A Matter of Choice

by DoctorH

A Murdoch Mysteries teleplay, just like a TV episode. Following a brutal murder, Murdoch formulates a plan by which the premeditated crime could have been committed. But the plan seems to require the cooperation of someone whose ethics are beyond reproach; otherwise the plan had to account for choices that could not possibly have been known in advance. Solution included.

2. ACT 2

ACT II

(FADE IN. ESTABLISHING SHOT OF CITY MORGUE, a cloudy early evening on the same day. CUT TO: INTERIOR OF THE MORGUE. A body, covered by a sheet, is on the examination table. OGDEN is making some notes. MURDOCH and CRABTREE enter.)

MURDOCH
Good evening, Julia.

(OGDEN looks up from her notes, and smiles.)

CRABTREE
Good evening, Doctor.

OGDEN
Good evening, George, William. I was just making a few notes. Let me show you what I've found.

(OGDEN rises and goes to the body on the table.)

OGDEN
The deceased has been positively identified as Marion Trenton, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Toronto. Age: 50; married; four children, all grown. Those who came to identify him said that he had been a professor in Toronto for over twenty years.

MURDOCH
Loss of an educator is always a great loss.

OGDEN
Yes. He died this morning at about ten o'clock. The cause of death was strangulation.

(OGDEN lifts the cover from the body so that MURDOCH and CRABTREE can clearly see the red-line wounds on the neck.)

OGDEN
A strangling loop, probably a garrotte made of very strong and relatively thick wire, was slipped around the professor's neck, and pulled tight. We know it was wire rather than rope because there are no rope fibres in the neck wound, and because the resulting wound is thinner and deeper than would be expected with rope.

MURDOCH
It would appear to me that someone very strong must have strangled this man; would you agree?

OGDEN
I would. If the wire was pulled tight by hand, then considerable strength would be needed to pull it this tight.

CRABTREE
But there are some garrottes that can be pulled tight by use of mechanical advantage. Great strength is not required.

OGDEN
Yes, George, you are right; but there are other indications that whoever killed the professor was very strong. Looking at the nature of the neck wounds, it seems clear that the victim was not only strangled, but actually had been lifted off the floor by the one holding the garrotte.

(OGDEN pantomimes this.)

OGDEN
This suggests great strength.

MURDOCH
And may suggest that the killer was substantially taller than the victim?

OGDEN
Very likely. And there is also this.

(OGDEN adjusts the cover to expose the victim's wrists, which bear bruise marks.)

OGDEN
Someone grabbed this man's wrists and held them very tightly. This bruising shows the grip of the killer. A very strong grip it was.

MURDOCH
Can you reconstruct the sequence of events that led to this man's death?

OGDEN
Not precisely, but it appears that he was grabbed from behind. His wrists were held tightly. Then a garrotte was slipped over his neck, and pulled until he was strangled to death.

MURDOCH
That sounds like the professor may have been attacked by more than one person. One person to hold him, and one to strangle him.

OGDEN
That is possible. However—

(OGDEN indicates the victim's neck wounds again.)

OGDEN
You see these scratches? They are consistent with the victim's fingernails, as he may have tried to claw at the garrotte.

MURDOCH
Meaning that when the garrotte was being tightened, the victim's hands had been released. So maybe it was only one attacker after all.

OGDEN
But there is also this.

(OGDEN indicates wounds to the victim's face.)

OGDEN
This is most puzzling. The victim was apparently struck in the mouth, possibly by a truncheon or something similar. One tooth was knocked out, and others were loosened.

CRABTREE
That explains the tooth that was found on the floor of the laboratory, about twenty feet from the professor's body.

OGDEN
The facial injury is not very great, and it most certainly was not fatal. But it seems very clear that whoever grabbed the professor's wrists and garrotted him was standing behind the professor, while the person who struck him in the mouth was standing in front.

MURDOCH
So once again, we are back to at least two attackers.

OGDEN
Two attackers seems to be the most likely scenario, yes.

