"Murder X 3"

by JJ Mingione

Copyright ©2004
ISBN: 0-87714-865-1 eBook edition
ISBN: 0-87714-313-X PB edition

All rights reserved by Denlinger's Publishers, including the right to reproduce this electronic book, or portions thereof, in any form, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

THE AUTHOR

JJ Mingione recently "retired" to southern Oregon where life has proven to be anything but retiring. Between long walks on the beach with her dog Tee, remodeling her new home, getting to know the people, and other activities to numerous to mention, she still makes time to indulge in her greatest passion - writing.

THE BOOK

Do you dream of hosting a party that will be talked about for years to come? There is no doubt that Murder X 3 gives you the means to do so. While giving you everything you need from the Cast Of Characters and their motives for murder to menus, directional signs and tips on decorating, it leaves the players free to use their imaginations and acting skills to portray their characters in a free-flowing script that will have you laughing and wondering whodunit until the end of the evening.

The Interplanetary Trade Conference is set in a distant future inhabited by the strangest, most exotic characters imaginable. If your fantasies leave you longing for high adventure in outer space amongst alien societies, you'll adore this fun filled evening of mayhem and murder.

If you long to live the wilder, less restricted way of life of the Old West, Dyin' Days In Deadwood Valley takes you there in spades with its intrigue and secrets and characters that will keep you guessing throughout the night.

On the other hand, Murder At The LeMeiser Mansion takes place to today's times for those content with their place in time and space. Rife with greed, secrets and murderous intent, this miserly victim's death leaves you begging for more.

Samples

Do you love solving whodunit mysteries? Do you enjoy a fun-filled night with friends? Do you have dreams of giving a party that will be talked about for years? Then this book is definitely for you. MURDER X 3 is the ultimate party planning guide for a night of murder, mayhem and laughter. It will guide you step by step through any one of three of the most unique, most hilarious, most outrageous parties you'll ever host. Unlike the scripted murder mystery parties you are used to, nothing is set in stone, not even the murderer. With no set script, your guests create an interactive party that brings as many hours of surprises and unexpected changes of plan as it does laughter and fun. Don't let the possibility of things not going according to plan scare you. It is one of the things that makes these parties exciting, not only to the players, but to the host/ess as well.

One unexpected divergence occurred for us while playing The Interplanetary Trade Conference. We decreed that no one was allowed to bring "weapons" as part of their costumes except the "security forces". (These must not be real weapons.) During the course of afternoon though, we gave four characters access to smuggled "weapons" (toys) in their data packets, which they were to retrieve at their leisure. Unfortunately, the "security forces" took it upon themselves (all in ignorance of the other information) to search the grounds for hidden weapons and impounded all but one before the players could get to them. The one person who did recover her gun was discovered later in the evening and the gun confiscated after a running battle with the deputy. This led to an impromptu subplot in which the deputy was later "assassinated" (with water pistols, of course) by several members of the conference. While totally unexpected by the hostess, it was one of the high action spots of the evening.

Throughout the evening the guests had as much fun creating their own scenarios as they did trying to find the killer. One group decided to "frame" the commissioner for the murder, giving up their chance at the prize money for a chance to "even things up" for the things he'd done to them. Another group formed an alibi alliance once they somehow determined that each of them was innocent of the crime. Mon Grell started a flirtation with Ellie Otness, the undercover agent, and their antics were a constant source of amusement, especially as W. Ayet Earp had to continually reprimand him for neglecting his duties or delaying the carrying out of an order.

So while subplots abound in these games by design, expect your guests to come up with some of their own. Any two or three characters can create this kind of by-play if carefully cast, and there are a number of pairs among the 50 characters from which to choose.

Your party may be as extravagant or as simple as you wish it to be, ranging from having a few friends in to a full-blown bash. You may decorate elaborately or simply play the game with minimal props. You may serve nothing more than chips and dips, or you may choose to offer a buffet or a full sit-down dinner. This books guides you through it all, from the invitations to a possible menu. There are instructions on how to plan, set and carry out your party, tips on how to decorate, choose your characters, feed them, insure attendance for each party and best of all, how to have great time.

