Chapter 1: an Unlikely Gathering Outline Description Sortnum 1.1.01.001

BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 1 Chapter 1: An Unlikely Gathering Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001. ID 4 Parent 3 Seq 1 WordCount 3 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText For Robert Montcrieff, his first sight of the wall of black-clad backs, gathered around whatever it was on the floor, Intro Robert Montcrieff contemplates formal dress re-raised a question he'd been considering lately: Why was it that people of a certain age and class—not to put too Outline fine a point on it, he thought, his own age and class—readied themselves for formal occasions by dressing from head to foot in the color that predominated at funerals, the color of death? Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.110. ID 9 Parent 7 Seq 110 WordCount 59 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText Someone brushed against him, running for the door. The man's cheeks had been distended and one hand had been Man about to puke clamped over his mouth. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.120. ID 10 Parent 7 Seq 120 WordCount 19 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText Perhaps, Robert thought, making a note to check his home library, the preference for wearing black at special Robert ponders Fr aristocracy gatherings dated from the years just following the French Revolution, when it was practically suicidal to wear Outline expensive-looking clothes. Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.130. ID 11 Parent 7 Seq 130 WordCount 30 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText "Watch where you're going," a man in a T-shirt and baseball cap snapped at Robert. Robert said, "Apologies," and Man in tshirt & baseball cap moved on. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.140. ID 12 Parent 7 Seq 140 WordCount 19 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText The French aristocracy, before so many of them had their heads removed in a market square, had been absolute More Fr aristocracty peacocks, swathed in silks and rattling with jewels. The black of the tuxedo, he thought, might descend from a Outline revolutionary reaction in the opposite— Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.150. ID 13 Parent 7 Seq 150 WordCount 33 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText "You're the doctor," someone said, peering up at Robert. Robert contemplates his doctorship Outline "I'm a doctor," Robert said. His doctorate was in sociology, but, first, that didn't seem to be the information that had been requested; and second, what right had medical doctors to act like they owned the title? And anyway, if the Description man had asked whether Robert were the doctor, that meant that a medical doctor would be along in moments, and SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.160. ID 14 Parent 7 Seq 160 WordCount 68 what harm could he do? He wasn't going to hurt the corpse. Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 12 personal history is revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 2 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Because there was no doubt that the man on the floor, around whom the crowd of people had clustered, was dead. Body on floor is dead No one who was still breathing could have turned his head that far around. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.180. ID 16 Parent 7 Seq 180 WordCount 28 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID PLOT ELEMENT 8 Body on floor is dead Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText An actual corpse. In thirty years of reading, inhaling, devouring, and trying hopelessly to write, detective fiction, Robert contemplates the stiff, er victim Robert had never seen a, umm, stiff before. No, no, not stiff. Wrong kind of book, lurid cover, hackneyed first- Outline person narrative. Bang bang kiss kiss. The deceased.

Description The victim. SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.190. ID 17 Parent 7 Seq 190 WordCount 37 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 12 personal history is revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 885 personal ambitions revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText He glanced around and saw the expected categories of reaction, about equally divided: those who were fascinated Robert considers the audience and would have liked to look more closely, those who were terrified or repulsed and looked everywhere else, and Outline those who were secretly celebrating the fact that they were among the standing and who mostly looked smugly at each other. A woman near Robert, in a rainbow-hued off-the-shoulder gown, crossed herself, and he wondered Description whether the gesture was shorthand for a prayer for the departed's soul or a quick thanks for the thunderbolt having SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.200. ID 18 Parent 7 Seq 200 WordCount 74 missed. Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID PLOT ELEMENT 11 Robert considers the audience around body Thread: Robert Montcrieff investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText He said to her, "Do you have a mirror?" It seemed like a safe bet. Robert performs some tests to verify corpse Outline She blinked rapidly at him, birdlike, and unsnapped her tiny purse, withdrawing a compact. Her hands were shaking enough that she spilled some powder over her wrist when she handed it to him. Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.210. ID 19 Parent 7 Seq 210 WordCount 151 He knelt and put the mirror to the victim's nostrils and saw no clouding, not that he expected any. Put his fingers where he figured a pulse would be and didn't find one. Author: Timothy Hallinan He said, "The man is dead," and heard his words buzzed outward in a widening circle, like an audible splash. It was a big ballroom, and there must have been four hundred people in it, so it rippled away from him for a while.

The wrist he had hold of was the left, and Robert noted the carefully maintained nails with their coat of clear polish and the stains, the color of a dirty honeycomb, between the index and middle fingers. The moment he saw them, he could smell the tobacco.

"Left handed," he said. He heard that relayed back, too, and then, in response, a high, raucous laugh.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 14 Robert performs some tests to verify corpse Thread: Robert Montcrieff investigates/deduces

13 Robert performs some tests to verify corpse Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.010.999. ID 104 Parent 7 Seq 999 WordCount 1 Author:

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 4 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Jeez, Amy thought, looks like the Penguin Habitat at Sea World. She briefly regretted the sequin-studded plastic Intro to Amy Ogawa flip-flops on her feet and the Hawaiian-shirt of almost-real silk , but a quick check of the room reassured her. Outline Scattered throughout the crowd, conspicuous as Life Savers in a coal pile, were people who had passed on the expense of renting a tux or getting their hair and nails done, or even having their clothes dry-cleaned. Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.020.100. ID 15 Parent 20 Seq 100 WordCount 72 Although the thought didn't give her the courage to look at her own nails. Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 72 Amy Ogawa 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText Her private eye, Lipsy Quinn, would have been dressed just like she was, and all over the room other women would Intro to Amy's private eye Lipsy Quinn have been eying her, envying her disregard for the weensy line at the bottom of the invitation to Opening Night Outline (capitalized) of the CrimeFiction.org convention: Formal Dress Suggested. So they got her, far-sighted as she was, like this. Amy did a quick survey and didn't spot much envy, but that may have been because absolutely no one was Description looking at her. SortNum 1.1.01.001.020.110. ID 21 Parent 20 Seq 110 WordCount 67 Author: Timothy Hallinan

ID PLOT ELEMENT 267 Intro to Amy's private eye, Lipsey Quinn Thread: Amy Ogawa's private eye, Lipsy Quinn

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText Something was definitely going on at the end of the room. People were packed so tightly down there it looked like Amy detects commotion, considers her lot in life including ex-Ed the room had tilted and everyone had slid downhill. Someone laughed very loudly, and then the laugh resolved into Outline a scream, and Amy picked up the pace. A scream would have brought Lipsy on the run, she thought, although Lipsy at the moment was stranded behind her crummy little desk in her crummy little office, adrift yet again in the Description dread Chapter Seven. In three attempts, three beginnings that had seemed so brilliant, so pregnant with possibility, SortNum 1.1.01.001.020.120. ID 22 Parent 20 Seq 120 WordCount 132 Lipsy hadn't yet fought her way out of Chapter Seven. Maybe it was because Amy kept introducing Lipsy's handsome ex, Ed, in Chapter Seven, and there was so much unfinished business between them. Unfinished, she Author: Timothy Hallinan acknowledged, because she hadn't figured out what it was yet. Unwritten might be more precise. Or even unimagined.

Maybe there was something to plotting in advance, even though it sounded so dreary.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 19 Amy detects commotion, considers her lot in life including ex-Ed Thread: Ed (Amy's Ex) events

18 Amy detects commotion, considers her lot in life including ex-Ed Thread: Amy Ogawa investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 885 personal ambitions revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText She pushed her way through the crowd, feeling the temperature rise: all these people in black, packed together and Amy checks out Robert Montcrieff and Henri's body perspiring at each other. A woman pushed her back and said, "Do you mind?" and her shove pushed Amy in front Outline of one person and into another, a man with a hard, round belly, and Amy caromed off him and between the two people in front of him, which brought her into the center of the circle, where one guy was on the floor with his head Description on backward and another guy, a skinny, distinguished-looking dude in a tux with backswept wings of silver hair SortNum 1.1.01.001.020.130. ID 24 Parent 20 Seq 130 WordCount 169 who was kneeling beside the backward head, looked up and announced, "He was a smoker." Author: Timothy Hallinan "Yeah?" Amy said, more loudly than she intended, perhaps because of the truly definitive deadness of the guy on the floor. "Another smoking death, huh? He's doing the Linda Blair head-swivel and you think it was cigarettes?" She leaned down and looked at the dead man's face. He wore the expression of someone who had just realized he wasn't going to get to the punch line. "At least it's not that terrible guy with all the teeth who wants to buy everything—Leverage, or something. In fact—hold on."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 24 Amy checks out Robert Montcrieff and the Henri's body Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

23 Amy checks out Robert Montcrieff and the Henri's body Thread: George Leverage's life and death

22 Amy checks out Robert Montcrieff and the Henri's body Thread: Amy Ogawa investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 6 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText She grabbed the white corner sticking out from under the dead man's shoulder and tugged it free. What was in her Amy discovers Henri X. Blanc's nametag hand, on the end of its elastic cord, was the nametag they all wore: a graphic of a magnifying glass stuck into the Outline band of a deerstalker hat and the words CrimeFiction.org International Convention.

Description The name, hand-lettered, was Henri X. Blanc. She let go of it, and it snapped back against the dead man's shoulder, SortNum 1.1.01.001.020.140. ID 25 Parent 20 Seq 140 WordCount 131 and some man in the crowd grunted. Author: Timothy Hallinan "Henri Blanc," said the silver-haired man in a voice that was used to being listened to. The way he pronounced the name, it didn't sound like menu French. "French," he said, "for white."

"X," Amy said, "stands for unknown. And Blanc, if you're an American, is pronounced blank." She looked around at the people peering down at her. "X. Blank in other words. Huh? Am I right or am I right?"

