We’ve taken loads of videos. So many that I’ve used up all the memory on my phone. But I consider this mission a success.
The conclusions are:
1) Rodolfo was there, going between the counter and the kitchens. Three customers were in the cafe (we visually confirmed that the bookshop was empty) at the time of death: Fred, Mimi and Derek. Derek technically wasn’t inside the cafe at 4.30 p.m. But he also wasn’t outside the cafe at 4.30 p.m. Basically he arrived at that exact time.
2) The murderer either came back to the cafe or was still there when me and Riri went in.
The Clio Trio is what Riri calls the suspects. Why, you may wonder? Well, me too.
Riri explains, ‘Clio was the Greek Muse of History.’ I don’t know what that means. Google says Clio was the Goddess of History. ‘And in history, like, from the beginning of time, murder is constant. In pretty much all cultures’ folklore. So it not only fits because of Mrs Dimas/Kostas’s ancestry but because of the way she was taken from this world.’
I give Riri a look that asks, What on God’s green earth are you talking about?
‘For poetic, historical reasons, can we please, please, call them that?’ Riri pleads.
THE CLIO TRIO AKA Suspect List 1.0:
1) Fred Hunt (regular #1)
2) Mimi Bloodworth (regular #2)
3) Derek Chase (regular #3)
‘What do they have in common?’ Riri asks.
‘. . . They all like coffee? I don’t know. Electronics are their livelihood – Derek vlogs, Mimi records videos on her phone and Fred writes screenplays on his laptop. Because of that, all three of them are all too familiar with our flat, funnily enough. Dad sorts out their technical issues in his office. They pay him. Other than that, they share no common likes or dislikes. Except, I suppose, all of them like me. They all know about The Secret Garden.’
Riri’s eyes widen. ‘Permission to pitch a conspiracy?’
‘No, Riri. Conspiracies are a pseudoscience. You of all people should know that.’
‘OK, then call it a theory that will be proven in time. Just hear me out? You are the common link between these suspects. Think about it – they knew your favourite person – Mrs Kostas – and they’re familiar with your apartment. The place of murder? Your favourite place on earth – The Secret Garden. Am I onto something here? Tell me I am.’
That hadn’t crossed my mind. ‘You might be. Too soon to tell. Now, onto the next bit before we waste more time.’
I get my whiteboard-on-wheels out. Pass Riri the marker. The whiteboard is best for timeframes because, in my experience, timeframes require a lot of erasing and starting over. Once we come to a good enough timeframe, Riri will transcribe it to the notepad. But even then, things could change.
‘Now, Riri –’ I use my best serious face – ‘this will need to be verified by the suspects. But first, let’s lay out the timeline.’
Official murder timeline for Mrs Kostas/Dimas
Being an account of
The Tariq Ultrasecret Supersleuth Centre/TUSC
Produced by TUSC Director Imani ‘Ani’ Tariq
Transcribed by Sleuth-In-Training,
Noori ‘Riri’ Tariq
– 4.30 p.m.: Death of the victim, Mrs Kostas/Dimas. Location: The Secret Garden, behind Cafe Vivlio
Note: The Clio Trio are shown entering the cafe on CCTV footage
– 5.45 p.m.: Ani and Riri enter Cafe Vivlio
– 5.50 p.m. (approx.): Ani chats with Fred, regular #1. Riri goes to the cafe’s bookstore
I glance at Riri suspiciously. ‘Didn’t you see or hear anything in the cafe’s bookstore? That’s technically closer to The Secret Garden than the actual cafe bit is, you know. Sure, there are no windows but I’m sure you’d be able to hear something.’
‘I was so wrapped up in all the books,’ she whispers, ‘I barely looked up and around. I didn’t hear anything murdery. No screams or cries.’
‘OK then. Back to the timeline.’
– 6 p.m. (approx.): Ani goes to the kitchens to (attempt to) find Mrs Kostas. Has a chat with Rodolfo, the chef.
– 6.04 p.m. (approx.): Ani leaves kitchens and bumps into regular #2, Mimi. Has a nice chat with her.
– Mimi leaves within this timeframe
– 6.10 p.m. (approx.): Ani heads over to Derek’s (AKA regular #3) table and has a conversation with him.
– 6.24 p.m. (approx.): Derek’s brother, Frankie, comes inside. Ani briefly chats with him before Riri comes over and drools and gives him her heart.
Riri’s wide eyes are about to roll on the floor and out of the room. ‘Ani, no!’
‘What, Riri?’ I mock her accent and high-pitched tone.
She attempts a glare. ‘You can’t keep that on the board! What if our parents see? Plus, that totally isn’t what happened!’
I give her a lopsided grin. ‘Then what did happen between you and Frankie?’
She blushes. ‘Can we carry on before our parents hear us and we get in trouble?’
I tut but still amend my statement.
– 6.24 p.m. (approx.): Derek’s brother, Frankie, enters cafe. Ani briefly chats with him before Riri comes over and drools and gives him her heart.
Then I sigh. ‘I hope you’re happy now. If we ever get asked to present this evidence to the world, you know I can’t withhold that this has been doctored.’
‘Fine by me, as long as you don’t disclose the original statement.’
‘No promises. In fact, no comment. Moving on.’
– 6.29 pm: Mimi returns to cafe to get her purse (regulars #1 and #3 are still in cafe).
I check my phone log.
– 6.30 p.m.: Dad calls to tell Ani and Riri to find Mrs Kostas/Dimas for us all to go and get ice-cream.
– 6.37 p.m.: Ani finds Mrs Kostas/Dimas’s body in The Secret Garden with pre-SIT Riri.
I glance at the note that Riri’s just written in the notepad.
Conclusion: If the time of death was 4.30 p.m. and we discovered Mrs Dimas/Kostas at 6.37 p.m. then she had been dead for 127 minutes/2 hours, 7 minutes.
I have to do deep breathing again. In . . . out. In . . . out. In . . . out. Mrs Kostas/Dimas was all alone and in broad daylight, dying or dead. That thought makes me want to cry, but the thought of the murderer getting away is worse.
‘Riri, we need more. Loads more.’ A sigh escapes my lips. ‘So far, we’ve got the victim’s backstory and supposed time of death. We know for sure that a passerby wouldn’t be able to see what’s happening in The Secret Garden. The fence is too high with no access from outside. It has to be one of the Clio Trio because no one else was there. We’re back to square one.
I want to whine and stomp my feet. Instead, I look at the to-do list.
TO-DO LIST
– Look at the CCTV footage on Dad’s computer from Cafe Vivlio’s feed
– Confirm who was inside the cafe at the time of death
– Create a timeline
– Create the suspect list
– Begin questioning suspects
– Verify our timeline with each suspect
I add two things:
– Uncover motives
– Get a confession