Chapter 37
Stage Twenty-Six, Canoodle Lot, Fairyland Studios, Los Angeles, California, United States
"I can't believe it was the janitor," Gen mused, shaking her head.
She, King Rudolf and Sherlock Holmes stood outside the building for Sunset Cove. In the distance, the authorities were interviewing the cast and crew. The janitor was sitting in what was apparently a police car, which was ablaze with red and blue lights. Uniformed officers buzzed around the scene as everyone talked excitedly.
"It's always the janitor," Rudolf stated.
Sherlock shook his head. "It varies and it's always the person with the means, the motive and the opportunity."
"So how did you two work out that it was the janitor and not the other suspects?" Gen asked.
"Well, although the director, camera guy and Alexus had reasons to commit the crimes, none of them could fulfill all three of the requirements," Sherlock explained. "It wasn't until I investigated the vault, that I realized how the keys could be stolen. Then something that they had said about the writers for the show got me thinking."
Rudolf grinned, looking down at Gen. "We did some digging and found that the janitor had been one of the original writers for Sunset Cove. However, when the show took off, the execs didn't want to give him credit. So they fired him and took over the show, not giving him the profits or prestige that he would have deserved."
Sherlock nodded. "Wanting to get revenge for what was stolen from him, the janitor got a job on the set. That gave him access to the director, who he murdered, after planting the letters in the trashcan, which he'd have access to."
"Not if he left early because he had to be off the set," Gen countered.
Rudolf's eyes sparkled with a secret knowing. "But the janitor wanted to stay close and what better way to do that than live on the set."
Gen's mouth fell open. "The cot in the rafters."
"Exactly," Sherlock stated. "That gave the janitor the access to plant the letters, get into the vault to get the keys and copy them, murder the director and then the other actors."
"And none of them would have been on guard, thinking they were on set alone, right?" Gen asked.
Sherlock nodded. "It's all about the element of surprise."
"And then the janitor spread the idea that the show was cursed," Rudolf stated. "Using the key to the vault and his full access of the set, he tampered with the tapes, giving weight to this cursed idea."
"But really, all the janitor wanted was for the show to fail since he wasn't getting credit for it," Sherlock stated.
"Wow, I can't believe you two figured all that out," Gen mused, amazed. "I had my suspicions of the others, but I never saw it being the janitor."
"The others had reasons that cast the spotlight on them," Rudolf began. "But in the end, all the facts pointed at the janitor."
"This is true," Sherlock said, looking over his shoulder at the chaos with the police and cast and crew before turning back to Gen and his assistant. "In detective work, eliminate the impossible and whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
"Well said," Rudolf cheered, putting one arm around Gen's shoulder and the other around Sherlock's. "Now how about I take you two out for a drink? I haven't had one in minutes and I'm parched."
Sherlock nodded. "I always like the idea of celebrating a closed case with a nice sherry."
Gen smiled, allowing the king of the fae to lead her and the detective off down the pavement. "Yes, and I'll take a whiskey and maybe a bit more of your wisdom on sleuthing."