Part 44: The DJ's Swansong - Hints

Hints:



Vouching for her client like that certainly makes her seem like a noble manager.

I wonder how she and Hollerday actually got on, though?

According to Hollerday, Smith is an irritating inconvenience that stops her from doing what she wants.

Maybe she finds her managed to be a little too overprotective.



Looks like there's no love lost between Hollerday and Smith then.

Well, from Hollerday's perspective, perhaps. I'm not sure that Smith feels the same way.

Oh?

Read her statement, and you'll see what I mean.



The tea lady and Dread were an item...?

It's common parlance to mean that the two of them were engaged in a amorous relationship, Lucy.

Certainly the most eloquent explanation of that term I've ever read.

Aye, I think I'd figured that out, thanks very much, Prof!

Though Mann admits it was hearsay. We can't be sure there's any truth in it.



Apparently, despite her popularity, this woman is renowned for being a terrible singer.

That's what it says, aye.

Who researches this stuff, eh? That's what I'd like to know.

Someone in the force, I should think. I confess I've never really given the matter much thought.

I realise this is probably supposed to be light hearted, but seriously; Alfendi drags in whomever he thinks committed the crime based on the case files (there's no indication that he even looks at the evidence on the scene before making his initial guesses), and he doesn't even know or care who does the research?

Aye, well, it's a mystery to me how they come up with this stuff.



Ee, that fellow looks like a bit of a hotshot, eh?

Do you think so?

Aye. The sort that goes around with a personal trainer in tow, you know?

I'm not sure you've got the measure of the man, to be honest, Lucy.



Ee, look at all them knobs!

Yes, it must take a great deal of experience to be able to operate a desk like this competently.

Those sound men are amazing, eh?

And that Mr Mann's a fine-looking fellow. I bet he's got a fair few admirers.

Have you read his statement yet?

Actually, no, I haven't got round to it yet.

Have a look then.

I think it'll take you by surprise.



He's a good looking lad. No excess baggage on him, eh?

It says here he has a penchant for high heels.

High heels? Well, maybe he just takes a keen interest in woman's fashion, that's all.

And apparently he enjoyed flirting with Dread.

Oh. Well, that's another matter.

I get the distinct impression Alfendi's enjoying this.

Incidentally, the hint conversation on the Mixing Desk is the same even if you have gotten the hints on Mann's statements first.



So the murder of a popular radio show host...

Aye, and he were bumped off on air! The tabloid's'll have a field day with this.

Yes. We should try to solve it before they have a chance to publish their usual drivel.

After the Jerry Springer/Jeremy Kyle reference in case three, I'm a little disappointed that they didn't name any of the tabloids.



Cause of death: poisoning. No external wounds.

It must have been a right cracker of a poison to kill a fully grown man in just a few seconds, eh?

Yes, it must have been an extremely virulent substance that was used.

The majority of poisons require some considerable time to take effect, making them tricky to use.

Aye. You don't need long to shout out the name of the person who's bumping you off, eh?

No, but on the other hand, it can be hard for a victim to identify the assailant, which is a great plus point.

A 'plus point'? Okay, Prof, whatever you say...



A second victim...Poor girl.

There's summat up here, Prof. First the DJ and then his number one fan. It's a conspiracy, eh?

Being sucked into fantasies like that, Lucy, is what distracts you from the truth.

Oh. I'll, I'll make a mental note of that. Sorry.



Hey, maybe the mike's laced with poison, Prof! Did you think of that?

.....

It doesn't seem so.

Oh. Okay, let's try summat else.



Ee, these look grand, these do.

Impressive, isn't it, how realistic the machine's reconstruction is?

We can't eat them then?

Obviously not.

Oh, what a shame. I could murder one of—Oh, sorry, I didn't mean...

Never mind. The point is, no trace of poison was found in any of the macaroons.

But when we listened to the show, it sounded like Dread died straight after one passed his lips.

I know. It's a puzzling discrepancy, that.



Ee, this door's that thick, you'd be lucky to hear a herd of elephants through it.

Yes, with this door shut, even the most deafening screams wouldn't be heard outside.

Brrr, that's a chilling thought, that is.



Ee, I bet there's been umpteen famous bums sat on this couch, waiting to go on air.

Yes, at first glance you'd say it was just a worn-out old sofa, but it's so much more than that.

I, I didn't think you'd see it the same way, Prof!



Ee, this is a fancy-looking bum cradle.

Yes, it looks a good deal more luxurious than the guests' chair.

Aye, this must be where the director parks himself, eh?

I should think so.



Fancy, pop art style? Hmm...What do you think, Prof?

Not my field, I'm afraid, Lucy.

It's things like that that make you seem like a bit of an old fuddy-duddy.

Don't spare my feelings, will you?



This is Hollerday's tea. No poison was found in this cup.

The intention was to kill Dread, no one else.

Look at this, Prof. Hollerday's cup isn't the same make as Dread's.

Oh yes, you're right.

Hollerday's one is a bog-standard job, but Dread's is right fancy.

I wonder if that's relevant at all.

Maybe it shows that whoever poured out the tea thought very highly of Dread.

I think perhaps you're reading too much into it, Lucy.



Ee, it's right scary, eh, this?

Interesting that it's handwritten.

Oh? Why's that?

Because there's a high chance we'll be able to identify who wrote it by analysing the script.

It's almost as if the person who penned it was just intending to have some harmless fun.

Aye, now you come to mention it, it does seem a bit like that, doesn't it?



First tea, now coffee.

I don't know, there's summat about her. She just doesn't seem like the coffee-drinking type.

I'm not sure of the value of judging people by their appearances, Lucy. ...But I do know what you mean.

Right!

In which case, perhaps she was bought a coffee by someone who didn't know her particularly well.



This is just like the sort of non-permanent pen I like to use.

Oh really?

They're great, apart from if you spill summat. Then the ink runs, of course.

Of course, Lucy! The ink runs...

Ha-have I hit on summat, Prof?

Er, no. I was just musing at how tantalisingly irrelevant that was.

Ee, that weren't very nice!

I somehow feel like this was a missed opportunity for the equivalent of a ladder/step-ladder joke.



It's been smashed to smithereens this, eh?

It must have been the glass container which held the poison.

Aye, but there's no telling what sort of bottle it were not.

Presumably it was Brewer who threw it and smashed it.

But why?

I'm not entirely sure what it signifies yet, but I'm sure it tells us something.

It indicates the strength of Brewer's feelings if nothing else.

Feelings?

What, like, 'Oh balderdash, I'm dying!' you mean?

In, in a manner of speaking, yes.



Looks like Brewer were stuffing her face with sweets while she were listening to the show.

Lucky lass.

Which would suggest she was feeling fairly relaxed, wouldn't you say?

It wouldn't stand up as hard evidence, but it's a strong indicator that she didn't commit suicide.

On a different note, if you accuse de Bonair at the start:



Interesting. Why?

Because he had a motive of course! Why else?

Indeed. Why else?

Er, there's nothing else.

I had thought that you'd developed a certain professionalism since joining me in the Mystery Room.



Alfendi can be quite mean when he wants to be.

Hey, be fair, Prof!

You can't pin a crime on a suspect just because they happen to have a motive.

What you need, of course, is evidence.