Brain Teasers
Not So Formal
Mystery
Mystery teasers are little stories where you need to figure out what happened based on the given clues.Mystery
Detective Allison Carr pushed her way through the crowded hotel lobby and into an elevator. At the tenth floor she found a forensics crew already at work.
"What have we got here?" she asked Officer Frost.
"Victim is one Jacob Williams," Frost said. "He and his wife and another couple are here for a week's vacation."
"I need names," Carr said.
"Wife's name is Kate. The other couple is James and Cindy Jones."
Carr jotted the names into a small notebook. "Okay. Now, what happened?"
"The two couples were in the casino gambling. They had plans to eat at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants. Very classy place. Anyhow, Williams left the casino first to come up here to shower, shave, and dress. The others came up later. When they were dressed and ready to go out, Williams hadn't come out of his room yet. That's when Mr. Jones came in here and found the body."
"Didn't Mrs. Williams see her husband when she came up here to dress?" Carr asked.
"Mr. Williams was a snorer. His wife couldn't sleep in the same room with him, even at home. They had separate suites here, so she didn't know anything was wrong until Jones told her."
Allison Carr shook her head.
"How did Williams die?" she asked.
"He was shot with his own gun," Frost said. "He takes it with him all the time for protection. He's a jeweler and often carries a lot of gems when he's working. I guess it worked against him this time.
"He was shot in the heart at close range. There was quite a bit of blood, as you'll soon see. The medical examiner says with that kind of wound Williams may have lived for ten or fifteen seconds, but not much longer."
Frost ushered Detective Carr into the bedroom of the late Jacob Williams' hotel suite. Several policemen were combing the room for clues. One of them approached Carr.
"We found something interesting here. As you'll notice, this room has a fireplace. The hotel doesn't really expect the guests to use it, but it is a working fireplace. Someone DID use this one, though, and not too long ago. We found this in it."
With that, the officer held out an evidence bag in which he had gathered some samples of ashes. Carr noticed the ashes had a peculiar texture: it wasn't the type of ash left by wood or paper.
In another evidence bag were seven melted pieces of plastic and metal. Along with them was a charred piece of metal that appeared to be some sort of clip.
"Have you searched this room completely?" Carr asked.
"Yes. Here's what we found." Frost handed a list to the detective.
Carr read, "Five undershirts, five pair of undershorts, three pairs of brown socks, two pairs of blue socks, two blue dress shirts, three sport shirts, two pull-overs, six pair of slacks - two brown, two blue, and two black - along with a black belt, six ties - all in the current style and all different colors to match the shirts and slacks - two sport jackets - one brown and one blue - a pair of brown shoes, one pair of walking shoes, an electric razor, pre-shave and after shave, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a pair of walking shorts, pajamas, seven handkerchiefs."
"Is that it?" she asked.
"We found the usual things on the body," Frost said. "You know, wallet, change, keys, things like that. You ready to view the body now?"
"I think so," Carr said as she moved toward the bed.
Jacob Williams' body lay on the floor near the bed. A fairly large man, he was face down with his right hand outstretched and his left hand tucked under him. A large pool of blood spread out from under the body.
Williams was in his underwear and slippers. His right hand was coated with blood.
"Looks like he tried to wipe the blood off his hand before he died," Carr said with a frown. Then she turned her attention to Williams' bed.
Neatly laid out on it were a pair of tuxedo pants, a tuxedo jacket, and a red cumber-bun. Next to the pants was a pair of black socks. At the foot of the bed was a pair of black shoes.
"Looks like he never did get dressed for that dinner," Carr said. "I'd like to speak to the others in the party. Where are they?"
"Next door in the wife's suite," Frost said.
Carr went to Mrs. Williams' suite where three people sat; all were pale and nervous. The woman who was introduced as Mrs. Williams had obviously been crying. She wore a long yellow evening gown with shoes and purse to match. She was a short woman.
"I know what you're going to say," she sobbed. "You're going to say I shot Jacob because I hated his philandering. But that's not true. So what if he had affairs? He loved only me."
Carr's eyebrows went up at this remark and she turned to James Jones, a once-handsome man who was slowly showing the effects of his age. Jones was dressed in a tuxedo, white shirt, and black bow tie.
"She's obviously upset," Jones said of Mrs. Williams. "Jacob really was devoted to her, even if he did fool around. We were partners, you know, and he confided in me."
"Partners?" Carr said. "Does this mean you'll take over the entire business now?"
"Well, yes, but...," Jones began but never finished.
"And how about you?" Carr asked Cindy Jones, a tall, graceful woman dressed in a red gown. "You're very beautiful, if I may be so bold. Were you one of Mr. Williams' affairs?"
"Good heavens, no!" Mrs. Jones said. "Not that he didn't try. Oh, I'm sorry, Kate, but the truth is your husband did make several passes at me, but I never gave in, and nothing ever happened between us."
"If I have the details straight," Detective Carr said, "Mr. Williams left your group to go to his room to prepare for dinner while you all stayed in the casino. Were you all together?"
