremely shocked I am at these four unexplained deaths. This sort of thing has never happened here before.

I was on my way to Fruhstuck when I heard the maid screaming and went to find out what the noise was. The girl was just inside the music room having hysterics, and I had to give her a shake to bring her to her senses. The open door was blocking my view of the room, but when I heard her story I went further into the music room to see for myself. Mr Denny was lying on his back quite dead, and I felt some slight sympathy for the girl’s reaction to the sight. I naturally touched nothing, but turned to leave the room and give orders for it to be locked, pending the arrival of the authorities. I stayed just outside the room to prevent anyone else entering until such time as it could be secured, and I can assure you that no one else entered after this time.

There were a number of staff attracted to the commotion, and I directed them to go to the Spiesesaal as usual, to take charge in my absence and allay any fears that the girls might have. I remained on guard by the door. Frau Doktor Maynard arrived whilst I was waiting, having heard something of the commotion I presume, and I explained what had happened. She was very shocked, for Mr Denny had taught her all he knew of the art of singing when she herself had been a pupil here. When the authorities finally arrived, I went to my quarters to have my own Frustuck.


Heidi Strinkelhoff, maid

I’m going to give in my notice! I can’t stay here! How can I stay here when I found poor Herr Denny dead like that? He was a bit weird, but there was no harm in him, even though he did dress a bit funny. What happened this morning? Well, it was my turn to dust the rooms along that corridor. We always do them early so they’ll be ready for when the young ladies have finished their Fruhstuck, and come downstairs for their lessons. That’s when we go upstairs and do the bedrooms. They think they’ve dusted them, poor loves, but it’s us who really does it you know. Oh yes! This morning. Well, I’d done all the rooms along the corridor, see, and this was the last one. It takes ages, as we not only have to dust everything, but also make sure that all the chairs are in tidy lines, water the plants and so on.
Anyway, I opened the door and walked in. No it wasn’t locked - none of the rooms are. The shutters were stilled closed, so I didn’t bother to put the light on, just walked across the room and opened the nearest pair. Then moved down them all without turning around. So it was really bright when I did turn and saw poor Herr Denny. I’m sure no one would be surprised at me screaming, but Fraulein Annersley had to hear me, and come to read the riot act, as she does if we call attention to ourselves. She didn’t half shake me too! So I told her what I’d seen and she went and saw for herself. Went white too - I saw her! Then she shooed me out of the room and sent me for the key. How would I know where the key was - none fo the rooms was ever locked, like I said. So I went and rummaged in that Fraulein Dene’s office, and found it in the end. Hidden away in the back of a drawer it was. And she didn’t half lash into me after, saying I’d made a mess of her things. Well she shouldn’t have hidden the keys away like that should she. There was a perfectly good key cupboard on the wall, but the room keys weren’t there, were they? Oh no! That would be too easy, wouldn’t it? Anyway, once I’d got away from all the fuss I got Karen to give me some medicinal schnapps, and I feel much better now.


Miss S Denny, sister of the deceased

Poor Tristram! He survived the First World War, the Anschluss, the air raids, only to die like this, his wonderful voice silenced in such a way. He was so unworldly that he would never have survived without someone to look after him, and that could only be me. I never did meet anyone I wanted to marry, so it suited us both really.

I don’t know what all this is about no background. Tristram went to school like anyone else. I have his birth certificate kept safe with mine at our house, though the school reports and such like were never kept by our parents. As for the nicknames – don’t most teachers get them? They certainly did at my school – the more popular ones anyway. Tristram was badly gassed in the trenches and his lungs were affected. He was lucky to survive as long as he did all things considered.

I fail to see what significance there is to the number of languages with which I am familiar.
#95:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:05 pm
    —
Background Report 4

Name
Tristran Denny aka Tristram Denny aka Plato
I would be suspicious of a man with two aliases but his murder renders him out of contention. However see below for further on this.

Age
53, according to his sister.

Main Residence
Die Fliedermouse
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
No other addresses discovered

Family Relationships
Mr Denny is survived by one sister, Sarah Denny aka Sally Denny aka Sally-go-round-the-moon. This gives rise to some concern, a brother and sister, both with multiple aliases and both proficient at many languages, both appearing in Austria before the war and both seeking employment in an international organisation. There is no other family.

Other Significant Relationships
There are no records of any romance, marriage, birth, education, bank account, or any other life outside teaching at the Chalet school. The staff say he spoke of time at university and of knowing E. Farrar the composer of the music that was discovered in the music room. The only relationship he seems to have had was with his sister, even the staff and the male contingent at the San speak of him as an acquaintance rather than a friend or closer.

Employment
Mr Denny has been employed by the school since before the war. His background prior to this is rather sketchy. The school was given references to a London Choir, and to a small private Day School, and they apparently received the references when they took them up, all in good order, however we have been able to find no trace of either organisation having existed. No previous employment is known, although he must have had some as a small pension was pain into the same account as his school salary each month, but our efforts to trace the source have been met with catalogues of paperwork obviously designed to stop us following that lead any further.

Other Notes
There are no other notes, which is in itself noteworthy. He was obviously very talented, obviously wasted in this position and yet he remained here. The health issue may have been a good excuse at first, but not in this day and age. The refusal of the British to provide information is not usual in murder cases, especially when it is an Englishman who has been murdered and again this is suspicious.
#96:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:51 pm
    —
I like his choice of house name Laughing

Thanks, Advent Drabblers
#97:  Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:12 pm
    —
I always suspected that Mr Denny was really a spy... Wink
#98:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:23 pm
    —
He certainly sounds shady there! Thanks for your prolific updates, Advent Drabblers.
#99:  Author: Alice, Location: London, England PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:15 pm
    —
I've just read this from the beginning. Thank you advent drabblers, looking forward to tomorrow.
#100:  Author: KathrynW, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:19 pm
    —
Thank you Advent Drabblers!
#101:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:34 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and Mystery Drabbler. I'm sorry to hear about Mr Denny. I did like the fact though that he was actually labelled himself.
#102:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:35 pm
    —
may I add to the thanks! Poor old Plato.






*whispers - who will be next?*
#103:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:48 pm
    —
Thank you Advent Drabblers! I just caught up, I couldn't get over how much I'd missed! I was just away for three days!
#104:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:23 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - A white male, evidence would place him in early fifties. Tall and rather gaunt, not a manual worker. No evidence of any surgery in the past but the lungs showed significant scarring indicative of severe damage caused by phosgene poisoning. The enlarged heart would support that as it had obviously had to work harder. There was a small bruise to the left temple that had been inflicted prior to death and would have rendered the victim unconscious. There was also some bruising to the right hand knuckles indicating that Mr Denny managed to inflicte at least one blow on his attacker. Bruising around the mouth showed that the gymslip had been held in place with some force.


Time of Death - Between 1000hrs and 1400hrs, with likelihood that it was a little before midday.


Cause of Death - Suffocation - the obvious culprit - but proven by blood analysis showing serious depletion of blood oxygen.


Results
Gymslip thoroughly investigated, standard issue gymslip for this School - obtained from normal School outfitters. Name tag had been ripped out and all that was left was some torn and uneven, very uneven stitching.
Inhalers were investigated - blue one salbutamol inhaler, brown one becotide - standard issue for asthma and similar respiratory problems. (Mental note - speak with SOC officer about his obvious colour blindness re 'green' inhaler - but not until after the Christmas Party - should be a laugh seeing him start drinking anti-freeze.)
Piano checked for fingerprints - very little dust on them, possible to isolate three sets of fingerprints - one that of the deceased, one that of a Mrs JM Maynard, one unidentified.
Curtains were examined - no fingerprints but did isolate some dark hair - not able to check for DNA however as machine now informing me that my own skin samples belong to Sequoia tree and are 3000 years old.
Handwriting expert pronounced that sample was indeed handwriting.
Handkerchief examined - at last count there were 32 women with name beginning with J living on or associated with the Platz - and a further 4 rather strange men that could also own handkerchief - not sure I actually want to investigate that any further.



Report dictated by L McCoy
#105:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:32 pm
    —
I snorted most horribly when reading this! Thank god I am alone, apart from the cats.


Thanks.
#106:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:51 pm
    —
Laughing so much that Loki is looking at me very suspiciously.
#107:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:59 pm
    —
Thank you Advent Drabblers - very intreaguing.

Now, I am assuming that the guesses as to who the mystery writer is are better sent by PM - so that is what I am going to do!
#108:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:02 pm
    —
Elle wrote:
I snorted most horribly when reading this! Thank god I am alone, apart from the cats.


My cat got up and walked off when I laughed. He's rather cranky this evening.

Thanks ADs! Smile
#109:  Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:10 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:

Handwriting expert pronounced that sample was indeed handwriting.


*chokes* Must remember to put wine down before reading this.
#110:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:33 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I have no idea whom MD is!
#111:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:41 pm
    —
L McCoy!!!! Laughing

Choked when I read this - loved the idea that Mr D was labelled...and possibly a spy....
#112:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:43 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Time of Death - Between 1000hrs and 1400hrs, with likelihood that it was a little before midday.

So had Plato been lying there dead all the previous afternoon and night, before Heidi found him when she went in to dust in the morning? Poor Plato. Rolling Eyes
#113:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:22 am
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Handkerchief examined - at last count there were 32 women with name beginning with J living on or associated with the Platz - and a further 4 rather strange men that could also own handkerchief - not sure I actually want to investigate that any further.



Class!

Thanks Advent Drabblers
#114:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:59 am
    —
Which meal were they actually having when he was discovered? Mitagessen to start and Frustuck in the middle?

Clue or typo?
#115:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:14 am
    —
This does make Plato sound mysterious. And where'd he get the inhalers at that date?

Then again, if the investigator is a sequoia tree, anything might happen.... Mr. Green
#116:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:45 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report

Summary

Right, now this is getting stupid, here I was, quite happy to go along to where there had been a suspicious death in the valley, when I discover that it's connected to the Gornetz Platz lot - what are they up to up there??? Ahem, anyway, on this, the morning of the 6th December, I was asked to attend the suspicious death of a woman lying at the base of the Platz.

Scene

Well, surprisingly it was rather a large scene of crime - I mean normally, when you go to one of these it's just a small area, isn't it? But this one...the woman was discovered at the base of the Platz and had obviously fallen from a great height - yes i know, have to wait for the forensics, but what else do you call it when the 'body' is scattered over half an acre? First impressions were of the painter Jackson Pollock but, after that, - the deceased was a large lady - though personally I found the comment from someone of 'side of a house' to be rather over the top. She was middle aged, dressed conservatively in the obligatory twin set and tweeds. with proper hiking boots and thick coat against the cold. It wasn't a surprise to discover she was connected to that lot up on the Platz - when will this end? Clutched in one hand was a book - 'Cecily Holds...something' - not possible to see what she was holding due to the bloodstains. The other hand - situated some eight feet away - hand clutching some very long black hair.

Directly above the remains, about one hundred feet up, there was some evidence pointing to where the lady had fallen from - the snow and ice on the ground had been scuffed up and disturbed and there were a couple of good footprints in the snow - different sizes though both obviously boots.


Processing

Body removed with aid of a fork lift truck and some shovels - placed in a few body bags.
Book removed with aid of forceps and placed in black plastic bag for disposal.


Evidence Collected

Plaster casts of both footprints
Hair sample - possibly with root for DNA analysis


Pending

DNA testing of hair sample
Comparison of footprints with database
#117:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:48 am
    —
Yes, can anyone who wants to guess the mystery drabbler, or the murderer please put their guesses into a PM to either Pat, Carolyn or Advent Drabblers...although we might not say right or wrong until the end!
#118:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:28 am
    —
Snorting infront of the cats is fine. Snorting infront of my yr12s is not! They looked quite shocked, poor souls.


Thanks. The clues seem to be pointing to Joey, but I suspect the advent drabblers are far to devious to be that obvious, so I really have no idea.
#119:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:49 am
    —
Eewwwwwwwww - scattered body parts first thing in the morning?!

Could it be Joey? Shocked
#120:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:02 am
    —
I think the body might be Nancy - she was referred to as being as big as the side of a house wasn't she? But I don't like it being scattered in little bits over half an acre - that's not very nice at all! I'm starting to wonder if they'll be anybody left by Christmas.
#121:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:38 am
    —
I think that the body is probably Winnie Embry as it says connected to the school which she was and she is the only person who would probably be as big as they are describing.


I know the clues point to Joey as the murderer but that would be far far too obvious for the drabblers! more likely it's an evil plot of frau berlin's to get everyone to blame Joey for the murders after the many years of trauma she's been through because of Joey back when everything started!
#122:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:41 pm
    —
Oh yuk, horrible description! Laughing

Think Kate could be right about victim's ID.
#123:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:31 pm
    —
Well done on ID Kate!


Background Report 5

Name
Winnifred Embury nee Silksworth

Age
39

Main Residence
Ignoring the comments about her address not being worth knowing because it wasn’t on the Platz and that any message c/o Freusdeheim or the school would get her I perused my hunt for her address, till I discovered:
Normalhouse
27 Rue de Normalitie
Lucerne
Switzerland

Other Addresses
None.

Family Relationships
Mrs Embury was married with the long family that seems usual for this community. Her husband and 8 children, 7 boys and 1 girl survive her. They appear to have been a close family and unusually the boys were not sent away to school at a cruelly young age, instead having a private tutor until they were old enough for Prep school. There was also mention of a sister, Irene and of various extended family members in England. This is the most normal family I have come across in this community so far, apart from the size.


Other Significant Relationships
Mrs Embury’s connection with the community on the Platz appears to be that she was a rival school on the same Lakeside in Austria before the war. This school was taken over by the Chalet School after Mrs Embury had left. Mr Martin Embury tells me that his wife was claimed by Mrs Maynard as an old friend, although he sounded rather ambivalent about this, adding that she had never been mentioned before the more recent meeting, unlike many of his wives other school friends.

Employment
Mrs Embury has never been employed outside the home, making her family her main occupation. The welcome still evident in the home, even in such circumstances show how well she did this. This contrasts with most of the homes on the Platz, and leads to some interesting comparisons between the different schools and thoughts on the almost cloistered ex-pat community in existence on the Platz.

Other Notes
I am at a loss as to why there appear to have been such close links between this family and the Platz community. They were not at school together; the Embury’s have a secure and lively social circle due to Mr Embury’s job that includes people of many nationalities, they have a warm and secure relationship not only within the home but within the wider family and yet somehow, tragically now for them, they appear to have been drawn in and enmeshed with the families associated with the Chalet School and the Gornetz Platz sanatorium.
#124:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:37 pm
    —
Apologies for spreeing!


Witness Reports 5


Jackson Pollock

I don’t know why you’ve come to me. I don’t know anything about it, whatever that person said! I wasn't even in the country come to that!


Bernhardt Pfeissen, tourist guide

I was walking down the valley to get the train into work. The bus doesn’t run anywhere near my place, so I have to walk, and it isn’t very far. The path runs along the side of the valley, which as you know has very straight sides – rather as if the valley had dropped straight down. Anyway it was a bit of a shock to find a foot, still with it’s boot on, just lying in the path. You don’t stumble across that sort of thing every day you know. Then I found other bits, just lying there. I nearly threw up all over the place, I can tell you. At least it wasn’t me that found the head! Whoever it was had to have fallen from the Platz to have got that much damage. I don’t remember anything else as I went and got very drunk as soon as I’d rung for the police.


Josephine Maynard, authoress and mother of many

Winnie Embury was staying with Jack and me for a few days, for a little holiday. I wish now that I hadn’t invited her, or she wouldn’t be dead now would she? She was holding one of my books – the first one I ever wrote! It was one of my copies I think – at least there’s a gap on the shelves. Don’t know about the hair – I just hope it isn’t mine. Mine’s black you know.


Bridget (Biddy) Courvoisier, ex-teacher and wife of Doktor Courvoisier

I went out late last night just to look at the view in the moonlight. The mountains looks so different then, don’t they? Anyway, I heard voices a long way off – too far to identify, but sound carries up here at night. Then I heard a scream that seemed to die away, and a car start up and drive off.


Mr Martin Embury, husband of the deceased

Winifred had gone to visit Mrs Maynard for a few days. I don’t know why, she didn’t tell me, though she had been getting a little tired of the constant visiting by Mrs Maynard.. Mrs Maynard was very keen to have Winifred for a friend, which was strange. Winifred had left her school before it merged with the chalet School, so they can’t have been very good friends back then, can they?
#125:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:48 pm
    —
*bounces in excitement*

Such a trail of death and destruction! How splendid!

I have utterly no idea what is going on, but that's to be expected.
#126:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:40 pm
    —
*joins in the bouncing! Very Happy *
#127:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:45 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. It is a shame about Winnie.
#128:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:41 pm
    —
I'm wondering if Georgia could be involved - seems like her sort of thing!

Thanks for the updates; I'm still in the dark about it all, though.
#129:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:23 pm
    —
Well, I guess as each person is killed they're removed from the list of suspects - unless it's like dominoes and they've each taken the previous one out Laughing

Thanks, Advent Drabblers Very Happy
#130:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:34 pm
    —
Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#131:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:51 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Nasty case this one, victim discovered at base of a cliff - with all the attendant mess. it took some time to make the necessary identification - dental records - from a Herr von Francius in Berne - why not Interlaken, isn't there a decent dentist in the city? Anyway, dental records confirmed that the victim was indeed Winifred Embury. Estimate age as late thirties - early forties. According to length of femur height was 165cm, estimated weight 70kg, maybe 5kg overweight. After thorough examination it was ascertained that at least 95% of the lady had been found.


Time of Death - According to witnesses Mrs Embury was last seen by her host and hostess late last night, just after midnight, when she was going out for a walk in the moonlight. The following morning it was discovered that she had not slept in her bed. Last meal was at 2000hrs - on examination of the body the stomach was empty placing the time of death at approximately 0100hrs.


Cause of Death - Multiple injuries would be most likely cause. No evidence of any alcohol or sedative in blood stream. A number of fractures to the skull, any one of which would have been sufficient, quite apart from fact that skull was found some three feet away from rest of body.


Results

Casts of footprints revealed size 10 (English) hiking boot and size 5 (English) hiking boot. Boots unremarkable except obviously well worn, not new, and of very good quality.
Hair sample human - no DNA sample possible as hair had been cut, not pulled out at root.


Report dictated by T. Brennan.
#132:  Author: KathrynW, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:15 pm
    —
Gosh, the Platz is certainly blessed with a lot of famous detectives!

Thanks guys Very Happy
#133:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:25 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
A number of fractures to the skull, any one of which would have been sufficient, quite apart from fact that skull was found some three feet away from rest of body.


*giggles helplessly*

Not the right reaction to a gruesome death I know!

Thanks, AdventDrabblers Laughing
#134:  Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:27 pm
    —
Shocked Who could be next?????

And who is the murderer??????? Confused

At risk to myself, I thought Winnie lived in Montreaux?

Thank you Advent drabblers, am thoroughly enjoying this and trying hard not to laugh out loud when reading at work.... Rolling Eyes
#135:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:32 pm
    —
*giggles*


This is sooooo fine!
#136:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:36 pm
    —
Blimey - how long before you run out of forensics/md's to do the PM's!!
#137:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:46 pm
    —
I don't read/watch much crime stuff at all, so these names are all passing me by!

I am enjoying this very much though. I am sure the CS will just be an empty shell by Christmas. I'm half expecting a massacre at some point...
#138:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:22 am
    —
Quote:
Don’t know about the hair – I just hope it isn’t mine. Mine’s black you know.
Didn't she notice if she'd lost any?? Very Happy

Hilarious, Drabblers.
#139:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:19 am
    —
I suspect madness will be the fate of the investigators.... Very Happy

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No....poor Winnie..
#140:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:28 am
    —
I happily hold up my hands to not only not knowing where Winnie lived, but not being bothered enough to look it up! Whoever expected accuracy in advent drabbles?? Laughing
#141:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:32 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 6

Summary,
At the request of the Gornetz Platz Polizei this writer assisted in processing the scene when a female skier was found buried by an avalanche in suspicious circumstances.

Scene
Mrs Josephine Maynard found the body when out walking with her St Bernard dog, Bruno at 3.00pm on the afternoon of December 6th. Or rather, she saw a boot sticking out of the snow and decided to investigate. To be strictly accurate, it was the dog who found the body, as he dug down through the snow. Unfortunately he carried no brandy round his neck, but even if he had it would have been useless as the person had been deceased for some while. Mrs Maynard identified the body as that of Viola Lucy, once a pupil at the local girl’s school, where there seems to have been a number of suspicious deaths in recent days.

Miss Lucy seemed to have been out for a walk, as there were no skis found in the vicinity, and she was wearing nailed boots. The rest of her clothes were the standard school uniform of gentian blue windcheater and trousers, a scarlet knitted hat, and a huge gentian blue square scarf tied crosswise around her chest. A strange thing for a woman of that age to still be wearing her old uniform. (Note to self that the woman must have stiflingly hot in all that!). In an inside pocket she carried a photograph of a family, presumably her own, taken in a rocky bay somewhere.

Lying near the leading edge of the avalanche was a rather battered trowel of the kind favoured by archaeologists. This was photographed before bagging.

On investigating the source of the avalanche a copy of a popular archaeological book was found, based on a well-known television series shown in the United Kingdom. It should be noted that this is also the country of origin of the deceased.

Processing
Photos of everything taken, the avalanche, the trowel and the book, and the evidence removed to the laboratory for testing.
Photograph of group taken for identification of the people and the place.

Evidence Collected
Trowel
Book
Photograph


Pending
Fingerprinting and DNA analysis of trowel.
Fingerprinting and DNA analysis of book
Identification of the scene and people in the photograph.
Enlargement of tread photos for comparison
#142:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:35 am
    —
Goodness the victims are certainly varied, aren't they!

Thanks, Advent Drabblers Very Happy
#143:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:58 am
    —
Don't tell me Mary-Lou's bumped off Vi Laughing Laughing !
#144:  Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:06 am
    —
That was my first thought too... But then I thought that the obvious murderer in each of the deaths has been different.
#145:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:15 pm
    —
Witness Reports 6


Mrs Josephine Maynard

I was out with my St Bernard Bruno when I heard the unmistakable sound of an avalanche. It was far enough away for me to feel safe, but I stood still till the noise stopped, though Bruno was barking like mad, and straining at the lead. When everything was quiet we went on, and Bruno dragged me towards the bottom of the slide. He’s a strong dog you know, and I didn’t really have any option. He pulled me over to something sticking out of the snow and started pawing at the ground. It was a boot, with the sort of studded soles that all good Chalet School girls have fitted to their boots for the winter. This foot was a bit too big for a schoolgirls though, and I started to dig the snow away as fast as I could in the hope of finding whoever it was alive. Bruno dug too, and the snow was flung back from his paws as if he was a miniature snow plough.

Vi wasn’t buried very deep, but there was nothing that I could do by the time we reached her. I’m a doctor’s wife you know, and you learn things when you’re married to a doctor. And I have my First Aid badge from the Guides too, as well as learning First Aid during the War. Anyway, Poor Vi was lying in a crumpled heap and was very dead. So I ran to phone the San for a doctor, and the Polizei to report the death.

I didn’t see anyone else the whole time we were out.


Bruno, the Maynard's uncontrolled St Bernard

Woof, woof, woof. Slurp! Pant, pant, pant, pant………


Mary-Lou Trelawney, friend of the deceased and ex-pupil at the school

I’m visiting my brevet Aunt, Mrs Maynard, and wasn’t aware that Vi was up here too. I haven’t been out at all since I got here either. The weather’s been pretty vile, and to be honest I’ve been too tired to do much. I’ve been away on a dig for the last few months and we’ve been working all hours! One of those where the developers had set a time limit and we had to get everything catalogued and lifted in double-quick time. So it was long days, and nights under spot lamps too.
What did I bring out here with me? What sort of question is that? Clothes and stuff. I keep skiing gear out here so that I don’t have to hump it everywhere. My trowel? Excuse me, but what on earth would I want my trowel for up here? It’s been snowing in case you hadn’t noticed, and the ground is frozen. Beside, I wanted to get away from work for a while.
*Honestly! Doesn’t anyone around here listen?*


Miss Barbara Chester, cousin of Viola Lucy (written statement, as Miss Chester is resident in England)

You asked me about the photographs, so I’ll tell you what I know. Vi wanted to follow in her sisters’ footsteps and be Head Girl. She could have done it too, and done it well, but she never really had a chance. She never said anything at the time, and pretended that she didn’t want it, but she did. But someone else was always going to get the plum post, had been slated for it ever since she joined the school, well after Vi had. Vi made the best of it and seemed content, but she confided in me after we left school, and she admitted she was intensely jealous of Mary-Lou. It’s Mary-Lou’s face that’s blanked out of those photos you see.
#146:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:16 pm
    —
Forensic Report 6

Post Mortem


Examination - White female, early twenties. No evidence of having had any man friends. No external scars or blemishes - she was very attractive when living. Identified as Miss Viola Lucy. Fit young woman. Tattoo just above heart with initials MLT surrounded by flames and with a bloody sword pierced through the letters - possibly an ex-boyfriend?