The games cover your choice of eras: the wild and wooly west, the lavish present, or the space traveling future. Chose your favorite and let the fun begin!

The Interplanetary Trade Conference Murder Mystery Party is set in an imaginative fantasy world of the future. With a futuristic set, aliens galore and vile murder, this is your script for the most delightfully diverse parties you'll ever direct. Because it is set in a space-traveling future, the players have more leeway to define the personalities of their characters.

Dyin' Days in Deadwood Valley creates a rollicking ramble through the wild-and-wooly West; a rowdy ride into an era of cowboys and Indians, shootouts, wide open saloons, intrigue and murder. Reminiscent of childhood games of white hat - black hat, good guy - bad guy, it pays your passage into the magical world of yesteryear where you can leave behind the restrictions of civilization and let the hidden hero or villain inside you run rampant for a night. So take up your six-guns (or your bows and arrows) and set your hat (or feathers) for an evening of fun and frolic, for within the pages of this book lies the means to let your imagination roam the range, to live again the days of the untamed west, to pit your wits against the guys in the black hats. (Or to be one, if you prefer.)

Murder at the LeMeiser Mansion is a timeless ticket through an exciting evening of mayhem, mystery and murder. The evening is yours to shape and mold in whatever direction you desire. It is the perfect chance to free the hidden ham in every guest, to use your creative imagination and show the world you can assume another's persona with the best of them.

The minimum attendance needed to make these parties exciting are 16 to 18 people, And, although there are fifty characters to choose from, it is suggested that a party be limited to around 30 guests or fewer for easier handling. More than that and the weight of evidence begins to get overpowering and the contestants don't have enough time to integrate their findings in a three to four hour time span, which is the duration of the average party. If you intend to have an all-day bash, then you might find the full fifty characters manageable. Most of the directions in this book will best relate to the middle-of-the-road party of 30 or so guests.

Each character list contains both passive and active types. This allows the role to be fitted to the psychological make-up of each guest. Use the dominant, active roles for people who have an innate talent or desire for role-playing. They are the ones who make your party successful and fun. Choose a passive character if the player wants to come and participate, but is too shy, unimaginative, or physically unable to play out an active role.

The killer is chosen by lot - entirely at random at the time the data packets are dispersed. In this way not even the host/ess knows who the killer is. These games are written to make people think and interact, to search for clues themselves and to follow up their information until they think they have enough to choose a killer.

If you wish to make the make the format more structured, feel free to choose the killer yourself, but then you must write clues leading to him or her that replace the ones given in this book. This leaves the host/ess in the position of not being able to play the game along with the guests. Of course, this also leaves him/her free to co-ordinate with all the players to smooth out the rough edges. Let's face it, some of your plans may be twisted by the actions of the guests causing momentary confusion as often as active drama. But then, a lot of what makes these parties so much fun is the imagination of the players...the amazing ideas they come up with to move the action along.Which ever route you choose, plan to have fun. Never take things too seriously. Let the creative side of your guests and yourself flow. You'll be surprised and delighted at what will happen!

The great thing about these murder mystery parties is that you can make your party as simple or as elaborate as your heart (and budget) desires. You can take the time and effort to decorate your location in infinite detail or you may do nothing. Of course, at least a little decoration is recommended since it will help set the mood and get the guests started faster than an everyday looking house. This doesn't mean you have to go to a lot of expense on your decorations. When playing Interplanetary Trade Conference, A sign at the door stating "You are now entering Level 10 of Gaia 5" will do the trick as easily as a full-blown diplomatic satellite on the inside. The illusion of a seedy mansion for Murder At The LeMeiser Mansion can be as easily suggested by a few worn throw rugs and paper cups and plates as with mismatched crystal and chipped china. The Town Hall in Dyin' Days In Deadwood Valley can be created with anything from a horseshoe over the door to wooden chairs or benches and a pot bellied stove.

