"And that, sir, are my findings so far," Clayton finished relaying his information to Inspector Pith.
"So, Robert Chase kills his wife, Mary from the house across the street. Only to be shot in the same moment by another man from his wife's bedroom. Poor bugger never even saw it coming."
"It would seem that way, sir," Dawes concurred.
"What's the motive for either killing?"
"The Will," Dawes handed Clayton a folder, "Robert's Will had been recently changed. If you look closely you can see that it is actually two pieces of paper glued together. I think that this was why Robert was murdered."
"You think Robert changed the Will?"
"Yes. Once I've separated the two pieces we will know for sure,"
Pith furrowed his brow, "But then why shoot Mary? What does she have to do with this?"
"Well... I'm not sure," Silence filled the room as each man pondered what on earth compelled Robert Chase to kill his wife.
Dawes snapped his fingers, "I've got it! Mary wasn't in mentioned in the Will but the maid, Anna, was. What if Robert changed his Will to accommodate Anna?"
"Yes, but then why kill Mary? And why kill Robert?" Inspector Pith asked.
"What if Mary knew about Robert changing the will? And threatened to tell everyone?"
Clayton nodded. "That is a plausible answer, but we will have to retrieve the original Will in order know for sure,"
"Let's get at it, then," Said Dawes enthusiastically.
~*~
Two hours later Clayton and Andrew had separated the two Wills. It had taken a long time to find out what type of glue was used in order to take it apart without damaging anything.
"Finally," Said Andrew as he mopped the sweat from his brow in the boiling hot room.
"Yes. Turn off the kettles, will you? This room is hotter than a sauna,"
Dawes turned off the multiple kettles and opened the window as Clayton tried to read the original Will. Dawes handed him his reading glasses.
"What does it say, sir?" Clayton didn't answer. After a few minutes he hit the table and exclaimed, "Ah ha! Mary was supposed to inherit half of her father-in-law's estate, while Robert inherited the other half and fifty percent of the family business. Dallas was to have forty-five percent, and Mary five percent. No mention of Anna."
"The altered Will said that Anna was to have Mary's inheritance in the event of her death,"
"Andrew, bring in Anna. She is the missing piece of the puzzle,"