Morseistakenseriouslyillatamuseumreceptionandishospitalized.Inthehospital,Supt.Strange,visitsMorsetopushhimtotakeearlyretirement,whileDr.Millicent'Millie'VanBurengiveshimherbookona140year-oldcourtcaseknownastheOxfordCanalMurders.Thecaseinvolvedthemurderandrapeofayoungwoman,MrsJoannaFranks,travelingbycanalboatfromCoventrytoLondon.Thecaseresultedinthreeboatmenbeingsentencedtodeathandtwoofthemhanged.MorsestartstoreadMillie'sbookanddreamsaboutit.Hesoonhasanumberofproblemswiththecase.Whyweren'tthethreemenalsochargedwiththeftWhydidMrsFrankstakeaboatinsteadofatrainthatwasmuchfasterandcomfortableandonlyslightlymoreexpensiveWhydidn'tsheabandontheboataftershecomplainedaboutlewdbehaviorofthecrewattheshippingofficeinBanburyWhydidshethendrinkand'socialise'withthecrewWhathappenedtoher'carpetbag'withwhichshearrivedontheboatbutwhichwasnotmentionedinthecourtcase,norwasitstoredinthearchiveswithher,almostempty,trunkThetrunkwasmarkedwithinitialsofherfirsthusbandwhohaddied.HowdidithappenthathershoeswerefoundontheboatbutnobodysawherreturntotheboatfromtheforestPCAdrianKershawdoessomebrilliantlegworkforMorse.Hestudiedhistoryandhasinvaluablebackgroundknowledge.Forinstance,hementionsthattheboatmenhadbadreputationbecausetheyworkedonSundaysanddidnotattendchurch.LaterachapelwasbuiltfortheminOxford.Thedeadwoman'sclothesandtheshoesfoundontheboataresubmittedtomodernforensicinvestigation.Theresultisthattheshoesdidnotbelongtothedeadwomanfoundinthewaterbecauseshewasmuchtaller.Theshoeswereneverusedintheforest.OnlyMrsFranks'husband,CharlesFranks,wascalledtoidentifythebodyofthedeadwoman.Heclaimedthat,whileherfacewasdarkenedanddisfigured,hefoundabirthmarkbehindherear.Theprosecutorwelcomedthatinformationthatonlyahusbandoraloverwouldknow.Theaccusedwerenotshownthebody.Thedefenseattorneymerelyclaimedthattheguiltofthethreemenwasnotproved.Allthreeaccusedclaimedtotheendthattheywereinnocent.OneofthemwasnotexecutedbecauseheembracedChristianityinprison.MorseinstructsKershawtoinvestigateifCharlesFranksbenefitedfromhiswife'sdeathand,indeed,hepocketed300poundsinsurancemoney.CaseclosedCharlesFranksmurderedatallwomenanddroppedherinthecanalaftermeetingJoannaintheforest.IfJoannaFranksjumpedofftheboatatthesametimeasthedeadbodyhitthewater,sheswamtothebankandjoinedherhusband.Thecouplechangedtheirnames,inthecaseof'CharlesFranks'asecondtimeafterhe'died'asJoanna'sfirsthusband.Thefourthboatman,ayoungsterwhowasnotcharged,wasprobablypaidbyJoannatogivefalsetestimony.MorsetravelstoIrelandandhasagraveofJoanna'sfirsthusbandexhumed.Thecoffincontainsbagsofsandandsomestones.如果您喜欢奥立影院(www.aulij.com)分享的《摩斯探长第十一季》,别忘了推荐给你的好友!
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