An entry fee (or cover charge) from your guests will help defray your costs and reduce "no-shows" on the guest list to keep the story plot intact. Your fees can range from $20 to $50 per person, depending on how much money you intend to spend, and (even more importantly), how much your guests can afford. Don't price them out of the game. From the money collected (unless you plan to dip into your own pocketbook) you must be able to cover all your expenses. This includes a reward to be divided between all those who vote for the chosen murderer, or to be given to the murderer if none vote for him. Other expenses range from food and decorations to renting tables, chairs, and coffee urns, if need be. An accurate estimate of what it's going to cost will help you get an idea of how much the cover charge should be. People don't mind paying for their fun as long as they feel they are getting their money's worth. (Or you may choose to foot the bill yourself and not have a cover charge. If you decide this is the way to go, you will need to make the proper modifications to the invitation and RSVP forms.)

One fairly inexpensive idea that went over big for our Interplanetary Trade Conference party was a supply of souvenir matchbooks with the name "Gaia 5 Interplanetary Trade Conference" and the date, July 18, 2584 imprinted on them. (Our party date was July 18.) It cost around twenty dollars for 50 books and people now have something to keep in their souvenir boxes. Imprinted napkins are a little cheaper, but don't hold up as well. For Dyin' Days In Deadwood Valley, we opted for a souvenir copy of the town's newspaper, which our youngest player ( a non-active character as the newsboy) "sold" to the attendees for a dime. Murder at the LeMeiser Mansion offered foil covered chocolate doubloons. (Of course, many of these failed to survive the night. Yum!)

The instructions provide you with three guest lists. The first list is the one which you initially use to record who has been invited, and to check off when they respond either with their regrets or with their acceptance and entry fee. The second is for matching characters with players actual names, and the third should be used to check off the arrivals so you have an accurate count of attenders to use when handing out your data packets. To avoid confusion, remove all data information which pertain to non-attending guests or non-selected characters.

As for choosing which guest gets which character, there are two ways to achieve this. You can either do it on a first come, first served basis in which you allow your guests to choose who they want to be and the late comers get who is left, or you can assign the characters yourself. Perhaps a combination would be better. To assure that the ten major characters are selected, and will be at the party, you should try to assign them to people whose basic natures fit these characteristics. For instance, the function of Commissioner Eru Dite in The Interplanetary Trade Conference is to be chairman for the party, so you must be careful not to assign this very important role to someone who is shy and retiring, and you don't want to assign the role Hya Cynth or Ginger Bread to someone who is outgoing and rambunctious. In Dyin' Days in Deadwood Valley, Patt Killon and Richard Rule are two of the stronger characters who need to be cast and Mark Cantile and his wife Mary don't need to be as strong. Obviously, Dottie LeMeiser needs to be cast in Murder At the LeMeiser Mansion, but Sveet Ting is one of the lesser characters. After the major characters have been assured, you can allow the other guests to pick and choose among the remaining 40 characters, or help them to choose. As guests pay their entrance fee and are assigned their roles, you will send or give them a packet which contains details of the murder, a biography of the murder victim, general rules of character development, and a personal letter which gives them private information about their role, along with a motive for murder. Each character has been given a motive, but most of them are allowed leeway to develop their own alibis. Their creative abilities will come up with some very interesting alibis. In the packet is also a proposed menu and an invitation to the guests to bring their own food creations.

On the night of the party, it is important to stress promptness. The data packets, including the murder card (or IT card) are handed out exactly at the time designated (usually at the hour the party begins) and should equal the number of guests. Data Packets are envelopes which contain new information about special characters, a few packets of play money, clues for eliminating suspects, and other actions to carry out, such as retrieving smuggled weapons or being a spy. Until this time the packet containing the IT card should be kept to one side so it is sure to be in the set being passed out. (It would be disastrous if the "killer" was among those who didn't show.) Mix the packets, with the IT packet included, in front of the assembled guests and make a speech outlining their use. Then pass the packets out the players and let the fun begin!

At this time hang a copy of the Cast of Characters in a prominent spot, with all characters not in attendance, or not assigned to anyone, clearly marked with colored pen, "CLEARED OF SUSPICION." This helps the players keep track of the possibilities. Late comers may choose from the remaining data packets when they arrive, but they have been designated as "Cleared of Suspicion." They still have a chance to guess the guilty party and receive the reward, but they can't be the assassin simply because that part has already been selected.

