Christmas Mystery Theater Redux 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racism, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

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Part 5 - A Successful Arrest (The Solution)

The lights dimmed and brightened three times, and everyone went back to their seats. Ms. Ramirez came out and said "Did you enjoy our play, so far?" Everyone applauded.

"If you will turn in your cards with your table number and your answer to our students collecting them in the baskets, we'll tally them up and see who has won the giveaway for their charity." Ms. Ramirez said. Everyone turned in their cards, including our table. I did not let on that Teresa, Todd, and Edward Steele had come to the correct solution. But so had Sheriff Griswold's table.

"And now," said Ms. Ramirez, "the conclusion of 'Four By Four'." The lights dimmed, then brightened as Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Inspector Lestrade, and Constable Gregson came out.

"Here are the four suspects and their statements." said Holmes. "And I have marked which statements are true, and which are false."

Mr. Aldrich Adams
T - I'm a Board certified Engineer after I passed the test.
T - Mr. Carlo owed Mr. Boddy money.
F - Mr. Dalton is the killer.
F - My wife Augusta was not having an affair with Mr. Boddy

Mr. Bartholomew Beck
T - Yes, I was Boddy's business partner.
T - Mr. Carlo is the killer.
F - Mr. Dalton owed Mr. Boddy money.
F - Mr. Adams is not certified as an Engineer, he failed the test.

Mr. Charles Carlo
T - I'm a professional gambler.
T - Mr. Dalton is not an Engineer and never worked with Mr. Adams.
F - I did not kill Mr. Boddy.
F - No, I did not owe Mr. Boddy money.

Mr. Denny Dalton
T - Mr. Boddy was having an affair with Augusta Adams.
T - No, I did not kill Mr. Boddy.
F - Mr. Beck is the killer.
F - I was an Engineer with Mr. Adams.

"Constable Gregson," said Inspector Lestrade, "let's go make an arrest." The lights dimmed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When the lights came back on, all the actors were in the drawing room, sitting in a semi-circle in chairs. I remembered that even the kids did not know who the killer was, and would be finding out with the rest of us. Each of the four suspects had practiced being the killer and being arrested.

"As you can see," said Sherlock Holmes, "given a few facts that we know to be true... that Mr. Adams did pass his engineering exam, that Mr. Boddy and Mrs. Adams were seen kissing under the mistletoe, and that Mr. Carlo did owe Mr. Boddy money, I was able to determine the killer's identity."

Holmes: "Certainly all of you had motives. Mr. Adams was very jealous of Mr. Boddy flirting with his wife, and if he had caught them kissing he'd be most very angry indeed. Mr. Beck was Mr. Boddy's business partner, and they could've fallen out over money. Mr. Carlo was heavily in debt to Mr. Boddy, and in a way that was about to become bad for Mr. Carlo's health. And Mr. Dalton had been playing a con game, saying he was Mr. Adams's engineering partner when he wasn't, and Boddy knew that."

Holmes: "And the personalities of our four suspects is easy to observe. Mr. Carlo is the audacious gambler. Not only did he have the biggest motive to act, he had the audacity to act, to make the dangerous move, and eliminate the danger to him even with others around."

Holmes: "And with my observations that each suspect told two truths and two lies, and the deductions arising from that, I have determined that you, Mr. Charles Carlo, murdered Mr. Boddy!"

"In the Kitchen, with the Revolver." said Inspector Lestrade. "Charles Carlo, I arrest you in the Queen's name."

"Curses!" shouted Mr. Carlo as Constable Gregson led him out the back door (to the backstage area).

"That's a wrap, Mr. Holmes." said Inspector Lestrade. "You can get back to your Astronomy studies now."

"I'll leave that, and the Nobel Prizes, to Dr. Watson and her mother." said Holmes. "There's an excellent late-night bar with good food on Baker Street. Why don't we get something to eat. Lestrade's treat." The four of them exited to the back of the stage, to applause.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The instrumental 'Linus and Lucy' began softly playing. The kids that had danced but not been part of the play came out and took their bows as the applause began. The Daltons and the Becks came out, then the Adamses and Mr. Carlo and his girlfriend. Parents stood and applauded their children and the rest of us sat and applauded for the time being.

Then Mr. Boddy and Constable Gregson came out and were applauded. And then Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson came out next and were applauded. Edward, Stephanie, and Selena Steele stood up and applauded Marie.

Then Tyson said loudly "The part of Lestrade was played by the author of our play. She wrote and directed this whole thing while our teachers sat back and twiddled their thumbs. Please give a huge round of applause to Carole Troy!"

As Carole came out, Tyson handed her a bouquet of flowers. Everyone applauded, and I barely beat Sheriff Griswold in being the first to rise and begin the long and well-deserved standing ovation.

Finally, the kids went back behind stage. A moment later a loud scream came from back there... the traditional response to a standing ovation, so I'm told.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"We have three winners in our charity contest." announced Ms. Ramirez. "Mayor Allgood's table, Sheriff Griswold's table, and Commander Troy's table." Everyone applauded politely. "The tiebreaker was the Sheriff's table, who gave the correct true and false answers, but also noted Mr. Carlo's audaciousness as a gambler."

