1Written and developed byJack PachutaManagement Strategies, Inc.(MSI Internet Sales)PO Box 191Cedarburg, WI 53012262/377-7230jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.comCopyright, 2005. All rights reserved.2

How to Organize “Death is a Cabernet, Ol’ Chum”Thanks for purchasing this unique murder mystery. You and your guests will enjoy thechallenge of solving a crime that will test everyone’s powers of deduction. Here is what youshould do to coordinate your murder mystery evening:STEP 1: Review the materials in this mystery packet. But ... please do it in a very specificway. Remember - you have ALL of the information, including the solution to the mystery. Ifyou decide to participate in the mystery as a role player or an investigator, you’ll want to keepyourself in the dark about WHO DONE IT.All page numbers in this packet are in the upper left-hand corner of the pages as you look atthem vertically. That way you can run off the material without having the page numbersinterfere with the format. The entire packet includes:Instructions on how to organize the event. They’re on pages 2 through 5. (You’re readingthem right now.)Instructions for the person who will facilitate the event. Information for the person whowill take charge of the murder investigation is on page 6. If only eight people are invited tothe event, you may want to assign this duty to Renee Melee, Malcolm’s daughter.Role Player Information. These pages serve as a “cover letter” for the information you’llsend to the eight individuals who will be in character as the suspects. Run off eight copies ofpages 7 and 8 back to back. You may want to use better quality stationery for this letter.

Role Player Information. Pages 9 through 24 contain the information you’ll send with thecover letters. Each role is designed as a two-sided two-fold document. Again, run off thisinformation back to back. Each role player gets only the information that applies to the rolethat he or she is playing. Your role players should know ONLY what’s in their individualpackets.The Invitation to the Mystery Event. The invitation on page 25 will be sent to each guest.It is designed to be run off as a two-fold. Or, if you decide to use heavier stock, the left sideof the page can be run off back-to-back with the right side of the page.Police Chief’s Letter. The letter on page 26 will be given to each guest by the facilitatorupon arrival. Run off enough copies so that each person receives one.Clues about the Crime. You’ll find 24 clues about the mystery on pages 27 through 29.Cut them out. Since each guest receives a clue, you can invite up to24 investigators. Shouldyou want to invite more guests, simply double and triple the clues.Today’s Edition of The Nippy Valley Grapevine. Everyone will receive a copy of TheNippy Valley Grapevine on pages 30 and 31. Run the pages off back to back.Melee Cabernet Labels. The labels of a recent vintage of Melee Cabernet Sauvignon areon page 32. Follow the instructions of the page about how to display the labels.Investigative Report. Run off one report on page 33 for each investigative team.The Answer Sheet. Run off one answer sheet on page 34 for each investigative team.The Denouement. This is the solution to the crime. Run off pages 35 through 39. Thefacilitator will read these pages at the end of the evening.STEP 2: Plan your event. Pick a date on which to conduct the murder mystery event. Death isa Cabernet, Ol’ Chum is designed to be an evening’s entertainment. Remember: our mysteriesare for serious sleuths. It will take two to two-and-a-half hours to solve the case using the3recommended format. Because of this, a buffet meal is suggested for the mystery evening. If

you have a sit-down meal, add the amount of time the meal will take to your planning time.STEP 3: Select your role players. Review the scenario and the brief descriptions of thesuspects on page 7. Select guests who would fit into these roles. Send the role players theirinformation and a copy of The Nippy Valley Grapevine (pages 30 and 31) approximately 10 to12 days before the mystery event. The role players should bring the information with them anduse it as a reference when they are questioned by the investigators.If you have only eight guests, the role players will also be the investigators. This means youwill send the invitations with the roles so that all of the information arrives at the same time.STEP 4: Invite your guests. Approximately three to four weeks in advance of the event, sendinvitations to the guests who will not be role players .STEP 5: Select a person to facilitate the investigation. The facilitator should read theInstructions on page 6, and review the information in the packet to keep the event moving sothat the investigation is conducted effectively.Here’s what to do on the night of the mystery event.STEP 6: The person portraying Renee Melee greets the guests. Since Renee is Malcolm’sonly child, she greets people as they arrive. Renee (or the person who is the facilitator) giveseach guest who is investigating the crime a Police Chief Letter with a Clue attached and TheNippy Valley Grapevine. (You may want to put them in envelopes marked “OfficialInformation from the Chief of Police.”)If you have only eight people at the event, and the role players are also investigating thecrime, everyone receives a letter. If your event separates the role players from theinvestigators, then role players DO NOT receive letters. Tell the investigators they can shareclues with each other at any time during the evening.STEP 7: The role players speak. The facilitator (in a small group, this could be the roleplayer portraying Renee Melee) asks everyone to sit down as the suspects give theirrecollections of what happened the previous night. Ensure that it is staged in this way:

The facilitator (or Renee) reminds everyone that Malcolm Melee died last night after thereception that was being held in honor of the winery’s 10th anniversary. The eight peoplewho are gathered here were at the event. They’ve been asked to give their recollectionsabout what happened last night along with their feelings about Malcolm Melee.The facilitator (or Renee) asks the eight role players to speak in this order: (1) ReneeMelee, (2) Pierre LaPaine, (3) Sue Veneer, (4) Carter Cabot, (5) Nina Grigio, (6) BenBreakfast, (7) Stan Milton, (8) Leelah Eagle. They stand and read the sections headlined,“Here’s what you’ll say when you’re asked to speak.”4STEP 8: The investigation starts. The facilitator (or Renee) briefly reviews what happened,including such facts as:Malcolm Melee has owned the winery for 10 years and has made enemies along the way.Only one of the people who attended the reception committed the murder.MOTIVE, MEANS and OPPORTUNITY must be considered to solve the case.STEP 9: Form investigative teams. Have the guests who are investigating the murder formthree-to-five-person investigative teams. Team members will work together to solve the case.If only eight people are at the event, you may (at your discretion) form two-person teams whowill work together to solve the case.STEP 10: Break for dinner or refreshments. The teams may trade clues to obtain as muchinformation as possible while they are eating, but they cannot question the suspects yet.If only eight people are involved, distribute the remainder of the 24 clues at regular intervalsduring the meal until all clues have been used.STEP 11: Continue the investigation. At the end of the meal, tell the teams that it is time tostart the investigation again. Each team should find an area to use as an interrogation room.If only eight people are present, everyone stays together and one role player at a time isquestioned.STEP 12: Coordinate the questioning. Have one role player rotate to each interrogation room

at six-minute intervals. If you have fewer than eight teams, work out a rotation that gives roleplayers breaks between some of the rounds of questioning. The investigators may ask thesuspects ANYTHING.The suspects should use the information provided in the Role Player Information to answer thequestions. Suspects should not withhold any bits of information, but they should not offerinformation unless the investigators specifically ask for it. Good investigators must ask the rightquestions to get the correct facts.STEP 13: Distribute copies of the Investigative Report. After the 4th round of questioning,The facilitator should loudly announce that police have prepared a report about the case.Distribute a copy of the report to each team.STEP 14: Conduct open questioning. Place the suspects in different parts of the facility. For asix-minute period, investigators from any team may go to the suspects and ask final questions.WARNING: Some investigators will try to pull the suspects back to their teams. Don’t permitthis. Several different teams may question a suspect at the same time.With only eight people, anyone can ask any other role player anything.5STEP 15: Distribute Answer Sheets. Give teams 10 to 12 minutes to write out their solutionsby answering the questions on the Answer Sheet.STEP 16: Teams give their solutions. The facilitator asks the questions on the answer sheet toeach team, one at a time. The teams read the answers exactly as they were written on the answersheet. NOTE: Often, a team will want to change its mind after hearing the answers fromanother team. Don’t let this happen.If you have only eight people, each role player (or two-person team of role players) gives anindividual solution to the case.STEP 17: Read “The Denouement.” The facilitator opens the envelope in which the solutionwas placed. The facilitator reads it aloud to the guests. This will take 6 to 8 minutes.STEP 18: Award prizes. You may want to award prizes to the investigative team that did the

best job of solving the crime. Let your creativity run wild in selecting the prizes.Special role player information …(The facilitator may want to review these with the suspects prior to the start of the mystery.)Because this mystery is crafted with intertwining facts, the role players are provided with anabundance of information that may or may not be used during the investigation. Since thesuspects will undergo interrogation by the investigative teams, the extensive number ofpersonal facts will enable them to answer most questions that are asked.Role players MUST read recollections exactly as they are written. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Itenables the investigation to begin with the correct preliminary data.If role players are asked questions not specifically addressed in this information, the roleplayers should answer in character based upon the other facts available to them.The only relationships that the suspects know about are those written into the roles. If askedby investigators about relationships that are not mentioned in the roles, the suspects shouldsay, “No, we’re not related.”All of the suspects are telling the truth with the exception of the murderer whoserecollections and responses will contain lies – this is intentional and part of the murderinvestigation.Since a good investigator must ask good questions, suspects must only offer informationthat is asked for by the investigators. They should NOT offer information that has not beendirectly requested.The murderer DOES NOT know he or she committed the crime. This means the suspects don’thave to be good liars. The solution is contained in “The Denouement.”6Instructions for the person who will facilitate the eventIf you are a role player, then you already have a formal part in the investigation. Your role asfacilitator means you will have to stay in character while ensuring that the investigation isconducted effectively.If you are not one of the eight role players, you may want to create your own character and

come in costume. You could be, for example, Lawrence Law, the police chief who signed theletter on page 26. To facilitate the mystery event, do the following:1. Review all of the information in this packet so that you are familiar with the mystery.REMEMBER: If you are attempting to solve the crime, do NOT read “The Denouement”in advance. It contains the solution to the case.2. As the guests arrive, hand them a copy of the Police Chief letter, along with a clue and acopy of The Nippy Valley Grapevine. Tell them to talk with as many people as they can toacquire information about Malcolm.3. The suspects have been told to arrive 15 minutes early. When they do, take them asideand review the Special role player information on page 5. Answer any questions they may have.Even though you are “facilitating” this event, the person playing Renee Melee will be hostingthe event. It will be up to Renee to get people seated so that the investigation can start.4. Keep the event moving by following the instructions on pages 2 through 5. Make sureall information is given at the right time.5. If you are not one of the role players, after you read “The Denouement,” lead theguilty party away to jail. If you want to, you can use toy handcuffs to make the arrest. If youwant to stage the arrest in this way, let the suspects know you will do this.6. Take a bow for a job well done!7You are portraying one of these suspects ...Pierre LaPaineWinemaster. His proven process for making the perfect cabernet was under scrutiny by the penny-pinchingMalcolm.Renee MeleeMalcolm's only child. She returned to the Valley last year to help her father run the winery. Everyone knewthat Malcolm and Renee didn't see vine to vine.Stan MiltonOwner of the Milt-Mart Stores. The land on which the winery is located would be a perfect spot for hisnext mega-sized discount establishment.Nina Grigio

Writer for Wine Line magazine. Her discriminating palate can make or break a new vintage.Carter CabotOwner of Cabot Vineyards. He suspected that Malcolm was using unfair tactics to capture the lion's shareof the cabernet marketplace.Sue VeneerGift shop manager. She sells bottles of Melee Cabernet and assorted trinkets to winery visitors.Ben BreakfastInnkeeper. His B&B, the Nippy Victorian House, is the most popular inn in the Valley. And, a bottle ofcabernet is a welcoming gift for all guests.Leelah EagleAttorney at law. She hates to lose and lately, for some unknown reason, she's been spending a lot of timeresearching information about the winery.It was an evening of wine and cheese at the Melee Vineyards in the Nippy Valley,celebrating the winery's tenth anniversary. Owner Malcolm Melee took great pride inpouring his world-famous Melee Cabernet, the wine that tickles the palates of wineconnoisseurs around the globe. Over the past decade, his small operation has built arecord of supplying a quality product, even though Melee's surly personality has produced more adversariesthan advocates.The celebration was open to the public and the assemblage included both his supporters and detractors,some of whom openly expressed their opinions about his business practices. Melee simply laughed off allnegative words, even dismissing the notion that someone was determined to end his reign as cabernet king.As the gathering broke up about midnight, Melee bade "farewell" to everyone and said he would stayaround to turn out the lights. But this morning, it became deadly obvious that someone had planned lightsout for Malcolm Melee, for his body was found at the bottom of the staircase that leads to the oak casks inthe wine cellar. Someone had put the cork on Melee and taken action that would squeeze the winery'sreputation.MSI Internet SalesPO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012, (262)377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.com _ www.mysteries-on-the-net.com

81. Each of the suspects will be asked to say a few words about Malcolm Melee and the nightof the crime. When you are called upon, read the material on page 6 of your role playerinformation. It is important to include all information that has been given to you. This is vitalfor setting the stage for the investigation. Feel free to “ham it up.”2. During the event, people will have the opportunity to question you and the other suspects.Expect to be asked about a variety of things. Keep this in mind when answering their questions:Stick to the facts as presented in the role.Be truthful. Give correct information about your character. Don't embellish your role tomislead the others. If you must ad-lib to answer a question, keep it within the context ofyour character. You must reveal any of the facts about your character if you are asked to doso by the investigators.Do not offer any additional facts that the investigators do not directly request.Be consistent. If two different investigators ask you the same question, answer the same wayeach time.If your role does not have the information requested, then it is not true to the best of yourknowledge. All significant facts are included in your information.During the course of the investigation, you may find out facts about the other suspects. Donot pass this information on to others.Your recollections may disagree with those of the other suspects. Stick to your story asbeing truthful.3. Any of the suspects (including you) could be the murderer. This means that one of you willbe lying.Please come in character and arrive 15 minutes early so that any remaining questions canbe answered.Drink a toast and have a tasty time!9

