Case File

4. Beat the Clock

Case File #4 

(1st Crime)

Jeff closed the doors, Mr Humphrey called the police and everyone from the table was scared; some were crying, some were screaming, but all were shocked.

Sharna Knew that she had to solve this if she ever wants her private detective career to blossom.

"Come on Sharna, you have 15 minutes till the police arrives, so you better think and think fast!" she thought, but for a moment her mind went blank till Jeff came back asking what to do next.

She walked over to the table to get a closer look at the body and to get to know the suspects. She pulled a tissue package from her pocket and pulled out one to take a sample from the drink the man was just drinking "Jeff, a new clean plastic bag please"

"Is it cyanide?"

"No, cyanide doesn't work that way

She carefully examined each person and started talking trying to look them all in the eyes "There's no denying he's been poisoned, and there's no denying either that the murderer simply must be one of you"

There was a moment of silence then Sharna continued her speech looking at the woman who was seated next to the dead man "looks like you're his wife" The woman nodded with tears in her eyes "So can you please tell me all about that meeting?"

"It's not a meeting, it was a celebration" said one of the twin girls

"Yes, like Rita said, we were celebrating the 10th anniversary of our company. Steve, my husband, arranged for the whole thing and reserved the place"

"And would you kindly introduce me to everyone else Mrs...?

"It's Jessica" she wiped her tears "and those are my daughters Rita and Rose. These are my husband's partners Joe, William, Derek and Robert. Here's Robert's wife Eva and Derek's son 5 year old Leo. Melissa is William's girlfriend and Jack is Joe's son"

Jessica stopped talking, so Sharna turned to the 2 younger women seated next to each other "what about them?" she asked

"Tina and Clair, our 2 best secretaries" Derek said

"A while ago I noticed a woman leaving, who was she?"

"That must have been my wife, Eleanor" Derek said "she was a little tired"

"No mama was sad" said Leo

"And why was she upset little guy?"

"Daddy made her"

"This is outrageous young man!" he scolded Leo then turned to Sharna "You know kids and their imagination. I can assure you my wife was just tired"

"Why was Steve the one giving the speech?"

"Well, he was our boss" said Robert

"sort of" added William in a low tone as if correcting what his partner said

"I don't think you'd mind ladies if I search your bags"

Jessica, Melissa, Eva, Rose, Rita, Tina and Clair all handed her their bags.

Sharna kept looking through the bags for any evidence "what am I doing? Maybe Detective Howard was right, maybe I'm not ready for this" she thought.

As she looked through Eva's bag, she said "You have to excuse me ladies, if I find something that seems suspicious, I'll have to take it" then she grabbed a tablet of pills from the bag.

"It's medicinal" Eva said

"Well, sadly even medicine can be used in the wrong way"

She kept looking through the bags till she found 2 exactly matching cutters in Rose and Rita's exactly matching bags.