(CUT TO: ESTABLISHING SHOT OF THE CAMPUS, next morning. CUT TO: SHOT OF ONE BUILDING ON CAMPUS, which may be identified by a sign as Building D. CUT TO: INTERIOR OF THE CAMPUS BUILDING, an office. BARNES is in a chair behind the desk in his office, with MURDOCH and CRABTREE, seated, facing him. BARNES seems to be on the verge of breaking down into tears.)

MURDOCH
Professor Barnes, you found Professor Trenton's body. Can you tell me about that?

BARNES
I saw that the door to one of the chemistry labs was open. The door is supposed to be locked at all times. I peeked inside the laboratory to see whether anything was amiss, and I found Professor Trenton's body. I was greatly disturbed, but I found the composure to telephone the Constabulary.

MURDOCH
Did you know Professor Trenton?

BARNES (wipes a tear)
Yes. I knew Marion.

MURDOCH
Do you know whether he had any enemies or anyone who might want to harm him?

BARNES (sniffles)
Yes. I know he had a longstanding dispute with Professor Marc Newell.

CRABTREE
Newell, N-E-W—?

BARNES
E-L-L. Marc is spelled M-A-R-C, short for "Marcus."

MURDOCH
Are there any others with whom Professor Trenton was on poor terms?

BARNES
Not that I know of.

MURDOCH
This dispute between Professors Trenton and Newell: what was it about?

BARNES
Professor Newell claimed that Professor Trenton had stolen some research pertaining to thermodynamic and compression properties of materials, especially various mixtures of concrete. Professor Trenton published an article on the subject as his own work, and Professor Newell was furious. I'm sorry, I don't know the details, it happened before I joined the department. Professor Campbell is head of the department; he can tell you the details.

(CUT TO: INTERIOR CAMPBELL'S OFFICE. Professor John CAMPBELL is in a chair behind the desk in his office, with MURDOCH and CRABTREE, seated, facing him. A nameplate on his desk identifies him. The desk is a mess, covered with all sorts of papers.)

CAMPBELL
Oh, yes. The business with Professor Newell. (sighs.) Marion Trenton copied some of Marc Newell's analysis about properties of concrete, and passed it off as his own.

MURDOCH
Do you mean that Professor Trenton "allegedly" copied some of Professor Newell's work?

CAMPBELL
No. It was a pretty clear case of copying, a very clear case in my opinion of academic theft. When Professor Newell found out about it, he complained to the university, and the university referred the matter to the Liberal Arts department that oversees the teaching of Chemistry. That is the department of which I am now the head.

MURDOCH
I take it that Professor Newell is under a different department?

CAMPBELL
Yes, he is. Professor Newell is attached to the department that deals with Engineering, and that department has no authority over Professor Trenton. My Department heard the evidence from both Professors Newell and Trenton, and took a vote as to whether sanctions ought to be imposed upon Professor Trenton. I thought the evidence of misconduct overwhelmingly favoured Professor Newell, and voted that way. But others felt differently. The vote was split equally. At the time, the head of the Department was Professor Bledsoe, rest in peace, and it fell to Professor Bledsoe to break the tie. He voted in favour of Professor Trenton.

MURDOCH
And I expect Professor Newell was unhappy about that.

CAMPBELL
(smirking) Unhappy, yes. (serious) He was furious! And rightly so, in my view.

MURDOCH
Did you know that Professor Trenton would be working in the laboratory alone, yesterday morning?

CAMPBELL
As a matter of fact, I did. I saw that he had signed his name on the reserve sheet, to reserve the lab that morning. I actually laughed, when I saw this, because yesterday was probably the only day when nobody would be around! Reserving the lab was totally unnecessary! He would very likely be all alone in the building, and he could use the lab anytime he wanted.

MURDOCH
This "reserve sheet": could anyone look at it and see that Professor Trenton would be in the laboratory at that time?

CAMPBELL
I suppose so, yes. If they knew where the sheet was. It hangs near the department offices.

MURDOCH
May I see that "reserve sheet?"

CAMPBELL
I have it right here.

(CAMPBELL starts to look through papers on his desk, but cannot find the sheet in the mess. MURDOCH feels uncomfortable waiting while CAMPBELL tries to find something in the mess on his desk.)

MURDOCH
If it's all right with you, Professor, we will stop by later to see whether you'd found the sheet.

