MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In a chilling turn of events, Rose is found lifeless in a car, killed by a vial of acid, leading Detective Winston to the affluent suspects, Daisy and Dexter.

Detective Winston found himself in the showroom of a car dealership. He was eyeing one of the employees behind the counter, a man named Dexter. The guy was tall, slender, and had a bright grin, almost always painted across his face. Dexter was seen engrossing himself with trinkets that sat on the edge of his desk. These weren't just ordinary trinkets, many of them were uniquely car-related, including miniature replicas of cars engines and pieces that Dexter had personally worked on with his chemical expertise. He smiled lightly as he fiddled with them.

As Winston approached him, Dexter looked up, and his eyes momentarily flickered with recognition before he composed his features into a salesman’s grin. After introducing himself, Winston mentioned Rose and watched for any reactions. But Dexter's face remained impassive, his salesman smile never wavering.

Instead of just being a mere salesman, Dexter was also the chief mechanic of the dealership, utilizing his extensive background in chemistry to invent more advanced car maintenance techniques using various chemicals. His clear talent in this area provided him with a unique edge over other car sale businesses. As his shift ended, Dexter led Winston to his home, speaking eagerly about his run for a local office. 

As they entered Dexter’s living room, Winston noticed a big box sitting against one wall. Piled around it were numerous trinkets, ranging from keychains to pens, from figurines to pocket watches. When Winston enquired about the assortment, Dexter revealed his routine of adding to the box each time he made a new customer. To demonstrate, he showed Winston a trinket he had recently added, telling the detective about the customer he met that day. It was his way of commemorating their interactions.

The home was filled with telling signs of his life. One thing that caught Winston's eye was a photo album lying open on the coffee table. It exhibited Dexter with various people, captions scribbled underneath each picture capturing pleasurable memories.

Their conversation eventually shifted to Dexter’s basement, and his workspace was introduced. Odd for a car salesman but not for an in-house mechanic, his workspace was filled with extensive glassware and chemicals, including several bottles of acid which Dexter often used in his inventive car mechanic works. He confirmed to Winston about his background in chemistry before becoming a mechanic and eventually a car salesman.

Just as Winston was preparing to leave, Dexter mentioned something that instantly shocked him. Rose had threatened to expose him. She had figured out that he had been dishonest about his qualifications. Hiding his surprise, Winston empathically responded, and Dexter merely smiled, affirming how damaging Rose's threats were to his public image and his ongoing electoral campaign.

With the resonating echo of Dexter’s last words, Winston bid his goodbyes, exiting with suspicious thoughts playing heavily on his mind. Not only was Dexter's public image important for his election hopes but, as a renowned mechanic, any scandal could also potentially tarnish his reputation within the car dealership.

The detective, Winston, had strong coffee in his hand as he reviewed the case files laid out in front of him. His current assignment was the murder of Rose, who was found dead in her car by means of an acid attack. The type of acid was identical to those found in Daisy's performances. The perpetrator got away, leaving only a vial as evidence.

Rose had frequent parking spots, and her car was often seen in the lot near the locals' favorite music venue. The night she was killed, she was leaving a concert that was being performed by Daisy, a singer scheduled to perform at the same venue near the parking lot that day. Rose also notably had a sizable life insurance policy, to which Daisy was added as a beneficiary just a month before the incident.

Daisy was known for her meticulously neat dressing room. She claimed it came from her aversion to the generally dirty environment the venues offered. Daisy's music album sales had been falling drastically, attested by the revenue charts Winston was scrutinizing. Furthermore, due to the cancellation of many events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Daisy had been unable to collect performance fees.

During the middle of the practice session, Winston visited Daisy, where she was preparing for her next performance. He noticed different types of acids in small containers labeled and neatly arranged on a side table. Upon inquiry, Daisy shared how she often incorporated the acids into her performances for dramatic effects. She jokingly added, "You should see the mess they make sometimes; this place is never clean."

Witnesses from the concert reported seeing Daisy and Rose leaving the venue together after the show. They appeared to be the only ones in the car. Daisy didn't hesitate to confirm, "Oh, yes, Rose and I left the venue together. She was kind enough to offer me a lift, as my own ride bailed out."

As Winston left the venue, his phone buzzed, reminding him of Daisy's recent addition to Rose's sizable life insurance policy just a month ago. As he drove past the venue, he saw that it was right next to the parking lot where Rose frequented. With the vial of similar acid on his mind, the pieces were starting to fall into place for Winston.

Despite making some strides, the detective knew that the journey to justice was far from over. Each new location and piece of information held the potential to be the key to unraveling the mystery behind Rose's death.

choices

• Dexter
• Daisy