Rugeley

…Stevens hesitated. He knew Cook well and had never heard of any such debt. Upon further investigation, Stevens found his stepson's ledger to be missing and couldn't locate any trace of Cook's recent £3,000 track winnings. Stevens thought Cook's death was suspicious, and as it turns out, so did many Rugeley locals. Authorities launched an inquiry into Cook'…

…So the pair headed home. When they got to Rugeley, Cook booked a room at the Talbot Arms Inn. He'd stayed there before. Cook still felt lousy, so he went to lay down. On Sunday morning, Palmer contacted his friend Dr. Bamford and asked for two sedative pills. He pocketed the drugs and headed back to the inn where he ordered soup for Cook.…

…For Cook, it was a celebration. He bought the group a round of champagne. As the night wore on, the pair continued to drink. When Palmer couldn't stand it anymore, he left their table and retired to his room early. The next morning, Palmer headed back to home in Rugeley, a town 130 miles northwest of London. Unfortunately, more bad news awaited him there. A…