Give the players a chance to work with the data for an hour or two, during which time the guests intermingle, playing their roles, and the food may be served. About an hour before the party is slated to break up, you or someone you designate, should call a conference and question each player about his motive, his alibi, and what he found out about the other players. During this time there will be a lot of charges and countercharges as players continue to interact with one another. When all have spoken, votes are taken. The ballots can be pieces of paper, or 3 x 5 cards with the words "Killer" and "Accuser" on opposite sides. You'll want to record the votes and who accused whom in order to present the reward for catching the killer. You might also want to provide a prize for the person receiving the most votes, and a prize for best costume.

And Now

This is your invitation to a costume

Murder Mystery Dinner Party at:

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

Day & Time:_______________________________

Phone:____________________________________

MEMO TO: ALL CURRENT RESIDENTS OF GAIA 5 (Human and Android): Including ambassadors, social and service personnel, and ship's captains.

FROM: Office of the Commissioner, Gaia 5, Diplomatic Satellite for the Northeast Quadrant of the Tenth Congress of Federated Planets, Milky Way Galaxy.

RE: The murder of Andros Maretti, Representative of the planet Maretti-Italia, Trade Conference Originator, and Heir Apparent to the Throne of said planet.

The governing body of Gaia 5 and its security forces have come under severe criticism for its handling of the investigation of the unprecedented murder of one of its visiting VIPs. The Grand Cabal of the Tenth Congress has threatened massive retaliation if the assassin is not placed in their hands for trial within the month. Failure to apprehend the guilty party will result in the permanent closing of Gaia 5 and the end of the commissioner's unblemished career. Unwilling to end his illustrious service with such a black mark on his record, Commissioner Eru Dite has ordered the suspension of all diplomatic immunity for everyone for the duration of the investigation.

The murder took place on _________2584 OEC (Old Earth Calendar) sometime around midnight SST (Standard Satellite Time). The investigation to date has failed to yield any clues as to the identity of the killer. Since the satellite has been closed to incoming and outgoing traffic since the murder, someone among the current population of Gaia 5 must be the assassin. Therefore, all residents are required to attend a dinner in the Conference Chambers, Level 10.

Any person failing to attend without being cleared of suspicion of the murder will be taken to security headquarters and held, pending further investigation of their alibis.

Because Gaia 5's treasury has been locked by the Tenth Congress as an incentive to a rapid conclusion to this matter, each attendant will be required to supply a cover charge of $_____________to help defray the cost of their meal and to establish a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer. If more than one person determines the guilty party's identity, the reward will be divided equally among them.

To aid in identification, each attendant is requested to wear their official planetary costume instead of the usual conference robes.

Fees are to be remitted to the above address. Upon arrival, you will be given additional data to aid in your own investigation. It would behoove you to have your own alibi ready.

.We would love to have you come to our party. Fill out the form below and mail with the Commissioner's cover charge by _{(Date two weeks before the party)} ________________________________________to _{(Host/ess name and address)} ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone:____________________________No. of people in your party___________________

Amount enclosed $____________

NAME OF PARTICIPANT AND CHARACTER CHOICES: From the Cast of Characters, select whom you'd like to play. Choose three characters in case the one you want most is already taken. You may call in your choice, if you wish, and your choice will be held for five days, until fee is received.

Name of player:_______________________________________________________________

Choice 1:_____________________________________________________________________

Choice 2:____________________________________________________________________

Choice 3:____________________________________________________________________

Name of Player:_______________________________________________________________

Choice 1:_____________________________________________________________________

Choice 2:_____________________________________________________________________

Choice 3:_____________________________________________________________________

Name of Player:_______________________________________________________________

Choice 1:____________________________________________________________________

Choice 2:____________________________________________________________________

Choice 3:____________________________________________________________________

( List any other players and their character choices on the back.)

Get set for a party that's beyond the usual, bounded only by the imagination of the players. The Interplanetary Trade Conference Murder Mystery Dinner Party is a rollicking tour through a fantasy world of the future.

