How Holmes Checkmated a Master Puzzlemaker
Dear Investigators,
The Case of the Wonderland Garden has been brought to a close, courtesy of your fine detective work. The Rodrick brothers no longer have to worry about their father’s missing fortune, and the circumstances of his tragic disappearance have finally surfaced too— now perhaps the twins can focus on continuing to repair their relationship!
We can practically smell the next case, but until then,
The Dear Holmes Team
——
30 June, 1898
Dear Robert and Reginald,
A lull in a peculiar case for Her Majesty allowed me to briefly explore your impressive seaside town several days ago, and to have a chat with William—who confirmed my hypothesis and set my mind at ease on several counts. I have delayed my message to you for reasons you will soon understand.
When I received your initial pleas from Watson, I was piqued by the number of mysteries your case brought forth. First, that of your father. What was the significance of his disappearance? Was it accidental or designed, and in either case, by whom? There was also, veiled in simplicity, the question of his fortune and your inheritance. Where was it?
Setting aside your father’s accident, I theorised from the start that somebody had meddled with the funds. A successful man of business, no matter how eccentric or whimsical, would not have been so utterly thoughtless with his money. Besides, the two of your letters introduced a handful of suspects who could have accessed, no doubt tampered with, the fortune. Beyond the obvious possibilities– that your butler William, and also or alternatively, one or both of you, were jointly and severally responsible– Reginald’s letter drew my attention to three individuals. These were Hans, Hardegan, and Edwin Greeley. Your father’s colleagues might not have often worked together, but the letter made clear the fact they each worked closely with Mr. Rodricks. I wondered if they might have swindled him.
Hardegan expressed a need for money, but it was less clear how he might have orchestrated any part of this scheme. Hans, conversely, seemed less pressed for funds, yet the thought of him planning an “accident-at-sea” was plausible. Still, evidence was scarce, and there were plenty of other questionable individuals. Reginald’s letter stated that your family solicitor, Greeley, shared a rivalry and taste for puzzles with your father. This cast suspicion his way too, though a true motive remained obscure. Meanwhile, Robert’s letter described your father’s supposed dalliance with one Lydia Parkhurst, adding another potential malefactor to my list. Considering the number of persons involved already, I knew I would need to gather more information, such as was delivered with your second letters. When you both wrote to me again on 26 June, Reginald, with the will and invoice, and Robert, with the extraordinary “map”, I began piecing together this peculiar case.
Reginald’s letter initially compelled me to consider the Checkmate, and then your butler. The unadorned fact that tools– which would have slid off the yacht on even mildly heavy seas– were still on its cabin roof gave reason to believe that either your father, or other parties, had staged his alleged accident. Extending this line of thought, William, who was in theory the person to discover your father’s accident and the abandoned yacht, was likely involved in the ordeal. Yet I suspected a mercurial accomplice, or perhaps patron, lurking in the shadows. Your father’s will and testament, coupled with the invoice from the chandlery, supported this hypothesis and, to me, suggested that the so-called patron was hiding in plain sight.
Regardless of my theories, the will was concerning for a number of reasons. As Reginald noted, there was no specific mention of your father’s money. It was also missing details that would be expected on such a document, for instance sections devoted to the revocation of any previous wills, and to simple contingencies. Instead, the will offered an unusual, though not out of the question, section dedicated to you “Dear Boys”, for which your father employed rather artful language. The concluding “poem” is unconventional, and suspiciously instructive, but even before that, your father makes some curious statements. Most notably, that he is “no longer among those on earth,” and that he will “watch from afar”. Upon reading those phrases, I began reading the will anew, slowly and with attention to its every word. Sure enough, there was another bit of treasure hidden plainly in the will’s first paragraph, where your father begins by referring to his “earthly departure”. Taking these irregularities into account alongside the invoice Reginald retrieved, my intuition was that Reginald Rodricks II was alive if not well, and that he had been largely responsible for his own disappearance. I became more confident in this theory after reviewing Robert’s letter of the 26th, which he despatched after hearing of the body at Seacombe Cliff.
Whilst news of the corpse might have been alarming, the unique blueprint that Robert shared with me confirmed my earlier theory, suggesting the body was not your father’s and therefore irrelevant to your case. On the other hand, the drawing of your properties was integral to understanding your father’s disappearance, and that of his fortune. As you already know, the clever “map” puzzle, which you happened to find “neatly folded in half”, denoted the location of the gold chest your father had placed amongst his statuettes. Within that chest, you eventually found a paper upon which was written the number five, which led you correctly to the Checkmate. Reginald, you reported finding nothing but a charred “note” on your visit to the yacht.