"No," James Jones said. "I was playing blackjack."
"I was at the slot machines," Kate Williams said.
"And I was at the roulette wheel," Cindy Jones said.
"I think one of you came to Mr. Williams' suite earlier than you claim," Carr said. "You argued with him, lost your temper, and shot him with his own gun. And I think I know which of you it was. As soon as I have some evidence examined, I'm sure I can prove it."
"What have we got here?" she asked Officer Frost.
"Victim is one Jacob Williams," Frost said. "He and his wife and another couple are here for a week's vacation."
"I need names," Carr said.
"Wife's name is Kate. The other couple is James and Cindy Jones."
Carr jotted the names into a small notebook. "Okay. Now, what happened?"
"The two couples were in the casino gambling. They had plans to eat at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants. Very classy place. Anyhow, Williams left the casino first to come up here to shower, shave, and dress. The others came up later. When they were dressed and ready to go out, Williams hadn't come out of his room yet. That's when Mr. Jones came in here and found the body."
"Didn't Mrs. Williams see her husband when she came up here to dress?" Carr asked.
"Mr. Williams was a snorer. His wife couldn't sleep in the same room with him, even at home. They had separate suites here, so she didn't know anything was wrong until Jones told her."
Allison Carr shook her head.
"How did Williams die?" she asked.
"He was shot with his own gun," Frost said. "He takes it with him all the time for protection. He's a jeweler and often carries a lot of gems when he's working. I guess it worked against him this time.
"He was shot in the heart at close range. There was quite a bit of blood, as you'll soon see. The medical examiner says with that kind of wound Williams may have lived for ten or fifteen seconds, but not much longer."
Frost ushered Detective Carr into the bedroom of the late Jacob Williams' hotel suite. Several policemen were combing the room for clues. One of them approached Carr.
"We found something interesting here. As you'll notice, this room has a fireplace. The hotel doesn't really expect the guests to use it, but it is a working fireplace. Someone DID use this one, though, and not too long ago. We found this in it."
With that, the officer held out an evidence bag in which he had gathered some samples of ashes. Carr noticed the ashes had a peculiar texture: it wasn't the type of ash left by wood or paper.
In another evidence bag were seven melted pieces of plastic and metal. Along with them was a charred piece of metal that appeared to be some sort of clip.
"Have you searched this room completely?" Carr asked.
"Yes. Here's what we found." Frost handed a list to the detective.
Carr read, "Five undershirts, five pair of undershorts, three pairs of brown socks, two pairs of blue socks, two blue dress shirts, three sport shirts, two pull-overs, six pair of slacks - two brown, two blue, and two black - along with a black belt, six ties - all in the current style and all different colors to match the shirts and slacks - two sport jackets - one brown and one blue - a pair of brown shoes, one pair of walking shoes, an electric razor, pre-shave and after shave, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a pair of walking shorts, pajamas, seven handkerchiefs."
"Is that it?" she asked.
"We found the usual things on the body," Frost said. "You know, wallet, change, keys, things like that. You ready to view the body now?"
"I think so," Carr said as she moved toward the bed.
Jacob Williams' body lay on the floor near the bed. A fairly large man, he was face down with his right hand outstretched and his left hand tucked under him. A large pool of blood spread out from under the body.
Williams was in his underwear and slippers. His right hand was coated with blood.
"Looks like he tried to wipe the blood off his hand before he died," Carr said with a frown. Then she turned her attention to Williams' bed.
Neatly laid out on it were a pair of tuxedo pants, a tuxedo jacket, and a red cumber-bun. Next to the pants was a pair of black socks. At the foot of the bed was a pair of black shoes.
"Looks like he never did get dressed for that dinner," Carr said. "I'd like to speak to the others in the party. Where are they?"
"Next door in the wife's suite," Frost said.
Carr went to Mrs. Williams' suite where three people sat; all were pale and nervous. The woman who was introduced as Mrs. Williams had obviously been crying. She wore a long yellow evening gown with shoes and purse to match. She was a short woman.
"I know what you're going to say," she sobbed. "You're going to say I shot Jacob because I hated his philandering. But that's not true. So what if he had affairs? He loved only me."
Carr's eyebrows went up at this remark and she turned to James Jones, a once-handsome man who was slowly showing the effects of his age. Jones was dressed in a tuxedo, white shirt, and black bow tie.
"She's obviously upset," Jones said of Mrs. Williams. "Jacob really was devoted to her, even if he did fool around. We were partners, you know, and he confided in me."
"Partners?" Carr said. "Does this mean you'll take over the entire business now?"
"Well, yes, but...," Jones began but never finished.
"And how about you?" Carr asked Cindy Jones, a tall, graceful woman dressed in a red gown. "You're very beautiful, if I may be so bold. Were you one of Mr. Williams' affairs?"
"Good heavens, no!" Mrs. Jones said. "Not that he didn't try. Oh, I'm sorry, Kate, but the truth is your husband did make several passes at me, but I never gave in, and nothing ever happened between us."
