Corporate Mystery II, Part II: The Locked Room
Please see my previous post for part I of this Mystery, otherwise it may get a little confusing 
"Ieeeeeekkkkk!" and with that the housekeeper collapsed in a heap to the floor.
"A fine how-de-do when a mon canna think in peace," scratching his head, Denning ponders the room as he carefully returns Mr. Doyle to his position on the desk.
Obviously the room of a well-off man, both the furnishings and the room itself were in excellant repair, in contrast to most of the other areas of New York City Denning had frequented recently. Small but well furnished, apparently Mr. Doyle had worked often in his bedroom as his desk and office chair, although in good repair, were both obviously used—small scratches on the wood floor indicating the chair had often rolled in front of the desk. The desk itself was set at a 90 degree angle, although directly opposite the door to the room. Thus, anyone sitting in the chair would have simply turned the chair left and walked to the door.
Looking around the room once again. Directly to the left of the door upon entry was an elaborate clothes cabinet, "Musta cost a pretty penny that", and between closet and the adjacent wall, the bed. The bed itself, although the covers had been turned back, did not look to have been slept in. Following around the room, in the wall past the end of the bed was a large set of French doors leading to the balcony outside.
Walking to the French doors Denning pressed down on the handle to walk to the balcony and met the resistance of the lock.
"Ey… was the man daft to be lockin his balcony here on the second floor? Was it birds then he was a fear’n up here?"
Oddly, the key was not in the door as one would normally expect to be the case. Glancing back again at Doyle, Denning remembered the key still gripped in the man’s hand.
The housekeeper was now stirring, so Denning helped her to her feet and guided her out of the room, seating her on a low padded bench in the hallway. His partner was now returning with a glass of water for her and she took it nervously.
"Who would have done such a thing?" She whispered
"We dunna wanta jump to quickly Mum. It may be that your Mr. had hisself an accident—thet paper spindle thar on the desk looks a mite suspicious. We’ll wait until the Coroner gets here for sartain" Looking past her to his partner who nods, verifying that he had sent for the coroner.
"Robert lad, take a look in yonder room and see what you see. Careful not to move around too much boy, lest we disturb things fore the Coroner gits here."
Having just recently graduated and having the honor of being assigned to the esteemed Constable as his partner, Robert was anxious to prove his worth. Upon entering the room Robert noticed a small, folded scrap of paper lying on the floor just inside the threshold…apparently ignored when they had originally entered the room. Bending over, he carefully used his pencil to open the folded paper. Inside as well as outside, the paper was devoid of any markings at all.
"Odd that a blank paper would be lying just here, " he mused. Looking around the rest of the room, it appeared that Mr. Doyle was quite the tidy gentleman, the dissaray of the desk notwithstanding.
Carefully re-closing the door against the now broken frame, the scrap of paper on the floor showed about halfway under the door.
"It’s no wonder it took the two of us slamming against the door, the oversized lock and metal casing would easily have held a person alone for a good long while. I’ve seen smaller locks in the prison." Curious, he walked to the body now lying once again head down on the desk, the right hand still clutching a single key—which looked to match the large lock on the door, and glancing at the only other door to the room, also matched the lock on the french door to the balcony.
Looking back now at the door once again, Robert discovered a couple of suspicious looking spots just below the lock, dark looking against the white of the door. Also, to his keen eye, there were several very small dark spots on the floor between the desk and the door—a few smudged possibly from his own and the Constable’s walking into the room.
"How very strange," he thought to himself. He decided to examine Mr. Doyle a little more closely. Walking around to the other side of the desk he looked down at the body. Mouth slightly open, still a small amount of blood could be seen around the lips. At the collar of the nightgown, in the cloth, just above the dead man’s collarbone, was a small slit rimmed with red and matching a small wound just at the base of the man’s neck.
Glancing once again at the broken door, Robert exclaimed, "I know how this man died! Murder Constable Denning! This man was murdered!"
Questions for the Mystery: Do you know what happened? Was this an accident as implied earlier, or was it indeed a murder? If murder, how was the murder carried out in a room locked from the inside—and with the victim still holding the only key?