Time of Death - Victim discovered at a little after 1500hrs and removed to mortuary by 1630hrs. Allowing for the freezing conditions and the amount of degeneration noted this would place time of death as between 1330 - 1530 - with likelihood that death occurred at time of avalanche- 1500hrs. The stomach contents suggest that she eaten a light meal approximatly two hours before her death. The victim was positively identified as being at lunch in her hotel - Maitre'D remembers her leaving the hotel at around 1315hrs. Therefore time of death probably same as time of avalanche - 1500hrs.


Cause of Death - Surprisingly, considering that she had been buried by tons of snow, cause of death was neither suffocation nor crush injury - both of which are the normal causes of avalanche fatalities. Miss Lucy sustained a fracture to the cervical spine at the level of C1 and C2 - this is not conducive to life. Death was instantaneous.


Results

Fingerprints on the book were only those of the victim. NB a number of derogatory comments had been added to the margins of the book.
Handwriting expert (a new one as I fired that other incompetent idiot) identified writing as belonging to victim - using some old letters from victim as comparison.
Fingerprints on trowel - no fingerprints recovered - the trowel had been wiped clean.
DNA analysis - nothing discovered on book - one small blond curly hair discovered wrapped around handle of trowel - high hopes of obtaining a DNA match - at least I did have until this ****** machine decided to vaporise sample!


(Sounds of person dictating report seeming to attack machine with a trowel)



Ahem, end of report.


Report dictated by H. Poirot
#147:  Author: Alex, Location: Cambs, UK PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:50 pm
    —
Am feeling rather shocked that I am the same height and weight as poor old Winnie. Shocked

And personally, I wouldn't want to be on the Platz at a time like this so why all these people persist in visiting Joey I have no idea!
#148:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:59 pm
    —
Am feeling a little worried, perhaps too many memeories of 'Holocaust'. I blame Jo, but then I always do.
#149:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:13 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I wonder why Vi was wearing her uniform.
#150:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:53 pm
    —
Background Report 6

Name
Viola Lucy

Age
24

Main Residence
Flat 25
Chelsea Mansion Buildings
Chelsea
London

Other Addresses
7, Rue du Friquet,
Castel
Guernsey


Family Relationships
Miss Lucy was single, a not unusual situation, although my informant seemed to find it highly unusual, told me that the young lady in question had suffered an unfortunate episode when her intended had met the TV pseudo-archaeologist Mary Trelawney. She came from a large family, two older sisters had been Head girls at the school, and her younger sister is one of the youngest prefects and apparently slated for Head Girl next year. She also has two brothers, numerous cousins and various other relations. Both her parents are still living, having recently retired and moved back to Guernsey where Miss Lucy was born. Her parents inform me that they kept a room for her occasional use, and she was on Guernsey most of the summer this year.

Other Significant Relationships
It appears that Miss Lucy had corresponded with a wide number of her old schoolfriends and with a number of those connected to families living in the area. She lived alone in London for the majority of the year and the occupants of the adjoining flats describe her as friendly, helpful but slightly reserved. They say she went out and entertained often, but never late and never loud and never male. Her social life appears to have been spent with her extended family, old school acquaintances and occasionally members of the choir she belonged to.

Employment
Miss Lucy had a degree in History of Art and Fine arts from Cambridge university, having belonged to Newnham College and was presently employed by a small academic publisher. They gave good references when applied to and said she was excellent at her job and well liked.

Other Notes
Miss Lucy’s London apartment was unremarkable apart from one item, a large picture of a cute giraffe that was about 5’3 ¾” high. Other than that, of note there was there were lots of school photos, many with one face either ripped or inked out. There was also a Head Girl’s badge underneath her pillow.
Her hotel room on the Gornetz Platz was tidy and the wardrobe contained about a weeks worth of clothes. There was a Bible in the nightstand drawer and on the top, next to the lamp was a rather vicious review of Mary Trelawney’s most recent book. This appeared to have been ripped out from a newspaper and carried around in Miss Lucy’s purse, which was also on the nightstand.
#151:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:25 pm
    —
My goodness, they're all fond of giraffes.... Laughing How very fine!

I actually recognised H. Poirot - there is hope for me yet!

This is just so funny Laughing Laughing Laughing
#152:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:31 pm
    —
The person writing Forensic reports sounds very like someone I know Laughing

Thanks, Drabblers of Advent
#153:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:43 pm
    —
I know I know who the Mystery Drabbler is but I can't put my finger on it...

Anyway, thanks you three!
#154:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:40 am
    —
*Sniggers*


Many thanks to all three of you! I've just caught up on the last 4 days! Fantastic!
#155:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:27 am
    —
Love the tattoo!
#156:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:54 am
    —
I've just sat up way too late reading all of this and really really must go to bed immediately. But I must say that I'm loving this and Vi's tattoo is inspired. And I don't know who half the inspectors are either!
#157:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 9:23 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 7

Summary,
For a small variation, today the SOC team was called not to the Chalet School, but to Freudesheim, the house next door. There was however still a body, and as usual, in suspicious circumstances with a plethora of strange unusual clues (yawn yawn). Oh, yes, the deceased was a female, identified as Adrienne Desmoines a ‘sort of’ relation cum adoptee of the Maynards. No doubt the background team will have more to say on the relationships here, but this household should in my view be investigated, as they seem to have any number of people who claim some sort of nebulous relationship and desire to visit or live there. What hold do they have over these people?

Scene
The body was discovered midmorning by Mrs Maynard who had gone to see why her ward had not risen. Her account is that she spoke, shook the girl, and on getting no response sat on the edge of the bed and sang a Russian folk song to her. When there was still no response she raised the alarm. This accounts for the rumpled sheets and impression of a seated person on the left side of the bed. The cause of death was not apparent until the sheets, eiderdown and blankets (has no one in this community heard of duvets?) covering the body were removed. The deceased was wearing a full-length flannelette nightgown, tied tightly at the neck, woollen bed socks and a full set of underwear. There was blood in a pool under the body, and this had soaked into the mattress. The reason for the pool of blood finally became evident when the body was examined in closer detail and a pencil was found protruding from between her ribs. The angle of insertion suggests that it was pushed directly up into her heart. There was no evidence of a struggle and all appears to point to the fact that she never woke up when the murderer entered the room.

The house is locked at night, however the front door key resides under a flowerpot next to the front door, and it appears that the whole community know of this, it being accepted that they are able to enter each other’s houses. This will complicate matters somewhat. The bedroom doors do not have locks, and it seems that no one has ever queried this. The bathroom doors are also without locks.

The bedroom the deceased was sleeping in was one she used whenever staying with the Maynards, and given their ‘connections’ this appears to be during any vacation when she is not with friends or resident in various convents across the world with another relation. It was a described by Mrs Maynard as a small room, but contained a bed, a bedside cabinet, a chest of drawers, a bureau, a bookcase, a desk chair and an easy chair, a low table, and a wardrobe. The contents of all these were actually very simple. There were numerous textbooks, showing a good all round education, a few classic novels and poetry books, a brievery, several Bibles and some good quality but simple clothes. There were also a lot of books on art and several landscapes hung on the walls as well as more packaged up in the wardrobe. Her father who was apparently a noted artist in his day painted all the pictures in the room. Nothing seemed out of place apart from a small amount of dirt on the floor by the bureau and a scrap of paper caught in the edge of the drawer. The scrap read ‘fter the dig we must announce’ and is obviously only a fragment of a larger piece, however there was no corresponding letter or paper anywhere in the room.

Processing
Photographs taken before and after removing the sheets from the bed. Bedding removed and bagged with care in order to expose the body without disturbing it.
Dirt was swept and taken to be compared with several other samples obtained during these investigations.
Pencil was not removed from body, but was photographed and examined through magnifying glass before body was removed. The name embossed on the side had been carefully scratched out, the only letter remaining visible was an ‘o’


Evidence Collected
Photographs
Sheets and bedding for fibre and fingerprint analysis. Bagged and removed to labs.
Sheets and mattress also retained in labs for blood pooling analysis.
Dirt
Paper fragement set to handwriting lab
Pencil in body, to be removed during autopsy and sent to labs to see if the rest of the name can be made visible.


Pending
Lots of lab reports.
Sleep
A break in this case
#158:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 9:31 am
    —
Death by pencil - Ouch!!

Thanks AdventDrabblers Laughing
#159:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:33 am
    —
This is very fine Laughing .

Thank you!
#160:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:49 pm
    —
This is really good but Owww death by pencil?! Thanks AD-ers!
#161:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:23 pm
    —
Background Report 7

Name
Adrienne Desmoines

Age
22

Main Residence
Convent of St Michael and All Angels
St Michael’s Road
Oxford
England

Other Addresses
C/o Freudesheim
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland


Family Relationships
Miss Desmoines was orphaned during her teens and her only remaining relative is the nun whose money, left in the control of the Maynards, paid for her education. It seems that this nun rescued her from certain poverty and probable prostitution and sent her to school in the care of the Maynards and yet their relationship was not discovered until the girl had been at school for a full term. Further investigation should be taken to see if this was in fact the case, or just a cover story told to the girl. The relationship is said to be a distant cousin, but the ages would make it possible for the nun to be a ‘much closer’ relative.

Other Significant Relationships
Miss Desmoines was described by one young man here as ‘the perfect nun’, but despite her main address was not actually in Holy Orders. There is no evidence of any interest in marriage or the relationships, which may lead to it. She appears to have had a sporadic correspondence with some of the Maynard girls and with some of her school and university friends, but nothing significant. It also appears she was corresponding with Mary-Trelawney, but none of the letters remain, just notes in her diary, which is mainly a list of letters written and received, studying done, work details and Bible reading. The only correspondence which shows any life or any depth is that with various nuns from convents Miss Desmoines has stayed in.

Employment
Miss Dsmoines had obtained a solid degree in History and Art, first class honours from London University and is now studying education and teaching in Oxford. She chose to lodge not with students but in a convent in each place. This seems to fit in with her other lifestyle choices.

Other Notes
The young man is probably correct.
#162:  Author: Hannah-Lou, Location: Glasgow PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:32 pm
    —
Dead before I even got to know her (I have a huge gap in my collection between Jane and Prefects). How sad Sad . I am loving this drabble, thanks to all!
#163:  Author: Miranda, Location: Perth, Western Australia PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:27 pm
    —
What a very odd collection of dead people!!

Thanks Advent Drabblers, this is fantastic Smile
#164:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:00 pm
    —
You think the CS characters are odd Miranda? Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#165:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:04 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
The relationship is said to be a distant cousin, but the ages would make it possible for the nun to be a ‘much closer’ relative.


You nearly had another death on your hands then, from choking on my drink! Laughing Laughing Laughing

Thanks, AdventDrabblers
#166:  Author: Miranda, Location: Perth, Western Australia PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:04 pm
    —
No no no no no no I didn't mean that!!!!! *cringes*

I meant odd in the sense of random.... My decidedly inferior brain is failing to make connections between the various victims.... SPARE ME PAT!!! I DIDN"T MEAN IT!! I BOW TO YOUR INFINITELY SUPERIOR WISDOM IN ADVENT DRABBLING!

*hides under the couch*
#167:  Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:07 pm
    —
This gets more bizarre by the day. Who will be next?
#168:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:18 pm
    —
janem wrote:
This gets more bizarre by the day. Who will be next?


Tune in tomorrow and you will find out! Laughing
#169:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:33 pm
    —
Carolyn P wrote:
janem wrote:
This gets more bizarre by the day. Who will be next?


Tune in tomorrow and you will find out! Laughing



But I want to know now!!!!!


Thanks guys.
#170:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:37 pm
    —
Laughing Shame!!! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#171:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:49 pm
    —
[quote="Elle"]
Carolyn P wrote:
janem wrote:
This gets more bizarre by the day. Who will be next?


Tune in tomorrow and you will find out! Laughing


But I want to know now!!!!!

quote]

Well there are still two more bits to come today!
#172:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:20 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. The pencil incident sounds very painful.
#173:  Author: KathrynW, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:26 pm
    —
Thank you!
#174:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:31 pm
    —
Carolyn P wrote:
Well there are still two more bits to come today!


Well, where are they then?

*not impatient in the least - nooooo* Laughing
#175:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:44 pm
    —
LizB wrote:
Carolyn P wrote:
Well there are still two more bits to come today!


Well, where are they then?

*not impatient in the least - nooooo* Laughing

Well my bits for today have been posted! *angelic smiley*
#176:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 8:06 pm
    —
Witness reports 7



Mrs Josephine Maynard, Self-appointed worker of miracles

Adrienne has been staying with us for a few days, and I’d noticed a distinct change in her. She’d been withdrawing into herself more and more, and getting fixated on convents. She’s been dressing rather oddly too, I mean look at her nightdress? Not even Matey would be seen dead in that! Oops! I shouldn’t have said that should I?

Anyway, this morning I went in to wake Adrienne as she hadn’t come down to breakfast. We’re none of us slug-a-beds and she’s usually up with us all. When I couldn’t wake her by shaking I thought she might be ill, so I sang ‘The Red Sarafan’ to her. It has well-known healing properties, and would have done the trick this time, but death is a bit too much for it. When I realised that she wasn’t going to get up and went and phoned for the police. Even I have to give up sometimes.


Mark Foster, physiotherapist

I met Miss Desmoines quite a few times at the Maynards. They are very hospitable to the British community up here. I liked her - Adrienne I mean - though she was a bit unusual. Her clothes were pretty staid for someone her age for a start. And she didn’t seem interested in men at all - or women come to that. All she could talk about was life in a convent, but she didn’t seem to want to take any vows. All the same, I reckon she was the perfect nun in every way.


Miss Mary-Lou Trelawney

We did write to each other a fair bit, but nothing of consequence. I mean, I couldn’t say what was in my last letter or anything. Adrienne was odd and getting odder, but still my friend. Oh yes! She did say something once about finding out something about her parents that had shocked her rigid, but she didn’t say what. It was after that that she started to go funny about convents.
#177:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 8:25 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I'm getting more and more intrigued.
#178:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:31 pm
    —
Hmmmmm...!
Curiouser and curiouser! Thanks all three of you!
#179:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:30 pm
    —
Something odd about her parents?! *wonders*
#180:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:07 am
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female aged early twenties. No identifying marks but great deal of work on her teeth - this seems to be a recurring theme for all the girls that go to that School - what do they eat? Clothing worn by victim was of good quality but very old fashioned, all clothing was labelled.


Time of Death - Body was discovered at around 1000hrs, removed to the mortuary by 1145hrs. Level of decomposition would suggest death had occured between 0100 and 0300hrs. Stomach contents were examined and found to discover only a white liquid. Evening meal the night before was complet by 2000hrs.


Cause of Death - An almost new soft HB pencil was discovered protruding from the victim. It had entered the body just below the rib cage and travelled up through the diaphragm and into the heart - lodging in the left ventricle. There were wood splinters in the pericardium. Cause of death therefore due to a stab wound to the heart. Blood pooling suggests victim was killed in the bed, not moved there from another location. The lack of struggle was puzzling until blood analysis showed evidence of a strong sedative - this would normally seem strange and automatically point to only a medical person as being the murderer - but this community seem to have them handed out like sweets.


Results
Analysis of pencil revealed the following - a - o. Not very illuminating.
A number of fibres were isolated - dog hair, lime-green thread, crimson thread, blond curl.
DNA analysis of hair not possible due to inexplicable damage to machine - previous medical examiner at a loss to explain how this happened - a new machine is on order but not likely to appear before Christmas.
Handwriting expert was able to identify handwriting as that belonging to Mary-Lou Trelawney - she identified it as a fragment of a letter she had sent to victim some weeks before - could not understand how it came to be found at crime scene.
Dirt was analysed - nil of significance.



Report dictated by D. Skully
#181:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:19 am
    —
Brilliant. I am clueless but appreciative.
#182:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:47 am
    —
Quote:
on getting no response sat on the edge of the bed and sang a Russian folk song to her. When there was still no response she raised the alarm.
Laughing Laughing

Totally bewildered, but loving it. Death by pencil? Shocked
#183:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 3:46 am
    —
I have absolutely no inkling as to how all these clues will fit together, but am still fascinated.

Shame the Red Sarafan has lost its power.

And am I the only one who blinked and said, "What, a hardback pencil?" (I'm assuming HB is really a way of classifying pencils, sort of like "Take out a number 2 pencil.")
#184:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:42 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 8

Summary

Woke up today and thought - well that was a terrible last seven days, today will be better. That thought lasted until I got into the office and discovered that yet another murder had occured on the Gornetz Platz - what is it with these people? Anyone would think it was being done deliberately just to really annoy me in the run up to Christmas! Anyway, the call to the police had been made by the Headmistress of the School and she that conducted me to the scene of the crime. The victim being her secretary a Miss Rosalie Dene.

Scene

The victim was in her office - a small square room guarding the entrance to that Holiest of Holies - the Headmistress' Study. On first examination all seemed exactly as it should. The office desk had a typewriter, blotting paper and a large number of letters, a quick flick through the letters showed they were mainly from prospective pupils' parents, although one seemed to be written in an old-fashioned hand and was signed GL. On the floor near the door was a small brown bottle with a cork in the neck, the bottle was filled with an oily brown substance that smelt of fish and brought back some fairly horrendous memories and nearly caused me to lose my breakfast. That was about all that could be diserned of the office...except one thing.....the money. In the middle of the floor there was a huge pyramid shape of money, closer inspection showed that the money consisted of Swiss Francs, lots of them. I mean we're talking about a pyramid with a metre square base and reaching a height of nearly two metres. Remembering my Maths classes about calculating area of a pyramid and knowing the size of the Franc coin I calculated that the number of coins was approximately 'Easy Street'.



Oh yes, and there was a body, obviously smothered by the money...money...money...Ahem right, the body was that of a woman of around forty, strong and capable, the Headmistress informed me that it was Rosalie Dene.

Processing

Letter signed GL
Body removed from beneath pile of money...money...money...did I mention money?
Money removed (sob)
Brown bottle removed for disposal

Evidence Collected

Letter for handwriting analysis
Money for close examination

Pending

Holiday in the Carribean,
Jet ski on Lake Thun
Early retirement
#185:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:51 am
    —
Poor Rosalie

*searching through memory for anyone with the initials GL*

Thanks, AdventDrabblers
#186:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:09 am
    —
Kathy_S wrote:

And am I the only one who blinked and said, "What, a hardback pencil?" (I'm assuming HB is really a way of classifying pencils, sort of like "Take out a number 2 pencil.")


That's right Kathy. An HB is a standard hardness - your everyday pencil. The letters refer to the hardness of the lead.
#187:  Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:20 pm
    —
Oh no - not Rosalie too! Surprised

Is it me or does Mary-Lou seem to be cropping up with increasing regularity. Or maybe she just always did.
#188:  Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:39 pm
    —
GL = Gillian Linton?
#189:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:54 pm
    —
GL could be Gwynneth Lloyd.

HB is a Hard Black pencil. (Or Helping Bear if you're a Pooh fan!)

Thanks, Advent Drabblers. It's certainly hard to guess who's going to be murdered next. And I love the mental picture of a pyramid of Swiss Francs - nobody would a miss a few of them would they?
#190:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 1:04 pm
    —
Witness reports 8


Miss Hilda Annersley, Headmistress

I was working in my office, and for once the communicating door to Rosalie’s room was shut. It was closed when I came into the room and I assumed that Rosalie had closed it. I had been out for a walk, as I find that the fresh air helps my concentration, and had come straight to my office from the staff splashery. There was no sound from Rosalie’s office, so I assumed she was working hard; it was Bank day today for the girls and she would have been busy preparing for that. A rather large amount of coins is needed for the girls’ pocket money as you can imagine. I fancied a cup of coffee and tried to contact Rosalie over the intercom to see if she would like one too. There was no answer, so I went to ask her in person. At first I could see nothing, but when I stepped further into the room I saw Rosalie and the money and called the police immediately.

The only thing I saw out of place apart from the money covering Rosalie was that Uto, the little black bull that someone had brought back for her from Spain, had been moved from the corner of the desk where he lived to the top of the filing cabinet. I must say that he looked very shocked.


Frances Pickering, Bank Prefect

Bank starts straight after mending and morning prep, and I usually go along to the office just before the end of prep to collect the money from Miss Dene and take it to Hall. That’s where I give out the money you know. Anyway, I went along as usual, and knocked at the door. There was no reply and no sound of anyone in the room. I wasn’t sure what to do, but decided to go to the staff room to see if Miss Dene was there. She wasn’t, so I headed back to the office, and that’s when I found out what had happened.


Matron Lloyd

The bottle of cod liver oil came from my dispensary. I had had to give one of the girls a dose first thing this morning as she had an upset stomach, and I’d been talking to Rosalie afterwards and left it in the office. I only realised what I’d done when I needed it for someone else, but by then Rosalie was dead. It has no significance whatsoever.


Moidl Ministroni, school maid

I was dusting the corridor outside the office as quietly as possible. It should have done during the school’s Fruhstuck, but I’d been running late you see, and I was being quiet so as not to be caught where I shouldn’t have been at that time. I heard Miss Dene moving around in the office too, so I was tiptoeing around. I could hear her close the safe – it’s a big heavy door and it closed with a bit of a bang. Then I heard the chink of money. I suppose she’d got it out for the girls spending money. I was dusting one of the paintings hanging on the wall when I heard Miss Dene shout out. There was a crash, and then all I could hear was money falling onto the floor, and onto other money. It seemed to take an awfully long time before it stopped, and I only came to my senses when it all went quiet. I was afraid I’d be caught there so I ran back to the kitchen. I suppose I’ll be in trouble after all now.
#191:  Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 2:08 pm
    —
Gilderoy Lockheart? Perhaps they were having an affair! Laughing
H stands for Hard and a 2H is harder than an H etc. B is for Black(?) and a 2B is softer than a B etc. HB is thus in the middle and is a 'normal' pencil.
Thanks Advent Drabblers.
#192:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 2:29 pm
    —
I wonder if Uto would be considered a witness Laughing

Thanks AdventDrabblers
#193:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 3:49 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. Could GL be Gaudenz - I don't know Gaudenz's surname.
#194:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 4:28 pm
    —
Poor Rosalie! Somehow I don't think that money just fell out of the safe into a nice tidy pyramid.

Another GL is Gay Lambert, though Gilderoy Lockhart is a more likely suspect. Laughing

Thanks for the pencil info. It sounds as though HB = No. 2, the normal pencil. No. 1 is softer and No. 3 is harder -- I think.
#195:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:58 pm
    —
Background Report 8

Name
Rosalie Dene

Age
44

Main Residence
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland


Other Addresses
None used. Miss Dene often remained at the school for most of the holidays.


Family Relationships
Miss (and a great many people seem to stress her name as Miss) Dene was survived by her father, step-mother and two half brothers. She seems to have sent a weekly letter to them, consisting of news they cannot have been interested in, and her stepmother appears to have sent a monthly one to her, with the same type of content. It is debatable whether or not they read each others letters as neither of them seemed to comment on what the other said. These were duty letters in the extreme.

Other Significant Relationships
Like Nurse and Matey, Miss Dene was neither fish nor fowl nor good red herring in the school. However she does appear to have been more at home with the other staff than they were. This could be due to the fact that she was an old girl of the school, her time as a schoolgirl being similar to that of Mrs Maynard, and they were both at the same high school in England before attending the Chalet School as well. She was described by a staff member as ‘Hail fellow well met’ and by another as ‘a foundation stone, just there’ She seems to have had a good relationship with the Head, sharing the annexe with her, but, again from all I have gleaned there was some reserve on both sides. Surprisingly enough, it was Matey who seemed to know most about her, although whether this was information gained from friendship or from more nefarious means is yet to be discovered.

Employment
Miss Dene left school and spent a short time at home helping the family. She then worked for a short time as secretary for Sir James Russell, then head of the San. It is unclear why she left this employment, although it cannot have been under a cloud as the school subsequently employed her. Her employment with the school is now essential to it’s running as she has all the systems and procedures set to her own ways and no one else seems to have any idea about the running of the school office.


Other Notes
This place seems over run with ‘crazy dames’. And another thing, how on earth could a school of this size manage with one a single secretary, no administrator, no bursar, no typist, just Miss Dene. Oh, and she seems to have been taking some kind of herbal drugs, there were odd smelling leaves and teas in her room, alongside caffeine tablets, coffee machines by the dozen and one small bottle of lucazade.
#196:  Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:02 pm
    —
Quote:
It is debatable whether or not they read each others letters as neither of them seemed to comment on what the other said.
Laughing
Poor old Chalet School. Nothing but abuse!
#197:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:06 pm
    —
I always wondered how Rosalie got everything done, and we now have thre answer, she never slept!
Thanks guys, this is fantastic.
#198:  Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:30 pm
    —
Liane wrote:
I always wondered how Rosalie got everything done, and we now have thre answer, she never slept!

Surely not! Matey would have drugged her.
#199:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:35 pm
    —
More and more intruiging. Thank you, drabblers!
#200:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:59 pm
    —
Rosalie was my suspect as the murderer! I guess that was wrong then...
#201:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:59 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I like the comment about the Crazy Dames!
#202:  Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:03 pm
    —
arky72 wrote:
Rosalie was my suspect as the murderer! I guess that was wrong then...