Role playing games are becoming the most popular, fastest growing "sport" around. Many, however, abide by stringent rule books or follow rigid scripts to achieve a preordained purpose. We have broken the barrier of rules and scripts to allow you to follow your inclinations and create your own fate. Each character is separate and distinct, unique in its own cultural background, knowledge, and personal objectives. In the dynamic, imaginative, interplanetary world of the future presented in this book, you have only your own role-playing skills to tell you how to match wits with your fellow players, work towards your own objectives or foil someone else's, build an empire or destroy one, and follow through to your own destiny. You are given all the information about your character you need to play the role as you wish. You may be passive or active, as suave, or as ruthless as you will. The shared imagination of the players will find allies and enemies, wheel and deal, uphold diplomacy or wage havoc, and create subplots that no one yet has dreamed of within the basic staging.

Bring your Cast of characters with you when you attend. Many of the roles will not be assigned, and the hostess will have marked all non-attending characters as "Cleared of Suspicion" in her own copy. Transfer this information into your own list, not only to identify the players in attendance, but to cut down on the amount of information it will be necessary to gather during the investigation.

Props are minimal. The aura of other world decadence and alien sophistry is upheld by costumed eloquence, which can be as simple and inexpensive or as elaborate and voluptuous as the player desires, but which reveal the mood, attitude and personality of the character.

Fun is the keyword. Action, dialogue, individual plans and purposes create ad lib theater at its most fun. In very few places can one achieve such personal drama and satisfaction as can be enjoyed through the interaction of a mystery dinner party with hearty souls and good cheer.

This is your invitation to a

Murder Mystery Dinner Party at:

_{("Town Hall" - Host/ess)}__________________________________________________

_(Address)___________________________________________________________

Date and Time:__________________________________________________

Phone:______________________________

I'm sure it is no news to any of you that our town's leading citizen Carson Crook was brutally murdered two weeks ago by an unknown assailant. Shot in the back from a position just outside his living room window, he had no chance whatsoever to defend himself. While we all know Carson was not the most favorite person in town, his death cannot go unpunished. The murderer must be found!

In spite of his exceptional talent for the law, Marshall Killon has not yet been able to uncover the identity of the murderer. He is therefore asking for our aid in determining the dastard who was so cowardly as to shoot Mr. Crook in the back. Marshall Killon is requesting our attendance at a meeting to be held in the Town Hall. At that time, the Marshall will give you all the information he has concerning the death of Mr. Crook and ask that you all make an attempt to seek out the killer in our midst and bring him to justice.

I have enclosed a copy of Crook's obituary from the Gazette. Please be aware that since there is no evidence pointing to any one person, all the residents of Deadwood are under suspicion and that failure to attend this meeting will result in arrest and interrogation.

Remember because of repairs being made to the actual Town Hall, the meeting will be held at the home of_______________.

Refreshments will be provided by your host/ess so the mayor is imposing a one time assessment fee of $________ on each attending suspect. This will not only help defray the cost of the meal, but will allow Marshall Killon to post a reward which will be split among any of those able to determine the killer's identity. Please keep the enclosed Marshall's Suspect List and bring it with you to the meeting. It has all the current information on the suspects and could be of aid in helping you to keep track of who is still under suspicion and who has been cleared by either circumstances or by alibi.

Any information culled by Marshall Killon between now and the town meeting will be passed on to you at the time of the meeting. So please read the enclosed article carefully and send your assessment fee as soon as possible.

The "Summons to a Town Meeting" is your invitation from _________________________________________________________________

to a wild western costume party set in 1888. It is a murder mystery dinner party with all guests suspected of murdering ruthless Carson Crook. Each guest has a motive for murder, which will be revealed only at the party (murder investigation). A reward will be given to anyone who can ferret out who actually "done the dirty deed" from the clues given.

Fill out the form below and mail with Mayor Rule's assessment fee by

_{( Date two weeks before the party )}____ to _{( Host/ess name and address )}____________________

___________________________________________________________________

NAME ___________________________________________________________

ADDRESS ________________________________________________________

PHONE ____________________NO. OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY___________

AMOUNT ENCLOSED $____________

NAME OF PARTICIPANT AND CHARACTER CHOICES: From the Marshall's Suspect List, which is our cast of characters, select which role you'd like to play. Choose three characters in case the one you want most is already taken, or call ______________ at _{(Phone number)______________} and make your choice over the phone. Your choice will then be held for five days pending receipt of entry fee.

