The Frankenstein Murders (3 page)

Knowing intimately the habits of his stepmother, Sir Ian Chesterlock waited until all the lights in the house except those in the sitting room had been extinguished. Having in his possession a key to 112 Grosvenor Place, unknown to the servants, he let himself into his stepmother's home. There he found, just as he had planned, his stepmother deeply asleep in her armchair. He emptied a large container of lamp oil over her, completely soaking her hair and clothes. It was his intention that his stepmother should be considered the victim of the unusual instance of spontaneous combustion.

When questioned by Mr. Freame in the presence of the police, Sir Ian Chesterlock first fell into a convulsive fit before he confessed to everything entirely. Once he had regained his composure, he admitted to holding hefty gambling debts; he thus needed possession of his father's London home in order that he might sell it. Although Sir Ian Chesterlock had inherited his family's country estate, the property was entailed. Sir Ian Chesterlock had lived beyond his means and was deeply in debt long before his father, Sir Humphrey, had died. Sir Ian Chesterlock was not willing to wait until his stepmother died a natural death. He had even been known to comment disparagingly about how “inconsiderately long-lived” the women in his stepmother's family were — Lady Chesterlock's own mother lives still. Sir Ian Chesterlock remains in the custody of the police, and his case will be taken to trial within the month.

Freame,

Certainly you have seen the article written about the Chesterlock case. It is no small surprise that such a sensational case made the papers; such an awful crime would be difficult to keep quiet. I am going to take the responsibility of giving an opinion.

Although I wondered at the appropriateness of making public such a private scandal, once Mrs. Lowrey knew for certain her stepbrother was the culprit, she was not against naming him publicly as the murderer so that all might know what he had done. Sir Ian Chesterlock will now have to face a judge, and I think he will not find himself favourably looked upon. Lady Chesterlock was well respected and moved in prestigious circles. Her stepson's conduct was criminal, a disgrace to his family's good name. We are none of us surprised that Sir Ian Chesterlock's ill-conceived actions should be followed by serious consequences.

Since publication of the details of the Chesterlock case, I have received a number of requests for your services. I have felt the requests were largely due to the sensationalism of the last case as depicted in the papers and the cases themselves to have no merit of their own. One case, however, in a matter more personal to me, has merit and I believe to be worth your attention. I would like you to
investigate the murder of Henry Clerval, the son of my long-time friend, Mr. George Clerval.

Mr. Clerval is a gentleman currently residing in Geneva with whom I have long had a business association, and who is also, I am glad to say, an old and dear friend. Holmwood, Gray, Cameron, and Associates has assisted Mr. Clerval's company in numerous commercial undertakings here in England. Mr. Clerval's son, Henry, was murdered under mysterious circumstances. Recently, the documents I have included with this letter were made known to Mr. Clerval, but rather than shed light on his son's murder, they have only added more mystery to the tragedy. The letters and journal of Captain Robert Walton have left Mr. Clerval more perplexed and uncertain than before. Mr. Clerval would like to enjoy the benefits of a broader and deeper investigation, and I have selected you as the person most able to assist him in fulfilling his request.

Until having received Captain Walton's journal, Mr. Clerval had been persuaded that his son Henry's murder was as a result of a robbery. The Captain's journal tells quite a different story. You must start your investigation by reading the journal of Captain Walton. I warn you: the pages herein contain a strange tale indeed, stranger perhaps than other cases that have been in your capable hands. The story, as told by Victor Frankenstein and written down by Captain Robert Walton, describes a creature — sewn together from corpses and invigorated with electricity until it lived again — that murdered Mr. Clerval's son. Indeed, if the facts of the case are stated correctly, it would make far greater sense to me that Henry Clerval had been robbed, or that his friend Victor Frankenstein had committed the crime. I have great difficulty in believing that what was once dead was brought to life, and that the same creature became a murderer.

On behalf of Holmwood, Gray, Cameron, and Associates, I direct you to acquire all that you need in order to begin to
investigate the Clerval case. This investigation must be handled with even greater discretion than ever has been our custom. Mr. Clerval searches for his own peace of mind; what little composure his family and others have regained must not be disrupted. His wife has been unwell since Henry's death, and so Mr. Clerval travels only when absolutely necessary.

You may have already divined that this case will not keep you in London; you will be given an ample advance to cover all expenses you shall incur. You will find in George Clerval a most generous and fair employer. Time and travel will be needed. Mr. Clerval has indicated that no cost is to be spared and every effort is to be taken to solve this mystery as quickly as possible. I am at your disposal should you need any further assistance. I await reports of your findings.

I place my trust in you to see that the investigation into the strange death of Henry Clerval is handled appropriately.

Sir Arthur Gray

Holmwood, Gray, Cameron, and Associates

Was a human-like creature truly brought from death to life, and did it commit multiple murders? My profession is one that has presented me with numerous strange and seemingly fantastical situations, but I have never before met anything to compare with this. I have not yet begun the investigation, and yet, already, the details of this case are complex and contradictory. I shall keep this journal both to document that which I discover, as well as to record my thoughts as they evolve. The journal will function as an aide to help me record and decipher the many facts I am certain to gather. The facts must be observed and recorded, and the truth revealed from them.

I have read the pages of Robert Walton's narrative and admit I am baffled by it. With his writings, Captain Walton presents himself as an educated and thinking man; the story he relates gives the appearance of being true. Captain Walton's journal describes much more than the murder of Mr. Clerval's son Henry. The journal recounts in detail the life and exploits of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but disturbed gentleman who believed he had actually created the murderer. Frankenstein's story, as told in Robert Walton's journal, describes how he came upon the answer to the source of human life, and then, using body parts stolen from graves, put together a body and brought it back from the dead,
bestowing animation upon lifeless matter.