ID PLOT ELEMENT 26 Amy discovers Henri X. Blanc's nametag Thread: Amy Ogawa investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.020.993. ID 96 Parent 20 Seq 993 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText "… So, that’s what they’ve given me, came from the top man himself," Paul Raines said and hung up the phone. Paul Raines and Jason Palmer have discovered a crime cartel Outline Across the desk Jason Palmer sighed, weight settling on his face. "Another damn crime cartel! If I’m to go undercover on this, I wish Marty were in on it with me." Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.030.140. ID 131 Parent 155 Seq 140 WordCount 62 On Raines’ tight face a slight smile appeared. "He’s on his way from the Middle East right now." Author: Gerald Griffin "Great."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 163 Paul Raines and Jason Palmer have discovered a crime cartel Thread: Crime Cartel and document exposing them

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 88 Paul Raines

BookComponent Name StoryText "We can’t fail on this, Jason," Raines stressed, rising from his chair. He began to pace. "Remember, don’t arrest Aspro is key to discovering a document exposing the crime cartel Aspro until you first get the document from him. That’s key. That document contains the names of the crime cartel’s Outline operatives and where the attack’s to take place. Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.030.150. ID 132 Parent 155 Seq 150 WordCount 41 Author: Gerald Griffin

ID PLOT ELEMENT 164 Aspro is key to discovering a document exposing the crime cartel Thread: Crime Cartel and document exposing them

152 Aspro is key to discovering a document exposing the crime cartel Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 88 Paul Raines

BookComponent Name StoryText These operatives have gone to great lengths to allay suspicion, they’ll be using the crime fiction convention to Aspro's guys will use crime fiction convention as camouflage camouflage the meeting where they’ll polish their final strategy." Outline "And Aspro is the leader of these terrorists," Palmer said, more to himself. Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.030.151. ID 156 Parent 155 Seq 151 WordCount 59 "Yes, and like all the other operatives, he’ll be acting in the role of a crime fiction aficionado, as will you and Marty. The arrangements have all been made." Author: Gerald Griffin

ID PLOT ELEMENT 165 Aspro's guys will use crime fiction convention as camouflage Thread: Crime Cartel and document exposing them

155 Aspro's guys will use crime fiction convention as camouflage Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 88 Paul Raines

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 8 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText "Marty will be right at home," Palmer said. He then pressed his lips and ran a finger over them. Marty will fit right in (as a crime fiction aficionado) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.030.152. ID 157 Parent 155 Seq 152 WordCount 16 Author: Gerald Griffin

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 90 Marty Thornsuckle 887 is present at scene 88 Paul Raines

BookComponent Name StoryText "You’d better be right at home as well," Raines emphasized. "Again, arrest Aspro only after you’ve secured the Arrest Aspro later, then the FBI will do the rest document, then the FBI will do the rest." Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.001.030.153. ID 162 Parent 155 Seq 153 WordCount 24 Author: Gerald Griffin

ID PLOT ELEMENT 268 Arrest Aspro later, then FBI will do the rest Thread: Crime Cartel and document exposing them

162 Arrest Aspro later, then the FBI will do the rest Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 88 Paul Raines

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 2 Chapter 2: Within Sight of the Law Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.020. ID 29 Parent 3 Seq 20 WordCount 5 Author:

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 9 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Detective Buster Hobbs ambled down the hallway toward the Presidential Suite of the Big Lake Hotel and Intro to Detective Buster Hobbs Conference Center, taking his time and wondering what the breakfast buffet was like. If he was lucky there might be Outline king crab legs. No need to hurry; it was his day off and the victim wasn’t going anywhere. This should have been the Sherriff’s case, but the boss’ only daughter was getting married today on some hideous barge at the lake, so Description Hobbs was tagged with the job. Made sense. The Sherriff was a small-town politician with a badge, Hobbs was a SortNum 1.1.01.020.021.100. ID 27 Parent 28 Seq 100 WordCount 259 real police, a retired detective from Long Beach who had moved to St. Joseph and got bored hanging around the house with his wife, who, truth be told, made it clear that if he didn’t find a job, any kind of a job, she was going to Author: Robert Ferrigno volunteer him as a greeter at the Wal-Mart next county over.

A crowd had gathered in the hall outside the Grand Pooh-Bah Suite, mystery conventioneers by the look of them, some of them dressed as famous detectives or famous criminals, some wearing pajamas and slippers, all with ID tags on cords around their neck and a look of intense interest. Every one of them an amateur detective, just like his wife, who was always giving him advice on his cases, certain of her expertise because she read mystery books day and night. Try cooking a meal, he wanted to tell her… but the woman had a terrible habit of being right.

"Make way," Hobbs ordered, his voice still gruff from the cigarettes he had given up eight years, two months and five days ago. The crowd parted and he was pleased. He was a tall, scrawny man in a rumpled gray suit, Ichabod Crane with a large Adam’s apple and thinning gray hair, but he still had the police voice, the voice of authority, one of the most useful weapons in a cop’s arsenal.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText The Emperor Palpatine Suite was huge, with thick carpets, high ceilings and windows that overlooked the golf Hobbs looks at the corpse of George Leverage course. People moved to the walls of the suite, giving Hobbs room. In the center of the room was a canopy bed Outline roughly the size of an aircraft carrier, occupied by the star of the show, George Leverage, Lord George, master of media, the man spread-eagle, the yellow sheets soaked in blood. Leverage looked dead as any other walrus, Description although the knife stuck hilt-deep in his chest would have provided a perfect dramatic image for one of his SortNum 1.1.01.020.021.110. ID 34 Parent 28 Seq 110 WordCount 81 newspaper or internet home pages. Author: Robert Ferrigno

ID PLOT ELEMENT 33 Hobbs looks at the corpse of George Leverage Thread: George Leverage's life and death

32 Hobbs looks at the corpse of George Leverage Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 10 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText An elegant gent in a three-piece suit sat beside the corpse on the bed, holding the dead man’s wrist as though taking Hobbs meets Robert Montcrieff in a pissing contest his pulse. The gent dropped the dead man’s hand as Hobbs approached. Outline "I’m Dr. Robert Montcrieff," said the gent. He inclined his head for a moment in greeting. "Officer, this man is Description dead." SortNum 1.1.01.020.021.120. ID 35 Parent 28 Seq 120 WordCount 203 "Wow, thanks, doc," said Hobbs. "Next you’re going to tell me it was the knife in his heart that killed him and I can Author: Robert Ferrigno go home watch Columbo reruns on TV."

"I thought you might appreciate a professional opinion, that’s all, "sniffed Montcrieff, toying with the wilting red carnation in the lapel of his black suit.

"Professional opinion, huh?" Hobbs belched. "I heard about you, doc. You’re no M.D."

Montcrieff’s cheeks flushed. "I have a Ph. D in Pre-Elizabethan Literature."

"Congratulations," said Hobbs, staring at the corpse. "I need to get an interpretation of Hamlet’s second soliloquy, I’m coming to you; I want my prostrate checked, I’ll go someplace else."

"Prostate," corrected Montcrieff, looking pleased with himself.

"Yeah, well you say potato…" Hobbs tapped the oversize teeth in the corpse’s open mouth. "Quite a set of choppers." He glanced over at Montcrieff. "Now that you’ve tracked DNA all over my crime scene, doc, how about you make yourself useful and go get me a cup of coffee. Black, three sugars."

Montcrieff stormed out the doors of the I’m-Better-Than-You Suite.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 886 physical description (from others) 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Hobbs lifted one of the dead man’s hands with a ballpoint pen. "By the way, folks," he said, examining the man’s Hobbs tells 'em nobody leaves the hotel, Lord George had lobster at 4 am fingernails, "Nobody leaves the hotel. Lord George here was alive and well when room service delivered his Outline Lobster Thermadore at 4 a.m. and the external security cams showed no one left the hotel afterwards." He turned to the crowd in the room, who leaned forward expectantly. "That’s right, boys and girls," he chuckled, "Elvis has not Description left the building." SortNum 1.1.01.020.021.121. ID 39 Parent 28 Seq 121 WordCount 69 Author: Robert Ferrigno

ID PLOT ELEMENT 38 Hobbs tells 'em nobody leaves the hotel Thread: George Leverage's life and death

37 Hobbs tells 'em nobody leaves the hotel Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 3 Chapter 3: The Irrepressible Partner Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.030. ID 46 Parent 3 Seq 30 WordCount 3 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText A 1920s Model T Ford chugged to a stop in front of the hotel entrance. Out staggered a cloche hat in a long Enter Miss Julia Warren carrying a wooden boxw with Remington on the shapeless coat, carrying a carpet bag in one hand, and a heavy-looking oddly-shaped wooden box with a handle in side the other. Up the steps and straight into the reception desk, to address the slightly bemused receptionist. Outline "I am late," announced the new arrival, "as in the late Julia Warren." Description "The late Julia Warren?" The receptionist glanced as discreetly as possible at the name tag attached to the new SortNum 1.1.01.030.010.100. ID 36 Parent 30 Seq 100 WordCount 133 arrival’s collar. Author: B Lloyd "I am sorry ma'am, I don’t quite understand - your name on your tag clearly states your name is Miss Julia Warren."

"Yes, you fool, because Miss Julia Warren is a figment of her own imagination. I am the last descendent of her family, so I have come as a representative."

The crime novelist plonked down the heavy-looking oddly shaped wooden box with a handle. The name Remington was inscribed across it in big black letters.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 77 Miss Julia Warren 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 77 Miss Julia Warren 887 is present at scene 77 Miss Julia Warren

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 12 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText "And now, once you have given me my key, I should like some tea. With milk. You do have tea in this country, I Julia meets up with Montcrieff hears about bodies take it?" Outline "Certainly we do, ma’am, although you might prefer to take it in your room as the downstairs area is taken up with Description the unfortunate incident ..." SortNum 1.1.01.030.010.110. ID 40 Parent 30 Seq 110 WordCount 130 "What unfortunate incident?" Author: B Lloyd "There has been a nasty … accident… in the ballroom, ma’am. Rather a crowd."

"An accident? What sort of accident?"

"It’s a stiff, lady, a stiff," commented a familiar voice.

The last literary representative of the Warrens turned, lifting her nose in the air the better to peer from under the generous brim of her cloche.

"Montcrieff!" she hailed.

Montcrieff raised an eyebrow and made a quick bow in recognition.

"Julia—this is rather a long way for you to come, isn’t it?"

"I wouldn’t have, only my publisher insisted—helps boost sales and so on… now, what is this about stiffs?"

"A body in the ballroom."

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 77 Miss Julia Warren 885 personal ambitions revealed 77 Miss Julia Warren 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText "Dear, dear. Something went wrong with his Tango? His partner couldn’t take any more wrong turns?" Music is introduced and a mysterious paper Outline "At this point, your guess is as good as mine. Oh, and there's a knifer in the Pooh-Bah suite. George Leverage."

Description "How very musical this all is becoming suddenly. The Mikado and a ballroom… I wonder if there is a connection." SortNum 1.1.01.030.010.120. ID 41 Parent 30 Seq 120 WordCount 79 "Well, now that you mention it …." Montcrieff pulled out a piece of folded paper. "Came across this. Apparently of Author: B Lloyd no interest to the local replacement sheriff, so, I thought, hey, finders-keepers…"

"Show me. Over tea."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 44 Music is introduced and a mysterious paper Thread: Music / Mikado theme / Viola

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.030.012. ID 81 Parent 46 Seq 12 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText After a refined clinking of china and silver, Julia settled back into the cushions and examined the piece of paper, Paper is a smoke-stained verse of Mikado (with billiards) covered in lines, trills and arpeggios. Outline "Well, beyond it being a verse of the Mikado’s aria, I see little else to interest us." Description SortNum 1.1.01.030.024.130. ID 42 Parent 32 Seq 130 WordCount 159 "How about the tobacco stain in the bottom left hand corner? Suggestive of having been held by a left-handed smoker?" Author: B Lloyd "Is there something you haven’t told me?"

"The dead man in the ballroom was a left-handed smoker. I’m guessing he was reading this not long before he was … despatched."

"Hmmmm. Interesting, yes. Let us look again… I wonder why it would be this verse in particular…it has been torn from the rest of the song, I see…"

Julia read down through the verse…. " ‘A billiard sharp who any catches, his doom’s extremely hard – he’s made to dwell – in a dungeon cell on a spot that’s always barred. And there he plays extravagant matches in fitless finger- stalls… on a cloth untrue…. With a twisted cue … and elliptical billiard balls!’ ...." She looked up, her eyes rather bright with thought. "Montcrieff – you don’t happen to know if this place has a billiard room, do you?"