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ Chum

Your Role: Renee MeleeYou, Renee Melee, are the only child of Cabernet kingMalcolm Melee. Born 35 years ago on the East Coast,you had a comfortable life during your formative years.At that time, your father was an up-and-coming force inthe publishing world who provided you with all of thecreature comforts, but who worked long hours and hadlittle time for his family. He put all of his energy intofounding and running Melee Magazine, a definitivesource for business information.Your mother, Chantee, was French by birth. Your parentshad met when Malcolm was backpacking through Europeone summer while still in college. Chantee’s father wasRoland LaPaine, the owner of a small winery in theBordeaux region of France. He vinted quality CabernetSauvignon and Cabernet Franc wines. Malcolm andChantee kept in touch when Malcolm returned to theStates. They were married one month after your fathergraduated from Ivy University 43 years ago.You’ve been told that the two of them were deeply inlove when they were first married, but your recollectionsof their relationship was of two people who were distantfrom each other. You were close to your mother and, asyou entered your teen years, you grew to dislike yourfather because he immersed himself in his magazine.When you were 16, your mother unexpectedly died in anauto accident. Your father was out of town on business atthe time and he didn’t return home immediately. Instead,he finalized the contract he had been negotiating, thencaught a flight. You’ve never forgiven him for the callousway he handled your mother’s death.Two years later, you left for college. You earned a liberalarts degree at Western College and decided to stay in theWest - and to have very little contact with your father.Sure, the two of you had an occasional telephoneconversation and sometimes you even saw each otherduring the holiday season, but the relationship certainlywould not have been described as “warm.”5 1Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.I still can’t believe my father is dead. The policeare saying it could be homicide, but I’m sure it wasjust a tragic accident. He must have slipped on thesteps as he was going down into the wine cellar toturn out the lights.It was only during the last year that I really got to

know my father. He was tough, showed very littleemotion, and did whatever he needed to do to getwhat he wanted. Yes, he was difficult to live with,but I think he was beginning to mellow.Only four of us - my father, Pierre, Sue and I - runthe entire operation with some part-time help whenits time to harvest the grapes. Because we werepreparing for last night’s wine and cheesereception, the tours that I usually lead werecancelled yesterday. Sue and I cleaned the mainbuilding while Pierre was away buying supplies.I was surprised at how many people showed up.The event was scheduled from 7 to 10, but somepeople were around much later. I left about 11:45. Iwas so tired that my father told me to go to bed. Hesaid he’d stay around to turn out the lights. I don’tknow why the lights in the wine cellar were on. Noone was supposed to have been down there lastnight.I fell asleep very quickly. This morning, Pierrewoke me up and said he’d found my father on thefloor of the wine cellar - dead. Who knows whatwill happen to the winery now? If I inherit it, I justmight sell it.told you that she’d been there for about a year. Sue is atea drinker and always has a kettle boiling.A few days later Ben showed up at the winery. TheNippy Victorian Inn had become the most popular inn inthe Valley. Ben purchased Melee Cabernets as welcomegifts for his guests. Ben and Pierre see each otherregularly because Pierre also has an interest in archery.Both are members of the Nippy Valley Bowmen whomeet bi-monthly to target shoot. You and Ben are againclose friends - who knows what the future might bring?A bone of contention between Malcolm and Pierre is thehides that are always hanging in the wine cellar. Sincethe hides cannot be permitted to dry out before Pierreuses them, he’d found that the damp environment of thewine cellar is just right for storing them. He uses a smallroom in the back of the cellar as a workroom. The cellaris located in a natural cave under the main building andextends back into the adjacent hillside. It has twoentrances, one from the wine tasting area and an outsideentrance directly under Malcolm’s office. Only you,Malcolm and Pierre have the key to that entrance.Lately, the relationship between the two of them hasbecome very strained. Your father wants to shortcutPierre’s vinting process to save money. And, he evenconfronts Pierre about leaving the lights on. Your fatheralways checks to make sure they’re turned off at night.Pierre is convinced that any change in the vintingprocess would mean that Cabot Cabernets, owned byCarter Cabot, would gain market share. That sends

Pierre into a fury. And, the local newspaper, The NippyValley Grapevine, has been saying that Stan Milton, theowner of the Milt-Marts wants to purchase the wineryand build a new mega-store on the site. Maybe that’swhy that snoopy attorney, Leelah Eagle, always seemsto be around. Ben says she’s a frequent guest at his inn.Last night, though, your father organized a wine andcheese party to celebrate his tenth anniversary inbusiness. It was open to the public and a lot of peopleshowed up. Who could have predicted the outcome?

110You were intrigued by the ambiance of the winecountry. It was 13 years ago that you found a job ata local winery, Veneer Vintages, a small operationin the Nippy Valley specializing in cabernet wines.The Veneer family had owned the winery for over acentury.The current owner, Hugh Veneer, was the grandsonof the founder. His wife, Lu, handled the businessoffice, and his daughter, Sue Veneer, ran the giftshop. Sue and you became good friends.Ten years ago, Hugh announced that the winery wasalmost bankrupt and he had decided to sell it. Youwere shocked to discover that the new owner wouldbe none other than Malcolm Melee. Your father haddecided to give up Melee Magazine and vintcabernet wines.You couldn’t imagine why he would decide to giveup the magazine and start a new venture. At thetime, newspapers speculated he was forced out.You’ve never learned the complete story. Every sooften, though, you meet someone who knows someof the story and you believe that he was involved insome underhanded dealings that put the magazine injeopardy of being sued.As soon as the deal was sealed, the Veneers packedup and moved away. You decided to stay around -after all, he was still your father. Perhaps you coulddo something to mend fences. You emailed him andtold him that you would like to work with him. And,amazingly, he agreed. Could it be that he hadmellowed ? You waited with anticipation as hearrived at the winery.If joy was in his heart, it didn’t show. He greetedyou curtly and went about his business. True toform, he began making changes the very first day.The 35-acre winery grows its own grapes.Your father liked to be in charge of everything, so itdidn’t surprise you that he appointed himself“winemaster.” For the first time in his life, he wasfailing. He became more temperamental anddifficult to be around. He took it out on everyone. Youhad flashbacks to your childhood.

About six months after your father purchased the winery,you decided to leave. When you said “good-bye” to him alittle over nine years ago, you thought you saw a tear inhis eye - but you could have been mistaken.You had to support yourself, so you took seasonal jobs tomake ends meet. Finally, about four years ago, you founda job at a small hotel in the mountains. That’s how youmet Ben Breakfast. Ben was a co-worker of yours at theCopper Hotel. He told you that he was saving up moneyand finding a way to buy his own place.Ben had a hobby that intrigued you. He was an archerwith a passion for designing and fabricating his ownbows and arrows. He had studied Native American craftsand used local woods and rawhide to make authenticarchery equipment.You’d watch him as he soaked the hides he’d bought tosoften them. Then, he’d stretch thin strands of rawhide tomake bowstrings that would dry and shrink, becomingstrong and tout. He’d even mastered the technique of“barebow,” shooting without a bowsight, stabilizers, orrelease aides.The two of you became close friends and you even talkedof running an inn together. So, you were at first excitedwhen, three years ago, Ben told you he’d found aproperty to purchase. Your mood changed, though, whenhe said he was buying a B&B in the Nippy Valley. Yourealized it was near the Melee Vineyard and Winery.You’d had no contact with your father since the dayyou’d left the winery. You didn’t want Ben to exit yourlife, but how could you see your father again?Yet, maybe things had changed because. You’d beenreading articles about the Melee Winery in magazinessuch as Wine Line. Critics began to give his vintages ravereviews. One Wine Line writer, Nina Grigio, regularlymentioned Melee Cabernets in her articles. It was almostas if your father had something on her.Ben left to take ownership of the B&B, calling it theNippy Victorian Inn. He asked you to follow him.You refused - at least for the time being. But, lastyear, that changed. After a lot of soul searching, youreturned to the Valley and contacted your father.He was still grouchy, but not as much as he oncewas. He asked you to work for him again, helpingwith the vinting and giving tours. You could livewith him in the house on the winery’s property. Youagreed. It was time to try to make the relationshipbetter - and to see Ben again.And, you discovered what turned the winery around.You’d never met your mother’s family because yourfather didn’t get along with it. But, he’d contactedthe LaPaine family eight years before and hiredPierre LaPaine to be his winemaster. Pierre’sfather, Jacque, was your mother’s brother, makingPierre your first cousin. Pierre is temperamental.Everything must be done his way or he goes into a

rage. He and your father constantly butted heads.Pierre had his own process for vinting excellentwines. He proudly tells everyone that it dates back tothe Middle Ages. Pierre is quite a historian and wasthe impetus behind an event that has become a hugepromotional success for the winery.Every year during the fall, Melee Vineyard andWinery sponsors and hosts a French Wine Fest.Many winemaking events are featured, includinggrape stomping. While many people think thatgrapes were crushed by bare-footed workers, Pierrereported that they actually wore rawhide boots.He had been a student of the Middle Ages for manyyears and became proficient at making his own garbfrom cloth and animal hides. To add to theauthenticity of the fest, every year Pierre makesrawhide boots for attendees to wear as theyparticipate in grape-stomping competitions.The grape-stained boots are then sold in the giftshop. And, speaking of the gift shop, you werereunited with another old friend. Sue Veneer hadbeen hired as the winery’s gift shop manager. She2 3 411

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ ChumYour Role: Pierre LaPaineYou, Pierre LaPaine, are the winemaster at the MeleeVineyard and Winery. Born 40 years ago in the Bordeauxregion of France, your father was Jacque LaPaine, thebrother of Chantee LaPaine, Malcolm Melee’s deceasedwife. That’s right, you are Malcolm’s nephew. You havean older brother, Paul.Your grandfather was Roland LaPaine, the owner of asmall winery. He vinted quality Cabernet Sauvignon andCabernet Franc wines. Your Aunt Chantee met Malcolmwhen he was backpacking through Europe one summerwhile still in college. Malcolm and Chantee kept in touchwhen Malcolm returned to the States. They were marriedone month after Malcolm graduated from Ivy University43 years ago.Your family has been vintners for more generations thanthey can count. In fact, the vinting tradition dates back tothe Middle Ages. That’s why you are a student ofMedieval life and skills. You are an inveterate archer andeven fabricate your own equipment from wood, feathers,rawhide and iron.The clothing and archery equipment made of rawhiderequire a unique skill. Rawhide must kept moist prior toworking with it. Then, when stretching it to make suchitems as bowstrings, it must be heated. The shrinkage thatoccurs afterward creates taut bowstrings and form-fittedclothing. If the rawhide is overheated, it shrinks too

quickly and becomes brittle, breaking and tearing easily.Once Chantee moved to the States with her new husband,she lost contact with the rest of the family, save for anoccasional letter or phone call. The family kept track ofthe Melees via articles in French publications. That’s howthe LaPaines knew that Malcolm had founded and headedMelee Magazine, a definitive sources for businessinformation.Your family felt that Malcolm was a bit of a tyrant. It wasChantee who informed the family of the birth of Renee5 1Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.Bonjour, everyone. What a sad thing to happen onsuch a happy night. Malcolm had been planningthe celebration for a long time. I thought he wouldwant to offer more than just cheese, but - nomatter - he knows how much we can spend.I, of course, am the winemaster. The wonderfulreputation of Melee Cabernets is the result of myvinting process which dates from the MiddleAges. I brought it here from Bordeaux eight yearsago. I’m sure you’ve read the articles in all of thewine magazines. We produce wines that havesuch wonderful bouquets. C’est manifique!I am in the wine cellar almost everyday.Yesterday morning, I checked to make certain thatall was well, then, about 8:00, I left to purchasesupplies - yeasts, molds, bacteria - the ingredientsthat produce such quality wines.I returned about an hour before the reception wasto start, so I went to my cottage to clean up andprepare to greet our visitors. Our wines are sopopular that many people showed up to sampleour new vintages - even Monsieur Cabot, whomistakenly thinks that his wines are superior toours. Sacre bleu, non!Yes, it was I who found Malcolm’s body thismorning. He was at the bottom of the stairs. Icould see that he had fallen because his head wasbleeding and he wasn’t breathing. I notifiedRenee, then called the gendarme. Farewell,Malcolm, we all drink to you!previous owners. You weren’t certain why She wouldwant to return to the winery, but she was very good at

handling the customers, even providing them with hottea. The kettle in the gift shop seemed to always beboiling.About a year ago, someone else appeared on the scene.Renee Melee, Malcolm’s only child, returned to theValley to help her father run things. You’d heard thatMalcolm and Renee didn’t get along. Maybe this meanttheir relationship had improved.You wondered why Renee had come back, then part ofthe answer became clear. It was obvious that Ben andRenee already knew each other.Lately, the relationship between Malcolm and you hasbecome very strained. Malcolm wants to shortcut yourvinting process to save money. And, he even confrontsyou about leaving the lights on. Malcolm always checksto make sure they’re turned off at night.You are convinced that any change in the vintingprocess would mean that Cabot Cabernets, owned byCarter Cabot, would gain market share. You’ve tastedhis wines and realize they are very good. Although it’shard to admit, some people might even prefer his wines.And, the local newspaper, The Nippy Valley Grapevine,has been saying that Stan Milton, the owner of the Milt-Marts wants to purchase the winery and build a newmega-store on the site. Maybe that’s why that snoopyattorney, Leelah Eagle, always seems to be around. Bensays she’s a frequent guest at his inn.Last night, though, Malcolm organized a wine andcheese party to celebrate his tenth anniversary inbusiness. It was open to the public and a lot of peopleshowed up. You were away from the winery all daypurchasing supplies and you showed up just in time forthe party. You were tired, so you left early. Who couldhave predicted what you would find in the wine cellarthis morning?