Unless it was a tragic accident.
(Yeah right.)
#203:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:06 pm
    —
Oh dear!
What a way to go! Poor Rosalie!

Thanks Carolyn, Pat and mystery drabbler!
#204:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:18 am
    —
Oh, I like Rosalie! Crying or Very sad

Love her existing on caffeine and Lucozade - brings back student memories.

Haven't a clue what's going on, all the victims seem quite random ... I'd go for GL being Matey, and am suspicious about that 'codliver oil' - though Gilderoy Lockhart is a lovely thought!
#205:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:19 am
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female, mid-forties. Victim was a fit woman showing none of the normal signs of ageing. A slim woman height 170cm weight 61kg. No scars or blemishes apparant other than some strange marks on the inner aspect of her left elbow - the right arm was slightly more developed than the left with calluses on her fingers where she held a pen - indicating that the victim was right handed - possible the marks are needle marks?


Time of Death - Body was discovered at 1030hrs. Evidence of stomach contents suggest victim dies approximately two to three hours after meal. Breakfast was at 0730 therefore time of death between 0930 and 1030 hrs.


Cause of Death - The weight of the money on the victim would have been sufficient to crush the person and death was caused by asphyxiation. However victim was unconscious when money first dropped onto her - a small bruise to the left temple points to reason why - caused by a blunt object.


Results

Blood analysis showed high levels of caffeine and ephedrine.
Herbal drugs and leaves identified as kola nut, nutmeg and gingseng - all these are stimulants - did this woman ever sleep?
Handwriting identified as that of Matron Lloyd - warning Rosalie that she was going to have to increase the price of the drugs.
Brown bottle dusted for fingerprints - none found, bottle had been wiped clean.
Substance inside bottle was identified as cod liver oil.


Report dictated by H. Jekyll.
#206:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:39 am
    —
Poor Rosalie..no sleep, and then murdered!
#207:  Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:53 am
    —
Hmmmm... GL... Grandma Leroy? - She had an old fashioned hand after all - though I admit the letter must have been hung on to for some time for it to be from her!
#208:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:11 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 9

Summary,
At the request of the Gornetz Platz Polizei this writer assisted in processing the scene when a female was found lying on the ground alongside one of the buildings belonging to the private girls school situated on the Platz.

Scene
The body was found by Herr Gaudenz, the school’s ‘man of all work’ as he was doing his rounds first thing this morning, and identified as being Margot Maynard, one of a tribe of daughters belonging to Frau Doktor Maynard. The body was clothed in the habit of a Blue Nun, an order of medical missionaries. The clothing was torn badly, as if it has caught on some protrusion; the wimple was missing altogether, leaving the deceased with her shaved head bared to the world. The wimple was eventually discovered caught on one of the huge boulders tied to the roof of the school. The presence of the said boulders is another mystery, for no other building that I know of has these, and the claim that they help to keep the roof on simply doesn’t hold water. There was a rosary attached to the belt of the habit, and a pectoral cross still hung around the neck.

A heap of snow beside the body appears to have come from the roof, as there is a wide swathe of clean roof leading down from the ridge. Miss Maynard seems to have reached the roof via a skylight that was imperfectly closed. Trapped in the fastenings was a graduate gown with a name tape beautifully sewn into it. The name was that of Miss Maynard’s sister, Frau Entwistle. There were a number of footprints in the dust of the attic floor. The snow remaining on the roof had been scuffed in a number of places as if someone, or more than one person, had scrambled up the roof to the ridge and moved along it.


Processing
Photos were taken of the footprints in the dust.
The gown was removed for analysis, as was the wimple.
A cast was taken of the shoes worn by the deceased for comparison with the prints on the attic floor.
The snow heap was sifted, and the button found there removed.

Evidence Collected
Shoes
Gown
Button
Fingerprints from the skylight catch
Rosary
Cross
Photographs of footprints

Pending
Results of fingerprinting
Analysis of gown
Removal of boulders from roof of school.
#209:  Author: Xanthe, Location: London PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:07 pm
    —
Quote:
Miss Lucy’s London apartment was unremarkable apart from one item, a large picture of a cute giraffe that was about 5’3 ¾” high.


*looks at the Giraffe*
*Giraffe looks back*

hmm...

*giggling*

just caught up on this... splendacious, thank you Very Happy
#210:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:28 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Report dictated by H. Jekyll.


Laughing Laughing Laughing

Thanks AdventDrabblers
#211:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 7:21 pm
    —
Background Report 9

Name
Margot Maynard

Age
22

Main Residence
Freudesheim
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland


Other Addresses
24 Grim Buildings
Reapers Place
Edinburgh
Scotland
United Kingdom

Family Relationships
Miss Mary Margaret Maynard will be mourned by her loving parents, Dr John Maynard of the Gornetz Platz sanatorium (good rates, all diseases covered) and Joesphine M Bettany, children’s author (all commissions considered).
She is survived by her parents, siblings too numerous to mention, adopted siblings swinging from the rafters and enough extended family to fill the Royal Albert Hall twice over. The planning in the house was not over funeral matters, but over room allocation now there is another spare bed.
The housekeeper and general dogsbody, Anna, wept.

Other Significant Relationships
Margot had a close relationship with her triplet sister Con, although there is no evidence of contact at all between Margot and the other triplet, Len. There is some correspondence from a ‘Ted’ but nothing to show if this is male or female. At university she is known as someone who can drink all night and still hold her own in the classroom the next day and is consequently much sought after as both a drinking and a study partner.

Employment
Margot was studying medicine at Edinburgh and was doing well in her studies, coming top of her year on a few occasions and being popular with patients when she walked the wards. According to her parents and the school she was to enter a convent when she graduated, but her tutor knew nothing of this and said he would be surprised as she was rather more vivacious and enquiring than he expect from a future nun.


Other Notes
There was a marked difference between her room at Freudesheim and her room in Edinburgh, one was stark, studious and tidy, the other bright, messy and full of as many books, posters, bottles, clothes, beanbags, candles and other paraphernalia of student life as was possible to cram into it. They were almost like the rooms of two different people, only the titles of the textbooks and the few familyand school photographs to be seen showed it was the same person.
#212:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:05 pm
    —
Witness Reports 9


Herr Manfred Gaudenz, handyman

I was doing my rounds as usual this morning mein Herr, checking that the paths are clear, that there is fuel for the boiler, that the milk had been delivered, and such matters. All was as usual until I reached the new Library and Museum extension. It was built for the ‘Coming of Age’ celebrations you understand, and is very fine. I walked round the end and came upon the body. Almost fell over it in fact, as I was checking to see if the roof was OK. (I do not follow the school’s restrictions on the use of slang, you understand). It was only that the snow had gone from that part of the rook that I looked down and saw her. I knew her of course. She was at the school here when it first opened, and she lived next door at Freudesheim until she took orders.
When I saw the body, I went straight back into the school, and woke Karen who is the Head of the domestic staff under Matron Lloyd.


Karen Pfeiffer, Cook and Head of Domestic staff

It’s nice to be given my proper title for once. Matron Lloyd tried to take it away whenever she can.
I was already awake when Manfred banged on my door as if he was going to break it down. I have to make Fruhstuck for all those girls and all the staff, including us domestics. It was obviously an emergency, and I was afraid that it was going to be another death - and I was right! I never thought it would be Miss Margot though, for although she had a pretty stormy time at school, she’d settled down since she went to university, and we’d hardly seen her since she took her vows.
Anyway, when Manfred told me what had happened I went straight to the Head. No point in wasting time going through Miss Lloyd, and Miss Annersley would want to know straight away, so she could tell Mrs Maynard. It was The Head that phoned for the Police. It’s dreadful that all these people have died. Makes you afraid that you might be next to be honest.
Once I’d handed the problem over, I went back to work. Breakfast still needed to be got, or we’d all starve, and that wouldn’t help anyone.


Miss Hilda Annersley, Headmistress

I was woken by our cook, Karen, who told me about another death. This time that of Margot Maynard. I immediately rang the Police, and when they came, after some little delay may I add, I showed the way to the attics, as requested. I did not enter the attic, though I could see what seemed to be a mistresses gown hanging from the open skylight.. I also had to go and break the news to Jo Maynard, who was understandably distraught. Not a very pleasant duty. When Mrs Entwistle arrived for work I had to inform her as well. She took the news very badly so I suggested that she took the day off and spent the day with her parents.


Mrs Helena Entwistle, sister of the deceased

The first I knew of my sister’s death was when I arrived for work. I live in a chalet down the road since my marriage. I was so relieved that I didn’t have to do the formal recognition, but of course Hilda has known us all for years, and was able to do this. I couldn’t face teaching, and spent the day with Mamma and Papa. I understand that my gown was found in the attic. I don’t know how that happened. It left it on my peg in the staff splasherie yesterday when I went home form work, as I usually do. Reg and I went down into Interlaken last night to the cinema, and got the last train up to the Platz and went straight home afterwards. I didn’t go near the school until this morning.
#213:  Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:05 pm
    —
More and more intruiging,

Poor Anna and Karen was so practical - "breakfast still needed to be got." Lovely
#214:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:29 pm
    —
Hmmmm...
So, is Len the next victim? Wink

Thank you all three of you! Very Happy
#215:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:33 pm
    —
Why Len Vikki?
#216:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:44 pm
    —
Well, it seems that whenever there's a hint that a character may be responsible for one of the murders, they then seem to be one of the next few victims.....
#217:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:48 pm
    —
You'll have to wait and see, won't you! Twisted Evil
#218:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:50 pm
    —
Well I thought it might be Karen tomorrow because she said 'it makes you think you might be next' Laughing
#219:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:54 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Victim was a white female aged approximately early twenties. Evidence of having 'known' a man (in the biblical sense, you understand) but she had not ever borne a child. There was a small tattoo of a skull with a Nazi helmet on her left buttock and a flaming dagger on her right breast. Evidence of serious grazes on both forearms and left leg - partially healed, would suggest Miss Maynard had been involved in a motorbike accident in the last three weeks. None of these injuries would have shown, of course, under the habit of a blue nun - suggests could be reason she was wearing it when she had not, yet, officially joined the order. No evidence of any other scars or blemishes, though she did have nicotine stains on her fingers suggesting a heavy smoker and her skin was a slightly yellow colour.


Time of Death - Body discovered early morning (circa 0630hrs) removed to mortuary 0745hrs. Allowing for freezing conditions last night would suggest time of death to be between 0300 and 0500hrs.


Cause of Death - Not killed by the fall - victim was already dead before being thrown off the roof. Evidence of Amyl Nitrate in bloodstream - could have been obtained from nearby San (father is a doctor) or Miss Maynard may have obtained it herself when walking the wards.


Results

Liver function tests showed mild cirrhosis of the liver.
Footprints were of three different sizes, two medium and one large - all of similar type of walking shoe.
Fingerprints were of unknown origin
Graduate gown was examined - auburn hair isolated and sent for DNA analysis - machine here not working as appears to have been attacked with a blunt instrument.



Report dictated by B. Crusher
#220:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:58 pm
    —
Now B. Crusher I have heard of! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy

Well this is a side to Margot we didn't exactly see in the books - tattoos and having 'known' a man?! Smoking heavily and drinking enough to damage her liver? Laughing

Thank you ladies!
#221:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:13 pm
    —
*splutters*

Well! Go Margot! Wink
#222:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:30 am
    —
B. Crusher? Now please tell me have one by the EMH!

Thanks Advent Drabblers - I'm really enjoying these Laughing
#223:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:33 am
    —
Quote:
a small tattoo of a skull with a Nazi helmet on her left buttock
Shocked Laughing
#224:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:18 am
    —
Intriguing!
#225:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:22 am
    —
Len has a suspiciously convenient alibi Laughing

Thanks, AdventDrabblers
#226:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:34 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 10

Summary
Guess where the team was called to this morning. Body in the Library this time. Very Agatha Christie. The body was that of the headmistress and I identified her myself, being familiar with the major players in this community after 10 days. I had not expected her to be killed, surely she would only have had to look at a murderer and they would have immediately repented of all sinful acts dating back to babyhood. Maybe the killer knew her well enough to have gained some immunity, or maybe they never looked her in the eyes.

Scene
The body was almost invisible, between two narrow stacks in the library and almost completely covered in books. Enough books had been removed for the Doctor, sorry doctor, (this veneration for medical staff is contagious) to verify death, but nothing more had been removed. Two women were at the door, one was Mrs Maynard in hysterics, and the other was Miss Wilson, head of the nearby St Mildred’s Finishing School who was studiously ignoring Mrs Maynard, a sensible move and was, with a grim faced determination keeping everyone away from the room. I was informed that she had discovered the body at 3.00 that afternoon.

The body was buried underneath books that appeared to have fallen from the top 5 shelves of the nearby stack (bookcase). Examination showed that all these were gaily-jacketed first editions of Mrs Maynards books, and on listening I discovered that this was the cause of her hysterics, that her books had firstly been on the top shelves and secondly been contaminated by being used in what must, following on from previous events this week been murder. After slipping Mrs Maynard a sedative so that my team and I could continue with our job in peace, we examined the rest of the room. The stack that the books had fallen from showed evidence of tampering, there was sawdust around the bottom of it, and two of the legs had been cleanly sawn through. There was no evidence of any tools.

The body was dressed in an MA gown and blue twin set. The head was seriously wounded from the weight of the falling books, and there was evidence also that the weight of the books had crushed her in other places as well. This will most likely be the cause of death, but post-mortem will determine that. There was nothing else remarkable about the body, except for the sapphire blue eyes, that even in death did not seem to need glasses.

The library had been unlocked all day, but was supposed to have been empty all day as the girls were either rehearsing the nativity play or outdoors for games lessons. However as it was unlocked girls, staff or visitors could easily have been in there. There were two books out; a rather technical chemical tome was on the floor next to an easy chair, one page of which was crumpled; and a much read copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was on the table with a note attached to it saying ‘IVb keep your grubby mitts off! OR ELSE!’ and signed ‘Inter V’


Processing
Sedative given
JMB first editions bagged and taken to the lab for reading, fingerprint and blood tests, ebaying and literary analysis.
Sawdust collected by gently sweeping and bagged for comparison with wood from the legs of the library stacks.
The sawn off legs were bagged and removed to the lab for analysis of the tool marks. All saws that were found in the school, one from the handyman’s tool shed, one from the hobbies club, one from Miss Wilson who had brought her tool kit over to the school earlier in the day when she came to help with the scenery for the nativity play and one from Miss Wilmot who also had her own toolkit, were taken for comparison with the tool marks.
Once books had been lifted and the covers admired, the body was removed for post-mortem to verify the cause of death.
The Chemistry book was removed to the labs to bore someone. The Harry Potter book was left where it was because we didn’t want to endanger IVb. (not because we were scared of Inter V ourselves of course)

Evidence Collected
JMB first editions
Sawdust
Body
Legs.
A collection of saws.
Chemistry book

Pending
Literary analysis of JMB books
Post-Mortem
Tool analysis
The lab assistant to wake up after reading the chemistry book.
#227:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:41 am
    —
This is very funny, and I'm always surprised by the next body and the cause of death. Laughing Thanks, Advent Drabblers.
#228:  Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:58 am
    —
Laughing Laughing Laughing

Loving it. Thanks Advent Drabblers.
#229:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:09 pm
    —
You are all so clever! This is making me giggle sooooooo much!

But not Hilda Crying or Very sad
#230:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:17 pm
    —
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

You can't do that!

Have been reading all these since day one but THIS???????? Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked


How can you be so terrible? Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad
#231:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:48 pm
    —
Hehehehe as I read it was thinking 'what will Lesley's reaction be?' Shocked Laughing Laughing

Very mysterious!
#232:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:02 pm
    —
This is excellent, drabblers. Much more fun than an advent calendar! Thank you.
#233:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:41 pm
    —
Thanks, Advent Drabblers. I don't know how you dared to kill the latest victim without permission from Lesley.
#234:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:00 pm
    —
We are very brave Jennie.

Witness Reports 10


Miss Helena Wilson, Head of St Mildred’s Finishing School

I came across to the Chalet School for my regular meeting with Miss Annersley. We usually have them at least weekly, though of late we have been meeting every day because of these murders. It’s very worrying when there are all the girls to look after and keep safe. My route takes me past the library windows, which as you know are designed to let a maximum amount of light into the room. As I passed the windows I heard a loud noise and a faint cry coming form the library, so instead of going round to Hilda’s study, I went through the side door into the library and museum wing straight into the library. It seemed to be empty, as it should be at that time. The girls were all busy rehearsing for the Christmas Play at the other end of the school. When I saw the pile of books on the floor, and the stack tipped forward against the shelves opposite, I just thought that there had been an accident. I didn’t see that there was anyone under the books until I got a lot closer, and even then I failed to recognise Hilda, as she was so completely buried under them. I did see that they were copies of Jo’s books. The first editions are kept safely out of the way of the normal shelves in case they ever become valuable.

I went to phone the authorities and to find the key to lock the library, and when I came back I found Jo - Mrs Maynard - had just arrived. She’s always in and out of the school, and I should have guessed that she’d find her way to the library at the wrong time. She’d already seen what had happened, but I managed to get her out of the library even though she was getting hysterical, but I had no chance to lock the door before the authorities arrived and took things out of my hands.

I got Matron Lloyd to give Jo a sedative and she gradually calmed down and then went to sleep, but not before she’s made it plain that she was mostly upset at the state of her books. The fall had naturally damaged some of the books, torn covers and some pages, and so on. I can’t say I was particularly sympathetic, as by then I knew that the body was Hilda’s. We have been friends and colleagues for a very long time, and I shall miss her badly.


Mrs Josephine Maynard, famous authoress and mother of more children than should be allowed any one person.

My books! My books were used to kill someone and they’re ruined! They were all first editions too, copies that I’d donated to the school. Most of them are out of print as well, so they can’t be replaced.

Where was I when it happened? What does that matter?


Honeycombe

Poor Aunty Hilda. She didn’t deserve that. I heard her say to her friend Bill that she was going to the library to research something for the Sixth’s Literature lesson.
I’ve enjoyed being here, and finding that I didn’t need the parachute for a change. But I would like to go home now please. It’s getting as dangerous as a Gather here now, and I don’t want to get chucked out of another window. Once was enough. The only trouble is that I may meet that wicked person again.
#235:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:22 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:

Honeycombe

Poor Aunty Hilda. She didn’t deserve that. I heard her say to her friend Bill that she was going to the library to research something for the Sixth’s Literature lesson.
I’ve enjoyed being here, and finding that I didn’t need the parachute for a change. But I would like to go home now please. It’s getting as dangerous as a Gather here now, and I don’t want to get chucked out of another window. Once was enough. The only trouble is that I may meet that wicked person again.



I think I've missed something *looks confused*
#236:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:56 pm
    —
Arky, Honeycombe is Vikki's teddy bear who was once thrown out of a window at a Gather, I believe. It was very traumatic for him.

Laughing Laughing Laughing
#237:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:01 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female aged late fifties. Height 175cm weight 61kg, slim, but within the correct weight for height. Eyes an unusual shade of blue - on further investigation it was discovered that the victim wore contact lenses - specialised ones that changed colour - mainly from blue to grey but occasionally to brown. Evidence of significant multiple injuries in the past - including head injury, as well as old fractures to wrist and ribs. Small tattoo over right breast 'Yer wot?' inside a small heart.


Time of Death - Body discovered at 1500 hrs, removed to mortuary by 1615hrs. Time of death fairly simple to establish as approximately 1500hrs.


Cause of Death - Multiple injuries were apparent however, although a number of these could have been life-threatening the actual cause of death was a blow to the head - probably by the corner of one of the books - this caused the original injury (sustained some twenty years ago) to recur. Victim died of a massive sub-dural haematoma.


Results

Saws were all checked with tool marks left in shelving - the saw from the Hobbies Club was found to be the one responsible
No fingerprints on Hobbies Club saw - wiped clean. Fingerprints on all other saws only the owners.
Chemistry book claimed by NASA as method of getting astronauts to sleep while in space.
Literary analysis of JMB books not possible as assistant has not finished screaming yet.




Report dictated by A. Robbins
#238:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:01 pm
    —
It was - poor Honeycombe.
#239:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:46 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Small tattoo over right breast 'Yer wot?' inside a small heart.



Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
#240:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:04 pm
    —
He He He, just see what we do to Hilda! Twisted Evil


Background Report 10

Name
Hilda Annersley

Age
58, but has eyes that have never needed glasses. (So what? Loads of people have)

Main Residence
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland


Other Addresses
None Known

Family Relationships
Miss Annersley had no close family, the nearest being her elder brothers and their children. Her nieces have not been sent to the school as pupils. It appears that she would visit her family about once a year when in England, but not on a regular basis.

Other Significant Relationships
It appears that Miss Annersely kept slightly aloof from the staff, allowing them time to relax without the constrains of her presence. It seems that of recent years she only visited the staff room for formal meetings or when invited. The staff describe her as being ‘very friendly’ with Bill, but no trace of him has been found.(Worth checking the surrounding area for another body, maybe she hid all evidence of him in order to keep her position at school secure.) The only significant relationship we could discover was with Miss Helena Wilson, her co-head in charge of the finishing branch. They often holidayed together, took tea together, and apparently have plans to live together on retirement. That is somewhat by the by now.

Employment
Her first position after gaining her degree was with a large High school in England, and then she came to the Chalet School while it was still in the Tyrol, initially as an English teacher, but quickly becoming senior mistress, a role which by rights should have belonged to Miss Wilson, and then following the illness of the then head, Mdlle LePattre, she became Headmistress. This is a role that she has retained ever since that time, throughout the evacuation from Austria and then Guernsey and then the various moves the school seems to have made. (NB, check why the school has made so many moves…it is highly unusual.)

Other Notes
For a teacher of English Literature, it is odd that the most thumbed novels in her flat were Agatha Christie whodunits, Black Lace novels of a rather seedy nature and a series of children’s stories about a hooligan named William Brown. These later were all first editions with dust jackets and from the neatly typed list at the side of them a complete collection, some obtained at ridiculous prices. Why would any sane adult pay three figure sums for children’s books? The only other strange item for a headmistress’ flat was in the bedroom (OY! No, clean out your gutter mind Vikki!) The item was a teddy bear, sat on a chair next to the dressing table. It was wearing of all things a parachute, and had a happy smile on its face. A tag hanging from its wrist proclaimed the bear’s name to be Honeycombe.
#241:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:17 pm
    —
Lesley wrote:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

You can't do that!

Have been reading all these since day one but THIS???????? Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked


How can you be so terrible? Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad



Hee hee! And I only killed off Miss Wilson... Does this make my crime less heinous Lesley?
#242:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:38 pm
    —
I loved Joey's reaction!

And the contact lenses Laughing . Maybe there's some sort of equivalent for hair that was given to Peggy Bettany when she was young?
#243:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:27 pm
    —
Helen P wrote:
Arky, Honeycombe is Vikki's teddy bear who was once thrown out of a window at a Gather, I believe. It was very traumatic for him.

Laughing Laughing Laughing


In fact, he still has regular counselling sessions, and if he's naughty then the threat of Carolyn coming to visit is enough to elicit perfect behaviour....(or should that be BEARhaviour?) Wink


Thanks advent drabblers!
And yes, I can just imagine Lesley's face as she posted her reaction to Hilda's death! Laughing

Last edited by Vikki on Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:38 pm; edited 1 time in total
#244:  Author: Honeycomb, Location: On the bed PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:36 pm
    —
Oh yes, it was DREDFUL what hapened to paw Auntie Hilda. She woz a luvvly lady, and I used to cum and sea her wen the nitemares got two bad. You no, the wuns about windoes and falling. She used to make the BEST hunny sarnies...

*spys Carolin and retreets qwikly behind the neerest pile of books!*
#245:  Author: Kat, Location: Kingston-upon-Thames/Swansea PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:42 pm
    —
*much gentle hugging of Honeycomb*

I have finally made it to the Advent Drabbles, huzzah!

Thank you Drabblers, this has been a very entertaining Sunday afternoon Very Happy
#246:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:52 pm
    —
Honeycomb wrote:
*spys Carolin and retreets qwikly behind the neerest pile of books!*

I'm not sure that piles of books are very safe at the moment, Honeycomb, but you could always come and take refuge with my elephants! They would look after you very well indeed.
#247:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:07 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers I am very disappointed - to libel poor Hilda like that. Crying or Very sad
#248:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:09 pm
    —
Very Happy This is fantastic! Thank you so much.
*hugs Honeycombe*
#249:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:55 pm
    —
If I lived on the Gornetz platz I would keep well away from anything that could possibly be piled up on top of my corpse.

Or anything that my corpse could have a long fall off of.





Forget that - I'd be hightailing it out of there as fast as I could!