ID PLOT ELEMENT 49 Paper is a smoke-stained verse of Mikado (with billiards) Thread: Robert Montcrieff investigates/deduces

48 Paper is a smoke-stained verse of Mikado (with billiards) Thread: Julia Warren investigates/deduces

45 Paper is a smoke-stained verse of Mikado (with billiards) Thread: Billiards theme

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 77 Miss Julia Warren

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 14 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 4 Chapter 4: Shaken With Billiards Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.040. ID 48 Parent 3 Seq 40 WordCount 3 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText After three attempts Amy extracted half a cup of acrid brown fluid from the plastic urn dishonestly marked Coffee. Amy contemplates coffee She was sure there was a team of ex-NASA guys somewhere who designed impenetrable coffee jugs for convention Outline centers. This was a good example: Amy could have cracked Rubic’s Cube in less time than it took her to get the damn thing to dispense any liquid. Description SortNum 1.1.01.040.010.100. ID 44 Parent 31 Seq 100 WordCount 85 Lipsy Quinn would never have had that trouble. Nor would the vile brew have burned straight through Lipsy’s stomach lining the way it did through Amy’s. But hell, you drank coffee at conventions, didn’t you? And besides, Author: T.D. Griggs Amy needed time to think.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText Henri X Blanc. Maybe it didn’t mean unknown after all. Maybe it was Roman. Henri Ten Blanc? Amy had to admit Amy contemplates Henri X, George, Julia and Montcrieff to herself, that didn’t sound promising. Lipsy would have worked it out it by now, she thought bitterly, if she could Outline ever get out of Chapter Seven. And now there was this guy with the Jaws dental work and the noble moniker found in the Emperor Palpatine Suite with six inches of steel interrupting his digestion. Much as this filthy coffee was Description interrupting hers, she thought, belching loudly enough that a tweedy old broad in a cloche hat observed her through SortNum 1.1.01.040.010.110. ID 45 Parent 31 Seq 110 WordCount 184 a monocle like she might have been a spider. In return Amy smiled her dazzling Lipsy Quinn smile - the smile that had Ed ripping her clothes off at inappropriate moments (on the glass roof of a restaurant in Cape Town, for Author: T.D. Griggs example, in her South African thriller Huntress, Kiss my Sjambok). It didn’t have that effect on Miss Tweedy, who went back into deep conference with the dude in the tux Amy had first seen crouched over the backward-looking Henri Ten Blanc, or whoever he was. They seemed to be discussing a scrap of paper held by Tux Dude, who occasionally did that irritating thing with his eyebrows that guys do when they’re humming a tune. He even made little camp fluttering movements with his fingers, like he was conducing an orchestra.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 56 Amy contemplates Henri X, George, Julia and Montcrieff Thread: Amy Ogawa investigates/deduces

55 Amy contemplates Henri X, George, Julia and Montcrieff Thread: George Leverage's life and death

54 Amy contemplates Henri X, George, Julia and Montcrieff Thread: Ed (Amy's Ex) events

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText That caught Amy’s attention. Well, it would. It would have caught Lipsy’s, too. So, when the odd couple got up Amy dashes off after Julia & Montcrieff to billiard room with a sudden sense of purpose and set off across the lobby—Miss Tweedy’s stick rapping the parquet—Amy did Outline what Lipsy would do, and went after them.

Description The billiard room. It was in the basement (they called it the Lower Ground Executive Function Area, but it was the SortNum 1.1.01.040.010.120. ID 37 Parent 31 Seq 120 WordCount 128 basement). Amy caught up with the other two hovering outside the door, still peering at their scrap of paper and Tux Dude still doing the butterfly thing with his hands. Author: T.D. Griggs There was something in there, that was for sure. Maybe these two oldsters were nervous about finding out what it was. Well, if this was the billiard room, Amy decided, she wasn’t going to be behind the eight ball. Not this time. She walked boldly past the other two, thrust open the doors and strode in, just like Lipsy would have done.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 77 Miss Julia Warren 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText "Gidday," he said, smiling broadly and standing up from taking a shot at the black. Enter Kent Valentine, encountered by Amy. Imaginary Ed? Outline Amy stopped, open-mouthed. He was tall and bronzed and good looking, which was extraordinary enough in a convention of crime writers, but what really floored her was that he looked exactly like Lipsy Quinn’s complicated, Description faithless, dishonest, untrustworthy, rude, violent, graceless and utterly irresistible ex, Ed. Which was crazy because SortNum 1.1.01.040.010.121. ID 49 Parent 31 Seq 121 WordCount 60 Ed existed only in her imagination. Didn’t he? Author: T.D. Griggs

ID PLOT ELEMENT 61 Amy encounters the gorgeous Kent Valentine, imaginary Ed? Thread: Ed (Amy's Ex) events

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 82 Kent Valentine 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 77 Miss Julia Warren

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 16 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.040.012. ID 94 Parent 48 Seq 12 WordCount 1 Author:

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 17 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText "Don’t tell me," he said, surveying her almost-silk Hawaiian shirt and sequined flip-flops, "it’s a fancy dress gig and Amy learns a bit more about Kent (his snake & his quest) you’ve come as a Christmas tree. Am I right, or am I right?" Outline This wasn’t possible. That was her phrase, hers and Lipsy’s. She forced herself to concentrate. She realized firstly Description that he had a peculiar, flat accent—not quite Limey—and that he was no sartorial paragon himself. In fact he was SortNum 1.1.01.040.030.140. ID 43 Parent 33 Seq 140 WordCount 331 wearing a faded blue tee-shirt with salt stains and very short shorts, which hovered on the edge of the cliff of decency, and actually plunged over it as he leaned forward to line up his shot once more. Author: T.D. Griggs "Do you know your ass is hanging out of your pants?" she asked, tossing her head.

He grinned his dynamite grin. "No, but you hum a few bars, darling, and I’ll pick it up."

She saw that a stained bush hat lay in the middle of the billiard table, but without bothering to move it he took the shot, the white ball flicking like a silent comet across the green felt. It leapt the hat, clipped the black ball and sliced it neatly, impossibly, into the top corner pocket. He stood up and rested the cue against the table.

"You seem to have a staring problem, darling. Is there something wrong?"

"Yes, you’re not dead."

"You were expecting me to be?"

"It was a possibility. Who are you anyway?"

"Kent Valentine. Excuse the get-up. I just got in from Woomera."

"Where?"

"South Australia. Woomera’s where they did the H-Bomb tests. Only place in Australia you can get a suntan in the middle of the night."

He picked up his hat. Under it, curled in tight rosette, lay a speckled snake. He put the hat on his head and allowed the snake to trickle along his arm and disappear inside his tee-shirt. Amy gave some thought as to where it might finally take up residence: the idea made her faintly queasy.

"That’s Cedric," Valentine said. "I bring him along to remind me of home. Also he has some rather unusual talents."

That made her feel queasier. "Isn’t he poisonous?"

"Only when he bites you." That grin again.

"You can’t bring poisonous reptiles into the United States."

"Sure you can. Goldman Sachs does it all the time."

"There are signs everywhere at the airport."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 64 Amy learns a bit more about Kent (his snake & his quest) Thread: Ed (Amy's Ex) events

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 82 Kent Valentine 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 82 Kent Valentine 887 is present at scene 82 Kent Valentine

BookComponent Name StoryText "It’s OK. Cedric can’t read. But listen, if you were looking for a stiff, I can offer you the next best thing." Kent indicates a passed-out Tess de Vie Outline He gestured to the corner of the room. On a sofa in the shadows lay a figure, a petite attractive woman in what had been a neat grey suit. Description SortNum 1.1.01.040.030.145. ID 38 Parent 33 Seq 145 WordCount 149 "Tess!" Amy cried and hurried across the room. Author: T.D. Griggs "You know her?" Valentine ambled up behind her.

"It’s Tess de Vie. She’s our founder. Is she….?"

"No, like I said, she’s just sparked out. Two bottles of gin will do that to a girl."

"Gin? Tess? But she’s tee-total. Her people are Amish."

"Not any more." Valentine pushed back his hat and ran his fingers through his sandy hair. Literally sandy, Amy saw, as a small runnel of gritty dust escaped from under the hat. "Sorry. Brought a bit of Woomera with me."

"But how did Tess get in here?"

"I found her wandering about, muttering about this bloke Lord George Leverage. She seemed a mite overwrought, so I brought her in here for a bit of peace and quiet."

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 82 Kent Valentine 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 82 Kent Valentine 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText "Leverage is dead. Murdered." Leverage was killed with a dagger made of purple Aboriginal malachite Outline "Yeah, I know." Valentine wandered back to the table and lined up another shot. "With a dagger made of purple Aboriginal malachite." Description SortNum 1.1.01.040.030.146. ID 50 Parent 33 Seq 146 WordCount 24 Author: T.D. Griggs

ID PLOT ELEMENT 107 Leverage was killed with a dagger made of purple Aboriginal malachite Thread: Purple Aboriginal malachite knife from Oz

72 Leverage was killed with a dagger made of purple Aboriginal malachite Thread: George Leverage's life and death

71 Leverage was killed with a dagger made of purple Aboriginal malachite Thread: Kent Valentine investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 77 Miss Julia Warren

BookComponent Name StoryText "What?" Kent is investigator of Weird Religions & searching Monsignor Aspro Outline "Didn’t notice that, did you?" He smiled again, pleased with himself. "No, well, you wouldn’t. It takes an investigator from the Australian Department of Bloody Weird Religions to spot that kind of thing." Description SortNum 1.1.01.040.030.147. ID 51 Parent 33 Seq 147 WordCount 168 "You mean….?" Author: T.D. Griggs "Yeah, that’s me. Kent Valentine, Cultfinder General. Mind you, I didn’t come here looking for Leverage." He took the shot, but this time the white ball skewed away to the left and bounced harmlessly off the cushion. Valentine frowned, chalked his cue, and lined up for another try. "No. I came here on the trail of a certain Monsignor Xavier Aspro, who passes himself off as accountant to the Jesuit Order."

"Of course! X is for Xavier! But Aspro?"

The doors burst open and the tweedy broad and the elderly dude in the tux came in, bursting with self-importance.

"Aspro," the dude announced, with an air of triumph, "is Greek for white."

"Oh, yeah?" Valentine said. "You know this bloke Aspro, then?"

"You might say that," Amy supplied.

"Well, I’m almost sorry for him. On the run all these years, forever looking over his shoulder."

