A loud shout out to Luv2Luv, BTRlover1122, SlothKeeper, doomforzombies16, LBozzie, Rodrigo (we'll accept it ;) ), Lover chocolate and ice-cream, Lady Cougar-Trombone, AngelGoneDevil69 (extra points for you for going above and beyond!), raenbc, an unnamed guest, incinera, and StripedFuzzySocks for getting the answers right! I'm so impressed with you guys' attention to detail! Man. I'm among sharp people! ;)

A warm hello, too, to blue wigged thespian! Welcome aboard! I'm glad you're here!

I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter! We're taking a little bit of an artistic license here, but I don't think anybody will mind. :)

Episode Tag to: Hole in One

Chronicle 011

Chapter: Deduction

Password: **********

Date: 06.14.13

Time: 7:01 PM

After what happened Wednesday, I think it's safe to say that I have every right to sniff around.

I know. It's Friday night. What am I even doing home when I can be out getting my party on, but hey—this is important business. My gut feeling keeps telling me that there was something wrong about that art cop raid picture. Maybe it's just me being paranoid, but a few things didn't quite connect.

I've just finished my Sherlock Holmes marathon, collected all the evidences I needed, and I even borrowed Big D's plaid trench coat and magnifying glass. There's a mystery that needs to be solved, and I'm on it like hideous on those Daven-Portraits!

The Crime: False accusation of Forgery

Scene of the Crime: Davenport's Residence

Victim: Big D (40-something/Male)

- Billionaire CEO of Davenport Industries; father-ish of four; accused of forging a million dollar piece of art painted by a man by the name of von Schtaupp

- Almost taken into custody by an FBI Agent Ryker

Suspects:

(1) Unknown Wall Street Buyer (age unknown/Male)

- Allegedly stopped by the scene of the crime to check the painting; offered to pay twice what the victim paid for to obtain it; called FBI agents, accusing the victim of forgery

(2) Chase Davenport (16-ish/Male)

- Had nothing to do with the crime, but the victim's kids unanimously decided that he should take the fall for something anyways

(3) Marcus and 'Dad' (both ages unknown/Males)

- Never seen at the scene, but both have the motive to commit the crime. Evidentiary support had been found to, well, support this.

Witnesses:

(1) Adam Davenport (17/Male)

- Victim's eldest son; claims to have 'sneezed a hole' into the painting, leading to the replication of the von Schtaupp painting (note: accessory to the crime of replication; information irrelevant)

(2) Bree Davenport (16/Female)

- Victim's daughter; made a deal with FBI Agent Ryker to produce the original in exchange of victim's freedom; (note: omitted the fact that she painted the replica; information irrelevant)

(3) Leo Dooley (14/Male)

- Victim's youngest, debonair step kid; present on scene the whole time; distracted the agents during the search (note: accessory to the crime of replication; information irrelevant)

Evidences:

- E-mail from prospective buyer

- Log Book from the auction (through statement)

- Video footage from Home Security

Okay. So, the snooping around. I started yesterday when we were helping Mom clean up the house before we left for school. There was this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach that something wasn't quite right—and it's not just from eating Bree's first attempt omelet. I mean, what are the chances of Big D almost getting incarcerated for a crime that he didn't commit just a few days after I discovered Eyebrows' and his dad's secret lair?

That's why I had to check a few things. I asked Big D for a copy of the e-mail Wall Street Guy sent him, and needless to say he didn't like the idea. After I explained what my purpose was for asking, though, he wasn't as hesitant anymore and gave in.

The man never really introduced himself in the e-mail. All he said was that his name is 'Allen,' and he worked for Wall Street. He said that his wife had seen the von Schtaupp painting before and loved it. He said he wanted to buy it during the auction (where he was allegedly present) as an anniversary gift for her, but Big D beat him to it. That was why he went to great lengths to find Big D's personal e-mail address so that he could write him about the situation and make an offer for the painting.

Personally, I don't buy it. There are too many inconsistencies. For one, if he was as willing to pay that much for that ugly thing now, why didn't he make the offer then? Granted, Big D was really into that piece of art, but I know him enough to know that paying more than two million smackaroonies for it would make him think twice.

So, I looked for the contact information to the place where the auction was held to see if Suspect Number One was telling the truth. I got it from the invitation they sent to the house, which was discarded into one of the bins in the lab.

It wasn't too hard to get what I needed. I just used a burn phone, called them, asked for the coordinator of the auction, and I turned my charm on.

My script for the call?

"Yes. Hi. My name is Josh, and my dad asked me to check with you about the sculpture that he purchased. He said he was told that it would be delivered the day after the auction, but it's been three days and he's getting a little worried. It's supposed to be a present for Mom. …No sculpture? Are you sure, ma'am? He said he paid full price for it that night. Surely you still remember him? He works at Wall Street? Spiffy looking—well, kind of spiffy looking guy?"

The woman said there was no one present in that auction who worked at Wall Street. She checked the log, and she told me that the supposedly filthy rich bidder was non-existent.

It made me wonder, if Suspect Number One wasn't even present that night to know what Big D wasted his money on, how could he e-mail him and offer to pay twice the price he paid for it? And isn't it funny how he asked to see it just when the real painting was ruined and was replaced with a replica?

It's all too convenient.

Normally, I would have taken a more daring step and hack into the ghost e-mail account, but seeing that the FBI agents had just visited us days ago, I don't think it's worth pursuing. So I had to settle for the security footage from when 'Allen' came over.

Nothing unusual about him. He was a little young, probably late 20's. He was bleach blonde, tall. Surprisingly, I described him accurately when I said that he was spiffy looking—the guy looked like James Bond stepping out of the movie.

He stuck with his story most of the visit. He examined the painting in detail, talked money with Big D, and then he left.

On the surface, he was okay. The problem comes up when you look closer. When he came in, he seemed amused with the things inside the house. If he's got all the money that he claimed he had, nothing in it should amaze him the way it did. Not by much, anyways.

The biggest clue was what was missing in his fingers.

Yep. No wedding ring.

But even with that, I don't think what happened was ever his fault. Yeah, he was probably a pawn in it in some way, but it wasn't him. He doesn't seem to know Big D, so what motive could he have had?

Which leaves us with the only guilty suspect. Or, actually, two guilty suspects.

Every piece of the puzzle would fit. Based on those pictures in their hidden lab, they have been watching us, so it should not come as a surprise that they knew about the auction. If they knew about the auction, then they would know exactly what he bought. I wouldn't put it behind them to be following all the things that we do, and that's probably how they figured that we destroyed the original. They probably saw Adam dispose of it before we went to school.

Then they probably hired a guy to pretend to be this big shot billionaire, and then they blew the whistle so those FBI agents could come and arrest Big D.

The reason? Big D is pretty much the protective wall between Eyebrows and his dad and Adam, Bree, and Chase. If he's out of the way, they're going to be easier targets.

Hook. Line. And sinker.

But really. Can't they just accept the fact that the good guys always win by the end of the day?

Signed,

Leo Francis Dooley

Detective

End of Chapter Deduction

Re-Enter Password: **********

Date: 06.14.13

Time: 9:39 PM

In Hole in One, what was the title of the lullaby Donald uses as an elevator tune? Answers are not required, and reviews, as always, are very much loved!