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CASE CLOSED: ANTON PRATCHETT'S MURDERER REVEALED - MOLLY SIMS
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Molly Sims Molly Sims had worked for Anton Pratchett for two years, and in that time their relationship had become far more complicated than employer and employee. She cared for him. She feared him. And recently, she had discovered she was pregnant with his child - a secret that changed everything. Four days before the masquerade, Anton received a letter from Dr. Edmund Fitzwilliam. Enclosed was an article detailing the toxicity of foxglove. Text messages between Molly and John confirm she cleaned Anton’s study on the 18th. Edmund later stated in his police interview that the letter remained on Anton’s desk, opened but unread. On the night of the murder, Molly left the party by taxi at 7:20 PM. At first glance, the journey seemed to give her a solid alibi. But it didn’t. According to NCID’s correspondence with the taxi company, the driver confirmed an unexpected stop: Molly had asked to get out to be sick behind a row of rose bushes near Entrance 4 - entirely believable, given her pregnancy. But earlier that week, groundskeeper James had emailed Anton reporting that the lock on Entrance 4 was broken. Anyone could have slipped inside unnoticed. And someone did. Around that same time, the gardener reported that foxglove had been dug up from the grounds. Molly had taken it after reading the article, frightened by Anton’s threats and desperate to protect her unborn child. Using the broken entrance as her chance, she stepped away from the taxi under the guise of needing to vomit, slipped into the kitchen, and poisoned Anton’s whiskey - the one glass everyone knew he always used. Molly wasn’t driven by vengeance or greed. She acted out of fear. Fear for her future. Fear for her child. And that fear made her a killer.
Beatrice Pratchett Beatrice is Anton Pratchett’s wife. They have been together for many years, but their relationship is currently under strain. Beatrice has considered leaving Anton due to his affair, but her prenuptial agreement prevents her from doing so (see Beatrice’s police interview). According to Felix’s statement, Beatrice was not drinking that evening. You might have assumed this was because she was pregnant, based on the baby scan image. However, Dr. Englestein’s email clarifies that Beatrice is taking fluoxetine for her mental health. The prescription bottle shows that fluoxetine should not be mixed with alcohol. You may also have wondered if Anton’s death was caused by fluoxetine, as the newspaper article mentioned that famous actress Sonia Carter was hospitalized after mixing fluoxetine with alcohol. In fact, this was not the cause of Anton’s death. Anton was poisoned with foxglove, which would take approximately one hour to be fatal. This means he must have been poisoned between 7:20 and 7:30 PM. Beatrice, however, was outside with Felix from 7:15 PM and returned to the bar with Felix and Edmund at 7:29 PM, leaving her no opportunity to poison Anton’s drink.
Dr Edmond Fitzwilliam Edmond is researching the use of foxglove in healthcare. According to his letter, Anton was considering pulling funding for Edmond’s work, which greatly upset him. We know that Anton was poisoned with foxglove. In his police interview, Edmond stated that Anton took him outside for a conversation to “clear the air.” This was corroborated by Molly, who saw them from her taxi, though she noted they appeared to be arguing rather than talking calmly. Edmond further explained that after this conversation, he returned to the house and spent time with Felix and Beatrice, chatting and having a drink. Edmond was seen outside at 7:20 PM and back at the bar with Beatrice and Felix by 7:29 PM, leaving him no opportunity to poison Anton’s drink.
Doreen Drayton Doreen Drayton was one of Anton Pratchett’s wealthiest clients and a devoted collector of rare theatrical pieces. She believed she had a deal with Anton for a truly iconic item - the Phantom’s mask from The Phantom of the Opera. But at the last minute, Anton backed out and sold it to someone who offered more money. Doreen was furious. Later, both Doreen and Anton found out something even worse: the buyer had only purchased the mask so they could flip it for an even bigger profit. The betrayal frustrated them both, but it didn’t make Doreen a killer. On the night of the murder, Doreen’s attention was somewhere else entirely. Knowing the mask was being resold, she’d worked with a close friend to pull off a small bid-rigging scheme - just the two of them quietly coordinating behind the scenes to make sure she could win the auction back for a low price. While the party carried on around her, Doreen was discreetly messaging her friend to keep their plan on track. Yes, she was doing something illegal. But she wasn’t committing murder.
Archibald Pratchett Archibald, Anton’s younger brother, was in a difficult situation. Emails to Anton show that he needed financial help, but Anton was unwilling to assist, which left Archibald frustrated. He was also unhappy that Anton was the sole heir to the family estate. In an attempt to secure some money, Archibald threatened to expose Anton’s affair with Molly, but Anton did not respond favourably. Text messages indicate that Beatrice and Anton were conspiring to obtain the only copy of their father’s will, hoping to destroy it so the estate would have to be divided. Newspaper adverts reveal that the show “That’s What She Said” began at 7:00 PM on 22nd March. In a voicenote sent by Archibald to Beatrice, the background audio confirms the show was already underway, with one of the hosts noting they were 25 minutes in. This places Archibald upstairs at the time Anton’s glass was poisoned, leaving him no opportunity to tamper with it.
