Играем в "Deadline"
2023-08-31 00:45![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vakПредыстория игры следующая. В 1976 году появляется самая первая в истории текстовая игра "Colossal Cave Adventure". Написана она была в Стенфорде и работала на больших компьютерах, самотёком распространяясь из компании в компанию. В 1977 году студенты MIT решили показать, что они тоже сильны, и сделали аналогичную игру "Zork". В 1979 году эти самые (бывшие) студенты создали компанию Infocom для коммерциализации игры. Успех был грандиозный. В 1980 году вышел коммерческий "Zork I", за ним в 1981-м продолжение "Zork II", следом в 1982-м "Zork III". К этому времени стало понятно, что юзерам приелось одно и то же: ползать по пещерам и собирать ништяки.
В 1982 году Инфоком выпускает игру "Deadline" - первую текстовую игру, где суть состояла в другом. Это было детективное расследование. И здесь я вам эту игру покажу.
Можно играть онлайн: iplayif.com.
Имея Frotz, скачиваем и запускаем игру "Deadline":
В 1982 году Инфоком выпускает игру "Deadline" - первую текстовую игру, где суть состояла в другом. Это было детективное расследование. И здесь я вам эту игру покажу.
Можно играть онлайн: iplayif.com.
Имея Frotz, скачиваем и запускаем игру "Deadline":
$ wget https://github.com/historicalsource/deadline/raw/master/COMPILED/deadline.z3
$ frotz deadline.z3
DEADLINE: An INTERLOGIC Mystery
Copyright 1982 by Infocom, Inc. All rights reserved.
DEADLINE and INTERLOGIC are trademarks of Infocom, Inc.
Release 27 / Serial number 831005
South Lawn
You are on a wide lawn just north of the entrance to the Robner estate. Directly north at the end of a pebbled path is the Robner house, flanked to the northeast and northwest by a vast expanse of well-kept lawn. Beyond the house can be seen the lakefront.
> north
Front Path
You are at the Robners' front door, which is closed.
You can walk around the house from here to the east or west. To the south a rolling lawn leads to the entrance of the estate.
> open door
The front door is now open.
> north
Mrs. Robner appears, walking down a hallway from the north.
"Hello," she says, "I'm Mrs. Robner. Please come in. I'm afraid I really can't help you much. This is surely a terrible waste of time, not to mention upsetting, having all these police marching around the house. This has been a trying time, as I suppose you can understand. As I told Mr. Coates and the other detective, you may look around but you must be out by 8 o'clock at the latest. Oh, I almost forgot...Mr. Coates will be reading my husband's will at noon in the living room. You may attend if you wish.""I'm going to make myself some breakfast now. I'll be around all day if you need anything. I'll do what I can to help. Good day!"
Foyer
This is the foyer of the Robner house, beautifully appointed with a fine crystal chandelier, marble floors, and a large marble-topped table. The front door, to the south, is closed. The foyer continues north.
Mrs. Robner heads off to the north.
> north
North of Foyer
This is a hallway north of the foyer. To the west is an open doorway, and to the east is the foot of a staircase. The hall continues north.
Mrs. Robner heads off to the north.
> east
Bottom of Stairs
You are at the foot of the stairs to the second floor. Open archways lead west and south.
> up
Stairs
You are on a landing halfway up the flight of stairs. You notice that the stairs do indeed make quite a noise when stepped upon.
> up
Top of Stairs
You are at the top of the staircase where short hallways run north and south and a corridor the length of the house heads west.
> west
Hallway
You are just west of the staircase. There are doors on both sides (north and south) of the hallway, which continues west. Both doors are closed.
> west
Hallway
This is approximately the middle of the corridor, a convenient place for a closet full of linens. Stairs to the east and a window to the west are about equidistant. The closet, to the north, is open and rather shallow.
> west
Hallway
This section of hallway is near the west end. Through the window at the end of the hall you can see some trees and the lake beyond. The hallway continues east and west, and a door to the south is closed.
> west
End of Hallway
This is the west end of the upstairs hall. To the north is the library, where Mr. Robner was found. Its solid oak door has been knocked down and is lying just inside the entrance to the library. A window which cannot be opened is at the end of the hallway.
