THE MUSGRAVE RITUAL MURDER IN WESTMINSTER
by A.C. Doyle
CITIZEN JOURNALIST IS MISSING
by R.J. DePersio
{Day One} "I confess that so far, Watson, I had been disappointed in my
investigation. I had reckoned upon solving the matter when once I had
found the {the fishing hole}, but now I was there, and was apparently as far
as ever from knowing what it was which had {been} concealed...It is true that
I had thrown a light upon the fate of {Citizen Journalist}, but now I had to
ascertain how that fate had come upon him..."
{Watson musings}. So for three mornings the mystery remained, so far as
I could follow it in the papers {on the news and Internet}. If Holmes knew more,
he kept his own counsel, but, as he told me {Andy Taylor} had taken him into
his confidence, I knew that he was in close touch with every development.
Upon the fourth day there appeared a long {email for Holmes}...which
seemed to solve the whole question.
"My dear Watson," said he, as he rose from the table and paced up and
down the room, "you are most long-suffering but if I have told you nothing in
the last three days, it is because there is nothing to tell. Even now this
report {he points to screen} doesn't tell us much."
{Sherlock and Mycroft have telephoned Ben, Adam, Hoss, Joe. Al, Rod, Dago,
Marion and the rest of the cast in search of clues}.
To Be Continued
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'The Conclusion' The Red-Headed League The Adventure of the Empty House
His Last Bow
by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Missing Citizen Journalist...Found! (As Yogi Berra would say: "It's
de'ja' vu, all over again) by Richard DePersio
{They gathered that evening at one of the 'restuarants' at the national landmark - the
ambience not commensurate with Sherlock's sometimes refined tastes.}
"And now to the great question as to the reason why." {"Do try a hot dog and a
hamburger, good sport," interrupted Ellory. Sherlock: "When in Rome...in the former
colonies do..". "I shall enjoy watching but will he enjoy eating?" Ellory whispered to Dago
Red who appeared as if mysteriously!} "Robbery had not been the object...for nothing was
taken. Was it politics, then, or was it a woman. That was the question that confronted
me. I was inclined...at first...to the latter supposition {"Prior to coming here, I paid a visit to
Hef. We all know that Citizen Journalist has been....shall, we say....successful with the
fairer sex. And, it had been one of the stops on his triumphant promotional tour."} "
"Political assassins are only too glad to do their work and to fly. {"We all know that Citizen
Journalist exercises his right to free speech by Offending with Truth and not apologizing
on Twitter for having done so. There are the liberal PC police who only believe in free speech
which conforms to their philosophy."} "...the perpetrator had left his tracks..." {"The word
Citizen Journalist contributed. Invisible is related to vanish."} "It must have been a private
wrong, and not a political one {although, Citizen Journalist is not guilty of such, his enemies
think otherwise} which called for such a methodical {action}. {In one of said articles he
makes reference to pain on his CMT hands...and the invisible hand. Was he the victim
of foul play? Dago Red, I'm not surprised by your appearance here. We all consider
ourselves friends of the missing Citizen Journalist. Your closeness to him is second only
to Richard DePersio. Tell me, why Calliope appears at rickcmtsite?" Dago: Not long ago, CJ
suggested that we post her painting with an article in the near future, in his absence, I
remembered his suggestion and instead found a way to incorporate it into a promo for
Facebook and Twitter. Sherlock: "I'm surprised that our mutual friend Richard DePersio isn't
here or is he; that's another case."}
{As I heretofore stated the two worst things that can happen to a writer are the loss of his
Muse and difficulty with his hands. The word hand appears often in the last two articles on
which he worked as well. I contend that he and he alone staged his disappearance - making
himself invisible!"}
"A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting,"
"You did, doctor, but none the less you must come round to my view for otherwise I shall
keep on piling fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under them and
acknowledge me to be right. Now Mr. Jabez Watson here has been good enough to call
upon me this morning, and to begin a narrative which promises to be one of the most
singular which {he} listened to in some time. You have heard me remark that the strangest
and most unique things are very often connected not with the larger but with the smaller
crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there is room for doubt whether any positive
crime has been committed. As far as I have heard it is impossible for me to say whether
the present case is a crime or not {I think not}, but the course of events is certainly among
the most singular {that I have ever encountered. Proceed, Mr. Watson."}
{"Thank you, Mr. Holmes for this opportunity. I thought better and came around to his way of
thinking. The fishing hole' was a red herring. Inspiration: venues of prior conquests - the
grotto. More important: achievement - triumphant publicity tour. He would be found looking for
inspiration and his Muse."