(CAMPBELL nods, but keeps looking. CUT TO: OFFICE OF PROFESSOR NEWELL. The office is somewhat smaller than the other offices seen so far, even cramped. NEWELL is in a chair behind the desk in his office. The professor's cane is propped in front of his desk. On one wall is a bookcase full of books. MURDOCH is seated next to the books, and CRABTREE stands, uncomfortably.)

NEWELL (emotionless)
Yes, I've heard that Marion was killed.

MURDOCH
I understand you had a longstanding dispute with Professor Trenton.

NEWELL
That doesn't matter now, does it? Marion is dead.

MURDOCH
Actually, I'd like to hear what you have to say about the dispute.

NEWELL (sourly)
Three years ago, I'd guess, I was studying properties of new mixtures of concrete. Marion stole my analysis and published it as his own. I lodged a formal complaint, and the university and the Chemistry Departments decided not to do anything about it.

MURDOCH
This happened three years ago? You sound like you are still bitter.

NEWELL
I am still bitter. A little.

MURDOCH
Then I think you will understand why I ask my next question. Where were you, yesterday morning?

NEWELL
I was on campus all morning.

MURDOCH
Were you in Building D?

NEWELL
Yesterday? No. Not at all.

MURDOCH
Where were you, yesterday morning? What did you do?

NEWELL
I was inspecting Building C, if you must know, making a maintenance check before the start of the fall term.

MURDOCH
You were in Building C all morning?

NEWELL
Yes, except for the time when work assignments were being handed out to the students. Assignments were made outdoors, in the courtyard at about nine o'clock.

MURDOCH
Are there any witnesses who could verify that you were in Building C the rest of morning?

NEWELL
Yes. I was with a young man, named Clay.

MURDOCH
Is Clay is first name or his last name?

NEWELL
His last name. His first name was Richard. (correcting himself) No, Robert. Robert.

(CRABTREE notes the name in his notebook.)

MURDOCH
And you were with Mr. Clay in Building C all morning?

NEWELL
Yes. I inspected the building for anything that we ought to have urgently repaired before next term begins, and when I found something, I asked Clay to make a note of it. I also asked him to point out anything that he could see that I might miss: holes in the ceiling, dangling electric wires, anything. This work took the entire morning. I believe we finished just before noon.

MURDOCH
Other than Mr. Clay, did anyone else see you in Building C?

NEWELL
No. That is, I don't remember seeing anyone else.

CRABTREE
(to NEWELL) Sir, did you say you made a list of items to be repaired in Building C?

(While CRABTREE asks, MURDOCH glances at the bookcase next to him. There are books pertaining to Chemistry and Physics, but he notices two books, one entitled "Introduction to Conjuring" and the other entitled "A Conjuror's Handbook." MURDOCH is a bit surprised to see books about performing arts next to books about science.)

NEWELL
Yes.

CRABTREE
May we see that list, sir? It may further corroborate your version of the events, sir.

NEWELL
I gave it to our maintenance staff.

CRABTREE
Do you know how we can get in contact with Mr. Clay, sir?

NEWELL
I assume he is a student here, probably living in a dormitory.

MURDOCH
Sir, you mentioned something about "assignments being handed out to the students." What is that about?

NEWELL
It's sort of a tradition here. Shortly before start of term, there are always some last-minute things that need doing, and we are short of manpower. So we ask for volunteers among the students who have arrived early, and they assist us with what needs to be done.

MURDOCH
And the work assignments you mentioned, those were work assignments that you made to the student volunteers?

NEWELL
Actually, I didn't make the assignments. Reverend Paul Spencer made all of the assignments. This whole student-volunteer idea was Reverend Spencer's idea; he hatched the idea many years ago and has been participating in it every year.

MURDOCH
And yesterday, how many students volunteered?

NEWELL
Just ten. Most years it's more, some years it's less. The students got assigned things like cleaning and moving things and various menial chores.

MURDOCH
And Mr. Clay was assigned to assist you?

NEWELL
He was. Reverend Spencer assigned him to me.

