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MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?
Problem
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question
Who is the most likely murderer?
narrative · full text (6,527 characters)
In the seemingly peaceful city zoo, Stuart's life was brutally ended with a hatchet, and now it's up to Detective Winston to uncover the truth among suspects Xanthe and Lowell. Detective Winston sighed deeply as he scanned the grisly images from the zoo crime scene on his desk. Stuart had been a wise man with a taste for danger - deadly danger as it turned out. It was only late afternoon when he met his untimely end, just as banks were closing for the day. Now it seemed Winston would have to sink into the corrupt underbelly of banking and finance. His first port of call was Lowell, a banker with more than just saving bonds under his watch. Winston wandered into the tall, imposing building of the First National Bank, not far from the brutally ironic tourist attraction that was the zoo. As the day ebbs away, these hallowed corporate walls began to shut their operations until another day of profiteering began. A fitting time, Winston thought, as he ascended the escalator towards the suspect's office. "Are you Lowell?", Winston inquired to the man hunched over the computer. Lowell acknowledged without tearing his eyes from the screen. Winston could see Lowell’s notebook on his desk with tabs categorized for each individual person he interacts with, highlighting his meticulous note-taking approach during personal conversations with his clients. On his computer, screens were filled with multiple conversation tabs open at once. On his way out, he ran into the cleaning person. "You know, I always wondered what our banker friend here does till so late. Always working on something, his office window shining bright blue even at night", the cleaner mentioned casually; substantiating that employees have been noticing Lowell spending long hours on the bank's computer system. Winston took a quick detour on his way back to the precinct. He stopped at the café, not more than five minutes from the zoo. A barista recognized Lowell's photo and mentioned that he was, indeed, around the café at the time of Stuart’s murder. The following day, Winston was handed an unexpected gift. Lowell's laptop, turned over by none other than the deceased Stuart, was found. Stuart had found evidence of Lowell's fraudulent dealings scribbled in meticulous notes on his laptop. Not only did this prove Stuart's knowledge of Lowell’s covert operations, it led to Stuart starting to demand money from Lowell in exchange for his silence. Emails recovered from Stuart riddled of a cryptic conversation between Stuart and an anonymous source, discussing Lowell's illicit activities. Before heading home, Winston made one last stop. Lowell had mentioned a bank meeting earlier that day. The meeting had been in one of the bank's private buildings located near the zoo, verifying Lowell’s business with a bank which was near to the zoo. It seemed that Lowell's deliberate and meticulous work in the bank was becoming clearer to Winston, but there was still much more to discover about the financial operative’s involvement in Stuart's untimely demise. It was a pleasant day as Winston swaggered into the bustling cafe brimming with caffeine-seekers. The rich aroma of freshly ground coffee filled the air, almost disguising the sporadic clinking noises piercing through the grind. However, to Winston's keen eye, one barista stood out - a young woman named Xanthe, skillfully pulling espresso shots while polishing an object, small enough to fit into a coat pocket, but its oddly shaped curvature glinted under the café's warm lights. A casual inquiry revealed it to be a hatchet, notably small and easily concealable, an unusual prop among the coffee mugs and espresso machines. "Could you tell me more about your interest in wood carving, Xanthe?" Winston posed his question over a steaming cup of coffee. With a gleaming smile, Xanthe responded, "It's a hobby I've had for over ten years now. You never know when a good piece of wood may come by, so I always keeps my small hatchet handy, easy to slide into a bag or coat when I am on the move." Winston tipped his head in understanding as he sipped the expertly brewed espresso. He'd learned that Xanthe’s work schedule included weekends, the same routine followed by the victim, Stuart. Apparently, Stuart used to frequent this cafe every day after his regular visit to the zoo. Often seen sharing laughs with the other baristas, the friendly banter always caught Winston's eye. After chatting with Stewart's favorite barista, Winston was informed that Xanthe often went beyond the call of service by making Stewart's favorite signature drinks, even providing them with a certain uniqueness. However, recently, there had been changes in Stuart’s behaviors and tastes. A barista friend informed Winston that Stuart had been increasingly engaging with a new barista, a certain Mary, who’d started to share Xanthe's place as his favored barista. In fact, Stuart could often be overheard praising Mary's special blend, words that returned a comforting smile to Mary's face. Taking in this new pool of information, Winston thanked Xanthe and exited the café, soon reaching the location of the crime, the zoo. The zoo’s visitation logs confirmed that Stuart had indeed visited every day, including the unfortunate weekend he had met his unfortunate end. The visit to the café and the zoo left Winston reflective. It was not a simple case, it seemed. Each action involved ordinary routines, hobbies, and work, yet suddenly thrust into a deadly mix. The sharpened hatchet, small and concealable, she so casually carried seemed more prominent in his mind now - the murder weapon in question. It was a tool so commonplace in woodcarving, so easily concealed, that it could move about almost unobtrusively. True, it was an impromptu visit to the zoo, where routine unraveled into chaos that had cinched his focus onto Xanthe. These seemingly unrelated actions now carried an underlying trail to unravel, one that was wound around with routine, work, hobbies, and a simple hatchet. Yet, his job was to collect the facts, not deduce. There were many roads to follow, many leads to consider before they held weight, before they could be linked definitively to the crime. That was a puzzle that was yet to be put together, a mystery that was yet to be unfolded. Until then, he had only facts and his coffee, both strong and bitter, demanding attention to detail. Winston downed the last swig, feeling the potent caffeine lining his senses, ready for the long road ahead.
choices
- Xanthe
- Lowell
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