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the devils’ pocket.” of the morning putting all the clues together.
Penny picked up the magnifying glass lying She had a foolproof plan to reveal the identity
on the table and leaned closer. “It’s red, like a of Williams’s murderer at the meeting. It would

ribbon and there’s something dark. What is it?” take all her skills to pull it off.
“Penny, it’s a red ribbon tied to a skeleton key. As if on cue Rich and Carl arrived, followed
Just like this one.” Laura pulled out the key to by Terry, John, and Mark. The usual chatter
Peabody Mansion that she had been carrying in occurred as people hung up their coats and

her purse for the past few weeks and held it up found their places. Laura checked her watch.
for Penny to see. Five more minutes. She saw the headlights of an
“It could be the same. I don’t get it.” approaching car through the window and took a
“Don’t you see, he had a key to the mansion? deep breath. A few minutes later the door opened,

I think he let himself in today. Then when we and a tall broad-shouldered man entered the
showed up, he locked us in the basement. Think room. Laura walked towards him and extended
about it. Someone wrote a letter to William asking her hand. “Welcome, I’m Laura Larson.”
for more time to pay his debt, he mentioned “Jim Johnson, nice to meet you. I heard there

for old times’ sake. He must have been a long- is a Toastmasters meeting here tonight. I’ve been
time friend, maybe even a close family friend. meaning to attend a meeting for a long time.”
He talked to Linda the night of the party and “We’re glad to have you. We are just about to
convinced her that William didn’t love her. There start. Please have a seat.” Laura found him one

was no mention in the police report of money next to John just as Penny gaveled the meeting
found on William. I bet the other devil went to order. After welcoming Jim, Penny turned
downstairs to give William the money and asked control over to Toastmaster John. Following the
for more time and things got out of hand. He had usual formalities, he introduced the first speaker.

motive, opportunity, and means.” “Miss Marple is one of the most beloved
“Laura, are you telling me that the killer is sleuths in fiction. Tonight, our speaker will share
in our Club?” Penny’s voice cracked as she asked how Miss Marple helped her solve a mystery.
the question. With her speech titled Case Closed, please join

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying, and I me in welcoming Distinguished Toastmaster
know who it is.” Laura Larson.”
“Well, don’t beat around the bush just tell me.” Laura marched to the lectern, looked John in
Penny demanded. the eye, and returned a firm handshake.”

“I wonder what Miss Marple would do in this “It has been thirty years since William
situation?” asked Laura. “Penny, you should go Peabody died in this house. Many believed it to
home. I have more work to do.” be an accident. I believe it was murder. This is
his story. William loved nice things. He found

Toastmasters Meeting – Peabody Mansion that his allowance wasn’t enough. During his
Laura and Penny arrived extra early to get freshman year, he started a loan business for
ready for the meeting. Laura was both exhausted students with gambling problems using his
and excited. She had stayed up until the wee hours allowance, and turned it into tens of thousands

VOICES! | JUNE 2023 33