Murder on the Emerald Express: Chapter 9B

[Adam]

Oh dear.

*topples off coal tender*

Well, I see two options. Either it was Eleanor's handgun that killed the poor girl, or it was Greaser's - that much is obvious. Once we've recognized that fact, we find that each road splits into another three possibilities, this time concerning the bullet. Those three are as follows: the bullet is in Jennifer, the bullet lies among the coal, or the bullet was taken out by the killer.

Now, assuming that you two do not have the same exact gun, and assuming that we can find the bullet, then it is quite possible the bullet can be matched to one of the guns.

That is why I'd like to do three things: search the coal where she was killed for a bullet, if that turns up no results search the wound for a bullet, and finally look for white tape to place around the coal in the shape of her splayed form. Speaking of which, I find it quite interesting that some of you were so eager to push her from her perch.

Now, regarding that I was somehow able to recognize her - this assumption seems to be a mere matter of intuition. I have received no information from Alex to say otherwise, so it is likely that I simply surmised her to be Jennifer. I would be surprised if there was anyone present that could identify the body.

[Wouwie]

I would also look for a blood trail showing she has been moved..If that's the case, she could be killed anywhere..

[WesternOutlaw]

A close look at the body and area reveals:

- the woman is dead (no last words).

- her locket opens and has two small pictures inside. The pictures are of two older individuals, most likely her mother and father, or perhaps an uncle or aunt.

- along the ground near the tender (toward the backside opposite the town), is a small pool of blood. There's also some blood on the horizontal rods that serve as the ladder.

- there does not appear to be any bullet casing on the ground or on top of the coal in the tender.

- All of Eleanor's bullets are accounted for. Her handgun is NOT the murder weapon.

NOTE: Pete made the assumption that this is Jennifer based on the note discovered in the Willoughby Records Office.

[Alice]

Well, she seems pretty glamorous for a corpse. Even in death, she managed to keep that Marcel wave in her hair We Belgians appreciate a good-looking corpse. I am pleased to note that she has managed a rare feat in death and kept control of her bodily functions. Even better!

Arin, my dearest, still peckish?

Murders always make me hungry so yes. Could you try to make my hair do that? I've had it in this dreadful ponytail since before the trip began.

What do you all think?

I think that you are not mentally stable and have a gun. Have you been keeping track of bullets along the way? When did you notice it was missing some that you didn't use? I'm not sure that you are the murderer. The gun in Greaserman's possession has a bullet missing and was in that office. I'd much rather accuse him but I have no proof to condemn either of you right now.

Didn't the train also originally stop because the coal was moist.... moist with blood, perhaps? Bloodily moist with the moistening blood of this mostly bloodless corpse? Just a thought. Perhaps Jennifer has been with us longer than we thought...

I said this early on!

You know, I've held onto something I've known. I noticed that Brakes was acting strange at the time that Max was in possession of Eleanor's gun. It was before any of us knew about it. I'm wondering why now. Either he killed Jennifer or he knows that something was going on with the gun. He also had plenty of opportunity to sabotage the train if it wasn't just the blood that soaked the coal. Max was Brakes one of the people you told about the gun? Who else did you tell about it before the rest of us found out?

[Shadows]

- All of Eleanor's bullets are accounted for. Her handgun is NOT the murder weapon.

Excellent! Since we know the gun is the one I now carry, from searching the other office, the killer clearly has access to that office, and the murder took place before we found the gun. It seems incredibly unlikely that she was killed while we were aboard the train, unless we had a stowaway who then fled after sabotaging us and hid his gun in the office. I imagine a killer would keep their gun if they expected further trouble, and stopping us seems to guarantee that.

SO! In my estimation, the killer and the saboteur are different people and the dead woman was neither of those! Ok, duh, clearly it wasn't suicide, but I'm just saying she didn't sabotage us, if she's Jennifer. If she's Miss Thornton, however, she could have sabotaged us in an attempt to get our help in rescuing Jennifer, who I believe is her daughter.

It's just a shame she didn't simply ask us directly. I know people. People with guns. People who would have turned this town into the kind of Swiss cheese that would have been on the sandwich of the conductor of the Croc.

Schmelt: "Actually, Swiss cheese isn't Swiss at all, but ..."

Oh shut up.

[Adam]

SO! In my estimation, the killer and the saboteur are different people and the dead woman was neither of those! Ok, duh, clearly it wasn't suicide, but I'm just saying she didn't sabotage us, if she's Jennifer. If she's Miss Thornton, however, she could have sabotaged us in an attempt to get our help in rescuing Jennifer, who I believe is her daughter.

