The Astral Question

The investigation treats Sonny Elmquist’s apparent double presence as a possible paranormal ability, then carefully separates that mystery from the crimes.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Figure in the Den

A Figure in the Den A fleeting sight Jupiter Jones sees a dark shape in the den after Prentice leaves. It resembles Pete Crenshaw, though Pete is elsewhere in the apartment. The ordinary explanation fails Jupiter initially calls it a shadow, but the impression persists. The event becomes the first hint that the haunting may not be a conventional intruder.

Elmquist Recognized

Elmquist Recognized A resemblance noticed When Sonny Elmquist emerges from his apartment, Jupiter Jones sees that his build and coloring resemble the figure from the den. The comparison turns a vague sight into a suspect lead. A contradiction remains Elmquist appears to have been asleep or at home when the shadow was seen. The case now asks how one person could seem to occupy two places.

The University Account

The University Account A proposed mechanism At Ruxton University, Professor Eugenia Lantine describes cases in which people claim to perceive distant events while asleep. She calls such a figure a wanderer. Cautious interpretation Bob Andrews learns that reported wanderers may observe without moving objects. The account explains Elmquist’s knowledge, but it does not verify that he has the ability.

The Pool Watch

The Pool Watch Observation disproves a dream The boys see Elmquist physically enter the pool and recover the Hound. His actions show that not every mysterious event attributed to him is an astral appearance. A boundary established Elmquist has touched the object in the flesh, but the original knowledge may still have come from a dream. The distinction protects the investigation from confusing ability with guilt.

Ability Left Open

Ability Left Open No laboratory proof Elmquist never agrees to a controlled experiment, so the alleged wandering remains unverified. His departure ends the visits without resolving the mechanism. A mystery beside the crime The case proves Murphy’s guilt but not every claim about Elmquist. The story permits a paranormal possibility while keeping the criminal solution grounded in evidence.

The first evening at Prentice’s apartment

After the police chase

The morning after the church lock-in

Around midnight on the night of the stakeout

Mid-January