The Compression at Thornfield
The gardener is found dead in the potting shed. An anomaly on the antique potting bench draws attention. Household members provide accounts of their activities during the relevant time.
Initial Crime Scene
The sharp scent of damp earth and linseed oil cuts through the cool air as you step into the potting shed. A single gas lamp casts a yellow glare, revealing the precise sequence of garden tools on the wall-mounted rack. Your gaze falls to the potting bench, its immaculate surface bearing a deep, central indentation.
Crime Scene Environment
The sandbox is illuminated by the sharp, localized light of oil lamps and gas lamps, creating pools of clarity within surrounding shadows. The air carries a damp, musty coolness typical of stone outbuildings. Acoustic density is low, dominated by the measured ticking of a distant mantel clock and the occasional creak of old wood.
Investigation Constraints
Candlelight, oil lamps, and gas lamps for illumination. Communication is limited to handwritten letters, telegrams, and the telephone in the manor's central hall. Locks are mechanical pin-tumbler or warded types. Timekeeping is by mantel clocks and pocket watches. Data is stored in personal diaries, household ledgers, and official parish records. The only 'computational' system is the meticulous household account book.
✦ Related Cases ✦
