But Was It Murder? door Jania Barrell

After that they left the house and went away.

H8

Eliot and Bowen talked about Amanda. They saw she doesn’t show her feelings easily, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t had any. Also she didn’t talk much about Catherine Crowther. Eliot and Bowen want to know how the two woman thought about each other.

Then they drove back to Forley’s house. On the answerphone there were three messages: two from Amanda and one from someone called Philip. They wonder if it was the same Philip if Amanda Grand mentioned. Also they found the diary, an adressbook and 2200 pounds. So it couldn’t be robbery because nothing was gone.

Then they went to see the Crowthers again, but no one was home. They went for lunch in a pub. there he wanted to ring his family but it was too noisy. Then he decided to look for at houseprices straight after lunch.

H9

Catherine Crowther opened the door. She wasn’t happy. Ronald Crowther was sitting in the room reading a newspaper. He seemed angry and his wife looked very nervous. But they both tried to hide it. They had probably been arguing before the door rang, Elliot decided to question them separately.

Elliot asked for a couple more questions. Eliot questioned Mrs Crowther and detective Bowen spoke to Mr Crowther.

Mrs Crowther took Eliot upstairs. If she spent a lot of time painting up here, she would know all about Forley’s private life. Eliot asked if she’d seen any visitors. She had seen someone just before she stopped. He looked like one of Alex’ friends, and his docter: Philip Wilver.

Eliot asked what kind of man Mr Forley was. He was an interesting man and a very kind one, she said with her eyes filled with tears. She thought it wasn’t suicide. What made you so sure, he asked. She didn’t know what she said yesterday. Mister Forley had an easy life and Amanda talked about him like a lover.

Alex was probably her best friend, but they didn’t have a love affair.

Amanda said her husband had no worries about their relationship.

Eliot didn’t believe this at all.

H10

ID Eliot asked Mrs Crowther about the changed style of her paintings. She told him she wanted to try something new, but when she turned around her cheeks were red. Ronald Crowther didn’t hear a thing. Bowen and Eliot didn’t believe the story of the gun and they noticed that Ronald Crowther was unhappy about Alex Forley. Catherine Crowther hadn’t a high opinion about Amanda Grant. Catherine was closer to Alex than Amanda. They decided to go to Forley’s shop in Greenwich, which was closed. They asked Linda Scott, de manager of the shop, about Alex. She told them he wrote some letters, made a few phone calls and took £2,200. She also said that Alex was a wonderful boss, but the last time he looked unhappy and worried.
When they left, Eliot warned Bowen: “Just don’t get any ideas about Linda Scott until the case is over. “

H11

Eliot was at home, he rang sally and talk to her and their son Mickey.

after that felt a sleep. When he arrived at the office he saw Bowen, he had Forley’s diary, it was written in Greek and Latin. Next he went to the house of Philip Wilver, he lived at the Pepys Road number 54. When Bowen rang the doorbell, Eliot saw a man and a boy where sitting at a sofa. A tall dark-hairden woman opened the door.  A few seconds later Philip Wilver appeared. He was tal land good-looking withshort dark hair and glasses. He looked nervous.

They went into the room, it was a beautyfull room, but there laid papers and magazines on the floor, next to unwashed cupes.

Philip wilver sent his son too get his wife/mother. Philip told Eliot that Alex had a lot of headaches, Alex thought that they might be serious, but Philip new they weren’t.

They did some tests, but that was a complete waste of money, Philip told. Eliot asked about the results form the test, Philip told him that they showed nothing.

H12

Elliot had a conversation with Philip Wilver about Alex. Philip told Elliot that his son liked Alex a lot. Lisa Wilver also liked Alex because he came from a rich family.

Philip said that he only stayed for a quick cup of coffee on the day of Alex’ death and Alex seemed to worry about his health. In the car Elliot and Bowen discussed the conversation and thought about why Alex was worried and why he never drank alone.

H13

Eliot sat at his computer and was thinking about the Forley case. He had so many questions on his mind and he couldn’t push them away. Why were the Crowthers not telling him the truth. Had Catherine Crowther been having an affair with Forley? What had made her suddenly change her style of painting? But by the time he went home, he had hardly written anything. He had a conversation with his son and wife. He sat at the kitchen table and finally felt relaxed.

H14

Eliot woke up and he was in a really good mood in spite of the fact that it was Monday. Eliot went to the police station and Bowen had arrived before him. Bowen told him that the pathologist’s report on the gun. It’s an old gun and there aren’t many of them. The report didn’t say if it was suicide or murder, but it did say that the man had been killed by a shot in the head. He had been in very good health, but there was a lot of alcohol in his stomach and blood. Eliot and Bowen don’t believe it was simple suicide. The noise that Catherine Crowther heard at half past three was probably the gunshot. They’re going to find out who’s got an alibi for that time and they’re going to check for fingerprints. Bowen had still didn’t find anything in his diary, because it’s very difficult to translate. When Eliot left the police station after a long day, he went to the Queen’s Head and the barman already gave him a beer as soon as he walked through the door. After a while Bowen walked throw the door and told him something important.

Eliot woke up and he was in a really good mood in spite of the fact that it was Monday. Eliot went to the police station and Bowen had arrived before him. Bowen told him that the pathologist’s report on the gun. It’s an old gun and there aren’t many of them. The report didn’t say if it was suicide or murder, but it did say that the man had been killed by a shot in the head. He had been in very good health, but there was a lot of alcohol in his stomach and blood. Eliot and Bowen don’t believe it was simple suicide. The noise that Catherine Crowther heard at half past three was probably the gunshot. They’re going to find out who’s got an alibi for that time and they’re going to check for fingerprints. Bowen had still didn’t find anything in his diary, because it’s very difficult to translate. When Eliot left the police station after a long day, he went to the Queen’s Head and the barman already gave him a beer as soon as he walked through the door. After a while Bowen walked throw the door and told him something important.

H15

Bowen found out that Alex had a cleaning lady: Mrs Brook. She saw that ALex went to see Catherine on Wednesday afternoon, when Ronald was out walking. But Catherine told them that she hadn’t seen him in a week. Mrs Brook also knew that Ronald had a gun. He kept it in a desk. There were also four sets of fingerprints in Forley’s house besides his own. The suspects were:

Mr Crowther was out walking. Mrs Crowther was alone at home, but that wasn’t sure. Mr Wilver was in the surgery, had two meetings and saw patients. Mrs Wilver was having lunch and picked up her son from school. Miss Grant went to her house when she was back. Mrs Brook spent the day with her sister. Also they found out that ALex had a secret love affaire.

When Eliot rang the Crowther bell, nobody was home. But he saw someone moving quickly away. He went to the pub, and the barman told him that he saw mr Crowther walking on the Friday Alex was killed.

H17

Eliot went to the Crowthers again, and he asked them if they had a gun. They had, but it was illegal. He told them about a dinner they were having with friends, and Alex borrowed the gun with one bullet inside. Amanda Grant and the Wilvers were also at the dinner. They didn’t tell Eliot about it because keeping a gun was against the law. They need to question Mrs. Crowther again, because she lied about the last time she saw Forley. She told the truth at the police station. She told Eliot about his secret love affair with Lisa Wilver.

H18

Eliot wants to speak with Dr. Wilver on the police station. Eliot wants more information, so he asked some more questions including: ‚When did you give Mr. Forley his test results?‘ and When  did you receive them from the hospital? Wilver doesn’t remember exactly. Now they know what there was happened: Alex had an affair with Wilver’s wife, Wilver was jealous, so he said that Alex had an brain Tumor. Alex don’t wanted to live anymore, so he suicide.