Name of Player:_____________________________________________

Choice 1:___________________________________________________

Choice 2:__________________________________________________

Choice 3:__________________________________________________

Name of Player: _____________________________________________

Choice 1:____________________________________________________

Choice 2:___________________________________________________

Choice 3:___________________________________________________

Name of Player: _____________________________________________

Choice 1:____________________________________________________

Choice 2:___________________________________________________

Choice 3:___________________________________________________

List any other players in your group and their character choices here or on the back.

OBITUARY:

===================================================================

DEADWOOD VALLEY, 1888

==================================================================

Two days ago, our neighbor and local celebrity, Carson Crook, was found shot to death in his living room. The wounds were discovered to be caused by a shotgun blast to the back. Through the latest scientific methods in criminology, Marshall Pat Killon determined that the gun was stuck through an open window and the trigger pulled as Crook turned towards his liquor locker after having descended the stairs from his bedroom.

For the fashion mongers, Carson was dressed in a silk smoking jacket of flame red and black velvet pants with a two inch cuff. Unfortunately, the damage to his clothing was too severe for them to be offered at the next church white elephant sale.

According to Johnnie T. Law, the town's lawyer and executor of Crook's will, Carson is survived by two cousins, Tommy Temple and Lenora Lash, who live in New York City. Except for small bequests to a couple of local ladies who will remain unnamed until after the reading of the will, the bulk of the estate has been left in equal parts to the two cousins. The cousins have indicated they will leave the running of Carson's estate in Johnnie's hands for the time being as they have no intentions of "leaving civilization for the discomforts of the wild west under any circumstances."

The funeral was held immediately without delay or fanfare. Mr. Crook was laid to rest in his best blue suit and interred at Deadwood's cemetery in a bronze casket supplied by Toomey Stone's Undertaking Parlour. The entire town turned out to mourn or cheer as their consciences dictated.

When questioned, the Marshall claimed he was fast on the trail of several hot leads and was certain he would have the killer behind bars before the end of the week. Other than that, he would not comment on how the investigation was going or what clues he was following.

1. Study your character! Most times you are given only the bare outline of your character. You will need to draw upon your creative ideas to flesh out the role. You come up with the costume, the idiosyncracies, mannerisms and most of the background of your character according to the information you have. If there are initials in the character's name, it might aid in knowing your character better if you made up a name to fit the initial. The scene of the murder is set in 1888, so costumes should in keeping with that period. A prize will be awarded for the best costume.

2. You may be given more information in the motive packet under the title "Tips On Your Character," but this will be just enough to make the character fit the plot properly. The motive packet will be given to you only if you accept this invitation and choose a character to play. Motives will not be known to other players until the night of the party. Use the motives you receive in the character packet to develop your role.

3. Weapons must be toys, not real. Please do not bring drugs to the party.

4. Be prompt! The final clues will be passed out exactly on time, including the IT card which determines the identity of the killer. The person playing the killer will receive remuneration for "attorney's fees". Guests arriving late will be considered "cleared of suspicion" because the killer has already been chosen. You are still eligible to play the game and to try for a cut of the reward for correctly guessing who the guilty one is.

5. It is quite possible through the laws of chance to draw a final clue that pertains to your own situation. In this case you are one up on the rest of the crowd for the early part of the party. But, regardless of that, you must still let your motive "slip" to at least one person.

6. Everyone will have a motive for killing Carson Crook, and it must be passed on to someone else during the course of the investigation. These people in turn are free to pass it along to anyone else. Rumors may be spread about anyone you choose. (Try to have at least a grain of truth in it, though.)

7. Be active. Watch what's going on around you and become involved. Question people who get into arguments, keep your eyes open for concealed "weapons." Eavesdrop. Everything you do could lead you to a new clue about who the killer is. Feel free to try a little blackmail if it suits your character.

8. At the end of the evening all alibis and motives will be shared in open forum when the town meeting is called to order. The players will then vote on the identity of the killer and an arrest made of the person judged guilty by the most people.

9. No matter who the vote decides is the killer, the real killer must "own up" to the crime as soon as an arrest is made. All those voting for the real killer will split the reward for guessing right.