"You got that right," Amy observed.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 79 Kent is investigator of Weird Religions & searching Monsignor Aspro Thread: Amy Ogawa investigates/deduces

76 Kent is investigator of Weird Religions & searching Monsignor Aspro Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

73 Kent is investigator of Weird Religions & searching Monsignor Aspro Thread: Kent Valentine investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 82 Kent Valentine 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

BookComponent Name StoryText Valentine took his shot again, and once again missed by a foot. Puzzled, he picked up the ball and examined it. Kent finds elliptical billiard balls "Bugger me," he said, "this ball’s bloody elliptical.’ Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.040.030.148. ID 52 Parent 33 Seq 148 WordCount 26 Author: T.D. Griggs

ID PLOT ELEMENT 77 Kent finds elliptical billiard balls Thread: Billiards theme

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 5 Chapter 5: Hidden Secrets Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.050. ID 53 Parent 3 Seq 50 WordCount 2 Author:

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 21 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Amy watched the pair as they hoisted a comatose Tess off the bench seat and frogmarched her to the elevators. The Amy watches Julia & Montcrieff w/ Tess, finds Tess de Vie's note dude in the tux fluttered his long elegant fingers at the lift button. Outline Already bored, Amy scanned the room, delighted to perceive a crumpled sheet jammed into the seat cushions. Lipsy Description Quinn would have sidled over and discretely palmed the sheet but no one was paying attention to dreary old Amy SortNum 1.1.01.050.010.100. ID 62 Parent 61 Seq 100 WordCount 62 Ogawa. Smoothing out the paper, she read: Author: Theresa de Valence

ID PLOT ELEMENT 238 Amy watches Julia & Montcrieff w/ Tess, finds Tess de Vie's note Thread: Jules?

81 Amy watches Julia & Montcrieff w/ Tess, finds Tess de Vie's note Thread: Tess de Vie's guilt

80 Amy watches Julia & Montcrieff w/ Tess, finds Tess de Vie's note Thread: Julia Warren's guilt

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

BookComponent Name StoryText Tessa, Tess de Vie's note Outline I can’t stand it. We have to do something about him. Soon.

Description Jules SortNum 1.1.01.050.010.101. ID 209 Parent 61 Seq 101 WordCount 11 Author: Theresa de Valence

ID PLOT ELEMENT 265 Tess de Vie's note Thread: Jules?

260 Tess de Vie's note Thread: Tess de Vie's guilt

259 Tess de Vie's note Thread: Julia Warren's guilt

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText She did palm the paper after all. Amy palms the paper after all Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.050.010.102. ID 210 Parent 61 Seq 102 WordCount 6 Author: Theresa de Valence

ID PLOT ELEMENT 263 Amy palms the paper after all Thread: Amy Ogawa's guilt

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.050.010.150. ID 95 Parent 61 Seq 150 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText On the third floor of the hotel, Lady Caroline Cadwallader waited for the elevator to ascend. She applied lip gloss Enter Lady Caroline Cadwallader meets Kent Valentine at elevator and pouted into her compact mirror. Not bad, she thought, still looking good at forty. She heard a door slam along Outline the corridor, turned to look and winced. The dreadful Antipodean with the loud voice emerged; she’d only been here twenty four hours yet he kept turning up like some kind of incompetent stalker; what did he want with her anyway? Description Something rather disgusting wriggled inside his shirt and the top of his pants. She tilted her head and studiously SortNum 1.1.01.050.020.110. ID 177 Parent 175 Seq 110 WordCount 112 watched the elevator indicator—1st floor, ting; 2nd floor, ting. Author: Tom Bryson “G’day. Any more stiffs around?”

Caroline delivered her most withering smile. The writhing had travelled to the inside of his right thigh. Good Lord.

Ting. Thank heavens. The elevator door opened.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader 886 physical description (from others) 82 Kent Valentine 887 is present at scene 82 Kent Valentine

BookComponent Name StoryText Caroline gasped as she took in her long-standing friend’s crumpled appearance. Caroline takes a drunk Tess from Montcrieff and Warren Outline “Tess!”

Description She was supported on one side by an debonair looking man of about sixty wearing a tux and a woman encased in a SortNum 1.1.01.050.020.120. ID 181 Parent 175 Seq 120 WordCount 160 bell-shaped hat straight out of an Agatha Christie novel. Author: Tom Bryson The trio stepped out and Caroline, seeing Tess de Vie’s distress, reached to grab her. Robert Montcrieff and Julia Warren attempted to bundle Tess along the corridor but Lady Cadwallader blocked their path and spoke with a quiet authority that came from generations of taking charge—and taking anything else that was going.

“It’s quite all right—thank you! I can manage from here.” She shoved them to one side and gathered a limp Tess into her embrace. “Make way, make way, please.”

With one arm around Tess’s waist and the other gripping her wrist, she guided Tess away from an open-mouthed Montcrieff. Julia Warren started jigging suggesting she was either hopping mad or dancing the Charleston. Kent Valentine’s bush hat fell off as he tugged at his pants where the wriggler was now active in the crotch area.

Lady Cadwallader, eyes straight ahead, led her former editor and friend, an extremely wobbly Tess de Vie, along the hotel corridor.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 1 Tess de Vie 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader 887 is present at scene 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader

BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.050.020.988. ID 186 Parent 175 Seq 988 WordCount 1 Author: Tom Bryson

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 24 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText In the sanctity of Tess’s room, Caroline made two cups of tea. She watched her good friend, perched on the edge of Lady Cadwallader feeds Tess tea the king-sized bed, hang her head and draw several deep breaths. Outline “Tess—whatever is the matter? You look like a shipwreck survivor from the Titanic.” Lady Cadwallader peered at Description Tess who rolled onto her back on the bed, dabbing her head with an ice-filled handkerchief. Melting ice water SortNum 1.1.01.050.030.100. ID 178 Parent 176 Seq 100 WordCount 182 trickled down her arm onto the deep pile carpet. Author: Tom Bryson “Caroline, great to see you … aggh.” Tess gasped and pressed the ice pack closer to her forehead. “Please, I need quiet and darkness … I think my head’s about to explode.”

“I’ve barely had a chance to speak with you—I must say it’s all perfectly dreadful. George, dear George— whatever’s going on?”

Tess looked up, her pale face, streaked mascara and red-rimmed eyes gave her the appearance of a wayward Panda strung out on speed. “Caroline, tell me it’s all a dream. That I’m in the middle of my worst nightmare.”

“I sincerely wish I could do just that, darling. However, I fear we are in the real world in a moment of unbelievable chaos and confusion. In other words…”

“In other words, as you say in England in the best circles—the shit has well and truly hit the fan.”

“Precisely, Tess—now drink your tea and in simple words and short sentences tell me what happened.”

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

BookComponent Name StoryText As Tess recounted events Caroline listened, her calm composure belying a mind racing at a thousand miles an hour. Tess fills in Caroline with the details of bastard George Leverage's plan When Tess had first got wind of Lord George’s plan to buy CrimeFiction.org, she’d confided in Caroline, calling Outline on her cell phone Skype connection. Caroline recalled her agitation, most understandable given that the crime fiction group was very much her baby, her pride and joy. Tess’s feelings towards Lord George—or as Caroline Description preferred to call him—that scheming bastard Leverage—were perfectly understandable. As Caroline knew only too SortNum 1.1.01.050.030.110. ID 180 Parent 176 Seq 110 WordCount 77 well from bitter experience, Lord George was not to be trusted. Author: Tom Bryson

ID PLOT ELEMENT 216 Tess fills in Caroline with the details of bastard George Leverage's plan Thread: George Leverage's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 25 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.050.030.999. ID 103 Parent 176 Seq 999 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText “So—downstairs Detective Buster Hobbs has two murders on his hands—and probably still counting, I suspect,” Tess thinks her drink was spiked Caroline said. Outline Tess gulped down the last of her tea. “I needed that … feel a little more human.” Description SortNum 1.1.01.050.040.100. ID 185 Parent 179 Seq 100 WordCount 49 “I must say, quite unlike you to get pissed.” Caroline leaned over Tess and sniffed. “Thought so, gin—and not enough tonic!” Author: Tom Bryson “You know I don’t drink much. I think it was spiked.”

“Spiked!

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 1 Tess de Vie 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

BookComponent Name StoryText Oh, I say Tess, do you think our mutual friend of yore George was trying to get his wicked way with you?” Lady C and Tess discuss George's sexual tendencies Outline For the first time since Caroline’d seen her that day, Tess flashed a rueful smile. “I think that’s more your department, Caroline.” Description SortNum 1.1.01.050.040.110. ID 184 Parent 179 Seq 110 WordCount 79 “Yes, yes, well—George and I do—did—have a shared past.” Author: Tom Bryson “That’s one way of putting it, I suppose.” Tess lowered her head into her hands and groaned, “Oh, my head.” She got up, tottered to the bathroom and splashed water over her face. She emerged towelling herself dry and said, “I suppose this is all over the news by now.”

ID PLOT ELEMENT 221 Lady C and Tess discuss George's sexual tendencies Thread: George Leverage's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 1 Tess de Vie 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 26 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText She hit the remote and a rolling news programme channel confirmed her worst fears. A long shot of the Big Lake Tess and Lady C watch the TV news about the crimes Conference Centre, the reporter’s voiceover describing the “shocking events in this small backwater town of St Outline Joseph, where the biggest event of the year is usually the annual Farmers’ Convention. Now with the arrival from all over the world of fiction crime writers…” Tess drew her head up and howled a wolf-like screech, “true crime has Description reached St Joseph.” SortNum 1.1.01.050.040.120. ID 182 Parent 179 Seq 120 WordCount 117 They watched the live broadcast of the perimeter of the Centre showing a wide cordon of police crime tape with Author: Tom Bryson forensic crime scene officers in white suits moving like bees in a hive. Next shot, a close-up of Detective Buster Hobbs conferring with a trio of tall, burly men in plain clothes and eye shades.

“Looks like the Feds are here already,” Tess said.

“Or someone’s minders,” Caroline said.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

BookComponent Name StoryText Lady Cadwallader crossed her elegant legs and sat straight on a chair near the bed where Tess still lay sprawled. Tess talks about the knife which killed George & Lady C upset “You said the maid was the first to find George. Is that right, Tess?” Outline “Yeah, apparently she—Ellen, I think her name is—went to his room to clean early morning. There he was… dead. Description A knife in his chest.” SortNum 1.1.01.050.040.130. ID 183 Parent 179 Seq 130 WordCount 115 “What kind of knife—can you describe it?” Author: Tom Bryson “I didn’t see it. I was lying in a near coma—couldn’t move. But I heard voices, didn’t make much sense. I kinda heard the Ozzie guy, he seemed to know something about the knife.”

“ What did he kinda say?”

“Aw—something like...original, melamite, something like that. I think I passed out then.”

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.”

“Something the matter, Caroline?”

“I think—I think I’ll make another cup of tea.”

“And I think I’ll take a shower. Maybe I can wash away the memory of today at the same time.”