> north
Library
This is the library where Mr. Robner's body was found. It is decorated in a simple but comfortable style. Mr. Robner obviously spent a great deal of time here. A wide executive desk sits before tall balcony windows which lie at the north of the room. A telephone is sitting on the desk. The east side of the room is composed of three large bookshelf units containing numerous volumes on many topics. The floor is carpeted from wall to wall. The massive oak door which blocked the entrance has been forcibly knocked off its hinges and is lying by the doorway.
A pencil is lying on the floor near the desk.
Beside the desk is a large collapsible tray.
Sitting on the tray is a bowl containing a white powdery substance.
Alongside the desk is a wicker wastepaper basket.
The wastepaper basket contains:
A bunch of crumpled papers
Lying on the floor, overturned, is a beautiful saucer.
Turned onto its side, lying on the floor, is a beautiful teacup.
Lying atop the desk is a pad of white note paper.
A desk calendar is here, open to July 7.
There is a bottle of Ebullion here.
> examine rug
The carpet is an expensive affair, and quite clean, except for a few small areas of dried mud in the vicinity of the desk. There are no other stains or markings that you can see.
> get cup
Taken.
> get pad
Taken.
> get calendar
Taken.
> get pencil
Taken.
> rub pencil on pad
Shading the paper with the pencil reveals impressions left by writing on the previous sheet. The writer must borne down heavily, but only a few words come out clearly:Baxter, st time nsist op merg mnidy Oth forc ocumen y poss plica y Focus s recons late! rsha
> turn page of calendar
It is open to July 8.
There is only one notation here, in the 9AM spot: "Call Coates: Will completed".
> open balcony door
The balcony door is now open.
> north
Library Balcony
The balcony is bare of furniture, though it has a beautiful view of the rose garden, the north lawn and the lake. A metal railing around the balcony prevents an accidental drop to the thorny roses below. The window between the balcony and the library is open.
Away to the north, Mr. McNabb can be seen mowing the grass.
> examine railing
The railing is made of a sturdy metal and helps prevent nasty falls. There is a small area of paint scraped off the outside edge.
> south
Library
Beside the desk is a large collapsible tray.
Sitting on the tray is a bowl containing a white powdery substance.
Alongside the desk is a wicker wastepaper basket.
The wastepaper basket contains:
A bunch of crumpled papers
Lying on the floor, overturned, is a beautiful saucer.
There is a bottle of Ebullion here.
> south
End of Hallway
> east
Hallway
> east
Hallway
> east
Hallway
> east
Top of Stairs
> down
Stairs
> down
Bottom of Stairs
> west
North of Foyer
> south
Foyer
To the north Mrs. Robner enters the hallway from the north.
> open door
The front door is now open.
Mrs. Robner, off to the north, ducks into a room to the west.
> south
Front Path
> east
East of Front Door
You are in front of the Robner house just east of the front door. A small window, closed and securely locked, is the only thing of note here. To the northeast is the east side of the house.
The ornately carved cornerstone of the house is nearby.
> east
East Lawn
You are on a neatly manicured lawn, east of the house, which extends north and east to the shore of a lake. To the northwest is a peaceful orchard, and toward the south another wide lawn. Southeast, beside the lake, is a small shed with a solitary dirty window.
Mr. McNabb is off to the northwest.
> se
Shed
This small garden shed is filled with implements of gardening and lawn care. Shelves filled with various tools line the walls and a filthy window looks out on the lawn.
Leaning in a corner is a wooden ladder.
> examine ladder
The ladder is a typical gardening ladder, about fifteen feet long and caked with dirt and dried mud.
> north
East Lawn
Mr. McNabb is off to the northwest.
> south
South Lawn
> north
Front Path
> north
Foyer
> north
North of Foyer
> east
Bottom of Stairs
> up
Stairs
> up
Top of Stairs
> south
South Upstairs Hall
The hallway turns a corner here and continues east. To the north is the head of the stairs. A door to the south is open.
> south
Dunbar's Bathroom
This bathroom contains the usual sink, toilet, and bath. A medicine cabinet, closed, is above the sink. A door to the north is open.
> open cabinet
Opening the cabinet reveals a bottle of LoBlo, a bottle of cough medicine, and a bottle of aspirin.
