Monday 18 April 2016

Murder Most Foul! - O is for Opposite - Cozy Mystery #AtoZChallenge 2016


Welcome to my contribution to the A to Z Challenge. My theme this year is Murder Most Foul, which, for you, my blog visitors, means that you will be sharing in The Case of the Cursed House, or rather the bare bones of it. 

Everyday, I will be revealing more about my developing Cozy Mystery: descriptions of scenes; character details; locations; clues to the mystery. And, at the end of each post, you will have the chance to vote on whodunnit. So, without further ado, on with the case...

Previous parts:


Story Notes Additional Details

As she is leaving the pub, Aisha gets a call from Williams telling her about the fight between Parthing and Whethers. She shares her information with them as well. She is told to head on over to see Parthing while Williams and Barnwell head to Trenterden.

Aisha walks down the private road next to Court House towards Court Farm. It is no more than a dirt track. It takes her past the old farm yard, which is just a set of old buildings with grass and weeds coming up through the old cobbled yard. Aisha carries on, past the farm house, up the hill towards the new yard, where she can hear a tractor running.

Andrew is moving roller bales. He stops the tractor when Aisha waves and walks over.

...

On site interview with Andrew Parthing:
  AP: Morning, Aisha.
Good Morning, Andrew. May I speak with you about Bill Whethers?
  AP: I didn't like the man.
Because of his objection to the development?
  AP: Because he was an all-round bastard. He had no respect for anyone round here, thought we were all dumb yokels to be patronised, or laughed at.
And he also made life difficult for you over the development.
  AP: that he did. Was afraid we were going to get brick dust in his swimming pool - selfish b-
What did his objection mean to you?
  AP: The last few years have been hard. Low price for milk, low price for lamb, and the supermarkets are squeezing on the price of veg as well. I need to sell that old yard to pay my mortgage. The bank is ready to foreclose on my land. I've been holding them off for years now, ever since Whethers and his team started making rumblings about their bloody investigation, but they won't wait forever. If I can't sell to the developer before the end of the year, I'll lose my farm.
Did Mr Whethers know why you were selling the land.
Whole village knows. But him and that bloody Lord over there in his fancy house, that's water off a duck's back to them. I wouldn't put it past Michael to be waiting in the wings to buy back the farm for his manor. Even as a kid he hated the fact that my father bought the place off his father - gambling debts - family habit.
So is it fair to say that Mr Whethers dying may have helped you?
  AP: Hell no! Well not unless he managed to do all he said he was going to in one day before he had his accident.
I have to tell you that it wasn't an accident, Andrew. This is now a murder enquiry. 
  AP: There you go then, someone wanted to stop him.
Stop him doing what?
  AP: Changing his mind. He came and saw me that day. Shook my hand, apologised for everything he'd done and said he was withdrawing all his objections. He said he'd get that bloody survey sorted in quick order too, so we could get on with the whole project. Only someone killed the bugger before he could do it.

I still didn't like the man, but I had no reason to kill him, not now.



Aisha Kakkar
Age: 23
Gender: female
Ethnicity Code: M3
Job: Police Constable - Weald & Marsh Liaison Officer - an officer working with local communities, especially villages, in the Weald of Kent and Romney Marsh areas. Her mum and step mum knew Lady Emma when she was an art student.

William (Bill) Whethers
Age: 36
Gender: male
Ethnicity Code: W1
Job: horror author
Other info: he opposes a new housing development providing affordable housing to local people. As well as an environmental survey, was also using the private access road to Court Farm, which he part owned, as leverage in the issue of the affordable house. he's a drunk. Suspected of taking part in black masses by Alice Rigden and half the village.
He had a smoking pouch that he carried around with his refills and e-cigarette in it. He sometimes left it lying around, but mostly he kept it in his pocket.
Bill had a fight with Andrew Parthing about the environmental survey. But according to Andrew, Bill came to see him the day of his death and promised to withdraw all his objections and help the affordable housing project along.
Death: broken neck from falling down stairs, but was being poisoned by his e-cigarette with arsenic, and it was convulsions that caused him to fall down the stairs. He was dying of lung cancer.

Andrew Parthing
Age: 43
Gender: male
Ethnicity Code: W1
Job: farmer
Other info: owns Court Farm and is unhappy about the delay of the sale of his land for building the affordable housing.
Had a fight with Bill Whethers about the environmental survey.
However, Andrew said that Bill came to him the day of the murder and told him he was withdrawing all his objections to the development and that he'd help get the project underway.

Lord Michael, Earl of Oxen
Age: 48
Gender: male
Ethnicity Code: W1
Job: Lord of the Manor
Other info: He has been friends with Bill Whethers since Bill moved into the village, but they had a fight the night before Bill's death. Plays golf with Bill Whethers. According to Andrew Parthing, Michael wanted to buy back Court Farm for the manor.

Court Farm
Proposed location for the development of the affordable housing. The yard backs onto Court House, Bill Whether's property. The environmental study is suggesting the farm yard may be a site of scientific interest, which would mean no building could be done.


And now it's time to vote again - just take a punt - who do you think killed Bill Whethers (and yes, every character is listed - you never know ;P)?


Who dunnit?

Aisha Kakkar
Debbie Fincher
Dave Fincher
Jonathan Lee
Janice Walker
Lorri Walker
Hal Walker
Fred Walker
Alice Rigden
DS Kevin Williams
DCI Mags Barnwell
Lord Michael, Earl of Oxen
Lady Emma, Countess of Oxen
Dr Elves
Rev Sally Tawks
Bethany Mortby
Lady Elizabeth Ryeman
Vic Walker
Andrew Parthing
None of the above, we haven't met them yet
Don't be silly, I don't know enough yet!
made here

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14 comments:

  1. First few questions have me thinking Andrew didn't do it. Anyone in a murder investigating that doesn't try to hide they didn't like the victim usually isn't the one who dun did it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is pretty blunt about his feelings for Bill :)

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  2. I'm still betting on a woman, but wow, this could go many ways. Love it!

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  3. First time I've begun to suspect someone else. But I suspect that you are leading us down the village lanes...

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  4. Hmmm, my detecting skills aren't what they used to be. This could go in a variety of directions!

    @Kathleen01930
    Meet My Imaginary Friends
    #AtoZchallenge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :) A mystery must keep folks guessing just a little!

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  5. This mystery is definitely keeping me guessing. I suspect I'll be the person who won't figure it out until the very end - when you reveal all :-)

    Cheers - Ellen | thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Well, that is my aim for all those reading the mystery :)

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  6. Again I'm thinking Lord Michael.
    I think Bill was messing up with the Lord's plan for his property and I find the beackstory about the land very intersting. Lord Michael also has very personal reasons for wanting that land back.

    My best guess at the moment :-)

    @JazzFeathers
    The Old Shelter - Jazz Age Jazz

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    Replies
    1. That is a very reasoned guess, but I'm not going to say if you're right or not ;)

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  7. I'm leaning toward Lord Michael too, but we're only on O so I think you may be leading us astray!

    Mars xx
    @TrollbeadBlog from
    Curling Stones for Lego People

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Suspicion - always a good thing for a mystery reader ;)

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