212Melee 35 years ago. Your father told you thatChantee had a brief telephone conversation withRoland before Malcolm got on the phone and curtlysaid “good-bye.”Sixteen years later, though, Malcolm was evencrueler. Chantee had been killed in an automobileaccident and Malcolm didn’t bother to notify thefamily until after the funeral. Thank God, yourgrandfather had died by then - he would never haveforgiven Malcolm.Your father was now running the winery and youexpected Paul to inherit the operation someday. TheLaPaine family has its own process for vintingexcellent wines that it dates back to the time whenbowmen fought to control the countryside anddamsels in distress required rescuing.You’ve never married, instead immersing yourself

in the vinting of quality wines. And every year youhad a chance to use the Medieval skills you’dlearned. The small village near the winery held anannual wine fest that focused on Medieval life. Youenjoyed the costumes and the archery contestfeaturing gear that was personally fabricated by thecompetitors.You were content to work the winery and practiceyour wine-making skills, but that changed eightyears ago when a more-amiable Malcolm contactedthe family.He told your father that he had divested himself ofhis interest in the magazine and had purchased asmall 35-acre winery in the Nippy Valley. Hewanted to employ a member of the LaPaine familyto serve as his winemaster. After all, who could vintbetter cabernets than the LaPaines? Malcolmwanted to bring that skill to the States.You decided that you would be the LaPaine tomake the move. You looked forward to taking overas the person in charge of vinting quality cabernetson another continent.When you arrived, you realized that Malcolm was ineptat producing a memorable wine. You realized that youhad to adapt your techniques to the climate of the NippyValley. The red cabernet grapes are crushed andfermented on the skin and seeds to extract color, flavorand tannins.The grapes are then kept in a cool environment to preventthe onset of alcoholic fermentation. They are cold soakedbefore warming the grapes and adding yeast. Aninoculation of bacteria reduces acidity before the futurevintage is put into oaken casks and aged.You have a reputation for being very temperamental.Everything must be done your way. You and Malcolmconstantly butted heads. However, he did agree to let youdesign new labels for the wines. The labels featurerepresentations of Medieval French archers, a tribute toyour heritage and to the tradition that you are continuingin the States.Because of the soil and weather conditions in the Valley,the Melee cabernets have some very distinctive aromasincluding blueberries, leather and pepper. You werepleased with the progress of the operation when, the yearafter you arrived, Malcolm told you that he’d arrangedfor a wine critic, Nina Grigio of Wine Line magazine toreview the current vintage.You balked. “The wine must be aged,” you toldMalcolm. He only smiled and said not to worry. It madeyou feel that something had been “arranged.” Sureenough, the article extolled the virtues of MeleeCabernets. Subsequent articles by Grigio have done thesame thing and Melee Vineyard and Winery now have aninternational reputation for fine wines.A year later, you approached Malcolm with the idea of

sponsoring and hosting a French Wine Fest at the wineryduring the fall each year. The fest includes Medievalcostumes and an archery competition. Many winemakingevents are featured, including grape stomping.While many people think that grapes were crushed bybare-footed workers, Pierre reported that they actuallywore rawhide boots. To add to the authenticity of the fest,you make rawhide boots for attendees to wear asthey participate in grape-stomping competitions. Thegrape-stained boots are then sold in the gift shop.The wine cellar at Melee Winery is located in anatural cave beneath the main building and extendsinto the adjacent hill. It has two entrances, one fromthe wine tasting area and an outside entrance directlyunder Malcolm’s office. Only you, Malcolm andRenee have the key to that entrance.You cleaned out a small room in the cellar locatedbehind the staircase that leads to the wine tastingarea. You use it as a workroom when you arefinishing off your Medieval costumes and archerygear.You live in a small cottage on the grounds of thewinery and are normally the first one in the winecellar each morning, checking the temperature andmaking sure everything is okay.A bone of contention between Malcolm and you isthe hides that are always hanging in the wine cellar.Since the hides cannot be permitted to dry out beforeyou use them, you’ve found that the dampenvironment of the wine cellar is just right forstoring them.Three years ago, someone moved into the Valleywho shared your love of archery and authentic gear.Ben Breakfast had purchased the Nippy VictorianInn and, within a year, had turned it into the mostsuccessful B&B in the Valley. Ben purchased MeleeCabernets as welcoming gifts for his guests.Ben and you see each other regularly. Both of youare members of the Nippy Valley Bowmen who meetbi-monthly. Ben is the president-elect of theorganization. Ben also makes much of his own gearand, occasionally, you supply him with rawhide. Thenext meeting of the group is this Saturday.Two years ago, Malcolm hired a new gift shopmanager, Sue Veneer. You found out that she is thedaughter of Lu and Hugh Veneer, the winery’s2 3 413

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ ChumYour Role: Sue VeneerYou, Sue Veneer, are the only child of Lu and HughVeneer. Born 36 years ago on the West Coast, your

father’s family had been vintners in the Nippy Valley forover 100 years before selling its winery 10 years ago.You finished grade school and high school in the Valley,then went to work at the vineyard, Veneer Vintages,helping out wherever you were needed. Your father is thegrandson of the winery’s founder and you thought that theVeneers would always be in the business of producingCabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc wines on the 35-acre property.The winery had a good reputation with a following amonga group of wine drinkers. However, it was never veryprofitable. Your family always struggled to make endsmeet, but you were confident that the family businesswould continue forever.You didn’t go to college. Instead, you stayed at home tohelp your family run the wine-making operation. Thewinery had a small gift shop and your father put you incharge of it on your 21st birthday. A lot of what you soldwas kitsch, but you managed to build the shop’s winesales to a level at which they contributed to the winery’sbottom line. Your mother ran the business side.Two years later, your father hired another employee to fillin wherever she was needed. That’s how you met ReneeMelee. The two you became close friends. She told youher father was Malcolm Melee, the publisher of the wellknownbusiness publication, Melee Magazine.She also revealed to you that she and her father had beenat odds with each other since her mother died in an autoaccident when Renee was 16. Her father had reacted withindifference. Renee had earned her bachelor’s degreefrom Western College, but was intrigued by the winecountry. That’s why she found a job in the Valley.It seemed as if everything was going well at the winery,but that changed without warning. Ten years ago, your15Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.So much goes on at a winery. Who really knowswhat happened? I’ve been around wine all of mylife and I know that just one slip, one wrong step,and everything can change. In the two years thatI’ve worked here, even the gift shop has changeda lot. I’ve added more things that our visitors canbuy. I always invite them in for a cup of tea and tochat. They like that.Since the gift shop is next to Malcolm’s office, I

know how hard he worked to build our reputation.He was always on the phone, writing letters orsending emails to someone. He knew so manypeople from his days with the magazine that itseemed like he could do whatever he wanted to.Yesterday, Renee and I worked most of the day toclean the main building - scrubbing, dusting andsweeping. I swept and washed the stairs, too. Thelight switch by the door at the top of the stairsonly turns on the light at the top of the stairway.The main switches for the celler lights are alldown there. I don’t go to the wine cellar muchbecause I’m very busy in the gift shop, but I couldswear all of the lights were off when I finishedcleaning. I left early last night - about 10:00. I livedown the road in a small apartment.I know what Renee must be going through rightnow. It’s difficult to lose a parent, especiallywhen it seems so senseless. Things at this wineryalways seem to be changing.Melee Cabernets as welcome gifts for his guests. Benand Pierre see each other regularly because Pierre alsohas an interest in archery. Both are members of theNippy Valley Bowmen who meet bi-monthly.In the meantime, you’ve made the gift shop veryprofitable. You’ve even added a line of books abouthobbies and crafts - everything from kite flying to knottying. A nice touch is the tea that you offer to customers.You always keep a kettle boiling in case anyone wouldlike free hot tea. You keep a variety of tea bags on hand.Frequently, you’re the only one in the main building togreet visitors because the others are tied up with thevinting process.You’ve been in regular contact with Eagle over the pasttwo years. And, you’ve managed to sneak intoMalcolm’s office, making copies of some of his files -both paper and computer - to pass on to Eagle. A fewmonths ago, Eagle told you that her client would bewilling to pay you a large bonus if your efforts result indeposing Malcolm as owner of the winery.Now, the local newspaper, The Nippy Valley Grapevine,has been saying that Stan Milton, the owner of the Milt-Marts wants to purchase the winery and build a newmega-store on the site. You wonder if Milton is Eagle’sclandestine client.Lately, the relationship between Malcolm and Pierre hasbecome very strained. Malcolm wants to shortcutPierre’s vinting process to save money. And, he evenconfronts Pierre about leaving the lights on. The pennypinchingMalcolm always checks to make sure they’returned off at night. Pierre is convinced that any changein the vinting process would mean that Cabot Cabernets,owned by Carter Cabot, would gain market share.

Cabot often is in the wine tasting area next to your giftshop. He’s probably checking out the competition.Last night, Malcolm organized a wine and cheese partyto celebrate his tenth anniversary in business. It wasopen to the public and a lot of people showed up. Youmingled with the crowd, made some tea and left early.You knew Malcolm would make sure the lights wereturned off.

314father announced that the winery was almostbankrupt and that he had decided to sell it. The newowner would be none other than Malcolm Melee.Renee couldn’t understand why her father haddecided to give up Melee Magazine.As soon as the deal was sealed, your family packedup and moved away. Renee decided to stay around -after all, Malcolm was still her father. Perhaps shecould do something to mend fences. The two of yousaid your “good-byes” before Malcolm arrived.Your parents used the money from the sale of thewinery to pay their bills and to buy a condo. Youstayed with them for a few months beforeattempting to find a job. That’s why you ended upat the offices of Wine Line magazine. Thepublication was expanding and hiring additionalstaff. Because of your experience with the winery,you were hired to be the executive assistant formanaging editor Charlene Blanc.The magazine had become one of the definitivesources of information for wine aficionados and itsoffices were a few miles away from the Valley.Wine Line could make or break a wine’s reputation.One of the most popular writers was Nina Grigiowho focused on reviewing and rating cabernets.She’d never written about Veneer Vintages.You were told that Grigio had written articles forthe magazine for about two years when you werehired. She’d been a professional writer for a longtime, working for other publications before joiningWine Line’s staff.You visited your parents regularly and realized thattheir health was deteriorating. The winery had beenso much a part of their lives that they felt lostwithout it. During one visit, your father told youthat he’d had to sell the winery to Melee belowmarket value. When he’d first put the property onthe market, he’d been contacted by several potentialbuyers. One by one, all of them had disappeared -with the exception of Melee. Your father couldn’thelp but think that Melee had used his connectionsin the business world to discourage anyone else frompurchasing the winery.Two years after selling the winery, both of your parents

died within a month of each other - of natural causes.You were certain that they’d simply lost interest in livingwithout having the winery to run.About a year later, Nina began to rave about the qualityof Melee Cabernets in her articles. She pointed out thatthe cabernet sauvignons had a blueberry aroma mixedwith leather and pepper. Blanc frequently quizzed Grigioabout the amount of copy devoted to the Melee wines.Grigio assured her that it was warranted.You continued working for the magazine until, a littleover two years ago, Leelah Eagle stepped into you life.You were at a small cafe near the magazine’s officeswhen she sat down next to you.Identifying herself as a high-powered attorney who hatedto lose, she wanted to enlist your help to do some“research” about Malcolm Melee. You’d be the perfectperson, she said, because you could find a job with theMelee Winery and report back to Eagle about what wasgoing one. Plus, Eagle told you that she might have somespecial assignments for you. You would be wellcompensated for your efforts, she said.You had mixed emotions. You would love to return to thewinery, but it wouldn’t be the same without your parentsbeing in charge. However, you wanted to see for yourselfwhat Malcolm Melee was really like.So, two years ago, you were hired to manage the gift shopin the main building of Melee’s winery. He’d made quitea few changes, but it was still the land that had been inthe Veneer family for over a century. Melee hadrenovated the house on the property and resided there.The first day on the job, you met Pierre LaPaine, thewinemaster. Pierre’s father, Jacque, was the brother ofMalcolm’s deceased wife. Pierre had been hired byMalcolm seven years before and was temperamental.Everything must had to be done his way or he went into arage. He and Malcolm constantly butted heads.Pierre has his own process for vinting excellentwines. He proudly tells everyone that it dates back tothe Middle Ages. Pierre is quite a historian and wasthe impetus behind an event that has become a hugepromotional success for the winery. Every yearduring the fall, Melee Vineyard and Winery sponsorsand hosts a French Wine Fest. Many winemakingevents are featured, including grape stomping. Whilemany people think that grapes were crushed by barefootedworkers, Pierre reported that they actuallywore rawhide boots.He had been a student of the Middle Ages for manyyears and became proficient at making his own garbfrom cloth and animal hides. To add to theauthenticity of the fest, Pierre makes rawhide bootsfor attendees to wear as they participate in grapestompingcompetitions. The grape-stained boots arethen sold in the gift shop. You’ve also added a lineof books for sale covering many skills and hobbies.

