"Miss Howell..." Feline exclaimed with surprise, though she didn't show it too much. Her face appeared somewhat saddened, as if she had known something else related to the matter.
There is no one else to suspect except Mlle. Howell. No one else knows Mr. Gill's condition better than Mlle. Howell.
I began to unravel the peculiarities from the beginning. For instance, how could we, as strangers, meet repeatedly in the bustling amusement park?
In a case plan that happened today, there must be a connecting thread. Let's say, the four of them, two different couples, had the same plan. With a code they could understand, all four agreed to need an outsider to be a witness, either as an alibi or as an accusation.
Called an alibi, if this case cornered Mlle. Voyles and M. Marsh, with the death of two of their friends.
Called a witness, if this case is indeed eventually used as an accusation. Again, for Mlle. Voyles and M. Marsh.
"It's a complicated explanation of how the case in the gondola happened. More precisely, what happened at that moment in the gondola. Feline and I might be the best witnesses for this case!" I immediately looked at Feline, who suddenly looked confused about my intentions and goals.
Then I asked her, 'what did you see at that moment in the gondola when our gondola was at three o'clock on the clock?'
"Well... they hugged each other and-uh, wait a minute. H-how come their positions seem similar to when they were found at the crime scene!?"
Inspector Sharp became more curious, pushing us further on that part and afterwards.
"At that time, I believe both of them were no longer alive. It happened in the third round. For your information, one game lasts for 15 minutes, while each round and stop occur after five minutes. Before that, I saw Mlle. Howell in a serious expression. Moreover, before, they sat facing each other, and when found, they were side by side. Anyway, perhaps it was an important conversation that continued with that action."
In other words,
First, Mlle. Howell couldn't possibly have given a bottle containing hemlock in the form of black cough medicine. Because it looked used, and it's impossible for M. Gill to accept that. It would be logical if Mlle. Howell bought a new one but according to the doctor's prescription. Moreover, it's for pneumonia, not just a common cough.
Second, Mlle. Howell did pour the Ethylene Glycol openly into her Slushies in front of M. Gill, but she didn't instruct M. Gill to drink it. The same goes for M. Gill, who perhaps never told Miss Howell to drink his coffee.
This was proven by the symmetrical positions of the spilled coffee and slushies, neatly as if they fell when their hand grips were weakening.
Third, the poison in M. Gill's pocket appeared to be placed there by himself. Likewise, the Ethylene Glycol placed in the Glucagon bottle by Mlle. Howell, which was quickly found in Mlle. Howell's bag.
Fourth, M. Gill also placed the poison openly, just like Mlle. Howell.
"Finally, Inspector. Why were many bottles of medicines found in M. Gill's pocket? It doesn't indicate that M. Gill consumed them all at once, and his body should have been found with an overdose. But it could be the only effort for years to cure his illness. Until the last time he said he would fly to Belgium for surgery? The question is, isn't Belgium very expensive for a legitimate hospital? I mean, from a price point for medical treatment, it doesn't seem suitable for a freelance worker like M. Gill perhaps?"
"That's why the autopsy results indicated acute pneumonia, no way out—so... that's how it ends."
Yes, that's how it ends. Inspector Sharp's words at the 'that's how it ends' part seemed to imply a deep sympathy. So deep that it seemed to create a small hole in each of our hearts.
Now, what about Mlle. Howell? That was Inspector Sharp's next question. I knew sooner or later he would ask that... well, because this is the biggest mystery.
In essence, Mlle. Howell and M. Gill did the same thing, realized by each other, and openly.
From the start, Miss Howell was already in an unhealthy condition. Nevertheless, why wasn't she taken to the nearest clinic?
For someone pretending to have hypoglycemia, she seemed not to worry at all about the sugar she accumulated in a day. Except for that one non-sugar tea, which might have been just a brief pause for her.
Then, for the traces of Ethylene Glycol found a little on Mlle. Howell's body? Maybe she had a close, though not romantic, relationship with Mlle.Voyles, who was poisoned.
"All right, so how does that explain the connection between Miss Voyles being poisoned?"