> examine lobloFrobizz Pharmacy #69105 Ms. S. Dunbar LoBLO Take 1 tablet 3 times daily Fizmo Labs, Ltd. - Kingston, Ont. LoBLO Brand of Methsparin, USP 10mg Tablets Warning: LoBLO may be dangerous when used in combination with other medications. Please read the enclosed circular prior to using these tablets.
> north
South Upstairs Hall
> north
Top of Stairs
> down
Stairs
> down
Bottom of Stairs
> west
North of Foyer
> south
Foyer
To the north Ms. Dunbar enters the hallway from the west.
> south
Front Path
> wait until 11:30
Time passes...
You notice a very faint ringing sound coming from the house.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
A car pulls up the drive to the south, and Mr. Baxter steps out onto the lawn.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
A mailman walks briskly up to you, hands you an envelope, and departs.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Mr. Baxter is walking past you.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Mr. Baxter heads off to the north.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
To the east Mr. McNabb comes into view from the northwest.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Mr. McNabb, off to the east, disappears from sight to the northwest.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
The local paperboy, in an amazing athletic feat, throws a newspaper toward the house from a distance of at least 100 feet. It even lands beside the front door, rather than in the bushes.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
It is now 11:30 am.
> east
East of Front Door
The ornately carved cornerstone of the house is nearby.
> east
East Lawn
> nw
Orchard Path
You are on a path at the edge of a small orchard of fruit trees which abuts the eastern side of the back of the house. The orchard is obviously intended more to display the beauty of the blossoms in spring than to produce significant amounts of fruit. The windows of the kitchen look out onto the orchard, although your view of them is blocked by the trees and a small grape arbor. To the west is a path along a rose garden, and lawns sweep out to the north and east.
Mr. McNabb is off to the west.
> west
Garden Path
You are at the edge of a large rose garden, meticulously maintained by the gardener, Mr. McNabb. He is said to be exceedingly proud of this particular garden, which is the envy of the neighbors. Rows of roses are neatly arranged and the sweet fragrance of the flowers is worth a trip here in itself. An orchard to the east contains many varieties of fruit trees and wide lawns lie to the west and north. The roses themselves are to the south, filling the area between you and the back of the house.
Mr. McNabb is here, cutting fresh flowers. He seems quite worked up and is talking aloud to himself.
> hey McNabb
Mr. McNabb is facing you.
> what is wrong
(said to Mr. McNabb)
He tells you his story. He was tending to the roses this morning when he noticed two deep holes in the garden, with a few roses crushed nearby. He doesn't know when he'll be able to repair the damage.
> show me the holes
(said to Mr. McNabb)
"Follow me!" he says, and starts walking toward the roses.
Mr. McNabb heads off to the south.
> follow him
Among the Roses
You are among rows of roses. The ground is soft, and your footsteps leave a rather bad impression as many poor seedlings are trampled underfoot. A safer place to admire the flowers lies to the north. A window to the south allows a view into the house.
There is no way into the house from here.
McNabb grabs your arm and leads you to a spot deep within the garden and near the house. You might never have found this place alone. He points at the ground, where you see two holes in the soft earth.
Mr. McNabb heads off to the north.
> examine holes
There are two holes here, each about two inches by four inches. They are at least three inches deep and the soil is compacted around them.
> examine ground
Ouch! You cut your finger on a sharp edge as you dig. You search carefully in the dirt, now that you are sure something is there, and pull up a piece of porcelain, covered with dirt and dried mud.
> dig around holes
Aside from dirt, organic fertilizer, and small crawly creatures, you turn up nothing but roses.
> analyze fragment for loblo
Sergeant Duffy walks up as quietly as a mouse. He takes the fragment from you. "I'll return soon with the results," he says, and leaves as silently as he entered.
> north
Garden Path
Mr. McNabb is here, planting seeds. He seems quite worked up and is talking aloud to himself.
> sw
West Lawn
This is a sprawling lawn west of the Robner house. To the west and north is the lake shore. To the northeast is a rose garden, and to the south another wide lawn.
> se
West of Front Door
You are in front of the Robner house just west of the front door. To the north is a large bay window through which can be seen part of the living room. To the northwest is the west side of the house.
> east
Front Path
Leaning against the front door is today's issue of the Daily Herald.
> north
Foyer
> north
North of Foyer
> west
Living Room
This is a large and impressive room, whose furnishings bespeak the great personal wealth of the Robners. The south side of the room is a large bay window, now closed, which looks out onto the front yard.
