MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In the midst of the arid desert, Jerry's life was brutally extinguished with a lead pipe, and now, it's up to the astute Detective Winston to sift through the sands of deception woven by suspects Maurice and Rex.

The sun was showing no mercy as detective Winston was driving through the arid plains of the desert, to the reported crime scene where Jerry was found murdered. Destination: The flower garden of his suspect, Rex. Winston knew the victim, Jerry, had met him multiple times there, to admire his unique flower arrangements.

As he came to a halt, an array of colors lay before him, stretching as far as his eye could see. Rex was standing there, tending to his flowers. 

"Beautiful, aren't they, Detective?" he gestured toward his unique bloomage that surrounded them, small beads of sweat forming on his forehead. 

"They truly are," Winston said. "But, I heard that beauty doesn't come easy for you, Rex. And Jerry demanded a hefty sum of money for his silence, didn't he?"

He paused, mulling over something before he responded. "Well, yes. I was actually out here today collecting some native flowers. And yes, Jerry did ask for money. Threatened to inform the authorities about my secret operation, that I had been illegally importing those exotic flowers to make my arrangements unique."

"Jerry liked these flowers, didn't he?" Winston probed. 

"Yes, yes, he did. He often came out here, saw my arrangements in the desert. He especially loved the exotic ones I managed to source."

Winston nodded a simple acknowledgement before changing the subject. "Your neighbors, they tell me they often see you cleaning late into the night, through the window."

Rex let out a light chuckle. "Well, running a renowned flower shop has its challenges, detective. My plants, they need to be cared for, and my shop needs to be spotless. It...reflects on my reputation."

Winston had the inkling of a knowing smile, "And you cannot afford to ruin your reputation? Especially since your reputation thrives on your unique selection of flowers."

"No... no, I can't." Rex’s eyes darted anxiously. "You see, I have... a significant amount of debt from importing those exotic flowers. If people found out about my illegal activities, it would ruin me."

Winston took that in as he surveyed Rex's home which was embellished with several security cameras. "Security is a concern?"

"I'm a bit of a... clean freak," Rex confessed, "I tend to keep my lights on until early morning. And, well, the cameras just help me be sure everything's... as they should be."
   
With the sun beating down on his back, Winston nodded, buttoning up his jacket. After he sat in his car, he took one last look at Rex's property. The exotic allure of the place was fascinating, much like the intricacies of the case he was navigating. 

With the gravel crunching under his car tires, Winston pulled out from the desert, leaving the solitary florist behind. His work was far from over, but he was starting to pervade deeper into the mystery that swirled around Rex, the florist.

Detective Winston looked out over the desolate desert landscape, it was a place someone could vanish without a trace. Jerry never had a chance.

The local paramedic Maurice was tasked with transporting Jerry across this barren environment. Winston had spoken to Maurice earlier who confirmed his last call had indeed taken him out to the desert with Jerry. 

Winston noted that Maurice was physically fit, as his paramedic work often demanded. He was no stranger to exertion, which also brought Winston’s attention to his utility van. Winston had been informed it was spotted in the desert around the time of Jerry’s murder. 

Next to the van, Winston found Maurice's usually well-stocked toolkit. A good paramedic was always prepared, but there was an empty slot. It usually housed a lead pipe, a tool that was often used to safely break windows during rescues. He recalled someone mentioning seeing Maurice carrying a lead pipe before the incident took place.

Winston knew that Maurice had been a paramedic for quite some time, dealing often with stressful situations and difficult patients. He had heard whispers about Maurice's practices from other officers. They had been receiving a flurry of complaints about him from past patients.

Back at precinct, he learned more about Maurice's work history. The records clearly showed a pattern, Maurice's unprofessional conduct seemed to worsen over time. His former nurse had reportedly accused him of unethical practices.

Winston also learnt that Jerry was set to testify at Maurice's malpractice trial that was to be held soon. Jerry was the key witness and without him Maurice's future seemed more secure, but Winston dismissed the thought. It's just a fact, what it means was not up to him.

A glance at the clock told him it was time to end his shift. However, there was one last piece of information that seemed pertinent - There were no reports of any other individuals around desert at the time of Jerry's murder. A lonely crime scene was indeed a peculiar one.

As the day ended, Winston decided to revisit Maurice the next day. The facts weren’t lining up, something just didn’t seem right. He had a gut feeling that they were onto something and the truth was close. Just a little closer.

choices

• Maurice
• Rex