Alone, Studs Fedora got the bottle of bourbon from his office. Alone, he went back to his rooms, where he sat and listened to the clock tick and the radiator hiss. In the morning, the sun would come through the window like a thrown yellow brick, and maybe it would strike Studs where he lay on the carpet. But until then, he would sit and drink his whiskey alone. The End. #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

The police arrived quickly. Studs Fedora watched from the front stoop as uniformed officers escorted Cara Lotts into their squad car. Lt. Block took the transmitter and shook Studs' hand, a look of pity in his face. Studs tried to keep his face expressionless. #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

Cunningly concealed beneath his shirt, Studs Fedora wore a miniature transmitter, broadcasting everything said in the room to the police. Cara stared at it and her face fell as she saw her life crumble before her eyes. Studs knew exactly how she felt. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

Studs Fedora gazed into Cara's eyes for a long moment. Then he shrugged off his jacket, and Cara's expression lit up. He loosened his tie, and she lowered her gun. Then he opened his shirt. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

After the murder, Cara got close to Studs to keep him distracted. But a strange thing happened. Studs wound up distracting HER! In the middle of all this, Cara Lotts fell in love... Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

Studs was supposed to follow Lotts and learn what properties he wanted, so Bricks could get to them first. Instead, Lotts led Studs to the wrong place at the wrong time. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

Faced with the facts, Cara admitted her affair with Bricks Bennett. She wanted Bricks, and she wanted the money, but there was Lotts in the way of both. That's where Studs Fedora came in. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

Maybe Cara had drinks with Bricks Bennett...maybe more. Maybe Lotts walked in on them...or maybe he was supposed to. Maybe there was an argument, or some shoving..or maybe it was planned. But Cara was there when Lotts went out the window. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego

Maybe Bricks and Lotts had drinks together, maybe they didn't. But neither one of them wore lipstick the exact shade of Cara's, the shade he had seen on one of the glasses. In the days since, Studs Fedora had seen that shade of lipstick many times...up close. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #lego #legotown #humor

Studs recognized the two thugs at the graveyard, and later realized they had been at the hotel. But somehow the thugs were waiting for them--how had they known where to find Studs and Cara? Then there was the little matter of the hotel itself... Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor

The scowl on Cara's face hurt Studs Fedora more than a bullet ever could...except physically. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor

The police had it all: Bricks Bennett, his hired thugs, the real estate deal gone wrong. There was only one piece missing from this set--Bricks' accomplice and partner in crime. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor

She burst through the door and flew into his arms, but the music didn't swell and the audience didn't applaud. Studs Fedora pushed Cara away and told her about Bricks Bennett's arrest...and how he had admitted everything. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor #snapjudgment

After leaving Bricks Bennett, Studs Fedora went back to his office. He wanted a drink; in fact, he wanted many drinks. But he needed to keep a clear head. Or did he want a clear head and need many drinks? He couldn't decide. Cara Lotts was coming soon, and they had unfinished business. After that he would have a drink. Studs looked at the door, then at the bottle. Then at the door, then at the bottle. Next Chapter #studsfedora #snapjudgment #legotown #lego #mystery #murder #h

Bricks Bennett fell to pieces in the face of Studs Fedora's questioning. He confessed that it had happened just the way Studs figured. Then he had contacted the two hard cases from his construction company to help him clean up. But Bricks never expected that Studs would be on the case. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #noir #legotown #lego

However it happened, Merton Lotts went out the window. Maybe his last view was of property he owned, or maybe it was of the squalid alley where he would soon meet his end. Studs Fedora figured it didn't matter either way, because the story wasn't over yet. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #noir #lego #legotown

Studs Fedora speculated that Bennett and Lotts met to discuss the real estate deal over cocktails--but the conversation went sour somehow. Maybe Lotts refused to sell, and maybe Bennett got a little more emphatic than he intended... Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #legotown #lego #noir

Studs recalled the properties Lotts had bought up before his death. He described the plot plan in the city archives, for a huge rebuilding project...and how it had Bricks Bennett's name all over it. M.T. Lotts' lots meant lots and lots...of money. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #noir #legotown #lego

Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #bricksbennet #legotown #lego