Thanks AdventDrabblers Laughing
#250:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:18 pm
    —
Lesley wrote:
Advent Drabblers I am very disappointed - to libel poor Hilda like that. Crying or Very sad


Libel her, this is the truth! Twisted Evil


and Honeycombe, your so called 'recovery' would be speeded up if you told Vikki the truth, that you ENJOYED your flight! Twisted Evil
#251:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:53 pm
    —
*snickering slightly at Lesley's reaction to the death of Hilda*

Like it wasn't going to happen sooner or later!

Poor Honeycombe! Vicki's treatment of you is appaling! you should appeal to the Teddy Bear's Council for Human Treatment of the Stuffed!

Now, I am starting to see a couple of possible murderers, a few more days and I may just hazard a guess

(well apart from the fact that Pat, Carolyn and ****** are clearly nuts and shouldn't be allowed to torment their readership like this)
#252:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:22 pm
    —
Katarzyna wrote:
(well apart from the fact that Pat, Carolyn and ****** are clearly nuts and shouldn't be allowed to torment their readership like this)


*Clare completely agrees with Kate*.

Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. It's intriguing to find out all this information about Margot and Hilda. I loved Lesley's reaction!
#253:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:28 pm
    —
Katarzyna wrote:
(well apart from the fact that Pat, Carolyn and ****** are clearly nuts and shouldn't be allowed to torment their readership like this)


So would you like us to stop now then? Twisted Evil
#254:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:07 pm
    —
Carolyn P wrote:
Katarzyna wrote:
(well apart from the fact that Pat, Carolyn and ****** are clearly nuts and shouldn't be allowed to torment their readership like this)


So would you like us to stop now then? Twisted Evil


Quite easily done I can assure you! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#255:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:12 pm
    —
Why - haven't you written any more then Wink

Very Happy I know you wouldn't do that to us really!



Besides which the CBB lynch mob would be out to get you all Very Happy Very Happy
#256:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:15 pm
    —
We didn't say we hadn't written any more, just that we could stop posting it!!!!
#257:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:21 pm
    —
This is brilliant. But I seriously have no clue "whodunnit"
#258:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:40 pm
    —
Not Hilda!!! Shocked Shocked Shocked
#259:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:07 pm
    —
She can't have 'done it'!!! She's dead! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#260:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 5:11 am
    —
Gosh, the Gornetz Platz is getting as bad as Cabot Cove!! Shocked

Thanks Adventers. Laughing
#261:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 5:39 am
    —
Laughing Thanks Advent Drabblers. Brilliant, as ever!
#262:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 5:50 am
    —
I can't believe you've killed Hilda.Shocked This soon, anyhow.

Pat wrote:
She can't have 'done it'!!! She's dead! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil

Murder-suicide?

Nah, don't think she'd countenance harm to dust jackets.....
Assuming it is she and not a simulacrum.

*hugs Honeycomb*
#263:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:49 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 11

Summary

Well this one started as an accident - at least, that's what everyone thought. I was only asked to go and have a look as it seemed so strange after the run of problems they'd had up on that Platz. I was asked to see a suspicious death - originally thought to be an accident, but quickly establised to be another murder - well that was a surprise, wasn't it? The victim was a Miss Peggy Burnett, Games Mistress of the Chalet School. She had been killed, apparently, because she had been hit on the head by a hockey ball.


Scene

After hearing that the victim had been hit on the head with a hockey ball I was expecting that she would be either in the Gym or on the playing fields, but no. I was taken back to the library, scene of the murder, the day previously, of the Headmistress. It was early in the morning when she had been discovered - just after six am, yet Miss Burnett was dressed in the gym skirt and tee-shirt that is standard fare for all Games Mistresses. She also wore plimsolls and short socks on her feet. She was lying on her back and had an obvious wound to her left temple, causing a large indentation. There was only a small amount of blood. The expression on Miss Burnett's face was one of surprise, but not fear. A standard issue hockey ball lay next to the victim's head, one side of it with hair and blood stains upon it. The victim had clutched within one hand some hair, blond and curly, while, next to her other hand was a book entitled Great Archaeologists of Our Time.

The door from the Library to the outside was unlocked.


Processing

Question witnesses as to why Miss Burnett should be in Library at that time of morning.
Question witnesses as to why Miss Burnett should be in Library at any time of morning actually.
Get forensics to look into possibilty of ball being thrown with sufficient force to kill inside Library

Evidence Collected

Hair sample for DNA testing
Blood sample from ball
Hair sample from ball


Pending

Retrieval of hockey ball from my dog - well I wasn't to know the pooch would run off with it!
#264:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:00 am
    —
I've been waiting eagerly for my morning fix!

Thanks, Advent Drabblers Laughing Laughing Laughing
#265:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:29 am
    —
Like the way the dog ran off with the ball!
#266:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 1:11 pm
    —
Witness Reports 11



Dorothy Lawrence, music mistress

Peggy always was an early riser, and I could never understand why. But then I like my bed. She often went into the library first thing in the morning, especially in the winter when it’s too dark to go out, because she said it was peaceful there and she could think. She also liked to choose her books in peace and quiet, and she certainly got that! Not this morning though, obviously. Someone was up as early as she was.


Wilhemina Wallacia Bravehearteus, maid

Someone had to go in there and clean, so I volunteered. The others were too scared. Of course, I wasn’t going to go anywhere near where those bookcases were taped off, but we’d been told to do the rest of the place as usual. So I went in first thing to get it over and done with. And found that Miss Burnett was over and done with already. Shame that, she was a nice lady; always had time for a word with us maids. Not all of them did, but she did. I’d often seen her about early like that on other days, and we’d sometimes chat for a few minutes. Won’t do that any more will we? Wonder when folk are going to stop dying. At least it seems to be the important people around here, and not us lot. That’s what I tell those scaredycats anyway.


Marius Goring, milkman

I was delivering the milk like, wasn’t I? Like what I always do of a morning. Half five it were, or thereabouts when I drove up to the school like it always is. Some say you can set a clock by my rounds, they do that. Anyways that’s when I saw the figure. Nah! I don’t know if it were a man or a woman, it was dark! All I saw was this figure see, all dressed up for outdoors with a gurt great scarf over its face and a hat with a pompom on its head. Leastways that’s what it looked like. All right, all right, I’m getting there aren’t I? What was it doing? Why climbing in one of they windows it was. No I didn’t tell anyone. Why? Cos there wasn’t no one to tell, that’s why! Not at that hour there wasn’t! Not even that there Karen’s about at that hour. So I left my milk by the back door as usual and went away again. Never thought no more about it till I heard about the death.


Herr von Frankius, veterinary surgeon

The operation was a complete success, and I have to tell you that you were extremely lucky that your dog is still alive! That ball had almost blocked the airways. The dog will have to stay here for observation, but you can have the ball, so long as you keep it away from him in the future.
#267:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:15 pm
    —
Hurray, the dog is ok!
#268:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:22 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Wilhemina Wallacia Bravehearteus, maid


*cleans lunch spray off of screen* Laughing Laughing Laughing

Thank you AdventDrabbles
#269:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:49 pm
    —
Thank you Advent Drabblers!
#270:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:26 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I'm sorry to hear about Peggy.
#271:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:46 pm
    —
Thank goodness the dog will be all right.
#272:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 6:04 pm
    —
Background Report 11

Name
Peggy (Margaret) Burnett

Age
31

Main Residence
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland


Other Addresses
The Burrow
Middleton-Under-Hill
Nowhereland
South Midlands

Family Relationships
Miss Burnett had two sisters, one of whom also taught at the school until her marriage. This sister provided a home for her in England, which she availed herself of during the summer vacation and is the alternative address given. Both sisters are married, the elder with a large family and are reasonably close, given the distance they live apart. (The younger living in North America for half of each year.) Their parents are both deceased.

Other Significant Relationships
The deceased was games teacher at the school and was apparently well liked by both staff and girls. This is in itself unusual as most schoolgirls these days report bullying by games teachers, but maybe Miss Burnett was an exception. She was reported as having a sharp tongue but being fair and only one member of staff had a bad word to say about her. Apart that is from one who whenever I interviewed her would just say ‘…but what about the camel?’

Employment
She was an old girl of the school, as were her sisters and like her older sister she returned to teach once she had trained. She trained at Bedford and had been with the school as teacher for a number of years. It is very insular in the way it prefers to recruit old girls, this being a stated policy.

Other Notes
Miss Burnett was normal, that is how everyone described her. This led to me doing an extra check on her bank account and I would very much like to know where the large sums that were being paid into the account at 6 weekly intervals were coming from. They started 18 months ago, the last being only 3 days before she died.
#273:  Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 6:11 pm
    —
Lesley wrote:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

You can't do that!

Have been reading all these since day one but THIS???????? Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked


How can you be so terrible? Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad Evil or Very Mad


*Points Lesley in the direction of something to cheer her up*

*A Happy Drabble*
#274:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:48 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I wonder where the money is coming from.
#275:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:39 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female aged early thirties. Evidence that woman had 'known' a man in the past and had at least one child. Very fit with lean musculature throughout body. Small ring in left nipple.


Time of Death - Victim was discovered shortly after six-thirty, removed to mortuary around 0800hrs. Estimated time of death between five and six am.


Cause of Death - Fracture to the left temporal bone, causing large sub-dural haematoma. Victim died when pressure of bleeding caused excessive pressure on the brain. Likely that initial blow caused immediate unconsciousness, death would have followed swiftly.


Results

Investigation by ballistics experts confirms that ball unlikely to have been thrown - as distance needed to travel and strength not possible. Have concluded that, instead, ball was slammed into temple by Murderer standing next to victim. Suggests victim knew and trusted murderer.

Blood sample cross matched - Type O blood - that's alright then, only half the population of the world have that blood, that's made it really easy, made my job so much easier.
DNA testing of hair - according to machine here in lab DNA belongs to a rhinoceros. As I'm sure one would have been noticed on the Platz in the early hours of the morning I think we can discount that.
Investigation of hockey ball revealed my had covered in dog drool...

I need a drink.


Report dictated by J. Marple.
#276:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:24 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I love the part about the rhinoceros!
#277:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:29 pm
    —
Quote:
Examination - White female aged early thirties. Evidence that woman had 'known' a man in the past and had at least one child. Very fit with lean musculature throughout body. Small ring in left nipple.


*chokes on cheese and biscuits*


And I love the names of the maids!
#278:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:14 pm
    —
Hurrah! There should always be camels... I am sure the clue lies with the camel...

Thank you advent drabblers.
#279:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:31 pm
    —
Witness statements (part 2)


Miss Mareen Mansfield, junior games mistress

I don’t know why people liked her. She was very bossy. Liked things her way, and wouldn’t listen to new ideas. Times have changed and my training reflected that change, but she wouldn’t listen. Oh the girls liked her well enough, but you had to work under her to see what she was really like. Not that that was enough to make me kill her, of course. After all, I’ve lasted two years here haven’t I? But I can’t say I’m shedding too many tears.

Miss Carol Bartholomew, drama mistress

Peggy Burnett was OK for a games mistress - they’re all a bit odd aren’t they? Think games the be all and end all of life. I never liked games myself. You keep asking me questions that I can’t answer, so I’ll ask one back.
What about the camel? I can’t answer that! That’s for you to find out! All I’m saying is what about the camel?
#280:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:54 pm
    —
Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes !
#281:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:00 am
    —
What did I say? Humph... The plot thickens....
#282:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:09 am
    —
Nicola wrote:
Hurrah! There should always be camels... I am sure the clue lies with the camel...

But why camels?!? Rolling Eyes What's wrong with elephants?!? Very Happy
#283:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:22 am
    —
Peggy has a child? Shocked And a nipple ring?? Shocked Shocked

Edited 'cos I forgot I was away yesterday, and haven't mourned Hilda Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad And didn't she sound lonely. Sad
#284:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:11 am
    —
Guh. A child and a nipple ring?! and oh so many other things to comment on. This is great, eagerly awaiting the next part!
#285:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:22 am
    —
Peggy with child and nipple ring? Almost as shocking as the revelations about Hilda! Miss Marple doesn't sound quite herself, and no wonder.

Thank you, Advent Drabblers. Mr. Green

(Camel, what camel? Does this mean Advent drabbling continues until the wise men show up on Jan. 6th?
*likes this idea, as it would keep me from being late to the dénouement*)
#286:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:51 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report

Summary,
At the request of the Gornetz Platz Polizei this writer assisted in processing the scene when the Matron of the Sanatorium was found dead in her bath

Scene
Dr Philip Graves, a doctor at the Sanatorium, was able to identify the body as that of his sister Helen. He found the body when he entered the flat where his sister lived, having had no answer to his knock. The door of the bathroom was standing open, and a flood of bath water and bubbles had spilled over the edge of the bath and spread across the floor.

The body was lying submerged in warm bath water, which was liberally endowed with a strong, pungent brand of bubble bath. Miss Graves had clearly not been following the code that laid down the benefits of a cold bath, and perhaps the strong smell of the perfumed bubble-bath might not have been so choking if she had done so, and it would certainly have been more healthy for the deceased. There were no footprints found in the water covering the bathroom floor, the elapsed time before the arrival of the police having allowed them to dry. There were signs that the deceased had struggled violently, and I would therefore expect the perpetrator to have been considerably soaked by the encounter.

The front door had been left unlocked, suggesting that the dead woman had known her assailant, and one of the bedroom windows was open, unusual at this time of year. A trail of damp marks across the bedroom carpet strongly indicated that the assailant had left in this direction. It was impossible to tell the size of shoe, but photographs were taken anyway. Smudged marks on the window latch suggested that whoever had last opened the window had been wearing knitted gloves, and a few fibres of dark blue wool were found adhering to the handle.

There was a freshly made up angel’s wing nurses cap lying on a table in lounge. This type of headgear is considered a little old-fashioned in the Sanatorium. Also a bottle of home made tonic was found on the bedside table, with a large spoon lying beside it. Both were removed for testing.

Processing
Photos of everything were taken, the body, the trail of foamy water across the floor, the damp footprints in the bedroom and the fibres on the window latch.
Fingerprints were taken from the front door and the bathroom door as well as the window latch and frame.
The bottle of bubble bath was removed for health reasons.
The cap was taken for DNA analysis.
The tonic was taken for testing and for possible personal use.

Evidence Collected
Photographs of everything
Fingerprints from various places
Bottle of horrendously perfumed bubble bath for disposal
Nurses cap
Bottle of tonic

Pending
DNA report on cap
DNA report on blue fibres
Analysis of tonic
#287:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:03 am
    —
I know someone who knits gloves ... Laughing

*looks round suspiciously* Laughing
#288:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:09 pm
    —
Witness Reports 12


Dr Philip Graves, one of the Sanatorium staff

I went to visit my sister, as I often do on my way home from work. It was late enough for her to have finished work, so I went along to her falt in the staff quarters. There was no answer when I rang the bell, so I tried the door, expecting to find it locked, but it wasn’t. So I went into the flat and called for Helen. When there was still no answer I wandered into the lounge to wait. The radio was playing some sort of modern rock stuff (Helen loves – loved - that sort of thing for some reason, especially that Presley person). Anyway I gradually became aware of the perfumey smell, and once I’d smelt it, it quickly overpowered everything. Anyway, I went to investigate and found the bathroom door ajar, with a cord stretched round the door. I pushed the door open a little and saw my sister in the bath. She was under the water and clearly dead. I checked anyway, but the cord led to a hairdryer that was in the water, and I guessed she’d been electrocuted. When I’d confirmed her dead I called the police.

I went back into the lounge and turned the radio off – the noise was making my head ache. That’s when I saw the nurse’s cap. The angel wings design is so very dated these days. Most hospitals have gone to practical caps. There’s only one person I know who still uses one and that’s the Head Matron at the school. Matron Lloyd – she’s been there since the year Dot, and has ideas to prove it. You can hear her coming a mile off by the rustling of the starch in her uniform. You’d think it would be a dead give-away to the girls, but they must have defective hearing as she’s very good at catching them out.


Gwynneth Lloyd, Head Matron

Helen Graves and I are old friends though we certainly don’t share a taste in music! However, I went round to see her today after she’d finished work, and finally got round to showing her how I fold my caps. She’s teased me about them for years, and I do understand why, but those caps are part of me now, and I’m not likely to give them up easily. I took one round that was getting a little old and worn, though naturally it was still properly starched – it doesn’t work if the cap isn’t starched. I left it for her to take apart to see how it works. When I left she was going to have a hot bath and an early night.
You say there are no photos of Hilary Graves? Well that doesn’t… As far as I know they have always got on extremely well. Why wouldn’t they? Helen and Hilary are both very nice girls. I ought to know about Hilary as she was one of our Head Girls.



Nurse Maria Floch

I have a bed sit immediately under Matron Graves flat, and I heard her running her bath, and then heard her climb in and sit down. I could hear Radio Luxembourg too – she has it loud when she’s in the bath. Then I heard someone come into the flat – the footsteps crossing the floor you understand. That was followed by some splashing then the footsteps crossed the floor again and there was silence.


Mrs Hilary Graves, sister-in-law

Who would have taken her photos? We had a wonderful relationship, very close and loving right from the day we met. I’d rescued a child from the lily ponds at Bosherton and got absolutely soaked, so Phil took us - the child, one of the other girls who’d helped a bit, and me - back to his home to get dry. We got on like a house on fire from that day. She spent loads of time round here too, and was always willing to babysit when she wasn’t on duty. I absolutely know she wouldn’t have left me out of her photo gallery as you’re suggesting.
#289:  Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:25 pm
    —
Quote:
one of the other girls who’d helped a bit


Can't imagine Carola would be too chuffed at that!
#290:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:26 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
You can hear her coming a mile off by the rustling of the starch in her uniform. You’d think it would be a dead give-away to the girls, but they must have defective hearing as she’s very good at catching them out.


Thanks, AdventDrabblers Laughing Laughing Laughing
#291:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:29 pm
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Fantastic! Thank you.
#292:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:32 pm
    —
Oh dear, the Advent drabble is starting to affect my mind!

I have just spent the last 30 minutes when i should be working making lists of victims, witnesses, potential criminals, re ordering it, linking witnesses to murders, finding potential other victims/murderers and generally driving myself nuts!

I have now decided that it's all a plot between Honeycombe and Bruno assisted by the strangely named nurses all of whom had at least one parent a fan of Joey Maynard and her biazarre naming of children/characters and just about anything else.

On the other hand i may just be going slightly mad being forced to sit here and work on complicated Bills and Points of Dispute and going out of my mind in the process
#293:  Author: JustJen, Location: sitting on the steps PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:24 pm
    —
I just spent the entire morining read this drabble when I should have been doing my Christmas wrapping. Smile

I think I know who the killer is! (buffs nails) Of course my theory might shot out the window when the next part is posted.
#294:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:39 pm
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If you think you kow who it is you can PM your guess to me, Carolyn or Advent Drabblers. We may not tell you if you're correct though! Twisted Evil
#295:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:00 pm
    —
Well, I be gumswizzled!
#296:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:39 pm
    —
Background Report 12

Name
Matron Helen Graves

Age
62

Main Residence
The Gornetz Platz Sanatorioum
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland


Other Addresses
None on Record

Family Relationships
The only relation she had was Dr Phil Graves, and of course his wife and children. The children’s pictures were displayed on her office desk and on the wall in her flat. There were pictures of Dr Graves as a younger man also, but none of his wife or his wedding.

Other Significant Relationships
There has been no-one who has mentioned any romantic relationship between Matron Graves and anyone else. Her relationship with her nurses was reported to be much more modern that may be expected for her age, allowing them to discuss cases with her, argue their point, the only thing she never allowed was ‘company keeping’ with Doctors, saying that it was ‘more than her life was worth to allow it as Matey had first dibs on Doctors for her girls.’ Apparently she arranged several meetings with ‘suitable’ professional men from Berne and Lucerne for her senior nurses instead. I was unable to discover of money exchanged hands, or if this was purely a matchmaking service.


Employment
Matron has held the position as Matron at the sanatorium here since it was opened. Prior to that she was employed as nurse to her brothers general practice. Many years ago she trained at one of the big London teaching hospitals, and has since kept up to date by attending re-training courses every year. The sanatorium report that she used up to date methods and encouraged her nurses to not only do the same, but would regularly arrange for them to be trained by the best in the field.

Other Notes
Her office was neat and tidy, the only oddity was a toy elephant in a small replica hospital bed, complete with a patient chart saying that his name was Elphie and he was suffering from hardening of the sawdust. This appeared to have been completed by quite a few of the nurses as well as Matron Greaves, leading me to suspect that not only had she a sense of humour, rare in these parts, but was also on friendly terms with her staff.
#297:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:57 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Other Notes
Her office was neat and tidy, the only oddity was a toy elephant in a small replica hospital bed, complete with a patient chart saying that his name was Elphie and he was suffering from hardening of the sawdust. This appeared to have been completed by quite a few of the nurses as well as Matron Greaves, leading me to suspect that not only had she a sense of humour, rare in these parts, but was also on friendly terms with her staff.

Poor Elphie. Who's going to look after him now? Rolling Eyes
#298:  Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:57 pm
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Thank you Advent drabblers!

Reminds me of the night I spent in the field hospital at Greenbelt. The doctor's were performing emergency surgery on an inflatable shark. Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes
#299:  Author: Woofter,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:31 pm
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Ooooh, thank you advent drabblers, just caught up with this. It's great, can't wait to find out who dies next!
#300:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:39 pm
    —
ooooh - I think I might just have seen a pattern

I'll need to check properly though

Thanks, AdventDrabblers Laughing
#301:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:49 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I wonder why there are no photos of Hilary.
#302:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:26 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female early sixties. A very fit lady, carrying a very small amount of adipose tissue but very strong nonetheless. No evidence of having any operations or serious accidents in the past. However did have evidence of having sustained shin spilnts approximately thirty years before. This combined with small 'wings' pin stencilled on her right upper arm would suggest the lady might have parachuted into enemy territory during the last war.


Time of Death - Record of Dr Graves contacting the Police ar 1900hrs, body removed to mortuary at 2020hrs. Evidence of last meal places time of death at two hours after meal - subsequent investigation places Matron Graves in the San canteen at 1630 for tea - approximate time of death therefore 1830hrs.


Cause of Death - Electrocution. Miss Graves was exposed to an electric current whilst in a bath of water. The salts in the water acted to conduct and ground the current. Ms Graves sustained severe burns over more than 50% of her body however death was casued by ventricular fibrilation of the heart caused by the electric current.


Results

DNA machine appears to be sulking.
Fibres identified as part of a batch of wool dyed by a Mrs J.M Maynard, or possibly her maid Anna, during the summer.
Hair samples isolated on nurse's cap grey - do not match those of the victim.
Bubble bath discovered to be excellent at removing paint from bench


Report dictated by J. Watson
#303:  Author: Woofter,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:28 pm
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ooh parachuting in the war Shocked .
#304:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:43 pm
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I hope someone is going to give the forensic experts a new DNA machine for Christmas Laughing

Thanks, AdventDrabblers
#305:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:53 pm
    —
LizB wrote:
ooooh - I think I might just have seen a pattern

I'll need to check properly though

Thanks, AdventDrabblers Laughing


What pattern Liz? Shocked Shocked
#306:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:43 pm
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Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I loved the part about the DNA machine sulking!
#307:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:27 am
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Poor, poor Helen. Who could do such a dastardly deed? Especially after she'd taken such good care of Elphie!

(Memo: Remind me to avoid whatever model of DNA sequencer they're using....Could that explain last summer's results?)
#308:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:32 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 13


Summary

Wonder of wonders, for the second day in a row we were not called to The Chalet School. There was still a suspicious death on the Platz though and it was this team who yet again was called to the scene. The body was identified by lots of schoolgirls as one Gillian Culver, secretary at St Mildred’s.


Scene

It would be simple to say that Miss Culver had been run over, but that is not quite the case. She was run over, but it is not simple, deaths up here rarely are it seems.
We discovered the body underneath a coach that had been bringing back the senior school from one of the expeditions for which the school is apparently renown. (Is there anything it isn’t renown for?) The coach was still full of rather hoarse schoolgirls singing their hearts out in counterpoint harmony. It appears they had been told the scene must be preserved as intact as possible and since they were singing when the coach and Miss Culver attached themselves to one another, they continued. This meant that we carried out the investigation to the tunes of ‘One more River’ and ‘ Jerusalem’, not the most soothing of songs in the circumstances.
The body had passed under both front and back wheels and was dressed in sensible outside clothing, including nailed boots and coloured glasses. Her pockets were empty apart from a single envelope with the name and address of the headmistress of St Mildred’s on it. The envelope has been posted in the UK, but the postmark was unclear and it was empty.
The ground at this point rises up sharply from the road, and a little way up the rise there was evidence that at least one person had stood for some time. There were numerous footprints, two distinct ones, both from nailed boots and a third showing deep tread. Coming away from this point was a skid mark down to the road at the point the coach and Miss Culver had met. There were also 13 cigarette butts scattered around the area containing the footprints, all the same brand, and all slightly chewed on the filter.