A bone of contention between Malcolm and Pierre isthe hides that are always hanging in the wine cellar.Since the hides cannot be permitted to dry out beforePierre uses them, he’s found that the dampenvironment of the wine cellar is just right forstoring them. He uses a small room in the back of thecellar as a workroom. The cellar is located in anatural cave under the main building and extendsback into the hillside behind the building. It has twoentrances, one from the wine tasting area and anoutside entrance directly under Malcolm’s office.Only Renee, Malcolm and Pierre have the key to thatentrance.About a year ago, an old friend of yours appeared onthe scene. Renee had returned to the Valley to helpher father run things. You’d hoped it meant theirrelationship had improved. All indications were thatit still wasn’t good. You wondered why Renee hadcome back, then part of the answer became clear.Ben Breakfast had purchased the Nippy VictorianInn two years before and had turned it into the mostsuccessful B&B in the Valley. It was obvious thatBen and Renee knew each other. Ben purchased2 3 415

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ ChumYour Role: Carter CabotYou, Carter Cabot, are the owner of Carter Cabernets, avineyard and winery that produces Cabernet Sauvignonand Cabernet Franc wines in the Nippy Valley. TheCabots have been vinting wine in the Valley for over acentury and the cabernets your family produces have asmall, but intense, clientele who enjoy your wines.Born 55 years ago in the Valley, your parents Cara andTerry, were the latest in a line of Cabots who ran thefamily business. Your winery, along with the oneformerly owned by the Veneer family, were among heoriginal vineyards in the Valley. You have never married,and have three younger brothers, all of whom areinvolved in the wine business.Over the years, you’ve seen a lot of changes in theValley. Many of the smaller wineries have been sold tooutsiders and more and more money is being spent onadvertising and promoting individual wines.Vinting cabernet is an art. The red cabernet grapes arecrushed and fermented on the skin and seeds to extractcolor, flavor and tannins.The grapes are then kept in a cool environment to preventthe onset of alcoholic fermentation. They are cold soakedbefore warming the grapes and adding yeast. Aninoculation of bacteria reduces acidity before the futurevintage is put into casks and aged.

By tweaking the timing and the temperatures, the flavorof the wine is affected. Your Cabernet Sauvignon hasbeen described as tasting like wild cherries with thearoma of asparagus and olives. You know it is a qualityproduct, but it has never received much attention fromauthoritative voices such as Wine Line magazine.Which leads back to the story of Veneer Vintages. For aslong as you could remember, Veneer Vintages had beenone of your friendly competitors in the Valley. That5 1Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.I can’t say I’ll miss Malcolm Melee. The previousowners of this winery were friendly competitors.By comparison, I’d describe Malcolm as being“cutthroat.” I know he was using unfair tactics tobuild his wines’ reputation in the marketplace -something I’d never do. The playing field justwasn’t level. Maybe now it will be.Yes, I was there last night. I stop by a lot to keeptrack of the competition. And, I can say withouthesitation that Cabot Cabernets are superior toMelee Cabernets - no matter what Pierre says.I got there about 8:00 and talked to some of thepeople I know here in the Valley. I didn’t knowthat Stan Milton would be there, but I’ve wantedto meet him for a long time, so I admit I corneredhim and picked his brain about his plans for hisMilt-Marts.Malcolm Melee may have been successful, but hedidn’t provide much to eat last night. The cheesewas good, but with his money, he could have donea lot better. I left about 10:30 and went straighthome.And, one more thing. Although I can’t tell you allof the details right now, you’ll soon see CabotCabernets in stores all across the nation. That’sright, we’ll finally be getting the recognition wedeserve.throat and said “hello” to her. Shortly after that, LeelahEagle walked in.About a year ago, Malcolm’sdaughter, Renee Melee,joined her father and began helping to run the operation.They are such different kinds of people that it’s hard tobelieve they’re father and daughter. When you’ve been

around Renee, she’s be very nice and personable.You can’t help but notice that there’s some tensionbetween the two of them. You don’t know exactly whathappened, but you’ve heard that it had something to dowith Malcolm’s deceased wife and Renee’s mother,Chantee.Recently, Cramer told you that he feels the deal is nearlydone with Milton. It wouldn’t take much, he feels, forCabot Cabernets to be the featured wines in Milt-Martstores across the nation. Both of you, he said, need tokeep your eyes open for an opportunity to seal the deal.Now, the local newspaper, The Nippy Valley Grapevine,has been saying that Stan Milton wants to purchase theMelee winery and build a new mega-store on the site.What a great idea! Not only would it eliminate acompetitor, but it would also grease the skids for theprivate-label deal with Milton.You’ve heard rumors that the relationship betweenMalcolm and Pierre has become very strained. Malcolm,you’re told, wants to shortcut Pierre’s vinting process tosave money.Last night, Malcolm organized a wine and cheese partyto celebrate his tenth anniversary in business. It wasopen to the public and a lot of people, including you andMilton showed up.You’d never met Milton in person, so you introducedyourself and talked about how Cabot Cabernets could fitinto Milton’s plans for the future. He seemed veryinterested. What could you do to make it a reality?

416changed 10 years ago when the winery waspurchased by former magazine publisher MalcolmMelee. Melee had founded and headed MeleeMagazine, the definitive source for businessinformation in the nation. It was anyone’s guesswhy’d he’d sell the publication, whose offices wereon the East Coast, and move to the West Coast toget into the wine business.You’d heard that Lu and Hugh Veneer were in afinancial squeeze, but didn’t realize how razor-thintheir situation was. You knew they had a daughternamed Sue who helped at the winery.Within a couple of years, Melee’s wines begangetting rave reviews. First, it was a writer in WineLine named Nina Grigot. She specialized inwriting about cabernets and began extolling thequality of Melee Cabernets.Other publications and critics soon picked up themantra and you found your sales declining whileMelee began to carve out a bigger place in thecabernet marketplace.This came as a big surprise to you. You’d sampledMelees products and felt your wines were superior.

His Cabernet Sauvignon was described as havingthe aroma of blueberries, leather and pepper.You see Melee’s winemaster, Pierre LaPaine,regularly - the Valley isn’t all that big. He’s aFrenchman who has brought a flavor of France tothe Nippy Valley.Pierre has his own process for vinting excellentwines. He proudly tells everyone that it dates backto the Middle Ages. Pierre is quite a historian andwas the impetus behind an event that has become ahuge promotional success.Every year during the fall, Melee Vineyard andWinery sponsors and hosts a French Wine Fest.Many winemaking events are featured, includinggrape stomping. The fest attracts many tourists tothe Melee Winery and your business is noticeably downwhen the fest is going strong.Three years ago, Ben Breakfast moved to the Valley. Hebought an old B&B and renovated it. Now the NippyVictorian Inn is the most popular place to stay in theValley.Ben is an avid archer and even fabricates his ownequipment - something that he has in common withPierre. Both are members of the Nippy Valley Bowmenwho meet bi-monthly. Ben is the president-elect. He’seven hung one of his homemade bows above the desk inthe reception area of the inn.You like Ben, but he continues to have Melee Cabernetsin all of his rooms as welcoming gifts. When youapproach him about switching loyalties and using yourwines. Ben says, privately, that he prefers your wines toMelee’s, but due to the reputation that Melee isacquiring, he feels it’s better to stick with MeleeCabernets.You’ve told him that you’re certain Melee is using unfairtactics to get so much publicity for his wines. You don’tknow how he’s doing this, but what else could it be?In fact, even Nina Grigio agreed that your wines arebetter than Melee’s. She inadvertently let this slip out oneday when the two of you were talking, then immediatelytried to change the subject. You could tell that she wasuncomfortable with the topic. She’s in the Valleyfrequently to review new vintages and always makes apoint of staying at Ben’s inn.A little over two years ago, one of your brothers, Cramer,said he was working on a way to get more exposure forCabot Cabernets. Cramer had become a wine merchantand had made a sales call on Stan Milton, theentrepreneur who owns the Milt-Mart mega-stores.Milton planned to begin selling wines in the delicatessensections of his stores and was looking for a quality winethat could be privately branded with the Milt-Mart logo.Cramer thought this could be a bonanza for you if theproper deal could be negotiated. Of course, Milton saidhis concern was how his customers would perceive

his alliance with Cabot rather than with the betterknownMelee Cabernets.Milton had let slip that he was planning on opening aMilt-Mart in the Valley. He’d even identified theperfect spot for the store - and that the concern aboutMelee could be a moot point.Cramer told you that much of his contact with Miltoncame through Milton’s legal representative, LeelahEagle. She was involved in all of the meetings andCramer could tell by her disposition that she liked towin.Cramer also said that he’d heard from his associatesin the wine merchandising industry that Melee hadpaid kickbacks to certain distributors to get his winesprime spots in stores. He further learned that some ofthe wine critics had been “forced” to give Melee’scabernets excellent reviews.About six months later, you were talking with Benand a guest was checking in to the inn. You glancedat the registration card and saw that it was LeelahEagle. What could she be doing in the Valley? Sincethen, she’s become a regular visitor to the Valley.Also about two years ago, Sue Veneer returned tothe Valley to run Melee’s gift shop. This surprisedyou. It had to be very difficult to work for the personwho had purchased the family business, but Sueseemed to handle it well.Every so often, you stop by the Melee wine tastingarea in the winery’s main building - just to keep upwith the competition. Sue is always there makingpeople feel at home. She offers free tea to all of thevisitors.Once when you walked in, you noticed that she wascoming out of Malcolm Melee’s office, locatedadjacent to the gift shop. You don’t think she knewyou were there. She sneaked back into the gift shop,and rustled a few papers before you cleared your2 3 417

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ ChumYour Role: Nina GrigioYou, Nina Grigio, are a writer for Wine Line magazine,focusing on wineries that produce cabernets. Wine Linehas become one of the definitive sources for informationabout wines and vintages, so your articles can make orbreak a wine’s reputation.Born 48 years ago in Wisconsin, your parents were Ritaand Rollo Grigio. Your family was cranberry growers inthe central part of the state. You have three brothers. Theoldest one, Peter, is now running the family business. Youearned a degree in journalism at a nearby state universitybefore moving to the East Coast to begin your writing

career 25 years ago.You started off writing for small publications and built asolid record as a writer with a unique style. That’s how,19 years ago, you were hired by Melee Magazine, thedefinitive source for business information. The founderand publisher, Malcolm Melee, was a powerful figure inthe publishing world, and you viewed the job as a breakthroughopportunity.For the first few years, all went well. You were givenplum assignments and interviewed some of the mostprominent business leaders in the nation. You especiallyenjoyed talking with businesspeople whom you knewwere on the path to total success.That’s how you categorized Stan Milton when you methim 15 years ago. He was building an empire of megasizedretail stores that would be built in rural areas acrossthe United States. When you interviewed him, his chainof stores was in the process of becoming a real force inthe marketplace.Even then, though, he retained competent attorneys tohelp him get what he wanted. During your interview, oneof them was present to ensure that the right words weresaid. It was a woman about your age named LeelahEagle. You could tell by her bearing and demeanor thatshe was hard as nails and hated to lose. Milton liked your15Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.Before all of you leave, check with me to makesure I spell your names correctly. After all, as awriter, I like to make sure I get everything right -even though some of you might disagree with that.I knew Malcolm Melee for a lot longer than mostof you realize. If any of you want to know whatthe real Malcolm was like, just check with me. Ican tell you.If you’ve been reading my articles in Wine Line,you know that I’ve said a lot of good things aboutMelee Cabernets. Malcolm owed me a lot. If itwasn’t for me, his wines would never have gotteneveryone’s attention. People around the worldhave contacted me to find out more about hiswines. That’s the power the printed word has.I arrived at the winery at about 7:30 last night andcirculated in order to get everyone’s opinion

about Malcolm’s wines. I saw many people thatI’d known for years. It just shows how muchpublicity Malcolm was able to get. I left about thesame time Sue did.Each vintage is unique and just because a wine isgood one year doesn’t mean the quality will staythe same. That’s why I want all of you to read myarticle in next month’s Wine Line. You may besurprised at what I have to say. And, I promise tospell your names correctly.asked if Milton was still a client. She said, “nocomment.”Lately, though, the local newspaper, The Nippy ValleyGrapevine, has been reporting that Milton is in theValley looking for land on which to build his next megasizedretail store.Ben and Pierre see each other regularly because of theirinterest in archery. Both are members of the NippyValley Bowmen who meet bi-monthly. Plus, they bothfabricate much of their own gear from wood, feathers,flint and rawhide.You visit the Melee Winery several times a year.Ostensibly, it’s to review its wines. In reality, you’regetting your “marching orders” from Malcolm aboutyour next article. You normally meet in his office, buthe’s taken you to the wine cellar a few times. The cellaris in a natural cave beneath the main building andextends back into the adjacent hillside.Animal hides hang from the ceiling and walls of the winecellar and remnants of leather are on the floor. Pierre hasa small workroom located behind the stairs in the cellar.You’ve heard rumors that, lately, the relationshipbetween Malcolm and Pierre has become very strained.Malcolm wants to shortcut Pierre’s vinting process tosave money. What would it matter anyway? So long asMalcolm holds your past over your head, his wines willcontinue to get great reviews.Last night, Malcolm organized a wine and cheese partyto celebrate his tenth anniversary in business. It wasopen to the public and a lot of people showed up.You were there along with a crowd that could be only becalled a motley crew. Even Carter Cabot made anappearance. So many things were happening that whocould predict what Malcolm Melee’s future would hold?

