Sherlock / JFK Murder

Linkedin Long-form Post – Submission #2

Excerpt from Sherlock Investigates JFK’s Murder

James Francis Smith

Just before en entering the residence, Sherlock turned. “I’m most interested in learning the four-W’, Was, Where, When.”

“Why?” Watson asked.

“Elementary my dear Watson. If a person, such as General Walker, was on an airplane, he couldn’t have been the assassin.”

“Yes, but he could have been involved in a conspiracy.”

“True my friend, but that’s a secondary concern.”

After listening to the exchange, Rose handed Watson a copy of the morning’s tabulator report and hurried into the house to escape the rain.

For the next two days, Sherlock failed to venture from his room, except to procure something from the kitchen while the others slept. Appearing on the third day looking as fresh as if he had spent the entire time in dreamland, Sherlock beckoned Watson, and none other, to accompany him into the garden. Heading toward a far corner, Sherlock began to examine the nearby ground. When Watson inquired as to what he was about. “I’m making certain no listening devices had been planted. Being none, we can converse freely.”

Referring to Ms. Kelly’s tabulator printout, which was covered with his unique scrawl, Sherlock began pointing out inconsistencies interspersed with hypothetical questions.

Watson initially tried to take notes, but his detective friend spoke swiftly as though he wanted to project his thoughts before they were forgotten. After a futile attempt, Watson gave up the note taking and tried to grasp what his companion was trying to get across.

“Most people, including J. Edgar Hoover and the Warren Commission, have declared that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman. We must start our investigation there with Oswald, Have Miss Kelly redo the portion of her report that substantiated “Who Was Where doing What.”

“Why? It looks fine to me.”

“The report must contain only what is an absolute certainty, not suppositions?”

“Such as?”

“The supposition that Oswald brought a brown paper wrapping to the Book Depository that may have contained a rifle.”

“Why isn’t that a fact? He was seen by his driver. Even said the package contained “curtain rods.”

“My point exactly. The Commission accepted the unsubstantiated word of a single witness, a witness who, himself, may have been the one bringing the package into the School Depository.”

“What brought you to that conclusion?”

“My dear Watson what have I taught you. Facts must be verified. Here we have the word of only one person. No other employee stepped forward and stated they saw Oswald carry a package into work that day!”

“But they found Oswald’s rifle on the sixth floor.”

“That’s a point, we’ll investigate further. For the moment, let’s remain with the issue at hand. Oswald’s driver didn’t enter the building with Oswald. Frazer remained behind with his parked car, ostensibly to recharge his battery. After their lengthy ride to work, the battery should not have needed to be recharged. Therefore, both he and Oswald had the opportunity to have taken the rifle into the Depository.”

“What would Frazier’s reason be?’”

“We’ll learn that answer when we learn more about Mr. Buell Wesley Frazier. For the time being, have Miss Kelly rearrange her report and place the discussion regarding the brown paper wrapper in the section labeled ‘other.’”