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Hey guys,
hope you are doing well. I am absolutely obsessed with true crime podcasts lately and I recently stumbled across one about FBI Profilers and their investigation. To see if candidates are suitable to join the FBI programme they have to solve a quest to show their investigative skills. And it gave me a great idea! So here is a crime short story which has all the information in it to solve it. Are you able to tell me who did it? Read thoroughly and between the lines and you will find the bad guy. Let me know below if you have the skills to become an FBI agent.
It was cold in Hardwick Hall. Draught has always been a problem in this old house. The chandeliers were tinkling, moved from the winds coming through every little crack in the doors, windows and even down the chimney. Lord Barrow was sitting in his study behind a big oak desk scattered with books. It was hard to focus in this dim light on the piece of paper in front of him. But even the candle right next to him could not help. He had to write this. There was no time for delay. He could feel death's breath on his neck. He was 98 afterall. He had to write down his last will - once again. Something happened lately that made him change his mind. He had no heir and no spouse he could leave his fortune to. He will leave everything to his staff - to all the people who worked for him all these years. To all but one.
Done. Lord Barrows melted the wax with the candle on his desk, sealed his testament and left it on his desk. He put the candle out with his fingers and left to go to bed. The next morning he was found dead in his bed. Even though he was 98 years old his quarters appeared like this was not a natural death. It was in a state, Barrows lips were black and so the staff decided to call for the police. One hour later Inspector Parker arrived at Hardwick. He was convinced that this was not a natural cause of death. The Lord was poisoned. But who would do this? Murder a man that was almost dead anyway? Who would benefit from this? Parker started questioning the staff and soon found out that Barrows changed his last will the day before he died. He had changed his mind about someone. There might be a clue. But where was this document? When asking the maid, she told Parker that she saw it on the desk in the study last night when she was checking all the rooms before she finished work. She took it and hid it under a bible on Lord Barrows desk. “Just in case”, she said. But there was nothing. The butler told Parker later that he too saw the sealed envelope when checking if his master had a last order before going to bed. He found it sticking out from under the bible. He took it and put it in the bible. Right behind the cover and on top of page one.
Yet again when Parker checked there was nothing there. When asking the housekeeper about the testament Parker was told that she had also seen it, last night, in the study, hidden in the bible. She told Parker she wanted to make sure it was safe and put it back in the bible, between page one and two. But Parker would again find nothing in the bible.
There was one more person to ask: The cook. He found him in the kitchen downstairs. At this time of the day he would usually be preparing the meal for the Lord but since he was murdered there was nothing to do. When Parker asked him if he had seen the last will and testament of Lord Barrows he denied it. He was never allowed upstairs. Barrows did not want kitchen staff to be seen in the halls. They were not worthy, he had said once.
Inspector Parker heard enough. The case was simple. Once he would name the thief of the letter it would show who was excluded from inheriting anything. And who would have had a motive to murder Lord Barrows and make the last will disappear before it was too late. Parker lit his pipe and said: “It is very obvious who took Lord Barrows’ last will and testament. And the thief and presumably his murderer is …..
Let me know below who you think stole the last will and how did you know? The real thief will be revealed soon.
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Congrats @Mi-Amigo
I knew as soon as you said 'between page 1 and two', that was the winner. 
I said the housekeeper, but my rationale was all wrong...
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- 1791 Posts
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@Mi-Amigo @TallTrees @Cleoriff haha glad you had fun - just to let you know: I made the emoji quiz for Friday harder because of what happened here 
- 127633 Posts
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@LukasB wrote:@Mi-Amigo @TallTrees @Cleoriff haha glad you had fun - just to let you know: I made the emoji quiz for Friday harder because of what happened here
That's me out then....
but will give it a go on Friday.- 1791 Posts
- 177 Topics
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@Mi-Amigo Revenge? Me? Now that Marjo beat me in the White Room Quiz? NEVER
For family reasons I have yet to read your murder / mystery @LukasB ... but ... I will read it soonest as a whodunnit and enjoy it ... well done Lukas 
- 1791 Posts
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@Anonymous let me know if you would have guessed it
