The Wrong Confession

Confession Refuted
Solved the case of The Wrong Confession.

Patron: Halvik Storn, in Dreskmark Market Square. The sheet asks for Culprit, Tell, Motive. Each answer must rest on a finding; a lead only points you onward.

Usually heard from Tobin Sael (“Ask Tobin what has kept him from sleeping”), or Halvik Storn (one matter at a time, while no other case is open). You need not wait for it: a case enters your casebook as soon as you hold one of its facts.

Gather the proof

1. Take the Confessed Crate and Sealed Bay Mark in Dreskmark Bond-House.
   Finding Confession Fits Other Crate: “The recovered loot is a worthless open-bay crate of twine and cheap canvas — Nibb Carrock's own account describes exactly that, not the sealed Concord lot the inquiry is for.”
   Finding Lot Taken From Sealed Bay: “The Concord lot was drawn from the inner sealed bay — a keyed grille opened, not forced — a place apart from the open shelves Carrock's pilfering touched.”
   Lead Confession Closed It: “The sealed-lot theft is already closed on Nibb Carrock's confession; yet the notary Tobin Sael holds that the lot-records do not sit easy with the man's own word.”
2. Take the Bay Key Roster in Dreskmark Bond-House.
   Needed before Tobin Sael: “Show Sael the bay key-roster”.
3. Talk to Tobin Sael in Dreskmark Bond-House and choose “Show Sael the bay key-roster”.
   Finding Vauns Keyed The Bay: “The roster names one hand to the inner grille: Edric Vauns the clerk, sole-keyed — and a dunning-note in his name runs to a sum the missing lot would clear.”

Keep the order: a topic only appears once you hold the lead or the item it needs.

The answer

Show the case sheet

Question	Answer	Proved by
Culprit	Edric Vauns	Lot Taken From Sealed Bay; Vauns Keyed The Bay
Tell	Confession Misplaced	Confession Fits Other Crate
Motive	Vauns Debt	Vauns Keyed The Bay

The trap

These are true findings that point at the wrong story. Presenting a sheet built on them costs a segment of the day and the clean pass.

• Carrock Confessed makes a wrong sheet presentable (Culprit: Nibb Carrock, Tell: Confession Fits, Motive: Carrock Greed). “Nibb Carrock did confess to lifting the lot, and the whole wharf names him thief — a known pilferer who would own near any theft put to him.”

Close the case

Stand beside Halvik Storn and present. When the sheet holds, Halvik Storn offers courses; the case closes, and Confession Refuted unlocks, once you commit to one. Any course counts; they differ in the morale and marks shown beside each. This run chose Name The Real Thief, which also earns The Seam in the Confession.