"So the first prize award will go to the Alzheimer's Research Foundation, in memory of Mrs. Antonio Griswold." Ms. Ramirez said. The audience applauded strongly. I could both see and feel the emotion in Sheriff Griswold at that moment...

Part 6 - Post-Production

We had a little post-production party at The Cabin. Cindy, Callie, and Maggie didn't attend, but Todd and Teresa came by, as did the Sheriff and the Steeles, including Selena. Marie would be spending the night with us, as would the Sheriff.

"Okay, Carole." I said loudly as some late dinner was being put on the serving table. "Go do your homework and get to bed early."

"Daddy, it's the weekend!" Carole protested.

"I'm just being 'Diabolical Dad'." I said with a grin.

"Har!" the Sheriff barked. "They got you good on that, Crowbar. That was funny!" Everyone agreed.

"Yes, it was." I said. "And everyone did very well the whole play. I'm looking forward to seeing that Nobel Prize awarded to Dr. Watson's mom, too."

"Realistically, what are the chances?" Laura asked.

"My paper on faster-than-light theories and the origins of the Universe are beginning to get some solid peer reviews." said Stephanie Steele. "Maybe not this coming year, but the next year it could be nominated for the Nobel Prize."

"And there is some talk about that already." Laura said. "Just a nomination would be tremendous."

"So are you guys ready for the Christmas Concert at the Hospital?" asked Edward Steele.

"Yes we are." said Teresa. "I've got a contract with the Hospital to rent the front porch and front lawn, so Harry Nance can't try to make some stupid ruling about it. And I've lined up some amazing groups to participate in it."

"Sounds like you're doing all the planning for it." said Stephanie.

"Yeah, I pretty much took the ball and ran with it." Teresa said. "And it keeps me from being chained to my desk on Restricted Duty all Christmas season."

"Yeah, I think we're past that." I said. "And Teresa's doing a wonderful job with the concert. The Cancer Kids are beside themselves with excitement."

"So is the Town." said Edward Steele...

Part 6 - Epilogue

It was late, and the Steeles had left, followed by Todd and Teresa. When I said to two outstanding dogs "Do you need to go out?", they demonstrated faster-than-light speed by 'magically' appearing at the door.

"Can I go with you, Daddy?" Carole asked.

"Yes, get your coat and let's go." I replied. A moment later we were sitting on the metal-mesh loveseat, looking out over the twinkling lights of the Town.

"There's the train, Daddy." Carole said, pointing at the headlight of the train coming out of the western horizon. We watched as it took the curve and headed south, then heard the wail of its horn on the wind.

"You did very well, Fussbudget." I said. "That play was well-written for someone of any age, much less a third-grader."

"Some of the kids didn't know what an 'affair' was." Carole said. "I had to make it kissing under the mistletoe so they'd understand."

"Works for me." I said. "And how do you know about affairs?"

"From watching 'Days of Promise' on TV." Carole replied. "And some of Mommy's papers she wrote for publi... publi... cation."

"And where did you see those?" I asked.

"On your computer." Carole admitted. "I was looking for some of your old cases to get ideas, and saw Mommy's stuff, too."

Seven years old, I marveled to myself. "You should ask permission to get into that stuff." I said.

"I would have," Carole replied, "but I wanted to write my story without any help, so I could fool you." Then she said forlornly "But you can't be fooled."

"Well, in the real world and real criminal cases, I certainly hope not." I said. "But don't stop trying. And in the effort, you wrote an amazing play. And I'll bet you learned a lot, too."

"Yes sir." said Carole. "Is it like chess games? You always say you don't lose; you either win or you learn something."

"That's true." I said. "And I always seem to learn a lot when Timmy Austin beats me down silly. But it's a good analogy. And you still need to get permission to get on my computer, okay?"

"Yes sirrrr." Carole said, a bit grumpily.

At that moment the dogs came running back from doing their business. "Why don't you take the dogs in, and get ready for bed. It really is past your bedtime, even on a weekend night."

"Okay, Daddy." Carole said, hugging me then hopping off the metal mesh loveseat. "Nite Daddy. I love you!"

"I love you, too." I said. As girl and dogs went into the house, I looked out over my Town, seeing and enjoying the sparkling lights of Christmas adding to the others.

They say there are three disciplines in which there are child prodigies, all rooted in numbers: music, mathematics, and chess. And child prodigies were always boys; never were girls considered to be capable of being prodigies.

But I had a prodigy on my hands, and she was a girl. Like Stephanie Steele's theories, Carole was ahead of her time and age; she was exceeding the speed of light, and it was wonderful to see.

And unlike backward-thinking teachers like Mrs. Wayne, that seemed to hold back greatness as well as keep black children down and from reaching their potential, I knew I had the duty as well as the privilege of helping Carole reach her full, tremendous potential... even if it meant sleeping on the couch with Bowser.

The Greatness was on the way. And as I watched the last railcars of the train pass through, I resolved to make sure that there was clear track ahead to usher it in...

Finis.