Chapter 17 Summary: Alibis, Confessions, and Faculty Reports
Spoiler Notice: This summary contains key plot details from Chapter 17 of Murder Your Employer. Read on only if you have finished the chapter or are comfortable knowing major developments.
Summary
Dulcie Mown arrives late for Captain Dobson’s first Alibis lecture, where he emphasizes that an unshakable alibi is the only defense against police suspicion, while forbidding accomplices or lovers. Later, Gemma Lindley, troubled by her planned murder, confesses to Father Pugh in the chapel; he reveals that every McMasters staff member has killed. Dulcie studies Dobson’s Rules—No Accomplices, Let George Do It, Create Ignominy—and a flashback shows her commitment to eliminating studio head Leonid Kosta. The chapter ends with three faculty progress reports: Cliff Iverson is advancing well under Harbinger Harrow; Gemma’s risky plan involving the deadly Strid river causes concern; and Dulcie is praised as an exemplary student, with Dobson noting she is actually Hollywood star Doria Maye.
Key Events
- Dulcie Mown is late for Alibis class; Captain Dobson calls on her first as punishment.
- Dobson lectures: police know the killer 90% of the time, so an alibi is crucial; accomplices and lovers are forbidden.
- Dulcie suggests using a body double, but Dobson rejects it because it implies an accomplice.
- At dinner, Dulcie is inspired by Chef Tissier’s three-sauce rapini dish, seeing how one thing can appear as three—pointing toward a solution for being in two places.
- Gemma Lindley visits the chapel and confesses to Father Pugh, who admits he murdered a bishop and that all staff have killed.
- Dulcie reviews Dobson’s Rules: No Accomplices (with corollaries against lovers and hit men), Let George Do It, and Create Ignominy.
- A flashback reveals Dulcie (as Doria Maye) is devoted to eliminating studio head Leonid Kosta, who forced her into an animated film role against her will.
- The chapter closes with three progress reports: Cliff Iverson’s sponsor learns he is doing well and considers a beanball pitch; Gemma’s plan to push her blackmailer into the treacherous Strid river is deemed risky; and Dulcie is lauded as a natural, with Dobson identifying her true identity.
Character Development
- Dulcie Mown (Doria Maye): Transforms from a Hollywood diva accustomed to special treatment to a disciplined student who accepts punishment and studies intensively. Her dedication to her mission (eliminating Kosta) is confirmed, and her quick thinking—linking a dinner dish to an alibi strategy—shows her resourcefulness.
- Captain Dobson: Presented as a blunt, no-nonsense instructor who strips away euphemisms. His rules underscore the high stakes of murder and the need for airtight planning.
- Gemma Lindley: Her guilt is foregrounded; she seeks absolution from Father Pugh and struggles with her own morality. Her proposed method (the Strid) risks her own life, suggesting a subconscious desire for punishment.
- Father Pugh: A complex figure—a priest who has killed and who justifies McMasters’ mission through scripture. He offers Gemma a non-judgmental ear and absolution.
- Cliff Iverson: Shown in his progress report as a disciplined, affable student who channels his hatred toward his target and uses his baseball pitching skills as a potential method. He avoids philosophical debates and stays practical.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The Alibi as Shield: Dobson frames an alibi as the only reliable protection against police detection. The chapter explores how to create a false presence through illusion, not accomplices.
- Three-in-One: The rapini dish (Rapini Masqué en Trois Sauces) becomes a symbol for Dulcie’s emerging plan: one person appearing as three, mirroring the challenge of being in two places at once.
- The Duality of Justice: Father Pugh argues that McMasters does God’s work by removing evil, while Gemma’s guilt highlights the moral conflict of committing murder for self-serving reasons.
- Strid as Trap: The beautiful but deadly river represents Gemma’s flawed approach—she risks her own life, suggesting her plan may be self-sabotaging.
- Faculty as Former Killers: The revelation that all staff are murderers underscores that McMasters is not a theoretical school but a community bound by shared experience.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 17 deepens the thematic exploration of alibi and moral justification. It provides the first concrete glimpse of McMasters’ faculty as individuals who have each killed, complicating the school’s ethical stance. The faculty reports offer critical backstory on the three main students—Cliff, Gemma, and Dulcie—revealing their strengths, weaknesses, and the specific risks each faces. Dulcie’s disguised identity as Doria Maye is explicitly confirmed, setting up her final thesis. Gemma’s perilous plan signals potential failure. The chapter also introduces Dobson’s Rules, which become structural guidelines for the students’ strategies.
Study Questions and Answers
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What is Dobson’s main argument about alibis, and why does he forbid accomplices?
Dobson insists that an unshakable alibi is the murderer’s only sure defense because police quickly identify the most likely suspect. He forbids accomplices because any partner can later make a deal with the prosecution and implicate the other. -
Why does Gemma’s plan to use the Strid worry her faculty advisors?
The Strid appears to be a narrow, harmless stream but is actually a violent river gorge that has never yielded survivors. More importantly, Gemma’s plan involves equal risk to herself, suggesting a subconscious guilt that might cause her to fail or even die alongside her target. -
How does the rapini dish inspire Dulcie’s approach to her alibi problem?
The dish presents one vegetable in three different sauces, each tasting distinct. Dulcie sees that a single person could appear to be in multiple places if they use clever misdirection, akin to the dish’s triple guise. This seeds her eventual solution to being in two places at once.