A wood pile sits beside a huge fieldstone fireplace. A double doorway leading to the main hall is the only exit. Pictures of Mrs. Robner's colonial ancestors line one wall. The room contains formal seating for at least fifteen people, in several groups of chairs and couches. Tables and cabinets, all of the finest mahogany and walnut, complete the furnishings. On one of the tables is a telephone.
Ms. Dunbar is sitting on the sofa here.
Mrs. Robner is sitting here, knitting.
Mr. Baxter is sitting here reading a book.
> examine envelopeCANAAN CT POST OFFICE * JULY 06 * 08:00 * Mrs. Marshall Robner 506 Lake View Rd. Maitland, Ct.
> wait for Coates
Time passes...
You can hear footsteps on the staircase.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
George steps into the room.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Mr. Coates steps into the room.
Mr. Coates shakes your hand. "I'm glad you're here, Inspector. We'll begin the reading soon."
Mr. Coates begins: "This is an awkward situation. Mr. Robner told me five days ago that he wanted to execute a new will, and promised to call me when it was completed. As I never heard from him, I must assume that he either changed his mind or did not complete the new will. Therefore, the one in my possession must be considered the most recent testament."
From the corner of your eye, you catch George nodding his head, as if in approval, and smiling broadly.
Continuing, Mr. Coates says: "Naturally, should a more recent will exist and be found within a reasonable period, the present one will be voided. I will proceed with reading the will here in my hands, which was executed three years ago last month." He reads the will, simply written and direct, leaving equal parts of the estate to his son, George Arthur Robner, and his wife, Mrs. Leslie Phillips Robner.
There is some discussion, understated congratulations and overstated sympathy, which Mr. Coates cuts short by clearing his throat. "I must leave now, I'm afraid. If you have any questions, I can be contacted tomorrow." He picks up the phone, dials his office, and asks to be picked up at the Robner estate. Mr. Coates, for whom you are waiting, has arrived.
It is now 11:57 am.
> show George the calendar
"I...uh...I don't really know what to say. I guess that Dad...but there is no other...I can't help you...sorry." George seems to be quite agitated. "I've...got to be going now. I'll see you later," George says. He starts to leave.
George heads off to the east.
Mr. Coates heads off to the east.
> follow him
North of Foyer
"Please stop following me around like this. Can I have no privacy? I'm simply trying to take care of something personal."
George heads off to the east.
Mr. Coates heads off to the south.
> follow him
Bottom of Stairs
"Please stop following me around like this. Can I have no privacy? I'm simply
trying to take care of something personal."
George is going upstairs.
> follow him
Stairs
"Stop following me. My business is private."
George is going upstairs.
> follow him
Top of Stairs
"Please stop following me around like this. Can I have no privacy? I'm simply trying to take care of something personal."
George heads off to the west.
> follow him
Hallway
"Stop following me. My business is private."
George heads off to the west.
> follow him
Hallway
"Please stop following me around like this. Can I have no privacy? I'm simply trying to take care of something personal."
George heads off to the west.
> follow him
Hallway
"Stop following me. My business is private."
George heads off to the south.
> west
End of Hallway
You hear George's door close.
> north
Library
Beside the desk is a large collapsible tray.
Sitting on the tray is a bowl containing a white powdery substance.
Alongside the desk is a wicker wastepaper basket.
The wastepaper basket contains:
A bunch of crumpled papers
Lying on the floor, overturned, is a beautiful saucer.
There is a bottle of Ebullion here.
> north
Library Balcony
> wait 10 minutes
Time passes...
You see George through the doorway, looking down the hallway, then darting into the library.
Sergeant Duffy seems to arrive from nowhere, holding the fragment in his hands. "The fragment did contain LoBlo. Here is the full report." He hands you a slip of paper, and departs.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
George walks purposefully toward the bookshelves. He looks around, but you react before he can see you. When you peek out again, George is fiddling with the shelves. His right arm reaches into the shelf and, to your amazement, the unit of bookshelves on the left rotates away from the wall, revealing a darkened room behind. George enters it, trembling with barely controlled fear and excitement.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
A dim light in the hidden closet comes on. In the faint light, you can see
George motioning with his right hand. All at once, the shelf swings shut!
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >no
It is now 12:13 pm.