Processing

Schoolgirls photographed and recorded.
Coach tyres removed and sent to lab for wound analysis.
Coach and it’s load sent to impound, apparently the girls will feed themselves from the contents of their pockets and hot chocolate made with snow, so hope it snows again soon.
Envelope bagged for fingerprint analysis, lab analysis of postmark and removal of stamp for collection.
Footprints photographed.
Cigarettes removed for DNA analysis (if the labs can manage, they are all on overtime with this case by now)


Evidence Collected

54 singing schoolgirls
Coach
Body (obviously, this is the Gornetz Platz after all)
Envelope
Cigarette butts


Pending

DNA analysis
Fingerprint analysis
Wound analysis
Marketability analysis of recording.
Financial analysis of overtime needed
#309:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:36 am
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How long will they keep the singing schoolgirls impounded?!
#310:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:38 am
    —
Lyanne wrote:
How long will they keep the singing schoolgirls impounded?!


Probably depends on if they're somewhere soundproof or not Laughing

Thanks, AdventDrabblers Very Happy
#311:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:03 pm
    —
Witness reports 13



Herr Gottfried Munsch, coach driver

I was bringing the girls back from Berne. They go there a lot, which I don’t mind. Berne is a nice enough place and I get the day to myself, which is good. What I do object to is their habit of singing especially on the way home. That’s what they were doing tonight – singing. And things I’d never heard before. Not good modern stuff either; I don’t think they’ve heard of any of the modern singers, or even people like Sinatra and Crosby. The stuff they sing is at least a generation older than that and nearer the first World War than the second. Anyway, they were letting rip with something or other all the way up the road until I wanted to scream. We’d got to the narrow part, where there is a small culvert covered with trees on either side of the road, which runs on the level just there. All of a sudden this shape comes hurtling out of the darkness in front of me, rolling down the hill and out into the road. I didn’t stand a chance, mate. Not a b….. chance! One minute the road was clear and the next she was there. I know I ran over her, but there was no time to stop. I did try to swerve – look at the skid marks if you don’t believe me – but it was all too sudden. There was this horrible thump as I went over her; I did manage to stop just after that. Then I had screaming instead of singing until the mistress in charge told them to stop behaving like spineless jellyfish and start singing again! I was thankful that I could get out and leave them to it. I went round to the back, as I knew that’s where the body would be, and saw this woman who was very obviously dead. I could see that she’d come down through the trees form the pine needles stuck to her clothes. I told the woman in charge that I was going to find a phone and set off up the road as that was the direction to the nearest house.


Miss Sharlie Andrews, school mistress

We’d decided that we needed to give the girls a change of scene. With all these deaths they had been getting quite low, we thought they needed cheering up, so Miss Crompton and myself took the Upper fourth into Berne for the day. Miss Crompton is new this term and never been to Berne, so she volunteered to go with us. We’d had a lovely day seeing the bear pit and the baby-eating monster fountain, and the girls were enjoying a good sing-song on the way back, singing all Mr Denny’s favourite songs as a tribute to him. It was dark by the time we’d reached the Platz and we were in the middle of a rousing verse of ‘Jerusalem’ when the coach suddenly slowed down very fast and skidded across the road. There was a bump as we ran over something in the road, and then we stopped. The driver was swearing as he got out and I hoped that Miss Crompton and I were the only ones to hear him. We had to stop the screams and calm the girls down without knowing what had happened. He came back very quickly and told me that there was the body of a woman on the road and he was going for help.


Miss Helena Wilson, Head of St Mildred’s

Gill Culver is – was – my secretary and had been for many years. She was very good at her job, and I shall miss her both as a member of staff and as a personal friend. She told me after lunch that she was going out for a walk to clear her head. We’ve all been upset at these murders as everybody who’s died has been known to us. Gill called to say goodbye as she left the house, and that’s the last time I saw her. I hadn’t registered that she wasn’t back as I’d been over to the main school and stayed for Kaffee und Kuchen over there. As for the reason she had an envelope addressed to me, I have no idea. I only wish I could tell you to ask her.
#312:  Author: ElKel, Location: Miles away PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:20 pm
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Should we organise a whip-round to buy the CSI team a new DNA machine? Very Happy
#313:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:35 pm
    —
Does this mean the CS is now void of all secretaries? What on earth will happen to the timetables?! Laughing Laughing Laughing

Thanks, AdventDrabblers
#314:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:48 pm
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They'll have to use the 6th form like they did when Rosalie got sick, won't they?!!! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#315:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 3:50 pm
    —
Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Not Gill! How can you do this to her? Hanging is too good for this killer! Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad
#316:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:24 pm
    —
Three people have now guessed the Mystery Drabbler, but no one has solved the case yet! Laughing

Background Report 13

Name
Miss Gillian Culver

Age
26

Main Residence
St Mildred’s Finishing School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland


Other Addresses
32 Dene Rd
Typewriter Town
Secretaryshire
Emgland

Family Relationships
Miss Culver was a member of a long family and seems to have enjoyed all the normal aspects of family life. She did not keep a room at the family mansion, apparently preferring to remain in town where it was easier for her to shop and meet friends. However her private address was let room by room on a long term basis to a variety of school friends, all of whom used it as a base and none lived there permanently. The current resident is the cellist Jaycynth Hardy who is living there while rehearsing for her next tour as it is close to her studio.

Other Significant Relationships
There is again no boyfriend, however there has been a long-standing agreement between Miss Culver and a Mike Lambert that seems to have broken down when Miss Culver took up the post at the school on the Platz. Miss Hardy informed me that Mr Lambert was very sour about the affair, blaming Miss Wilson for pressuring Miss Culver into accepting the position, despite all he was told to the contrary by Miss Culver, Miss Hardy and his own sister.

Employment
Since leaving school Miss Culver seems to have done the usual mixture of jobs taken by those who do not have to earn a living but seem to feel they ought. She has taken some secretarial training, quite successfully, and then several roles as PA to society women before returning to a new branch of her old school. It appears that Mr Lambert had seen her employment as preparation for marriage, but that Miss Wilson had accidentally met Miss Culver while preparing to start the finishing branch and convinced her that she could make much more of herself by being a school secretary. This does not ring true to my ears, although my informant seemed to take it at face value. I do wonder if there was more to the relationship between Miss Wilson and Miss Culver than meets the eye.

Other Notes
For a secretary Miss Culver’s room was in great disarray. When I checked this I discovered that it was not usual, that she was normally a very tidy creature. The maelstrom in her room leads me to think therefore that it had been searched rather rapidly for some reason, although whether or not by the murderer I cannot say. Whatever they were looking for seems to have been taken, as there was nothing out of the ordinary to be found.
Her office had not been ransacked, but it is worth noting that Miss Wilson had access to it as all the school files are kept there along with the safe. The top desk drawer was lockable and the key was missing; however when I broke it open it was empty. On the desk were the usual pens, blotters etc and a small camel with the pendant around his neck bearing the words ‘You can never have enough camels.’
#317:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:40 pm
    —
Hm, definitely a homicidal maniac around. That's as far as I'm going.
#318:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:57 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I wonder what Becky's reaction will be.
#319:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:07 pm
    —
Chair wrote:
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I wonder what Becky's reaction will be.


Deeply distressed and going for counselling!

Crying or Very sad Poor Gill.
#320:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:35 pm
    —
Kathy_S wrote:
Poor Rosalie! Somehow I don't think that money just fell out of the safe into a nice tidy pyramid.

Another GL is Gay Lambert, though Gilderoy Lockhart is a more likely suspect. Laughing

Thanks for the pencil info. It sounds as though HB = No. 2, the normal pencil. No. 1 is softer and No. 3 is harder -- I think.


HB does equal No. 2 Our tests usually said 'with an HB or No. 2 pencil' - we can never decide whether to copy the Americans or the Brits Laughing
#321:  Author: Woofter,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:33 pm
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Thabnks advent drabblers. This must have taken a lot of work!
#322:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:34 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White female, age mid twenties. No evidence of previous surgery or old injuries. One strange anomaly - a small (10mm long) cylindrincal metal object was discovered inserted into the scalp at the back of her head - no idea what it means but sure the truth must be out there somewhere. No tattoos or blemishes. Slight smell of ether leads me to conclude that victim may have been unconscious when thrown under the coach. One large tyre mark across chest and back, another across pelvis. Multiple fractures as a result of this.


Time of Death - Last seen at workplace at lunch (approximately 1230hrs. Stomach contents reveal time of death four hours after meal - therefore time of death 1630hrs - this would equate with coach driver's description of time of accident.


Cause of Death - Crush injuries to chest would have caused massive haemorraging and respiratory arrest. Death would have followed quickly


Results

Coach tyres standard - tread mark fits marks on victim's body.
Fingerprint analysis of envelope revealed three sets of fingerprints - victim's, Miss Wilson's and an unknown set.
Attempted analysis of saliva on back of stamp - machine informed me DNA was that of Queen Nefertiti of Ancient Egypt - not sure if we can rely upon this analysis.
Footprints were of two types, on set belonging to victim, one set to someone a little taller and with correspondingly larger feet. Not possible to identify specific person - we wouldn't want this to be too easy, would we?
Cigarette sputum retrived and analysed - person had type A blood - not a great deal of help there. DNA compariosn not possible as machine has decided that it is now Pharoah - slightly concerned that this fact does not seem to cause any of the team to think it's strange!




Report dictated by James R Justice

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
#323:  Author: Kat, Location: Kingston-upon-Thames/Swansea PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:38 pm
    —
*giggling*

Oh dear! Things are getting more entertaining for us, but worse for the Platzers...
#324:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:42 pm
    —
What's with the menagerie?!

Elephants, Camels, Giraffes....

Thanks Advent Drabblers - I haven't got a clue.
#325:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:15 pm
    —
*hopes for just one little hippopotamus*

Thank you Advent Drabblers!
#326:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:30 pm
    —
Hmm, all these references to Egypt ...
#327:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:35 pm
    —
Nicola wrote:
*hopes for just one little hippopotamus*

Sounds good to me - they're quite nice animals, not as good as elephants, of course, but we do seem to have quite a lot of hippos here too! Laughing

I can't find a hippo smiley. Sad
#328:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:59 pm
    —
OK, we will take requests for the involvement of your teddies, pets, imaginary friends/menagaries and evil twins. Just post their names and very brief description on the thread here...if they want to be involved, and we are not promising that they won't die horribly.

It may not be possible to include them all, as a lot is already written, but where there are gaps, and most of us have a few parts left to write, we will try.

(Guess who can't recall the names of everyones teddies etc! Laughing )
#329:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:08 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I haven't got a clue, either!
#330:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:43 pm
    —
Just caught up from page 7! Whew! Thanks everyone.
#331:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 12:08 am
    —
Having just read all that in one session, I'm completely confused. I'm quite sure that the 3 writers are throwing in spurious clues - I think I need to make a list of who is still alive and cross them off as they pop their clogs, whoever is left must be the murderer Rolling Eyes

Very, very amusing and thank you.
#332:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:17 am
    —
Hmmm. Wonder what's going on with Nell - but she wouldn't murder Hilda ... would she???

OK, brain is breaking. Very Happy
#333:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:30 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report - 14.

Summary

Got into work, note on desk - Go to Gornetz Platz, another murder. Yawn, this is getting boring. On this occasion, however, the victim was a Swiss National - most unusual, name of Gaudenz. A huge bear of a man, probably in his late forties - though it was somewhat difficult to tell - more of why later. Gaudenz was discovered by Anna - the housekeeper/childminder/chief cook/bottlewasher from the household next door. Place they call 'Happy Home' or something - though with 95 children I very much doubt that! Anyway this Anna person had come across to see her friend the school cook and found him.

Scene

The man was lying in the snow just outside the kitchen door, he was dressed for the cold and had probably just left the kitchen. In one gloved hand he held the remnants of some biscuits and he had obviously been eating some of the same while walking. Victim’s face, throat and hands had swollen up enormously and turned a violent shade of purple. Evidence in the snow showed that Gaudenz thrashed around for some time before dying - somewhat strange that no-one heard or saw him. Beside the body was a box, writing on the box read to Gaudenz from Karen - rather strange that she addressed him by his surname - did he have another name? Inside the box were more of the yellow biscuits. Was about to take one to eat when my assistant suggested that we get the biscuits analysed first as they may have been poisoned - smart alec git!

In Gaudenz's pocket was a christmas card with the same writing saying love Karen, whilst in another pocket Gaudenz had a small christmas pressent with the label To Helena, with love from your Giant.

Processing
Photographs taken of scene
Body placed in body bag and removed to mortuary - that'll be a surprise for them.
Comforting of Anna who was rather upset.


Evidence Collected
Christmas card
Christmas present
Box of lemon biscuits
Remnants of lemon biscuit in hand


Pending

Analysis of lemon biscuits
Handwriting analysis of writing on card and box
Handwriting analysis of writing on label
Identification of 'Helena'
Date with Anna - she's a very attractive lady.
#334:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:51 am
    —
Gaudenz discovered Margot's body, didn't he ...

My last theory about a pattern was incorrect, so I've abandoned it and am looking for new ones Very Happy
#335:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:07 am
    —
Gill Culver was microchipped! Why??


Ok, my brain my not yet be working this morning, it's a bit early!
#336:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:01 pm
    —
Witness Reports 14


Karen Pfeiffen, Head Cook, baker extraordinaire

I made the biscuits for poor Manny; he loved them so. I usually let him help himself from the big biscuit barrel in the pantry, but because it’s Christmas I made him some specially for himself. I always leave them to cool before putting them away, and these sat out at the side of the kitchen, where all the baking is set to cool. Anyone could have come in, and I labelled them so that the girls would know who they were for and keep off them. We were all coming and going all afternoon yesterday when they were made, so anyone could have tampered with them I suppose. I packed them up last night, and put his name on them. Everyone always used his surname all the time; in fact I think very few knew his Christian name at all. He preferred it for some reason - something about bad associations I think. There was something or someone in his past that he would never talk about, and I think was the reason that he stayed up here. I don’t know of anyone who would do him wrong; he was a gentle giant of a man who wouldn’t hurt a fly, even though he did growl from time to time - especially when some of the girls coated a door with syrup.
I have no idea why he would have something addressed to Helena in his pocket. There aren’t many with that name around here.


Mrs Helena Entwistle, languages mistress, wife of a San doctor.

Poor Gaudenz, he was such a kind man, so gentle. Who would have wanted to kill him? There was no reason to. He did his work and lived quietly by himself. There’s no reason why he would give me a present. He never has before.


Miss Helena Wilson, Head of St Mildred’s and the Chalet School since the death of Miss Annersley

Poor man! He was good at his work, very conscientious and efficient. Hilda always had the highest opinion of him, and I have never had any cause to disagree with that judgement. I’ve had little to do with him since moving back to the main school, and nothing before that. Was it only four days ago that we lost Hilda? It seems like years, but we have to try to keep going don’t we? There is no reason on this Earth for him to give me a present. We hardly knew each other. You must find another Helena my good man!


Anna Pfeiffen, general dogsbody and downtrodden serf

I went to have a chat to Karen. We’re more than friends you know, as we’re cousins too. Anyway, I’d gone through the gate in the hedge, even though Frau Maynard doesn’t like it. She’d rather I went round by the road i think, even though it’s so much longer. But the doctor made that gate for convenience so I’m taking advantage of that like everyone else. Anyway, I’d gone round the back towards the kitchen door, and I saw this great mound of snow. I couldn’t think what it was, as I knew that Gaudenz was always on top of clearing the paths. You have to be with all those girls about you know! It was only when I got up close that I saw it was another body, and then that it was Gaudenz himself. Poor man, he never hurt anyone in his life, and forthis to happen to him. Life’s unfair at ties isn’t it?


Glorianna Knickerbocke ticket collector

I work at the railway station, and I can’t believe he’s dead. I loved him in secret and now he’ll never know. I never dared say anything and now it’s too late! (Sobs in a heart-broken fashion).


Miss H Estelle Bubb, a visitor staying at the Pension Caramie

Mother would never tell me who my father was, and I only found out after her death a few years ago. I found my birth certificate when I was going through her things and it gave my father’s name. I only found out that he was dead when I heard people talking about the latest death, and it’s such a shame. We’d just met and were getting to know each other, and he didn’t even know I existed. I shall have words with mother when we meet again! I never use my first name, only the initial as Mother always insisted on using the full name. It made me hate it.
#337:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:25 pm
    —
*chokes*

Gaudenz and Miss Bubb Shocked Shocked Shocked
#338:  Author: Sarah_L, Location: Leeds PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:28 pm
    —
I read that as Gaudenz being Miss Bubb's father. Embarassed
#339:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:40 pm
    —
Which Miss Bubb?
#340:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:43 pm
    —
Is that why Miss Bubb hadn't been very well when she came out to the Alps? Rolling Eyes But wasn't she a bit old? Shocked
#341:  Author: Sarah_L, Location: Leeds PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:47 pm
    —
Pat wrote:
Which Miss Bubb?


Miss Bubb from Gay. Think I was getting my ages a bit mixed up, since she must be older than Gaudenz. Unless time travel is involved. Wink
#342:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 3:03 pm
    —
Poor Gaudenz!

Who dared to suggest that he was poisoned? Surely Karen would never do such a thing! Or, if she did, she'd poison someone who deserved it Laughing !
#343:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 4:11 pm
    —
Hmm...I was thinking of a different Helena.

Pogo (who has attended two gathers) would like to be part of the story - he is very jealous of Honeycombe (who also attended more gathers than him). He is a white bear (well, kinda grayish now) and is about 1 foot tall.
#344:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 4:22 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I was thinking of a different Helena as well. I never realised about Miss Bubb and Gaudenz, either. Shocked
#345:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:19 pm
    —
Chelsea wrote:
Hmm...I was thinking of a different Helena.

Pogo (who has attended two gathers) would like to be part of the story - he is very jealous of Honeycombe (who also attended more gathers than him). He is a white bear (well, kinda grayish now) and is about 1 foot tall.


Oh I am sure we can find some kind of role for Pogo!! Twisted Evil
#346:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:26 pm
    —
Background Report 14

Name
Manfred Gaundez

Age
46

Main Residence
The Flat above the garage
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
None

Family Relationships
Everyone told me that Gaundez was single and that he had only distant cousins, however I found a marriage certificate showing that he was actually married to an English woman named Mabel Bubb, who my investigations revealed to be a temporary headmistress of the school many years ago, and a visiting classics teacher of later years. It is not known if she is still alive as those people who could tell me preferred to spend their time making vitriolic attacks on her instead.

Other Significant Relationships
He was known to be friendly with Karen, the housekeeper, the gossip amongst the maids was that they 'should not be disturbed when alone together', and the staff tell me that they had to work hard to keep the senior girls away from him, although they were at pains to reassure me that there had never been any improper behaviour.'Not our girls, they wouldn't want to ruin their chances like that, and word does get around doesn't it.'

Employment
Herr Gaundez was employed at the school as a general handyman, caretaker, mechanic, electrician, gardener, groundsman and bootboy. He was paid the salary of the last one of these, plus meals and accomodation. The man was clever so why he stayed I am not sure, with his talents he could have commanded a salary of 20 times as much if he had taken a position in the city, or in fact in any other place than the Platz.

Other Notes
The flat was tidy and clean, but not very homelike. One room was a bedroom, another a livingroom cum workshop and then a small kitchenette and a tiny bathroom. The workshop revealed the handyman to be a man of no small talent, with carving, complicated electronics, furniture repair, clockmaking all going on in a small space. His tool box was packed with a murderers dream kit of sharp and blunt instruments, none of which showed signs of any use other than that for which they were originally designed. Right at the bottom of the toolbox was a rather squashed, small gold coloured teddy bear with the name Teddy Robinson printed on his left paw.
#347:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:35 pm
    —
Hmmm! Hoping that that sounds profound.
#348:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:38 pm
    —
I'm sure Gaudenz had a wife called Lisa in one or two of the Swiss books Laughing !

I prefer the idea of him being married to Miss Bubb though.

Not surprised the senior girls liked hanging around him when the only other man on site was Mr Denny Laughing .
#349:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:46 pm
    —
*strokes beard wisely*
#350:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:30 pm
    —
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I never knew that was his 1st name!
#351:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:56 pm
    —
Chair wrote:
Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I never knew that was his 1st name!


That's because I made it up for him! I checked the A-Z and he doesn't have one.

Last edited by Pat on Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
#352:  Author: Kat, Location: Kingston-upon-Thames/Swansea PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:36 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Right at the bottom of the toolbox was a rather squashed, small gold coloured teddy bear with the name Teddy Robinson printed on his left paw.


Uh oh! Pim, you really should keep a closer eye on him...
#353:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:08 am
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - White male, height 192cm, weight 96kg - considered overweight by modern standards but this was all solid muscle. Victim showed evidence of oedema in extremities and skin was a purple colour. No other blemishes or scars on the skin. Did have some studs on the body - not anywhere that showed, however. One of the studs did look extremely painful...

Clothing seemed unremarkable, normal winter clothing for the Swiss of this area, though for some reason he also had his scarf crossed across his chest - no idea why. I say clothing unremarkable - well I meant outer clothing - underclothing was very remarkable - well at least I think that a gold-lame bodysuit somewhat remarkable. It was of the finest quality, however, with embroidered pom-poms and tassels down both legs.


Time of Death - Body was discovered by the delectable Anna around 1000hrs, removed to mortuary by 1100hrs. Contents of stomach revealed last meal eaten some 3-4 hours previously and general state of body suggests therefore that time of death between 0930 and 1000hrs.


Cause of Death - Initial thoughts were of poison, however, as analysis of biscuits showed - they contained no poison. Instead Gaudenz died of a massive anaphylactic (allergic) shock. This would cause massive swelling to the extremities and the throat. Victim would die of suffocation. A pity, if there had been a medical person available with adrenaline the condition could have been reversed.


Results

Handwriting on card and box identified as that of Karen, the School Cook.
Handwriting on label was identified as Gaudenz's own.
No further along on identifying the 'Helena' referred to in the label - the present was a tiny model of a hippopotamus named Eric.
Analysis of lemon biscuits proved interesting. No evidence of poison but a foreign substance was discovered - latex - only a very small amount of liquid latex had been stirred into the mix - not normally a problem but, unfortunately, Gaudenz was allergic to latex. Quite how he had first discovered this is unknown, however perusal of his medical file (his doctor was in Interlaken, strangely, not the San) showed that he had a serious reaction once when he had eaten a cake made by Karen - investigation had shown that the only change was that she had worn latex gloves when kneeding the dough, due to a mild skin complaint. The latex in the biscuots, however, had been deliberately introduced.

NB.
Anna said yes - am taking her out for a meal tonight - that should show that SOC officer!



Report dictated by James Kildare

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:35 am; edited 1 time in total
#354:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:12 am
    —
I sort of thought Gaudenz was his first name ... Embarassed Embarassed

Gaudenz and Miss Bubb??????? Curiouser and curiouser.

And which drabbler is old enough to remember Dr Kildare, heart throb of my youth?
#355:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:57 am
    —
Yes, I imagined his first name was Gaudenz!

Shocked A gold-lame bodysuit and body studs? They are a far racier crowd on the Platz than I ever realized!
#356:  Author: janetbrown23, Location: Colchester PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 7:55 am
    —
Ouch always thought a Prince Albert stud sounded painful lol. I'm another who thought Gaudenz was a first name.....sort of German Gordon.
#357:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:31 am
    —
Scene of crime report 15



Summary
Called to the Chalet School once more to report on a suspicious death. This is becoming more than a little monotonous. The victim this time has been identified as Jacynth Gabrielle Lambert, commonly known as Jack, a former pupil at the school. Why all these former pupils should have returned to the school, only to find themselves demised is almost as much a mystery as the name(s) of the murderer(s).

Scene
The body was found in the room known as Hall, lying spread-eagled across the dais that occupies one end of the room, and is the preserve of the mistresses during Prayers. These are held twice a day, and the body was discovered by the music mistress, a Miss Lawrence, when she came to prepare her music for the morning service. The method of dispatch on this occasion was unusual in the extreme, being the school’s rather magnificent Christmas Tree. When I received the request for my presence I was told that this erection had been inserted into a rather painful place, and I was expecting a somewhat gruesome scene. As it happened this was not quite the case. The only orifice that had not been stuffed with evergreen branches was the one that I was expecting. However, there were boughs stuffed into the nose, mouth and eyes, and it will be interesting to see which was the actual cause of death.

The tree had been handsomely decorated for the festive season - presumably before all the unfortunate deaths in the area, which would put a dampener on most festivities one would assume. Although many of these baubles were still adhering to the branches, there were many that had become detached and these were scattered across the floor, some in pieces that were potentially lethal in themselves. Miss Lambert favoured a short haircut, more suited to a man than a woman, and was wearing a pink tutu and wings. The chairs on the dais were lying scattered about the place indicating that a fight had taken place. One or two of the chairs were in fact smashed and the deceased had clearly been using the leg of one of these as a weapon. Hair and traces of blood were found on the end of this. A leather shoulder bag was found lying under the grand piano which was placed ot one side of the dais, and papers found inside identified this as belonging to the deceased. A photograph of Mrs Entwistle was found in the bag, and a letter from the same person. The letter showed nothing remarkable in its content, but proved that the two women were in the habit of exchanging letters on regular basis. Mrs Entwistle had in fact been able to answer one or two questions that had obviously asked by the deceased in a previous letter. There was also a wry comment that the deceased should be able to find such answers for herself after all her years at the Chalet School. There were also tickets to a musical event, with an appearance of the well known cellist Miss Jacynth Hardy.

