Found: A New Featured Detective
The Dear Holmes “Featured Detective” Program honors one detective per mystery for their clever and well-thought-out solution to the case. To learn how to send in your own solution, visit Dearholmes.com/solve.
Dear Sleuths,
After a slew of cases well-closed, it's finally time to start naming our newest Featured Detectives, starting with the sharp investigator who solved the mystery of The Found Key.
After learning of Cornelius Hurtz’s gruesome demise, our network of detectives scrambled to identify a motive for his murder, as well as a plausible culprit. For despite the man’s “secret” apartment, there was little reason to believe he would have angered somebody to the point of deadly assault. A number of investigators immediately pointed towards his wife, Maggie Hurtz, speculating that she could have orchestrated the killing while feigning ignorance of the scene of the crime — perhaps her motivation was the discovery of secrets, of which her husband’s other apartment were only a small part. There was unfortunately scarce actual evidence supporting this theory. Still, these detectives were unwittingly onto something key to the solution: one of our witnesses was lying about knowledge of this infamous apartment.
Some detectives looked to Hurtz’s sister, and the supposed quarrel they had prior to his death. After all, she could have been making herself intentionally difficult to track down in the aftermath of the crime. On the other hand, his assistant Mr. Reynolds, provided reason to believe he might have been attacked by shady business partners. This too would have implied the involvement of the notorious Japanese Yakuza, which Mr. Reynolds believed would explain the numbers left at the scene of the crime… However, once Detective Brando and Mrs. Hurtz shed some more light on Jason Phelps, the truth started to surface.
Detective Scott F. of Spring Hill, KS, was first to arrive at our doorstep with a solution in hand. Detective Scott correctly named Mr. Reynolds as the person responsible for Hurtz’s death, all the while explaining the unique locket found on Hurtz’s person, and the other bizarre circumstances of his death. From Mr. Reynold’s flub regarding 389, 893, and the Yakuza, to the truth behind Jason Phelps, and his mother, Mildred’s, identities, this investigator examined every nook and cranny to be found in this case.
In true Featured Detective nature, Detective Scott deftly answered each of Watson’s initial questions about the death, then went further so as to explain each of our characters’ tenuous relationships with the deceased.
Congratulations from the Dear Holmes Team to Detective Scott F. — a special reward will soon be en route to you!
Honorable Mention(s) to Detective Bruce A. for a memorable epilogue, Detective Sara W., for a masterfully thorough analysis (on lovely parchment), and to “The Whitneys”, for a precise solution that was just a few paces behind our winner!
Want to be next month’s Featured Detective? Learn how to submit your solution by visiting DearHolmes.com/solve.