SO! In my estimation, the killer is most likely you or whoever has access to that safe - which is most likely the mayor or a Town Council member. I wouldn't know anyone else that would be able to access a safe so critical to the town.

It would appear that Jennifer was shot before she reached the coal tender, which is why I'd like to follow the blood and look for clues (ie. bullets, casings, etc.).

[Shadows]

SO! In my estimation, the killer is most likely you

Yeah yeah, I've been glued to my group since we got in this town, like the rest of the passengers. The crazy townsfolk, however ...

or whoever has access to that safe - which is most likely the mayor or a Town Council member. I wouldn't know anyone else that would be able to access a safe so critical to the town.

It was in the desk, not the safe. Secret compartment. Still, the door to the office was locked, but how hard would that be to get around, the room had windows.

Hmmm...

[WesternOutlaw]

It would appear that Jennifer was shot before she reached the coal tender, which is why I'd like to follow the blood and look for clues (ie. bullets, casings, etc.).

You discover no traces of blood past the ground near the tender. There are NO bullet casings to be found.

[Adam]

It was in the desk, not the safe. Secret compartment. Still, the door to the office was locked, but how hard would that be to get around, the room had windows.

Hmmm...

Oops, my mistake. Thank you for pointing that out. This means that the killer is either you or whoever owns that office - that narrows things down nicely!

Your innocence revolves around how many bullets were in the gun when you found it. If it had the same amount at that time as it does now, then you're in the clear - but if it had more then, you're the likely suspect.

If I have the medical knowledge, I'd like to estimate how old the blood/wound is.

[Dragonator]

The gun had only five bullets in it when it was found, and I'd say it still does. The sixth bullet had already been spent however, which means someone had used the gun already. Personally I don't think it was Grease, as he has been with us the whole time since the weapon was found. I suspect it was one of the townies...

[Alice]

I think we would have noticed if someone fired the gun but you never know. I'd like to check and see how many rounds are left in the gun that Greasy has. Also, did I find anything in Jennifer's pockets?

Why are some people so quiet? I've noticed that several people are missing. Should this lead me to be suspicious of their activities?

[WhiteFang]

You know, I've held onto something I've known. I noticed that Brakes was acting strange at the time that Max was in possession of Eleanor's gun. It was before any of us knew about it. I'm wondering why now. Either he killed Jennifer or he knows that something was going on with the gun. He also had plenty of opportunity to sabotage the train if it wasn't just the blood that soaked the coal. Max was Brakes one of the people you told about the gun? Who else did you tell about it before the rest of us found out?

I didn't know about Eleanor's gun, until at a later stage, when Max attempted to open up her locker. Although Max and I have access to passengers' lockers, but we only do so "if" there is something unusual events that might prompt us to check the locker in advance. At any point in time, during the Emerald Express, I was either working with the train brakes, or escort Max and along with either Schmelt or one of the stuff together to keep the gun safe, in the train conductor's office. We can't expect anyone of us to be left along with the handgun. It could prove too dangerous. We didn't hide anything from the rest or was there any secret conspiracy among us. We are doing our job, to keep our passengers safe and sound.

At many stages, I was stationed and ensure that the train brakes are working fine. I am not a train engineer by nature. I am a brakes expert. Steve and I concluded that some moist stuff has hit the coal which caused the entire Emerald Express to freeze up.. And, I am fairly sure that it wasn't blood that caused it.. If it was blood, we could easily smell blood and we need lots of blood to make that whole packets of coal to get moist... How could anyone be so convenient, and take blood and pour all over the coal without seeing any red puddle or spot of blood on the engine floorboard.

[Dragonator]

Could we look in he coal tender and the cabin to see if we can determine what exactly was the cause of our stop? If it was this stuff on the coal, I want to see if we can find out what the substance is.

[Darth_Legois]

Is there a spent casing lying around that anyone can see?

If there is, perhaps it will tell us something about the gun from which it came.

Didn't the train also originally stop because the coal was moist.... moist with blood, perhaps? Bloodily moist with the moistening blood of this mostly bloodless corpse? Just a thought. Perhaps Jennifer has been with us longer than we thought...

If it was a revolver I doubt there'd be a bullet casing seeing as to take a casing out of a revolver would mean reloading or intentionally taking it out, compared to a semi-automatic pistol with automatically ejects the casing.

Uhhh I think we would've noticed if there was BLOOD on the coals... seeing as its red.

Also where would someone get that much blood? Unless they robbed a blood bank...

Woohoo! A murder! In our town! Something is finally happening here! Wait..Murder..Danm..

I want to search for the shell of the bullit to search for a fingerprint on it.