10. Souvenirs are copies of the Deadwood Valley Gazette. News and gossip on every character is mentioned somewhere in the paper. It also contains what is known of Carson Crook's past. (Host/ess may choose to charge a dime each for these to help defray the cost of having them printed.)

11. (Optional) Your host/ess may appreciate donations of extra refreshments that have not been included in the menu.

WHAT: It's a surprise party for Simon LeMeiser!

WHERE: ___________________________________________________________

WHEN: _________________________________________________TIME:____

WHY: It's his 80th birthday!

___________________________________________________________

Dear Friends,

By now you all know of the brutal murder of my husband and your friend, Simon LeMeiser.

It is a sad time for all of us, I know, and while it may seem a bit macabre to send you a party invitation when the guest of honor has left this life so brutally and unexpectedly, I'm sure you will all agree that our darling Simon would have wanted it this way. Waste not, want not, he always said. Therefore, I am taking advantage of the forms already made out for his birthday party to request your presence at a dinner the night he would have turned eighty for the purpose of seeing if we can ferret out the killer ourselves. It is obvious the police aren't getting anywhere.

It was my dear friend, Dr. Sam Shreenk who suggested we take this occasion and turn what should have been a gala event into a serious investigation of sweet Simon's murder.

For those of you who doubt the wisdom of this, remember that without finding the killer, there is no chance of Simon's estate being settled because Simon's many wills disappeared the night of the murder as well. Of course, without Simon's money, which he so thriftily tucked away, the wills are useless, so I thought we might also spend a portion of the evening searching for Simon's cache of cash.

Due to a lack of funds until the estate is settled, I am asking your financial cooperation in helping me provide the necessities for the evening. I have determined that a nominal fee of $_______ will not only cover the cost of the meal, but allow for a portion to be set aside as a reward for the apprehension of the killer.

Unfortunately, we must serve dinner in the board room where the murder occurred in order to accommodate all the attending parties. We hope it won't spoil too many appetites that the police will not allow us to clear away evidence of the crime just yet. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

(Mrs.) Dottie Daft-LeMeiser

P.S. Thanks to Ms. Given D. Scoops' generosity, we also have access to the notes she has kept on her investigation of Simon. We hope there might be something in them that will lead to the identity of the killer. We have done our best to capsulize them without losing any pertinent data and have enclosed a copy with each invitation so you may peruse it at your leisure before the big night.

Dottie

RSVP ASAP: RESPONSE FORMFill out the form below and mail with cover charge ($______) by _________________

___{Two weeks before party}__to:__Host/ess___________________________Phone____________

NAME _______________________________________________________

ADDRESS_____________________________________________________

PHONE______________ NO. OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY ____________

AMOUNT ENCLOSED $ ______________

NAME OF PARTICIPANT AND CHARACTER CHOICES: (Choose three characters in case the one you want most is already taken, or call ________________________at ____________________ and make your choices over the phone. Your choice will then be held for five days pending receipt of entry fee.)

Name of Player:_____________________________________________

Choice 1: __________________________________________________

Choice 2: __________________________________________________

Choice 3: __________________________________________________

Name of Player: ____________________________________________

Choice 1: __________________________________________________

Choice 2: __________________________________________________

Choice 3: __________________________________________________

(List any other players and their choices on the back)

GIVEN D. SCOOPS' INVESTIGATIVE FILES ON SIMON LeMEISER

(Newspaper Reporter)

Simon began his criminal career at the age of thirteen by running numbers for his local bookie.

At seventeen, he was almost arrested for wrongful death when he refused to get his mother to a hospital when she had an appendicitis attack, saying he couldn't afford the doctor's outrageous fees even though by this time he was bringing in over three hundred dollars a week from his illegal activities. His mother subsequently died. Simon did not attend the funeral. It seems he still owes the funeral home several hundred dollars for the burial as well.

A few months after his mother's death, the bookie he worked for introduced Simon to the head of the local Mafia. Three weeks later, he was running bootleg booze to the casinos in Atlantic City. There, he worked with Cozzie Nostra, a young punk just entering the Mafia world himself. Cozzie was the son of the local Don and soon became the closest thing Simon ever had to a friend.

