Chapter 3: Looking for the Answers

Once we were alone, except for the Sheriff, I asked. "There six primary questions in any investigation to which we need answers. What are they?"

Karen answered. "My word! I know that one. Who, what, where, when why and how."

"Keee ... rrect! Now, when he met us, Sheriff Earp told us the 'what', the 'where' and the 'when'. That just leaves the 'who', which should be obvious, together with the 'how' and the 'why'!

"Now, Boss, what do we do next?" asked Karen.

"We get you, Sheriff, to take us to the healer's house, but first, I need to ask Goodman Jones one more question."

We split up and I went to the strong room to find the Manager. He was still listing his losses. "Excuse me, Goodman, but can you tell me the state of Healer Murchison's account?"

"I'm not sure that I should tell you, but as you are a Director of the NEBI I suppose it's all right. Well, he has some problems. He does a lot of charity work and doesn't charge his richer customers enough to cover his expenses. He is falling behind somewhat with his mortgage. In fact, if it was anyone else, I would be thinking of foreclosure, I'm sorry to say."

"Thank you! We'll be off now!"

I joined the Sheriff and Karen outside the bank. A short walk of a couple of blocks and we reached the Healer's house. It was a modest dwelling set back from the street. We went up the path and Sheriff Earp knocked on the front door. It was opened by a gray-haired lady.

She said. "The Healer's not at ... Oh it's you Sheriff Come in, Come in."

Sheriff Earp introduced us to Mistress Watson, Healer Murchison's housekeeper,

She escorted us into the drawing room and said "Now, what can I do for you folk?"

"I understand, that Healer Murchison has gone to Cimarron. Did you see him depart?"

"Oh yes! He left just after nine o'clock this morning with both his pack horses ... I wondered about that. He usually takes only one pack horse to Cimarron. It seemed as though he was taking something with him. They looked as though they were carrying a good load."

"Tell me. Do you have any pictures of the Healer?"

"No the Healer's very shy. He always says that he's not pretty enough to have his likeness created."

"Please describe him for us."

"He's short. He's a couple of inches shorter than I am. His head is disproportionately large and it's stuck on a very skinny body. His hair is shortish and it stands up all over his head. Having said that, he has a very sweet disposition."

"Thank you, Mistress Watson. There is just one more thing. Do you have any unwashed clothing or other article that has been in contact with the Healer?"

"No! He always insists that his laundry is done promptly. The other articles that might have done would be all in his Healer's bag. I'm sorry that I can't think of anything ... Ooh! There is one thing; his dinner napkin. Shall I get it for you?"

"No thank you! Perhaps you would be kind enough to show me where it is without touching it."

Mistress Watson led us into the dining room and pointed out the napkin. I dismantled my psychic compass and associated the needle with the napkin. We then thanked her for her assistance and left. The sheriff escorted us back to his office and then left us to confer.

Karen said, "Sarah was telling me about your lapbook. Would it not help us find Healer Murchison as it did her brother Oliver?"

"Of course it would! It's so new that I forgot all about it." I delved into my bag and took out the lap book. Looking like a blank canvas fifteen inches by ten. I placed my thumb in the bottom right-hand corner and waited.