518article. His pace for opening new stores acceleratedand no one ever knew when he’d show up and try toacquire land - no matter what was currently on it.Your fame as a writer continued to increase and youfelt as if you needed to come up with stories thatwould make the business world stand up and takenote. That’s when you began to do the unthinkable -

you began to fabricate facts. You were givenseveral awards for articles that were mostly madeup.This continued until, 12 years ago, several lawsuitswere filed against Melee Magazine by companieswho were victimized by your so-called reporting.When Malcolm Melee found out about this, he wasfurious. He managed to keep the mainstream pressfrom finding out about the “problem,” but you werelet go by the magazine.He told you that he wouldn’t reveal yourindiscretion to his publishing associates so long asyou left town and pursued your career elsewhere.He said he would settle the lawsuits privately. Onyour resume, you say you resigned for “personalreasons.” Having worked with Melee for sevenyears, you knew that he’d eventually “call in hismarker” and ask you for a favor.You decided to have a complete change of sceneryand moved to the West Coast. In a trade journal,you saw that Wine Line magazine was looking orwriters. You quickly did your research and becamea wine connoisseur, impressing editor CharleneBlanc with your knowledge of wines. You werehired and became the magazine’s cabernet expert.The magazine had become one of the definitivesources of information for wine aficionados and itsoffices were a few miles from the Valley. Thewriters who worked for Wine Line could make orbreak a wine’s reputation.About two years later, Charlene hired a newadministrative assistant, Sue Veneer. You knew thename because Veneer Vintages had been in thewine business for over 100 years. You’d never featuredits wine in articles because you felt they weren’t verygood.Talking with Sue, you learned that her parents, Lu andHugh Veneer, had recently sold the winery to none otherthan Malcolm Melee. You had tried to put distancebetween the two of you, but now you would, once again,be in contact with each other - especially since he wasspecializing in vinting Cabernet Sauvignon and CabernetFranc wines.And, you were right about Malcolm calling in “hismarker.” Three years after acquiring the winery, he calledyou and said that he had a new winemaster, PierreLaPaine. He wanted you to write a glowing review of hisoperation and his new vintage.He reminded you of the “problem” you’d caused withMelee Magazine and “was certain” that you wouldn’twant your current employer to find out about it. You gotthe message - a subtle threat.That’s why you began to rave about the quality of Meleecabernets in your articles. You pointed out that theCabernet Sauvignons had a blueberry aroma mixed with

leather and pepper. Charlene frequently quizzed youabout the amount of copy devoted to the Melee wines.You lied and assured her that it was warranted. In reality,the wines are good, but not great. However, yourendorsement has made Melee’s wines a hot product in thewine marketplace.When you met LaPaine, you realized that he was verytemperamental and had to do things his own way. Heproudly tells everyone that his process dates back to theMiddle Ages. Pierre is quite a historian and was theimpetus behind an event that has become a hugepromotional success for the winery.Every year during the fall, Melee Vineyard and Winerysponsors and hosts a French Wine Fest. Manywinemaking events are featured, including grapestomping. While many people think that grapes werecrushed by bare-footed workers, Pierre reported that theyactually wore rawhide boots.He had been a student of the Middle Ages for manyyears and became proficient at making his own garbfrom cloth and animal hides. To add to theauthenticity of the fest, every year Pierre makesrawhide boots for attendees to wear as theyparticipate in grape-stomping competitions. Thegrape-stained boots are then sold in the gift shop.If you were perfectly honest about the Nippy Valleycabernets, you’d be writing that Cabot Cabernets,owned by Carter Cabot, were superior to the winesproduced by Melee. You inadvertently let this slipout one day when you were talking with Cabot. Youtried to change the subject, but Cabot became certainthat Melee was using unfair tactics to corner thecabernet market.Two years ago, Sue resigned from Wine Line, nottelling anyone about her new position. That’s whyyou were surprised to see her managing the gift shopat the Melee Winery. What could have prompted herto make such a change? Sue even offers visitors freetea. It seems like a kettle is always boiling in the giftshop.A year later, Renee Melee, Malcolm’s only childreturned to the Valley to help her father run things.When you worked for Malcolm, he’d had little timefor his wife and daughter. He was so involved in themagazine that everything else took a backseat to it.Based upon what you’ve observed, the relationshipbetween Malcolm and Renee is very strained.Frequently, when you are reviewing wineries andvintages in the Valley, you stay the the NippyVictorian Inn. The innkeeper, Ben Breakfast hadpurchased the inn three years before and had turnedit into the most successful B&B in the Valley. Benpurchases Melee Cabernets as welcoming gifts forhis guests.During one of your stays at the inn, another guest

looked very familiar to you. You realized it wasLeelah Eagle. At first, she didn’t recognize you, butwhen you told her who you were, she rememberedthe article you’d written about Stan Milton. You2 3 419

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ ChumYour Role: Ben BreakfastYou, Ben Breakfast, are the owner of the NippyVictorian Inn, the most popular B&B in the NippyValley. Born 39 years ago in a small town in the RockyMountains, your parents were Pam Kate and E. BenedictBreakfast who owned and operated a small eatery in askiing town.During your teen years, you waited on tables and helpedout in the kitchen of your parents’ establishment. Youwent to college on the West Coast and earned a degree incomputer science. You were intrigued by the potential ofnew technologies and found a job in the Silicon Valley,explaining and selling advanced equipment to majorclients across the nation.You were very successful at what you did, but “burn out”hit and you decided to change your lifestyle. You had asubstantial nest egg built up and thought that running aninn in an attractive region would appeal to you. But, tomake sure, you decided to work at inns and small hotelsat different locations in the West, both to learn the tradeand to see how appealing the life was to you.One of the places you worked at was owned by a familywith ties to Native Americans. That’s how you acquiredyour interest in archery. You developed a passion fordesigning and fabricating your own bows and arrows.You had studied Native American crafts and used localwoods, feathers, flint and rawhide to make authenticarchery equipment.To do this, you’d soak the hides to soften them. Then,you’d stretch thin strands of rawhide to make bowstringsthat would dry and shrink, becoming strong and taut.You’ve even mastered the technique of “barebow,”shooting without a bowsight, stabilizers, or release aides.About five years ago, you found a job at a small hotel inthe mountains, the Copper Hotel. You worked hard andlearned more about the trade of an innkeeper. That’swhen you decided that you wanted to find you own place,5 1Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6

Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.So, the Cabernet King is dead. Things in theValley will definitely change. You can’t goanywhere around here without hearing the nameMalcolm Melee.I just hope that the French Wine Fest keeps going.Pierre has put a lot of work into it and my friendsjust love the gear he makes from those hides. He’sa real expert at fabricating all sorts of equipment.Ten years in business is quite an accomplishment.I’ve only owned my inn for three years and I knowhow much work it takes to get recognized as beingthe best. I wonder what will happen now. Malcolmcontrolled everything, so I want to let Renee knowthat I’m here to help her if she needs me.It was quite a gathering last night. I got there about8:30. A lot of people were mingling with eachother. Carter Cabot was talking with Stan Miltonover in the corner. It looked as if they didn’t wantanyone else to hear what they were saying. Thedoor to the staircase leading to the wine cellar wasclosed. It can be a dangerous place down thereunless you know where you’re walking.Sometimes, you even scrape your head on one ofthe hides that are hanging from the ceiling.I talked to a lot of people before leaving at about11:00. The cheese was gone by that time andeverything was breaking up. I was shocked when Iheard the news this morning.using unfair tactics to capture the cabernet marketplace.You can’t understand why Grigio doesn’t write moreabout Cabot.When you asked her about this, she hesitated andwouldn’t answer you.Could it be that she realizes theCabot wines should be getting more positive press?Now, the local newspaper, The Nippy Valley Grapevine,has been saying that Stan Milton, the owner of the Milt-Marts wants to purchase the winery and build a newmega-store on the site. You wonder what Milton reallyknows about the winery.Lately, according to Pierre, the relationship betweenMalcolm and Pierre has become very strained. Malcolmwants to shortcut Pierre’s vinting process to save money.And, he even confronts Pierre about leaving the lightson.The penny-pinching Malcolm always checks to makesure they’re turned off at night. Pierre is convinced thatany change in the vinting process would be disastrous. Itsends him into a fury.Last night, Malcolm organized a wine and cheese partyto celebrate his tenth anniversary in business. It was

open to the public and a lot of people showed up. Youmade a point of talking with Renee to find the status ofher relationship with her father. She wouldn’t open up toyou. You felt that was a bad sign. What would happennext?

620so you began contacting real estate companiesaround the nation.The following year (four years ago), Renee Meleewas hired by the hotel. You found out that she wasthe daughter of Malcolm Melee, the founder andformer publisher of Melee Magazine, a definitivesource for business information. Renee only spokein cryptic terms about her father. You could tellthey weren’t close, but you didn’t press the issue.The two of you became close friends and you eventalked of running an inn together. Three years ago,you told Renee you’d found a property to purchase.She was excited, but her mood changed when yousaid you were buying a B&B in the Nippy Valley.If was then that Renee told you her father nowowned a winery in the Valley near the inn. Theproperty was perfect for you and the sale was toofar along to back out, so you bought the inn.Renee told you she’d had no contact with her fathersince the day she’d left the winery. You didn’t wantRenee to exit your life, but she didn’t want to seeher father again. You left to take ownership of theB&B, calling it the Nippy Victorian Inn. You askedRenee to follow you. She refused - at least for thetime being.When you got to the Nippy Valley, you beganreading articles about the Melee Winery inmagazines such as Wine Line. Critics began to giveMalcolm Melee’s vintages rave reviews. One WineLine writer, Nina Grigio, regularly mentionedMelee Cabernets in her articles.Because of this, you decided to feature MeleeCabernets as welcoming gifts for your guests. TheCabernet Sauvignon has the aroma of blueberries,leather and pepper.That’s how you met Pierre LaPaine, thewinemaster at the Melee Winery. Pierre is the sonof the brother of Chantee Melee, Renee’s motherand Malcolm’s deceased wife. Pierre told you that hisfamily had been vintners for more generations than theycan count. In fact, the vinting tradition dates back to theMiddle Ages. That’s why he was a student of Medievallife and skills. He was also an inveterate archer and evenfabricated his own equipment.Clothing and archery equipment made of rawhiderequires a unique skill. Rawhide must kept moist prior toworking with it. Then, when stretching it to make such

items as bowstrings, it must be heated.The shrinkage that occurs afterward creates tautbowstrings and form-fitted clothing. If the rawhide isoverheated, it shrinks too quickly and becomes brittle,breaking and tearing easily.Pierre and you see each other regularly. Both of you aremembers of the Nippy Valley Bowmen who meet bimonthly.You are the president-elect of the organization.The next meeting of the group is this coming Saturday.It was Pierre who gave Malcolm the idea of sponsoringand hosting a French Wine Fest at the winery during thefall of each year. The fest includes Medieval costumesand an archery competition. Many winemaking events arefeatured, including grape stomping.While many people think that grapes were crushed bybare-footed workers, Pierre reported that they actuallywore rawhide boots. To add to the authenticity of the fest,Pierre makes rawhide boots for attendees to wear as theyparticipate in grape-stomping competitions. The grapestainedboots are then sold in the gift shop.The wine cellar at Melee Winery is located in a naturalcave beneath the main building and extends into theadjacent hill. Pierre cleaned out a small room in the cellarlocated behind the staircase that leads to the wine tastingarea. He uses it as a workroom.Pierre has told you that a bone of contention betweenMalcolm and him is the hides that are always hanging inthe wine cellar. Since the hides cannot be permitted todry out before being used, the damp environment of thewine cellar is just right for storing them. Pierre oftensupplies you with rawhide for fabricating your gear.Within a year after you went into business, you’dmade the Nippy Victorian Inn the most popular B&Bin the Valley. You have hung one of your handmadebows behind the reception desk. Many people askabout it.About that time, a new employee was hired byMalcolm. Sue Veneer became the gift shopmanager. You found out that she is the daughter ofthe previous owner of the winery. Malcolm hadpurchased it 10 years before and, for her ownreasons, Sue had decided to return and work there.She always offers you a cup of tea when you see her.You missed Renee, but, last year, that changed. Aftera lot of soul searching, she returned to the Valley andcontacted her father. She worked for him at thewinery and lived with him in the house on thewinery’s property.You were happy to see her again. Who could knowwhere it could lead? You only hope that Reneewon’t, once again, run from her father. This time, shewould be running from you, too.For the past year and a half, a high-poweredattorney, Leelah Eagle has been a frequent guest atyour inn. You have the feeling that she’s working on

some sort of assignment, but you don’t know what itcould possibly be. Several times, you’ve seen her inthe gift shop at the Melee Winery.Another regular guest is Nina Grigio, the writer forWine Line. She spends a lot of time in the Valleygathering information for her articles. She continuesto extol the quality of Malcolm Melee’s cabernets.The Melee Winery has a number of competitors inthe Valley. One of them, Cabot Cabernets owned byCarter Cabot, vints wines that, in your opinion, areas good or even better than Melee’s wines.Cabot has approached you several times aboutswitching your loyalties and using his wines as awelcoming gift. He let slip that he is certain Melee is2 3 421

