Excerpt from the book called The Frisby Waterless Murders

“She knew the way in the smoke? How would she know that?” wondered Barnes.

“She was using the Major as a reference point,” said Knowles, “I bet that’s what she means, the Major was the focus of her thoughts.”

“That’s a bit suspicious isn’t it?” said Smythe.

“Naive, though, if you’re intending to do him harm – makes it too obvious for my liking,” replied Barnes.

“Perhaps Daisy isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed?” said Knowles, “or perhaps it’s the double bluff. No one has ever indicated that murderers have to be clever.”

“Should we ask her to elaborate on knowing her way in the smoke?” asked Barnes.

“Oh I think so, Barnesy, and ask her whether she has any family representatives in the military. She might not like that question if she has something to hide. That’s also two votes for Daisy going to the kitchen – so how reliable is Betty Johnson and her testimony?”

“Is it likely the Major upset someone during his military career, or could he have been murdered for another reason?” asked Smythe.

“Well, we can’t assume anything at this stage Linda, but I would think it does have something to do with his military past,” said Knowles, “it might have been a civilian whose life was affected negatively by the Major in some way or a fellow soldier whose career was hampered by The Major. Have you heard anything that would lead you to believe it was something other than the army?”

“Well, not directly, but I thought he’d been involved in some local dispute recently at the fishing club, in Frisby Waterless I think it was, where some money had gone missing from the treasury funds. The Major was the treasurer. Things got out of hand on the riverbank.” Smythe smiled at the thought of it.

“How do things get out of hand on a riverbank; did he throw someone’s catch back in the river?” asked Knowles.

“Instead of the fish I think he pushed one of the members in the river, sir.”

“And presumably that’s against their rules?’ asked Barnes.

“The member wouldn’t have counted towards the competition if he he’d been brought ashore by another member,” said Knowles.

“How did you remember this, Linda?” asked Barnes.