I've never seen someone so happy about a murder ....seems somewhat suspicous...

I would also look for a blood trail showing she has been moved..If that's the case, she could be killed anywhere..

You would know... Uhh okay

I think that you are not mentally stable and have a gun. Have you been keeping track of bullets along the way? When did you notice it was missing some that you didn't use? I'm not sure that you are the murderer. The gun in Greaserman's possession has a bullet missing and was in that office. I'd much rather accuse him but I have no proof to condemn either of you right now.

You know, I've held onto something I've known. I noticed that Brakes was acting strange at the time that Max was in possession of Eleanor's gun. It was before any of us knew about it. I'm wondering why now. Either he killed Jennifer or he knows that something was going on with the gun. He also had plenty of opportunity to sabotage the train if it wasn't just the blood that soaked the coal. Max was Brakes one of the people you told about the gun? Who else did you tell about it before the rest of us found out?

Right now I dont trust anyone with a gun...except myself but thats not fair.

Also I was with max alot the day the train broke down and he definatly didnt sabotage the train, Although I did take afew naps but not long enough for someone to sabotage it and most of the time there were 2 people at the front....

You discover no traces of blood past the ground near the tender. There are NO bullet casings to be found.

Either the killer picked up the casings or its a revolver....(or another type of weapon that requires you to pump it or remove it to fire again: like a shotgun, Although typically you would pump the shotgun after firing. or a bolt action rifle but still most would, after firing eject the casing so another round is ready.)

Why are some people so quiet? I've noticed that several people are missing. Should this lead me to be suspicious of their activities?

I just havnt had much to say for the last day or so...

I didn't know about Eleanor's gun, until at a later stage, when Max attempted to open up her locker. Although Max and I have access to passengers' lockers, but we only do so "if" there is something unusual events that might prompt us to check the locker in advance. At any point in time, during the Emerald Express, I was either working with the train brakes, or escort Max and along with either Schmelt or one of the stuff together to keep the gun safe, in the train conductor's office. We can't expect anyone of us to be left along with the handgun. It could prove too dangerous. We didn't hide anything from the rest or was there any secret conspiracy among us. We are doing our job, to keep our passengers safe and sound.

At many stages, I was stationed and ensure that the train brakes are working fine. I am not a train engineer by nature. I am a brakes expert. Steve and I concluded that some moist stuff has hit the coal which caused the entire Emerald Express to freeze up.. And, I am fairly sure that it wasn't blood that caused it.. If it was blood, we could easily smell blood and we need lots of blood to make that whole packets of coal to get moist... How could anyone be so convenient, and take blood and pour all over the coal without seeing any red puddle or spot of blood on the engine floorboard.

Yep, it couldnt have been blood on the coal.

Could we look in he coal tender and the cabin to see if we can determine what exactly was the cause of our stop? If it was this stuff on the coal, I want to see if we can find out what the substance is.

Well me and brakes already checked and we're not exactly sure what the substance is also we didnt have much time to examine it as we left the emerald.

[Svelte]

The dark red of arterial blood could easily be disguised by the inky depths of the black, black coal.

But anyhoo. We should ask ourselves - why is the body here? Was it left here as a message? A warning? Or was the killer in a hurry to get away? Would we have even noticed it if the plane hadn't spotted it in the air? Apart from George's guess about who the person is, do we really have any confirmation that this is indeed Jennifer Chamberlain?

Once we are done here, I suggest we search the rest of the train. I need to feed that poor pony who probably has a severe case of the munchies by now, and so far we've only looked at the engine and tender. I sincerely hope that whoever set all those nasty traps around the train shed and farm hasn't come back to the Train while we were off gallavanting like a bunch of hysterical tourists and booby-trapped everything

Personally I'd like a shower and change of clothes, the stars on this tank top are starting to wilt and drop off. Any volunteers to soap my back? Anybody?

[Sandy]

Phew, I'm revealed it wasn't my gun whodunnit.

It seems incredibly unlikely that she was killed while we were aboard the train, unless we had a stowaway who then fled after sabotaging us and hid his gun in the office.

I think so too. Furthermore, the blood on the ground hints that this woman was shot outside the coal wagon, after which she climbed there to possibly hide from the killer and died from her wound.

If she's Miss Thornton, however, she could have sabotaged us in an attempt to get our help in rescuing Jennifer, who I believe is her daughter.

I don't know about that, she looks awfully young to be anyone's mother. Can anyone tell her estimate age?

I'm also interested in the photos inside the locket. Do any of you hillbillies recognize this old couple?

[Shadows]

I don't know about that, she looks awfully young to be anyone's mother. Can anyone tell her estimate age?