Both the doors into the room had been locked when Miss Lawrence arrived, as had the screens which divided the room into two, and all the windows. It was part of her duties to unlock the room ready for Prayers each day.





Processing

The body was removed for autopsy after the various branches had been carefully detached from the tree by one of the handymen employed at the Sanatorium, the schools’ handyman having become a victim the day before.
The chair leg was carefully bagged and taken for analysis.
A quantity of tree decorations were removed for personal use, being of an extremely fine quality.
The shoulder bag and contents were bagged and removed.
A list of key holders was obtained, detailing where each key was kept.

Evidence collected

Shoulder bag and contents
Chair leg
Body with branches attached
List of key holders

Pending
Autopsy on cause of death
Analysis of hair and blood on chair leg

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
#358:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:57 am
    —
Well, I should imagine that there was a very long list of people wanting to murder Jack Lambert!!
#359:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:14 am
    —
I'm not too sad about this one! Painful way to go, though.
#360:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:32 pm
    —
Ah, now, please don't tell me i am the only one who likes Jack Lambert.

I may have to do something about redeeming her if that's the case!


And, erm, wild guess - there is a plot by all the Helena's for world domination? Yes, i know, not a chance!
#361:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:32 pm
    —
Witness Reports 15


Miss Lawrence, music mistress

I picked up the keys to Hall from the board in the staff room as usual. All the downstairs rooms are kept locked at night since we had a break-in a couple of years ago. I always go into the upper part of Hall first as that is where the Protestants have their service, at which I play. Normally I place my music on the piano, ready to play, with the music for the Call to Worship on top, and the hymn book open at the hymn for the day underneath. Then I would unlock the screens that separate the two parts of Hall from each other. They are sound-proof of course, so that we don’t disturb each others service, but they have to be unlocked so that the Catholic girls and mistresses can join the rest to hear whatever the Head has to say. We have been taking it in turns for the last few days, since Hilda….. Anyway, then I unlock the door into the lower half and by then it’s usually time for Fruhstuck.

This morning when I went in the first thing I saw was that there were tree baubles lying on the floor just inside the door. Then I noticed that the tree had fallen over and was lying across the dais. I thought it had fallen by itself, and was about to go for help to lift it back up, when I realised that there was someone underneath. I hoped that whoever it was wasn’t dead like all the others, but she was. Jack Lambert had always been a little madam, too sure of herself, and too much the leader of her little gang. I can’t say I was sorry to find that she was the latest victim. I nearly laughed out loud when I saw what she was wearing. Don’t ask me why she was dressed like that. We haven’t had any fancy dress parties up here as you can imagine after all these deaths – all right murders then! Perhaps she wanted to be on top of the tree at the BBC, but if she did she’s in the wrong country. She should have contacted that Terry Wogan, not the Chalet School.

Anyway, I went to ring for you lot, locking the door again behind me.


Mrs Helena Maynard, languages mistress, mother of quads would you believe!

I don’t know why you want to talk to me. I didn’t know she was coming up to the Platz – she didn’t say anything about coming out to Switzerland in her last letter. We’ve been friends for a long time, since she started school here and I was her dormitory prefect. She started asking me about all sorts of things then and she’s never stopped really. Even though she was Head Girl and left school years ago. Yes, it did get tiresome at times, especially in the early days when I sometimes felt I couldn’t call my time my own. She’s calmed down lately, thank goodness. I have no idea why she’s dressed like that either. It seems so unlike the sort of thing she’d wear.


Dr Reg Entwistle

Perhaps now we’ll get some peace and quiet. That girl was always bothering Len at any time of the day or night. She’d invite herself out for holidays too, like she did this time. As you can see, I didn’t have a lot of time for her, though I suppose she was pretty harmless apart from this fixation on Len. I suppose after that that you’ll want an alibi. Well I was on night duty last night up at the San.


Sugarplum fairy, once decorating the tree

Well I saw it all, but as you can’t understand - or even hear - me, it’s not a lot of use me telling you anything is it? Twisted Evil
#362:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:58 pm
    —
Curiouser and curiouser... still loving this but still have no clue!
#363:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:34 pm
    —
I'm waiting for the best death of all - Jo's.

Then it will be Jack whodunnit.
#364:  Author: JustJen, Location: sitting on the steps PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:38 pm
    —
I think a lot of people will be celebrating Jack's death!
#365:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:41 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I'm surprised that Jack is still asking Len questions, but I guess I should have expected it.
#366:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:51 pm
    —
I'll celebrate Jack's death myself if it gets Kate to write a defence of her! Laughing
#367:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:55 pm
    —
Background Report 15

Name
Jacynth Lambert

Age
21

Main Residence
21 Brunel House
Telford Street
Bristol
England

Other Addresses
None

Family Relationships
Miss Lambert had an elder sister apparently, but no one I spoke to, including her family could remember anything about her including her name. The parents are both alive as are various cousins and step siblings, the family relationships appear to be complicated, but it appears that Miss Lambert is from the same family as the 'friend' of Miss Culver who was killed a few days ago. This may be significant but given the ins and outs of this community came as no surprise to me.

Other Significant Relationships
There appears to have been a strong relationship between Miss Lambert and the eldest of the Maynard triplets, Helena. My sources tell me this started when they were at school together, but has continued ever since. They seem to have exchanged letters on a regular basis, Miss Lambert writing about 3-4 times a week and receiving a reply once a week. It was with Mrs Entwhistle that Miss Lambert was currently staying. They seem to have had a very intense relationship and from her letters it appears that Miss Lambert had a great many other friends but none as close or as intimate as she was with Mrs Entwhistle.

Employment
An old girl of the school, Miss Lambert was in her final year at Bristol University where she was studying Engineering with a minor in fretsaw jigsaws. She was an average student, working hard for her exams and intermittently the rest of the time, averaging a high upper second class honours, and this was she was expected to graduate with. In addition she was a member of the uni women's rugby team, the spelunking club, the French swearing club, the delicate flower arranging society, the JMB Appreciation Society (a very active society on campus, of which she was the only member) and the Lets get drunk on Saturday Nightologists. It is a wonder she had time for any work.

Other Notes
Her room at the Entwhistles was odd due to the fact that she seemed to have most of her personal possessions there and had spread them liberally over the room, even one of the pictures on the wall was of those girls in her dormitory in her first year at the school, with Mrs Entwhistle as prefect. The other thing of note was a series of typed letters all saying the same thing 'Get out', just those two words. There was also, lurking under the drawers a Welsh Dragon called Llewlyn who was sure he was not imaginary.
#368:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:55 pm
    —
Carolyn P wrote:
I'll celebrate Jack's death myself if it gets Kate to write a defence of her! Laughing


Might i think i said might!!

who knows, if someone can encourage the bunny it might happen


In the meantime, she sounded in this like a typical student to me Smile
#369:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:01 pm
    —
LOLOLOL
another one bites the dust!

Thank you ADs....
#370:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:15 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I was curious about the societies she was a member of.
#371:  Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right! PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:18 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
[
Sugarplum fairy, once decorating the tree

Well I saw it all, but as you can’t understand - or even hear - me, it’s not a lot of use me telling you anything is it? Twisted Evil


*removes offending pine needles and decides she's suffering from concussion* Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
#372:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:20 pm
    —
Katarzyna wrote:
Carolyn P wrote:
I'll celebrate Jack's death myself if it gets Kate to write a defence of her! Laughing


Might i think i said might!!

who knows, if someone can encourage the bunny it might happen


In the meantime, she sounded in this like a typical student to me Smile


I quite like Jack too! *sends bunny food*
#373:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:59 pm
    —
I love the engineering-related address and the lack of interest in the JMB Appreciation Society Laughing Laughing .
#374:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:12 pm
    —
Quote:
with a minor in fretsaw jigsaws


Laughing Laughing Laughing
#375:  Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:13 pm
    —
Entertaining fact: There is, in fact, a Telford Walk in Bristol, and there are more "Brunel House"es in Bristol than you could conceivably wish to shake a stick at.

Mind you, a student living in Telford Walk would be seriously lost...

(Sadly, there isn't a Telford Street)

Meantime, I am thoroughly lost on all counts of this mystery - but I am also thoroughly entertained.

Ray *who does admit she did have to consult with her Bristol A-to-Z to check*

ETA Good GRIEF! You mean to say I've finally, after all this time, ACTUALLY made it to Inter V?!...!
#376:  Author: Kat, Location: Kingston-upon-Thames/Swansea PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:30 pm
    —
*giggling at Ray*

How long has that taken you?!


As for the drabble, I'm just enjoying it and not making any attempts to guess anything!
#377:  Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:09 am
    —
Ray wrote:
Entertaining fact: There is, in fact, a Telford Walk in Bristol, and there are more "Brunel House"es in Bristol than you could conceivably wish to shake a stick at.

Ray *who does admit she did have to consult with her Bristol A-to-Z to check*

And there are Telford Walks in Leeds and Manchester too.

Katherine *who does admit she did have to consult with Streetmap to check*
#378:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:40 am
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Hmmm, difficult one this - it's not every day that you are asked to perform an autosy on a fairy with a tree stuffed up her. Still, here goes - White female aged early twenties. Height 170 cm, weight 66kg. Body well muscled and with the almost obligatory tattooes, one, situated just above her heart was a heart outline - inside were the words Jack luvs Len - strange - wonder why she felt she had to write about a relationship between two men? A second tattoo, on the inner aspect of her left forearm, was a little simpler - I hate RE - obviously a person that had some difficulty with taught religion. On investigation tree branches were discovered in all orifices except one - I do wonder if the murderer had been disturbed before the final point. The fairy outfit showed evidence of having been pulled on in haste and some of the catches were fastened incorrectly


Time of Death - Body discovered just after 0800hrs. Evidence from the body would appear to suggest that victim had died some two hours before that. From the lack of bleeding from any of the wounds inflicted by the tree it is likely the victim was killed and them brought to the hall for the final desecration - would suggest that the murderer has an extreme frustration to work off.


Cause of Death - Although initially the cause of death appeared to be related to the tree, in fact it was rather more exotic. Cause of death was due to injection of approximately 30ml of air into a vein in the arm. Once this bolus of air reached the heart it would cause arrest.



Results

On being asked for an analysis of the blood sample the DNA machine produced the answer Winston Churchill - a definite improvement of Queen Nefertiti but otherwise somewhat unhelpful.
Blood group was group O - common sort - sure the lot up there would be horrified at how common their blood is.
Hair had been cut, not pulled at roots, it was a rich auburn colour.



Report dictated by Dr Finlay
#379:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:58 am
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I wonder why Jack hated RE.
#380:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:07 am
    —
I suspect "RE" relates to a certain doctor's initials rather than a school subject Laughing .

Would the mystery murderer like to bump "RE" off too .... ?
#381:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:49 am
    —
What a nasty way to go! Though they've all been killed or drugged before being 'nastied', actually, I suppose.

Love Jack as a fairy, wonder about the hasty dressing - did someone else do it???

Also loved the minor in fretsaw jigsaws ...

Kat wrote:
As for the drabble, I'm just enjoying it and not making any attempts to guess anything!
Me, too! Wink
#382:  Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:12 am
    —
Alison H wrote:
I suspect "RE" relates to a certain doctor's initials rather than a school subject Laughing .

Would the mystery murderer like to bump "RE" off too .... ?


Maybe said doctor is involved...
#383:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:39 am
    —
Now look here advent drabblers, i've read an update at this time when i've got to work every day for the last couple of weeks, just cos it's saturday doesn't mean you can post late - after all it's not like I get a lie in so why should you Smile



Considering starting chanting............ it's been a while since we had an official CBB chant isn't it!
#384:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:24 am
    —
Patience, Kate, Patience. All good things will come. Twisted Evil


Scene of Crime Report 16

Summary
Two bodies this time, but only one of them human. The body was identified as Bruno, the Maynards St Bernard. The human body was identified a while later as one Melanie Lucas who apparently is another tag-along of the Maynards, not an adoptee this time, just someone who hangs around there.

Scene
The bodies were discovered in the garden of Freudesheim. In the rose garden to be precise, just where the surrounding wall is steepest. The girl was underneath the dog that apparently weighs 30 stone due to many stolen drinks of lemonade and other things as well as only sedate walks with the nursery children. It took 6 strong men to lift him off, and this attracted the attention of the School seniors, returned from the coach impound. Luckily they stayed their side of the hedge and did not interfere with the crime scene, only with my team.
When we did we noticed that the girl was wearing a thick outer coat, the lining of which appeared to have been cut and sewn up by someone skilled enough to make it invisible unless you looked, but not skilled enough to do a neat invisible mend. It appeared that chunks of fresh meat had been sewn inside the coat. The body of the girl showed evidence of being squashed.
Above the rose garden it was possible to see the paw prints of the dog. It appeared that he had been walking around near the house, alongside human footprints and had then made a bee-line for the rose garden by the most direct route, his pawprints showing a gaining of speed. The lead was still attatched to his collar, although it showed signs of fraying.
The rose garden was searched. There was a lot of straw and Hessian sacks around the roses, these were removed and taken to the labs for analysis as it was impossible to sieve through them with the running commentary about cabbage patches. (You would think after 11 children the woman would know babies didn’t arrive in cabbage patches wouldn’t you. Not real ones anyway.)
The rose garden also yielded several small finds which may or may not be relevant to the case.

Processing
Photographs taken to add to the filing cabinet.
Dog removed and sent to labs just in case they don’t have enough to do.
Dog’s lead was removed and sent to be kept in evidence for undetermined reasons just now.
The coat was bagged independently of the body and the meat was also removed.
Straw and Hessian removed for thorough for searching.
Small finds bagged and removed to lab to be catalogued.


Evidence Collected
Photographs
Dog
Coat
Meat (smelly, don’t eat)
Dog’s lead.
Straw
Hessian sacks.
Lime green and cream ribbon, trampled in the snow.
Dog bowl underneath chair that was overturned next to body.
Two schilling coins.


Pending
Drug analysis of meat
Search of Hessian sacks and straw.
#385:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:20 pm
    —
Curiouser and curiouser!
#386:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:35 pm
    —
Background Report 16

Name
Bruno

Age
77 in dog years

Main Residence
The rug in front of the fire
The Salon
Freudesheim
Gornez Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
None

Family Relationships
Well, there are several young dogs with a suspiciously looking shaggy coat, but the Maynards deny any involvement with Bruno, he himself is unable to verify any paternity claims any more.

Other Significant Relationships
His name has been linked with any number of dogs in the area. The most frequently mentioned are; Karli, Trixi, Jack, Bertie, Spike, Ivan, Becki, Xena, Alfie, and Gretchen. These dogs are to be seen frolicking in the Freudesheim garden each day, falling in the pond, and causing general mayhem from 5.30 am onwards.

Employment
Bruno had a varied role on the Platz, he was general comforter, finder of the lost, protector of the weak, excuse to leave the house for Anna, Fete attraction, houseguard and for none of these was he paid in more than the basics of life, a warm fire, food 8 times a day, plenty to drink, a tummy rub on demand, and someone to pander to his every whim.

Other Notes
There were several dog beds in Freudesheim, one in the Salon, this was in use during the day, one in the kichen which was in use overnight and one in the master bedroom which was in use only on occasion. Hairs were found on all of them, not of which were the right colour to have come from Bruno.
The girl? Oh she was a non-entity, and not really important, Bruno on the other hand was a force to be reconed with. If you need to know about her, she was a schoolgirl, hanger-on with the Maynards on the basis that she once holidayed with them, but forgotten about when se got to the school. She was the jealous type apparently. Not important.
#387:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:01 pm
    —
*looks sternly at rent a mob*

"Just exactly what have you lot been up to?"

*rent a mob look innocent*

this is something they are naturally good at - the more destruction and chaos the more innocent they look


*sigh*

And only Bertie has his passport!! I may have to quarantine the rest!

Thanks AD's
#388:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:25 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I am sorry to hear about Bruno and Melanie.
#389:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 2:51 pm
    —
Poor Melanie! It is true that my first thoughts were for Bruno. Embarassed

(And if that's why Jo had the cabbages removed, it didn't work. Laughing)
#390:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:17 pm
    —
Witness Reports 16


Mrs Maynard

My poor, poor Bruno! What did you ever do to deserve this?

I think the man must be mad! Of course babies aren’t found under cabbages! The stork brings them! Everyone knows that! Talking of which, it’s about time I was busy again. I was actually telling the idiot that the rose garden used to be a cabbage patch, and that reminded me of those perfectly ghastly cabbage patch dolls. Such ugly things they were; I have no idea why they were so popular.

I don’t know whose turn it was to take poor Bruno out for his walk today, but he nearly pulls me over, so I’m not surprised he got away. Though why he should leap on Melanie like that I have no idea. He was given to leaping on people though; we never could break him of the habit, and he was a big dog. And I’ve never seen that bowl before. It’s certainly not Bruno’s.


Dr John (Jack) Maynard

Well at least the house will be more peaceful without that dog. Jo never could control him - or train him come to that. I was at work at the San as usual.


Bruno
Ghostly howl. Ghostly panting.

Anna

I was in the kitchen baking for Christmas, when I heard Bruno barking. I did not take any notice for he often barks you understand. He has had very little training – only what I have been able to give the poor brute in my spare time. Then I heard him yelp, a sudden crash, and silence. I confess I breathed a sigh of relief at the peace and quiet – I should have known better.


Philippa Maynard

It was me who took Bruno out today. I don’t like taking him out. He’s so strong and I’m not. Not since I had polio anyway. I’m mostly fine now, but I can’t keep up with him, and he does – did – pull so! ~This morning we set off OK, and I thought I’d be all right as I was wearing my nailed boots cos of the snow. But then Bruno started barking and pulling me, and I had to let go or he’d have had me over. I heard him yelp, and then there was a crash, so I went round the house to the rose garden. I saw Bruno lying down there, and the chair lying on it’s side. That must have been the crash I heard. He wasn’t moving so I went to get Mamma. She did so know it was my turn! She made out the rosta, and anyway she should have guessed when I went to get her. I bet she has another book in her head. Talk about Con being dreamy! Mama’s worse when she’s planning another book!


The Menagerie

Hoooowl! Hooowl!
#391:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 4:40 pm
    —
Not one mention of poor Melanie! Sad
Should we feel guilty?
#392:  Author: janetbrown23, Location: Colchester PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:05 pm
    —
Nah, Bruno was a major character, never took to Melanie anyhow, spoilt brat I thought.

Jan
#393:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:04 pm
    —
*giggles*

Thanks advent drabblers!

Poor Melanie, overshadowed by the dog!

(and love rent-a-mob's guest appearance!) Wink
#394:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:32 pm
    —
Love that no one cares about the girl, only the dog. Laughing
#395:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:34 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Height 1.2m, weight 126kg, a very large gentleman. Appearance - a standard St Bernard breed, very long fur, white and dark brown, male, very male. Some wearing away of fur around neck indicating that a collar or chain normally worn. Claws on paws were well trimmed and fur mainly well brushed indicating a loving home. Size of animal indicates a voracious appetite. Have come across any number of bitches having puppies that have him as the father - it seems his other appetites were just as voracious.


Time of Death - Body discovered around 1000hrs, removed to veterinary centre around 1200. Indications are that animal died just before discovery - which would equate with witness reports.


Cause of Death - Initially wondered if animal had died due to crush on heart - however analysis of the meal used to lure animal to jump onto the girl showed that it contained a large quantity of opium. Not sure if the intention was only to put animal to sleep or kill it, but the dog's heart could not stand the strain. Normally would worry about how murderer could obtain the drug - but they seem to give it out like smarties up there on the Platz.


Results

Meat found laced with opium.
Search of straw discoverd a large number of very long black hairs, a fountain pen - badly leaking, one quarter of a partly chewed cream cake and some shreds of paper that appeared to have writing about a school girl called Ermintruda Hathethwaite.
Two coins appear to have gone missing.



Report dictated by J. Heriot
#396:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:49 pm
    —
Now I do know who J. Heriot is!!!

I just have no ideas at all, about murderers or mystery drabblers....
#397:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:20 pm
    —
I have to confess to joining the folk who were more bothered about Bruno than Melanie Shocked

My method of waiting to see who is left is still the only hope I have of identifying the murderer.
#398:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:50 pm
    —
I love the comment about giving it out like Smarties!

It's a wonder neither Jack nor Matey were ever done by the authorities, the way they slipped "doses" into people's drinks right left and centre Rolling Eyes .
#399:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:01 am
    —
Doesn't poor Melanie even get a post mortem?
#400:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:51 am
    —
Scene of Crime Report 17


Summary

Sunday morning a very nasty call - go to woods just above the Gornetz Platz, there's a body hanging from a tree. Well I can't say it was totally unexpected, after all there's been one a day every day since the beginning of the month - but even so I wasn't particularly happy about this one. However when I arrived it was rather less of an ordeal than I had thought. The body had been discovered by a Miss Mary-Lou Trelawney, an ex-pupil and Head Girl of the School - she reported that she had been out for a long walk as soon as it got light.


Scene

In a natural clearing in the forest of pine trees just above the Platz, close enough that it was possible to see the lights from the School, San and even some of the houses, was the body. When my assistant had said hanging I, naturally, assumed that he meant hanging from the neck and that this was, obviously, the cause of death. No. The victim, known as Mrs Hilary Graves - previously known as Hilary Burn, an ex pupil and Head Girl of the School, was hanging from one of the trees, alright. But the body was not hanging by the neck. Instead a rope had been tied around the ankles and the body was hanging by its ankles. The body was approximately fifteen feet above the ground however it appeared to be fairly obvious as to the cause of death - there was a serious head wound causing copious amounts of blood and clear fluid to leak onto the pristine white snow beneath. There was an old hockey stick nearby with evidence of both blood and hair on the end. there were also a number of cigarette butts nearby. The rope holding the victim had been tied with a very complicated knot that Miss Trelawney annouced was a special Guide knot - she was keen to inform me that she had not only been Head Girl but was a Queen's Guide - no idea why she felt I would be interested.

Oh yes, and one other thing - I said 'known as Mrs' for a reason - the victim was dressed in the standard uniform for Games Mistresses - short gym skirt and top. The skirt had fallen back over the victim's body and it was obvious that, for whatever reason, the victim had worn no underclothing. it was also obvious that the victim, Mrs Hilary Graves, ex Games Mistress and Head Girl - was a man.


Processing

Photographs of the scene, some close ups for personal use
Removal of body to mortuary - they are starting to stack them up five high now.
Three ton of snow to sift through and see if there is anything worth while in it - no it's not because I want the snow for a snow fight at our Christmas do.


Evidence Collected

Cigarette butts
Hockey stick
Rope


Pending

Explanation from Dr Graves/Matrons/School/anyone else possible as to Mrs/Mr Graves' sex change?
Analysis of hair and blood on hockey stick
Analysis of saliva on cigarette butts
Investigation into type of knot used
#401:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:01 am
    —
*helpless giggling*

How splendid. Thank you very much Advent drabblers!
#402:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:11 am
    —
Shocked Rolling Eyes Shocked Rolling Eyes Shocked Rolling Eyes Laughing Laughing Laughing


ETA - I just noticed my current tag 'Going to investigate'! Does this mean I'm off to Switzerland to help with the case?

Last edited by Lottie on Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:13 am; edited 1 time in total
#403:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:12 am
    —
Shocked She was a man?! That's more shocking than her death! Sorry, than his death!
#404:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:14 am
    —
Shocked Shocked Shocked !

Laughing Laughing Laughing !
#405:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:52 pm
    —
Witness Reports 17


Mary-Lou Trelawney

Why am I getting caught up in these deaths? I haven’t done anything to anyone, but I keep appearing in them.
I was out walking in the woods by myself. Yes I know it’s dangerous to be alone these days, but who would attack me? One of the most popular Head Girls the school has had! Anyway, I walked into the clearing to be confronted with .. with.. well I was going to say Mrs Graves, but I’m not sure what to call her now. That knot now. I do know that one - most Guides would do, you know. It’s quite complicated to learn, but once you’ve learnt it you can tie it very quickly. Anyway I didn’t go very far into the clearing, as you can see by the boot marks, but came back to the school to report what I’d found.


Matron Lloyd

I am outraged that such a thing should happen to one of our girls. Who would do such a thing to poor Hilary? I don’t mean killing her - there’s so many deaths around here that you expect anyone to be the next person to go. But to mess around with her body like that! It’s desecration, and to suggest that Hilary chose to do that is scandalous. Just when she was hoping to come back to work aprt time to help out. These deaths have let us a bit short staffed you know.


Robineke Hude, maid to the Graves

I guessed something of the sort. After all, I clean the place for the Graves, don’t i? And do all the laundry. Things that should have been there weren’t any more, and there was far too much of other things, if you follow me. Oh all right, if you’re going to be that thick I’ll spell it out for you. There were no more bras going into the wash and far too many men’s pants. More than twice what the Dr usually gets through in a week. Mow I know why.



Dr Phillip Graves, husband of the deceased.