ID PLOT ELEMENT 233 Tess talks about the knife which killed George & Lady C upset Thread: Caroline Cadwallader investigates/deduces

226 Tess talks about the knife which killed George & Lady C upset Thread: Purple Aboriginal malachite knife from Oz

225 Tess talks about the knife which killed George & Lady C upset Thread: Evelyn Robinson's guilt

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 1 Tess de Vie

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 6 Chapter 6: In Search of a Good Story Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.060. ID 54 Parent 3 Seq 60 WordCount 5 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText Perry Parker regarded Detective Buster Hobbs solemnly, staring at the cop through the big black spectacles he Perry Parker looks disparagingly at Buster Hobbs hoped gave him an intellectual, mild-mannered, Jimmy Olsen kind of look, but were actually reminiscent of comic Outline book ads for those X-ray glasses that can somehow see through clothing, but not underwear or flesh. He gestured with his unlicensed weapon—a steno pad. If there was ever a Buster, this flatfoot fit the bill. Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.101. ID 63 Parent 68 Seq 101 WordCount 57 Author: Linton Robinson

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 73 Perry Parker 886 physical description (from others) 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 28 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText "I’m just interested in informing the citizens here, Detective," he said in what he took for a neutral, calming tone. Perry misinterprets Hobbs, billiard balls "After all, they have the right to know if there’s a demented pervert killer loose amongst them." Outline "Pervert?" Hobbs exclaimed. "It’s a routine stabbing!" Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.102. ID 64 Parent 68 Seq 102 WordCount 98 "I heard something about misshapen balls." Author: Linton Robinson "Billiard balls, dammit. Nothing weird, just a clue that’s a little odd."

Parker nodded judiciously and jotted down, "Odd balls," and pulled out a pocket camera.

"Sorry, Pal," Hobbs quickly said, "But I can’t allow you to photograph the deceased. Privacy laws, that sort of crap. Why I tossed that bedspread over the corpus, there."

Parker nodded understandingly and wrote, "Cover up."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 91 Perry misinterprets Hobbs, billiard balls Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

90 Perry misinterprets Hobbs, billiard balls Thread: Billiards theme

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

BookComponent Name StoryText And of course, Blanc is already on his way to the morgue. Or supposed to be." Hobbs says Blanc off to morgue Outline "Blank?"

Description Yeah, the other victim. What kind of newshound are you, anyway?" SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.103. ID 65 Parent 68 Seq 103 WordCount 39 "The kind who runs news from official sources." He quickly penciled in "Serial killer." Author: Linton Robinson

ID PLOT ELEMENT 94 Hobbs says Blanc off to morgue Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 29 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText "There are certain clues we don’t mind releasing to the general public at this time. We wouldn’t mind getting some Hobbs wants public's help with musical cues citizen input, help explain a few things. For instance, there’s that big violin we found under the bed." Outline The ink-stained wretch glanced up immediately contradicting the cop, "Not a violin; a viola de gamba." Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.111. ID 82 Parent 68 Seq 111 WordCount 108 "That’s exactly what that odd little duck from the university said. And he mentioned it’s unusual because it’s tuned to the key of A Natural." Author: Linton Robinson He paused pregnantly, eyes on Parker, who returned the gaze with owlish vacuity. Shrugging, he went on. "Not A Sharp, which I guess is the usual way to go with your stringed instruments. We wouldn’t mind somebody telling us why this one is not sharp."

Parker scribbled, "Blunt instrument."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 98 Hobbs wants public's help with musical cues Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 73 Perry Parker 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

BookComponent Name StoryText "Another open question," the investigator continued. "There is a slight, reddened indentation on Lord George’s Hobbs mentions dent in Lord George's forehead forehead, which matches the maker’s plaque on a refrigerated case in the restaurant. It would appear that the Lord Outline struck his head on that cooler, perhaps while helping himself to the sliced sausages and cheeses inside it. We’d invite anybody who saw him there to come forward." Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.112. ID 83 Parent 68 Seq 112 WordCount 58 Nodding, Parker jotted, "Cold case." Author: Linton Robinson

ID PLOT ELEMENT 102 Hobbs mentions dent in Lord George's forehead Thread: George Leverage's life and death

99 Hobbs mentions dent in Lord George's forehead Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 30 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText "Then there’s some nonsense about Aborigine knives from Oz. Anybody up on that, we’d love to know more." Hobbs mentions Aboriginal knives from Oz Outline "Yes, I imagine you would." Parker quickly wrote "Foreign weapon technology." Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.113. ID 84 Parent 68 Seq 113 WordCount 28 Author: Linton Robinson

ID PLOT ELEMENT 108 Hobbs mentions Aboriginal knives from Oz Thread: Purple Aboriginal malachite knife from Oz

106 Hobbs mentions Aboriginal knives from Oz Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

103 Hobbs mentions Aboriginal knives from Oz Thread: George Leverage's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

BookComponent Name StoryText This was shaping up as quite a front page story—not to mention a whole new beginning for his long-slaved-over Perry Parker, reporter, is writing a mystery novel (too) mystery novel. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.114. ID 85 Parent 68 Seq 114 WordCount 17 Author: Linton Robinson

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 885 personal ambitions revealed 73 Perry Parker 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 31 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Looking back at Hobbs, he asked, "Anything else I could use here? Documents, perhaps?" Perry asks about mysterious letter delivered to Lord George Outline "Documents? It’s a stabbing in a hotel room."

Description "Well, for instance, that letter on the desk." SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.115. ID 86 Parent 68 Seq 115 WordCount 139 "What letter?" Author: Linton Robinson "The one in the large black envelope. Addressed, I’ve been given to understand, to Lord George."

Given to understand, Hobbs fumed. Somebody is going to get given a kick in the derrière for leaking to this bozo. He spoke calmly, though. "Ah, yes. Just today’s mail delivery. Brought to the room unopened."

Parker scrawled down, "Blackmail."

"But you’ll have opened them by now, of course," he asked in an arch tone.

"You bet," Hobbs replied. He lifted a piece of paper off the desk and showed the reporter a Xerox copy of a snotty cat with the legend, "Givez me the salmon and nobody getz hurt."

Parker stared at the image for a long moment, glanced at Hobbs with ill-cloaked derision while jotting down, "Copy cat killing."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 112 Perry asks about mysterious letter delivered to Lord George Thread: George Leverage's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 73 Perry Parker

BookComponent Name StoryText "I hope that is enough information for you at this point in time, Parker," the detective blurted, suddenly brisk and Perry dreams of fame for his reporting prowess businesslike and nakedly pining for the journalist’s absence. "I’ll look forward to the results of your publication of Outline this unfortunate business."

Description "And well you might," Parker replied diffidently. As he turned and clicked his heels along the parquet, heading for SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.116. ID 87 Parent 68 Seq 116 WordCount 87 the door, he was already mentally composing the article that would blow the lid off this shocking affair…and the cover letter he would append to it when sending it to every national paper and wire service in New York and Los Author: Linton Robinson Angeles.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 885 personal ambitions revealed 73 Perry Parker

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 32 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.020.995. ID 99 Parent 68 Seq 995 WordCount 1 Author: Tom Bryson

BookComponent Name StoryText Lady Caroline Cadwallader, slim and blonde, with a porcelain-like complexion, was as fine looking a woman as she Lady Cadwallader thinks about her mansion & need for cash had been ten years earlier. She was the mainstay in the running of a Grand Old House on an Estate in Hyfellw, deep Outline in rural England, where her husband Lord Henry Cadwallader spent most of his day drinking brandy and pottering about his stables to the annoyance of his horse racing trainer and lads. Deep in thought, she now stirred her tea as Description she listened to the swishing sounds coming from the adjacent en-suite bathroom. Matters were becoming somewhat SortNum 1.1.01.060.052.211. ID 199 Parent 200 Seq 211 WordCount 240 ticklish. Author: Tom Bryson Her income from dealing in collectibles was substantial; she had a very good eye for period pieces and knew her way around the best auction houses in the US and the UK and further afield. Middle East war trophies from Iraq and Afghanistan were becoming more and more available and there were plenty of eager buyers. But even with a good income from those sources, the upkeep of Cadwallader Hall was proving tough—even more so since austerity had kicked in as the UK Government struggled to reduce its national debt and pay obeisance to the financial markets and the credit rating agencies.

She needed more cash—it was that simple. And George Leverage’s plan had much to commend it. Everyone a winner—and given her powers of persuasion, she was confident she could soon bring stakeholders in CrimeFiction.org to the same conclusion. Even if that meant betraying her dear old friend Tess in the end—but Lady Caroline’s family lineage went back a long way and betrayal was an integral part of their titled longevity. One well known historical relative was the voice in the ear of King Henry VIII that led to that young lovely, Ann Boleyn, losing her beautiful head. Yes—if needs must.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 234 Lady Cadwallader thinks about her mansion & need for cash Thread: George Leverage's life and death

232 Lady Cadwallader thinks about her mansion & need for cash Thread: Caroline Cadwallader's guilt

231 Lady Cadwallader thinks about her mansion & need for cash Thread: Henry Cadwallader

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 885 personal ambitions revealed 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader 887 is present at scene 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 33 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText And then there was that other project, very dear to her heart. Some claimed that was the one redeeming quality in Lady Cadwallader thinks about that other project her nature but Lady Caroline dismissed such meanderings—good sense beat sentiment any time. She closed her Outline eyes—she might have to enlist the help of sweet Jules. Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.052.212. ID 201 Parent 200 Seq 212 WordCount 38 Author: Tom Bryson

ID PLOT ELEMENT 237 Lady Cadwallader thinks about that other project Thread: Jules?

236 Lady Cadwallader thinks about that other project Thread: Caroline Cadwallader's guilt

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 885 personal ambitions revealed 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader 887 is present at scene 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader

BookComponent Name StoryText . . . Item: SECTION BREAK (blank line) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.052.900. ID 198 Parent 200 Seq 900 WordCount 0 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText The sound of running water stopped in the bathroom. Tess called out, “Why were you asking about the knife? The Lady Cadwallader owns up to owning the knife one that killed George.” Outline “Because, darling Tess, if I understand correctly, I think the knife was made of purple Aboriginal malachite.” Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.060.130. ID 207 Parent 203 Seq 130 WordCount 81 “Yeah, yeah, that’s it—that’s what he said … Oz. At least I think so. What about it?” Author: Tom Bryson “Very rare—and valuable. Usually greenish.”

“Yeah. So what?”

“That was my knife.”

Tess shot to the bathroom doorway, her carefully wrapped towel fell away revealing her soft, well contoured figure. “You killed George? Oh, my God, your knife. You must tell the cops.”

“Umm, not just yet.”

ID PLOT ELEMENT 242 Lady Cadwallader owns up to owning the knife Thread: George Leverage's life and death

241 Lady Cadwallader owns up to owning the knife Thread: Purple Aboriginal malachite knife from Oz

240 Lady Cadwallader owns up to owning the knife Thread: Caroline Cadwallader's guilt

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 91 Lady Caroline Cadwallader

BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.060.989. ID 187 Parent 203 Seq 989 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText "Damn!" Palmer grimaced as he slammed down the phone receiver in his luxurious suite, his normally soft features Palmer learns Aspro was murdered pursed into a flat, hard look. Outline He strode through the door of a bedroom in the suite to see the oblivious lump of Marty Thornsuckle. Palmer Description muttered under his breath, "Just great. With a crime cartel running around plotting, this convention has now turned SortNum 1.1.01.060.080.100. ID 105 Parent 109 Seq 100 WordCount 132 into a murder spree, and, of all times, I'm straddled for help with Marty’s embodiment of jet lag." Author: Gerald Griffin Exasperated, he poked Thornsuckle in the ribs sharply. "Marty, wake up!"