{Thank you, doctor. I firmly believe that his Muse will return intermittently. One of his cyber-
friends who is qualified should offer to periodically submit an article to lighten his load - he
who is known amongst other things as: CITIZEN Your Shoot-from-the-Hip/Non-PC Cripple
JOURNALIST. CJCJ (Citizen Journalist/Cayuga Productions/Shamley Productions) Comsats
(web sites) enjoy up to 935 Visits and 265 Readers per week.
{"He or she can write on science or humor or politics or poetry or philosophy or music or
economics, says Dago Red, "or go where ever his or her Muse takes him or her - it's
awkward to be PC!"
{"Why would he perpetrate such an elaborate hoax," inquired Watson. "His superior mind
couldn't do otherwise and such a scheme was necessitated to engage my mind. I think
that he was confidant that I would bite. Part of him wanting to be found or caught - which is
often the case," answered Holmes. "Your superior mind?" "Modesty dictates..."
{"I was handed a letter by someone engaged solely for the purpose of delivering it; the letter
purportedly from Citizen Journalist. Dago Red, you are to go to this location with binoculars and
look at Tom; It is my understanding that Citizen Journalist considers Tom a friend." Dago
Red departed for the specified location. Ellory left for destination unknown.}
{"I consider Citizen Journalist a friend. Although, I have never seen him. We have corresponded
extensively and have participated in rather lengthy telephonic communications," revealed Holmes.}
{"I saw him once but I must admit that it was brief and at a distance," said Watson.}
{Watson continued.} "...I must confess to a start when...I saw the man...there...at my threshold."
{I at the end of the room.}" He is extremely tall and thin, his forehead domes out in a white curve,
and his eyes are deeply sunken in his head. He is clean-shaven, pale, and ascetic-looking,
retaining something of the professor in his features. His shoulders are rounded from much
study, and his face protrudes forward and is forever slowly oscillating from side to side in a
curiously reptilian fashion. He peered at me with great curiosity in his puckered eyes."
{Holmes: "Are you sure that it was him." Watson: "What are you getting at?" "Could it have
been someone posing as him for your benefit." "Good heavens,Holmes, allow me on your
train of thought." "Are you certain that it was he." "Your causing me to doubt myself. Are you
doing it again - piling fact upon fact...until reason breaks down under them' ? "Are you certain
that it was he?" "I was expecting him that day. I assumed it was him." "Ah, you assumed.
What did he say?" "He said, 'I need to talk to you, doctor.' He looked at his watch and said,
'Not now, I'm running late. He was the only person to visit that day." "Could it not have been
potentially a new patient?" "Why do you do this to me?"}
{What do you think is transpiring between Citizen Journalist and Dago Red, Holmes."}
"Such was the remarkable narrative to which I listened on that {March} day---a narrative
which would have been utterly incredible to me had it not been confirmed by the actual
sight of the tall, spare figure and the keen, eager face, which I had never thought to see again.
...'Work is the best antidote to {my plight; though of necessity severely curtailed}...I have a
piece of work for us and if we can bring it to a successful conclusion will in itself justify a
man's life on this planet. In vain I begged him to tell me more to no avail; I would have to be patient."
{Holmes paced back and forth for what seemed an eternity. With his back to me, he said,
"Or, we are part of a ruse, concocted by a mastermind. Delicious! Watson: "Holmes, earlier,
you stated that's another case. What did you mean." "Watson, it will keep until we return to
London and Baker Street." I couldn't wait for more.}
{Back in London. I was staring out the window in deep thought. I was startled when Holmes
emerged from the WC and stated loudly, "I have a theory regarding Richard DePersio/
Citizen Journalist. Do you remember a couple of days ago when I said that I was surprised
that Richard De{ersio wasn't here for his good friend---or, was he? Who is tying this. Consider
the staff of CJCS Comsats which, includes, us. The members are listed at
the others can't type for the other reason. "Are they fake; are they posing?," asked Watson.}
"No, no, don't call it a pose. A pose is an artificial thing. This is quite natural {for him/them.}
{Unsurpassed ingenious entertainment and an intellectual exercise to boot. It is a reality.}
"Another glass..." said Mr. Sherlock Holmes as he extended the bottle of Imperial Tokay.
{"Another glass, Mycroft.}
"This is good wine, Holmes."
"A remarkable wine, Watson. Our friend upon the sofa has assured me that it is from Franz
Josef's special cellar at the Schoenbrunn Palace.
{Of course Holmes can do more than one thing at a time---ever the experimenter.}
"Might I trouble you to open the window for chloroform vapour does not help the palate.
THE END
The first review is in: "Superb...Thought-provoking... I see a movie version in the future."
