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MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

Problem

Answer published by the source. Consult the official source to check your work against its answer.

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In the once tranquil mosque, tragedy struck as Jamal was brutally shot dead, and now it's up to Detective Winston to weave through the tangled web of secrets Mark and Gerald are entwined in.

Winston lingered at the fringes of the mosque's gates, studying the CCTV footage on his portable monitor. He was trying to absorb the details, trying to get a feel of the timeline. The footage showed Mark, a well-known local lawyer, clearly entering the mosque before the murder.

Mark was a regular attendee at the mosque for Friday prayers, and the timestamped security footage reinforced that this day was no different.

With a deep sigh, Winston packed up the monitor and made his way to the local store, where he'd arranged to meet with the store's clerks. He'd heard from the community that the quiet lawyer had been seen buying ammunition there.

The clerks confirmed it. Yes, Mark had been to the store to buy shotgun shells. It wasn’t out of place for Mark, known for his involvement with a myriad of firearm-related cases.

As Winston traveled back to his office, he reflected on the conversation he had earlier with Mark. The attorney was an influential figure in the community and often worked on cases involving firearm charges. His knowledge amassed from representing law enforcement personnel showed in his knowledgeable chatter about firearms. 

In their conversation, Mark's fear was evident. It stemmed from Jamal, the victim, who openly expressed extremist beliefs to the community, causing unease. Mark was tasked with ensuring the safety of many community members, and they’d expressed their worries about Jamal to him clearly.

Upon reaching his office, Winston began to piece together the case. He recalled at the time of the incident, Mark was present at the mosque, taking part in prayers along with the others. And Jamal… was Jamal afraid? Thought Winston. The following days would need more thorough investigation. With the data on his desk, the detective prepared himself to slowly trace his way through truth and deception in the days to come.

Winston found himself parked outside the confines of a building overflowing with culture and history - a Mosque, that now is stained with the gruesome murder of Jamal. The wind threatened to dishevel his hair as he made his way inside, crossing paths with Gerald, a violinist who frequented the same religious establishment.

"Gerald, right?" Winston called over the gusty winds, obtaining the attention of the musician.

"Yes, that's me." Gerald nodded, inspecting his violin case as though he could see through it to its contoured resident within.

"You were seen entering the Mosque at an interesting time by the security tapes, Gerald." Winston stated, keeping his gaze steady upon the man.

"Interesting time, detective?" Gerald raised a questioning brow, "I regularly come here for my prayers around this time."

Nodding, Winston eyed the violin case again, "This—a hobby for you or profession?"

"Profession. It consumes a lot of my time but I wouldn't trade it away for anything else,” Gerald responded, traces of pride crossing his features, as his fingers brushed lightly across the case. "Keeps your fingers nimble, doesn't it?" Winston asked casually.

"Absolutely," Gerald responded, smiling softly, "I suppose you could say they're suited to other delicate tasks too."

Winston's gaze darted back to Gerald's face. "Delicate tasks like...?"

"Oh, anything that requires intricate finger movements I suppose.”

This was the first time in a long time anyone had invoked curiosity in Winston, a pleasant change amidst the tragedy. Before he could indulge in this observation, a glint from a computer screen in the corner caught his eye.

“Is that public?” Winston inclined his head towards the computer.

"Why yes, Detective, it's open to all - centerpiece of this quaint little library corner," Gerald explained, before whispering in a reverential tone, "It's perfect for uninterrupted reading."

"Reading anything interesting?"

"Well, I have been immersing myself in the lives of some outstanding violinists who passed away recently. I find a kind of fascination in death, you know."

"Interesting," Winston simply responded, not daring to let a single emotion cross his face. 

Casually resting his hand on Gerald’s shoulder, Winston asked, “Gerald, do you by chance ever go to the shooting range?” 

“Funny you should ask," he answered casually, "I just bought a shotgun last week.”

“Well then," Winston said in a light tone, "maybe I’ll see you around there.”

With that, he let Gerald get back to his life. Taking one last look around the Mosque, Winston exited the building, his mind already buzzing with the next steps of his investigation.

choices

  • Mark
  • Gerald

Discussion

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Source and history

task_id
35e28e24-4592-5c60-8bd6-7181bc4f4390
task_key
default--murder~5fmysteries--35e28e24-4592-5c60-8bd6-7181bc4f4390
task_revision_id
1
config / split
default / murder_mysteries

Official source

initial import