> wait 6 minutes
Time passes...
It is now 12:19 pm.
> south
Library
Beside the desk is a large collapsible tray.
Sitting on the tray is a bowl containing a white powdery substance.
Alongside the desk is a wicker wastepaper basket.
The wastepaper basket contains:
A bunch of crumpled papers
Lying on the floor, overturned, is a beautiful saucer.
There is a bottle of Ebullion here.
> examine bookshelf
The shelves contain many books and manuscripts covering a wide range of subjects. They are meticulously arranged. One book is out of place, however, leaving a gap in one row. On closer inspection, a small black button can be seen at the back of this gap.
> press button
The leftmost shelf quietly swings out against the balcony window. As the shelf swings open, George spins to face you. His expression, first seemingly wild with happiness, changes to one of panic and horror. He jerks around, trying feebly to conceal a piece of paper in his hands. He jumps toward you, then recoils in fear. Finally, sobbing, he crumples to the floor, clutching the paper beneath him. A large combination safe, imbedded in a wall, is lying open. You enter the hidden closet.
Hidden Closet
This is a secret room situated between the library and the master bedroom. The room is bare and somewhat dusty, as if it were not often used. An unmarked switchplate surrounds two buttons, one blue and one red. A formidable safe is embedded in the south wall. The heavy safe door is wide open.
The library can be seen through a door to the west.
George is here.
George is holding:
A new will
> get will
Taken.
> examine safe
A stack of papers bound together is in the safe.
> get papers
Oh, no. The fragment slips from your arms while you are taking the stack of papers, and both tumble to the ground.
The fragment is now on the floor.
> read papers
(Taken)
Leafing through these papers, it becomes obvious that they incriminate Mr. Baxter in wrongdoings regarding the Focus scandal. They document funds which were embezzled by Baxter and tell how the scandal was hushed up. This evidence would be sufficient to convict Mr. Baxter in the Focus case.
> west
Library
Beside the desk is a large collapsible tray.
Sitting on the tray is a bowl containing a white powdery substance.
Alongside the desk is a wicker wastepaper basket.
The wastepaper basket contains:
A bunch of crumpled papers
Lying on the floor, overturned, is a beautiful saucer.
There is a bottle of Ebullion here.
> south
End of Hallway
To the east Mrs. Robner enters the hallway from downstairs.
> east
Hallway
Mrs. Robner is to the east, heading toward the west.
> east
Hallway
Mrs. Robner, off to the east, ducks into a room to the north.
> east
Hallway
> east
Top of Stairs
> down
Stairs
> down
Bottom of Stairs
> west
North of Foyer
> west
Living Room
Ms. Dunbar is sitting on the sofa here.
Mr. Baxter is sitting here reading a book.
> hey Baxter
Mr. Baxter is facing you.
> what about Focus
(said to Mr. Baxter)
There is a flicker of surprise on Baxter's face. "I'm not sure what you mean. Focus Corporation has been a subsidiary of Robner Corp. for some years. I fail to see its import."
> show papers to Baxter
He reads slowly and leafs through the pages. "I'm afraid I haven't been entirely candid with you. There was some trouble a few years ago with Focus Corp. because of some, let us say, irresponsible dealings on my part. Marshall agreed to cover up my involvement to save the company any bad publicity."
> show lab report to Dunbar
She seems stunned but recovers quickly. "He didn't commit suicide, then?" she says. "But LoBlo, that's a pill I take for my blood pressure." She pauses. "I can tell what you're thinking, but I didn't, couldn't have done it. Why should I? Someone must have taken them, maybe George. He knew I used them."
> show lab report to Baxter
Baxter studies the report carefully. "This is quite peculiar. It appears that Marshall was murdered. I wonder...I would have a word with George if I were you, Inspector."
> accuse Dunbar
"No! I didn't do it! I've worked for Mr. Robner for years. What possible motive could I have?" With that, Ms. Dunbar begins to cry and move about the room quite nervously.
Ms. Dunbar glances at Baxter and then at you.
> east
North of Foyer
> wait for Dunbar
Time passes...
Ms. Dunbar is walking past you.
Ms. Dunbar, for whom you are waiting, has arrived.
It is now 12:48 pm.
> follow her
You're in the same place as Ms. Dunbar!
Ms. Dunbar heads off to the south.
