Chapter 2: A trip is planned and the investigation
July 5, 1899
Location: Coolsville, Ohio, United States
That afternoon, the gang were hanging out at their usual hangout at a cafe, chatting about various topics.
As they enjoyed their tea, Shaggy looked around the cafe before noticing a poster on the wall.
The poster had a drawing of an exhibition hall with various people taking part in what appears to be a fair in the background, with the words saying:
"Ottawa SuperEX: Superb annual fair with exhibitions, delicious food and rides"
"Say, like, there's something interesting to check out, gang." He announced after reading the poster.
"What is it, Shag?" Daphne asked.
"Like, check out that poster." Shaggy replied, gesturing at the poster he was reading.
Scooby, Fred and the girls turned to read the poster Shaggy caught was reading earlier, the poster promoting Ottawa's SuperEX. They also noted that the fair takes place annually during the summer months.
"A fair north of the border!" Fred said after reading the poster.
"I sure will like to go to that SuperEX fair and check out those exhibitions." Daphne nodded.
"And a trip north of the border should be a break from all of this mystery-solving, gang." Velma added.
"Reah! Reah!" Scooby agreed as he barked excitedly.
"Well, gang." Fred announced. "It looks like that we've got a trip to north of the border coming up."
Later that evening, after returning home from their meetings, each of the gang told their families on their plans to go north of the border for a vacation trip.
"Sounds like a plan, Norville." Shaggy's father Sam Rogers, who's the superintendent of the Coolsville Constables, nodded as the family sat together in the living room after dinnertime. "However, there's one thing I need you and Scooby and everyone to be cautious about."
"What is it, Pops?" Shaggy asked.
"President McKinley's planned visit to north of the border was cancelled after what appeared to be an anarchist attack in Toronto." Sam replied. "Although that attack was later revealed to be the doing of the landowner of the store that was bombed in the attack, there's concern that the standard of law and order in Canada does not meet our standards."
(For more details on that case, watch the Murdoch Mysteries Season 5 episode War on Terror. Also, this story takes place after the events of that episode.)
"Of course, Pops." Shaggy's oldest brother Nigel Rogers, who's an army major, replied. "Those Canucks are too busy worshipping that Queen to be concerned about law and order. They can't even stand up for themselves and require Britain's assistance while they negotiate that border in Alaska with us!"
"Nigel Jonathan Rogers!" Sam boomed. "A gentleman does not speak like that at my house. You may be a fully grown man and what you just said may be true, but that's no reason to gossip about foreigners like that! Understood?"
"Yes, father." Nigel nodded.
Sam then turned to his youngest son and continued, "Anyways, while I personally doubt the legitimacy of that belief that Canada's standard of law and order doesn't meet our standards, I just want you all to be cautious about your surroundings during your visit."
"Like, we sure will, Pops." Shaggy nodded.
"Reah! Re'll take care rof rouselves!" (Yeah! We'll take care of ourselves!) Scooby nodded.
"Good." Sam nodded approvingly.
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Dominion of Canada
Meanwhile at Toronto, Constable Crabtree and the other constables had finished searching the museum grounds after further questioning the museum's curator, with him and Murdoch examining the floor close to the window where the passing bachelor had indicated that he had saw the suspicious, ghostly-looking figure. It was on the second floor, above the museum's main entrance.
However, they were only able to pick up a few clues that were useful to the case, including a rough sketch of the shoe outline printed on the museum floor. Soon, they were back at the station house.
As Murdoch examines the rough sketch of the shoe outline in his office, his superior Inspector Thomas Brackenreid entered the office after a knock.
"So it appears that we're having both a murder investigation and an investigation into the possibility of the operation of an art forging ring." Brackenreid remarked after Murdoch gave him a resume of the case.
"That seems to be the case, sir." Murdoch nodded. "However, our only lead so far is the witness of some 'thing' appearing in the museum in the middle of the night that may have possibly scared the victim, causing him to fall off the balcony."
"A 'thing'?" Brackenreid asked.
Before Murdoch could reply, Crabtree explained, "Inspector, we've got a witness who claimed to have seen a phantom in the museum while walking by across the street early in the morning. Besides, there has been rumours that the museum is haunted, so it may well be the fact that-"
"Oh, not another one of those bloody theories of yours again, Crabtree." Brackenreid sighed.
"Well, George, he mentioned that it might have been his imagination, so lets not just jump to the conclusion of a phantom at the museum just yet." Murdoch said.
"Any word on the victim's identity?" Brackenreid asked.
"Yes. The curator identified him as Albert Wekins, the museum's arts director." Murdoch replied. "He said that Mr. Wikens doesn't have any enemies, so it's a good question as to why did Mr. Wikens died like that."
"Bloody h*ll." Brackenreid commented. "As soon as you find out that man's movements in the last 24 hours prior to his death, let me know."
"Yes, sir." Murdoch replied as the inspector returned to his office. Glancing at the clock, he added to himself, "In the meantime, I believe I've got to pay a visit to the morgue."
A few moments later, Murdoch arrived at the morgue, where Dr. Grace has completed her autopsy of the body.
"So what have you, Doctor Grace?" Murdoch asked as he arrived at the autopsy suite.
"My initial observations on the victim were correct, Detective." The coroner replied. "The wound area on the victim's head was large enough for me to rule out any other causes of the injury, and given that there were no other external wounds present, it led to my conclusion that the victim died after falling off from the balcony. Also, based on the loss of the body temperature, I estimated that the victim died approximately ten hours ago."
"Right." Murdoch nodded. "Anything out of the ordinary worth mentioning, Doctor?"
"Yes, Detective." Doctor Grace nodded. "There is one thing you probably should take note of and has something to do with his eyes."
"What of it, Doctor?"
"When I was doing the autopsy in the head, I took a glimpse at the victim's eyes, and the look was quite similar to the look in someone's eyes when they're experiencing a shock. Further examination of the blood vessels in the eyeballs further indicated that the victim likely had a shock, perhaps even a scare, in his last moments prior to falling to his death, Detective." Doctor Grace nodded.
"I see." Murdoch nodded thoughtfully. "Now the question is what was Mr. Wekins doing at the museum at that time of the night last night. Thank you, Doctor Grace."
"You're very welcome, Detective." Doctor Grace nodded before the detective took his leave.
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