At nineteen, Simon met and married Inna Past over the objections of her wealthy and ailing father. The day the two of them got back from their weekend honeymoon, they stopped by Inna's home to try and change her father's mind about the marriage. But her father had recognized Simon for what he was and instead of his blessing, Inna's father disowned her and showed her and Simon his new will leaving everything to the local Cat Adoption Agency. Simon was furious. He had plans for the fortune Inna should have inherited in a few months from her dying father.

At this time, Simon executed the only honorable deed he ever performed in his life. He stayed with Inna because she was already pregnant. Of course, some speculate he only did that in hopes that her father would relent when he had a grandchild. That didn't happen.

The marriage only lasted until their daughter, Sheebie, was ten and could pretty well take care of herself. Then he divorced Inna and bribed a judge to award him custody of his daughter on the grounds that he was more financially stable than his wife. This saved him a large child support bill.Inna did not give up and appealed the decision on the grounds that a girl needed a woman's influence in her life. Simon married Dottie Daft to forestall the appeal.

When his son, Arno, was born, Simon moved Dottie into her own room saying he couldn't afford any more children. (This decision not to have more children was apparently a good plan on his part. Sheebie has turned into a stingier miser than Simon himself and Arno not only has never worked a day in his life, but was arrested at the age of eighteen for Grand Theft Auto. Charges were subsequently dropped when another man confessed to the thefts, but the trial was definitely on the weak side of the law.)

Over the years, Simon expanded his illegal activities from bootlegging to the protection rackets, blackmail, auto theft and politics. There has even been some speculation about murder, but nothing was ever proved.

In his early thirties, Simon decided to go legit. Or so it seemed. He bought an import-export company, an investment firm, a computer business and a bankrupt movie studio. The import-export company was used to smuggle drugs into the US for the Mafia. The investment firm was investigated for insider trading. And he acquired the computer company in a definitely shady hostile take-over move. The movie studio was turned around and now puts out several blockbuster movies in a year, but the crew mumble about dangerous cost-cutting on sets and stunts, though nothing has ever been legally proved. Simon was good at hiding his tracks.

Simon showed a good deal of common sense when he took on partners in each company who knew the ropes and could make the companies grow and prosper but he always made sure he retained majority ownership of each company for himself. Over the years, he got rid of all the partners except Les Shares who helps him run the computer business. Les doesn't want to sell out to Simon and has fought him every step of the way.

With Mafia help, Simon got into politics in the late 70s and now runs a great portion of the state from his Hollywood aerie.

The mansion where Simon lived was part of the movie studio deal. He moved there to lower his rental expenses and has put a minimal amount of money into its upkeep over the years. The house resembles a mausoleum more than it does a home. To save the cost of renting or buying an office, Simon converted portions of the house into a business suite. He turned the once beautiful ballroom into a board room and the cloak room next to it into his personal office.

Once, in a fit of spite against Dottie for not letting him teach Arno to hunt, Simon started a gun collection which he kept cleaned and loaded and displayed on the wall in the entry hall. He enjoyed threatening anyone who displeased him with being shot by one of them.

Two years ago, Simon began to liquidate all his assets and turned them into either cash or gold. He was in the process of selling the movie studio, the import-export business and the investment firm at the time of his death. Les Shares was fighting him over the sale of the computer business.

Just about two years before his death, Simon closed his bank accounts and all the cash he collected disappeared. When asked about it, Simon only laughed. Speculation favors the idea that he had built or discovered a hidden vault where he kept his wealth. He doled it out with a tight fist and each person got the third degree whenever funds were asked for.

Simon's last physical turned up a serious heart disorder, but his physician, Dr. Harte Beetes, claimed he could give Simon a new heart for $1,500,000 that would give him another 15-20 years of good living. (That's quite a promise to make a man who's already eighty years old. I haven't had time to check into that possibility more thoroughly.)

Simon was shot to death by one of his own guns around midnight three weeks before his 80th birthday. Persons in the household claim not to have heard a thing although there was no silencer on the murder weapon. But then, the bedrooms are quite a distance from the board room where Simon was shot. The murder was reported anonymously and the police are overwhelmed with suspects. It seems everyone who knew him had a motive for murdering Simon LeMeiser.

- Given D. Scoops

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