Sir Levikus, one evening, rather unwisely, announced at dinner that he was cutting someone out of his will. Sure enough, the next morning,
Sir Levikus was found slumped over the desk in his study, having been fatally stabbed with a paper-knife.
Herlock Sholmes, renowned private investigator, immediately began questioning all the suspects to discover who had seen the victim last.
Here are their statements, all of which are true:
a) His long-time friend, Martin, said : "I went to the study to show Sir Levikus a first edition I bought yesterday. He kept it to examine more closely."
b) Lady Jane (my sweet Lady Jane...), Sir Levikusīs wife (now widow), said : "I borrowed the evening newspaper from my husband. There was no paper-knife present at that time; I would have remembered it."
c) Nathan, the son of the deceased, said: "I did not have coffee with my father. When I went to the study he was reading the newspaper and smoking a cigar. He showed me Martinīs first edition."
d) Lisa, Sir Levikusīs daughter, said : "I went to return the newspaper mother had borrowed."
e) Tom, the butler, said: "As was usual after dinner, I brought the coffee service to the study. Sir Levikus was at his desk reading the evening newspaper."
f) Reny, the maid, said: "I only went in to clear the coffee service. I did see that four cups had been used."
g) Cristian, the brother of the murdered man, said: "Since there was no coffee when I went to the study, we had brandy together. I wanted to look at the newspaper, but it was not in the room."
h) Simone, Sir Levikusīs niece, said: "Certainly I recognize the paper-knife. My uncle brought it out when we were having coffee together. I noticed that one other cup had been used."
Herlock Sholmesīs incisive brain immediately determined who was the last person to visit Sir Levikus and thus, was his murderer.
Who was the killer? Can you list Sir Levikusīs eight visitors in order? Show your reasoning!
(1) Tom, the butler, enters the study with a coffee pot and four cups, which he sets out as Levikus is reading the evening newspaper. Tom then leaves the room. Later Tom will testify under oath: "As was usual after dinner, I brought the coffee service to the study. Sir Levikus was at his desk reading the evening newspaper."
(2) Lady Jane, the wife, enters the study and has a cup of coffee with Levikus. She then leaves the study, taking the evening newspaper with her. She does not see the murder weapon visible at this time. Later Lady Jane will testify under oath: "I borrowed the evening newspaper from my husband. There was no paper-knife present at that time; I would have remembered it." (She will not think the cup of coffee she shared with her husband is important enough to mention.)
(3) Simone, the niece, enters the room. She notices that in addition to Levikus' coffee cup, one other cup has been used; the one Lady Jane has drunk from. Levikus offers Simone a cup of coffee, then refills his own cup. As they're having coffee, Levikus takes out the paper-knife to show it off to his niece. (Levikus is very proud of that paper-knife, which he first acquired as an inmate in San Quentin years ago. It has "Born To Raise Hell" embossed on the blade.) Simone then leaves the study, and Levikus sets the paper-knife on the desk. Later Simone will testify under oath: "Certainly I recognize the paper-knife. My uncle brought it out when we were having coffee together. I noticed that one other cup had been used."
(4) Martin, the long-time friend, enters to show Levikus an interesting article about prison reform in yesterday's first edition of the newspaper. Levikus offers Martin a cup of coffee, then refills his own cup. As they're having coffee, Levikus asks if he can keep the first edition that Martin has brought in. Martin says, "No problem, bro." Martin fails to notice the paper-knife lying on the desk. Then Martin leaves the study. Later Martin will testify under oath: "I went to the study to show Sir Levikus a first edition I bought yesterday. He kept it to examine more closely." (Like Lady Jane, Martin will not think the coffee important enough to mention.)
(5) Reny, the maid, comes in and removes the coffee pot and the four used cups (used by Levikus, Lady Jane, Simone and Martin.) Reny is singlemindedly devoted to her job, and takes no notice of anything not related to the coffee. Later Reny will testify under oath: "I only went in to clear the coffee service. I did see that four cups had been used."
(6) Cristian, the brother, enters in search of the evening newspaper. Not finding it in the study, he stays awhile. He too fails to notice the paper-knife lying on the desk. The coffee has just been removed, so Levikus asks him, "Will you join me in a glass of brandy ?" Jokes Cristian, "Do you think we'll both fit in there ?" After the brandy, Cristian leaves the study. Later Cristian will testify under oath: "Since there was no coffee when I went to the study, we had brandy together. I wanted to look at the newspaper, but it was not in the room.")
(7) Lisa, the daughter, enters the room to return the newspaper that her mother Lady Jane had borrowed. She's late for a date, so she just dashes in and out without noticing anything in the study. Later Lisa will testify under oath: "I went to return the newspaper mother had borrowed."
(8) Nathan, the son, enters the room. He finds Levikus reading the evening newspaper and smoking a cigar, which he had lit up as Lisa was leaving. The highly observant Nathan notices the paper-knife on the desk. There is no coffee present, so naturally Nathan doesn't have any. After some small talk about the article in the first edition that Martin had loaned him, Levikus suddenly says: "By the way, Nate, you're the one I cut out of the will. How does that grab you ?" Nathan replies by grabbing the paper-knife and cutting Levikus out of the family tree. Later Nathan will testify under oath: "I did not have coffee with my father. When I went to the study he was reading the newspaper and smoking a cigar. He showed me Martinīs first edition." (Strangely enough, Nathan will not mention the paper-knife at all.)
Edited on July 21, 2005, 12:49 pm
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Posted by Penny
on 2005-07-21 11:56:51 |
K.I.S.S.
