Clayton Phillips: the vice president of Eudora Grain company was the one who had found
Boom-Boom’s body floating close to the wharf. He was in his early forties, with pale brown hair and eyes. He drove a Green Alfa and lived on a house on the shore of Lake Michigan, with a three-car garage. He had lived in Lake Bluff for 5 years. Before that he lived in Park Forest which was great for sailing and playing tennis. Clayton’s main job was to act as the controller and even though he knew a little about contracts, he was keen to be involved in all of them.
Mr Phillips did not sympathize with Vic over Boom-Boom’s death. Although Phillips had been training Boom-Boom, he disliked his impatience and always worried that Mr Warshawski would get too involved in the shipping contracts and take some of the customer’s away. He also disliked anyone touching the contract files in the office due to which he had arguments with employees like Boom-Boom. He was also very angry with Vic for turning up often at the office to investigate. Vic soon got suspicious of how he made so much money so as to afford a huge house, the Alfa, expensive schools for his children, expensive dresses for his wife, the Maritime Club etc.,
Phillips was a frequent visitor at the wharf. But when Mrs Phillips expressed her fears about her missing husband, Vic was disturbed. Clayton Phillip’s body was found in Martin Bledsoe’s ship, Gertrude Ruttan. His body was covered with coal. His pale brown eyes were open. There was blood on his face and a large hole in the left side of his head !