Take a look at the hints below for guidance.
Hint 1
Zilpha is a member of the infamous Lee clan of Romany, allied to the Peaky Blinders. What evidence shows her connection to Brown?
Hint 2
The letter from Charlie to Zilpha Lee mentions Noble Standing used to belong to Zilpha before Carraway purchased the horse. The stabling contract shows Nobles Standing was stabled at Charlie Strong’s Yard, so he would have privileged knowledge of the transaction. This evidence also shows Brown was mistreating Noble Standing, provoking Zilpha’s ire. How did Zilpha react?
Hint 3
In Zilpha’s letter to Brown, Zilpha arranges a meeting with Brown to cow him into keeping his hands off Noble Standing. The timing of this meeting is very close to the time of murder. Is there evidence showing if Zilpha kept the meeting?
Hint 4
Constable Belvedere and Sergeant Moss interviewed Zilpha Lee. Zilpha explains she tried to meet with Brown but her vardo got stuck in the mud on Speedwell Road. She began walking to The Garrison on foot. Can we confirm her timeline and learn if and when she arrived at the murder scene?
Hint 5
A note on the Tilton Lane switchboard tells us that it should take 20 minutes to walk 1 mile, this gives us a timeframe to compare to Zilpha’s journey.
Hint 6
The Small Heath map shows the streets around Garrison Lane, the scene of the crime. Speedwell Road is at least 1.25 miles away from the Garrison Tavern. By horse and carriage, Zilpha would have made her appointment on time, but she gets stuck in the mud at 5:05, and spends 10 minutes trying to move the vardo. She leaves the vardo at 5:15 to walk to the Garrison on foot, so the earliest she could arrive at the Garrison is 5:40, after the murder has already been committed. Moss confirms in the interview that Zilpha Lee was seen by two officers in separate streets, walking towards the Garrison during this time. In the homicide report he also says he bumps into a “haughty gypsy woman” outside the Garrison after the murder, who “seemed out of breath, and covered in muck”. Her story checks out, she was too far away to kill Brown.
Hint 7
If you’ve covered all bases and you’re still stuck, please follow the hint section for The Final Hints to gradually reveal the answer to this case.