The Blackwood Estate Dinner Party Murder

“Cross!” I heard my name called through the dark hallway. It’s 7p.m. and the sun is already going down. “You working late tonight?” My chief stepped into my office, leaning against the dark oak doorway.

“No, sir,” we both chuckle. Working until 7p.m. is not considered ‘working late.’ Heavy rain pounded against the window in my office; the wind forced the arms of an evergreen tree to bang against the panes. The yellow lights flickered. “Sir, you’ll never believe it, but I, Malcolm Cross, have been invited to a Vanderbilt Blackwood Estate dinner party.”

My chief let out an amusing sigh. “Who invited you?”

The Vanderbilts were notorious in Blackwood Grove, the town that I am the head detective in. Their estate is the biggest one in town, probably the biggest in all of Maine.

“I was friends with Vanessa, the wife, in high school,” I stretched my arms out around the head of my chair. “I’m already running late.”

“Sounds good, Cross,” Chief stood up straight. “I’ll see you Monday, have fun,” he gave me a sly wink.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Three knocks is my go-to. I didn’t expect the door to echo so loud.

The door creaked open, and older looking woman with grey hair answered the door. “Mr. Cross. Welcome to the Blackwood Estate. May I take your coat?”

“Yes, thank you.” I stepped into the mansion. My shoes clacked on the marble floor. The walls were dark oak; two massive spiral staircases were on both ends of the entry room.

“They’re having cocktails in the den, down that hallway,” the maid pointed at the hallway between the staircases.

“Thank you.”

I walked down the hall, examining the house in awe. I have never seen a house as big and detailed as this one.

“No way,” I heard a familiar voice further down the hall.

“Ah, Lucielle, hello again,” I greeted her. The redheaded woman was looking out of the window that was in the hall. It looked into the courtyard.

“Malcolm!” she smiled and greeted me with a small hug. “Is that Nathaniel Crowhurst?”

I looked out the window. Nathaniel Crowhurst, the richest man who owned probably half of the town, was standing in the courtyard talking with Vanessa Vanderbilt.

“Yes, it is.”

“Wow, I’ve never met him. He owns so much land here but is rarely ever in town. I can’t believe he’s actually here. I can finally ask to inspect his properties.” Lucielle is the Blackwood Grove historian archivist, which fits well with her nosy personality. “It looks like they’re arguing. How does he know Vanessa? I better set up my voice recorder in case I can ask him some questions.”

“He was in our graduating class,” I replied. Though the courtyard was rather dim, they did look like they were in the middle of a very tense conversation.

We continued down the hall and into the den together. There were a few familiar faces. Edmund Blackthorn, the Vanderbilts neighbor, was sitting in the far-right chair of the den. He was much older, and was probably around when the town was founded. In the chair next to Edmund was Julian Thornfield, the only lawyer in town. He was the Vanderbilt’s lawyer and trust attorney. They were definitely his biggest client.

“Oh, Lucille and Malcolm! Welcome to our home,” Vanessa’s voice came from behind us. She gave Lucille a hug.

“Vanessa, how do you do?” I asked. She gave me a hug as well.

“You remember Nathaniel?” she asked. “Victor should be down any minute. He’s been in his study all day. Isolde!” she called loudly. The maid entered the room quickly. “How long until Leopold is done?”

“The dinner is ready now, ma’am.”

Vanessa led us into the dining room. The drinks were already set up. Candles lined the center of the long table. The group was an odd one, but the conversation was natural.

“The storms really coming in, huh?” Julian mentioned.

“Yeah, it’s usually bad this time of year,” Lucielle agreed.

“I hate this weather,” Edmund grumbled.

“The rain is so relaxing,” Vanessa smiled. “So, Edmund, I heard an interesting rumor,” Vanessa had a more mischievous smile.

“And what would that be?” he asked.

Isolde left the room quickly. Vanessa gave Edmund a smirk. “It’s about time you moved on, your wife passed decades ago.”

Edmund looked a bit annoyed. “I heard a rumor about you too, Vanessa.”

“There are many rumors about me, Ed,” Vanessa stated, but not as playful. I noticed Nathaniel looking nervous. “Anyway, is that why you came so early? Edmund is always early.”

“To avoid the rain, yes,” Edmund replied.

The doors to the dining room swung open. Victor always made a more than obnoxious entrance. “Greetings, everyone. Thank you all for coming!” he smiled and walked swiftly to his chair. He sat at the head of the table, with Vanessa to his left and Nathaniel to his right. Leopold followed shortly after, serving dinner with the help of Isolde.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why I invited you to this event,” Victor said, while sipping his wine. “Vanessa and I have big news to share,” he paused for a bite of his lamb, probably to build suspense. “Vanessa and I are moving out of Blackwood.”