Thornsuckle groaned, rolled over and slowly opened his eyes. "Whadya want?"

"Sorry to disturb you, pal," Palmer said. "Developments won’t permit your beauty rest. We need to get moving!"

Thornsuckle struggled to wake up. "What developments?"

Palmer replied pointedly, "See what happens when you sleep your life away. Some deranged soul has whacked Xavier Aspro who, amusingly enough, has been parading around as Henri Blanc."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 168 Palmer learns Aspro was murdered Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 90 Marty Thornsuckle 887 is present at scene 90 Marty Thornsuckle

BookComponent Name StoryText Thornsuckle's eyes dilated, his mind now wide awake. "But you did get the document, didn’t you?" Palmer didn't get the document from Aspro Outline "No," Palmer said gloomily. "At first I thought ol' Lord George took the document from Aspro and then murdered him, but Georgie inconsiderately managed to get himself whacked too. They’re just dropping like flies downstairs." Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.080.110. ID 159 Parent 109 Seq 110 WordCount 61 Blood rushed to Thornsuckle's face. "The document is behind the murders!" Author: Gerald Griffin "You’re probably right, my dear Watson."

ID PLOT ELEMENT 173 Palmer didn't get the document from Aspro Thread: Crime Cartel and document exposing them

172 Palmer didn't get the document from Aspro Thread: George Leverage's life and death

171 Palmer didn't get the document from Aspro Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 90 Marty Thornsuckle

BookComponent Name StoryText "It has to be the crime cartel," Thornsuckle rasped. Thornsuckle thinks crime cartel is responsible for both murders Outline "Perhaps," Palmer said. "Maybe some strange falling out within their ranks. Or maybe some real aficionado went psycho and got a literal interest in crime. Whatever—our charge is to find that document before anything else." Description SortNum 1.1.01.060.080.120. ID 160 Parent 109 Seq 120 WordCount 40 Author: Gerald Griffin

ID PLOT ELEMENT 177 Thornsuckle thinks crime cartel is responsible for both murders Thread: George Leverage's life and death

176 Thornsuckle thinks crime cartel is responsible for both murders Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 90 Marty Thornsuckle

BookComponent Name StoryText He wandered over to the bedroom mirror, straightened his bowtie and tugged at the sleeves of his tuxedo. Palmer in tuxedo says to search for Aspro's Woman Outline "Okay, I’m ready! What’s our next move?"

Description "First, you change your jacket and brush your hair. Then, we begin with the woman who was intimate with Aspro," SortNum 1.1.01.060.080.130. ID 161 Parent 109 Seq 130 WordCount 64 Palmer said quietly. "If he hid the document, she most likely can steer us in the direction of finding it." Author: Gerald Griffin He flicked at a piece of lint on his sleeve.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 180 Palmer in tuxedo says to search for Aspro's Woman Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 89 Jason Palmer 886 physical description (from others) 90 Marty Thornsuckle 887 is present at scene 90 Marty Thornsuckle

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 7 Chapter 7: Divide and Conquer Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.070. ID 56 Parent 3 Seq 70 WordCount 3 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText Hobbs couldn’t believe his eyes. "For crying out loud Della, what are you doing here?" Enter Della Hobbs (to Buster's surprise) Outline The pretty fiftyish lady flashed him a big smile. "You didn’t really think I would stay away once I saw the teaser report on TV tonight, did you? I can’t believe you didn’t call me to come and help, darling." The lovely dark-haired, Description slightly plump, Della Hobbs in her purple velveteen sweats chided her husband. "You know how helpful I can be." SortNum 1.1.01.070.010.105. ID 67 Parent 70 Seq 105 WordCount 87 Hobbs just stood staring at his charming but nosy wife, shaking his head in disgust. "Aw Della, you need to go Author: Josephine Walker home and let me do my job."

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 83 Della Hobbs 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 83 Della Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Della closed the space between them in three steps, pressed her body against his protruding belly, kissed him on the Della brings Buster down to earth cheek, reached around and pinched his backside. Outline "Stop that. How many times have I told you I hate for you to pinch my ass?" Snickers and laughter filled his ears as Description he became aware some convention partiers had turned their attention to him instead of the victims. SortNum 1.1.01.070.010.106. ID 77 Parent 70 Seq 106 WordCount 53 Author: Josephine Walker

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 83 Della Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Della giggled, "Ah sweetie, I can’t help myself, you’re so totally cute when you are mad." She gave the crowd a Della, too, is a detective quick inspection. "Now tell me sweetheart, do you have any idea which one of these people is going about Outline murdering people?"

Description "Della!" SortNum 1.1.01.070.010.107. ID 88 Parent 70 Seq 107 WordCount 36 Author: Josephine Walker

ID PLOT ELEMENT 127 Della, too, is a detective Thread: Della Hobbs investigates/deduces

126 Della, too, is a detective Thread: George Leverage's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 83 Della Hobbs 887 is present at scene 83 Della Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 38 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.070.010.998. ID 102 Parent 70 Seq 998 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText Thornsuckle brushed his thinning salt and pepper hair, swapped out his boxy tweed in favor of a white dinner Red Herring (Thornsuckle) goes to bar, sees Palmer & Amy jacket, pinned his name tag (Red Herring, it said) to the right lapel and left the suite to find Palmer at the hotel bar, Outline where, they had deduced, the odds of finding any crime writer were most favorable.

Description Sure enough, as he entered the bar, he spied Palmer, elbow on the polished mahogany bar, rocks glass atilt, speaking SortNum 1.1.01.070.032.090. ID 98 Parent 73 Seq 90 WordCount 75 to a mousy little woman in plastic flip-flops and a horrid Hawaiian shirt that was anything but silk. Author: Pete Morin

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 90 Marty Thornsuckle 886 physical description (from others) 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 89 Jason Palmer

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 39 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Red Herring sauntered to the opposite end of the bar. A pasty-faced man with a bad toupée and no chin placed a Red Herring has exchange with bartender napkin in front of him. Outline “What’ll it be, detective?” he asked. Description SortNum 1.1.01.070.032.121. ID 80 Parent 73 Seq 121 WordCount 221 “Detective? What makes you think I’m a detective? What a ridiculous thing to say.” Author: Pete Morin The bartender looked at him with dead eyes. “It’s a crime convention, sir. I was trying to play along.”

Herring blushed. “Of course you were,” he said weakly, “and I was as well. Dark & Stormy if you please.”

As the chinless rugwearer prepared his drink, Herring watched and listened. Snippets of conversations, looks of excitement, surprise, worry. The murders were taking their toll on the conventioneers. “Who’ll be next,” a female voice squeaked. “Bloody mess,” a male voice boomed. Herring could tell the crime writers from the fans. Their eyes flashed the glint of opportunity. This was not a tragedy, it was an opportunity, and every one of them knew the others knew it. Whether they were capable of murder was an open question. That they were capable of stealing story ideas was not.

The bartender placed a highball glass on the napkin like it was a wounded bird. “Dark and Stormy, sir.”

Thornsuckle fumbled in his pockets for cash. “May I put this on the room?”

“Of course, sir,” the bartender said, producing a slip.

Thornsuckle scribbled on the chit.

“Red Herring, eh?” the bartender said, nodding at the name tag.

“I’m sorry?”

“Red Herring,” he repeated. “Very clever.”

“I don’t get your meaning.”

“Not a mystery writer, I take it?”

“No, I’m a detective,” Thornsuckle said. He’d had quite enough of this man.

“Of course you are, sir.” The bad rug moved down the bar to the next empty glass thrust his way.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 97 bartender

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 40 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Thornsuckle sipped and watched, and with a wooden nonchalance moved around the room to a spot at the bar next Joins them. Bad reviews are a motive for murder, stuck on Chapter 7 to Amy Ogawa. Her back was to him as she spoke to Palmer. Outline “You know how it is, Phillip,” she said. “When you’re under so much pressure to earn out, you’ll sleep with anyone Description who’s worth a decent review in Salon. Henri was just a fling.” SortNum 1.1.01.070.032.130. ID 205 Parent 73 Seq 130 WordCount 160 “Did you get the review in Salon?” Palmer—name tag Phillip Marlowe—asked. Author: Pete Morin Ogawa laughed with contempt. “Sure I did. One of the most ruthless reviews I’ve ever received. Destroyed my confidence. I’ve been stuck on Chapter 7 of the sequel ever since.”

“Sounds like a motive for murder,” Phillip said, waggling his eyebrows, smile showing teeth.

“Yes,” Thornsuckle broke in, “those nasty reviews can drive some writers to react quite violently.”

Ogawa turned to the new arrival, looked him up and down. Her eyes suggested Thornsuckle was in no risk of being taken advantage of. She glimpsed the name tag. “Red Herring, huh?” She looked at Palmer. “Phillip Marlowe? What are you guys, comedians? Show up at the wrong convention?”

Palmer recovered. “Nah, we thought it was a costume party when we saw your get-up. I thought you were Tokyo Rose.”

ID PLOT ELEMENT 252 Joins them. Bad reviews are a motive for murder, stuck on Chapter 7 Thread: George Leverage's life and death

251 Joins them. Bad reviews are a motive for murder, stuck on Chapter 7 Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 90 Marty Thornsuckle 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 89 Jason Palmer 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 41 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText She chuckled, snapped her fingers at the rugwearer, waggled three fingers. “You got spunk,” she said. “I didn’t like Amy ignores Henri's bad reviews, unlike Della Hobbs Henri’s reviews generally, but I’m pretty good at ignoring them. Unlike others.” Outline “Others?” Description SortNum 1.1.01.070.032.140. ID 206 Parent 73 Seq 140 WordCount 191 The barman put a glass in front of her. She picked it up, drained it, smacked the glass down. Author: Pete Morin “Cha cha cha cha,” she breathed. “Oh yeah,” she said. “You should see how some of the nutcases react to bad reviews on Amazon. Henri’s are notorious. Come to think of it, so are Leverage’s.”

“So what do these recipients do?”

“All sorts of crazy stuff.”

“Give us an example,” Herring said.

Amy waved at the rug again. “You guys want another?”

“No thanks,” Palmer said.

“There was this one lady—a real birdbrain. She went to the FBI. Claimed the reviews were cyber terrorism. Claimed her husband was a cop. Sent letters to the publishers. Wrote an email to Jeff Bezos, for crissakes.”

“Why was she so upset?”

“Leverage said she was an illiterate nincompoop.”

“Ouch,” said Herring.

Ogawa looked at him. “She was.”

“What was her name?” Palmer asked.

The rug dropped a glass of amber liquid in front of her. She poured it down her throat, hooted, and tossed the glass into the bar well.

“What was her name…” she pounded the bar softly with a fist. “What’s that comic strip? Calvin… Calvin and whozis?”

“Hobbs?” Palmer asked.

Ogawa smacked Palmer’s name tag. “That’s it, Marlowe! Hobbs. Della Hobbs was her name!”

