Investigator Vale : A Deadly Toll Content . " Well , it definitely looks like murder to me , " Investigator Vale said as she approached the old wooden bridge . " I ' ve found that decapitation is hard to accomplish as a suicide . " The bridge spanned a nondescript waterway just outside the town . There was nothing special or unusual about the bridge or the minor river it spanned , but this is where the town ' s mayor and his entourage had brought the inspector just the same . Nothing unusual , that is , except for the severed head perched neatly atop the handrail that ran along the right side of the bridge . " You barely looked at the poor creature , " Jakard Herrick , the mayor ' s trusted confidant and the town ' s leading merchant said . " How in the name of Oblivion can you make such a bold assertion ? " " Because I ' m that good , " Vale said , continuing to examine the scene of the crime . " That is why the mayor hired me , after all . " She pointed out some of her observations to the mayor and his entourage , including that the lack of blood and a body indicated that the murder didn ' t occur on the bridge . " Does anyone recognize this unfortunate High Elf ? " Vale asked as she stepped over and bent down to better examine the head . It was clearly an older Elf , a male , with perfectly groomed hair and a serene expression on his face . He ' d look absolutely peaceful , Vale thought , if not for the ragged scraps of skin and bone protruding from the hole beneath his neck . " That ' s Glanonir the gold lender , " the cute young guard that had accompanied them to the bridge blurted out helpfully . " I ' d know that smug face anywhere . " The mayor gave her a hard look for talking out of turn , but didn ' t press the matter . " So , investigator , " he said , turning his attention back to Vale , " can you tell us what happened here ? " " Indubitably , " Vale said with a smile , taking one more quick look around the area . " It ' s as clear as , well , the nose on your face , Mayor Moorcroft . Or perhaps I should say , the nose on his face . " She indicated Herrick the merchant with a nod of her head . Herrick coughed and stammered , " Just — just what are you implying , Inspector Vale ? " Vale gave Herrick her most dazzling smile . " I haven ' t made any implications . Yet . " She plucked something from the victim ' s hair and then bent down and removed something that was stuck in the gore pooled on the handrail under the victim ' s neck . She looked at both items , sniffed them in each turn , and spun triumphantly toward the mayor . " This , " Inspector Vale said , holding up the first item , " is obviously Stinkhorn . Our dead gold lender had a number of stems in his hair , which I ' m certain led the troll right to him . " She held up the second item . " This is a black tea leaf . I found it in the gold lender ' s drippings . Black tea . That ' s one of your primary commodities , isn ' t that right Herrick ? " The merchant , sweat beading on his forehead , swallowed with an audible gulp and began to step away from the bridge . The cute young guard deftly stepped into his path , her hand pointedly resting on the pommel of her sword . " Explain yourself plainly , Inspector Vale , " the mayor said , clearly dismayed . " Ah , yes , " Vale sighed . " I forget that not everyone sees the world as clearly as I do . Jakard Herrick owed a great debt to the gold lender . More than he could hope to repay , as the black tea crop was pitiful this season . He had noticed the troll that was lurking under this bridge and decided to use it to take care of his problem . He convinced Glanonir to meet him at the bridge , where he unceremoniously dumped a sack full of stinkhorn stems over his head and pushed him into the river . The troll emerged , ripped off the gold lender ' s head , and dragged the rest under the bridge . You ' ll find what remains of poor Glanonir , as well as a sleeping troll with a full stomach , right beneath our feet . " " That ' s . . . that ' s nonsensical ! " the merchant exclaimed . " No , that ' s irrefutable , " Vale said smugly . " Black tea leaves , the same as those still stuck to your sleeves , Herrick . From working in your storehouse , I ' m certain . " " Shall I throw this miscreant in the dungeon , Mayor Moorcroft ? " the cute young guard asked as she lavished the investigator with a smile . " Of course you should , my dear , " Vale said , taking the mayor by the arm . " And then you should summon some more guards , or you ' ll never get that troll out from under your bridge . Now , come along , Mayor Moorcroft . We really should discuss my fee . . . "