Well that answers a question or two! Hilary had been thinking about returning to work part time, but had been feeling a bit under the weather. She’d been referred to a specialist doctor in Lucerne, and had been seeing him for some months. She’d spent some time in the hospital there, and I never really found out what was wrong. She’d obviously been feeling a .lot better recently and had been going to see an Occupation Health practitioner recently with a view to returning to work. I thought the relationship was pretty close and that she’d seen more of the woman than was necessary, and now I know why! Can’t think of the woman’s name now. Some sort of colour I think - Brown? Black? Doesn’t matter anyway, I’m sure the name will be in the records somewhere. It also accounts for the down-turn in our own relationship. She’s been sleeping in a separate room for a while now - ever since she came back from the hospital. In fact I’ve hardly seen anything of her except at mealtimes. She was around for breakfast, and then said she was going for a walk. Wonder if she was meeting….. no! She always went to Lucerne for that. She did drop a hanky on her way out though. Quite a pretty one, all lacy with a lime-green L embroidered in one corner.
#406:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 2:20 pm
    —
*giggling lots*

I keep having to read bits of this out to my poor SLOC, who is now firmly convinced I am completely mad.
#407:  Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 2:41 pm
    —
*joins in the laughter*

this just keeps getting better! Thank you so much!
#408:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 2:50 pm
    —
Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked

Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing

I am assuming the person with the colour surname and the lime green handkerchief is someone we all know! *giggles lots and lots*

Thank you so much, ladies Very Happy
#409:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:05 pm
    —
Well, this has me beat. Thanks, Advent drabblers.
#410:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:05 pm
    —
Poor Phil Graves! I'm still Shocked at Hilary!

Thanks Advent Drabblers.
#411:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:36 pm
    —
Hmmmmm.....
#412:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:38 pm
    —
Are you Hmmmming at anything in particular Lesley? Twisted Evil

So glad you are enjoying this.


Oh, if anyone is wondering, today's third part will be posted shortly.
#413:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:47 pm
    —
Background Report 17

Name
Hilary Graves, nee Burn

Age
34

Main Residence
Aldersnest
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
12 Rue du Plicity
Berne
Switzerland

Family Relationships
Hillary Graves was survived by a husband and 4 children. This was a small family for this community and it appears we may now have a reason for that.. There was a small flat in Berne and was in the sole name of H Graves, with payments for rent being made from a private bank account. All the paperwork was done through a small solicitors firm in Berne, not the Graves' solicitors in London. It seems Dr Graves knew nothing about it, although the flat was well lived in, and full of 'Mrs' Grave's belongings..

Other Significant Relationships
Hillary Graves seemed to have no close friends. The Couisviour's live in adjoining flats in the same building on the Platz, and share some domestic staff, but that seems to be a purely business affair. Mrs Graves appears to have been a very private person in recent years, although all signs point to her having been a vivacious schoolgirl and teacher. Something happened to her character after her marriage.


Employment
Until her marriage she was employed at the Chalet School as a games mistress. For some reason the school appears to expect it's staff to resign their posts on marriage, presumably to make way for more old girls who will then marry more doctors from the Sanatorium.

Other Notes
The flat on the Platz was tidy, but despite being full of a young families clutter was strangely unhomelike. Nothing I could put my finger on, but ....oddly cold. Another odd thing was that mail addressed to Mary-Lou Trelawney was sat in it's own slot in the post rack on the hall table.
The strangest items were found in the Berne flat, hidden away in a shoebox at the back of the wardrobe. There was a small doll with a photograph of the deceased Helen Graves's face stapled to it's head, pins in some of the limbs and a wire going to the chest. There was also a rather unusual snowglobe. There was a piece of paper sellotaped to it, with writing that could only have been read from inside the dome, it said 'Got you,' and was signed Pim. The inside had scratches along the dome, as if someone inside had been trying to get out, and apart from the usual snow all that was inside was a tiny lifelike figure, dark curly hair, red eyes, evil smile and holding up a banner saying 'Just you wait Twinnie' signed Georgia.
#414:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 7:13 pm
    —
Quote:
12 Rue du Plicity


Laughing Laughing Laughing

Thanks Advent Drabblers.
#415:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 7:56 pm
    —
Well!!

I've just caught up on this since the

erm

3rd December (sorry Embarassed )

and am rather lost for words

Like Arky I didn't recognise most of the names Embarassed , and like most people I was more upset about Bruno than Melanie.

But it's all very good and enjoyable






oh you did ask for names of teddy's etc and also for evil twins
Matty and Chris are the names that sprung to mind for some reason Twisted Evil
#416:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:46 pm
    —
Dawn wrote:
oh you did ask for names of teddy's etc and also for evil twins
Matty and Chris are the names that sprung to mind for some reason Twisted Evil


Are you really suggesting we include your children in an advent drabble?? Shocked
#417:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:59 pm
    —
Darn, Georgia was my chief suspect. How much of this could she engineer from within a snow globe? (Yes, Georgia, I know: quite a lot....)

Are we sure it was Hilary and not a carefully smuggled twin/plastic surgerized double? Though that would indeed be an effective form of birth control, unless the cloning machine is about. Rolling Eyes
#418:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:03 pm
    —
Carolyn P wrote:
Dawn wrote:
oh you did ask for names of teddy's etc and also for evil twins
Matty and Chris are the names that sprung to mind for some reason Twisted Evil


Are you really suggesting we include your children in an advent drabble?? Shocked


Well we've already had Sugar!
#419:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:43 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Yes, well, this was rather a surprise. When the SOC officer told me that the victim used to be Head Girl at that School I naturally thought...well it really doesn't pay to have any preconceived ideas, does it? Victim was approximately 172cm tall and weighed 70kg. A white male dressed in the uniform of a Games Mistress - not, as my first thought, because he was a little 'strange' but because he used to be a Games Mistress. No. I didn't believe it either, but there it is. Examination of body continued, no scars or blemishes, no evidence of surgery. Despite information from witnesses this appears to be an anatomically correct male - if there is any surgery the technique is new to me and extremely good. One tattoo noted - on area possessed only by the male of the species - and only one of them. Unable to see entire tattoo - can only make out one letter - a capital L - it is possible that there is more but, the process by which the area concerned may enlarge is, I'm pleased to say, no longer in working order.


Time of Death - Last known meal of victim was breakfast at approximately 0830hrs, analysis of stomach contents suggests victim was killed some 2 hours later. Body was discovered at 1100hrs therefore likely time of death approximately 1030hrs.


Cause of Death - As the SOC officer mentioned, cause of death due to trauma to the head by blunt instrument. The aforementioned hockey stick being a likely culprit


Results

Blood and hair samples on hockey stick shown to belong to victim - for once machine working perfectly. Didn't last however, my next question was to analyse the chromosomes to discover original gender - at which machine emitted a cloud of black smoke and pronounced victim a perfectly preserved specimen of aardvark.
Analysis of slaiva has therefore been postponed.
Knot used is, indeed one used in the Girl Guides - also used in sailing and by executioners. No help there.


Report dictated Q. Crisp.

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:37 am; edited 1 time in total
#420:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 10:39 pm
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*wonders what Hilary's tattoo beginning with L could possibly say......*

Thanks you three! Laughing
#421:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:16 pm
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Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I never saw that coming at all. Shocked
#422:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:59 am
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Shocked Shocked Shocked

My brain is boiling gently. I can't even remember who's still alive - Mary Lou, I suppose, and Matey - and Nell. And the mysterious 'L'. Laughing
#423:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:37 am
    —
Scene of crime report 18


Summary
My car knows it’s way to that school on it’s own now! Everyday is getting a bit much. This time I had to find my way to the kitchen, where the cook, identified as Karen Pfeiffen by Matron Lloyd, had been found dead. Need I add the unusual and suspicious circumstances? Further identification revealed that the deceased true name was Moritz, which gives a whole different dimension to the case.

Scene
The kitchens at the school are large and cavernous, though light and airy at the same time. The equipment is all very modern and time-saving, and kept immaculately clean. Miss Pfeiffen was found in the industrial-sized bread mixer. This is a huge contraption situated in the corner of the kitchen. A conveyor-belt lifts the dry ingredients from the worktop into the top of the mixer, and water is added from above. It seems that the school serves bread twists (whatever they are) at least twice a day, that bread is needed for most meals, and well as rolls at a moments notice for packed punches and picnics. Hence the need for an enormous mixer. The body had a bruise on the temple and various cuts on all parts of the body. Her clothes were ripped to shreds by the blades of the mixer, but it appears that she was wearing conventional cooks garb at the time she entered the machine, to whit white overall, white cap, and brightly patterned chef’s trousers. Miss Pfeiffen evidently avoided the traditional black and white, for these were covered in brightly coloured dancing clowns. The cap was the only item of clothing found intact, and it had fallen from the head onto the floor, and was found under a bench in the middle of the room. A few drops of blood were found on the floor nearby. More drops were found on the conveyor belt, as well as various fibres.

At the time the deceased entered the mixer it was already being used to kneed the dough for the next batch of bread twists. The advent of the body had caused the dough to overflow and run down the side of the machine. Matron Lloyd was looking less than her usually pristinely starched self on this occasion. She had rung from the kitchen phone and remained in the room until my arrival. There was dough on the soles of her shoes and under her fingernails. Her white apron was crumpled and had a rip across the front. However, her presence had prevented anyone else contaminating the evidence before my arrival. Flour had been spilled near the door, and part of a footprint was found in it. This was carefully photographed.

After careful examination of the room, the deceased was removed from the mixer by the simple expedient of rotating it so that the contents were decanted onto the floor - or in this case into a large box. Upon further examination, human hairs and fragments of skin were found under the fingernails of the deceased and these were carefully bagged for testing.

Processing

Photographs of the kitchen, the mixer complete with body, and the floury footprint.
Flour for analysis.
Fibres bagged for analysis.
Hair and skin fragments taken for DNA testing.

Evidence collected
Fibres
Skin and hair fragments
Photographs
A variety of bread twists to keep hunger at bay, since there will be no meals cooked in that kitchen today.

Pending
Results of DNA tests
Results of fibres analysis.
The faintest idea of who is doing all these killings.

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:59 pm; edited 1 time in total
#424:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:57 am
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Oh this killer really has gone too far! I'm very upset now Crying or Very sad .

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Why aren't there more police officers on the case?
#425:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 12:41 pm
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I think we need to know more about the fact that Hilary Burn/Graves was really a man. And they killed Karen?!?! Somehow I don't think there's going to be anyone left alive by the end of this...
#426:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:04 pm
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Witness Reports 18



Heidi Meltzner, kitchen maid


Fraulein Moritz always liked to do the bread herself. She said it didn’t taste right if anyone else did it, though how that could be when it was done in that whacking great machine I don’t know. Anyway, she always likes one of us maids to help her, and today it was my turn. We’d weighed out the flour – or at least counted the bags and tipped them in, added the salt and lard, and I’d gone to the pantry for the yeast. Fraulein keeps a good batch on the go all the time as we need so much bread for the young ladies. Anyway, I heard her voice saying something. It sounded like she was asking a question but I couldn’t hear her words, just the sound of her voice. Then I heard a scream that stopped suddenly. When I ran into the kitchen Fraulein Lloyd was there looking like she does now. She does look a mess – nothing like she does usually. If it wasn’t for what’s happened I’d have laughed, but I’m too frightened for that. We don’t know who’s going to go next do we? It could be anyone, though so far it hasn’t been one of us – the maids I mean. So maybe we’ll be all right. But I think I’m going to hand in my notice all the same. Fraulein was already in the mixer, and I knew it was too late for her. It had been switched on and them blades is sharper than you’d think.


Matron Lloyd

I can’t say I blame the girl for being scared. We all are, but that doesn’t mean we have to behave like spineless jellyfish does it? We pride ourselves on training the girls to stand on their own feet and be strong women, so the staff have to set a good example, don’t we?
I’d been up with one of the girls who’d had a bilious attack in the night, and once she’d settled in the San I came downstairs to see if Karen had some coffee made. I knew she’d be up as we needed a lot of baking today, and she did like to supervise everything. That’s why the kitchens ran so well I think. She was good and kind with the girls in her charge too. I have no idea how we’ll replace her. She’s been with the school since it opened – or very nearly. A foundation stone Jo Maynard would say. As you can see the kitchen is in the cellar to help keep it cool in summer, and prevent fires as it has stone walls. I was walking down the stairs when I heard Karen’s voice. She said “What are you doing here so early?”. Or rather she shouted as the mixer makes the dickens of a noise. I didn’t hear any reply, but I heard her scream and ran down the last stairs and into the kitchen just as the outer door banged shut. At first I couldn’t see Karen though I looked. Then I saw her legs sticking out of the mixer and I tried to get her out. That’s how I got into this mess. The maid – Heidi I think she’s called – came in from the pantry then, and I called the police.
I didn’t know about the ‘family business’ that you refer to, of course. Though I knew that many of her relatives worked in hotels and such places, and some in domestic service. I believe that one of them is Butler to the Baron von und zu Wertheim.




Amended once

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:01 pm; edited 1 time in total
#427:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:07 pm
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I'm eagerly awaiting the denouement, as I am completely clueless as to who is doing these things. Someone must be completely exhausted after going on a killing spree of this magnitude!
#428:  Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:07 pm
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Family Business Laughing and bless Matey being so naive about it!
#429:  Author: Karry, Location: Stoke on Trent PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:42 pm
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Quote:
Fraulein Moritz
Does Karen have a secret identity?

Is she really a spy with 16 passports in different names - or have I got totally confused with someone else???? Shocked Confused
#430:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 1:50 pm
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The Moritz thing confused me too Karry - I thought she would be Fraulein Pfeiffen...
#431:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:01 pm
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The Scene of Crime report has now been amended slightly. Things will become a little clearer later! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#432:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:50 pm
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Background Report 18

Name
Karen Moritz, not Pffiennnnnnthingie as many seemed to think. This was quickly established as she was well known in certain circles.

Age
47

Main Residence
The Kitchen
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
C/o Black's Private Bank
Dosh Buildings
Rue de la Franc
Lucerne

Family Relationships
Her nearest close relative was Anna, the beautiful dogsbody at Freudesheim, who is a near cousin. There are no other relatives nearby, but she is survived by a large and widespread family, many of whom seem to be in domestic service and not very well paid for it despite having skills that could be much better marketed in another field. The whole family seem to choose this type of occupation, and in spite of their low pay, many retire to private estates. In certain parts of the world the name 'Moritz' will it seems, keep the jelly babies flowing your way for a long time unless the other party fancies risking the proverbial concrete overcoat. This information came from colleagues in a special department of Interpol who were very interested to hear that Karen Moritz was dead.

Other Significant Relationships
There was some relationship with the deceased handyman, but now they are both dead it is unlikely that the extent of the relationship will ever be known. Otherwise she ruled the maids with a rod of iron, not surprising given her family connections. She vied with the Matron for power over the domestic staff, and surprisingly enough the Matron is still alive, she must have some special powers or authority to hold off a Moritz.


Employment
Karen Moritz had been employed at the school for many years and had been in 'domestic' service all her working life. Prior to this she was privately educated on one of the families estates and was fluent in 49 languages and dialects. She also made the most fantastic lemonade.

Other Notes
How did she have manage to open a bank account at a private bank that chooses its customers very carefully for their wealth and discretion. It would be nice to view the account details, but the bank ties them up way to tightly for a mere mass murder investigation to be granted access.
Her bedroom was interesting in that it contained no documents whatsoever, only a copy of a Greek text called 'Hellenica' and a rather clever looking bear sat next to it. There was a label saying Xenophon also on the desk, but whether this referred to the bear, the text or was a code for something else remains to be discovered.
#433:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:05 pm
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Karen, dead?
#434:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:05 pm
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Very dead Jennie! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#435:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:11 pm
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Yes, but when are they going to kill Joey?
#436:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:13 pm
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Who's 'they'? Who do you think? As for Joey - well you will just have to be patient won't you?

Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#437:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:58 pm
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Maybe she'll be the Christmas Eve special, Jennie!
#438:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:04 pm
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Well I'm very upset about this Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad .
#439:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:42 pm
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Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I was surprised about Karen's family connections.
#440:  Author: Aquabird, Location: North Lanarkshire, Scotland PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:15 pm
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Advent Drabblers wrote:

Dosh Buildings
Rue de la Franc


Laughing Laughing Laughing

Loving this, but am completely baffled as to who's behind it all.
#441:  Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:19 pm
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Loving this, thank Advent Drabblers.

Have absolutely no idea whodunnit & not even trying to work it out...
#442:  Author: Woofter,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:09 pm
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This is brilliant! Thanks advent drabblers.

I've got no idea who's behind it all, I'll just wait and hope we find out at the end!
#443:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:30 pm
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Have just caught up with a whole week of this thanks to that nasty called RL.

There is too much to comment on but it is superb as usual.
#444:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:35 pm
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It is all fab! I have no idea about anything, but am loving it all the same.

Thanks drabblers!
#445:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:36 am
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Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Yes, well, after all the problems I heard about with yesterday's autopsy I thought being called in for todays would be simple. I mean, all I was told was a kitchen accident after all. However this is rather different. Well, let's make a start - the first things that are always mentioned are the victim's height and weight. Well, according to my calculations the victim was 4 metres long, exceptionally thin and weighed about 200kg. What? You think that was bad taste? Yet the bread twists always tasted wonderful so I've heard. Victim was female and very white - although that might be the flour....


Time of Death - Actually this was confirmed by both the Matron and the Kitchen maid - early morning, just after 0700hrs.No evidence confirming this from body, unfortunately.


Cause of Death - Multiple injuries is probably the closest I can get here. Multiple lacerations and a fair amount of mincing.


Results

DNA machine appears to be inhabiting a different world today, at different times it has told me the skin and hair samples belong to Tutankhamun, Adolf Hitler, Elvis Presley and Abraham Lincoln. All of these are male which, possibly, means something - then again, knowing this machine probably doesn't.
Fibres were identified as a bleached white cotton - of the type used in lab coats and nurses aprons.


Report dictated by G. Ramsey
#446:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:41 am
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Quote:
Victim was female and very white - although that might be the flour.... Report dictated by G. Ramsey
Laughing Laughing

I wonder if Matey got in that mess trying to recue Karen, or .... ???
#447:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:34 am
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Scene of Crime Report 19

Summary
Guess where the 19th December found me? Christmas shopping? Carol singing? Nope, on the bloody Gornetz Platz again. And bloody it is, with this many deaths. This makes the 19th and the case is still as strange. This body, or what was visible of it was identified as Miss Nancy Wilmot, a senior teacher at the Chalet School.

Scene
The body was discovered in the school science block, a new building shared between the school and the associated ‘finishing school’. It was in the corridor between the chemistry labs and the biology labs. There was what appeared to be a large pair of scissors stabbed through her chest, rusty ones, that were later identified by the matron as ‘not scissors but dressmaking shears, surely as an educated man you knows the difference?’ The body was rather a gruesome sight, as there were lots of scissors stabbed into it, all rusty and all, apparently slightly different.
The clothing was ripped and crumpled, but was the teacher’s usual twinset that was considered ‘trim and trig.’ (translation required) The pockets contained a paper tissue (used) and a small bottle of rescue remedy that the Matron looked disapprovingly at. Why the Matron had insisted on remaining I am not sure, but apparently it has to do with the number of accidents occurring in the labs, a Matron is now always present when they are in use. Pity she hadn’t been present earlier as well, unless of course she had.
The corridor was like all the others in this rabbit warren, well-swept, warm, cream coloured walls and lino floor. There was a group of three chairs in a window alcove halfway along and the body was positioned halfway between these and the far end of the corridor. One of the chairs was back to front, with the seat facing towards the window and on this chair was a pencil, a standard HB graphite pencil with an eraser on the end. Caught in the metal band holding the eraser was a single white hair. The corridor was empty of anything else, but outside the window was a large and deep footprint, indicating that someone had stood in the soft earth for some time.

Processing
Each pair of scissors was removed from the body, quickly identified by Matron and then bagged. How can she tell each type apart so easily, and who knew there were so many different types of scissors?
The body was bagged and taken to the morgue.
Photographs were taken of every inch of the corridor, these will lull us to sleep when insomnia strikes, and this case is causing a lot of that.
The pencil was bagged and taken to the labs, with the hair still intact.
The footprint was photographed and a cast taken to compare with all the others we are taking.


Evidence Collected
Scissors: Nail x4
Toenail x22
Dressmaking shears x1
Embroidery x30
Hairdressing x3
Pinking Shears x17
Decorating x11
Left-handed x24
Children’s x6
Kitchen x8
Bolt cutters x3
Tin snips x1
Trauma Shears x2
Paper x19
Used Tissue
Bottle of Rescue Remedy (which maybe I should try)
Pencil
Hair

Pending
Translation of ‘trim and trig’
Sleep
Analysis of hair, including any DNA evidence if root is still intact.
#448:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:50 am
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Goodness me! Rusty scissors? How shocking!
#449:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:50 am
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I'd love to know what's in the "rescue remedy"!
#450:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:59 am
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Alison H wrote:
I'd love to know what's in the "rescue remedy"!


It was Bach's rescue remedy, a herbal/alternative thing that is availale in Boots, health stores and pharmacies. It is one of the standard alternative roducts, but no idea what is actually in it or how it works, if indeed it does. It is meant to be for times of stress and anxiety.
#451:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:01 am
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Carolyn P wrote:
Alison H wrote:
I'd love to know what's in the "rescue remedy"!


It was Bach's rescue remedy, a herbal/alternative thing that is availale in Boots, health stores and pharmacies. It is one of the standard alternative roducts, but no idea what is actually in it or how it works, if indeed it does. It is meant to be for times of stress and anxiety.


I might try it Very Happy !
#452:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:05 am
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Yes, I quite fancy it myself!
#453:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:13 am
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Hum, well, my workings out in so far as who the murderer might be is pointing in one direction - however my brain is telling me no, this is too obvious!

I may hazard a guess as to who .............. so far as why is concerned - ah well, not a clue!

rescue remedy is a fanastic thing - it comes in two forms as a spray you can put directly on your tounge or as a liquid you can put a few drops into drinks etc. I use it on rent a mob when they get to excited!


Anyway, thank you AD's - how long to the next installment!
#454:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:15 am
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Feel free to pm a guess Kate, and anyone else who wants to...we will be saying who has guessed correctly and who guessed the MD!
#455:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:49 pm
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Thanks, Carolyn, Pat and MD. I liked the idea about sleep being pending!
#456:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:32 pm
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Background Report 19

Name
Nancy Wilmot.

Age
35

Main Residence
The Chalet School
Gornetz Platz
Berne Canton
Switzerland

Other Addresses
24 Back Street
Hidden Town
Secretchester

Family Relationships
The staff thought that Miss Wilmott had several relatives, parents, siblings and more distant relatives, all of whom had cut off contact with her following the publicity surrounding the revelations of her relationship with the deceased Kathie Ferrars. However we discovered that she had a closer relationship with someone as she was survived by two sons, twins Matty and Chris, known as 'the bogoffs'. These two sons knew who their mother was and were brought up in England under the care of a housekeeper/nanny during term time and their mother visited whenever she could, mainly during the school vacations. No one at the school knew of their existence, and it can only be presumed that Miss Ferrars did not know either, or if she did it was recent knowledge.

Other Significant Relationships
The relationship with Miss Ferrars was a long-standing one, dating from the term that Miss Wilmott was acting head. There had been some critical publicity when a student was withdrawn from the school because of the relationship between the two staff members, but this was over a year ago. The relationship had cooled slightly this term, most thought this was because of some disagreements in the staffroom over school policy and modernising the curriculum (about time), but it is possible that it was because Kathie discovered the existence of the twins.


Employment
Miss Wilmott was the school's maths mistress, this being an unpopular subject with the girls, but she was regarded by the staff as an excelent teacher, obviously inspiring the girls to a love of the subject was not part of her job description. I got the distinct impression that a lot of the staff could barely add up and did not like maths.She was an old girl, not of the school, but of the rival establishment in Austria, just as another victim, Mrs Embury was.

Other Notes
Her desk was covered in the usual teacher's paraphernalia, and nothing of any note was discovered there. Her bedroom was the same, and the only thing worth noting was that there was a packet of durex condoms, in date, with several missing, in her handbag.




May I add an apology to Lesley for shamelessly stealthing one of her RCS storylines about Kathie and Nancy, well sort of anyway. RCS just gets into your head and becomes real.
#457:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:41 pm
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RCS is real isn't it? Shocked Shocked
#458:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:47 pm
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I don't know who is busier, the murderer or the investigators Laughing

Thanks, AdventDrabblers
#459:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:02 pm
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Neither Liz! It's definitely those of us writing the thing!
#460:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:07 pm
    —
LizB wrote:
I don't know who is busier, the murderer or the investigators Laughing


Pat wrote:
Neither Liz! It's definitely those of us writing the thing!



Really! All three of you busy at once - alternative triplets on the horizon then Very Happy
#461:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:10 pm
    —
Katarzyna wrote:
LizB wrote:
I don't know who is busier, the murderer or the investigators Laughing


Pat wrote:
Neither Liz! It's definitely those of us writing the thing!


