剧情介绍
Morseistakenseriouslyillatamuseumreceptionandishospitalized.Inthehospital,Supt.Strange,visitsMorsetopushhimtotakeearlyretirement,whileDr.MillicentMillieVanBurengiveshimherbookona140year-oldcourtcaseknownastheOxfordCanalMurders.Thecaseinvolvedthemurderandrapeofayoungwoman,MrsJoannaFranks,travelingbycanalboatfromCoventrytoLondon.Thecaseresultedinthreeboatmenbeingsentencedtodeathandtwoofthemhanged.MorsestartstoreadMilliesbookanddreamsaboutit.Hesoonhasanumberofproblemswiththecase.Whywerentthethreemenalsochargedwiththeft?WhydidMrsFrankstakeaboatinsteadofatrainthatwasmuchfasterandcomfortableandonlyslightlymoreexpensive?WhydidntsheabandontheboataftershecomplainedaboutlewdbehaviorofthecrewattheshippingofficeinBanbury?Whydidshethendrinkandsocialisewiththecrew?Whathappenedtohercarpetbagwithwhichshearrivedontheboatbutwhichwasnotmentionedinthecourtcase,norwasitstoredinthearchiveswithher,almostempty,trunk?Thetrunkwasmarkedwithinitialsofherfirsthusbandwhohaddied.Howdidithappenthathershoeswerefoundontheboatbutnobodysawherreturntotheboatfromtheforest?PCAdrianKershawdoessomebrilliantlegworkforMorse.Hestudiedhistoryandhasinvaluablebackgroundknowledge.Forinstance,hementionsthattheboatmenhadbadreputationbecausetheyworkedonSundaysanddidnotattendchurch.LaterachapelwasbuiltfortheminOxford.Thedeadwomansclothesandtheshoesfoundontheboataresubmittedtomodernforensicinvestigation.Theresultisthattheshoesdidnotbelongtothedeadwomanfoundinthewaterbecauseshewasmuchtaller.Theshoeswereneverusedintheforest.OnlyMrsFrankshusband,CharlesFranks,wascalledtoidentifythebodyofthedeadwoman.Heclaimedthat,whileherfacewasdarkenedanddisfigured,hefoundabirthmarkbehindherear.Theprosecutorwelcomedthatinformationthatonlyahusbandoraloverwouldknow.Theaccusedwerenotshownthebody.Thedefenseattorneymerelyclaimedthattheguiltofthethreemenwasnotproved.Allthreeaccusedclaimedtotheendthattheywereinnocent.OneofthemwasnotexecutedbecauseheembracedChristianityinprison.MorseinstructsKershawtoinvestigateifCharlesFranksbenefitedfromhiswifesdeathand,indeed,hepocketed300poundsinsurancemoney.Caseclosed:CharlesFranksmurderedatallwomenanddroppedherinthecanalaftermeetingJoannaintheforest.IfJoannaFranksjumpedofftheboatatthesametimeasthedeadbodyhitthewater,sheswamtothebankandjoinedherhusband.Thecouplechangedtheirnames,inthecaseofCharlesFranksasecondtimeafterhediedasJoannasfirsthusband.Thefourthboatman,ayoungsterwhowasnotcharged,wasprobablypaidbyJoannatogivefalsetestimony.MorsetravelstoIrelandandhasagraveofJoannasfirsthusbandexhumed.Thecoffincontainsbagsofsandandsomestones.
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