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ ChumYour Role: Stan MiltonYou, Stan Milton, are the owner of the Milt-Marts, anempire of mega-sized discount department stores that aremostly located in rural areas across the nation. You wereborn 52 years ago in Bennotburg, a medium-sized citynear the Ozarks.Your parents, Sam and Ann Milton ran a corner store andyou were intrigued by the business of retailing. When yougraduated from high school, you decided to foregocollege and open a small store. That led to bigger andbigger stores, and soon you had a vision of saturating thenation with Milt-Marts from your offices located rightthere in Bennotburg.You have a creative side, too. Even as a small child, youloved to work with oil paints. When you’re not puttingtogether your business deals, you complete works of art.You even stretch your own canvasses. Frequently youpaint on hides, heating them so that they are pliable andfit over the wooden framing. Very few people know aboutyour hobby.By the time you were in your mid-20s, you had openedseveral more stores and your dream was becoming areality. But, part of business involves the legalities ofgoing to court and filing lawsuits to exert your rights.That’s how you met Leelah Eagle 20 years ago. She wason the other side of a lawsuit that you had filed and shehad won impressively.Afterward, you pulled her aside and asked if she’d like towork for you. She said the offer was tempting, but toldyou she was in the process of moving out on her own.However, she said she’d be happy to accept you as one ofher clients. The following year, she did just that.Since then, she’s taken on a variety of assignments foryou, many of them have required her to a lot of behindthe-scenes work. The Milt-Marts began to take off - so

much so that, 15 years ago, Melee Magazine, thedefinitive source for business information in the nation,5 1shopping, you noticed that Sue had a kettle boiling andwas offering everyone free hot tea.The visit peaked your interest in acquiring the location- it was perfect. You told Leelah that you would bewilling to pay her a substantial bonus if her effortsresulted in deposing Malcolm as owner of the wineryand acquiring the land for your Milt-Mart.As you were checking out of the inn, Renee walked inand began talking with Ben. They seemed to knoweach other extremely well.Shortly afterwards, the local newspaper, The NippyValley Grapevine, began running stories saying thatyou want to purchase the winery and build a new storeon the site. You don’t know how this informationleaked out. Could someone have seen through yourdisguise and put two and two together?To your delight, the latest information that Leelahprovided to you shows that the winery is in poorfinancial shape. Melee had paid off so many peoplethat his personal finances have taken a hit. You’re surehe’s too bullheaded to sell the property to you, butperhaps a personal conversation with Renee wouldwork.Malcolm organized a wine and cheese party tocelebrate his tenth anniversary in business. It was opento the public and a lot of people would probably showup. You decided to attend the event. It took place lastnight.One thing was certain, Malcolm attracted a lot ofattention. The people who were there either loved himor disliked him. You couldn’t help but think thatMalcolm was the only stumbling block in finalizing theplans for the nation’s newest Milt-Mart.Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.You’ve probably all read the newspaper thismorning, so it won’t surprise you that I’m here.The Nippy Valley has been growing so quicklythat it’s the perfect place for a new Milt-Mart.Based upon recent occurrences, I believe theproperty I have my eye on will soon be available.That’s right, it won’t be long before you’ll be ableto get the same great merchandise here in theValley that other people have been able to buy for

years. I know you’re as excited about that as I am.One thing you can be certain of - Stan Miltonalways operates in an ethical manner. Not everybusinessperson can say that. It bothers me thatsome people think they’re allowed to do anythingthey want to do just because they can do it. Well,what goes around comes around.I was interested in meeting Malcolm Melee inperson, so I got to the reception about 7:45. Thetwo of us had talked on the phone a long time ago,but we’d never met face to face. The things I’dheard about him were all true. After about 15minutes, Carter Cabot introduced himself andwanted to talk business. I tried to move on, but hejust kept on talking. He should know by now thatsome things just take a little time.I left about 9:30 and went to my room at theNippy Victorian Inn, Ben’s place. I’m the kind ofperson who likes to take matters into my ownhands. That’s why I’m here in the Valley.

722contacted you and wanted to feature you in anarticle.Publisher Malcolm Melee personally telephonedyou. He assigned his best writer, Nina Grigio, tothe story. You asked Leelah to be present during theinterview to ensure that the right words were said.You liked the article and your pace for opening newstores accelerated. No one ever knew when you’dshow up and try to acquire land - no matter whatwas currently on it. Leelah was always involved inhelping you close your many deals.You had really liked working with Grigio. And, youwere surprised when, three years later, she was firedby the magazine. You wondered what washappening behind the scenes and asked Leelah toinvestigate. That’s how you began to find out howMalcolm Melee operates.Grigio had been let go because she’d fabricatedfacts in some of her award-winning articles. Leelahdiscovered that this wasn’t unusual. Melee hadoverlooked similar indiscretions by his writersbecause of the profits they had produced for themagazine. It was only because Melee was in dangerof losing a large lawsuit that he’d released Grigio.The more you learned about Melee, the less youliked him. He used contacts throughout the world tohis advantage in getting what he wanted. Thisinfuriated you. You sometimes stretch the rules, butyou’d never break them. You don’t like people whocan’t live by the same standards, and you asked

Leelah to start keeping a file on Melee.You were very surprised when Melee gave uppublishing 10 years ago to purchase a small wineryin the Nippy Valley, Veneer Vintages. Leelahresearched the sale and found that Melee hadacquired the winery below market value when hepulled some strings behind the scenes to“encourage” other buyers to withdraw. The owners,Lu and Hugh Veneer, had to settle for what Meleehad offered.Your empire of mega-marts continued to expand and,because the Nippy Valley was growing by leaps andbounds, about two and a half years ago, you decided itwould be the perfect place for your next Milt-Mart.You contacted Leelah and asked her to start looking forland in the Valley on which to build a new store. Youwanted her to take a hard look at the Melee Vineyard andWinery. You were pleased when she told you that thelocation was perfect.Since Melee’s Cabernets had been receiving rave reviewsfor their quality, you were certain that Melee would bereluctant to sell. One of Melee’s biggest advocates inprint was none other than Nina Grigio who now workedfor Wine Line magazine. What could the real story be?Another Nippy Valley vintner entered the picture a littleover two years ago.Cramer Cabot, a wine merchant who identified himself asthe younger brother of Carter Cabot, the owner of CabotCabernets, paid a sales call on you. Since you hadplanned to begin selling wines in the delicatessen sectionsof your stores, you were looking for a quality wine thatcould be privately branded with the Milt-Mart logo.You again asked Leelah to handle things for you. One ofyour concerns was how your customers would perceivethe alliance with Cabot rather than with the better-knownMelee Cabernets.You’ve paid Leelah a substantial amount of money tofind out more about Malcolm Melee’s operation. And, forthe past 18 months, Leelah has been feeding you a lot ofinformation.She made regular visits to the Valley. The excellentreviews Melee’s wines receive are because he has paidkickbacks to certain distributors. And, some of the winecritics had been “forced” to give Melee’s wines excellentreviews.A few months ago, you decided to personally scope outthe Valley. Leelah recommended that you stay at herfavorite spot, the Nippy Victorian Inn, owned by BenBreakfast. It’s the most-popular B&B in the Valley.You put on a disguise, registered under the name“Milt Stanley” and looked around the Valley. Ahandmade large bow hangs in the reception area.You took a tour of the Melee Vineyard and Winery.It was lead by Renee Melee, Malcolm’s daughter.You knew she and Malcolm were trying to work out

a shaky relationship that dated back to whenChantee, Renee’s mother and Malcolm’s wife, haddied. Renee was very personable. You could tell itwould be much easier doing business with her than itwould be with Malcolm.During the tour, you noticed that hides were hangingfrom the ceiling of the wine cellar. Renee explainedthat the winemaster, Pierre LaPaine, was a studentof the Middle Ages and had become proficient atmaking his own garb from cloth and animal hides.He was the impetus for the French Wine Fest that thewinery sponsors and hosts each fall. To add to theauthenticity of the fest, Pierre makes rawhide bootsfor attendees to wear as they participate in grapestompingcompetitions. The grape-stained boots arethen sold in the gift shop.Since hides cannot be permitted to dry out beforePierre uses them, he’d found the damp environmentof the wine cellar to be just right for storing them.You know how difficult it is to work with the hidesbecause of your art hobby. He uses a small room inthe back of the cellar as a workroom. The cellar islocated in a natural cave under the main building andextends back into the adjacent hillside.When the tour was over, you were led to the tastingarea where you sampled wines, then went throughthe gift shop, managed by Sue Veneer. Probablynobody on the tour but you knew that Sue was thedaughter of the winery’s previous owners.In addition to wines, the gift shop had other items forsale including books on crafts and hobbies. Youfound one on art and bought it. While you were2 3 423

Death is a Cabernet,Ol’ ChumYour Role: Leelah EagleYou, Leelah Eagle, are an attorney-at-law who can figureout a way to make just about anything happen for yourclients. You’ve been described as a smart, hard-nosedlawyer who hates to lose. You like that description and doeverything you can to live up to it.Born 47 years ago in the Ozarks, you come from a poor,but hard-working family. Your parents were Lila and LeeEagle, farmers who sold their produce at a nearbyfarmers’ market in Bennotburg. You have six siblings, allof whom still live close to your parents’ farm.You went to the local community college before finishingoff a bachelor’s degree at State College. You’ve alwaysbeen someone who likes to compete, and the legalprofession seemed a perfect career for you. So, youearned your law degree at night from Bennotburg LegalInstitute, then passed the bar exam and began practicing

law at a local law firm, specializing in business law.That’s how you attracted the attention of Stan Milton,the man who would have a dramatic impact on your life.When you first came in contact with Milton 20 years ago,he was a young entrepreneur with a dream of building anational string of discount mega-retail stores that wouldbe built in rural areas across the nation. He was callinghis stores Milt-Marts, and was on the other side of alawsuit that you litigated.You won impressively. Afterward, Milton pulled youaside and asked if you’d work for him. The offer wastempting, but you told him you were in the process ofmoving out on your own. However, you told him you’dbe happy to accept him as one of your clients.The following year, you did just that. With each case,your reputation grew until you had businesspeoplebeating down your door. Since then, you’ve taken on avariety of assignments for Milton, many of them haverequired you to do a lot of behind-the-scenes work.1Many winemaking events are featured, includinggrape stomping.Ben and Pierre see each other regularly because oftheir interest in archery. Both are members of theNippy Valley Bowmen who meet bi-monthly. Plus,they both fabricate much of their own gear fromwood, feathers, flint and rawhide.A year ago, Melee’s only child, Renee Melee, joinedhim to help him run the operation. You’ve found outthat the two had a history of not getting along becauseof the way Malcolm had handled Chantee’s death.Renee and Ben seem quite close.The information that Sue has provided to you showsthat Melee does a lot of underhanded dealings. Theexcellent reviews his wines receive are because Meleehas paid kickbacks to certain distributors to get hiswines prime spots in stores. You also found out thatsome of the wine critics had been “forced” to giveMelee’s wines excellent reviews.A few months ago, Milton decided to personallyscope out the Valley. He stayed at the NippyVictorian Inn under the name Milt Stanley. He didn’tthink anyone recognized him.Shortly afterwards, though, the local newspaper, TheNippy Valley Grapevine, began running stories sayingthat Stan Milton wants to purchase the winery andbuild a new mega-store on the site. You don’t knowhow this information leaked out.The latest information that Sue provided to you showsthat the winery is in poor financial shape. Melee hadpaid off so many people that his personal financestook a hit. You’re sure he’s too bullheaded to sell theproperty to Milton.Last night, Malcolm organized a wine and cheeseparty to celebrate his tenth anniversary in business. It

was open to the public and a lot of people showed up- even Stan Milton. You wondered what would be onthe land a year from now.5Copyright, 2005MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc.PO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191262/377-7230 _ jack@pachuta.comwww.mysteries-on-the-net.com6Here’s what you’ll say when you’reasked to speak.No comment. That’s right - I can’t revealprivileged information. Any good attorney willtell you that. And I’m not just a good attorney -I’m a great attorney. Ask my clients. Who arethey? No comment. That’s privileged information.I will tell you this, though, Malcolm Melee wasn’texactly who you thought he was. He had baggage,if you know what I mean. And if anyone is goodat finding out where those bags are located, I am.How do I do it? No comment. Privilegedinformation.Some of you have seen me in the Valley a lot overthe past year and a half. What have I been doing?No comment. Privileged information.I arrived at the event last night about 7:45. I didn’ttalk to anyone. I find that’s it’s better to listenthan to speak - you learn more that way. What didI listen to? No comment. Privileged information.Let’s just say that Malcolm didn’t have too manyfriends out there. If he was still around, he’d havea tough time keeping that reputation for qualitywine. Critics are fickle people. One day they sayone thing, the next day they say just the opposite.What did I do last night and when did I leave? Nocomment. No, it’s not privileged information. It’sjust none of your business.

