Murder Game One - Page 5

magenta321 · #**161** 04-10-2002, 07:51 AM

A search of the rest of the apartment is generally long and
inconclusive, but for one odd fact. The fire escape exit from the
apartment is unlocked and slightly ajar.

Redlass · #**162** 04-10-2002, 11:43 AM

Tim closes his eyes and rubs his temples, “All right, let me think and see if I can get everything straight. I arrived at the party at 7 p.m. I saw Louis arrive at 7:15. Pauline I saw arrive somewhere between 7:25 and 7:40, about the time I was returning from my office. I came back down a few minutes later and saw Bobby starting to head up the stairs, but turning back around again. I ran into the Chun’s after going to the bathroom around 8:15. I then went back to the party where I stayed for about another half hour. Rick invited me to the party after that and I didn’t see him or Pauline again.”

Tim opens his eyes and shakes his head, “Unfortunately, I’m having a hard time remembering who else I saw until I left at 8:45. Fiona, I don’t remember seeing you there, though there were certainly enough people that I wouldn’t necessarily. The next time I saw Bobby, Fiona, and Pauline was when I arrived at 9:07. The Chuns and Louis must have been right behind me leaving the party as they followed me in. However, I didn’t see any of them—Louis since 7:15 and the Chuns since 8:15.”

phoenixx · #**163** 04-10-2002, 11:44 AM

FIONA:

:: In background hear sounds of everyone searching the apartment in pairs ::

:: Fiona has been partnered with Tim ::

Oh my, well Tim, now I guess we know how the killer got in and/or out - come look at this!

:: leans on wall next to fire escape ::

Well that certainly makes things interesting...

Redlass · #**164** 04-10-2002, 12:18 PM

Tim leans out to look over the fire escape, "I think you're right, Fiona. Whoever murdered Rick could have either climbed up here unseen or gotten out this way."

Tim quickly searches the landing for any telltale clothing rips or other clues. Finding none, he steps back in and examines the lock. "Pity there isn't a way of knowing whether this was locked when Rick arrived."

As Tim and Fiona return to the living room to report what they've found, Tim asks, "Who was here first again? Was it Bobby? So you could have climbed in and then just come down here and stayed. Did you let everyone else in through the door?"

"On the other hand, Louis came in last and could have used the fire escape to leave once he heard people downstairs. Did anyone see him after 7:15 and before he arrived here?"

**drmomentum**[$] · #**165** 04-10-2002, 01:21 PM

Bobby laughs, spitting water out of his nose. "This is Rich! So I lied about sneaking in the front door and I actually snuck in the window. I killed Rick, then when Fiona buzzed I let her in instead of escaping out the back. If I'm that stupid I deserve to go to prison."

Redlass · #**166** 04-10-2002, 02:14 PM

Tim shakes his head and sighs, "Not to get overly philosophical, but murder is a rather stupid act, so I don't think we can rule stupidity out. You do have to see that it is a possibility. Not saying it happened, but it was a possibility."

Tim chews on his upper lip, looking around the room. "Does anyone else want to say when they saw others? Bobby--do you agree with the time I saw you? Prof and Mrs. Chun--how about you? It seems we need to narrow down two time frames:
[list=1][*]Who went to mine and Rick's office after Pauline left it?[*]Who had time to enter or leave via the fire escape between the party and the time the body was discovered?[/list=1]

Pauline, what time were you in our office? Do you remember?"

Tim walks over to the kitchen, opening several drawers until he finds some paper and a pencil. He writes out times in a column down the left side of the paper, leaving a few lines between each time slot. "Let's figure out times here from the beginning of the evening. Where was everyone at the following intervals, and who can verify those times?"

He then turns the paper around so everyone can see:

7 p.m.

7:15 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:45 p.m.

8:00 p.m.

8:15 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

8:35 p.m.

8:40 p.m.

8:45 p.m.

8:50 p.m.

8:55 p.m.

9:00 p.m.

9:05 p.m.

9:10 p.m.

phoenixx · #**167** 04-10-2002, 02:27 PM

FIONA:

:: takes paper from Tim and writes in what little she knows ::

7 p.m. Tim and Fiona arrive at party

7:15 p.m.

