Conjuring up a Killing! was a virtual representation of one of Jacob and Evie Frye's genetic memories, relived by a Helix initiate through the Helix Navigator.
Description
Jacob or Evie met with Charles Dickens in Westminster.
Dialogue
- Dickens: My dear friend, The Ghost Club has an extraordinary case for you. Spiritualist Thaddeus the Amazing has predicted his own death at his next séance! Could you have a look?
- Thaddeus: I have foretold my own death. But first! You are about to witness an extraordinary event. Ah! We have a visitor. Approach, please.
Jacob or Evie entered the room, after which the lights gave out.
- Voice: Goodness! The lights!
- Voice: What is this?
- Voice: Help!
- Voice: Not yet!
- Voice: Someone light the lamps!
The lights came back on.
- Wilburn: Oh! He's actually dead!
Jacob or Evie started their investigation.
Interrogations
Psychic's house
- Douglas (Thaddeus): Nothing but a showman, really. Each week he gave a séance with all his clients present together. So many people makes everything much more dramatic.
- Douglas (séance): I attend Lady Ursula at these sessions. She's ailing and needs someone to help her along. I have no particular belief in an after world, but if it comforts m'lady, I see no harm.
- Douglas (scheme): You think someone paid Thaddeus to tell m'lady that her cat wanted them to inherit? ... Well, that would be quite a clever scheme indeed!
- Ursula (Thaddeus): I sought him out after the death of Mittens.
- Ursula (Mittens): Mittens is my beloved kitty-cat! She was run over by a milk wagon several weeks ago. I've been trying desperately to contact my sweet thing ever since. I'm not well, though, and likely haven't long to live myself.
- Ursula (séance): I was so hoping to hear from my loved one. I'm convinced Thaddeus could have communicated Mittens wishes to me. I must know to whom Mittens wishes that I should leave my fortune. And now Thaddeus is lost to us... I shall never know!
- Ursula (scheme): I simply do not believe it! And if you're implying that my butler was paying Thaddeus, I must ask you: why would a great psychic do the bidding of a common butler? Hm?
- Howard (Thaddeus): This is so frustrating! I had a simple question, but have had to come back for séance after séance! Week after week! Each time, Thaddeus divined a partial number from The Other Side, but never the entire correct number! Today he promised that I would get everything!
- Howard (legal paper): Thaddeus felt that if I signed some papers it would demonstrate to my dead father that I had absolute trust in Thaddeus.
- Howard (scheme): My own sister! Paying Thaddeus off? I thought he was a bit too insistent that I sign that paper. Well, Anne is going to get a good talking to, believe you me!
- Wilburn (Thaddeus): He was an incredible psychic. I came to clarify some, ahem, personal financial matters.
- Wilburn (séance): I don't understand what happened! He foretold his own death, but I didn't expect it to happen like this!
- Wilburn (scheme): Good Lord, you found the office? I admit it, then: Thaddeus and I traveled the world baboozling the gullible and then exposing the swindle! But his death was meant to be a fake. I have no reason to want Thaddeus dead. Quite the contrary!
- Janice (Thaddeus): I have no doubt that his powers were genuine. He was able to tell me of my daily comings and goings and all manner of details that he couldn't possibly have known. He certainly was going to be able to put me in contact with my sister.
- Janice (séance): I'm so sorry to lose Thaddeus. The oddest part is that he claimed all would be revealed to each of us before his death.
- Janice (sister): I've been coming here to decide whether I should accept a marriage proposal. Thaddeus had been attempting to contact my departed sister so that she could give me advice. Thaddeus was a kind man who sincerely wanted me to make the best choice. Now what am I to do?
- Janice (scheme): You believe that Everett paid Thaddeus to manipulate me? It cannot be true. Thaddeus knew all of my comings and goings. He genuinely could communicate with the world beyond!
Roberts' house
- Anne (Howard Roberts): My brother has become obsessed with some secret bank account. He inherited almost all of my father's fortune - as well he should as the male heir - but some was locked in a secret account. I think it unlikely that it should be a significant amount.
- Anne (séance): I went along to the séances a couple of times. I thought it was a waste of my brother's time.
- Anna (legal paper): Power of attorney to a psychic? That sounds very unusual, indeed.
Asquith's house
- Boyd (Thaddeus): Her father mentioned this swindler to me. I understand it's because of him that my engagement has been delayed.
- Boyd (business): I know the owner of a local brewery and I am convinced his business will flourish. He just needs some financial backing. Now Janice is free to be married at last, I'll invest my dowry in the brewery and make a fortune!
- Boyd (engagement): Janice is a lovely creature. I would be honored were she to accept my proposal. I do adore her.
- Asquith (Thaddeus): Never trust a man who tells you what you want to hear. He's after something! Taking advantage of my daughter's love for her departed sister. With that charlatan gone, things can get back to normal. My daughter's engagement to Everett Boyd can be announced at last.
- Asquith (engagement): A girl Janice's age should be married. Everett is a very sensible young man from a good family. He'll be very successful, I'm sure of it.
- Asquith (sister): Janice's elder sister was strong-willed. Janice always followed her lead. That's why it's so sad that she asks her advice even in death. Time for Janice to think for herself! I know what's best for her.
Lady Ursula's house
- Miriam (Lady Ursula): Lady Ursula's health is not good at all. And now she's lost her cat, it's almost like she has nothing left to live for.