824Milton’s venture began to take off - so much sothat, 15 years ago, Melee Magazine, the definitivesource for business information in the nation,contacted him and wanted to feature him in anarticle. Publisher Malcolm Melee had personallycontacted Milton. He assigned his best writer, NinaGrigio, to the story.Milton had retained several competent attorneys tohelp him get what he wanted. You were his favorite,though. You were present during the interview to

ensure that the right words were said.Milton liked the article. His pace for opening newstores accelerated and no one ever knew when he’dshow up and try to acquire land - no matter whatwas currently on it. You were always involved inhelping him close the deals.Milton had really liked working with Grigio. Hewas surprised when, three years later, she was firedby the magazine. He wondered what was happeningbehind the scenes and asked you to investigate.That’s how you began to find out how MalcolmMelee operates.Grigio had been let go because she fabricated factsin some of her award-winning articles. Youdiscovered that this wasn’t unusual. Melee hadoverlooked similar indiscretions by his writersbecause of the profits they had produced for themagazine. It was only because he was in danger oflosing a large lawsuit that he’d released Grigio.The more you investigated Melee, the less you likedhim. He used contacts throughout the world to hisadvantage in getting what he wanted. When youreported this to the straight-shooting Milton, youcould tell he was infuriated.Milton would sometimes stretch the rules, but he’dnever break them. He didn’t like people whocouldn’t live by the same standards. He asked youto start a file on Melee. He was very surprised whenMelee gave up publishing 10 years ago to purchasea small winery in the Nippy Valley, VeneerVintages. You’d done some research and found Meleewas able to acquire the winery below market valuebecause he pulled some strings behind the scenes to“encourage” other buyers to withdraw. The owners, Luand Hugh Veneer, had to settle for what Melee offered.Milton’s empire of mega-marts continued to expandand, because the Nippy Valley was growing by leapsand bounds, about two and a half years ago, Miltoncontacted you and asked you to start looking for land inthe Valley on which to build a new Milt-Mart. Hewanted you to take a hard look at the Melee Vineyardand Winery. He was pleased when you told him that thelocation was perfect.Since Melee’s Cabernets had been receiving ravereviews for their quality, Milton was certain that Meleewould be reluctant to sell. One of Melee’s biggestadvocates in print was none other than Nina Grigio whonow worked for Wine Line magazine. Could somethingbe going on behind the scenes?He retained you to compile an extensive file on Meleeand his operation. Another Nippy Valley vintner enteredthe picture a little over two years ago.Cramer Cabot, a wine merchant who identified himselfas the younger brother of Carter Cabot, the owner ofCabot Cabernets, paid a sales call on Milton. Since

Milton had planned to begin selling wines in thedelicatessen sections of his stores, he was looking for aquality wine that could be privately branded with theMilt-Mart logo. Milton asked you to handle things forhim. One of Milton’s concerns was how his customerswould perceive his alliance with Cabot rather than withthe better-known Melee Cabernets.You decided that you needed to find out moreinformation about Melee - the kind that only an insidercould provide. By monitoring The Nippy ValleyGrapevine, you found out that Melee was looking tohire a manager for his gift shop. A idea quickly hatched.You knew that the Veneers had a daughter, Sue Veneer,who might be interested in being your eyes and ears atthe winery. Her parents were deceased and, you thought,she might welcome the chance to help.Sue worked as an administrative assistant at WineLine. You spotted her at a small cafe near themagazine’s offices and sat down next to her.Identifying yourself as a high-powered attorneywho hated to lose, you enlisted her help. You toldher she would be well compensated for her efforts.Sue got the job and has been feeding youinformation ever since.About six months later (18 months ago), you paidthe first of many visits to the Nippy Valley, andhave been a regular visitor ever since. When youare there, you stay at the Nippy Victorian Inn,owned by Ben Breakfast. It’s the most-popularB&B in the Valley. A handmade large bow hangs inthe reception area.During one of your stays at the inn, another guestapproached you. It was Nina Grigio. You told heryou remembered her, but said “no comment” whenasked if you still did business with Milton.Sue is frequently alone in the main building of thewinery and manages to sneak into Malcolm’s office,making copies of some of his files - both paper andcomputer - to pass on to you. A few months ago,you told Sue that you would be willing to pay her abonus if her efforts result in deposing Malcolm asowner of the winery. (Your bonus would be everlarger.)The winemaster at the winery, Pierre LaPaine, istemperamental. Everything must be done his way orhe goes into a rage. He and Malcolm constantlybutted heads. You found out that Pierre isMalcolm’s nephew, the son of Jacque LaPaine, thebrother of Malcolm’s deceased wife, Chantee.Pierre had his own process for vinting excellentwines. He proudly tells everyone that it dates backto the Middle Ages. Pierre is quite a historian andwas the impetus behind an event that has become ahuge promotional success for the winery.Every year during the fall, Melee Vineyard and

Winery sponsors and hosts a French Wine Fest.2 3 425

Join us to honorMalcolmMeleeThe owner of Melee Vineyardswhose Melee Cabernet isacclaimed by wine connoisseursaround the world.Here are the details!Place:Date:Time:RSVP:Mysteries on the NetPO Box 191 _ Cedarburg, WI 53012-0191(262)377-7230 _ www.mysteries-on-the-net.comMurderMysteryPartyBe sure to meet and talk with:Pierre LaPaine, winemasterRene Melee, Malcolm’s only childCarter Cabot, rival vintnerNina Grigio, writer for Wine Line magazineBen Breakfast, innkeeperSue Veneer, gift shop managerStan Milton, owner of the Milt-Mart storesLeelah Eagle, attorney-at-law26Dear Colleague:You were invited here to help investigate the death of Malcolm Melee, owner of the MeleeVineyard and Winery. His body was found this morning at the foot of the stairs leading to thewine cellar. At first, his death appeared to be an unfortunate accident, but now we believe itwas premeditated murder.Last night, Melee hosted a celebration in honor of the winery’s tenth anniversary. Over the

past decade, his small operation has built a record of supplying a quality product, althoughhis surly personality appears to have produced more adversaries than advocates.While here, I need your assistance with the murder investigation. Help me out by meeting andobserving the activities of the following individuals:Pierre LaPaineWinemaster. His proven process for making the perfect cabernet was under scrutiny by thepenny-pinching Malcolm.Renee MeleeMalcolm's only child. She returned to the Valley last year to help her father run the winery.Everyone knew that Malcolm and Renee didn't see vine to vine.Stan MiltonOwner of the Milt-Mart Stores. The land on which the winery is located would be a perfectspot for his next mega-sized discount establishment.Nina GrigioWriter for Wine Line magazine. Her discriminating palate can make or break a new vintage.Carter CabotOwner of Cabot Vineyards. He suspected that Malcolm was using unfair tactics to capture thelion's share of the cabernet marketplace.Sue VeneerGift shop manager. She sells bottles of Melee Cabernet and assorted trinkets to wineryvisitors.Ben BreakfastInnkeeper. His B&B, the Nippy Victorian House, is the most popular inn in the Valley. And, abottle of cabernet is a welcoming gift for all guests.Leelah EagleAttorney at law. She hates to lose and lately, for some unknown reason, she's been spendinga lot of time researching information about the winery.To assist you, I've attached a clue that may be useful. You and the other investigators maywant to share what you know to be better prepared for anything that happens.Happy Sleuthing,Lawrence LawChief of PoliceLAWRENCE LAWChief of Police, Nippy Valley27Your Clue #1A confidential source told you that mega-martentrepreneur Stan Milton is intent on acquiring

the 35 acres on which Melee Vineyard andWinery is situated. Milton is convinced that it’sthe perfect spot for his next huge discount store.Your Clue #2Ben Breakfast, owner of the Nippy VictorianInn, is an avid archer. He even makes his ownbows and arrows from wood, flint, feathers andrawhide.Your Clue #3It’s no secret that Renee Melee had beenestranged from her father for many years beforereturning to Nippy Valley last year. Many localresidents are puzzled about her decision toreunite with her father and help him out at thewinery.Your Clue #4Sue Veneer, the gift shop manager at MeleeVineyard and Winery, is the daughter of HughVeneer, the former owner of the winery. Theproperty had been in the Veneer family for over100 years before Malcolm Melee purchased it 10years ago.Your Clue #5Rumor has it that Stan Milton is planning onbeginning to sell wines in the delicatessens of hisMilt-Marts. Carter Cabot’s younger brother,Cramer, is attempting to negotiate a contract thatwould make Cabot Cabernets the exclusiveprovider of Milton’s private-label wines.Your Clue #6The French Wine Fest, sponsored and hosted byMelee Vineyard and Winery each fall was thebrainchild of winemaster Pierre LaPaine. Itfeatures a variety of wine-related events,including stomping grapes in the traditionalMedieval way.Your Clue #7You’ve noticed that attorney Leelah Eaglespends a lot of time in the Nippy Valley. Shealways stays at the Nippy Victorian Inn, ownedby Ben Breakfast.Your Clue #8In private, Nina Grigio has admitted to severalpeople that she prefers Cabot Cabernets to thoseproduced by the Melee Vineyard and Winery. Ifthat’s the case, you wonder why she spends somuch time extolling the quality of Melee’swines.

28Your Clue #9Several years ago, you stayed at a mountain innnamed the Copper Hotel. You are certain thatboth Renee Melee and Ben Breakfast wereemployees of the hotel when you were there.Your Clue #10Malcolm Melee is known to be a real pennypincher. Several people have heard himcomplain to winemaster Pierre LaPaine thatLaPaine keeps leaving the lights on and costingMelee money.Your Clue #11Because Malcolm and Renee Melee, and PierreLaPaine are busy with the process of vintingwine, gift shop manager Sue Veneer isfrequently the only one present in the winery’smain building to greet visitors and answerquestions.Your Clue #12A few months ago, a friend of yours was takinga tour of the Melee Vineyard and Winery led byRene Melee. Your friend swore that mega-martentrepreneur Stan Milton was also on the tour -but he was wearing a disguise.Your Clue #13The label on bottles of Melee CabernetSauvignon was designed by winemaster PierreLaPaine. Because he is a student of the MiddleAges and an expert archer, he chose to put aFrench bowman on the label.Your Clue #14You’ve discovered that Leelah Eagle, theattorney who hates to lose, is on retainer fromStan Milton, the mega-mart entrepreneur.Milton wants to open a new huge discount storein Nippy Valley.Your Clue #15Pierre LaPaine and Ben Breakfast share aninterest in archery and in fabricating their ownequipment. Both are members of the NippyValley Bowmen who meet bi-monthly. Ben, infact, is the president-elect of the group.Your Clue #16Carter Cabot, the owner of Cabot Cabernets, hasstrong evidence that Malcolm Melee has paidkickbacks to distributors and “forced” winecritics to extol the quality of Melee’s Cabernet

Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc wines.29Your Clue #17While on a tour of Melee Vineyard and Winery,you saw Pierre LaPaine enter a small roombehind the stairs of the wine cellar. When youasked about the room, you were told that Pierreuses the room as a workshop to make some ofthe authentic gear for the French Wine Fest.Your Clue #18Many people who know her think that ReneeMelee has never gotten over the death of hermother, Chantee, and the way in which herfather reacted to it.Your Clue #19A local catering service reports that, whenMalcolm Melee first began planning the 10thanniversary celebration several months ago, hisintent was to serve a complete buffet-style mealto his guests. However, he scaled it back andserved only wine and cheese.Your Clue #20Very few people know this, but Stan Milton isan amateur artist. He even stretches his owncanvasses and sometimes creates works of art onanimal hides.Your Clue #21Rumors abound that attorney Leelah Eaglewould earn a large bonus from her client if shecould find a way to remove Malcolm Melee asowner of Melee Vineyard and Winery.Your Clue #22Records that you’ve found indicate that themaiden name of Malcolm Melee’s deceasedwife, Chantee, was LaPaine. Could it be thatPierre LaPaine, Malcolm’s winemaster, is relatedto him by marriage?Your Clue #23Business in the gift shop at Melee Vineyard andWinery has picked up since Sue Veneer tookover as manager. One reason she’s a hit withvisitors is that she offers them free hot tea.Your Clue #24When Nina Grigio applied for her job with WineLine magazine, her resume indicated that shehad previously worked as a writer for MeleeMagazine. The resume said she had resigned for“personal reasons.”

30Nippy Valley - Malcolm Melee, theowner of Melee Vineyard and Winerywhose Cabernet Sauvignon andCabernet Franc wines have becomefamous around the world, was founddead this morning. His lifeless bodywas discovered at the foot of thestaircase that connects the winery’swine cellar to its wine tasting area.When Pierre LaPaine, the winery’swinemaster, arrived in the cellar at6:00AM, he noticed that lights wereon and doors were unlocked.Melee, the founder and formerpublisher of Melee Magazine, purchasedthe 35-acre property 10 yearsago after divesting himself of hisinterest in the publication. MeleeMagazine continues to be recognizedas one of the world’s leading businessmagazines.The death marked a tragic endingto an evening that started as a celebrationof Melee’s decade-long ownershipof the small winery. At a wineand cheese evening open to the public,Melee talked with the people whopacked the winery’s main building.In recent years, his vintages havereceived critical acclaim, most notablyfrom Nina Grigio, writer forWine Line magazine. She was presentat last night’s event and had onlya terse comment this morning.“Of course his death is a shock tome. We’ve known each other longerthan most people realize,” explainedGrigio, “Tell everyone to read what Ihave to say in next month’s issue ofthe magazine. They’ll be surprised atwhat they see.”Melee’s only child, ReneeMelee, who returned to the Valley ayear ago to assist her father in runningthings, would only say that thewinery’s future is uncertain. “My fa-Plans for mega-mart move aheadNippy Valley - Mega-retail store entrepreneur

Stan Milton said thismorning that his plans to build a newMilt-Mart in the Valley are “fullspeed ahead.” As previously speculatedin this newspaper, Milton hasbeen attempting to acquire propertyand begin construction of anotherone of his huge discount stores.“My legal representative hasbeen taking care of the details,” explainedMilton, “and she believesthat the process now can be expedited.”Although Milton wouldn’tconfirm it, sources say that MalcolmMelee, whose body was found thismorning, was the final roadblock toMilton’s move.The land on which the MeleeVineyard and Winery sits has longbeen considered the perfect spot for alarge retail store.The wine cellar at Melee Vineyard & Winery. The body of owner MalcolmMelee was found at the bottom of the staircase early this morning.Continued on back page.31East Coast - A civil lawsuit againstMelee Magazine was filed today onthe East Coast, stating that certainstories appearing in the publicationwere fabrications. The suit furthercharges that the practice of makingup facts to increase circulation hasbeen going on for at least 15 years.Confidential sources state thatformer owner and magazine founderMalcolm Melee resigned 10 yearsago to avoid prosecution about similarassertions. Employment recordsindicate that many of Melee Magazine’swriters have left its staff inrecent years for “personal reasons.”ther was the soul of the operation. Idon’t have the tenacity that he had inmaking us famous. He’d do anythingto get the word out about our cabernets.And I do mean anything.”Gift shop manager Sue Veneerreported that, in recent years, thewinery has attracted more and morevisitors. “The gift shop is doing a

booming business,” she said, “Andwe’ve expanded the selection ofitems that people can buy. In additionto souvenirs from our annual FrenchWine Fest, I’ve added a line of booksthat has something for everyone,from kite flying to knot tying. A lotof our customers just stop by to havea cup of tea and to talk.”LaPaine brushed aside any suggestionthat he and Melee were havingprofessional disagreements.“Sacre bleu, non!” he emphaticallystated, “He knew that without me thewinery would be as it was 10 yearsago, vinting mediocre wine that attractedthe attentionof no one.”Rival cabernetvintnerCarter Cabot,owner of Cabot’sCabernets, seesMelee’s death asa chance forcabernet aficionadosto stepback and reevaluatethe marke t p l a c e .“People shoulddecide for themselvesaboutwhat makes aquality wine and not take the word ofso-called experts,” said Cabot.While Melee’s death appears tohave been an accident, authoritiesaren’t ruling out the homicide.“Many people didn’t like him,” reportedPolice Chief Lawrence Law,“An investigative report is being prepared.”Magazine sued forfictitious storiesget shooting without bowsights oradditional guides to help the trajectoriesof the arrows.The group’s members are all

Valley residents, including MeleeVineyard and Winery winemasterPierre LaPaine who is an avid studentof Medieval garb and processes.Many Nippy Valley Bowmen participatein the annual French Wine Festthat is sponsored and hosted byMelee. Because of Malcolm Melee’sdeath, the fest’s future is in doubt.Nippy Valley - The next meeting ofthe Nippy Valley Bowmen will beSaturday at 9a.m. at the Valley TargetCenter reported the group’spresident-elect Ben Breakfast.Members of the local group ofarchery fans meet bi-monthly to honetheir marksmanship skills and toshare information on how to maketheir own equipment out of such materialsare wood, feathers, rawhide,flint and iron. Many Nippy ValleyBowmen are skilled at barebow, tar-Melee corkedContinued from front page.