7:30 p.m. Fiona saw Bobby enter room for party

7:45 p.m. Fiona saw Pauline arrive at party at 7:40 or so

8:00 p.m. At 7:50 Fiona saw Rick and Pauline enter a stairwell for ten minutes, returning around 8:00 and introducing Pauline to Fiona.

8:15 p.m.

8:30 p.m. Fiona saw Pauline return, Rick look embarrased and Rick and Pauline rode to Rick's apartment together.

8:35 p.m. Fiona left for the party, taking five min to drive there, five minutes to park several blocks away and then walk back to Rick's.

8:40 p.m.

8:45 p.m.

8:50 p.m.

8:55 p.m.

9:00 p.m. Fiona finally gets back to Rick's from parking space. Bobby was there with no one else with him, Pauline arrives moment after Fiona.

9:05 p.m. Fiona saw Tim arrive, then Professor and Mrs Chun soon after him.

9:10 p.m.

9:15 p.m. Fiona saw Luis arrive.

:: hands paper back to Tim ::

Hope that helps.

:: Lights another cigarette, stands by window ::

**drmomentum**[$] · #**168** 04-10-2002, 02:33 PM

Bobby gets up, pours out the water and gets himself another beer. "Those aspirin aren't worth s**t, so back to the old standby."

"Tim, I don't trust you as far as I could throw you. You'd love to be in the driver's seat on this, wouldn't you? You keep mentioning how you saw me in the hall, as if I was on my way up to Rick's office."

Bobby empties half the beer in a long swig. "I freely admit I was there to find out if something was going on between Rick and Pauline in addition to what he and Margaret had going on here. And Fiona. 'What the heck' I thought. More ammo for my big talk with Ms. McAllister. However, someone was already snooping on Pauline and Rick when I got there. What I can't figure out was, what, exactly, you were after? Maybe Pauline knows? What were you and Rick talking about in the hallway?"

Bobby finishes his beer and goes for another. "Was it about sex or money? -burp- Rick seemed to like both enough, and one or the other got him into trouble."

"Tim? Pauline?"

Redlass · #**169** 04-10-2002, 02:43 PM

Tim takes the paper back from Fiona, "Thank you, Fiona. I appreciate your cooperation."

He then chuckles at Bobby, "Bobby, you don't have to trust me. From the info you were gathering to present to Fiona, I'd have to say that trust just isn't your thing. And now you're casting aspersions on Mrs. Chun as well?

"As for snooping, I'm afraid you're casting your own motives onto others. I was returning from my office when I saw you. If putting something on my own desk is snooping, well, that's a pretty broad definition."

**drmomentum**[$] · #**170** 04-10-2002, 02:46 PM

"And by the way," adds Bobby "your list isn't worth a damn. Do you expect the killer to include the information that he somehow got here earlier and then arrived a second time? All one would have to do would be to find some way to get here quickly (run, or drive) and then lie and say that he, she or they walked over here. There would be no discrepency. Pah!"

Redlass · #**171** 04-10-2002, 02:54 PM

"Which is why I'm asking people to say when they saw other people--with the exception of Prof. and Mrs. Chun, I'm not sure anyone else would have much interest in protecting anyone else. And if what you say is true about Mrs. Chun and Rick, maybe they aren't so interested in protecting each other. Is the list completely reliable? No. Will it get us closer? Maybe."

**drmomentum**[$] · #**172** 04-10-2002, 03:15 PM

"Returning from your office?" Rick raises his eyebrows. "Does the trip from your office include a layover in the hallway? You didn't look like you were moving too fast to me - or at all. Did you stop to try to remember where the party was?"

**drmomentum**[$] · #**173** 04-10-2002, 03:15 PM

"Oh, and to hell with your list."

Redlass · #**174** 04-10-2002, 03:26 PM

"Here, Bobby," Tim spits, grabbing a can of Budweiser off the counter and tossing it at him. "Why don't you have a few more drinks? It'll increase the paranoia you seem to enjoy so much." Tim shakes his head in disgust. "You honestly believe that everyone else is just like you, don't you? That we're all interested in spying on everyone else, gathering info to blackmail and threaten others with. You disgust me."

