The study and the murder

The murder happened in Sir Michael's study. Here is a police photograph of the study. Look at it carefully and describe it. Then read K's report.

Sir Michael's study is large. There is one door into the room. Next to the door there is a fridge. Next to the fridge there is a drinks cupboard. There is a clock on the cupboard. On the wall near the cupboard, there is a picture. On the right there is a window. In the middle of the room there is a big desk. There is a chair behind the desk. There is a bookshelf behind the chair. There are some things on the desk. There is a telephone. Next to the telephone, there is a dictaphone. There are some papers next to the dictaphone. There is a carpet on the floor. Sir Michael's body was on the carpet. The police have drawn the shape of the body on the floor. The feet are near the fridge. There was a whisky glass near Sir Michael’s right hand. The glass was empty.

What did K find?

Now look at these pictures carefully and describe them. Then read K's report. К found these things:

Blood and water on Sir Michael's shirt. A hole in the shirt. X killed Sir Michael with something sharp through the heart.

Whisky glass on the floor next to Sir Michael's right hand. A little whisky and water in glass.

Blood and water on the carpet.

Door locked from the inside.

Window locked from the inside.

К didn't find these things:

There wasn't a knife or gun.

Other fingerprints:' only Sir Michael's.

There aren't any secret doors or other secret ways into the room

Sir Michael's body was in front of the fridge. His feet were near the fridge. He was on the carpet, face down. The whisky glass was almost empty. I smelt it. It was in Sir Michael's right hand at the time of the murder. There was blood and water on Sir Michael' s shirt - over his heart. Sir Michael was killed with something sharp. There was blood and water on the carpet. X killed Sir Michael with something sharp, so there was blood on Sir Michael's shirt and on the carpet. But why was there water on Sir Michael's shirt and water on the carpet? Sir Michael locked the door from the inside and the window from the inside. There were fingerprints on the desk, on the fridge and on the whisky glass, but they were only Sir Michael's fingerprints. There aren't any secret ways into the room. There wasn't a knife or a gun in the room. Sir Michael's dictaphone was on.

Is this what happened?

9.00 Sir Michael came into the study and locked the door from the inside.

9.02 He shut the window and locked it from the inside.

9.05 He sat at his desk and wrote. Then he used the dictaphone.

9.20 He went to the drinks cupboard. He poured a glass of whisky and drank some.

9.22 He went to the fridge because he wanted some ice.

9.25 X came into the room and killec Sir Michael with something sharp. Then X left.

9.30 Mrs Flack knocked at the door and then called three of the other people.

9.35 They broke down the door.

9.40 Lady Elizabeth telephoned the police.

9.50 The police and К arrived.

Is this idea right? If so, then how did X get into the room and how did he or she get out? The window and door were locked from the inside. There aren't any secret doors or other secret ways into the room. Why is there water on Sir Michael's shirt and on the floor?

Other ideas

K's first idea isn't very good. Think of other ideas. Then compare them with K's.

K's second idea

He killed himself. Perhaps he used poison. No. Why? Because there wasn't any poison in the whisky and there wasn't any poison in Sir Michael's blood. Perhaps he used a knife. No, Why? Because there wasn't a knife in the room. So he didn't kill himself.

K's third idea

X was already in the room. He or she murdered Sir Michael with a knife and left. X took the knife with him (or her). No.Why? Because the door was locked from the inside and the window was locked from the inside.

K's fourth idea

X used the keyhole. No. Why? The key was in the lock.

Did you think of other ideas? Did you compare them with K's? Were they better than hers?

What Sir Michael did every evening (K's report)

Sir Michael arrived home at 7.00 this evening. He arrived with his secretary, Angela Everett. Sir Michael always arrives home at this time, but his secretary doesn't always come with him.

Colonel Fawcett and Andrew Cavell were already at 'Flanders'. They arrived at 5.00 in the afternoon. They had tea with Lady Elizabeth. Mrs Flack brought their tea to the library.

At 7.05 Sir Michael went to his room. He had a bath and changed for dinner. He always has a bath and changes at this time. Then he went to the library and had a drink with his wife, and with Colonel Fawcett, Andrew Cave11 and Angela Everett. Sir Michael always has a drink before dinner.

Dinner was at 8.00. Sir Michael always has dinner at 8.00. They all had dinner in the dining room. They sat round the table and talked.

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 765

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