The Dastardly Case of the Dead Man’s Tale (Part the Second)
(Being a report sent to Bounder Roliman Primstone of the Watch by Deputy-Shirriff Lancogard North-took, on assignment; with annotations from himself and from Bounder Applecider Bolingbroke)
DELVER’S BURROW, OATBARTON, Northfarthing in the Shire, on this the 1st day of Solmath:
The Dastardly Case of the Dead Man’s Tale
CASE STATUS: Active and Ongoing
Lancogard North-Took to Roliman Primstone, greeting: what follows can and should be added to the official case file as this situation develops.
On the 28th of Afteryule, I laid up at the burrow of the Delver brothers to await word from Bounder Bolingbroke; she arrived late on the 29th, and after a decent supper and dinner to fortify ourselves, I took her report and we immediately began comparing notes and deciding on our next move.
(NOTE: Here it must be said that Cider Bolingbroke is possessed of clever investigation techniques, in getting all possible information from her subject. She is an investigator of the first order. The revelations that Cider uncovered make for an astonishing turn of events that have changed the course of this case.)
It now appears that the deceased Master Crane was, in fact, an agent of the Rangers on assignment in the region of the Northfarthing and the northern Bounds, operating under the name of “Black Fox”. The Ranger called Halros confirms that he was his contact and provisioner; indeed, they met one time north of Scary, to receive supplies and exchange news. Ranger Halros was also aware, ahead of the Shirriffs it would seem, of Crane’s demise and deemed it unnecessary to divulge this news to the Shiriffs; the Rangers came to the same conclusions we have, that he was done in elsewhere and the body dumped in the Scragdells to throw off pursuit. What is NOT clear, not by a longbow’s shot, is why Crane was in the field at all, and the witherto’s and the whyfore’s of his demise.
What was as equally startling as Bounder Bolingbroke’s tidings was the letter I received while waiting for her arrival – from an Elf named Teahesto, who knew both Black Fox and meself. This letter contained new information regarding Crane’s movements and, while having only a few items relevant to the case, made more questions than answers. It seems that his two friends in Bree are grieving and their whereabouts unknown; but there had been some recent skullduggery at the man’s old homestead up near Trestlebridge. The Elf-letter further states that Crane was intending on going to Trestlebridge after Yule – but all indications are that he was killed on the 28th of Foreyule, so he never made that trip.
The Rangers have taken it upon themselves to warn the Shirriffs, through Bolingbroke, that they themselves would investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Black Fox, and until they decide their course the hobbits of the Shire are NOT to investigate further.
Both myself, and Bounder Bolingbroke can answer that request with one word: Balderdash.
With these new tidings, it is clear that there is a danger to hobbits lurking in the lands north of Oatbarton; and Deputy-Shirriff North-took and Bounder Bolingbroke are resolved to continue their investigation. We laid in supplies and stores on the 30th and are departing up the Northway to call at Dwaling to seek news of the district and determine the state of things. This letter shall be posted at dawn on the First prior to riding out.
Respectfully Submitted,
LN-T (his mark)
AB (her mark)
