The Evidence Against Baley

A deliberate frame turns Baley’s routine movements, his wife’s secret, and the destroyed R. Sammy into a plausible case against the detective.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Visit to the Plant

A Visit to the Plant An ordinary detour Baley and Daneel enter the Williamsburg power plant to break the pursuers’ trail. Baley has no reason to suspect that the route will matter later. Opportunity created Someone observing the escape can connect Baley to a place where an Alphasprayer can be obtained. The practical maneuver that protects him also creates an opportunity for an accuser to exploit. The frame begins with a true fact arranged to imply a false story.

The Robot Destroyed

The Robot Destroyed A staged death R. Sammy is found deactivated in a photographic supply room with an Alphasprayer in its hand. The method is distinctive and the crime appears to have occurred inside the Department. Suspicion inside the force Because the weapon came from a power plant and Baley had recently passed through one, the incident quickly draws attention to him. His known dislike of R. Sammy adds a simple motive. The frame uses department procedure against the detective.

The Wife’s Association

The Wife’s Association A private fact becomes evidence Enderby learns that Jessie belongs to a Medievalist organization. Her office visit and distress about Daneel can be made to look like a reason for Baley to silence R. Sammy. Baley refuses easy escape He does not deny the relationship or resign to avoid scrutiny. Instead, he asks Daneel not to volunteer information while preparing to solve the wider case. The investigation threatens both career and family reputation.

The Commissioner’s Opportunity

The Commissioner’s Opportunity A calculated pattern Baley sees that the person framing him must know about the power plant, the office visit, and the Sarton investigation. The evidence points toward someone with access to the Department and knowledge of his movements. A narrow response He concludes that solving Sarton’s murder is his best defense: the framer is likely connected to the crime and wants him removed. His personal danger becomes a route back to the original case. The frame accelerates rather than ends the investigation.

The Frame Reversed

The Frame Reversed Evidence traced backward Baley identifies the Williamsburg power plant as the source of the Alphasprayer and notes that Enderby had the opportunity to obtain it. The Commissioner’s claim that Clousarr named Jessie reveals itself as a possible fabrication. The accuser exposed The supposed case against Baley instead points toward Enderby, who knew the relevant details and could manipulate the investigation. The detective’s reputation is saved by reconstructing the frame’s design. The false accusation becomes the route to the true culprit.

The evening after Baley escapes pursuit

The following day at Police Department headquarters

During Enderby’s questioning of Baley

When Baley realizes the frame is deliberate

Near the climax, before the final confession