If you can replay the events, basically the how of this half of the mystery, you will be declared the winner.
The Rules:
**B’Tude is disqualified because I know she’ll insist on knowing the answers, lol
1. Each of you can ask one question, if I know the answer I will answer honestly, however I will not give the mystery answer in the answer to your question. In other words, if the answer to the mystery is that Colonel Sanders killed Colonel Mustard in the Library with a candlestick, don’t ask if he was killed with a candlestick… but you could ask if there was a candlestick in the Library. I won’t answer the same question twice, so pay attention to what others ask
2. You can guess as many times as you like, but I will not give the solution to the mystery until I post it to everyone. Just list the questions with your answers in the comments section at anytime from now on.
3. The first person to correctly answer all the "Questions for the Mystery" in a single comment will be the WINNER!
4. Anyone is Welcome to play, so if you have friends who are mystery buffs I encourage you to have them play.5. You have until Midnight on Monday, Oct.3, 2005 to submit your answers. I will post both the solution and the Winner at that time.
The clues to the above are in the story, but you may have to study it a bit… maybe even have to do a little research.
The Prize? The winner will be added to my Blogroll with a special graphic declaring them the "Corporate Crap Mystery Winner" (just as Wired’s does on my Blogroll now
Yes, this mystery has two parts because there are always two parts to a good mystery…
I’ll post the second half at a later date as a continuation of this first half, with the possibility of a second winner
As previously stated in Mystery #1, Btude will only accept cold hard cash for hints. The price is exponential per hint
I was gonna remove her comment, but what the hell… if you feel the need to buy her another pair of shoes feel free, lol
I just don’t know where to begin. My mind hurts. I’ll be back.
OK, as this was my first post read this morning BEFORE my morning coffee, and my eyes are able to completely focus, I too have to come back.
3T
PS. I just LOVE your mysteries DB!
I love this stuff… but like everyone else so far… I will have to come back when I wake up… lol…
Does this mean momma don’t get a new pair of shoes? *snivel*
LOL… I may have to call in the reserves.
DB
Hmm DB good one you’ve got me thinkin’
was the meal delivered to his room eaten ?
-Chase
Very good question Chase
HINT to everyone: Remember, all of the clues to solve this mystery are already here in the original story. So, in other words, look for what is here, not necessarily what is not.
I wasn’t asking so much because I thought he was poisoned, rather to help in determining time of death. This way I know ( as if) which time frame to scrutinize
Does the key actually fit in either door?
you have me hanging on, is this one of those books if you turn to page 32 or page 35 to solve the mystery.
love it
It was a good question Chase… but in this part we are more concerned about the HOW or CAUSE of death. Keep it in mind though, because in Part II we’ll be addressing the WHO, When, and maybe even WHY
Right On Wench
”the right hand still clutching a single key—which looked to match the large lock on the door, and glancing at the only other door to the room, also matched the lock on the french door to the balcony”… although not specifically stated, we can assume that both officers have come to the same conclusion about the key, and therefore the key fits both locks… since they are both trained observers and the locks are distinctive.
In this case Jackie, you’ll have to wait until Monday to turn the page, when I write “The Rest of The Story” lol
All good efforts, thanks for the interest
Well, dammit, I wasn’t assuming.
And now I just wasted my question.
LOL… yep, used up your question, Wench, but that bit of information may help you or someone else to answer reach a solution. Remember, you can guess as many times as you like between now and the deadline. Just read everyone else’s questions and my responses to them. You may find you can add up the solution by then if enough questions are asked
There was not enough blood in the room to suggest that he was killed there. Seeing as he had 2 puncture wounds that matched, it could have been a scissor used.
There were spots from the door to the desk that could suggest that he was carried there. He could have been out of the room without the housekeeper knowing, after she took him his dinner.
My brain just got a freeze, so I need to think more and come back later.
Damn it! I told you all there really are vampires, I knew it!
Oh, and Hi B’tude.
Okay… Here is my one question… Was the blood from his lips caused by either or both of the puncture wounds to his neck?
