Office Strip Tease is on the case!
Some good points have been brought up, however:
Warning: Spoiler!Don't forget that the servers are bringing out and likely helping prepare the food. The greasy finger print on the arsenic bottle could belong to myself or Louis (red), since we would likely come into contact with the buttery hors d’ oeuvres. The story sets up motive for both of them, as it says they are resentful of the wealthy around them. But is that enough motive? However, one can't dismiss the possibility that one or both could have been paid by one of the party members to commit the crime(s).
I also find it quite likely that all three crimes are completely unrelated. It's quite likely that both murders were committed by separate culprits and had nothing at all to do with theft.
Right now, Nathaniel had motive to kill Carter, since he wants to win the heart of Willow. It would be an easy way to get his competition out of the way. He could have also orchestrated the theft of the coin in an attempt to draw attention to another suspect. After all, love does make people do crazy things.
Mr Vandersmith also has motive to both steal the coin and murder Carter, though his motive is certainly strongest for just the theft. t's quite possible that the bloody gloves found in my pocket belong to Mr Vandersmith. Of course, then one has to wonder why Mr Vandersmith had his hands in my pocket in the first place...lol Of course, I might have taken the gloves and committed the murder of the archaeologist in an attempt to draw attention to Vandersmith. Perhaps the lights weren't out long enough for me to get them out of my possession and to some place where they could be found.
We do have the question of the feather, which clearly draws attention to Al and his parrot. However, it's just as possible that Cater picked up the feather somewhere or that is was simply planted on him to divert attention from the true culprit.
I'm also wondering if the archaeologist may have been killed to cover up the fact that the coin find and auction were simply set up as a ploy to draw our Carter. This would allow him to be out in a setting with a large group of people and make it hard to pin down the suspect. Since Vandersmith was bidding against him, it's likely he would be in on a such a plot. If the archaeologist knew the auction was a set up, then he could likely speak out when Carter was found dead. Hence, he would need to be eliminated. So there are probably two killers.
I would say the most likely suspects for the murders at the moment are:
Nathaniel (killed for love)
Vandersmith (killed for the coin/revenge)
The Hired Help - Brando and Louis (killed out of spite/ or hired killers)
As for the theft, we can't rule out Vandersmith for that either. He certainly had motive and means. We also have Harlow, who has a history of thievery and can't be dismissed yet. The resentful hired help could also be suspects, as it would certainly be a way to strike back at their employers.
We also have the question of Mr Croup. He doesn't appear to have any motive, but he was seen slipping money into the pocket of the hired help. Could he be in on a conspiracy to kill Carter and silence Farnsworth as well?
Yes, that was a lot of thinking out loud... or on keyboard..lol
Warning: Spoiler!