Sisters, perhaps.

It's hard to estimate the age of LEGO people.

Phew, I'm revealed it wasn't my gun whodunnit.

Don't worry, you've still got plenty of time to kill someone.

[Adam]

I think so too. Furthermore, the blood on the ground hints that this woman was shot outside the coal wagon, after which she climbed there to possibly hide from the killer and died from her wound.

I think it's safe to say that not only was Jennifer not shot while on the coal tender, but she wasn't shot anywhere near the tender. If she had been, there'd be a heck of a lot more blood on the ground. No, I think she was shot elsewhere and then put on the tender, causing the coal to grow moist and stop the train. After which, she proceeded to drip blood onto the ground (hence the small specks that are present).

Regarding the idea that the wet substance isn't blood because it doesn't appear red is really ludicrous. Think for a moment: the coal was moist, and all of it had be to stop the train. So the substance (blood) seeped throughout the tender. Since it would've absorbed the blood, the coal wouldn't appear to red. And people have tons of blood, haven't you seen, like, CSI Miami or Fringe? Now, I'm not saying that this hypothesis is perfect - it has numerous holes. For instance, the blood on her shirt looks relatively new (judging by its quantity, moistness, and color) and the poor girl wasn't even on top of the coal but some weird cap thingy.

[Wouwie]

I've never seen someone so happy about a murder ....seems somewhat suspicous...

Well, what I meant was that I waas happy about something finally happening here, in this boring town.

[WesternOutlaw]

I think that "wet" or blood on the coal was not the cause of the locomotive's failure. This is a LRTS 10194 class locomotive that has issues with the drive train assembly. The Johnson Rod is too short, and sometimes comes loose resulting in locking of the gears. Any friction created under the coal burner, including misplaced coal, can cause the vertical gear to become loose from the rod and stop the train. It is most likely that this is what caused our break-down.

It appears that the young lady is in her early 20s. The townies begin looking at the pictures in the charm to see if they recognize them...

[WhiteFang]

I think that "wet" or blood on the coal was not the cause of the locomotive's failure. This is a LRTS 10194 class locomotive that has issues with the drive train assembly. The Johnson Rod is too short, and sometimes comes loose resulting in locking of the gears. Any friction created under the coal burner, including misplaced coal, can cause the vertical gear to become loose from the rod and stop the train. It is most likely that this is what caused our break-down.

Max, I appericate your explaination since you are much familar with these kind of train technical related stuff.

We didn't have enough time to give a proper diagnosis of the earlier situation earlier.

[Adam]

Thank you, Max.

Now that this has been cleared up, we can establish a time frame for the murder. She must have been murdered before you encountered the killer, who must have brought the body here and placed Jennifer on top of the coal tender while the days' events took place. We also know that the killer is whoever owns/has access to that office and had knowledge of that compartment.

Unfortunately, I highly doubt the office owner will reveal himself/herself, so we'll have to do a lot more digging before we know who the killer is. Although I want to believe the truth is out there, trust no one until we have identified the killer.

[Captain Zuloo]

I didn't know about Eleanor's gun, until at a later stage, when Max attempted to open up her locker. Although Max and I have access to passengers' lockers, but we only do so "if" there is something unusual events that might prompt us to check the locker in advance. At any point in time, during the Emerald Express, I was either working with the train brakes, or escort Max and along with either Schmelt or one of the stuff together to keep the gun safe, in the train conductor's office. We can't expect anyone of us to be left along with the handgun. It could prove too dangerous. We didn't hide anything from the rest or was there any secret conspiracy among us. We are doing our job, to keep our passengers safe and sound.

At many stages, I was stationed and ensure that the train brakes are working fine. I am not a train engineer by nature. I am a brakes expert. Steve and I concluded that some moist stuff has hit the coal which caused the entire Emerald Express to freeze up.. And, I am fairly sure that it wasn't blood that caused it.. If it was blood, we could easily smell blood and we need lots of blood to make that whole packets of coal to get moist... How could anyone be so convenient, and take blood and pour all over the coal without seeing any red puddle or spot of blood on the engine floorboard.

He tells the truth.

[Ricecracker]

I think one of us townspeople did this. Since one or more of us, though I'm not sure who, had access to the gun, that person could have taken it shot Jennifer, and got her body up onto the train as you guys were stopped.

[Alice]

I would like to check her pockets! I want to dig in the dead woman's pockets. Maybe there is something there. Surely she knew someone was after her but she must have been murdered fairly recently because it doesn't seem that she was here when we got off the train. I would also like to shower and change clothes. I have on the same shirt as Hank Kimbell.