ID PLOT ELEMENT 258 Amy ignores Henri's bad reviews, unlike Della Hobbs Thread: Della Hobbs' guilt

254 Amy ignores Henri's bad reviews, unlike Della Hobbs Thread: Xavier Aspro's life and death

253 Amy ignores Henri's bad reviews, unlike Della Hobbs Thread: George Leverage's life and death

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 8: A Demure Repast Chapter 8: A Demure Repast Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.080. ID 55 Parent 3 Seq 80 WordCount 2 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText "Wow, Stephanie Plum and her sidekick!" said a woman in the center of the room near the raven on a pedestal, her Unidentified woman ogles two female conventioneers face as excited as if Santa left all the presents she’d asked for. She said this about a slim attractive young woman Outline with brown curly hair and a black-skinned woman wearing her hair big and pink, her top yellow and bright and not nearly stretchy enough to hold her in, and a black leather skirt that barely covered what the delivery doctor or her Description mother didn’t spank hard enough to teach her decency. Her thick legs extended down to red heels so high, they SortNum 1.1.01.080.030.104. ID 66 Parent 69 Seq 104 WordCount 104 tilted her forward so that her boobs might fall out of the top and drop into the bowl of vanilla pudding in front of her. Author: June Shaw

ID PLOT ELEMENT 115 Unidentified woman ogles two female conventioneers Thread: Miscellaneous folks

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 85 unknown woman 887 is present at scene 85 unknown woman

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 43 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText The impressed woman wearing a nametag with a pink ribbon—the sign of a brand new author, who was probably Conventioneers and unidentified woman have a drink attending her first mystery fan convention—swiveled her head. "Oh, I wonder if Joe and Ranger are here." She Outline noticed me. "Oh, and you must be —"

Description "Coffee or champagne?" a white-coated server said. SortNum 1.1.01.080.030.110. ID 93 Parent 69 Seq 110 WordCount 73 "Yes," I replied, grabbing the liquor and nodding toward the newcomer. Author: June Shaw I made my way through the hundreds of people still gathered around in this room. The detective assigned here today was seeing about the second victim, I knew.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 119 Conventioneers and unidentified woman have a drink Thread: Miscellaneous folks

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 85 unknown woman

BookComponent Name StoryText Now all I had to do was decide whether I wanted to help him solve the mystery of those murders. Or commit I've confessed to murder - who am I? another one. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.030.111. ID 75 Parent 69 Seq 111 WordCount 18 Author: June Shaw

ID PLOT ELEMENT 117 I've confessed to murder - who am I? Thread: Unknown Dame's guilt (Chptr 7)

116 I've confessed to murder - who am I? Thread: Miscellaneous folks

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 885 personal ambitions revealed 86 Unknown Murderess 887 is present at scene 86 Unknown Murderess

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 44 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.030.997. ID 101 Parent 69 Seq 997 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText "Della, this place is crawling with suspects. Look around. Any of these high-talkin’ litry people coulda done it." Buster to Della: place crawling with suspects Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.040.010. ID 76 Parent 71 Seq 10 WordCount 17 Author: Michele Drier

ID PLOT ELEMENT 130 Buster to Della: place crawling with suspects Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText As usual, proximity to his loveable, cuddly, round wife made Hobbs fall back into childhood speech. Growing up in Buster's speech regresses around Della the rural areas of the south, he’d worked hard to erase his accent. He’d gotten tired of all the fools calling him a Outline hillbilly hick when he opened his mouth. By gum, he had enough smarts and experience to work rings around these fancy homicide guys. He knew, because he used to be one of them. Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.040.020. ID 89 Parent 71 Seq 20 WordCount 86 "I know, honey." Della ran her fingers along the back of his neck then pulled his head down for a quick kiss "It’s always a problem with a bucket-full of possibilities." Author: Michele Drier

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 45 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText "I just wish these conference people would all speak English." Buster wishes everyone were English Outline Della’s eyebrows rose. "But honey-buns, they do! Most of the people here are crime writers, they write in English. Or at least I think they do. Not German or Swahili or Japanese!" Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.040.030. ID 90 Parent 71 Seq 30 WordCount 53 "Yeah, but we have some weird accents here. Aussie, English, and one dead guy who may be French—Enree X. Blank." Author: Michele Drier

ID PLOT ELEMENT 136 Buster wishes everyone were English Thread: Della Hobbs investigates/deduces

135 Buster wishes everyone were English Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText He suddenly noticed one of the conventioneers over by the elevators. She was standing next to some dude who Buster realizes Amy wants to talk with him looked like he should be chasing kangaroos or rounding up wild koalas. The woman was doing funny things with Outline her eyebrows, wiggling them and rolling her eyes. Hobbs watched, then understood the woman wanted to talk to him, alone. Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.040.040. ID 91 Parent 71 Seq 40 WordCount 62 His eyes semaphored back, On the patio. He turned to Della, said, "Don’t wander off" and headed outdoors. Author: Michele Drier

ID PLOT ELEMENT 138 Buster realizes Amy wants to talk with him Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 82 Kent Valentine 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 46 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText The eye-roller introduced herself. "Amy. Just Amy, you don’t need anything else. I was chatting with the guy from Amy tells Buster that Henri is an alias Oz and he’d been tracking Henri for a long time. It turns out his real name is Aspro." Outline "That’s Greek to me." Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.040.050. ID 92 Parent 71 Seq 50 WordCount 36 Author: Michele Drier

ID PLOT ELEMENT 143 Amy tells Buster that Henri is an alias Thread: Amy Ogawa investigates/deduces

142 Amy tells Buster that Henri is an alias Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText "It is Greek..." Amy clutched her throat, gracefully dropping to the flagstones and whispered "Coffee". Amy confirms Aspro is Greek, then collapses Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.080.040.060. ID 78 Parent 71 Seq 60 WordCount 15 Author: Michele Drier

ID PLOT ELEMENT 147 Amy confirms Aspro is Greek, then collapses Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

145 Amy confirms Aspro is Greek, then collapses Thread: Amy Ogawa investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 47 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 9 Chapter 9: An Unexpected Development Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.090. ID 58 Parent 3 Seq 90 WordCount 3 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText Amy swooned toward Buster’s size twelves, as if she were suddenly in need of a nap—unaware of the unforgiving Buster catches Amy, they fall, but she's alive! nature of flagstone. Buster grunted loudly as he reached out to catch her. With her dead weight on his arms, he lost Outline his balance and they fell together. He bellowed with pain as his wobbly knees slammed the patio. While he checked Amy for life signs, Della yanked a tablecloth off a nearby table, her plan to ball it up for a pillow. Buster grabbed Description the tablecloth and told Della to hustle up coffee and water. Buster checked for a pulse and Amy’s breathing. Both SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.100. ID 79 Parent 72 Seq 100 WordCount 106 were ragged, but he was pleased to know she wasn’t dead. His worse fear had been that she had morphed into convention death number three. In my world three’s a crowd, he thought. Author: J. Edward Smith

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 486 physical description (self) 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Buster lifted her head, jammed the table covering beneath her neck. With practiced skill he yanked down on Amy’s Amy was choking, Buster clears her airway lower jaw and jammed his meaty fingers into the opening. There was the culprit, a large mass of what looked to Outline have been a gooey jelly donut. Apparently Amy, combining her excitement of the mystery while feeding her jelly donut fetish, had choked on the pastry, seriously inhibiting air passage. Buster pulled at the lodged mess. Helping Description her regain normal breathing was a higher priority than performing the procedure with finesse. SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.110. ID 106 Parent 72 Seq 110 WordCount 70 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID PLOT ELEMENT 186 Amy was choking, Buster clears her airway Thread: Amy Ogawa's guilt

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 48 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Amy sputtered and hacked, whispering again “Coffee.” Della’s timing was perfect. Buster held Amy’s head, Della Amy sips at coffee held Amy’s cup, while Amy tentatively sipped the lukewarm witches’ brew the resort had the nerve to call coffee. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.120. ID 107 Parent 72 Seq 120 WordCount 28 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText Della grabbed another tablecloth. With assistance from a resort staffer, she held the blanket to block Amy from the Della discretely covers Amy curious (read: nosey) onlookers. The spirited and sassy damsel was feeling neither, but she was thankful to be alive. Outline The idea of being locked in Chapter Seven in perpetuity with her P.I. Lipsy Quinn, elicited a shiver. Description SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.130. ID 108 Parent 72 Seq 130 WordCount 43 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 885 personal ambitions revealed 72 Amy Ogawa 887 is present at scene 72 Amy Ogawa

BookComponent Name StoryText Buster absently patted Amy on the arm, stood and gazed at the crowd of conventioneers—though if his wife were Buster considers the conventioneers any example, they were mostly crime writers and probably every single one a secret detective. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.140. ID 163 Parent 72 Seq 140 WordCount 27 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText In command of the moment, a circumstance he had basked in at Long Beach P.D.—and hadn’t enjoyed since Buster considers his long career with Long Beach PD retirement—he looked over the crowded patio. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.150. ID 167 Parent 72 Seq 150 WordCount 19 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 12 personal history is revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Buster observes the crowd closely He was fascinated by the variety of emotions on display, especially those suppressing emotion. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.160. ID 164 Parent 72 Seq 160 WordCount 11 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID PLOT ELEMENT 198 Buster observes the crowd closely Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText He growled, “It’s quite likely that you folks know who I am. Any newcomers? Okay, I’m Detective Buster Hobbs of Buster lectures the crowd about his official stature the Blossom County Sheriff’s Department. A few minutes ago I thought we had a third death from the Outline CrimeFiction.org party. I can assure you that, other than a sore throat, Amy will be fine. I urge you to finish your coffee, and get on to your workshops. If you’ve got anything you think might help our investigation, leave a note at Description the registration desk and I’ll get back to you. SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.171. ID 169 Parent 72 Seq 171 WordCount 98 “I’m also reminding you not to leave the buildings and immediate surroundings of the Conference Centre,” Buster Author: J. Edward Smith grinned evilly. “Your absence would certainly shorten my suspect list, ‘cause I’d come right after you.” A rumble of weak laughter followed.

