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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

In the wake of Lola's mysterious katana-driven demise at a secluded mountain cabin, Detective Winston finds himself entangled in a web of suspicion, with Isabelle and Frank peering anxiously from its corners.

In the tempered light of the police station, Detective Winston flipped open the file for his latest case. Pinned to the top was a grim photo of Lola, the victim, marking another life prematurely ended. A set of intimate text messages from Lola to another man caught his attention, reportedly found by Isabelle. Winston found the content of the messages interesting, adding more intrigue to the case. Lower in the pile, there was a picture of Isabelle, his prime suspect. 

With a dedication observed during her thrice weekly visits, Isabelle had become a familiar figure in her local dojo, her commitment noted by fellow practitioners. Winston dialed the dojo and had a brief but informative conversation with her sensei, before putting the phone back with a small sigh. Her sensei revealed that Isabelle had been seen sharpening her Katanas after each session.

David, Lola's life coach, had confided a lot in Isabelle, spending a considerable amount of time alone with her, a fact that Winston found odd. Isabelle had not only found some of Lola's intimate messages, but she had also seen Lola kissing the unknown man, making her knowledge even more suspect. The phone buzzed back into life, David at the other end of the line filling Winston in on his last intimate conversation with Isabelle. Their relationship was unconventional - it didn’t seem standard for a life coach to be so close to a friend of their clients.

“What brings you up here, Detective?” Isabelle asked when Winston arrived at her door. She was out of breath and had chalk dusted on her pants, evident either from her routine rock climbing training or her regular hike which she often indulged in.

Winston followed Isabelle into the house and entered a room solely dedicated to her Katana collection. Some were ornate, clearly for show, but others showed signs of recent care, with the wear marks from constant sharpening along the blade, the same the sensei had mentioned.

“So, you visit Lola’s mountain cabin often?” Winston asked, shifting the conversation. 

“Yeah, I’ve been up there a handful of times when Lola is alone. It’s quiet and at a considerable altitude, inaccessible without physical fitness, perfect to clear the mind,” Isabelle admitted. She described the layout of the cabin in detail, showing her familiarity with the place. But her voice seemed somewhat strained, the memory of seeing Lola and the man in an intimate exchange casting a shadow.

They talked a while longer about the trails to the cabin, which Winston rightly noted required considerable physical strength. The conversation then swung to David, and they spoke freely about their close, somewhat unconventional friendship.

Upon his return to the dojo, Winston observed the elegance and precision with which the sensei moved a katana. His mind drifted back to the crime scene, Lola’s body lying in an eerily tranquil way, as if her death had been executed by someone trained in a lethal art. 

Back in the car, Winston flicked his cigarette butt into the darkness, a chill passing over him as he thought of Lola, alone in the cabin at the time she was killed. What a dark sense of humor life had, he reflected, as he prepared to tackle the case.

As Winston paced the floor of his small and cluttered office, he reviewed his notes about Lola's murder. The whole scene of the gruesome act was set in a secluded mountain cabin, salted wounds for the peaceful surroundings. She had invited Frank for a work retreat, a secret invitation that he told no one about, and Winston decided that perhaps it was time to visit the suspect.

As a biologist, Frank was surrounded by microscopes and lab coats by the day, while his nights were spent in a dojo, practicing martial arts. Winston's curiosity piqued upon learning of his weapon of choice, the katana. 

Winston carefully examined Frank's martial arts record and noticed Frank's regularity in practicing with his katanas. A clue that Winston found interesting was the fact that Frank recently acquired a sharpening stone. An unusual purchase when you considered his profession.

Frank's laboratory colleagues had divulged that he often had a peculiar habit. He would abruptly leave work and colleagues found new insect bites on his skin afterwards. This could be nothing more than a biologist exploring his environment, but Winston had a gut feeling that there was more to it.

Winston had also come across Frank's bank statements, where funds were frequently withdrawn to flight booking sites. Odd for someone whose work seemed to revolve mostly around his lab, but not out of the ordinary either.

Frank's home had companion pets who were frequently ill during his unexplained absences. Curiously, this seemed to coincide with his unusual hobby of abruptly leaving his office and heading in the unknown, Winston made a mental note to investigate Frank's suspicious departures more closely.

On the day of Lola's murder, Frank's schedule had no entries. Couple that with an eye-witness account of him being seen near the mountain cabin and Winston decided it was time to reach out to this elusive biologist. As he dialed Frank's number, Winston knew that he was getting closer to unveiling the truth. "Mr. Frank," he said, "It's Detective Winston, let's talk."

choices

  • Isabelle
  • Frank

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Source and history

task_id
d13b2627-e832-522f-886d-e6d2490848b5
task_key
default--murder~5fmysteries--d13b2627-e832-522f-886d-e6d2490848b5
task_revision_id
1
config / split
default / murder_mysteries

Official source

initial import