Everyone remained silent, but looked surprised. I was only surprised because I didn’t know why I was even invited for this ‘big news’ that did not pertain to me at all.

“We-“ Victor was cut off by the electricity going out. The candlelight flickered against everyone’s faces.

“Isolde!” Vanessa called.

The maid walked in with more candles already prepared. There was an awkward silence as we waited for Victor to continue.

“We are moving to Italy.”

Everyone mumbled to each other, complaining about what this meant to everyone. Nathaniel scoffed and folded his arms.

“We have been thinking about this for a while,” Vanessa stated, which did not calm anyone’s nerve.

“Does this mean I’m losing you as clien-“ Julian corrected himself, “You will no longer need my services as a lawyer?” he sounded frantic.

“That is correct,” Victor answered with an unwavering voice. “Isolde and Leopold have already been notified of the expiration of their careers. And, Nathaniel,” Victor faced towards Nathaniel, “I invited you here specifically because I need help from your funding. We are going to demolish the Blackwood Estate and build a giant hotel here.”

Lucille gasped loudly before Nathaniel could respond. “You can’t destroy the Blackwood Estate!” she yelled across the table.

“I can and I will,” Victor responded pompously. “If you would all follow me into the study,” Victor stood up and exited the dining room swiftly. Everyone followed behind him, quickly and angrily. “I have here-” he swung the doors open to reveal the study, “the plans for the future of the Blackwood Estate.”

The fireplace crackled, the light from the fire illumination a large cardboard print out of what looked to be a gigantic modern style hotel building.

Everyone continued trying to argue and change his mind, but Victor was set in his ways.

We returned to the dining room. Most of the guests were grabbing their items to leave. Lightening crashed outside. Everyone continued mumbling about how ridiculous Victor was being.

“A toast,” Victor smiled smugly, lifting a glass in the air. Everyone was hesitant to follow his lead. “Come on, this is the last time we will see most of you,” Victor rolled his eyes.

Everyone hesitantly raised a glass, whatever was closest to them. We clunked the glasses together.

Nathaniel slammed his glass on the table. “Good riddance to the bot-“ He paused, he seemed to be choking.

“Both of?” Victor laughed. “Both of who? Come on, buddy.”

Nathaniel gasped and clutched his chest. I rushed over to give him the Heimlich, I grabbed him by the chest and began hoisting him into the air.

“Oh my god,” Lucille turned away.

Nathaniel began foaming at the mouth, gasping for air. Crap.

“He’s not choking. Call an ambulance, someone,” I stated. “Call an ambulance right now!” I exclaimed.

“The power is out, the phones aren’t working,” Vanessa told me, worried.

Nathaniel fell to the ground, seizing. He stopped moving. I knelt down quickly and checked his pulse.

“He’s dead,” I stated.

Chaos erupted in the dining room. While everyone began freaking out, trying to make phone calls and trying to figure out what to do, I examined what he was eating. Then, I noticed his glass. There were bubbles forming at the top of his wine.

“No one is leaving,” I announced loudly. “I am Detective Malcolm Cross. This is a crime scene. This man was poisoned. Everyone, go into the den and stay there.” People gasped and began crying. I then heard a bloodcurdling scream. I turned around quickly, Victor had backed up quickly into the wall, holding his mouth.

“That glass… is mine,” he stated. His eyes were full of fear. “Someone tried to kill me.”

Four hours later, I had everyone situated and calm in the den. We were miles away from the town center, I couldn’t drive everyone to the station and ensure no one messed with the crime scene.

“I am going to interview each of you separately.” I stated.

As I interviewed each suspect, I began a list identifying each suspicious note. I learned that Vanessa and Nathaniel were having an affair. I learned that Edmunds’ father used to own the Blackwood estate and he tried taking it back when Victors father passed away. I learned that Julian used to work for Nathaniel but got fired a month ago, and now he was fired from the Vanderbilt’s as well. Lucille didn’t want the Estate to be demolished. Leopold and Isolde were also out of jobs. Everyone seemed to have a reason to want Victor dead.

As hours went by, people began getting restless. I made them give up their car keys and let them wander around the mansion, pairing them up and making them search for anything out of the ordinary. Victor with Julian, Vanessa with Isolde, Lucille with Edmund, and Leopold with me. I was most suspicious of Leopold and Isolde at first, as they both had easy access to the drinks, but they both had new jobs lined up and did not seem begrudged to be leaving the Estate.

I continued with my notetaking when I heard my name called from another room. Lucille ran to me, grabbing my arm. “Malcolm,” she said quickly, looking behind her. Edmund rushed into the room. “It was Edmund!” She pointed at him and stood behind me.