ID PLOT ELEMENT 201 Buster lectures the crowd about his official stature Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 50 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText “I’ll call you together this evening, in a sort of Agatha Christie–Hercule Poirot style, only with the whole damn lot Buster promises an Agatha Christie style roundup in the evening of you, given that yer all suspects. And I can only hope no additional bodies will appear in the meantime. Thank you Outline for your cooperation.” Description SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.180. ID 166 Parent 72 Seq 180 WordCount 36 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 83 Della Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Slowly the crowd dispersed. Buster knew most would ignore the convention schedule. Instead they would gather in Buster knows most of the crowd will crow about detective prowess clusters, flaunting their bloated egos trying to convince one another that each was the cleverest detective of them all. Outline This he could predict because his beloved Della was a zealous mystery reader, sometime writer, and self-appointed detective. She participated in several such conferences and workshops each year—gatherings where Buster Description wouldn’t be caught dead, if he could have helped it. SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.190. ID 168 Parent 72 Seq 190 WordCount 62 Author: J. Edward Smith

ID PLOT ELEMENT 203 Buster knows most of crowd will crow about own detective prowess Thread: Buster Hobbs investigates/deduces

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 83 Della Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText * * * * * Item: SECTION BREAK (asterisks) Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.090.010.994. ID 97 Parent 72 Seq 994 WordCount 1 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 10: Plans Go Awry Chapter 10: Plans Go Awry Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.101. ID 57 Parent 3 Seq 101 WordCount 4 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText CHAPTER 11: Making More Than Beds Chapter 11: Making More Than Beds Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.110. ID 59 Parent 3 Seq 110 WordCount 5 Author:

BookComponent Name StoryText “Not now honey, I’m busy,” he kicked the door closed with his foot and wondered if he was going to be in the dog Buster scolds Della as he departs for his interview house when he finally returned home. Outline Description SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.100. ID 202 Parent 158 Seq 100 WordCount 24 Author: Dick C. Waters

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 52 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText He saw the young lady jump when the door slammed. He knew this was going to be an interesting interview. Buster begins his interview of Ellen Roberts, notices her nervous behaviour Outline “Hello Ellen. My name is Detective Hobbs. I’m with the Sheriff’s office.” He waved for her to sit on one of the chairs in the small meeting room. “Ellen what?” Description SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.110. ID 211 Parent 158 Seq 110 WordCount 262 “Ellen Roberts.” Author: Dick C. Waters “Miss or Mrs.?”

“Miss.”

“You look very nervous Ms. Roberts. Why is that?”

“I don’t usually find a dead man in one of my rooms.”

“Do you find any men in the rooms?”

“Um. Nah,” her eyes dropped to her feet. “Not usually.”

“Interesting. How long have you worked here at Big Lake?” She was nervously pulling on the hem of her maid’s uniform. She also had very nice legs.

“About two months now.”

“So, where did you work before coming here?”

“In New Hampshire on the coast.”

“What brought you here?”

“I needed a change of scenery.”

“You got it.” He saw her mouth tighten, then she wiped her face clear. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t very nice of me. Let me ask you some different questions. Did you know George Leverage?”

“Is he the murdered man?”

“He’s one of them.”

“I only heard Lord George’s name.”

“Did you know him?”

“No.”

“Were you working yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“What time was your shift?”

“I came on at 6 a.m. and left at 3 yesterday afternoon.”

“Did you ever see Mr. Leverage while you were working yesterday?”

“I don’t think so.”

“I see many people, but just try to stay focused on my duties.”

He studied her and she looked away. “If I said you were mistaken, would that help bring your memory back?”

“I told you, I don’t remember seeing him.”

“Ms. Roberts, you are a very attractive lady. I’m sure if any of the guests saw you, they would remember you.” There was a slight blush on her face. “Did you clean his room yesterday?”

“Yes, I have the same eight rooms to clean each day.”

“When you cleaned his room, he wasn’t in the room…is that correct?”

“He was not.”

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText “Do you normally do a good job cleaning your rooms?” Buster convinces Ellen he has evidence of her presence in room that day Outline “Yes, why?”

Description Buster reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope and held it up for her to see. “Do you know what is in SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.120. ID 212 Parent 158 Seq 120 WordCount 148 here?” She shook her head. “Of course you don’t. I’ll come back to that in a minute. When we investigated this scene we found some interesting things. Any idea what they might be?” His sudden move made her jump. “We Author: Dick C. Waters found two bath towels in the bathroom. Not much out of the ordinary, but one had lipstick on it. It was about the shade you are wearing right now. It almost matches your complexion too.” He let that sit for a few seconds.

“Do you still stick to your story about not seeing Mr. Leverage?”

“I can’t be sure if I saw him in passing.”

“Oh, about this envelope.” He opened it and looked inside and then looked at her. He watched her reach for her earrings. “No, it’s not your earrings. However, I would say the length and color of the hair matches your hair very well.” He let that sink in for a minute.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 54 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText “Ms. Roberts we had two murders in the hotel some time last night or this morning. Right now you are starting to Buster queries Ellen about her sexual relationship with Lord George look like we should question you at the Sheriff’s office. One last time, did you see Mr. Leverage yesterday, and if Outline you did, under what circumstances?”

Description “I didn’t kill him.” SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.130. ID 213 Parent 158 Seq 130 WordCount 224 “Please continue. I don’t think you look like a murderer, but I have to understand the circumstances to properly Author: Dick C. Waters investigate these murders.” He took out his small notebook and waited for her response.

“I was cleaning his room early yesterday afternoon and he came in the room. I told him I would come back to finish the room later, but he told me it wouldn’t be necessary.”

Buster nodded and saw her take a deep breath.

“He told me I was very attractive and asked me why I was working in a hotel as a maid. He said he had staff at his large house and would be interested in having me interview for a job at his mansion.”

“Did you have sex with him?”

“No. I was working. I needed to complete my work.”

“Did you have sex with him…later?”

“He told me it was an interview.”

“Was it?”

She took a deep breath. “It started out that way, but one thing led to another.”

“So, you were with him. When was that?”

“I came to his room when the activities were almost over in the ballroom.”

“So, he wasn’t here in his room when you came?”

“No. I let myself in and waited for him. I’m going to lose my job if anyone finds out about this.”

“I’m not interested in you losing your job, but I need to investigate these murders. Now, we’ve determined you were in his room, you obviously had sex.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Did you like the lobster?” Buster queries Ellen about lobster Outline Ellen’s lips started a small smile which she quickly erased. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Description “Lobster Thermadore. George ordered it very early from room service.” SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.140. ID 214 Parent 158 Seq 140 WordCount 30 “I wasn’t there." Ellen looked sullen. Author: Dick C. Waters

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText It was Buster’s practise that early witness interviews were conducted pleasantly—he found he got a better sense of Buster makes a point of being pleasant in early interviews the witness if he behaved as though he believed her lies—there was plenty of time to get intransigeant later. “So, Outline when did you leave?”

Description "I didn’t want anyone to see me in his room, so I left before 5 am this morning. We did shower together and he gave SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.150. ID 215 Parent 158 Seq 150 WordCount 74 me his number to call him to follow up on, er—my employment.” Author: Dick C. Waters “I guess you had a successful interview then.” He watched her trying to hold back her tears.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText “Is there anything you can tell me that looked odd while you were in his room?” Ellen saw a black envelope and a violin in the room Outline “Yes, there was a shiny black envelope propped on the dresser. It looked very strange—it wasn’t there when I did the room earlier, but it didn’t look like it had been opened. He also moved a large violin from under the bed, when Description we … you know.” SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.160. ID 216 Parent 158 Seq 160 WordCount 48 Author: Dick C. Waters

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText “One last question if I might Ms. Roberts. When you found George did you notice the knife in his chest? And had Buster asks whether Ellen noticed the knife you ever see it before?” Outline “It was horrible,” Ellen started crying and shook her head. Description SortNum 1.1.01.110.099.170. ID 217 Parent 158 Seq 170 WordCount 74 “I’ll give you a few minutes, but I have enough information for now. Now that George Leverage has died, I know this job is even more important to you, and I will be as discreet as I can about what you told me. Hopefully, you can Author: Dick C. Waters stay employed here if that is what you want. Thank you for your time.”

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 © 2013 Theresa de Valence Page 56 of 68 BookComponent including StoryText with Plot Element and Character Relationship BookComponent Name StoryText Buster opened the door and found Della waiting right outside. She put her hands on her hips and looked at the Buster exits interview with Ellen to see his wife Della young lady sitting with her head in her hands. “That must be one of those ugly job parts that you always complain Outline about.”

Description Della didn’t know half of it. Buster looked at Ellen, noticing her shapely legs once more. Then he watched his wife SortNum 1.1.01.110.290.110. ID 130 Parent 154 Seq 110 WordCount 66 march away in her long velveteen sweat pants. He remembered when she too had nice legs. Author: Dick C. Waters

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 83 Della Hobbs 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Montcrieff exits the loo looks for Julia and er, Etta? Montcrieff dried his hands on the small towel and exited the Gents. Julia was Outline nowhere in sight. He wondered if she left with that woman—named Etta, Description perhaps. Names were more important than people realized. His own name, SortNum 1.1.01.110.300.100. ID 111 Parent 135 Seq 100 WordCount 58 Robert, was a strong name—a royal name. Julia’s too was suitable—nice and old-fashioned. Where was she? He rather thought he should pose discreetly Author: Larry Winebrenner by these indoor rubber plants in case she expected him to wait.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText Buster escorts maid from room then walks away with his wife He spied Buster Hobbs escorting a woman with lovely legs who was dressed Outline like a maid from the room he used for interviews. Now Buster had an apt Description name—a blustering bully; fancy his having the temerity to tell the great Dr. SortNum 1.1.01.110.300.120. ID 219 Parent 135 Seq 120 WordCount 54 Robert Montcrieff—an intellectual with two doctorates—to go fetch a cup of coffee? The nerve! Author: Larry Winebrenner Hobbs trailed down the hall behind a dumpy woman in purple sweatpants abandoning the leggy interviewee.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 886 physical description (from others) 74 Detective Buster Hobbs 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 74 Detective Buster Hobbs

BookComponent Name StoryText Ellen is leered at by Ernie, brushes off his recognition “Hello, Evelyn,” leered a waiter who looked vaguely familiar. Outline Description “Ernie, it’s Ellen. Ellen Roberts,” she said, and moved on. SortNum 1.1.01.110.300.121. ID 222 Parent 135 Seq 121 WordCount 134 Ernie looked confused, then his lips quirked in a smile which did not bode Author: Larry Winebrenner well for the young woman. Why did Ernie look familiar—perhaps one felt as though one automatically knew any waiter, but it was more likely that the waiter belonged to the invisible serving class. Of course! On Thursday night at the back of the dining room, this man had shielded his mouth with a cupped hand as he held a whispered conference with Henri Blanc, or Aspro as it turned out.

"Hey Ernie, why you standing here with your head up your ass?" a busboy called sotto voce from behind a loaded cart he was pushing up the hallway.

"I know that woman," Ernie said. "And she certainly called herself Evelyn when she charged me a C note to …" Ernie lips snapped shut, he did an about-face and glided toward the restaurant.

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText Montcrieff ponders signif of names Montcrieff didn’t like Ernie but he thought perhaps he was transferring his Outline emotions onto the name. Ellen certainly fit the maid. What kind of name was Description Evelyn? He must consult a good encyclopedia. SortNum 1.1.01.110.300.122. ID 223 Parent 135 Seq 122 WordCount 26 Author: Larry Winebrenner

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 488 personal traits & attitudes revealed 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

BookComponent Name StoryText Robert spies Julia and Etta sitting down in the sun Down the hall in an alcove by a large window, the busboy cleared and wiped Outline the table. Julia and the woman in the wheelchair sat themselves in the sun. Description Montcrieff walked toward them uncertain how much of his adventure to SortNum 1.1.01.110.300.123. ID 224 Parent 135 Seq 123 WordCount 32 reveal. Author: Larry Winebrenner

ID CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP CHARACTER 887 is present at scene 70 Dr. Robert Montcrieff

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