Solve-it
A solve-it-yourself mini-mystery
Be detective in this 5-minute mystery!
"The Three Ring Murder" by Richard Ciciarelli
Solve-it #354 - May 2011
Previously published Jan. 1999
"Mr. Birdie?" Cash asked. "Clyde Birdie? You the man who runs this circus?"
"Yes. How can I help you?"
"I'm investigating the murder of Larry Conroy, your accountant. I understand you found the body."
"Yes. The owner hired him to go over our books. I put him up in the trailer next door and gave him all our books, bills, receipts, the works."
"He didn't work full time for the circus, then?"
"No way. The owner felt circus people couldn't be trusted when it came to money, so he always hired someone with no connection to our way of life."
"How did you come to find the body?"
"Well, while he was working, Conroy would always lock himself in the trailer. Wouldn't open the door to anyone except a person whose accounts he was going over that day. Anyhow, last night when I walked by his trailer, I noticed the door was open. I looked in and found him slumped over his work with a knife in his back."
"I also understand he wasn't quite dead when you found him," Cash said.
"Yes. I saw his fingers twitching. He was mumbling something. I called for help, but he died before anyone could get here."
"Did you manage to hear what he was saying?" Cash asked.
"Yes. I told the other police who were here. Mr. Conroy kept saying 'Joey' over and over. Then he died."
"Joey? That could be the name of his killer. Do you have anyone working for you named Joey?"
"No. And I don't think you understand, Sergeant. Joey is circus talk for a clown. All clowns are called Joey. Mr. Conroy was going over the clowns' expenses recently."
"Clown, huh?" Cash thought a moment. "How many clowns do you have working for you?"
"We're a small traveling circus, Sergeant. Lots of our people do two or three jobs. We have three part-time clowns: Giggles, Happy Boy, and HeeHaw."
Ten minutes later Cash was talking to a tall, thin man who was feeding chunks of meat to caged lions and tigers.
"Yep. When I'm not taking care of the cats, I'm Giggles," the man said.
"You weren't born with the name Giggles," Cash said.
"No, but that's what I go by around here. Now, what would you like to know?"
"How well did you know Larry Conroy, the man hired to audit the circus' books?"
"Didn't know him at all," Giggles said, moving from the lions to the tigers. "The owner hired a different accountant every year. Rubes, the lot of them. Usually we got lectures on cutting back on expenses to help out. This circus is always in financial trouble. Got to compete with tv, computer games, and special effects movies."
"Where were you at about seven o'clock last night?"
"In my trailer putting on my Giggles make-up and costume. We had a show last night, and I was on at eight, right after the high wire act."
Cash tracked down Happy Boy inside a huge tent, leading horses around a ring.
"Conroy?" the part-time clown asked. "Yeh, I met him once. He asked me about some bills I submitted for shoeing my horses and having a vet check their legs."
"Your horses?" Cash asked.
"Well, not mine, really, but I've grown so close to them I think of them as mine. This Conroy guy had obviously never been around circuses. He asked me if those things were absolutely necessary."
"Were they?"
"A horse's legs are its most valuable asset, Sergeant. Especially a performing horse. If I don't take care of them, they'll be hurt and I'll be out of a job."
"Where were you at about seven last night?"
"I had just finished my act, and I was in the stalls, wiping down and combing my horses."
"Your name wouldn't be Joey, would it?"
"No. It's Jake, why?"
"No reason. Could you tell me where I could find HeeHaw?"
"Probably outside tending to the elephants. He loves those big grey beasts about as much as I love my horses."
HeeHaw was a large man who was waving a white baton in front of three elephants. With each movement the pachyderms performed a different trick, first "dancing," then rearing on their hind legs like pet dogs.
"I never met the guy personally," HeeHaw said in answer to Sgt. Cash's question, "but I found a note from him on my trailer door. He wanted to see me today about some bills I submitted."
"Was he specific about what he wanted?
"Something about the cost of feed for the elephants. He thought it was too high."
"Was it?"
"You're as dumb as he was. Do you know how much an elephant eats every day? And I've got three of them here to take care of. And I'll tell you something: I'm not going to starve these beautiful animals just to save a couple of bucks. They not only perform, they do a lot of heavy work around here like putting up the tent supports."
"May I ask where you were last night at about seven?" Cash asked.
"Sure. I do my clowning bit between the horse act and the high wire act. I had just finished and was in my trailer removing my make-up to get ready for the elephant routine that came later."