(CUT TO: EXTERIOR SHOT OF A DORMITORY on campus, later in the day. CUT TO: INTERIOR OF A DORMITORY ROOM. The room is cramped. CLAY stands tall, and then sits on a bed, while MURDOCH sits on a chair and CRABTREE stands.)

CLAY
My job was to help Professor Newell as he made an inspection tour of one of the buildings, and noted any damage or things that needed to be repaired. When he spotted something, he had me make a note of it.

MURDOCH
That sounds like easy work. Why did he need you at all?

CLAY
I don't know, but I think it was because he walks with a cane, and the cane made it so he doesn't have one free hand to hold a clipboard and another free hand to write notes.

MURDOCH
And where in Building C did you go? What floors? What offices?

CLAY
I don't remember all the places. I'd never been in the building before. Professor Newell could probably tell you.

MURDOCH
Since you were unfamiliar with the building, was it possible, Mr. Clay, that you actually went into Building D rather than Building C?

CLAY (unsure)
I don't think so. I think the sign in front of the building said it was Building C.

MURDOCH
And you were in that same building all morning, with Professor Newell?

CLAY
Yes, I was. We finished our work and ate lunch with the others.

MURDOCH
Was Professor Newell with you at all times?

CLAY
Absolutely.

MURDOCH
Did anyone else see you and Professor Newell in the building?

CLAY
No. The whole campus was pretty deserted.

MURDOCH
May I ask, why did you volunteer for this work detail?

CLAY
I didn't volunteer to work with Professor Newell. I was assigned to work with him. Assigned by Reverend Spencer.

MURDOCH
No, what I mean is, I understand that ten students volunteered to help with some work or other on campus yesterday. Why did you volunteer?

CLAY
Oh. Lots of reasons, I guess, but one was rather important to me. I wanted to do something nice for Reverend Spencer. He, uh, has some influence at this university, and he is known for helping students who feel they may be overwhelmed by university life. You see, I'm— (he lowers his eyes)— I'm not quite sure that I'm "university material." I, uh, grew up on a farm and attended a small country school.

MURDOCH (interested)
You say you grew up on a farm? What kind of farm?

CLAY (smiling fondly)
We grew hay and wheat, mostly. Had some chickens, some cattle.

MURDOCH
Dairy cattle?

CLAY
Yeah.

MURDOCH
And your school was small?

CLAY
It was a one-room schoolhouse in the country. My teacher was Mr. Schroeder. I was the best student in my grade, but that was because (smiles) I was the only student in my grade. (turning serious) Mr. Schroeder thought I might be able to manage a university education, but I am not so sure.

MURDOCH
And you volunteered to help with the work because—?

CLAY
I thought it would be helpful to have some "friends," some "friends" who are faculty, if you know what I mean. People who might be able to help me, if I, you know—

MURDOCH
I understand. Friends who are not students but who are in positions of some authority.

(CLAY nods. CUT TO: INTERIOR CAMPBELL'S OFFICE. MURDOCH pokes his head into the office from a partly open door. CAMPBELL is standing, holding a sheet of paper.)

CAMPBELL
Ah, Detective, I found the reservation sheet. You might find something on it interesting.

(MURDOCH and CRABTREE enter the office. CAMPBELL hands the paper to MURDOCH. MURDOCH examines the paper; CRABTREE tries to see what is on the paper but cannot get a good look.)

CAMPBELL
Here (pointing) is Professor Trenton's signature, reserving the laboratory for yesterday morning. And (pointing) these initials, "MWN," are the initials of Professor Newell.

(MURDOCH gets excited.)

MURDOCH
Look at this, George! After Professor Trenton reserved that laboratory, Professor Newell reserved it!

CAMPBELL
Yes. But notice, though, Detective, that even though Professor Newell reserved the lab after Professor Trenton made his reservation, Professor Newell actually USED the lab four days earlier than Professor Trenton.

(MURDOCH checks, and seems satisfied that CAMPBELL is right.)

MURDOCH
Yes, that is what this document seems to show. But it also suggests that Professor Newell signed the sheet after Professor Trenton did, and therefore Professor Newell knew that Professor Trenton would be in the laboratory at the time he was murdered!

(FADE OUT.)