MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In a shocking twist of events, Charlotte is found lifeless in her kitchen, felled by a stun gun, and it's up to seasoned Detective Winston to unravel the mystery, with prime suspects being Letti and Deborah.


Detective Winston sat at a small, cluttered desk, scanning over the police reports and witness statements regarding the murder scene. His eyes narrowed in on a peculiar piece of information; Charlotte, the victim, had reportedly been stuffed. 

"That's culinary," Winston muttered.

The morning began with a visit to the local pet store, where Letti, a groupie with a penchant for exotic decor, was often spotted buying various animals. 

"You've seen this woman before?" he asked, flashing his badge and a photograph of Letti towards the shopkeeper. 

"Oh, yeah! She comes by often," the shopkeeper said cheerfully. "Always looking for some new pet to tag along with her to those concerts, I guess."

"And what happens to these pets?"

The shopkeeper's face contorted, his smile fading slightly. "Well... They just disappear, don't they? It's odd."

His next stop was the scene of the murder: a secluded kitchen in Charlotte's home. According to her housekeeper, it was such place which Charlotte and Letti had been seen alone, sharing the early dinner Charlotte had invited her over for.

Suddenly, a lead brought him to a Pawn Shop known for its wide array of self-defense equipment, stun guns in particular. Winston slid the security footage into the player, Letti appearing on the screen, her face a match to the shopkeeper's description.

She was seen making a purchase, a stun gun catching his trained eye. Making an additional discovery, Winston found a newspaper article, along with some concert footage showing Letti using a stun gun effectively for self-defense during a music event. This was all coming together.

Next, he turned towards a report stating Letti had recently signed up for self-defense classes - the kind that teaches stun gun usage. 

His trail returning him to the pet store, Winston had found out that Letti had been at Charlotte's earlier in the day, according to a tip from a disgruntled neighbor.

Upon hearing about the style in which the stuffing was done, detective Winston noted, Letti seemed to recognize it immediately. Could have been a coincidence, could have not; only time would tell.
  
Doctor Winston had his work cut out for him, a tangle of clues, and facts left behind, waiting to be pieced together. He could see, however, that the threads of this mystery were starting to knit together. The mystery deepened the more he dug into it, each fact, each clue pulling him further into the complex web spun around the suspect. The only thing left to do was to pull the right string and observe as everything fell into place. With every step, the truth was seemingly closer, yet shrouded with enough obscurity to keep him on his toes.

Winston was met with a distressed and nervous-looking woman when he arrived at Charlotte's house. Deborah was shaking, a pitiful sight, as she repeated her claim: "I was scared, I was really scared of her." She was a mess, with trembling hands and a trembling voice, but Winston had seen the proof of her fear in the way Charlotte treated her. Harsh treatment by a woman, once her employer and now her victim.

Apparently, Deborah had been scheduled to drive Charlotte that very day; a service she always offered. In all honesty, it seemed Deborah was Charlotte's only method of transportation. Winston couldn't help but wonder, though, at the intensity of her fear. Was it because of Charlotte's abusive behavior, evidenced by bruises and the testimonies of her neighbors? Or was it due to ominous messages that Charlotte had sent Deborah?

Deborah's fear seemed to have had a history of manifesting physically. The word was out that she had employed a stun gun in the past, for self-protection as Winston understood. Deborah was never far from it, the weapon always at her side.

Just then, Winston noticed a license on her wall. "Used to be a personal security guard, I see," he commented, pointing towards it. Deborah just nodded in agreement, a simple affirmative to Winston's observation. Strange how life can take unexpected turns, Winston thought.

"Deborah," Winston started, his tone soothing, "can you tell me what exactly happened when Charlotte... died?" Deborah hesitated, her eyes moving towards the stun gun on the table. An eerily similar device was collected from the crime scene.

"Well, I..." she stammered, "I, um, was the last person to see her. I... I found her... in the kitchen." Her voice was barely audible, a whisper barely able to carry the weight of her confession. 

Winston didn't say anything. He simply nodded before standing up, thanking Deborah for her time and promising to be in contact. He left the house, lost in his thoughts. There was much to ponder over in this investigation. After all, the puzzle of the case was only just beginning to reveal itself.

choices

• Letti
• Deborah