- Miriam (Douglas): He's been Lady Ursula's butler for years. We have plans to marry. But first, Douglas needs to put together a little nest egg. He says he'll have some money soon.
- Miriam (Mittens): Lady Ursula was planning to leave her fortune to her cat, Mittens. Since the cat passed on, she's been going to that spiritualist in hopes that Mittens will tell her what to do with the money.
Street corner
- Billy (tramp): That's me! Yeah, some fella come by here every so often. Gives me a silver sixpence if I tell him everything about the folks in that house.
- Billy (who): Nothin' unusual about him. Just a regular fella. I seen him go into that building over there.
Clues
Psychic's house
- Thaddeus' body - His hair and clothing have been slightly scorched from the "explosion." A bloody knife is stuck in his torso.
- Timer and Flashpot - A rudimentary timer with charred remains of a fuse attached. The fuse leads to an empty plaster cylinder, apparently the container of a non-lethal amount of gunpowder to produce the recent flash of light.
- Client list - A list of Thaddeus' clients' addresses. There are also two columns for each client. Both columns indicate significant amounts of money per séance. The first column appears to refer directly to the client. It isn't clear to whom the second column refers. However, Dr. Wilburn is missing from the list.
- Receipt - Theatrical Supply: Flash pot, 8 shillings.
- Threatening note - "For the love of God, get his signature at the next session, or I sweat I'll expose you! -A. R."
- Old note - Weathered. Probably written weeks ago. "I've found a tramp who lives on the street near one of the pigeons. The fellow smokes like a chimney and for the price of a few cigarettes he supplies me all the information we need."
- Legal papers - An unsigned paper which would enable Thaddeus Smith to act as Howard Roberts' legal representative.
Roberts' house
- Paper - Several scrawled notes: *Bentland bank? A7?* (crossed out) *Bank of Kent? 270?* (crossed out) *York Bank? A72*? (crossed out)
- Note added to father's will - A note appended to the father's will specifying that "the bulk of my fortune is safely secured in an account, the particulars of which will be communicated by word-of-mouth to my son."
- Sydney Newspaper Clipping - Dated over a year ago. "Mysterious death in King Street. A spiritualist who went by the name of Felix Magnus claimed that he would die at his next séance. But the outcome held even more drama. Mr. Magnus demonstrated to several clients that their closest friends and relations were swindling them via Magnus himself, before burst of smoke and flame ended the séance abruptly. Magnus was declared dead by a certain Dr. Fulsom, who was attending as a client."
Lady Ursula's house
- Boston Newspaper Clipping - Dated seven months ago. "Medium Foretells His Own Death! In a stunningly dramatic final séance, psychic Roberto El Magnifico revealed that several clients were being traduced by their loved ones who had paid him to give information at his false séances. But then - just as predicted! - he was killed in a mysterious explosion during his final séance on Newbury Street. One of his clients, a Dr. Pittenweem, pronounced him dead at the scene." The phrases "traduced by their loved ones" and "mysterious explosion" are circled in pencil.
- Letter - "I've found another newspaper article similar to the one I gave you. This one is from Sydney! It appears we will be exposed at the next séance, just as those people were. Douglas, you got me into this, you better solve it!"
- Lady Ursula's will - "To Miriam, my maid, and to Douglas, my butler, I leave my Belshingham china, in thanks for their long service, to be given on their wedding day, whenever that day shall be. I leave my dear cat Mittens all my remaining worldly goods, in the hope that they bring him even a small portion of the joy he has brought me." In anguished handwriting in the margin is scrawled: "Whatever will I do now that my dear Mittens is no more?"
Asquith's house
- Diary - "I have some affection for Everett, but I don't think my sister would approve of him. She always bade me to strive for more than that which merely appears directly in front of my nose. If only father weren't urging me otherwise!"
- Business letter - "Mr. Everett Boyd's business plans appear to be sound. As long as he has no other pressing obligations, I believe that - if your daughter accepts his proposal - the money you settle on the happy couple would mean the success of Mr. Boyd's venture and your daughter, Janice, would live a comfortable life."
- Coat - There is a letter in one of the pockets: "Boyd, dear lad, if you don't get me the money by the end of the month, you will be in a heap of trouble. The kind of trouble that hurts. Need I say more?"
- Cigarette butts - A pile of stubbed out cigarette butts. Likely left by a vagrant. One can still smell tobacco smoke.
Office
- Thaddeus' note - "W. Arrive after the others as usual. It will deflect suspicion. Also, make certain that we get a big flash this time - they must be convinced it's enough to kill me! -T. the Amazing"
- Client files - A set of files containing disorganized details regarding Thaddeus' clients. For example: -"Wants cat to tell her he should inherit." -"Janice's sister called her 'Sissy'" -"The cat loved to play with Lady U's teaspoons." -"Wants you to tell her that her sister approves of the marriage." -"Knows acct umber. Needs his signature to access." -"Howard's father enjoyed grouse shooting."
- Note - "She says the account number is A72 at Kentish Bank."
- Business cards - Several business cards for a medical doctor. All are identical except each is printed with a different name.
Dialogue
Douglas was accused of the murder.
- Douglas: He was going to reveal my plot! He paid the price for betraying a fellow crook.
- Arthur: This Thaddeus fellow was rather too clever by half. But you pieced it all together very cleverly. Mr. Raymond was particularly interested in this one. He admired the duplicity of Thaddeus!
Outcome
Spoiler
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| The murderer was Douglas, who didn't want his own scheme to come to light.
Case Summary
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