6.3 * Moneybags case

Mrs Wilson is reading an exciting murder story. She is trying to explain to her husband the plot so far, and to deduce who committed the crime. Complete the blanks, using might have or could have (= its possible), and couldn't have (= its not possible):

Lord Moneybags has been murdered - he was shot in the library just before dinner. Jenkins, the butler, says he ran into the library as soon as he heard the shot, and found Lord Moneybags dead on the floor. There was nobody else in the room, and the window was shut. Lord Moneybags' own gun was in his hand, and there were no other fingerprints on it.'

Mr Wilson: “Well, he 1) might have committed suicide, 2) mightn't he?”

Mrs. Wilson: 'No, the detective says he 3) ____ done that, because he had no reason.'

Mr Wilson: 'But he 4) ____ had money problems that nobody else knew of.'

Mrs. Wilson: 'Yes, I suppose he 5) ____, but Inspector North is sure he was murdered.'

Mr Wilson: 'Who are the suspects, then?'

Mrs. Wilson: 'Well, there were six other people in Moneybags Hall that evening, and they all have an alibi for the time of the murder. But any of them 6) ____ committed the crime, because they all had a motive!

Mrs. Wilson: 'Lady Moneybags 7) ____ killed him, because she was upstairs. Jenkins was in the hall, so it 8) ____ been him, 9) ____ it? Monty 10) ____ done it, because he was with Madeleine – and she was with him, so she 11) ____ done it either, 12) ____ she? But, wait a moment, they 13) ____ planned it together, 14) ____ they?'

Mr Wilson: 'Well, I'm not reading the book, so I don't really know, but what about Clara? She's mad, so she 15) ____ done it. She 16) ____climbed through the window from the garden, still singing! Or the cook 17) ____left her chips for a moment and gone to the library, I suppose. But then Jenkins would have seen her but, of course, he had a motive, too! He and the cook 18) ____ done it together.'

Mrs. Wilson: 'It's difficult, isn't it. It 19) ____ any of them. I'd better read some more.'

WELL? WHO DO YOU THINK IT 20 … BEEN?

INSPECTOR NORTH SOON DISCOVERS AN IMPORTANT CLUE - MRS WILSON TELLS HER HUSBAND ABOUT IT!

Mrs Wilson has read a bit more of her book - Inspector North has found a clue: a long yellow hair on the library floor!

Madeleine, the maid, has long yellow hair. Complete the conversation with must have or couldn't have:

Mrs. Wilson: 'I knew it all the time. Madeleine 20) must have killed him. And Monty 21) ____ helped her. But they 22) ____ planned it very well, 23) ____ they, because they left such an important clue!'

Mr Wilson: 'I don't agree. Those two 24) ____ committed the murder. That would be too obvious for a mystery story. I still think it 25) ____ been Jenkins. He had a good motive. Madeleine's hair 26) ____ fallen out earlier, when she was cleaning the library.'

MONEYBAGS CASE SOLVED!

Inspector North decided to interview all the suspects separately. Complete the dialogues with the modals in brackets. Sometimes more than one is possible, but use each modal at least once:

A (would / could /might)

North: You 27) could have run down the stairs, shot your husband, and run back to the bath without anyone seeing you! Lady M.: No, I 28) ____ n't. That 29) ____ have been impossible. How 30) ____ I have done all that without being seen by Jenkins? North: Ah! Jenkins 31) ____ have helped you, 32) ____ n't he?

B (would / must / can't / need)

North: You 33) ____ have helped Lady Moneybags to commit the crime. You 34) ____ n't bother to tell more lies!

Jenkins: I 35) ____ never have helped her do anything! I 36) ____ stand her! 37) ____ you see it 38) ____ have been Monty – he was always arguing with his father about money!

C (should / would / could / must / can't)

North: Maud Sludge! You 39) ____ have killed your master. You 40) ____ hide the truth any longer. You 41) ____ n't accept the way he criticised your cooking, 42) ____ you?

Sludge: It's true he was cruel to me, and I 43) ____ have killed the old fool. But I didn't! And you 44) ____ say I did! It 45) ____ have been that impertinent new French maid. You 46) ____ see the way she goes after Monty, and Lord Moneybags 47) ____ n't agree to their marriage

D (may / can / would / has to)

North: 48) ____ you mind telling me what you were doing at the time of the murder?

Monty: As you 49) ____ recall (since I have told you before), I was teaching Madeleine how to lay the table the English way. She 50) ____ do it absolutely right, you know, otherwise Mrs Sludge gets angry with her. Poor Madeleine 51) ____ never remember whether the forks go on the left or the right! I was just showing her, when we heard the shot, and ran to the library.

E (must / 'll / could / can)

North: Young lady, 52) ____ you explain to me how one of your hairs was found near the body?

Madeleine: Certainly, it 53) ____ have fallen out of my head from shock, when I saw my dear master lying dead.

F (must / ‘ll /could / can)

North: Lady Clara, did you get on well with him?

Clara: No, I 54) ____ n't stand him! He 55) ____ pay for it, though!

North: Who? Your brother?

Clara: No, Barratt, the gardener. My brother sent him away last week. Barratt 56) ____ have killed him. I saw him climb through the library window just before the shot was fired.

North: Good lord! Why didn't you tell me before? He 57) ____ still be in the house!

G (ought to / must / can't / won't)

Mr Wilson: 'Good lord! The writer 58) ____ think his readers are stupid. I 59) ____ read any more of his books!' 'You 60) ____ try writing a murder story yourself. It 61) ____ be easy!'