MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

An explosion rocking a suburban home leads Detective Winston into a web of deception and intrigue as he investigates the untimely death of Josephine, with prime suspects Dale and Letti under the microscope.

Winston sighed, pushing away from his desk to scan the bulletin board full of grim photos and hasty scribblings. This case was unfortunate, a heavy weight pressing down hard on Winston's shoulders. 

Café Strange Brew, had been a regular haunt for Josephine and, coincidentally, also for Dale. Winston himself had spoken to the former barista, who claimed to have seen Dale monitoring Josephine almost obsessively. Yes, he noticed that Dale was always hovering where Josephine was.

Upon contacting the mayor's office to verify a lead, Winston heard that Dale was angrily seen yelling at Josephine in town on that fateful day. He had just discovered that she was dating someone. The scene happened in the town hall, being the center of all activities, was an accurate place to get such information. Not only that, but several witnesses had also reported seeing Dale around various parts of town that day, adding more weight to the evidence.

Since Dale had an undergrad degree in Chemistry, its significance to the case began to unfold for Winston. He looked through the copies of Dale's college records he'd acquired, the deciphering relevance to what was happening.

As per the testimony from Josephine's neighbor, who happened to see Dale leaving her house, no one else was there at the time. Though Josephine herself had invited Dale over on that day, this fact disturbed Winston.

Dale, the electrician, had expert knowledge of circuitry and chemical reactions – which, although it was a part of his job, was now a circumstance under suspicion. His workplace, a goldmine of potential explosive materials, didn't make this any easier. This alarmed Winston in tandem as he scanned Dale's records, highlighting his recent career shift to being an electrician after quitting his other jobs.

These findings alongside the shocking fact of Josephine dating someone else and the violent reaction from Dale led Winston to a turning point. Tired but determined, he gave the evidence another look before closing off for the day.

With an incessant buzzing of thoughts in his mind, he knew this was a story craving an ending. Winston prepared to confront Dale for the truth, with the hope of unearthing answers. A face-to-face meeting might reveal crucial details that could put an end to this haunting case.

Winston slowly sipped on his room temperature coffee, as unravelling the truth about Josephine's explosion case was giving him sleepless nights. Amongst the suspects was Letti, a devoted employee who had been working tirelessly for Josephine's company for many years. Not only did she work there but, as a testament to her service, she also functioned as a home help at Josephine's residence. The woman, often praised for her work ethic, was known to have flung herself into her work with an even greater intensity recently, driven by the ongoing quest for a promotion she’d been working hard towards for years.

Earlier, Letti and Josephine had an argument about their respective professional footings. Letti was seen to be quite upset, crying in the restroom. Surprisingly, right after that emotional storm, Letti was observed chatting blithely on the phone. 

Just last week, in her pursuit of the much-desired promotion, Letti had managed to complete multiple projects ahead of schedule. It wasn't typical for her, Winston mused, remembering the unopened letters from bill collectors and overdue notices the diligent Letti was grappling with. Perhaps, the dire need of a salary bump had evoked these sudden bursts of energy.

Taking another sip, Winston leafed through the case notes and moved on to another interesting piece of information. Over the past week, the once punctual Letti had slipped in several project deadlines. It was strange how someone with a voracious desire to earn a promotion could allow her work to falter. It somehow didn't add up. 

More intriguing yet, was a curious observation of one of Josephine's housemaids. Letti had been spotted in the vicinity of Josephine's home around the same time as the explosion. Coupled with the fact that Josephine had trusted her long-serving employee enough to give her a spare key, it gave rise to a few awkward questions. 

Despite her struggles, Letti was not immune to the natural human envy. Despite being a junior, Josephine's professional life was soaring, and Letti was known to openly express her envy at Josephine's success.

In her professional surroundings, especially during the ongoing week, Letti was seen to be acting oddly, her mood swings noted by many. Her turbulent emotional state was unlike her; it had become a discussion point among fellow workers. It seemed that the exceptional efforts she made in sustaining her long career had taken a heavy toll on the otherwise resilient lady.

As Winston put down the notes, he remembered a crucial yet puzzling factor. Despite the ladies being colleagues, Josephine had just recently joined and was being considered for the promotion that Letti had been laboring hard for years to attain. Yet, Josephine was alone in her house that day when her life was claimed. Winston drained his cold coffee and sighed; unraveling this case was still far from reach.

choices

• Dale
• Letti