“It was Lucille,” he accused quickly.

“No-no, it was Edmund. He confessed to me! Please, you have to believe me!”

Everyone came into the den again in their pairs, waiting to hear the accusations.

“Lucille told me when we searched the study together. She couldn’t bear the idea of the Blackwood Estate being turned into a hotel. She rambled to me the whole time we were searching,” Edmund explained. He sat down on the sofa across from us. Lucille eased herself into the chair next to me and placed her purse on the coffee table. “She said she ‘did what she had to do,’ and when I asked her, ‘did she do it?’ she began crying and saying she didn’t mean to. It was Lucielle!” Edmund slammed his hands on the couch arms.

“It wasn’t me! It was you! You’ve been after the Blackwood estate for decades!” Lucielle yelled. “He just confessed to the entire thing…”

“And I didn’t tell her that I found this,” Edmund reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glass bottle that had a huge warning label on it. “It was in her coat pocket.”

“That was not in my coat pocket!” Lucielle yelled.

“I checked all of the coat pockets,” I stated.

“I’m sure you didn’t check the inside pocket, hidden in her sleeve,” Edmund replied.

I looked at Lucille with an eyebrow raised. “Inside pocket?”

“Yes. I wasn’t with you when you searched our items. I didn’t have that in my sleeve though. I don’t know what to do… I swear it was him,” she wiped her face.

I took the bottle from Edmund and examined it. “We can trace for fingerprints if they haven’t been smudged by Edmunds,” I said.

“How can I convi-“ Lucille paused. “Oh my god, I have it.”

“Have what?” Edmund asked.

“Malcolm, my voice recorder. In my purse!” she lunged forward and reached for her purse quickly. Her fingers grazed the edge of the purse when Edmund snatched it from her.

“You cannot voice record me without my permission!” he yelled.

I snatched the purse from Edmund and he flung it into the air. The items flew, including the voice recorder.

Edmund picked it up quickly, it had broken. “It’s broken,” Edmund raised his eyebrows and showed the group the plastic pieces. “It didn’t have any-“

Before he could finish his sentence, the audio began playing. Lucille snatched it from him and fast forwarded it. You could hear Lucille voice on the recorder.

“So, you’ve lived in Blackwood for how long?” Lucilles voice asked.

“My whole life. I’ll be 76 in October,” Edmunds voice replied, slightly muffled from the distance of the recorder.

Edmund slouched into his chair, staring straight forward.

Lucille skipped more into the audio.

“-and that’s why I don’t think they should turn it into some stupid hotel.” Lucille said on the recorder. A few seconds of silence. “Edmund, are you okay? What are you looking for?”

I could hear rummaging in the background. “Nothing… For clues, is all.”

“What is that?”

“What?”

“The paper in your hand Edmund.”

“It’s, it’s nothin-“

“Give me that!” Movement and shuffling played on the recorder. “What is this?”

“I told you I’m looking for something suspicious. Give me that back.”

“Home ownership deed, marked 28 years ago? ‘I, Vincent Vanderbilt,’ that’s Victors dad! ‘give complete ownership of the Blackwood Estate to Mr. Edmund Blackthorn.’”

“Put that down, Lucille-“

“He was going to give you the house?”

“Give me that!” I heard another shuffle.

“You just through it in the fire, Edmund!” Lucille’s voice screamed.

“I don’t care! It was supposed to be MY Estate, not Victors!”

“What do you mean?”

I heard sobbing. “I didn’t mean to kill Nathaniel…”

“It was you..?”

“It was supposed to be MINE… You don’t understand.”

“Oh my god… MALCOLM!”

“Stop!” Edmund screamed. “No one will believe you. I swear I will put you behind bars for the rest of your life… I’ve been in this town for a while-“

“MALCOLM!”

“Come back!” Edmunds voice got quieter on the recording.

Lucille clicked the end button and set the recorder down. Edmund buried his face into his hands.

The lights overhead flickered back on. The sun began rising. Everyone sat in silence and stared at Edmund.

“It was supposed to be my Estate,” Edmund said quietly. “I came over early and put this poison into Victor’s cup. Nathaniel wasn’t supposed to drink it.” He dragged his fingers down his cheek. “This never would have happened if Vincent Vanderbilt wasn’t a backstabbing no-good lying and dying man!”

I put my head down and checked my watch. “Edmund Thornfield, you have the right to remain silent…”

After a good thirty minutes, my chief finally pulled up. We arrested Edmund and took care of the crime scene and sent everyone in for questioning and then released them.

I sat down in the chair of my office and sipped my black coffee. My chief came up and leaned on the doorway. “You know, Cross, when I ask if you’re working late, you can just say yes next time instead of finding work to do,” he winked.