Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Volume 3 - Part 2

                 Solution by Phil Reynolds

@~Continued from Issue 46

THE BANKER'S FINAL DEBT

This case involves the murder of Oswald Mason at his home, Scotland
Yard believe that the murder was a result of Mason disturbing a
burglar, but the Treasury want you to investigate the case as Mason
was dealing with sensitive Treasury work at the time and they want
you to rule out any connection with this work.

First of all visit the scene of the crime, where the only thing of
interest are some broken plaster on the floor, whilst there the
constable on duty will tell you that Mrs Mason is with her sister
Dahlia Falmer. A visit to the Treasury proves useful, it seems that
all the papers that Mason was working on are accounted for and that
his murder will only set the investigation he was working on back a
few days. So we can rule out the Treasury work as a motive for the
murder. It seems that Scotland Yard have got it right for once and
that it is a case of burglary.  A visit to the Bank of England
reveals very little other than the fact that Mason bought two Venus
de Milo statuettes from Evenson & Co Gift Shop prior to his death.
Go and visit Mrs Mason at her sisters and it will confirm our
suspicions that the broken plaster was in fact one of the
aforementioned statuettes. A visit to Evenson & Co now will confirm
that Mason bought the statuettes there and reveal that one of the
statuettes was delivered to a Mable Brown. This visit also reveals
that another gentleman bought the remaining three statues that the
shop possessed the previous day and that the statues were
manufactured by a company call J Small & Co.

Go and visit Mable Brown, here you will find that her statue has
been broken, Mable Brown returned home on the night of the murder
to find that the statuette has mysteriously fallen from the mantle
piece and smashed whilst she was out. It is now very obvious that
these statuettes have an important bearing on the case so it would
be a good idea to check up on them. Go to J Small & Co and talk to
the owner, she will reveal that her husband only made fifteen of
the statues and that he had refused to sell them, however he had
been killed in an accident a short while ago and she had decided to
sell the statues. Five statues had been sold to the British Museum
Gift Shop, Five to Evenson & Co, which we have already accounted
for, and the remainder to a gentleman who had called the previous
day. Going to the British Museum now reveals that all five statues
in their possession were bought the previous day by a good looking
woman called Mrs Smith, whom the assistant is sure that he has seen
before on the stage but under a different name.  It would seem that
we are on the right track and it is the statues that are important.

A read through the London Times of July 4th brings forth some
interesting information, it seem the deceased Jonathan Small was
implicated in the robbery of the DeFries Diamonds, but nothing
could be proved at the times and he was released, however one of
the robbers was caught, a Nat Cole who is now residing in Millbank
Prison. I now begins to fall into place obviously Jonathan Small
must have hidden the diamonds in one of the statues of Venus de
Milo that he had made and this is why someone is after the statues.
It would be a good idea, I think now, to visit Nat Cole at Millbank
Prison. Nat Cole refuses to see you but you do gain some
interesting information from the prison governor. It seems that Nat
Cole's cell mate Errol Hawk was released the previous day and that
he was met by a most striking woman. It would seem that Errol Hawk
and this mysterious woman are the ones who are after the statues,
Nat Cole must have told Errol Hawks about the diamonds in the
statues and he and his lady friend are now trying to recover the
gems.

All that now remains is to find out who this woman is, read through
the April 11th issue of the Times and you will notice in the
personal column that Errol is being welcomed home by someone called
Violette. This leads us to believe that the woman who met him is
probably this Violette and she must work on the stage as the
assistant at the British Museum said he had seen her on the stage
somewhere. You will also notice that Evenson & Co was broken into
on the night of the murder, so this is how Hawks found out the
whereabouts of the last two statues.

Continuing to look through the Times reveals that there is indeed a
performer called Violette Blue who is currently performing at the
Oxford Music Hall. A visit to Miss Blue seems to be in order at
this point of the investigation. However, on arrival you discover
that she has already left for Waterloo Station in the company of a
young gentleman, there is, however, confirmation of your suspicions
as to the statues as there are three broken ones on the floor of
the room, obviously Errol Hawks and Violette Blue have found the
DeFries diamonds. Go to Waterloo Station where you find that Miss
Blue and her friend have already boarded a train and have eluded
you.

You now have all the evidence that you need so it is time to take
it to the judge.

Q: Who murdered Oswald Mason?
A: Errol Hawks.
Q: Why?
A: Hawks was disturbed by Mason as he was trying to steal the
statue of Venus de Milo.
Q: What had the treasury investigation have to do with
the case?
A: Nothing whatsoever.
Q: What was the involvement of Violette Blue in the case?
A: She fled London with Hawks and the gems.
Q: How did Hawks know that Mason and Mable Brown had the two
statues?
A: He had broken into Evanson & Co and read the register of sales.

@~To be concluded next issue









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