Really! All three of you busy at once - alternative triplets on the horizon then Very Happy

Just imagine if they are each busy with triplets Laughing
#462:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:55 pm
    —
Katarzyna wrote:
LizB wrote:
I don't know who is busier, the murderer or the investigators Laughing


Pat wrote:
Neither Liz! It's definitely those of us writing the thing!



Really! All three of you busy at once - alternative triplets on the horizon then Very Happy


Don't let your minds go into overdrive Kate and Liz. It won't help you work out who did it you know!
#463:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:03 pm
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At the risk of infringing copyright.......... Am i bovvered?


Very Happy


I haven't a hope of working out whodunnit or whydunnit, am sticking happily with whowroteit!


The time has come to enjoy the story and make silly comments about the writers, oops i mean story!
#464:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:06 pm
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Kate....are you safe making silly comments about those of us writing the story, after all Matey is still very much alive! Twisted Evil
#465:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:09 pm
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And we are still writing! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#466:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:11 pm
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Pah, after last time do you think that you can do anything to further upset my pschye?

*reaches for a further dose of rescue remedy*


Just keep on writing - we'd hate for you to run out of story just cos your answering my comments Smile
#467:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:18 pm
    —
Katarzyna wrote:
Pah, after last time do you think that you can do anything to further upset my pschye?

*reaches for a further dose of rescue remedy*


Well that sounds like a challenge to me! Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
#468:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:20 pm
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I still can't work out who is behind it. Soothes self by deciding not to worry.
#469:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:23 pm
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I'm trying to think who's still alive! Joey, Jack, Anna, Mary-Lou, Nell, the Russells ... Rolling Eyes
#470:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:29 pm
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Well, that can change quite easily. Eagerly awaiting a gory death for Joey.
#471:  Author: Rachel, Location: West Coast of Scotland PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:20 pm
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I think I know both the identity of the mystery drabbler AND whodunnit!

Shall I PM my guesses to the esteemed writers now or later?

Wink
#472:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:48 pm
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Well you can pm me if you like, and I will let you tell me if you are right or wrong! Laughing
#473:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:06 pm
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Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I liked the part about the twins!
#474:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:12 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:

However we discovered that she had a closer relationship with someone as she was survived by two sons, twins Matty and Chris, known as 'the bogoffs'. These two sons knew who their mother was and were brought up in England under the care of a housekeeper/nanny during term time and their mother visited whenever she could, mainly during the school vacations.


Always wondered why I felt like a housekeeper/nanny Laughing
Next time they're being obnoxious I shall solemly tell them I'm not their mother, Nancy is Twisted Evil

Thankyou ADs for another excellent update
and I have no chance at all of guessing anything - alhtough I did wonder about just pm-ing the names of all the CBBers for the mystery drabbler as then one of the guesses *ought* to be right. Although knowing the deviousness of Carolyn and Pat, it may not be Rolling Eyes
#475:  Author: Liane, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:57 pm
    —
Thanks you guys! To be quite honest I'm not going to hazzard a guess at anything, This whole thing could go anywhere!
#476:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:26 pm
    —
Witness Reports 19



Miss Barbara Henschell, Matron

It was my turn for duty on the Science Wing today, though why we are continuing with lessons I have no idea. The girls should have been sent home early with all these deaths. Though I suppose that theoretically they can be included in the suspects, I really think that some of these murders are beyond any schoolgirl. However, it’s not my decision, and lessons are continuing till the end of term. I suppose the girls will be allowed to go then?
Anyway, after Fruhstuck I came along here as usual. We have an office where we can work until we’re needed – and we are needed most days. Not always for science accidents – it’s not for nothing that the woodwork and metalwork rooms are in this wing too. The Chalet School is nothing if not up to date in it’s methods you see. The woodwork sprang from Tom Gay’s houses and the general interest in the use of the fretsaw you understand.
(Note from interviewer: No I have no idea what she means. There is no man called Gay working up here that I am aware of).
I decided to use the staff splashery that’s over here, and Nell Wilson was in there washing her hands. She’s the Head of St Mildred’s you know, and teaches science for both schools. I don’t know what she’d been doing, but the water was distinctly pink. When I’d finished I set off to the office. It’s right up at the end of the corridor so that I have to pass all the labs and work rooms to get there. As you have seen they open off both sides of the corridor in a series of little wings of two rooms side by side, and there is a window alcove in between each pair. I could see something lying on the floor and hoped it wasn’t another body. But when I got closer I could se it was Nancy Wilmot. I don’t know what she was doing up here for she teaches Maths in the main block. Somebody had really got it in for her though as they’d made pretty sure that she wouldn’t recover. I mean, all those scissors are a bit of an overkill aren’t they? Oh, I’m sorry, That was pretty bad taste wasn’t it? It’s true though. Why all those scissors? Weird.


Miss Helena Wilson

I remember Barbara Henschell coming into the splashery. I’d dropped a flask in the chemistry lab and cut a finger when I was clearing it up. I keep a supply of dressings in the drawer in the demonstration bench so I grabbed one of those and went to clean up.. Nancy had popped over for a chat straight after Fruhstuck. We’ve been pretty friendly ever since she stood in for Hilda once when Hilda was visiting other schools, and we get together regularly when we get the chance. No, we’re really just friends. She was more friendly with Miss Ferrars to be honest. She was with me when I dropped the flask and teased me, then she had to dash to her first class and I went to wash my hands and put the dressing on. I thought I heard a scuffle, but with the water running nothing came over clearly.
The pencil you are holding is a standard school pencil that all the girls and mistresses use. There are hundreds in the stationery cupboard. That one might very well be mine. I certainly had more than one in the lab, and I have a habit of sticking them over my ears out of the way. You can’t always prevent spills in a lab and I hate my pens and pencils to get messed up in that sort of thing.


Chris and Matty Wilmott, twins

Mum called us her BOGOF, you know, buy one get one free. I suppose she thought it funny, bless her, and so did we to be honest. It’s a shame she’s dead, she was good fun when she could be with us. So was her friend Kathie.
(Interview interrupted at this point by a resounding crash as Chris’s chairs tips over under him and deposits him on the floor.)
(Interview terminated when it was discovered that he had broken his wrist.)

Last edited by Advent Drabblers on Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:23 pm; edited 2 times in total
#477:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:32 pm
    —
*giggles wholeheartedly at the Chris and Matty interview*

Thanks ADs!

*wonders if the MD is posting thank yous and comments in a deviously red herringish manner*

You know, the words Mystery Advent Drabbler abbreviates to MAD....
#478:  Author: Katarzyna, Location: North West England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:11 pm
    —
Kate wrote:
You know, the words Mystery Advent Drabbler abbreviates to MAD....



I'd say that that was probably extremely apt!
#479:  Author: arky72, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:12 pm
    —
Laughing at Matty and Chris!
#480:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:19 pm
    —
Pat wrote:
RCS is real isn't it? Shocked Shocked



Of course it's real - I never write fiction.


Lesley
Official Historian



(And no need to apologise to me - I think others had the idea long before it appeared in RCS.)

Last edited by Lesley on Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
#481:  Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:29 pm
    —
MAD? Well, that narrows it down enormously then...

*giggling at the Wilmot twins*
#482:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:37 pm
    —
MAD Question Question It might be dangerous to agree. Laughing
#483:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:02 pm
    —
Pat wrote:
MAD Question Question It might be dangerous to agree. Laughing


Why would it be dangerous? Everyone KNOWS the three of you are UTTERLY mad...... Wink

*living dangerously*
#484:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:18 pm
    —
Do I detect some gloating there Vikki? Should I issue an Uto alert?
#485:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:38 pm
    —
I am narrowing down my list of suspects ...

The question is, are you giving us obvious clues or trying to mislead us, or even a double-bluff?!
#486:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:42 pm
    —
*giggles at characteristic end of twins' interview*

But really -- these murders are getting more and more violent.Shocked No more mercifully knocking victims before blenders or rusty scissors. Are you sure Rachel has resigned?
#487:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:46 pm
    —
Maybe Rachel's the murderer!
#488:  Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:47 pm
    —
I've given up trying to keep up with who is still alive now. But I think my suspect is.

Love Matty and Chris - do they know they are in it?
#489:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:36 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Well, start at the beginning then. Victim was a tall, white female, height approx 178 cm, weight 68kg, had given birth at least once. She was a very good looking lady - a tall blonde, not too thin, just enough curves, beautiful blue eyes....ahem. Sorry about that...

*Sound of cold shower being run for some minutes*

Right - no identifying marks on person, no scars or blemishes...a completely flawless complexion - surprisingly the face wasn't touched by the attack...

*Another cold shower*

Personal opinion? The woman was a babe.


Time of Death - Body discovered just after 1030hrs, removed to mortuary by 1100 - they are getting more efficient. Time of death placed at approximately 1000 as blood had not had time to pool in that beautiful derriere....

*Another cold shower - a long one*


Cause of Death - Well so far I've counted two hundred and nineteen stab wounds so assume they had something to do with it. Of these fourteen sliced through major arteries, two sliced through the windpipe and seven entered the heart. Any one of those could have done it - take your pick. Oh and a la Agatha Christie in a certain 'train' book - both hands used and some strong blows and some weak - we're obviously looking for someone strong.

(Rest of cause of death degenerates into the singing of some rather sad ballad to Nancy Wilmot.....)


Results

Writer of the rest of this report sent to Asylum For the Sexually Challenged - I am his assistant and will finish this:-

Hair had root attached and so was scanned for DNA - a result! Hair belonged to a Marie-Antoinette - an Austrian women, apparently, but one that has lived in France for a long time. Finally we get a usable sample and I, the humble assistant am...what? Speak up!

*Sound of urgent whispering*

Oh bugger! Well never mind, how do you erase this? You can't? What type of tin-horn outfit are we running here?

*Long silence*

Right, so DNA sample totally useless - you sure about that? Okay, okay, only asking! Gees.

Moving on- rescue remedy - well, initially this was thought to be the stuff you buy over the counter - but when we analysed it there was a surprise - one part gin, one part brandy, one part vodka, three parts Southern Comfort with a splash of orange juice - don't know about rescue remedy - this was lethal in itself. Still, can see why she was smiling - the boss was right - she really is a babe....



Report dictated by Will Sword
#490:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:40 pm
    —
janem wrote:

Love Matty and Chris - do they know they are in it?


I think they're a bit bemused by it Laughing
#491:  Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:43 pm
    —
Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing

I love the cold showers and as for the Rescue Remedy... Shocked

Thank you ladies!
#492:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:11 am
    —
LizB wrote:
I am narrowing down my list of suspects ...

So am I! Laughing It's not Nancy, or Karen, or..... I've no idea who the murderer is or murderers are. Nor do I have a clue about the Mystery Drabbler - I know it's not me! It could be any of the rest of you, though!
#493:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:18 am
    —
My suspect is still alive, too. I wonder ... Wink

Shame about Nancy, I like her. Going off at a tangent, interesting to think about her and Nell getting friendly when she deputised for Hilda.
#494:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:27 am
    —
*giggles at the cold showers*

Where's this morning's fix then?
#495:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:40 am
    —
Don't be so impatient Liz!


Scene of Crime Report 20


Summary

Back up to the Platz again, but to one of the chalets scattered about the place. This lulled me into a false idea that this one might be different, and not part of this series of bizarre killings. How wrong can you get?! This one was as bizarre as they come, and involved someone that even I recognised without the body being formally identified. It was Jane Carew, daughter of the famous Shakespearean actors, and rapidly making a name for herself in theatrical circles.


Scene

Miss Carew had been secured to a large dining chair (the sort with arms) that had been placed in the lounge, I say secured as she had been kept in place by such a plethora of different things that it was difficult to see very much of her. There were ropes of course, but also brightly coloured ribbons, lengths of tinsel, yards of lace, strings of beads - you name it, it had been used. Someone was making sure she couldn’t move! In fact she looked something like an over-decorated Christmas tree. On her head was an oversize set of headphones, and it was possible to hear the muffled sound of voices and music still issuing forth from them. In front of her was a screen with a film playing on it. Not any sort of film either, this was clearly a school production from the age of the cast. At first it seemed that Miss Carew might still live, for her eyes were open and fixed on the screen with a look of bored horror. And yes I know that sounds wrong, but there’s no other way of describing it.

The curtains had been pulled to block out the light, though a small gap could be seen in the middle. Behind the chair was a sophisticated film projector which was playing the film on the screen. Upon investigation the film proved to be an extended loop, which ensured that the same film would be played over and over again. No wonder the poor girl was bored.

There was no sign of a struggle which suggested that whoever had set this death up had been known to their victim. This is in keeping with other killings in this series. Apart from the unusual arrangement of the furniture the room was clean and tidy, with noting out of place. In the kitchen were two glasses standing upside down on the draining board, and a bottle of home made lemonade standing on the table. The ashtray had been emptied, but the contents were found in the kitchen bin. A file in the dining room had a collection of letters about the possibility of turning some book into a film – presumably to star Miss Carew. The book in question was the latest by Con Maynard, and the final letter showed that the idea had been rejected. Apparently the two sides could not agree terms.

The body had been discovered by the above mentioned Con Maynard, who had knocked at the door, and on getting no reply had gone round the chalet looking in at the windows. Both doors were locked, the kitchen door also being bolted on the inside.


Processing

All surfaces were dusted for fingerprints – bottle, doors, chair, glasses, headphones, projector and screen.
Casts were taken of all footprints in the vicinity.
Cigarette ends taken for analysis.
Photographs were taken of everything. I think the photographer must be in competition with someone.
The film was packed into a box and stored in Headquarters basement in case it was ever needed.


Pending

A headache.
Fingerprint identification.
A headache.
Footprints identification.
A blinding headache.
Analysis of cigarette ends
Replacement forensics equipment.
#496:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:56 am
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Don't be so impatient Liz!

Who said I was impatient? I could just have been curious as to it's whereabouts Wink


Poor Jane

*sends the investigator a small dose for the headache*
#497:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:57 am
    —
A lot of those deceased seem to be people who've "starred" in drabbles this year, but presumably that's just a coincidence!

Poor old Jane ...
#498:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:06 am
    —
LizB wrote:
Advent Drabblers wrote:
Don't be so impatient Liz!

Who said I was impatient? I could just have been curious as to it's whereabouts Wink


Poor Jane

*sends the investigator a small dose for the headache*


I suspect it was the mention of a fix that prompted that comment Liz. But I couldn't possibly be certain of course! Twisted Evil
#499:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:11 am
    —
Pat wrote:
I suspect it was the mention of a fix that prompted that comment Liz. But I couldn't possibly be certain of course! Twisted Evil


Well, it's very cruel to train us to expect an update first thing in the morning and then not to provide us with it. It's like Pavlov ringing bells and not providing food! Laughing
#500:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:18 am
    —
LizB wrote:
Pat wrote:
I suspect it was the mention of a fix that prompted that comment Liz. But I couldn't possibly be certain of course! Twisted Evil


Well, it's very cruel to train us to expect an update first thing in the morning and then not to provide us with it. It's like Pavlov ringing bells and not providing food! Laughing



*agrees with Liz*


Thanks for this though, it is the only thing getting me through the day at the moment (well, this and gin, obviously).
#501:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:44 am
    —
What do you call 8.40 am? That's first thing as far as I'm concerned!
#502:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:53 am
    —
Pat wrote:
What do you call 8.40 am? That's first thing as far as I'm concerned!



Yes, but when you have been up since 6.00am, waiting for your your drabble fix, it is a long wait!
#503:  Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:58 am
    —
Elle wrote:
Pat wrote:
What do you call 8.40 am? That's first thing as far as I'm concerned!



Yes, but when you have been up since 6.00am, waiting for your your drabble fix, it is a long wait!

There's a simple answer to that - don't get up so early, then you won't have so long to wait! Laughing It's far too cold and dark at that hour anyway - bed is the only sensible place!
#504:  Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:04 am
    —
Lottie wrote:
There's a simple answer to that - don't get up so early, then you won't have so long to wait! Laughing It's far too cold and dark at that hour anyway - bed is the only sensible place!



An excellent point! One I will act upon tomorrow!
#505:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:54 pm
    —
Background Report 20

Name
Jane Carew

Age
20

Main Residence
Penthouse Appartment
Olivier Buildings
Geilguid Terrace
London

Other Addresses
Star Mansions
Limelight Boulevard
Hollywood
Los Angeles

Family Relationships
Miss Carew is survived by both her parents, who are both world renown shakespearean actors. They were a close family, although often seperated by work, Miss Carew spent part of each year in America filming, and part of it in London. They seem to have corresponded and had a warm relationship.

Other Significant Relationships
Miss Carew had several friends from her time at school and had remained in contact with them. They all seem to have one thing in common, a hatred of Jack Lambet, who died a few days ago. That young lady seems to have been universally hated. Jane Carew however was as loved as Jack was hated, although she seems to have been careful, realising that some of the friendship shown her was either just fangirl squeeeee or people wanting to know her because she was famous. This later category is one she seems from her diary to have placed Con Maynard in, wanting to use the fact they were at school together to get a second rate film made.


Employment
Since leaving school Miss Carew has never been out of work. She has attended several classes at RADA, but as an external student, being above the usual standard of their student. She has appeared on the West end stage and at Stratford and taken several supporting film roles. She is seen as being at the start of a long and promising career and not only has the looks, but also has the talent needed and the determination. The screenplay that Con Maynard was offering was not official, and her agent has told me that the terms Miss Maynard wanted were not good enough, no matter how long she had known Miss Carew and that Miss Carew had already instructed them to turn down any involvement as the screenplay was well below standard.

Other Notes
The film playing was horrific. We had to disable it before the room could be processed and I think it could actually class as a weapon in its own right, a taped loop of Chalet School Nativity plays. Most of them were from the era before the deceased had any involvement with them, although there were a few from her time as a schoolgirl as well. Her involvement with the plays has continued since she left school, having come to stay on the Platz several times in order to help produce the school's annual nativity play. Her name did the school no harm when it came to attracting a crowd to the production, but she never agreed to take an acting role after leaving school, much to their disappointment.
There was nothing in the chalet she rented that was particularly interesting apart from her diary, much of which was useful in compiling this report and which will be up for sale on ebay once there is some good publicity. There was also a teddy ( of course, there always is with these girls) this time called Pogo and he was found looking out of the window in the bedroom. I have arranged for him to be sent to the VK Teddy Bear sanctuary in Windsor, England.
#506:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:01 pm
    —
Advent Drabblers wrote:
There was also a teddy ( of course, there always is with these girls) this time called Pogo and he was found looking out of the window in the bedroom. I have arranged for him to be sent to the VK Teddy Bear sanctuary in Windsor, England.


Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing

It's Honeycombe isn't it - as a result of the Trauma - the brains behind it all co-ordinating all the other teddy bears, giraffes, camels, donkeys etc. to carry out these gruesome murders. And the investigators are sorry for them and sending them to a sanctuary instead of arresting them!!!
#507:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 4:50 pm
    —
If there are teddy bears around, then the murderer must be Vikki. it's too much of a concidence, otherwise. Unless Vikki is the mystery drabbler.

Hm, which option to choose?
#508:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:48 pm
    —
Could be both, Jennie.
#509:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:49 pm
    —
Thanks, Pat, Carolyn and MD. I am slightly confused - was Jane bored to death, please?
#510:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:53 pm
    —
You will have to wait for the post mortem report to find out Chair.



Witness Reports 20


Miss Constance Maynard, one of the endless brood

I went to see Jane to talk about the book. The idea for the film had been hers, and I thought everything was going through, but my agent must have got his lines crossed somewhere, because it all fell apart. I was quite happy with what had been offered. Anyway, I knocked at the door and got no reply. I was pretty sure Jane was in, so I walked round the place looking in at the windows. ~I thought it was funny that the lounge curtains were pulled in the middle of the day, so I peered through the gap. I could just see Jane, and was surprised that she hadn’t got fairy lights draped over her too. She wasn’t moving, but that didn’t surprise me as no could have moved under the weight of that lot. It did occur to me that she might be dead after all the others, so I ran home to phone. I didn’t see anything odd or anyone strange hanging around, though a car passed me as I was going to the chalet. It didn’t register who’s it was I’m afraid.


Mrs Rachel Underwood, a witch.

Of course I missed most of it due to being slightly preoccupied with a glass of cider and two delicious mince pies at the time, but I'm sure I'll remember enough in a minute or two. (Pause for slugging back of pint of cider) Yerp, I'm sure I can rememember some of it now. It was her that did it (pointing randomly in direction of building next door) and it was her what got doned in
(points at policeman much to most people's confusion) Course (second pint of cider magically appears from under the witness's jumper) I might be mistaken in that third point. (Counts on fingers) Second point.
The last time I spoke with the victims he said he wasn't the victim, but I still think he is wrong. But the dead girl was possibly a victim too, so he might be mistaking her for him, or t'other way round. Or summat...
The bit I really don't understand, and I mean really, reallly REALLY don't understand, is why there is a christmas tree reference at all seeing as how it's almost Easter.
(Interview abandoned in desperation)


Miss Lucy Peters

Dad taking me out for a drive in the car. We were chatting away when he suddenly asked what Con was doing skulking round that chalet. When I looked up I saw her peering in through the kitchen window. Then we were past.


Dr Frank Peters

I don’t know why Lucy mentioned it. I commented that Con was behaving funnily that’s’ all. Now I know why. This is rum business all round, isn’t it?


Miss Helena Wilson

I was out for a walk as I needed some fresh air. I need to get away to be honest, but with the girls held here because of what’s been happening there’s not a lot of chance. Anyway I was walking past the chalet that Jane was living in when I saw her walking up the path with someone. No idea who it was - it was a bit far away, and anyway whoever it was, was carrying a huge mound of Christmas decorations that completely hid them. They looked to be dark haired though.


Miss Ruth Derwent, English mistress

I don’t just each English you know, I produce the Christmas play as a team with Kathie Ferrars Jane had come up to help this year, and now I wish she hadn’t. I had a look at con’s book which was a good read. However, Con had also written the proposed screenplay, and to be honest that was complete rubbish. It wouldn’t have worked at all. It’s a shame, because Con has written some very good Christmas Plays for the school, but this just hadn’t got the same feel as the book.
#511:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:13 pm
    —
Thanks, MD, Carolyn and Pat. I loved Rachel's report!
#512:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:12 pm
    —
Forensic Report

Post Mortem


Examination - Hmmm, well this was a difficult one. Victim discovered dead - well obviously dead - why else would they be in a mortuary? We're the only idiots that come here when we're still alive - though I'm not so sure about my assistant - is it normal to only ever wear a dressing gown? Oh well. Victim was a young woman, white, age approximately 20 years old, height 155cm weight 55kg. Very attractive and, I understand, an exceptional actress. No scars or blemishes noted however victim did have the word JACK tattooed across her left breast with a bleeding dagger stabbed through it. Wouldn't like to be this Jack - wonder if he's an ex-boyfriend? Evidence of having been drugged before dying - traced to the lemonade - not responsible for the death, would only cause victim to sleep. The items used to tie victim to chair were also examined - all tied using specialist knots - possibly a guiding background, or maybe military


Time of Death - Body was discovered just after midday and removed to mortuary within hour. Stomach contents showed last meal was breakfast and was eaten approximately three to four hours before death. Body deterioration suggests had been dead approximately two hours before examination. Therefore tentatively time of death set at 1100hrs.


Cause of Death - Yes, well this one was difficult - there was no evidence of any poison, any injury, airway was clear, heart and internal organs all healthy. Brain healthy and no evidence of any damage. I was forced to the inescapable conclusion that the victim had somehow willed her own death - like witch docors sometimes are alleged to do to their rivals. From other evidence it appears that the victim was held in place, forced to watch and listen to certain scenes in an unending loop for some hours - I can understand how she felt - I feel a similar problem on Sundays listening to the vicar's sermon.


Results

Footprints were of a size 40 hiking boot - not very helpful as it could be for a man or woman
Saliva on cigarette butts was tested without any real hope of machine producing anything sensible - sure enough after a quick rendition of 'Who will buy my loverly oranges?' the machine blew up.
Fingerprints were assessed using the latest computerised equipment from Berne - results not very conclusive, none of them showed up as on criminal records. One was found to be on a database held in Berlin - but before I could follow up on this my contact in Berlin hurridly disconnected saying that the prints were stored on a forbidden register.
Drug used to sedate victim found in any hospital pharmacy, matron's cupboard, doctor's bag, failing authoress' tea.........



Report dictated by F. Prefect
#513:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:31 pm
    —
Thanks, MD, Pat and Carolyn. I always love the things that the DNA machine comes up with!
#514:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:33 pm
    —
Ooooh! Just had another completely different idea as to the identity of the murderer!

*goes back to check evidence*
#515:  Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:18 am
    —
My murderer is still a possibility. *Ruminates*

Love the mad DNA machine.
Quote:
a taped loop of Chalet School Nativity plays
A deadly weapon, indeed! Very Happy
#516:  Author: Advent Drabblers,  PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:13 am
    —
New thread started as this one too long!

Link to new thread: Do you have a clue yet?
The CBB -> St Clare's House


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