Willa and Ned's Excellent Mystery

THE SITUATION

A little over a year ago, Willa and Ned received an unexpected visit. Rupert and E23 knocked on their door and let themselves in. As it turns out, Rupert was a bit of a family historian and he wanted to figure out a mystery. So he convinced E23 to borrow an advanced time machine from work and together they hopped back to the year 2007 to find out what had happened to Rupert’s famous great-uncle, Ned.

Ned was a history professor who gained quite a reputation for finding fantastically authentic artifacts and turning them over to the university’s museum, not unlike a certain Indiana Jones, though without the snakes. His wife, Willa, wrote up his adventures into a best-selling novel. But in spite of their famous exploits, the two lived a reclusive life on their ranch until Rupert burst in upon them.

Ned’s curiosity about the time traveling device was deeper than the Grand Canyon, and soon he had gotten Rupert to show him how it worked. And then Ned disappeared for a couple of days. Rupert and E23 were frantic, not knowing if they would ever see their time machine again, but Willa was unruffled. She knew Ned could handle himself. And she was right. Ned returned twice, bringing with him some unexpected guests: George and Margaret, Willa’s pioneer forebears who settled in northern Arizona on the ranch that Willa eventually inherited, and Benjamin and Ruth, a Nephite couple who lived in the region of George and Margaret’s (and Willa and Ned’s) ranch around 300 A.D.

Ned was a bit of an opportunist, too, and soon talked George out of his second-best rifle and Benjamin out of a beautiful clay pot, which he promptly gave to the museum. Willa wasn’t sure about the transaction, but since George and Benjamin had given up the items willingly, she didn’t say anything about it.

They all had a pleasant evening together, thanks to Rupert’s babelfish (a translating device), and agreed to meet in one year. But one year later, things turned ugly. Willa came in from getting food for the feast to find Ned dead in his study, his head caved in by his favorite fossil sample--one that usually rested on his desk. Briefly, Willa thought about calling the police, but then she saw the time travel device on Ned’s desk, still glowing with recent use, and she knew that the police would be no help to her. So she cleaned up as best she could and locked the door, turning the air conditioning down to keep his body cool until she could figure out what to do.

And so the rest of the time travelers, brought by Rupert and E23, arrived a little bit later to find Willa, pale and shaken, asking them in. She sat them all down and looked at all their faces and decided to let them talk, hoping that the murderer would somehow give himself or herself away.

THE CAST

Ned (Mat)—Indiana Jones without the snakes or violent cannibals, he prided himself on bringing nearly-perfect artifacts to his museum. Received much acclaim. Also, he was unscrupulous and may have used the time travel device to build his reputation. Married to Willa.
Dress suggestions: t-shirt, jeans

Willa (Karie)—an aspiring writer and a hobby historian, she loved Ned almost as much as she loves the family ranch. There have been some cash-flow problems lately, however, and Willa is beginning to wonder if Ned had something to do with it.
Dress suggestions: Regency-style gown or other formal wear

Ruth (Kara)—a seamstress of indeterminate Nephite/Lamanite heritage. She was living on the streets, making do, when Benjamin found her and made her his wife. She is scrappy and independent, but needs to work on her quick temper. Devoted to Benjamin.
Dress suggestions: a tunic dress, something simple and Biblical

Benjamin (Jacob)—a Nephite textile merchant, he is widely known for his integrity. He is very protective of his Ruth. They have three daughters.
Dress suggestions: plain tunic and pants, something simple and Biblical

George (Evan)—an adventurous pioneer, he was the first to volunteer when Brigham Young asked for people to settle in northern Arizona. He came across the plains with his family as a teenager and never lost his taste for travel.
Dress suggestions: cowboy shirt and jeans, ten gallon hat is optional

Margaret (Jayne)—devoted wife to George and mother to their five children (three sons, two daughters). She fell in love with his adventurous spirit as they were crossing the plains in the same company and encourages him in his endeavors. She is an amazing gardener and very gentle-natured—except when it comes to her children. Then she will fight like a lioness to defend them, and has in the past.
Dress suggestions: prairie dress or cowboy shirt and denim skirt. Bonnet optional.

E23 (Quinn)—an assistant to the noted scientist who mainstreamed time travel, she is thoroughly intrigued by the space-time continuum and its mysteries. Her quick intelligence and accesses to the time machines made the “family reunion” possible, but she feels guilty about borrowing the devices from work.
Dress suggestions: all black. Tinfoil hat is optional.

Rupert (Craig)—an avid family historian, it’s obvious he inherited George’s sense of adventure. He’d often read of his great-uncle’s mysterious death and when E23 told him about the new time travel device they were creating at work, persuaded her to borrow it so they could visit Ned and Willa and see what happened. He has a very honest face.
Dress suggestions: all black. Tinfoil hat is required.