What am I to think of this strange story of a young scholar? According to Victor Frankenstein, that which he created was a monster in all ways and was responsible for the death of not only Henry Clerval, but of Frankenstein's youngest brother, William, and of Frankenstein's bride of only a few hours, Elizabeth. To these can be added the execution of an innocent girl, Justine Moritz, who went to the gallows convicted of having murdered young William.

The story is presented as the true final words of Victor Frankenstein as told to Captain Robert Walton; both gentlemen of some consequence. Victor Frankenstein's tale cannot be rejected at this early stage, but it is hard to give it full credence. The concept is unreal, and has elements more akin to a story told to frighten children. The truth behind these murders must have remained with Victor Frankenstein, but he is dead. That Victor Frankenstein carefully pieced together parts from corpses and then
infused a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at his feet
is the most perplexing idea; it requires examination before complete rejection. This idea astonishes and concerns me, yet intrigues me nonetheless. Already I wonder if to believe this story is to believe in a sort of madness. The very idea of bringing life to the dead is madness.

I have witnessed a lifeless body, pulled from the cold Thames and taken to a receiving station of the London Society; some of their work had the semblance of the miraculous and wonderful as they resurrected victims from death by drowning. By the use of smelling salts, vigorous shaking, electrical shocks, and air forced into the lungs by the resuscitation bellows tip forced past the lips, victims of drowning were frequently restored to life. Yet even those valiant attempts were not always met with success, although their patients were one whole human body as created by God, lifeless for mere minutes, not many body parts taken from the long dead and stitched together by a man. To make a being from the various parts of others and then give life to it seems more than fantastic.

The creation of life is nothing short of miraculous. Every day, babies are born who will grow into adults to fulfill their roles in life. Mothers are given the blessing of bringing life to their children, even if at the cost of their own lives. And here, Victor Frankenstein presents himself as a creator of life. He claims to do more than resuscitate a victim of drowning, he claims to create life from death. If there be any truth to his story, at what great cost and how miserably did he succeed? He created a monster where he hoped to bring forth life in all its beauty. How disappointed he must have been to be burdened with an unlovable and motherless child he could not control. Did Victor Frankenstein find out that life was not necessarily the only result of his experiments, for truly by bringing life he also brought death.

Were it not for Captain Robert Walton's recording of having both seen and spoken with the monster, I would dismiss this case as a manifestation of the unwell mind of Victor Frankenstein. Indeed, there is much to persuade me that the monster itself was a phantom, the direct result of some debilitating brain fever suffered by Frankenstein. Robert Walton's testimony in the form of his journal, however, provides evidence that at least one other person, and perhaps some of his crew as well, witnessed the existence of this monster. There must be others who saw the monster, for the description provided by Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton of its inhuman size and frightful appearance the monster could scarce have gone about unnoticed. It will be incumbent upon me to discover other witnesses by travelling to the destinations visited by Victor Frankenstein and speaking with those who met and knew him.

This is an almost impossible case. Years have passed since the murders occurred; the trail to the murderer could be all but erased. Witnesses' memories will have grown dim with each passing day, and some may have gone to their own graves. Material evidence, if overlooked initially, will likely have been discarded or destroyed in the interval. I will have to call upon every ounce of my being and rely
strongly on everything I have learned and observed up to this moment. I do not know that I will succeed. Never before have I been offered such a daunting task.

Dear George,

It provides me a great deal of satisfaction to report to you that I have been more than able to fulfill your wishes; a good deal of that which you desire has already been acted upon. I have enclosed a letter to me from Edward Freame stating that he has agreed to undertake to solve the murder of your son Henry by investigating the claims of Victor Frankenstein. In his letter, Edward Freame presents his initial thoughts on the case and agrees with your assessment of the breadth of this investigation; it will most definitely require more of Freame than a visit to Ireland. If all the murders were committed by the same person, the murderer began long before the shores of England, and so the search for his true identity will most likely require that Freame visit both Geneva and Ingolstadt. If it appears that the murderer lives still, then Freame will need to go to where the murderer is now concealed.

To the greatest degree, I share your disbelief in this most disturbing, far-fetched tale of Victor Frankenstein. How could he stitch together parts from many bodies to create a new whole, jolted back to life with a charge of electricity? Both Edward Freame and I have taken note of your suggestion that the culprit was more likely some rogue Frankenstein had taken up with, and
to whom perhaps he owed money. This would then mean that Frankenstein used the story of the monster as a means of masking his true actions. It would not then be unreasonable to also conjecture that William, Henry, and Elizabeth were killed to make evident threats to the life of Victor Frankenstein himself. Frankenstein's story of a monster then becomes a way for him to hide his wrongdoings.

At my urging, Freame has already left London and begun his investigation. I will maintain a constant correspondence with both you and him. Edward Freame's first destination will be the home of Captain Robert Walton, who resides with his sister and her family but a short distance north of London. This village is on the way to Scotland, and Freame has already sent a letter requesting an audience with the good Captain. After he has spoken with Captain Walton, Freame will travel on to Scotland and thence to Ireland, there to inspect the site of the murder and to speak with all who were involved. Once Freame is satisfied that he has discovered all he can in those locations, he will travel to the continent. In Geneva, Freame will need to speak with you personally, as well as with the Frankenstein household staff. He will also meet with Mr. Ernest Frankenstein, the sole surviving member of that family. From Geneva, he will move on to Ingolstadt and attempt to uncover the secret behind Victor Frankenstein's behaviour.