"Do you know of anyone who would want to see Larry Conroy dead?" Cash asked.
HeeHaw shrugged. "Maybe somebody who had a secret he didn't want uncovered by an audit. Don't ask me for names-- that's about as specific as I can get."
Sergeant Cash headed back to his car, his head spinning from the information he had gathered.
"Got to sort all this out," he told himself. He leaned on the hood of his car and examined his notes from that day.
"Of course," he snapped his fingers. "I know who killed Larry Conroy. Now all I have to do is investigate him a little more thoroughly."
"Yes. How can I help you?"
"I'm investigating the murder of Larry Conroy, your accountant. I understand you found the body."
"Yes. The owner hired him to go over our books. I put him up in the trailer next door and gave him all our books, bills, receipts, the works."
"He didn't work full time for the circus, then?"
"No way. The owner felt circus people couldn't be trusted when it came to money, so he always hired someone with no connection to our way of life."
"How did you come to find the body?"
"Well, while he was working, Conroy would always lock himself in the trailer. Wouldn't open the door to anyone except a person whose accounts he was going over that day. Anyhow, last night when I walked by his trailer, I noticed the door was open. I looked in and found him slumped over his work with a knife in his back."
"I also understand he wasn't quite dead when you found him," Cash said.
"Yes. I saw his fingers twitching. He was mumbling something. I called for help, but he died before anyone could get here."
"Did you manage to hear what he was saying?" Cash asked.
"Yes. I told the other police who were here. Mr. Conroy kept saying 'Joey' over and over. Then he died."
"Joey? That could be the name of his killer. Do you have anyone working for you named Joey?"
"No. And I don't think you understand, Sergeant. Joey is circus talk for a clown. All clowns are called Joey. Mr. Conroy was going over the clowns' expenses recently."
"Clown, huh?" Cash thought a moment. "How many clowns do you have working for you?"
"We're a small traveling circus, Sergeant. Lots of our people do two or three jobs. We have three part-time clowns: Giggles, Happy Boy, and HeeHaw."
Ten minutes later Cash was talking to a tall, thin man who was feeding chunks of meat to caged lions and tigers.
"Yep. When I'm not taking care of the cats, I'm Giggles," the man said.
"You weren't born with the name Giggles," Cash said.
"No, but that's what I go by around here. Now, what would you like to know?"
"How well did you know Larry Conroy, the man hired to audit the circus' books?"
"Didn't know him at all," Giggles said, moving from the lions to the tigers. "The owner hired a different accountant every year. Rubes, the lot of them. Usually we got lectures on cutting back on expenses to help out. This circus is always in financial trouble. Got to compete with tv, computer games, and special effects movies."
"Where were you at about seven o'clock last night?"
"In my trailer putting on my Giggles make-up and costume. We had a show last night, and I was on at eight, right after the high wire act."
Cash tracked down Happy Boy inside a huge tent, leading horses around a ring.
"Conroy?" the part-time clown asked. "Yeh, I met him once. He asked me about some bills I submitted for shoeing my horses and having a vet check their legs."
"Your horses?" Cash asked.
"Well, not mine, really, but I've grown so close to them I think of them as mine. This Conroy guy had obviously never been around circuses. He asked me if those things were absolutely necessary."
"Were they?"
"A horse's legs are its most valuable asset, Sergeant. Especially a performing horse. If I don't take care of them, they'll be hurt and I'll be out of a job."
"Where were you at about seven last night?"
"I had just finished my act, and I was in the stalls, wiping down and combing my horses."
"Your name wouldn't be Joey, would it?"
"No. It's Jake, why?"
"No reason. Could you tell me where I could find HeeHaw?"
"Probably outside tending to the elephants. He loves those big grey beasts about as much as I love my horses."
HeeHaw was a large man who was waving a white baton in front of three elephants. With each movement the pachyderms performed a different trick, first "dancing," then rearing on their hind legs like pet dogs.
"I never met the guy personally," HeeHaw said in answer to Sgt. Cash's question, "but I found a note from him on my trailer door. He wanted to see me today about some bills I submitted."
"Was he specific about what he wanted?
"Something about the cost of feed for the elephants. He thought it was too high."
"Was it?"
"You're as dumb as he was. Do you know how much an elephant eats every day? And I've got three of them here to take care of. And I'll tell you something: I'm not going to starve these beautiful animals just to save a couple of bucks. They not only perform, they do a lot of heavy work around here like putting up the tent supports."
