Murder at Chalmsford House

Murder at Chalmsford House

(A Fibonacci poem)

- Mark van Vuuren

Participants: The Master, his wife, the maid, the butler, the mistress, the accountant, Hercule Poirot.

INTRODUCTION

Rich.

Old

money.

A mansion;

magnificent view

from where the Master's corpse lay cold.

THE PARTIES INVOLVED

Dead!

Hail

Lord Chalmsford.

The family sword

through his heart, by the fireside.

Who?

Why?

The maid?

The butler?

Newly arrived guests?

The Madame inherits it all.

Clean,

dust,

iron.

I'm the maid,

"Yes, I am gravid,

but why kill the cause of my child?"

Serve.

Serve,

butler!

Your drink, sir.

"I serve my master;

his death will end my employment."

Young,

fun.

His guest;

a plaything

at his beck and call.

The Madame stops their happiness.

Old 

friend;

old school

investor.

Syndicate concerns

with poor portfolio returns.

Cold,

wet,

brolly

in his hand,

stands Hercule Poirot.

The sleuth waits for the first mistake.

THE ALIBI

Land,

wealth,

good health.

Respected.

The Earl of Chalmsford;

why end a life that has no strife?

Love.

Loss.

Horror.

"In my room,

counting my rubies,

gems, diamonds and golden trinkets."

"Me?!"

Shock;

surprise.

Innocent.

"Kissing the butler,

and then I found the knifed corpse."

Sad;

bad.

Awful

tragedy.

"Shining the silver

and then the maid screamed blue murder."

Sniff;

cry.

Heartfelt.

"In the bath,

counting the hours

until we would be intimate."

Too

bad;

regret.

"In my room,

counting the losses

he incurred to the syndicate."

POIROT FINDS A MOTIVE

Old,

bold.

Owing

piling debt.

"Dead men tell no tales,

and avoid all explanation."

Youth,

greed.

Beauty,

fulfillment.

"Murder is best when

he won't sign the divorce decree."

Young,

serf,

fertile.

Bribery

is the easy way,

if the Master is the father.

Old;

owed.

Loyal;

long service.

"You have no pension,

bankrupt and an alcoholic."

Pure

lust.

Mistress.

Bastard son

is getting older.

The Master stopped the legacy.

Love,

title:

invest.

Remove him.

"Yes, adultery,

and then to marry the Madame."

THE REACTION

Gasp!

Shock.

Libel!

Rebuttal.

Underhand intent:

truth supersedes appearances.

THE TRUTH

Guilt.

The

butler,

found hanging.

"I'm the bastard son.

The firstborn and the rightful heir."

- end -