Since then, you might have come to these conclusions for yourselves, but if not, I will allay your fears before things turn further sour: 1) your father is quite alive and almost certainly to be found on The Herald of the Morning, where William delivers him robust lunches and daily supplies, and 2) the keel of the partially destroyed Checkmate was redesigned so as to incorporate what is essentially your father’s fortune. After all, if one wished to hide a large amount of gold, and one had a metal-casting facility at his disposal– and a
whimsical sense of humour– then what better idea than to cast a brilliant new component for their yacht? The weight of your father’s fortune in gold, which is far heavier than lead, the typical material used for similar fixtures, would not be impossible to work with; though it would call for an adjusted design capable of carrying the new weight (as well as an obfuscation of its surface appearance). The invoice and letter from the ship’s chandlery in London serve as clear evidence of these adjustments, but even so, that is but one part of this ordeal. Having located the missing fortune, and realised that your father’s accident was no such thing, still leaves the simple query, “Why?” That is, why would Mr. Rodricks II go through such great lengths if he ultimately planned to reappear and continue his life? What was his objective, and beyond that, who was privy to his ploy?
To confirm my own suspicions then, I paid a visit to Christchurch Harbour early on Tuesday. I donned a disguise and went unrecognised as planned, but as evidenced by the Bournemouth Times, my presence inadvertently drew attention to your butler, who had graciously agreed to meet me. William told me the truth that morning, regarding your father’s accident, but ever faithful, he insisted he had “no clue” where the funds were; nevertheless, Robert’s most recent letters, dated 28th and 29th June, arrived shortly thereafter, shining a light on this all– from the forces motivating your father, to those inspiring your solicitor, butler, and even Hans’ behaviours of late.
As far as the fire, the information Robert provided greatly facilitates the task of deducing the culprit, let alone why they did it. Although it was reasonable to believe that William or Mr. Greeley might have been aware of the “fortune” onboard, that would explain an interest in the Checkmate more so than a desire to set it ablaze. Had William wished to inspect the yacht and abscond with the fortune, he could have easily done so undisturbed. Frederick Granger, who supposedly put out the fire, might have been responsible himself, one might think... but then he would not have been likely to salvage the boat, or to admit to doing so, both of which he did. Thus let us return to your solicitor, who so kindly and persistently offered to purchase the Checkmate. Again, this supports an interest in seizing the fortune, but if one considers that multiple people might have known about this fortune, then the fire could be explained by answering one question: Who might oppose Greeley’s purchase, or any transfer of ownership of the yacht? In light of your father’s very much being alive, the answer should be plain to see.
The fire was yet another coded message sent by a father who delighted in coded messages. It was a radical step, but offered a way of signalling to the two of you, “inspect the yacht”, and to Greeley, more or less, “back off”. William told your father of Greeley’s many offers to buy the boat. Your father, horrified, employed the Grangers to damage but not sink the ship, so as to make any further offers preposterous. The paper Reginald found after the fire was indeed a note from your father to the brothers– I infer the complete message read something akin to “JUST A SCARE. DO IT NOW. YOU HAVE MY BLESSING. PAYMENT ALREADY DESPATCHED.”
I will note that Greeley’s effort to wrest the yacht from you was not illegal but ethically dubious, and the results of a rivalry gone out of hand. You will better understand once you have learned why your father has puppeteered this saga. One can see the traces of his reasoning throughout the information you sent me, beginning with Reginald’s early mention of the sale of his business. Your father was later a tad more forthcoming with his motives in his “will”, when he wrote “It will soon be your duty to carry on the Rodricks legacy, and I urge you to do so as brothers, undivided.” There were even hints of his motivation relayed by Miss Parkhurst, who knew he was “growing tired of business”, and “that he wanted to live a more simple life”. In plain terms, Reginald and Robert, your father has grown worried about his health, and wants you both to take over, so to speak, as heads of the Rodricks family. He intends to present you with an “advanced portion” of your inheritances, but hopes to bring you closer together before this takes place. To accelerate this process, he devised a trial compelling you to collaborate in search of the truth behind the accident and his “missing” fortune. At the same time, he placed a wager on your success with his old friend Greeley, who helped him arrange the challenge.
I speculate that Greeley began by upholding the spirit of their bet, then had second, unscrupulous thoughts, and attempted to tip the balance in his favour by acquiring the yacht. When your father learned of this and ordered the fire, Greeley was deterred, though only briefly. The solicitor likely fabricated the letter you received “from Lydia Parkhurst”, to distract from the Checkmate, and perhaps from a planned attempt to meddle with it himself. All the while, your father continued to oversee your endeavour and despatch subtle suggestions through his other conspirators, such as Hans. He is an unusual man, your father. His plan was risky and could have been foiled in many ways. Yet, if I can judge from your letters, he has succeeded in bringing the two of you together. I have no doubt your efforts have been diligent, and that he has achieved his goals. Bravo to you.
In about a day’s time, you will hear of Edward and Frederick’s release from the Bournemouth gaol. You will also find an unexpected “intruder” aboard The Herald of the Morning should you pay it a visit– or so I am told. As for the Checkmate, it is no longer in pristine condition; however, you will soon have to decide how to proceed with its golden keel, your fortune, as a pair. I, for one, am fond of the sea, but there are undoubtedly better uses for the gold, and a traditional oaken keel will sail you just as far without the added danger of a shining treasure aboard.
Sincerely,
P.S. One last note, concerning your father. Despite his kind intentions, his herculean efforts to unite you have caused something of a stir in your neighbourhood, and its surroundings. I suspect he has been in contact with the constabulary and will therefore avoid imprisonment, but do not be surprised if he is fined for endangerment, or for acting as a public nuisance.