Murder, drugs and a car named “the Cruze.”
Sounds like the scene for a Hollywood movie.
But no, it’s just the Village by the Sea’s February weekend of mystery and fun.
Every year there’s a murder in Langley, and people come from far and wide to figure out whodunit. This year, Mike Barish, a blogger from www.cruze-arati.com will play the part of “Travel Cruze-erati” for a promotion of Chevy’s new car, the Cruze. Barish will bring a film production crew with him for the big event. And even the Los Angeles Times picked up the story, as well, so get ready Langley, Mystery Weekend is taking the gumshoe world by storm.
This year is the 27th anniversary of the event which happens on Saturday, Feb. 26 and Sunday, Feb. 27 with the theme of “A Murder Most Prescribed.”
All sleuths will gather at the visitor’s information center in downtown Langley at
10 a.m. Saturday, and Mystery Weekend wraps up at 4:30 p.m. Sunday when the murderer is revealed and thrown in the clinker. Awards will be given to the top sleuths, thanks to Langley merchants.
Langley resident and longtime Mystery Weekend scriptwriter Saranell DeChambeau will reprise her role as the irascible I.B. Fuzz, retired Texas Ranger.
“This year Loretta Martin created the script, from Mike Hill’s idea,” DeChambeau said.
“No one knows who did it — not even the person who did it — so it comes as a big surprise.”
The caper is thick with intrigue. Real estate is causing problems in downtown Langley and it may have resulted in murder. Three intrepid groups of folks are looking for land in the downtown Langley business district. One is a much needed medical clinic, one a school (sponsored by the 49’ers group) and one wants to bring the first chain store into Langley in the form of a national optometry chain.
The merchants and town folk have mixed feelings about each potential business. Some think any chain business is not right for Langley, especially a national chain of eyeglass stores created by Dr. Canbea Payne and her husband, Dr. Frank Lee Eyesay. Their son, Windston Payne, has picked up the family business and wants to run it in Langley, but that’ll have to be over somebody’s dead body.
On the medical front, the city and a group of citizens have been searching for someone to open a clinic. Former city coroner Gus Gruesome just couldn’t make a living on one murder per year. He wants to turn over a new leaf and open a medical clinic. But the townfolk are not sure they want to be treated medically by old Gus, who does his best work on dead bodies.
Finally, a beautiful new school would bring students and a bit of recognition to Langley, but anything the 49’ers dream up smacks of get-rich-quick schemes. The Goldforts School of Sorcery and Alchemy is no exception. But Darrel B. Moretacome has his ways, and he’s already summoned a staff of teachers, including Professors D.W. Stumblemore, Novella Binder the librarian and Professor Lily Sprouts, who specializes in plants, among other scholarly types.
All these characters must fight for the only commercial property available in town, which happens to be owned by J. Bob Anthes, great-great-grandson of Langley founder Jacob Anthes and a politically connected member of the raucous Langley City Council.
The scene is set for a bit of chicanery, and perhaps no small amount of mayhem.
Sleuths can pick up a map of the town, the location of all the clues, where the solution will be read, a copy of the Langley Gazette and a ballot at the visitor’s center.
Organizers said Mystery Weekend is a popular draw, for Sherlocks of all ages.
“More than a 1,000 participants came last year,” DeChambeau said.
“We’ve had people who’ve been coming back for years and years. I just hope the snow melts,” she added.
Patricia Duff can be reached at 221-5300 or pduff@whid
beynewsgroup.com.
