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MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?
Problem
Answer published by the source. Consult the official source to check your work against its answer.
question
Who is the most likely murderer?
narrative · full text (6,153 characters)
In the once tranquil mosque, tragedy struck as Jamal was brutally shot dead, and now it's up to Detective Winston to weave through the tangled web of secrets Mark and Gerald are entwined in. Winston took a moment to clear his mind, the large white mosque in front of him only a backdrop to the chaos of scattered investigators and onlookers. The high profile murder of Jamal had the community on edge. A commotion caught his attention as a man named Gerald was directed towards him; a towering figure, with shaky hands that contradicted his hard-set eyes. "Are you Winston?" Gerald's voice was soft as he extended his hand to the detective. "Indeed," Winston replied, examining the intricate movement of Gerald's fingers as he played with his jacket. "Play an instrument?" "Aw, already caught me out, did you?" Gerald laughed. "I play the violin. Lot of class and vitality in a violin." "Must have steady hands for something like that" Winston noted. The thought of handling a violin, and a shotgun, involved a high level of similar dexterity. On Gerald's way out, Winston caught the surveillance monitor playing a video taken earlier that day. It was Gerald, entering the mosque just as the midday prayers were set to commence. This was a ritualistic routine for Gerald, arriving before the midday prayers began and always praying fervently during that time; the same time the murder happened, Detective Winston had learned during the investigation. Winston decided to mingle with the on-goers, to see what he could gather. A local community meeting was in action, and he discovered an old friend of Gerald's named Arnold. Arnold mentioned that Gerald had openly discussed his fear of Jamal's charisma in front of the entire community during a meeting, and how he, Gerald, feels inferior to such captivating influence. Gerald's deep involvement within the mosque's day-to-day activities seemed unquestioned, even though he was openly scared of Jamal's charismatic hold on the people. Listening further, Winston discovered that Gerald was well-respected amongst the community, and was legally allowed to purchase firearms due to having a clean record. Meeting Gerald again for a one-on-one, Arnold was present, making the interaction more personal. Gerald admitted to them both about his feelings of inferiority to Jamal's vast influence. "Gerald," Winston asked, "A week before Jamal was murdered, where were you?" Gerald swallowed, "Well, I was out purchasing a new shotgun. Why?" Winston simply nodded and said, "Just collecting the facts. That's all." He ended the conversation soon after that, wanting to get back to the office to review the evidence. As Winston watched Gerald walk away, his mind replayed their conversation. An undercurrent of fear seemed to wash over Gerald whenever Jamal's name was mentioned. But that was all facts. Nothing more. Winston was at the crime scene, a deserted mosque, when he received news that a suspect had been identified. Mark, a local lawyer, reputed for representing law enforcement personnel was due to be interviewed. His résumé was diverse and impressive, having in several cases represented law enforcement personnel from whom he obtained extensive knowledge about firearms. As a lawyer, Mark was often called upon to play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of his community while protecting the law enforcement personnel who kept it safe. Despite the sacred surroundings, a chill ran through Winston. Mark's office was filled with a faint scent of cologne and smoke. A number of law enforcement badges and hats met Winston's sight. "I have worked with a lot of your kind," responded Mark when asked about the artifacts. Winston then asked Mark if he had any known meetings today. Mark responded, "Yes, it was a standard law firm meeting with my colleagues." He paused for a moment before adding, "You know how it goes, lots of talk. And if participants thought I was repeating lines from true crime documentaries, they were right – I sometimes do it to make my point." The conversation drifted to hobbies. Mark mentioned that he enjoyed watching true crime documentaries late into the night. He mentioned that the complex structures of these crimes and the chase to find answers gave him a thrill. "Makes me relive my cases without actually being involved. In fact, I'm constantly quoting lines from one of these during my meetings," he chuckled. "My neighbour probably knows about this too. He once told me he noticed my TV on late into the night." One interesting fact Winston discovered was that Mark had successfully handled cases involving firearm charges. He asked Mark about this. "That's part of my job, after all," Mark replied. "Dealing with such cases is a part of ensuring the safety of this community." The subject of firearms led Winston to ask if Mark had purchased any ammunition recently. With a raised eyebrow, Mark replied, "You're right. I did buy a couple of boxes of shotgun shells from the local store. Just wanted to know more about it from a personal perspective. The clerk even confirmed my purchase," he shrugged. Seeing no point in beating around the bush, Winston then asked Mark about Jamal. There was momentarily a flicker of fear that flashed across Mark's face before he turned stoic again. Mark confessed he had interacted with Jamal on a few occasions where community members expressed concerns about Jamal's extremist ideas to him. These ideas had scared him. He had confessed to a friend about his fears and it looked like a nightmare coming true. "There's a thin line between ideas and action, detective," Mark's voice was barely above a whisper, "Unfortunately, some people don't realize it until it's too late". As Mark was sending Winston out, he whispered, "And between you and me, it freaks my neighbor out. The only thing he says he can hear is the distinct audio from my late-night true crime documentaries." Winston left the law firm office with a weary sigh. He knew he had a long night ahead of him, fishing for answers, following leads, exhausting every possibility until he could bring justice to Jamal.
choices
- Mark
- Gerald
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