MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In the cold echo of a deserted hockey rink, Otis was found dead from a grenade explosion, and now Detective Winston must decipher the clues, suspecting Ervin and Andrew are somehow involved.

Winston let out a pensive sigh as the medical examiner rattled off the factors that spelled foul play, namely the shrapnel directly linked to a grenade. When you see something new, you remember it, he mused.

The town had been buzzing since Ervin's angry outburst in the synagogue last Sunday. Bystanders had recounted to Winston how Ervin had been shouting at a particular customer he had been consulting with, before the outburst escalated and he stormed off into the synagogue. The same customer Walter Harrison was who Ervin had consulted with before he stormed off into the synagogue, had recounted it to him with fear in his voice.

"And you say you were trembling after the confrontation, Mr. Harrison?" Winston asked after the customer finished recounting Ervin's worrying reaction.

"N-not just a confrontation," the distressed customer stammered, "Ervin, our Rabbi, he lost it – punching the walls, shouting at everyone. There’s still a visible dent where he hit."

Winston gave a slight nod, “Thank you for your cooperation,” he said before heading toward the synagogue to track down Rabbi Ervin.

Ervin Thornberg, the Rabbi, met Winston's inquiring gaze coolly. Ervin had a hardened look - the clear evidence of his military past. He was known in town as former military officer with specialized training in demolitions. Nothing could erase that part of his life.

"Quite an impressive array of memorabilia here, Rabbi," Winston remarked, scanning the room filled with various wartime relics like grenades and medals from Ervin's service days. "Your friends often tell stories of you proudly showing these off."

"Careful with those, Detective, they are from my time in the service," Ervin replied, with a hint of nostalgia creeping into his tone. "My friends, they have a way of making things sound more dramatic."

Winston was further intrigued by the hint of gossip he received from one of Ervin's neighbors, "You know, Otis had been vocal lately. He saw something he shouldn't about Ervin and the synagogue funds. Even said he was planning to go to the authorities."

With that information, Winston pitched it to Ervin, "I hear Otis saw something alarming involving you and the synagogue's funds. Heard he was seriously considering going to the authorities."

Ervin stiffened noticeably, his cool gaze flickered for a moment. "Otis talks too much," he muttered, a subtle hint of annoyance in his tone.

Just as he was about to leave, a troubling fact popped back into his mind - Otis. Otis had seen Ervin embezzling funds from the Synagogue and Ervin knew that. Winston marked it down mentally and with a brisk nod to Rabbi Ervin, made his exit. Feeling the sharp gaze of Ervin boring into his back, he needed no further confirmation.

The pieces were neatly aligning, like pieces of a puzzle, Winston could see it - But it wasn't his place to tell the story, rather gather it. So with another sigh, he slid into the driver's seat and drove off. The knot in his gut tightened as he pulled away from the synagogue - he knew his work here was far from done.

Winston pulled the collar of his jacket up and stepped into the freezing cold of the hockey rink. Alone in the rink, he squinted under the heat of the artificial light to read the deserted stands and make out the chalk lines: "Just a man and his routine...Otis was always here at this time, when no one else was present...So why Otis? Why here?"

Hours later, Winston found himself wading through the mud and foliage of a nearby hiking trail. He was there to meet Andrew, the local hiking guide, a formally trained Bomb Disposal Technician in the military, and a close friend of Otis. Andrew's hiking business had been losing traction for quite some time. His soldier-like formality was still intact, standing tall despite the fall of his flailing business, which was evident through alarming financial reports showing consistent and increasing negative balance in his accounts.

"Right this way, detective." Andrew offered, leading him through the dense woods with the authority and precision that only a man with his specialized training would possess. Andrew diligently used his army skills to ensure the safety of hikers from any potential environmental dangers on their guided tours.

"Andrew-" Winston began, striding to keep up with the trained speedwalker, "I was told you two were close. And you had asked Otis about his insurance policy recently. Care to shed some light on that?"

Andrew did not look back as he continued walking. "Sure did. Otis had been open about his routine. I always knew when he was at the rink or off somewhere else. As for his insurance, he had approached me for advice and later updated it, naming me the beneficiary."

As they neared Andrew's hiking spot, Winston noticed a military-grade tent with tools, knives, ropes, canned food supplies, and hidden among them, explosives. Andrew's intense secrecy hinted at something more - these were not just regular hiking supplies.

"Quite a collection here, Andrew. Comes in handy during your hikes I presume?" Winston asked casually. Andrew replied with a nod, "It's an efficient system. Every item serves a purpose."

Before Winston could probe further, his phone buzzed, indicating a call from the station. "Just bear with me, Andrew," Winston excused himself. Andrew shuffled uncomfortably nearby, sparked a further conversation about Otis' recent insurance update.

A forensic update from the station linked the lethal grenade to the recent military base theft!

"Do you mind if we take this conversation downtown, Andrew?" Winston turned around. Andrew stood tall, showing no signs of discomfort. He simply nodded and followed Winston, all the while maintaining his usual formal demeanor.

choices

• Ervin
• Andrew