Bowmen meeting set for SaturdayReport says penny pinching obsessiveWashington, D.C. - A report issuedby the government’s Office of HumanBehavioral Traits released yesterdaystates that people who are infinancial difficulty start to obsessabout the little things that could savethem money.“For instance,” said OHBT DirectorPenny Pinch, “someone whosees his finances start to turn bad forwhatever reason might actually stopto pick up a penny on the sidewalk.Or, that person could begin to cutback on such items as heat and electricityto try to squeeze as much outof his money as he can.”Frequently, according to the report,the penny-pinching person willignore big items that could improvethe financial picture and over-react tominor situations that will have nolong-term impact on improving cash

flow.The report was paid for by afederal grant of $3 million to sevencolleges and universities and tookfive years to complete.Pinch stated the OHBT will continueto coordinate projects that willhave profound effects on the nation.32Melee Cabernet LabelsThe front and back labels of the latest vintage of Melee Cabernet Sauvignon must be availableto the investigators. Here are three ways that you can do this:1.) Paste the labels over the labels on bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon wine that you serveduring the murder mystery event. Make sure everyone has a chance to examine the labels.2.) Compile a scapbook of wine labels from your “favorite wines.” Include the MeleeCabernet Sauvignon labels with labels from real wines. Put the scapbook on a coffee table or ata central location in your facility. Make sure all of the investigators have a chance to look at it.3.) Frame the labels and hang them on the wall. Or, stand the frame up on your bar or on acoffee table in the room. Make sure everyone has an opportunity to look at the labels.You may have another idea. Feel free to do what you think will work for you so long as allinvestigators have access to the labels.Of course, Cabernet wines should be aged three to five years before they are served. Should anyof your guests remind you of this, simply say that this vintage is so good that it “deserves apreview.”This 10th anniversary vintage of MeleeCabernet Sauvignon is certain to ticklediscriminating palates and make wineconnoisseurs swoon with delight.Continuing a traditional Bordeaux processof wine making, owner Malcolm Meleetakes great pride in the quality of his awardwinningproducts.The soil and weather conditions in theNippy Valley, complemented by the skill ofwinemaster Pierre LaPaine, have resulted ina wine that exudes the magnificent aroma ofblueberries, leather and pepper. Its mediumbody with upfront briar fruits and softtannins make this wine dusty dry leading to

a lingering diplomatic aftertaste.The perfect wine to serve with lamb andgame, this red wine takes one to a timewhen ruby-red grapes were crushed intojuice by vineyard workers wearing rawhideboots, then aged to perfection in largeoaken casks before being served at feaststhroughout the French countryside.MELEE VINEYARD & WINERYNippy ValleyMalcolm Melee, ownerPierre LaPaine, winemaster

200833Investigative ReportThe following facts have been discovered as part of our on-goinginvestigation into the death of Malcolm Melee:Malcolm Melee died of internal cranial bleeding caused by a fracturedskull. Melee’s body also had a fractured right hip.Both injuries are consistent with a fall down a staircase.The coroner estimates the time of death to be midnight.The bottom eight stairs of the staircase have marks, gouges and traces ofblood and tissue. This is likewise consistent with a body having fallendown the staircase.Horizontal linear bruises were found on Melee’s right ankle and on thetalus bone located on the top of Melee’s left foot.Scraps of leather and rawhide were on the floor of the wine cellar scatteredfrom the middle of the staircase to the small room at the rear of the cellar.The lights in the wine cellar were on when the body was found.34

To solve the case called Death is a Cabernet, Ol’ Chum,answer the following questions:Who killed Malcolm Melee? (Mark the box next to the name of the murderer.)_ Ben Breakfast _ Carter Cabot_ Leelah Eagle _ Nina Grigio_ Pierre LaPaine _ Renee Melee_ Stan Milton _ Sue VeneerWhy was the murder committed?How was the murder committed?Which facts led you to this conclusion?What clues did you find on the Melee Cabernet label?Copyright, 2005 MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, Inc., PO Box 191, Cedarburg, WI 53012, 262/377-7230, www.mysteries-on-the-net.com35

WARNING!This is “The Denouement.”The following pages contain thesolution to the murder.After running off the pages,place them in a sealed envelope.36The DenouementTo solve this case, three things must be considered: MOTIVE, MEANS andOPPORTUNITY. First, let’s deal with MOTIVE.RENEE MELEE, Malcolm’s only child. Father and daughter have had a difficult timethrough the years because Malcolm callously handled his wife’s death when Renee wasa teenager. Chantee Melee died in an auto accident while Malcolm was negotiating acontract. Rather than return immediately, Malcolm sealed the deal before catching aflight home. Renee was very close to her mother - and very distant from her father. Herlatest attempt to mend fences started a year ago when she returned to the Valley to helpMalcolm run the winery. Renee also had an ulterior motive for the move. More aboutthat later. Malcolm had mellowed, but could Renee truly forget the past?PIERRE LaPAINE, the winemaster at the Melee Winery. Pierre is the son of Chantee’s

brother and is, therefore, Malcolm’s nephew. After marrying Chantee, Malcolm cut offcontact with the LaPaine family, who had vinted wines for generations.Pierre brought that expertise to the Valley, along with an interest in fabricating Medievalclothing and gear. He would hang hides in the wine cellar to keep them moist, then heatthem and shrink them in his workroom. They were featured at the French Wine Fest,Pierre’s brainchild.Lately Malcolm had begun pinching pennies. He encouraged Pierre to shortcut thevinting process and complained about any little thing that might cost extra money. Heconstantly reminded Pierre to turn off the lights in the wine cellar. The thought ofchanging his proven process of winemaking frustrated Pierre. He would not do it! Butwhat would happen if Malcolm persisted?SUE VENEER, gift shop manager at the Melee Winery. Sue is the daughter of Lu andHugh Veneer, the winery’s previous owners. The property had been in Sue’s family forover 100 years until Malcolm acquired it 10 years ago below market value. Sue nowknows that Malcolm worked behind the scenes to discourage other potential buyers. Shecan’t help but feel that Malcolm had cheated her parents out of a substantial amount ofmoney. Sue took the job at the winery two years ago to serve as someone else’s eyes andears. The plot thickens.CARTER CABOT, owner of Cabot Cabernets and Melee’s competitor. Carter couldn’tunderstand why Melee’s wines were being extolled while his wines received no criticalacclaim. Then, via his brother Cramer, a wine merchant, he discovered that Melee hadused payoffs and pressure to get his rave reviews and market share. Now, though,37

redemption is at hand. Cramer is in the process of negotiating a contract with StanMilton’s organization to private-label Cabot Cabernets with the Milt-Mart logo. It wouldprovide exposure and, of course, revenue.NINA GRIGIO, writer for Wine Line magazine. Nina’s association with Malcolm datesback 19 years. That’s when Malcolm hired her to write for Melee Magazine. Afterinterviewing such entrepreneurs as Stan Milton, she was recognized for her writing style,winning awards and gaining notoriety. That’s when she did what many other writers atMelee Magazine were doing - she made up facts in order to make a splash. But, heractions resulted in a massive lawsuit.Rather than fight it, Malcolm settled out of court, fired Nina, and said that he’d tell noone why she was sacked so long as Nina would help him when he asked for a favor.Nina eventually found a job with Wine Line and, when Malcolm bought the winery, hecalled in his marker. He insisted that Nina give his cabernets excellent reviews. At therisk that her past indiscretion would be revealed, she complied. In reality, Nina feels thatCarter Cabot’s wines are better than Melee’s.BEN BREAKFAST, owner of the Nippy Victorian Inn. Ben and Renee are old friends.They worked together several years ago in the mountains at the Copper Hotel. Benalways talked about owning his own inn and when he excitedly told Renee that he hadpurchased one, she was less than excited to find out that it was near her father’s winery.Yet, last year she moved to the Valley to be with her father - and near Ben. Ben was gladto see her and was anxious to find out where the relationship might lead.And, Ben shares an interest with Pierre. Both are archers, making their own equipment

out of wood, rawhide, feathers and flint or iron. They are members of the Nippy ValleyBowmen and Ben is the president-elect. Both are very proficient at working with leather.STAN MILTON, owner of the Milt-Mart mega-stores. Stan feels that the perfect spot forhis next Milt-Mart is the land on which the Melee Winery is located. He’s done hisresearch about Malcolm and was thoroughly disgusted with Malcolm’s businesspractices, so putting him out of business would be a pleasure. He retained someone tokeep a file on Malcolm and to find out more about the winery. That’s how he found outthat Malcolm’s payoffs and bribes had put Melee Winery in financial peril. Yet, thebullheaded Malcolm would never sell. However, perhaps his only heir, Renee, would.LEELAH EAGLE, attorney-at-law. Leelah met Stan Milton 20 years ago and has beenretained by him for special projects ever since. The latest - to get the dirt on Malcolmand grease the skids for the new Milt-Mart. In turn, Leelah recruited Sue Veneer to spyon Malcolm. The gift shop is next to Malcolm’s office and, when Malcolm was gone,38Sue would rummage through the office, finding information that was fed to Leelah and,in turn to Stan Milton. Leelah has been promised a huge bonus by Stan if she can find away to take Malcolm out of the picture. Leelah offered part of that bonus to Sue.So, we have eight suspects and eight motives. Now for MEANS.What at first might look like a tragic accident becomes a homicide when the facts aretotally investigated. The injuries to Malcolm’s head and hip were consistent with a falldown the stairs. Malcolm indeed was killed by the fall. But, what caused the fall? Thebruises on his legs provide the critical evidence.

The investigative report describes horizontal linear bruises on Malcolm’s right ankle andleft talus bone. Malcolm was walking down the stairs when something tripped him. Thereport says that the bottom eight stairs reflected the marks of a fall. Looking at the photothat appeared on the front page of today’s Nippy Valley Grapevine, it’s apparent that thebottom eight steps are in the shadows and a perfect spot for a trip wire that would causethe bruises to Malcolm’s legs.Yet, no mention is made of a trip wire being found. How could that be? How could a tripwire have disappeared?The report mentions scraps of leather and rawhide on the floor to the wine cellar,remnants of Pierre’s work in making his gear and equipment. The photo in the paperconfirms their existence. Could they be the means for murder?Talking with either Pierre or Ben, who both are proficient in working with rawhide, itcan be determined that rawhide, when placed in boiling water, shrinks quickly andbecomes brittle. Yes, the rawhide indeed was the murder weapon.But who would have the OPPORTUNITY to set the trap?Pierre is in the wine cellar often, but he was away from the winery all day purchasingsupplies. Ben has no keys to the cellar. He couldn’t have set the trap. Someone else did it- someone who had mastered one additional skill.The rawhide trip wire had to have been tied to the boards of the staircase with slipknotsthat would release quickly when pressure was exerted on them. The brittle rawhidewould then break into little pieces - pieces that blended in nicely with the rest of therawhide remnants in the wine cellar.But how would Malcolm be encouraged to go down the stairs after last night’s event.39That was the easy part. Lately, Malcolm has become very frugal - making sure that all of

the lights were turned off at night. If the lights were left on in the wine cellar, he’d haveto go down the stairs to turn them off. The photo in the newspaper shows that the lightswitches are in the cellar.And, Malcolm would never detect the smell of wet rawhide. The label on the bottle ofMelee’s new Cabernet Sauvignon says that the wine has the aroma of blueberries,pepper and leather. Yes - leather. The leather smell was well-known to Malcolm - andnot uncommon in the wine cellar.That’s how, yesterday afternoon someone set a trap. Someone who regularly boiledwater and sold books on knot tying cleaned the steps, turned on the lights in the winecellar, then tied the shrinking rawhide across a shadowy step on the staircase. That sameperson closed the door to the wine cellar, then left the reception early to be in bed whenthe trap was sprung, realizing that Malcolm would be the last one to leave so that hecould turn out the lights.You did it, SUE VENEER, and you are under arrest!