**mrisch**[$] · #**175** 04-10-2002, 03:28 PM

Louis says:

"I have question for Pauline, who hasn't said much of late. I saw you and Rick talking at the office party at 7:40. What were you talking about?"

**drmomentum**[$] · #**176** 04-10-2002, 03:38 PM

Bobby catches the Bud and whips it back in Tim's direction, missing Tim, but making a beer-stained dent in the wall as the can bursts, spewing the brew into the air. "Thanks - but no thanks."

"Louis, I think you have something that you're not telling us that would make the situation a little more clear. Did you write that note? I'm betting you did."

-JP

edited: (Not "meer" - "beer!)

**mrisch**[$] · #**177** 04-10-2002, 03:46 PM

"I told you before I wrote a note to that weasel Tim -- Rick was paying off his debts, unlike others -- though it is hard to tell if this is the same note. My guess is that Tim planted it here to divert suspicion from himself"

mtbat · #**178** 04-10-2002, 03:48 PM

Margret Okay Fiona lets stop playing games. You know damned well that Rick and I had an affair, that three weeks ago he broke it off to go back with you-his old flame. I didn't really mind, life is short-it was fun while it lasted, my marriage-I love Hal, but he's so preocupied with whatever is going on in the office-

but you, you seem pretty upset and bitter-could it be Rick decided that maybe you and he weren't exactly meant for each other??? maybe he broke it off with you tonight?

Redlass · #**179** 04-10-2002, 04:02 PM

Tim ducks, moving away from the explosion, then shaking the splashes of beer off himself. He looks in disgust at his soaked list, realizing he'll have to redo it if it is going to be of any use.

He flinches as usual when Louis begins questioning, but has apparently been emboldened enough to not squirm away this time. He looks directly at Louis, saying, "Oh yeah, that's exactly what I'd do when you KNOW that I was the one who had a note like that. If that is the same note you gave me earlier tonight, it would only point toward my guilt, not away from it. Except for two things. Either someone got into the office and took the note you gave me at the same time as they took the paperweight or you wrote more than one note today. How do we know you didn't decide Rick wasn't paying you back fast enough? I'll attest that you have no qualms about making death threats--and..." Tim takes a deep breath before continuing in a slightly less belligerant voice, "...I certainly don't doubt your willingness or ability to carry them out."

chalathra · #**180** 04-10-2002, 07:41 PM

{{Out of character: Just wanted to let you all know I am here...I will respond in character later tonight---this has REALLY picked up- LOL! But I am here!}}

phoenixx · #**181** 04-10-2002, 07:48 PM

FIONA:

I have been with Rick for a nice, quick few weeks, knowing full well we weren't exclusive, and have been quite open about it not bothering me each time you, Tim, Bobby and Pauline bring it up. How interesting that I never expected him to be monogamous after such a short time, yet you all seem obsessed with it.

:: takes a sip of whiskey ::

You can keep bringing that up to divert attention from your guilty conscience all you want, but it serves no purpose - perhaps it is your own marriage you are trying to get "brownie points" for in here by repeating yourself?

**drmomentum**[$] · #**182** 04-10-2002, 09:37 PM

"Well, Fiona, now that Rick's gone I bet it'll be really tough for you to find another guy who's willing to let you share him with two or three other women. What an extraordinary 'partner' Rick was."

"Whether you knew about Pauline or not, you seemed surprised to see Rick with her at the party. Or, at least, very interested and none too happy. The look on your face when you saw Rick and Pauline together spoke volumes."

"Come to think of it, Rick himself acted pretty weird when you showed up, Pauline. He dragged you out of the room pretty damn quick for that mysterious conference. Naturally, I was curious. Then, suddenly you both came back all pal-ish."

"The one thing that's simple to conclude is that something interesting took place in that hallway. One person involved in that conversation is dead. One person is Pauline. And it's not clear who else might have overheard."