Murder Most Foul! - R is for Regroup - 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

When Barnwell and Williams return from Trenterden, they meet up with Aisha for lunch in their cars in the car park and to go over their findings ready for the afternoon. KW - I have the report through from the SOCOs, the bottles of refills from the shop have no trace of poison, but the ones they picked up from all over Court House have random amounts of poison in some of them. The only fingerprints they found were Bill Whethers, so our poisoner is careful. MB - It's pretty clear that Bill Whethers had a change of heart about this whole development thing, but that not everyone knew about it yet, so we still have a pretty open field. AK - there is still Fred Walker to talk to. KW - Dave Fincher's also a possible if he was more jealous than his wife is suggesting, but he's off at some local hunt event catering it until late this evening. MB - Jon Lee has 20 million motives for killing Bill. AK - but he was clearly upset about Bill's death and he's looking for the new will. KW - or so he says! MB - Bethany Mortby and our sociable vicar, Sally, both had regular access to Court House, ample opportunity to poison the bottles, but there's no motive there as far as I can tell.   Any luck on finding any sources of arsenic yet? KW - ::shakes his head:: although, given all the old cupboards around here, there's plenty of places to look. AK - Lady Emma is also a possible candidate for Bill's philandering according to Debbie Fincher. MB - Yes, we need to talk to Emma again. KW - Not sure about Dr Elves either, he's a nervous type, I think he would have been frightened by his own shadow this morning. MB - Guilty nervous, or scared nervous? KW - couldn't tell, but he's pretty bothered about Whethers' death and when he found out we're investigating murder, he didn't want to believe it. MB - well maybe he's upset about getting caught, we need to look more closely at that survey of his. And then there's Lord Michael - he would not have liked Whethers' change of heart. We need to speak with him again and get the truth about that argument in the pub, it's looking more and more likely it was about Whethers' dropping his objections to the development.

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. DCI Mags Barnwell Age: 44 Gender: female Ethnicity Code: W1 Job: Detective Chief Inspector Kent Constabulary Serious Crime Office DS Kevin Williams Age: 27 Gender: male Ethnicity Code: W1 Job: Detective Sergeant Kent Constabulary Serious Crime Office Other info: DCI Barnwell's bag man. 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. This was not confirmed by his solicitor, but Bill did want to talk to the solicitor about his objection to the access road being made into a public highway just before his death. Bill left everything to Jon Lee in his will. However, he did say he was writing a new will. 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. Jonathan (Jon) Lee Age: 36 Gender: male Ethnicity Code: O1 Job: literary agent Other info: best friend to Bill Whethers; found Bill's body; didn't tell the police he had a fight with Bill the night before Bill died. Was in love with Bill. He appears not to have known that Bill had cancer. Bill left his estate to Jon and Jon knew this. Jon is looking for the new will, he says to do right by Bill. Debbie Fincher Age: 41 Gender: female Ethnicity Code: W1 Job: publican of the Ewe and Lamb Other info: married to Dave Fincher. Had a one-night stand with Bill Whethers. She does not think her husband has it in him to kill. Dave Fincher Age: 43 Gender: male Ethnicity Code: W1 Job: publican of the Ewe and Lamb Other info: married to Debbie Fincher. Knew about Debbie's one-night stand with Bill Whethers. Enjoyed barring Bill from the pub, but that bar never lasted. 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. Lady Emma, Countess of Oxen Age: 43 Gender: female Ethnicity Code: W1 Job: Lady of the Manor Other info: married to Lord Michael; plays tennis with Bill Whethers. Village rumours says that Bill Whethers had eyes for her. Dr Elves Age: 29 Gender: male Ethnicity Code: W1 Job: Environment Scientist Other info: he is performing the analysis of the Court Farm yard to see if it is appropriate for development; the village thinks he is 'in' with those who oppose the affordable housing development. He says he is impartial, but he has possible grounds for making the site one of Special Scientific Interest, which would mean the affordable housing could not go ahead. Bill Whether's and Jon Lee's Wills Bill's will is a ratty old piece of paper with a note on it, leaving everything to Jon Lee. It was written 16 years ago and is signed and witnessed. Bill said he was making a new will. Bill Whether's estate was worth 15 to 20 million pounds. Jon has a similar will. They were both written at university, leaving everything to each other. Poison The refills for Bill's e-cigarettes that he had around the house were variously poisoned with arsenic. The refills from the shop had no sign of poison.

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!

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