Chapter summaries Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide Rupert Holmes

Chapter 40: The Pier Scheme and the Bowling Alley Drop

Spoiler Notice

Spoiler Notice: This page contains detailed plot points from Chapter 40 of Murder Your Employer. If you haven't read the chapter, proceed with caution.

Summary

In Chapter 40, Wes Trachter and Eddie Alderman confirm that Merrill Fiedler is the man who dropped schematics in a trash can. Eddie decides not to involve the police, wanting to see Fiedler's full plan. Meanwhile, Cliff Iverson executes a multi-step scheme. He arranges for Alderman to leave an attaché case filled with money at Rudgum Pier, marked with a laundry pen. Cliff, in scuba gear, takes the case and leaves an envelope of plans. He swaps the money for sand and gives the marked case to a diver decoy, who surfaces with an empty case. Cliff, in disguise, drives to Franky's Lanes and deposits the marked case inside a bowling bag, then phones Fiedler to retrieve betting receipts from the bag. Fiedler handles the case, leaving fingerprints. He later tries to cash the receipts but discovers they are all losers. Enraged, he demands a face-to-face meeting with "Amigo" (Cliff) at his office that evening.

Key Events

  • Trachter shows Eddie a brochure featuring Merrill Fiedler and confirms he is the schematics leaker.
  • Eddie decides not to involve the police, wanting to see Fiedler's full plan.
  • Cliff drives to Nags Head, having arranged a drop-off at Rudgum Pier.
  • He instructs Alderman to leave an attaché case with money and a marking on the bench.
  • Cliff, in scuba gear, takes the case and leaves an envelope. He swaps cases and gives the money-filled case to a diver decoy.
  • The decoy opens the case underwater; it contains only sand.
  • Cliff disguises himself and deposits the marked case (now empty) in a bowling bag at Franky's Lanes.
  • He phones Fiedler to pick up betting receipts from the bowling bag.
  • Fiedler goes to the alley, retrieves the receipts from the case, and leaves his fingerprints.
  • Fiedler takes Shari Dougan to the racetrack to cash the receipts, but they are all losers.
  • Fiedler confronts "Amigo" by phone, demands an in-person meeting at his office that night.

Character Development

  • Cliff Iverson demonstrates growing confidence and ingenuity, executing a multi-step plan that relies on misdirection and props. He shows a willingness to take risks and adapt, noting that he hopes his McMasters training guides him.
  • Merrill Fiedler is revealed as greedy, arrogant, and easily manipulated. His desire to impress Shari and his anger at the failed bets show his lack of self-control.
  • Eddie Alderman remains cautious but trusts Trachter's instincts and agrees to the risky drop-off.
  • Shari Dougan appears as a reluctant participant, using polite compliance to protect her job, but she flees when Fiedler becomes threatening.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Deception and Misdirection: Cliff uses layers of disguise, decoys, and swapped items to frame Fiedler. The diver decoy and bowling bag pass illustrate how appearance can be manipulated.
  • Greed: Fiedler's greed drives him to handle the case and rush to cash the bets, making him vulnerable. His desire for more money leads him to ignore warning signs.
  • Trust and Betrayal: Fiedler trusts "Amigo" despite past failures, and his betrayal of Woltan is mirrored by his willingness to betray his accomplice.
  • Theatricality: The chapter is filled with staged performances: the dive, the bowling alley exchange, the phone calls. Cliff treats his plan as a theatrical production.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in Cliff's mission. It successfully frames Merrill Fiedler as the schematics leaker and links him to the money drop. The use of the marked attaché case with Fiedler's fingerprints, combined with the check signed by Fiedler at the bowling alley, creates strong evidence. The chapter also deepens the tension by showing Fiedler's volatile reaction and his demand for a face-to-face meeting, setting up the next phase of Cliff's plan. Additionally, it highlights Cliff's resourcefulness and the practical application of McMasters principles.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Cliff instruct Eddie Alderman to make an identifying mark on the attaché case?
    • Cliff wants to ensure he can later swap cases and link the marked case to Fiedler. The mark allows him to confirm that the case Fiedler handles is the same one used in the drop-off, reinforcing the frame.
  2. How does Cliff ensure that Fiedler's fingerprints end up on the attaché case?
    • Cliff places the marked case inside a bowling bag at Franky's Lanes. He then instructs Fiedler to retrieve betting receipts from the bag, forcing Fiedler to open and handle the case, leaving his prints.
  3. What is the significance of the check signed by Merrill Fiedler that Cliff gives to Franky?
    • The check serves as additional evidence linking Fiedler to the bowling alley transaction. It is signed by Fiedler and made out to cash, further connecting him to the scheme and providing a paper trail.

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