"May I ask where you were last night at about seven?" Cash asked.
"Sure. I do my clowning bit between the horse act and the high wire act. I had just finished and was in my trailer removing my make-up to get ready for the elephant routine that came later."
"Do you know of anyone who would want to see Larry Conroy dead?" Cash asked.
HeeHaw shrugged. "Maybe somebody who had a secret he didn't want uncovered by an audit. Don't ask me for names-- that's about as specific as I can get."
Sergeant Cash headed back to his car, his head spinning from the information he had gathered.
"Got to sort all this out," he told himself. He leaned on the hood of his car and examined his notes from that day.
"Of course," he snapped his fingers. "I know who killed Larry Conroy. Now all I have to do is investigate him a little more thoroughly."
Who killed Larry Conroy? Explain your reasoning using the clues that helped you come to your conclusion.
Clyde BirdieGiggles
Happy Boy
HeeHaw
I think that Birdie killed Larry. So he made up the "joey" He was steeling money from the cirus. So he killed Larry.
ReplyDelete-richard ayodele
I think that Birdie killed Larry Conroe because everyone that Cash talked to said that Larry didnt know anything about the circus. Larry wouldnt have known what "Joey" ment. Birdie was probably stealing money from the circus.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that it was Clyde Birdie becausee No one except for birdie knew Larry well enough to dislike him and wantt to kill him. Andd he was probably taking/stealing money and killed him before larry accused him of stealing it so no one would find outt. :D
ReplyDeleteI say Bridie killed Conroy because he probably hated that the guy didn't know much about the circus. Birdie could have lied about finding him dead. Mr. Birdie asked to speak to Conroy. Then as soon as Conroy sat down at his desk, Birdie took out his dagger and stabbed Conroy to death. Then blamed it on the clowns.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Walker It was Clyde. My reasoning is that Clyde says he saw the body but it was not dead completely, he said there was already a knife but what if he put the knife there and then finish the job.
ReplyDeleteI think birdie killed because he was annoyed at how he didn't about the circus plus the fact that he probably kept finding missing dollars from the total and thought it was him and birdie's real name is Joey
ReplyDeleteI think this story is about how someone finds aomething that doesnt belong to them and the owner needs to have that something because it can be valuble, this story reminds me of Sherlock Holmes because hes a detective and he solves mysteries.
ReplyDelete-Carlos Baker =D
krunal patel
ReplyDeleteI thing clyde birdie killed larry.because he is tell someone lest name so he dont got khot because i thing larry conroy dont know giggles,happy boy,and heehaw because larry conroy dont know a circus people.
pshhhhhh everybody knows it was Clyde Birdie because hes the one that found the body and was stealing the money
ReplyDeleteSachin Sam Mathew
ReplyDeleteI think birdie killed larry because, cirus was in a finacial promblem and he needed money so he stared stealing it from the cirus and larry maybe seen him stealing money, So he killed larry and make up a name about jake.
katherine e cortez
ReplyDelete---Everyone Cash questioned said pretty much the same thing: Larry Conroy was not very familiar with a circus and how it operates,he wouldn't know that circus clowns are called Joeys. And if that was true, Clyde Birdie made up the story of Conroy's dying clue,and since he is the manager of the circus, he can be the one who has the key to the trailer and go in and kill conroy!
Eduardo Martinez
ReplyDeleteI think that it was HeeHaw. When Sgt. Cash went to go ask him what he knew (or some information at least), he was the only one who got asked the question, "Do you know of anyone who would want to see Larry Conroy dead?". He replied, "Maybe somebody who had a secret he didn't want uncovered by an audit. Don't ask me for names-- that's about as specific as I can get." He was prbably angry because Conroy had told him to cut down on the food for the elephants. Since he loves them so much, he might have been irritated of all the constant reminders.
i think it was Clyde Birdie because the he is only person who works in the circus that is probaly called Joey because in the story no one else's name is Joey and all the other clowns were at the show the time Birdie found Larry's body and he was the only one their.
ReplyDeleteKimberly Jones.
i think heehaw because he did not want to send away the elephant because of the budget.he could have framed birdie to keep te elephants there.
ReplyDeleteI say it was Clyde Birdie because it looked like he didn't like that guy that died.
ReplyDeleteI think Heehaw killed Conroy because he sounded upset when Conroy put the note talking about his elephants and Heehaw lonved his elephants.