To clarify: My bad… I could see in the way I worded it that you all may have interpreted it to say that there were two wounds. I’ve added some wording… one wound. “At the collar of the nightgown, in the cloth, just above the dead man’s collarbone, was a small slit rimmed with red and matching a small wound just at the base of the man’s neck.
” (the slit in the cloth lines up with the wound in his neck)
The answer to your question NorseGod is that the blood on his lips is an incidental result of the injury. To be fair, since you’re the only one who has questioned the wound, and because of my ambiguous wording, I’m gonna give you another question.
DB
Okay… Thanks DB… Gonna have to take a while to think about what I want to ask… Will ask another question a little later…
Alright… I think I am ready to ask the question… I do still want to focus on the wound but I am going to take it a little different direction… Besides the drop of blood next to it, did the paper spindle have any other blood on it?
The coroner will find no blood on the spindle.
I’m getting like Barbarino….I’m so confused!! I’ll be back.
Okay, the wound at the base of his neck above his collarbone might suggest that he was stabbed from behind, by a small, sharp instrument hitting the base part of his brain (cerebellum) which might possibly instantly kill him and not causing too much bleeding. Which might suggest that the killer had some kind of medical knowledge. I need to think more on this, I shall return again.
HINT: The housekeeper said “I would have had no need of you but that Mr. has the only key to the room.”
HINT: “Odd that a blank paper would be lying just here, ” he mused. Looking around the rest of the room, it appeared that Mr. Doyle was quite the tidy gentleman, the dissaray of the desk notwithstanding.
Carefully re-closing the door against the now broken frame, the scrap of paper on the floor showed about halfway under the door.
Damn… that really hurts… I thought for sure he was killed with the spindle… I have been thinking about those very same clues you just gave since last night… I may have a guess…
The paper was empty because it contained a bee or wasp or something. He was alergic to bee stings. He was going into shock and grabbed the key to run for help but it was too late. the small hole in the nightgown and the small puncture wound was from the stinger.
I really don’t think this is correct but is all I have for now… I’m gonna continue to think about this though.
man I am SO intrigued! Have to go back and study this this weekend!!
OK, I have my question DB.
Was there any blood on the KEY he was grasping?
3T
Norsegod has a good thought, but I would think a person would get swollen from an allergic reaction such as a bee sting.
Dammit, DB. You are making my brain work overtime, but it feels good. Nice to be thinking about other stuff for a change. A good mental workout!
I’m glad you’re all enjoying this
No, 3T… there is no blood on the KEY.
Damn!
Notice that I have not asked a question yet. I’m just leaving remarks and don’t want to waste the one question as yet. But Mr Corporate Crap has not yet commented on any remarks that I’ve made. Question to BTude…what’s up with that? He is being so sly and not answering me. Must be cause mine are not questions,
Ma! I think he’s just the question-answering machine
But I dunno–seriously, he’ll be home from work in 10-15 minutes 
Put the pressure on–we’ll get him drunked up on Sunday, yeah? roflmao 
LOL, 3T… It was still good detective work, just knowing that it does not have blood on it means that can be eliminated as the item that caused death… most likely.
I’m sorry Ma, I’m having a hard time keeping up with all this myself, lol You sly fox you, how can I comment on your “speculation”, either positively or negatively, without giving away the plot ? Also, I actually did post a correction because of one of your remarks. Just to show you I still love you, here’s another HINT:
Review what you already know.
The man died in a room with only two doors, both of which are locked from the inside… and the key itself is also inside the room. Were the doors the only opening in the room that has been mentioned in the story? (LOL… forget the damned window Ma… it ’s either locked or painted shut. Besides, it’s two floors up and no fire escape, so it’s not an “opening”)
Dawgoneit… I have another question I want so badly to ask… It’s killing me but important to my next guess.. Come on somebody, ask the question… Please…
LOL… I guess I should have sent out a bigger guest list for this party NorseGod. It isn’t limited though, you can invite anyone you like.
DB
Why thank you kind sir. And yes there is the window that Sir Doyle was facing slumped on his desk. I did not forget that.
I shall return in a little bit, the kid is getting on my nerves here.
