Following their arrest, both suspects admitted to killing Shmerling, with a pickax, knife and fan. He sometimes carries a large pickax. He was beaten up with a pickax and buried alive. Brad, frustrated by the attacks, arms himself with a pickax and looks for Amber. Effective December 1, 2000, the company completed the acquisition of PickAx, Inc., a Delaware corporation. With Polly Duncan in England, Qwilleran realizes that Pickax is a bore in summer. Elizabeth Applehardt moves to Pickax and starts to develop into a quite capable young lady.