The Detective’s DeskBo Ellis
Customer
“My copy was ready when I collected it at 11:45.”
EASY · CASE FILE
Before the first print
Easy · LANTERN PHOTO LAB
A customer photograph has gone missing. Three visitors describe collecting a finished copy of the same image. Check the production record against their claimed collection times.
Read the case file below, or open the interactive desk to examine records, keep notes and submit your reasoning. These are the case materials, without the solution.
Your assignment
Inspect, test and record the finding. What does the verified record establish?
- The source records are verified and their stated conditions apply to every account.
- Find the account contradicted by a record. A contradiction alone does not establish wrongdoing.
People and accounts
Arun Bell
Customer
“I collected a finished copy of this image at 10:55.”
Nia Ford
Customer
“I collected my copy at 11:30.”
Case records
Read each record on its own terms. A claim made by a person is different from a fact established by an independent record.
PHOTOGRAPH
An empty photo sleeve
An unmarked sleeve was found beside the collection counter. It has no timestamp or customer name.
An unmarked sleeve was found beside the collection counter. It has no timestamp or customer name.
DESK RECORD
The paper order
The lab ordered glossy paper earlier that week. The order does not mention this image.
The lab ordered glossy paper earlier that week. The order does not mention this image.
PRODUCTION LOG
The first finished copy
The image was first created at 11:20 today. Before 11:20 no finished copy, duplicate or digital version of this image existed. Collections were possible from 11:20 onward.
This is a verified source record for this case. Compare its stated facts with the exact question.
Questions to resolve
Whose collection time is impossible?
Use the interactive case desk to select your finding and cite the records that support it. The answer is checked there, and your progress stays in your browser.
Build your finding
Compare the records with each account. Work out what the evidence establishes, then separate that finding from anything it does not prove.