Solution—The Call of Death

According to the evidence Lil did not handle the cocktail shaker while Rowel was in the apartment, yet her fingerprints were on it, under Rowel’s prints. From this fact, Fordney knew that Rowel must have returned to the apartment during Manfield’s absence, wiped the shaker clean, pressed Lil’s fingers to it, then handled it freely himself. Unable to account for his prints over the girl’s Rowel confessed. He made the fake phone call to Manfield, watched him leave, returned to the apartment and killed Lil in a jealous rage. To restore his shattered nerves, he drank from the shaker, then in panic wiped it clean. Finally he recalled that his prints should be on it. Then in an effort to keep Lil “in character” he put the shaker in her dead hands (while still holding it in a towel), then handled it freely himself. Had he simply put Lil’s hands about it after he had handled it, there would have been no suspicion.

* * * *

IT IS TOO LATE TO BE ON OUR GUARD WHEN WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF EVIL.

—Seneca