Wednesday Story day again and last week we were with Frank Plano, Alice, and Mrs. Murphy while Frank was talking through some fine points of what Alice saw the night the Severides were murdered. Mr. Plano implied that Alice did not see what she said she saw. Of course, Harriet Murphy caught on to the implication immediately and politely showed Mr. Plano to the door. It looks like Frank is heading to the lawyer’s office. Let’s join him as he is ushered into Jason McDonnell’s office. You will recall Jason is the attorney hired by Mrs. Murphy to protect Lucas from Sheriff Gibson’s obvious attempts to railroad him to confess the murder of his parents. (Whew, I hope everyone is caught up)

“Well, Frank. Have a seat.”
“Thanks, Jason.”
“I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
“Yeah, and I’m grateful you could spare the time.”
“What’s up?”
“It is a strange thing. My investigation has been going smoothly with an all roads conclusion that the Sheriff has for some reason been involved in the murder of the Severides.”
“Well, we both came up with that hypothesis given his obsession with hanging the blame on Lucas.”
“I know right? Except some of the facts don’t seem to add up.”
“Like what?”
“Well for one, other than Alice Weston giving an eyewitness account of the sheriff going into the Severides house the night of their murder, there is no other witness to that event.”
“Yeah so? She said she saw him right?”
“Yes that is in my report, but I’m beginning to doubt she did.”
“Really? Why’s that?”
“You ever see anyone on Heroine?”
“No.”
“Well, if she started to nod off while she was in the Severide house like Weston says, she would have been dead gone at the time she supposedly saw the sheriff.”
“What about Mrs. Murphy?”
“She says she didn’t see anything.”
“How about when he left the house?”
“Mrs. Weston and Mrs. Murphy told me they didn’t hang around to see him come out.”
“Well, that’s convenient.”
“I think we need to focus on a different direction. Unless I find someone else who saw the sheriff there, I think I’m going to try to get to the bottom of Mrs. Weston’s reasons for saying she saw the sheriff.”
“Any need to talk to Lucas again?”
“Nope. I still don’t think he had anything to do with the crime.”
“Any theories?”
“One not worth mentioning right now. I need more facts.”
“You are the investigator. So go do your thing.”
“I still wonder why Mrs. Murphy hired us though.”
“To clear Lucas.”
“Yeah, that is obvious. I don’t know, I have a gut feeling there is more to it.”
“Want to explain?”
“Let me get more information first.”
“Mrs. Murphy doesn’t have endless funds you know.”
“I will do this on my own dime. Something isn’t adding up, and I need to get to the bottom of it.”
“Be careful.”
“Huh?”
“There is a murderer out there remember.”
“Oh yeah, right. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“See ya.”

It is Wednesday Story Day, again and last week we witnessed Seth Gibson the sheriff once again outmaneuvered by Jason McDonnell, the lawyer. It looks like this occurrence will happen time and time again. It is clear Seth has an ax to grind with Lucas. As many folks have said, it is a good thing Lucas has a lawyer. It is time to go back to Harriet’s house since I see Frank Plano the private eye is getting ready to leave.
“So you would be willing to testify that you saw Set Gibson go into the Severides house after you left.”
“ I already said I would, Mr. Plano.”
“I know I’m just verifying is all.”
“I understand.”
“Mrs. Murphy.”
“Yes, Mr.Plano.”
“Are you willing to yes tiny as well?”
“Of course I am.”
“The part about the blood from Mrs. Weston’s heroine injection.”
“What about it?”
“You will testify that the blood trace found at the Severides which belongs to Mrs. Weston was a sloppy injection?”
“Well, sloppy is made a bit harsh, but yes. When the needle came out of her vein, the blood spurted to the floor.”
“And she was beginning to nod off after cleaning it up?”
“Yes.”
“You then left and went to your car.”
“Yes.”
“Did you also see Seth Gibson enter the Severide house?”
“Well, I was worried about Alice. I didn’t exactly see the sheriff enter the house.”
“Did Mrs. Weston tell you he entered?”
“She said something like, ‘There goes the sheriff into the Severide’s house.’ When I looked up, he was gone inside.”
“Hmm. So Mrs. Weston was the only one who actually saw the sheriff go in.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Plano, but I’m right here.”
“I know Mrs. Weston, but I’m interested in Mrs. Murphy’s observations.”
“Okay, then I’ll shut up.”
“Thank you. Now, Mrs. Murphy.”
“Yes, Mr. Plano.”
“How long after Mrs. Weston saw the sheriff go into the house did she nod off?”
“Excuse me?”
“You both said that Mrs. Weston was starting to nod off at the house and so you decided to leave. All I’m asking is how long after she saw the sheriff did she go to sleep?”
“I didn’t have a stopwatch, Mr. Plano. Besides what difference does it make?”
“If Mrs. Weston saw the sheriff enter the house and she says she was awake, I think it is important to determine if, in fact, that is the case.”
“I think we are through here, Mr. Plano. Let me show you to the door.”
“Yes, Mrs. Murphy I think I have what I came for. Thanks for the coffee.”
“Good day Mr. Plano.”