ReplyDeletesyvia purce
ReplyDeletei say Clyde Birdie killed Larry Conroy because he was the only person to go in his trailor and he was there when coroy had a knife in his back and when he died that seem a bit suspicious doesnt it that'll turn some heads and peak somones curiosity...
I think Mr. Birdie is the one who murdered Larry Conroy because he had told Sergeant Harold Cash that the person who killed Mr.Birdie was this such person called "Joey"and no one knew anyone name joey ....so he seems suspicious.
ReplyDeletegerson cruz
ReplyDeleteI think it was clyde birdie cause he is the manager and he would be able to open the trailer and kill him
I think Mr.Birdie did it because he knows Larry and they worked together he knew a lot about him too. He was also stealing from the circus that makes even more guilty.
ReplyDeleteI think birdie did it because birdie knew too much of larry they were always together so he must've killed larry.
ReplyDeletei think birdie did it becuase he knew to much of larry they were always together so he must've killed him.
ReplyDeletei think it was happy boy because evryone know that the queit one or etheir the person that acts like they know nothing acually did the thing they said didn't.
ReplyDeleteVidhi Patel
ReplyDeleteI think Clyde Birdie killed Conroy because Cash asked everyone if they knew a guy named Joey and nobody knew a guy named Joey. All the clowns story's were the same i mean if one was lying about their act being next then they would have gotten caught by the other clown saying something else. Also Birdie found Conroy's body and knew him very well. Birdie kind of seems suspicious because i think the clowns were close and that they would have know if any of their names were Joey. Or someone would have know a guy named Joey because they work there.
I think it was Clyde Birdie because Conroy never opened the door for people who he wasnt working for. He probably opened it for Clyde then Clyde killed him. Since Conroy had no connection to the circus except the fact that he was the accountant, he couldnt have known Joey meant clown. Joey is probably Clydes real name.
ReplyDeleteI think it was Clyde Birdie because of how he acted around the officer and he was the one who found the body and all the other clowns are not named Joey.
ReplyDeleteKimberly Jones
Michelle Montoya.
ReplyDeleteI think it was Cycle Birdie because he was acting weird around the officer and he was also the one who found the body, and because he knew to much about Larry .
Leke Ajenifuja,
ReplyDeleteI think it was clyde Birdie because he was the only person who wasnt questioned about where he was at the time he was murdered. He also was the one who knew him the most and he hired a knew one every year so and that is pretty wired.
I think that birdie killed him and was stealing money because hes a bad guy
ReplyDeletei think that birdie killed because he was acting all suspious about the murder
ReplyDeleteBrittany Jones
ReplyDeleteI think Clyde Birdie killed Larry Conroy because he knew a lot about Larry and found his body too. He probably didn't like Larry Conroy and decided to kill him.
I think that Birdie killed Larry because the circus was running out of money. So maybe Birdie was stealing money from the circus and Larry found out. So to silence him Birdie killed Larry.
ReplyDeletePhuong Tran
I think that it was Birdie that killed Larry. He said that in the circus business everyone calls clowns "Joey". But Larry wasn't in the circus business. If Birdie was lying, that makes him suspicious. He was also probably stealing money or doing something bad with the money and Larry found out, making Birdie want to kill him.
ReplyDeleteI think Clyde Birdie killed Larry Conroy because he was the only one who had known Larry. When Cash was talking to the other clowns they didn't know of Joey or they never had a conversation with him. Birdie new him on more of a personal level and he found him half dead with the door unlocked. -Mikaela Dunwell
ReplyDeletesindy sandoval
ReplyDeleteI think birdie killed larry conroy because he was the only one who new him first.
This was a Long Story -__- ,
ReplyDeleteWell i think that Bridie killed Conroy , Becouse he was the One Who Knew that he Locked his Trailer, the one Who found the body , so its kinda obvious that he killed him, i mean he probably made up the Name " Joey " , he was the one that knew him more , im guessing .
I think that birdie killed him because he didn't give the detective as much information as the clowns did, also he could have made up the entire "joey" thing. it is also kind of suspicious that he hires a new accountant every year.
ReplyDeleteWalter Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteI didnt understand this story but i think i know who killed Conroy. I think its Clyde Birdie because He was the one that found the dead body and he was acting suspicious around the officer. Also he knew Larry and stole the money so it makes him more guilty.
I think it was birdie because he said he knew nothing about larry but someone else said they were all close and when the invesgitator asked everyone else they said they did not go by the name Joey.
