The Paquetboat Thefts
Plot Type: General, Boat/Ship
Especially written for our floating customers and performed on boats and ships although equally applicable to any venue. Colonel Holman Stevens, the shipping magnate, has called upon the services of Sherlock Holmes to investigate the ongoing thefts from his cross-Channel ships, which are believed to be the work of a ruthless gang. Meanwhile the mysterious Captain Basil, a famous explorer, is on board one of the ships returning to England with a valuable haul of gold coins, which he is to present to the British Museum. A murder follows but the body appears to be that of an innocent passenger, one Doctor Dietler. Who is Captain Basil? Why was a murder committed? What is the motive for the subsequent blackmail aboard the ship? Join Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson as they unravel no less than three crimes in this complex case.
The Cast
Captain Basil: Famous explorer in fear of his life as he transports a haul of valuable gold coins, which he has rather carelessly shown everybody onboard the ship. Will he survive to hand over his valuable cargo to the curator of the British Museum in London?
Doctor Dietler: Seems to be a lone passenger with no past history onboard this ship where theft and murder will soon take place.
Franck: Knows that his mother is in trouble, but how far will he go to help her?
Sherlock Holmes: The famous consulting detective. Away on other business presently. Will he arrive in time to solve the crime? Of course he will!
Inspector Lestrade: This Scotland Yarder is methodical and like a dog with a bone. Unfortunately he is often erroneous in his deductions.
Federick Von Heissen: A bodyguard from Urania with apparently no motive for murder, although Holmes suspects that he is pivotal in the crime.
Colonel Holman Stevens: A wealthy man on paper and owner of the shipping company which maybe in financial trouble. Could this be a motive for theft and murder?
The Steward: Attends the first class passengers on the ship, and has an outstanding record having nearly caught the thieves single handed on a previous occasion. Is he too good to be true?
Doctor Watson: Traveling alone. Solid and dependable but without Holmes is always one step behind and out of his depth as he tries to solve this cae without the help of the master detective.
Maria Zinden: Why is she fleeing her native country of Urania, and why is she in need of money?