Mr. Doyle was a tidy man, but his desk was in a bit of a mess which could mean that someone was looking for something, or he messed it himself when someone sticked him from behind with a sharp instrument as I have said before.
He could have opened the door for someone he knew, and when he turned to go back to his desk, he was stabbed and put back at his desk by said person who then locked the door on his/her way out. After finding what they were looking for on his desk, which is why the blank piece of paper was found beneath the door.
I hope you’re still at the computer reading this Mr. D Brooks!
Yes Ma, I am reading it now, lol
How did your “sticker” leave locking the door behind themselves… when the victim has the only key still in his hand? There may be a HOLE in your theory.
Most doors lock from the inside without a key. But I suppose that type of door can only be locked with a key.
There’s a HOLE in my theory that might suggest a secret passage in and out of the room. Which could be through that elaborate clothes cabinet to the left of the door, that came out to the bench in the hallway that they made they housekeeper sit on. Now it’s the who done it part that I need to work on. It has to be someone who knows Mr Dead Guy well enough to know all the details of his daily life, his legal and business matters …. like his housekeeper, attorney, or family members if he has any.
Norsegod: (HINT) you don’t have to ask questions, just put it as a suggestion like I do. I haven’t asked my question yet.
Wench, email me with the question you want to ask, since you used yours, or do like I’ve been doing and make assumptions.
Okay… I have a question… but this is about the context of some of the clues… it states that the window is directly accross from the main door… it also states that the chair is placed in such a way that you turn the chair to the left and exit the door… it also states that he is laying with his head facing left but facing the window… if this is true than he has to be on the side opposite the chair… is that possible? or is that just a mistake in the clues?
LOL @ Ma! That’s it, I’m bringin’ in my big guns! Soon as the hubby gets home, HE will be askin the next question I wanted to ask. (Unless his is better of course)
And then I’ll “USE” LOLTomboy for another one.
You got family Ma, have them read it, and ask your questions THRU them! He gave us another hint with the “HOLE” comment. (I think)
3T
Hahahaha… you guys are ganging up on me now!
Ok, I’ve loosened up my “Rules” because you’re all struggling with this one, but you still only get ONE question each, lol I will, however, clarify details or try and help you get back on track when you wander (MA, NorseGod).
“Directly across from the door in a dressing gown, he was apparently asleep with his head on the desk, facing the room’s only window to the left” This would indicate that the BODY, in the chair—at the desk, is facing the window. It doesn’t say his face is facing the window (HINT:which by the way… the direction his face is facing really won’t/doesn’t matter to the plot). He’s at the desk, the desk is perpendicular to the door, and the chair is in a direct line to the door. If you walk directly through the door in a straight line, you would walk on the blood spots on the floor and directly to the chair without walking around the desk.
3T has the idea
Read rule “4. Anyone is Welcome to play, so if you have friends who are mystery buffs I encourage you to have them play.” Just because YOU only have one question doesn’t mean you can’t con somebody else into asking a question for you, lol
Remember though… the clock is ticking and we have to get the coroner in there in a couple of days
I can’t resist… HINT: Ma, I said there was a HOLE in your theory, not a secret passage, lol It wouldn’t have been fair for me to slip in a secret passage without some clue pointing there that is pertinent to the HOW part of this story, for instance… the officers might have seen drag marks on the floor ending at the wall, or a candle blowing from a breeze next to the wall where there shouldn’t be one.
P.S. You’re all ignoring a couple of clues.
Mr. Dubious Wisdom, don’t make me hurt you tomorrow!!
The culprit probably used the chair to transport the body from one point to the other, therefore leaving no drag marks. The dark spots on the floor probably is not blood, but something else such as ink from a fountain pen, coffee from the meal he had that the housekeeper delivered, or some other liquid that might have spilled from the person who committed the crime.
The blood was from his mouth and not from the wound at the base by his collar. It says it was rimmed with red, it didn’t mention blood. It might suugest that the puncture could have been to the inside of his mouth and penetrating to the back of his neck.
I’ll be back, I need to ponder about another opening in the room.