ReplyDeleteChiamaka ofulue
IN THIS STORY, I THINK Cycle Birdie WAS THE ONE WHO KILLED LARRY. BECAUSE HE KNOWS MORE INFORMATION THAN EVERYONE DOES.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Bailey
ReplyDeleteI think that Birdie killed Conroy. All the clowns said Conroy didn't know anything about the circus. If that's true, how come Conroy knew Joey meant clown? That means that Birdie made up that clue, and the only reason to lie is to divert suspicion from himself. I think he was embezzling money from the circus.
Ravendra Nand
ReplyDeleteI think it was Clyde Birdie who killed Larry because all the other clowns said pretty much the sane thing. They didn't know Larry much. And who knows,Larry probably lets Birdie in his trailer all the time , or Birdie has the keys to his trailer. Birdie also said "The owner felt circus people couldn't be trusted when it came to money, so he always hired someone with no connection to our way of life."
I think Birdie did it because he is the one thnat knows more information than anyone else. Also, he acted strange around the officer.
ReplyDeleteNash Persaud
I think Birde killed him because it was the only way Birde could get more money for the circus. Also no one was named Joey at the circus so he made that up just so the officer won't think he was the one who killed Conroy.
ReplyDelete-Nicole Jackson
I think Clyde Birdie killed Larry because he was the only one who knew a lot about Larry. Everyone else didn't know anything. And the clowns didn't say anything about a "Joey". Birdie was the closest to Larry, it was obvious he killed Larry.
ReplyDeleteI think Mr.Birdie killed him because he was the only one that had a connection to the man and a real motive for murder. He was probably affecting the circus financially and he didnt want Mr.Conroy to figure that out.
ReplyDeletei think mr.birdie killed larry because he knew too much about larry like a stalker. nobody else knew anything about larry every body knew himm like a strangerr or just knew hiss namee. but birdie was the main suspect
ReplyDeletejovon
ReplyDeletei think that giggles kill larry and that larry found out giggles secert he had proably for his horses or larry wanted giggles horses out.
Chanel Person
ReplyDeleteI think Birdie killed Conroy because Birdie would have know Conroy well enough to hire him for the job. Also Cash didn't question Birdie like he did the other clowns because Cash must nit have expected Birdie to kill his own employee. I think Birdie knew something about Conroy that none of the other clowns knew.
Christina Sutton
ReplyDeleteBirdie did it! because he said joey is the last thing the guy who was dying said but maybe he was lying and he did it because he is the onlyone who wasnt in an act around the time conroy died and he was the only one who saw him. and he would open the door to birdie!
I think birdie killed larry because he did not know too much about the circus and if he said joey then he wouldve known about the circus.Birdie said that larry said joey to make it seem like one of the clowns,someone other than him did it.
ReplyDeleteI think Birdie killed Larry because no one elese new Larry also he was the only one who didnt really need any money for animals I think he killed him because he was putting in false reports saying he needed more money than he did
ReplyDeleteI think Birdie was the killer. He knew tons of stuff about Joey, such as that it meant down. Plus he said he wasn't in the circus business so it was strange he knew.
ReplyDeleteJulian Blackwell
Ms. Abbas, I have already posted a response but I didn't find mine.
ReplyDeleteEduardo Martinez
I think HeeHaw did it becuase when the detective asked him "Do you know of anyone who would want to see Larry Conroy dead?" HeeHaw said "Maybe somebody who had a secret he didn't want uncovered by an audit. Don't ask me for names-- that's about as specific as I can get." and also because he lov3ed his elephants so much.
I think Birdie killed the Mr. Conroy because he had given the bills to him, were probably going to cost him a lot of money for the circus. None of the other clowns had known Mr. Conroy very well except the one who had hired him in the first place which was Clyde birdie!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Gilmore
I think Clyde Birdie killed Larry because he was the only one who had the idea of going into his trailer and was there when he died he also says it th article that they pick people who the have no relation to so if you dnt know him them if he makes birdie mad thats probly why he killed cornoy
ReplyDeletei already posted this but it got deleted somehow sorry
ReplyDeleteI think Birdie killed Larry because he was the one who knew where Larry was in the first place, and how he knew the door was unlocked when he was the only one around. He also said since noone was there during the incident, it could only mean one thing, and that was Cylde Birdie killing Larry.
ReplyDeleteANN GILMORE
I think Birdie killed him because he was the only person who wasnt questioned about where he was at the time. and everyone commented said him and it was making sense what they were saying Kairen Madry-Hall
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