> follow her
Foyer
Ms. Dunbar heads off to the south.
> follow her
Front Path
Leaning against the front door is today's issue of the Daily Herald. Ms. Dunbar spots you and stops. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a cigarette. As she does so, what appears to be a ticket stub falls out of her pocket and floats to the ground. She checks her pocket again, apparently for a match, but finds none and puts the cigarette back in her pocket.
> get ticket
Taken.
Ms. Dunbar stares off toward the south.
> read ticketHartford Philharmonic Orchestra July 7, 1982 - 8PM - Row R / Seat 7 -^-^-^-^-^-^-^
Ms. Dunbar eyes you nervously.
> show ticket to Dunbar
"Oh, I...well, I guess I should tell you. You see, Mr. Baxter and I, we go together to concerts, only occasionally, you understand. We went that night, the night Marshall died. Then he took me home and that's it. I should have said something before, but I just didn't think it was important, and, well, I didn't think that the others should know we were seeing each other socially. Our...nobody knows about it, you know. Please don't say anything!"
Ms. Dunbar seems to be deep in thought.
> east
East of Front Door
Ms. Dunbar is off to the west.
The ornately carved cornerstone of the house is nearby.
Ms. Dunbar seems to be deep in thought.
> east
East Lawn
Mr. McNabb is off to the northwest.
Ms. Dunbar is off to the west.
Ms. Dunbar stares off toward the south.
Ms. Dunbar is to the west, heading toward the east.
> se
Shed
> wait for Baxter
Time passes...
Ms. Dunbar stops here.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Dunbar paces around the shed nervously. If she was looking for something, she would have found it by now.
Do you want to keep waiting? (Y/N) >yes
Ms. Dunbar seems to be looking around for something.
Mr. Baxter stops here.
Mr. Baxter, for whom you are waiting, has arrived.
It is now 1:08 pm.
> show ticket to Baxter
"Ah, that must be Ms. Dunbar's ticket stub. I should have told you earlier. Ms. Dunbar was with me at the concert on the night that Marshall killed himself. She became ill at intermission and hired a car to take her back home. You see, Inspector, I know that Ms. Dunbar appreciates classical music, so I occasionally ask her along to my subscription series. I really should have told the other detective, but I didn't think it mattered."
> arrest Baxter and Dunbar
Text of a letter from Police Commissioner Klutz dated September 5:
Dear Inspector,
Congratulations on your superb handling of the Robner case. As you have probably heard, a jury convicted Mr. Baxter and Ms. Dunbar today of the murder of Mr. Robner. Thanks to you, the murderers will be behind bars, possibly for the rest of their lives. Thanks for a job brilliantly done. Which reminds me of another fascinating case I would like to assign you to...
You have solved the case! If you would like, you may see the author's summary of the story. We would advise you to come up with your own first! Would you like to see the author's summary? (Y/N) >yes
Mr. Robner's work was his life, as pointed out by a number of the principals. George knew that his father had lost control of the company, and a story in the newspaper indicated that Baxter intended to sell the company to a multi-national conglomerate, presumably to advance his career. Baxter admitted to the merger plans, but indicated that Mr. Robner was in complete agreement. This is contrary to what George and Mrs. Robner said. The note pad found in the library was Robner's last, desperate attempt to save the company, in which Robner threatened to expose Baxter's involvement in the Focus scandal. Baxter denied getting the note, but it was not in the trash. The papers detailing Baxter's criminality in the scandal were kept locked in a safe in a hidden closet near the library. Only George and Marshall Robner knew the whereabouts of the safe.
Baxter planned to murder his partner, aided by the fact that Robner was known to be depressed, even suicidal. He enlisted the help of his lover, Dunbar, one of whose medicines was found to interact fatally with the pills Robner was taking. The relationship of Baxter and Dunbar was kept quiet, although Mrs. Rourke had an inkling of it. After the concert in Hartford which both Baxter and Dunbar attended, they returned to the Robner estate. Dunbar placed some LoBlo in Robner's tea. After Robner died, Baxter used the ladder from the shed to enter the library and exchange the incriminating cup for a clean one (counting the china in the kitchen reveals that a cup is missing). Coming down the ladder, Baxter presumably dropped the cup and inadvertently left one piece on the ground in the rose garden, near the ladder holes that McNabb found while tending his roses.