Flattery will get you nowhere MA, lol
What I meant, is that I wouldn’t introduce a twist like a hidden room or passage without having first pointed to it with a clue of some sort. I wanted this story to be a challenge for all of you, but not impossible
Okay… This is a stretch but I am going to make another guess… lol… I think that the paper was slid under the door to get his attention… He walked over to the door and was peeping through the keyhole to see who was out side… although I am not exactly sure what caused the wound but I think somehow he was stabbed through the keyhole of the door. He then walked back accross the room to get the key and collapsed at the desk. That is how the blood drops got on the door and on the floor.
I don’t think this is right either but is the only thing I can come up with…
Question:
He had the only key to the ROOM. Was there a seperate key to the balcony doors?
Oh, what the hell.
*************************
My guess:
*This is based on the assumption that there was a seperate key for the balcony doors, and that is was common practice to leave the key in the lock.*
Mr. Doyle went to bed. His killer waited until he was asleep, then oiled the lock from outside of the door. If the key was still in the lock on the inside, this would prevent it from scraping loudly when the killer pushed something through the keyhole to knock the key out of the lock and onto the floor. Drops of oil hit the door when the key was on its way down. The paper had been slid under the door to catch the key, and pull it under the door, into the killer’s possession. The killer unlocks the door and enters the room, and unknowingly trails a few oil drops in his wake. The killer stabs Mr. Doyle, killing him instantly. The killer uses the desk chair to transport the body to behind the desk, leaving scratch marks on the floor in front of the desk in the process. The killer possibly searches the desk before leaning the corpse on it. The killer locks the balcony, and taking that key, wraps the corpse’s fingers around it. The killer re-makes the bed, to leave the impression that Mr. Doyle died at his desk, forgeting or ignoring the fact that Mr. Doyle is still in his nightgown.
The killer leaves the room, locking the door behind him.
I suspect the housekeeper.
**************************
Okay, go ahead and blow my theory to smithereens.
Ahhh… a bit more speculation about the paper and the lock I see
Wired? Wired? Is that you lady ?
We’ve pretty much established that the key matched both the balcony door and the room door, and the housekeeper stated that Doyle had the only key. Your comment about it being common practice to leave the key in the lock is a good one… however our victim seems particularly concerned about security for some reason (hence the over-sized lock), and kept the key on his person. Further details about Mr. Doyle will probably come out in the Continuation of this story when we try and find out the WHO and WHY
I think your killer is much sneakier than mine Wired. I’m not sure why the killer would have stabbed him in the lacation where he was stabbed if he was lying down. It would seem more likely that he would have been stabbed in the back or chest. Also, if he had been stabbed on the bed, your story teller probably would have put some clues on or near the bed for you to find
Good stuff you two, you’re thinking
3T’s husbands qestion:
Where was the housekeeper at during the time of the murder?
You need to get that boy his own Blog 3T, lol
Honestly, I’d have to say that since we haven’t interviewed any suspects yet, the answer would have to be “I don’t know.” Remember though… in this part of the Two Part Mystery we’re only concerned about HOW… we’ll get to WHO in the second installment. Since your question isn’t really pertinent to the questions I asked for the solution of this installment, I’m gonna disqualify the question and allow you a second one
** Please remember that the solution for this is in the clues and HINTS you already have, so my throwing in something you don’t have a clue about already wouldn’t be cricket on my part
LOL. Yeah, your probably right. Although he probably wouldn’t update it more then once a month..Since you have so kindly allowed us another, we are thinking on this one.
(More like dissecting your post sentence by sentence.)
3T
Hmmmm… dissecting… that gives me an idea for another story, 3T
Tick… tick… tick…
and then what happened???
Tune in tomorrow for “The Rest of The Story”, Jackie
The murderer got in by pushing the key out of the keyhole, and used the blank sheet of paper to pull the key under the door to open the lock from the outside.
Arthur Doyle was killed with the paper spindle. There was no blood because the spindle was held in until the heart stopped pumping.
After he was dead, the murderer wiped the spinde off, and made off…
…to the clothes cabinet!
The murderer is still in the room.
I’m beginning to think you guys should be writing these things with all the ideas you’re coming up with, Wench
Congratulations to Norsegod!