"If I have the details straight," Detective Carr said, "Mr. Williams left your group to go to his room to prepare for dinner while you all stayed in the casino. Were you all together?"
"No," James Jones said. "I was playing blackjack."
"I was at the slot machines," Kate Williams said.
"And I was at the roulette wheel," Cindy Jones said.
"I think one of you came to Mr. Williams' suite earlier than you claim," Carr said. "You argued with him, lost your temper, and shot him with his own gun. And I think I know which of you it was. As soon as I have some evidence examined, I'm sure I can prove it."
Answer
James Jones killed Jacob Williams.When she was shown the scene of the crime, Detective Carr realized something was missing. Jacob Williams was preparing to go to a formal dinner, but nowhere in the room were the white dress shirt, bow tie, or studs he would need for his tuxedo.
Then she remembered the smear on Williams' hand. Nothing in the room was found that indicated where he had wiped the hand. She realized that after he was shot, Williams must have clutched at his wound, getting his hand bloody. Then he wiped the hand on the closest thing he could - his killer's clothing.
The killer certainly couldn't leave Williams' room with bloody clothes, so he removed them, burned them in the fireplace, and put on Williams' shirt, tie, and studs.
The only person in the group in a tux was James Jones, so Carr deduced he was the killer.
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Comments
Nice :
I have been waiting for Mystery teasers and this one was great
Wow, that's clever.
good one
That was kool...I figured out that the shirt was missing, but not the bow tie or the studs. I love mystery teasers.
Excellent and well written.
His wife was wearing a yellow dress and he was planning to wear a red cummerbund? He deserved to die!
His wife was wearing a yellow dress and he was planning to wear a red cummerbund? He deserved to die!
that was a good one.... thank you...
DUDE good 1 had me stomped!!
Great teaser!
great! I soooo love it...
That's impossibly clever
Cool! I had no idea; i was betting on the wife
this should be a csi episode haha
great teaser, well written, but one thing is very misleading:
The answer says that Jones put on Williams' shirt, tie and studs, yet the observation of Jones in the hotel room shows him wearing a black tie. If Williams was wearing a red cumberbund, then the tie should be red as well, no? I mean, I guess it could be black and red, but why be tacky in an attempt to be formal?
I figured the blood was wiped on the killer, since there was no signs of it in the room, and the ashes were from the evidence, but either of the ladies could have gone to their room, changed, and come back to burn their outfit in the fireplace.
If the story identifies Jones as wearing a red tie, I think it comes together much more cohesively without becoming obvious. As is does not necessarily peg Mr.Jones. Like I said though, great teaser! Enjoyed it more than most on here!
The answer says that Jones put on Williams' shirt, tie and studs, yet the observation of Jones in the hotel room shows him wearing a black tie. If Williams was wearing a red cumberbund, then the tie should be red as well, no? I mean, I guess it could be black and red, but why be tacky in an attempt to be formal?
I figured the blood was wiped on the killer, since there was no signs of it in the room, and the ashes were from the evidence, but either of the ladies could have gone to their room, changed, and come back to burn their outfit in the fireplace.
If the story identifies Jones as wearing a red tie, I think it comes together much more cohesively without becoming obvious. As is does not necessarily peg Mr.Jones. Like I said though, great teaser! Enjoyed it more than most on here!
Haha, got the answer right, but my reasoning was waaay off lol
That was a good teaser. Enjoying to read.
I got it right, but only because the guy would get the whole jewling company, which makes goo money probably, and people to stupid and crazy stuff for that much money.
Drat, I couldn't put it together. This was a pretty fun read though.
I was considering the womens' heights (one short, the other tall, both wearing heels) against a heart wound and a victim wearing only socks. That didn't get me anywhere.
I was considering that only James played a game with chips and I had surmised it was chips and a money clip that were burned, but the melted chips could just as easily have belonged to the victim.
I also couldn't figure out where the victim was holding his personal effects when he was found in his underwear: "We found the usual things on the body," Frost said. "You know, wallet, change, keys, things like that."
I also wondered why the victim's black socks were missing.
Anyway, bottom line is that I was completely stumped. Thanks for a fun teaser.
I was considering the womens' heights (one short, the other tall, both wearing heels) against a heart wound and a victim wearing only socks. That didn't get me anywhere.
I was considering that only James played a game with chips and I had surmised it was chips and a money clip that were burned, but the melted chips could just as easily have belonged to the victim.
I also couldn't figure out where the victim was holding his personal effects when he was found in his underwear: "We found the usual things on the body," Frost said. "You know, wallet, change, keys, things like that."
I also wondered why the victim's black socks were missing.
Anyway, bottom line is that I was completely stumped. Thanks for a fun teaser.
Excellent! More like this please!
very clever
I didn't get that one.
"We found the usual things on the body," Frost said. "You know, wallet, change, keys, things like that"
But he was in his underwear?
Hmmm...
But he was in his underwear?
Hmmm...
Love this. I figured it was James cos of the constant focus on clothing.
i agree with xdbtcp
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