"There are no witnesses or even evidence regarding how the poison was administered, except when Mlle. Voyles said that the one who bought the two bottles of lemon soda was M. Gill. Well, that could be possible, but one thing is certain, Mlle Voyles was poisoned, and based on her testimony, she couldn't use the antidote because it didn't meet medical requirements. However, M. Gill and Mlle. Howell were a couple, while Mlle. Voyles and M. Marsh were another pair. We often crossed paths in the amusement park, and it was frequent that they were in their respective pairs. Except for a few moments, especially that time."
At that moment, Feline and I were in the food court chatting with M. Marsh. Meanwhile, on the other side, Mlle. Voyles was with Mlle. Howell and M. Gill on the dodgems ride. Indeed, Mlle. Voyles stated that M. Gill bought the two bottles of lemon soda. Nevertheless, she didn't mention that it was M. Gill who handed them over."
"What if it happened like this?
M. Gill bought three bottles of lemon soda. Mlle. Voyles witnessed it, along with Mlle. Howell, who was dueling in the dodgems gladiator arena. Then Mlle. Howell took two of the three bottles. Her position was with her back to Mlle. Voyles. Perhaps that was the best moment when Mlle. Howell exchanged those two bottles with two others she had prepared. After she drank some, Mlle. Howell asked for help from Mlle. Voyles because her bag was small and full."
The question is, how could the bag be full if at the crime scene it only contained a wallet, a phone, and that small bottle of glucagon? It would make more sense if Mlle. Howell's bag was indeed full because of the two exchanged bottles of lemon soda.
So, what about Mlle. Voyles being poisoned? Well, the fact that she was poisoned is indeed true. Perhaps one of the two bottles given to her did not contain poison. Or maybe Mlle. Howell had another intention.
"Another intention? What is that?"
I shrugged my shoulders, I had no reason. Certainly, I'm not a god who knows everything. What was found at the crime scene was too minimal, coupled with vague and limited information due to Miss Voyles being in critical condition, limiting all available information.
But it doesn't mean this is a dead end. It's just a matter of principle. A principle of how someone plans murder, how someone plots murder against others by sacrificing themselves, and how that person believes that killing oneself is the last resort.
"Both are indeed poisonous. That's why traces of Ethylene Glycol poison were found in Mlle. Howell's body."
And not for other reasons when Mlle. Howell picked up Mlle. Voyles, who was entrusted to me, to the clinic. Feline said that Mlle. Howell also vomited and felt nauseous.
And at that time, she hastily climbed the Ferris Wheel. Was it because she wanted to convey something important? Or was it really time?
And with that, my interrogation was over. Inspector Sharp was very grateful to me because I had proven my deductive abilities, perhaps feeling a little heady.
With this momentary arrogance, I took the opportunity to advise him to conduct the investigation with a clear head. Not to rush and always maintain composure, as well as being meticulous.
With all my statements, which he considered logical, Inspector Sharp admitted that, at least considering this case, his position could be safer. Moreover, he has two children who will go to college. However, he plans to open a shop and asks for my advice.
Again, I will be bothered by him. But what I didn't expect was that he did indeed trouble me again. Does that mean twice?
In the next three days, Feline and I were allowed to stay in a three-star hotel to assist in gathering evidence.
I must admit, Inspector Sharp is meticulous. As his name suggests, the word "Sharp" really reflects his character.
We found out that, in reality, M. Gill, after a little dispute with a hospital in the Norfolk area, was indeed critical. The reality was more bitter than I thought. In fact, Mr. Gill had been forbidden to work again for the past six months.
We also visited M. Marsh and Mlle. Voyles, whose conditions were improving. Only medical records were left, remembering that she had to stay in the hospital for two weeks for a thorough examination, even though the Ethylene Glycol wasn't enough to make her die. The damage to Mlle. Voyles' internal organs, especially the liver, was a significant concern.
Based on their information, M. Gill often got work at night. After confirming with Mlle. Flemming via phone, it is true that the night air, which is colder and traps many bacteria and viruses, can cause pneumonia.
As for information about Mlle. Howell, what we found was that she was indeed a friendly and cheerful girl. Her coworkers always said that Mlle. Howell always took overtime, supposedly for a certain need.
The last piece of information is that both of them do not have families. Both of them grew up alone.
Then, there's one thing I remembered. It was right after Mlle. Howell and I was talking in the amusement park three days ago. When I rested from my nausea condition. He was quite romantic with M. Gill by saying things I didn't like.
Indeed, just as Mlle. Howell said before,
'Only death separates the two of us.'
***
ns 15.158.61.54da2
