MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In the opulent backdrop of a luxury restaurant, Emma's life ends abruptly with a shot from a pistol; The task to untangle this tangled web falls onto the diligent shoulders of Detective Winston, with Warren and Mia topping his list of suspects.

Detective Winston massaged his temples, crumpled photos of Emma's body scattered across his desk. It was gruesome, a murder at a luxury restaurant no less. A pistol. He couldn't help feel a sense of dread, a dark pit growing in his stomach. He was to meet with the victim's grandad, Warren, at the same restaurant.

The restaurant was a fancy place, filled with shadowy corners and secluded alcoves. Winston marveled at how such a classy joint could become the stage for such a dastardly act. It wasn't his kind of place, but it was where Warren had been when Emma was killed, where Emma herself had been. 

Warren was sitting at the same table he had occupied that tragic evening, his eyes drooping. They began talking and, with a bit of prodding, Warren gradually opened up about his military past. It was a vague form of discharge. Specialist's training, active wartime combat.

While they were speaking, a young waitress came over and handed Warren a package. It was a souvenir pistol in a glass case. "I'm sorry, sir, it was left behind last week," the waitress left them alone.

Feeling a sudden need to shift the topic, Winston started to discuss Emma's vast financial circumstances. He wondered aloud about Emma's recent inheritance, a significant amount of money.

"My granddaughter... she did have a financial stroke of luck recently, didn't she? Lucky girl... such a lucky girl..." Warren muttered, his eyes welling up with tears. Winston didn't push any further.

Instead, he learned a little more about how Warren found himself falling into a chasm of debt. He mentioned he was present at the restaurant the night Emma was murdered, he had hoped to discuss this crisis with her. Warren reminisced about having asked Emma for help, but couldn't recall what her answer had been.

"You know, Winston," Warren sighed, "Sometimes, one can find themselves down a hole they're not sure they can get out of. Even when they see the rope, they're not sure they should take it..."

The time was up. Winston stood up, ready to leave. So much to mull over- the debt, the money, the presence at the same place, at the same time... He left Warren at the restaurant, still staring at the empty chair where Emma used to be.

As Winston sat at his desk, he reviewed the file of rising political superstar, Emma. He noted her impressive public approval rating, largely due to her stance on several popular issues.

His next stop was at the luxury restaurant where Emma had met her untimely end. According to the manager, it was only Mia who had booked the private dining area that night. Not only was Mia the only one who had booked, but Mia was also the only who had keys to the private dining area. 

"Mia?" Winston mused, recalling the well-known politician. "Any connection with Emma?"

"Yes," the manager said, nodding. "They were seen dining together that night. Multiple eyewitness accounts corroborate Mia's presence at the restaurant."

Winston took note of this, apprehensive about the complexity of politics.

Later that day, he found himself talking to a close friend of Mia's. From their conversation, he learned that Mia had a peculiar hobby; she's been continually spotted cutting out the obituaries from the daily newspaper. This oddity made Winston more attentive. 

"Well," the friend pondered, not sure where Winston was heading with his line of questioning. "Mia has also kept a scrapbook. I've seen it."

Feeling a sense of unease and curiosity, Winston ensued his investigation at Mia's residence. Approaching her husband, Winston enquires about the odd hobby. 

"Oh, the scrapbook?" The husband's eyes grew distant as he recalled his wife's strange hobby. "I did once find it under the bed, while I was looking for my slippers. I usually keep my slippers there, you see."

With this firm confirmation, Winston's thoughts lingered momentarily on what that could really mean. Still, he quickly refocused the conversation on Emma and her plans that could have potentially disturbed Mia's peace.

"Emma was planning to expose some of Mia's scandals, wasn't she?" He queried.

"Yeah," Mia's husband said, looking away, "She was."

Reluctantly leaving Mia's residence, Winston made his way back to the police station. His mind swirled with fresh leads and the incriminating, but circumstantial, evidence around Mia. It somehow felt as if he was staring into a deep political abyss where one wrong step could spell disaster.

Despite the distracting political turmoil, Winston knew he had to stay focused on the task at hand; a young political starlet was dead, and he had a duty to discover the truth. Regardless of where that truth might lead.

choices

• Warren
• Mia