MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In the chilling aftermath of Iris' untimely death by a stun gun in a lonely parked car, seasoned detective Winston finds himself waist-deep in a web of intrigue involving two prime suspects, Paige and Alicia.

Winston pinched the bridge of his nose, tired from a long night of pouring over evidence. In his hands, he held a stack of emails, one of which indicated that Paige had set up a meeting with Iris on the day of her death. He had also discovered a certificate amongst Paige's belongings that showed she had completed a self-defense course complete with stun gun training. He also noticed that as Iris's direct subordinate, Paige was next in line to lead the company, particularly since Iris didn't have any family members who could inherit the role. Additionally, he held company accounts that show a gradual decline in profits, a likely result of Iris's stubbornness to cut staff numbers and her constant investment in unsuccessful projects. 

An email, a key to Iris's car found among Paige's belongings confirming her access, a timestamp, and a set of scorched fingerprints were all he had. Adding to this, CCTV footage from the company consistently showed Iris's car parked at their workplace confirming her regular presence. Straightening up in his chair, he got up, stretched, and went to interview his next suspect on the list - Paige, who had recently been seen on CCTV footage purchasing a stun gun.

Making his way out of the police station, Winston found himself in a tall glass building, home to the company that Iris had managed. Upon entering, he confirmed with a coworker that the last person to see Iris alive was indeed Paige, taking Iris into a meeting. 

"Detective Winston? Welcome," said Paige. 

Winston glanced at the trash next to her desk, spotting a receipt from the stun gun shop that coincided with the CCTV footage and asked, "Have you been keeping up with your stun gun training?"

Paige looked taken aback, but answered, "Yes, I find it essential. Safety matters."

The detective nodded, an unease creeping up on him as he thought about the circumstances surrounding Iris's death, wondering whether the profits would rise once again now that Paige was stepping up.

Winston took a sip of his cold coffee as he lay his eyes on the glossy wedding album of Iris. Alicia must have done a flawless job for a wedding in this grandeurs scale.

He turned off the city streets, pulling into a small car park next to a utility store. Alicia was there, in the shop that sold stun guns among other things, surrounded by the cluttered mess of wires and bolts. Tagged along in her workspace was her office, filled with numerous taxidermy pufferfish that were unusually large and placed strategically for utmost visibility. As the owner and wedding planner, Alicia had to keep track of everything. Winston took a mental note of her electrical engineering degree framed on the wall.

"Alicia," Winston intoned as she finally looked up from her workbench.

"Detective," She greeted him coolly, "Here to pick a stun gun?"

"Actually, I'm looking into a case," Winston said, sliding the crime scene photos across the counter.

Alicia's eyes scanned them but she said nothing. Her hand didn't shake even when he laid out the receipt his team had found in her apartment. A receipt for a stun gun purchased a week ago.

"So, tell me about this," Winston motioned towards the pufferfish on her desk. Alicia’s eyes lit up as she started passionately rambling about the intricacies of it.

Winston picked up her laptop, left casually open on police databases. The business' financials weren't good - she was operating at a loss and had to borrow heavily from nontraditional lenders. This major wedding event must have been a boost for her, financially speaking.

Winston got up, preparing to leave. "Your work here, it's all very remarkable, Miss Alicia."

"Thank you for your words, detective," she said, her gaze shifting once again to the photographs laid out on the bench. 

Winston had no choice but to leave her to her pufferfish and stun guns. "Take care, Miss Alicia," he said before walking out the door.

choices

• Paige
• Alicia