MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

When Isolde is found savagely killed with barbed wire in her home office, Detective Winston must untangle a web of lies and deception to find out if Samuel or Bernard is responsible.

Detective Winston set down the thick manila folder labeled "Isolde" on the corner of his desk, his mind settling on the details he had scrutinized over coffee and half a dozen cigarettes throughout the night. His next interview would be with Samuel, the paramedic who had attended to their deceased and who was, unfortunately, on duty that day of the murder.

Winston drove to the medical supply store, where his potential suspect was apparently employed. He found Samuel scrubbing down the glass doors of the facility, glimpsing the red-cross logo stitched on his uniform shoulder.

"Samuel?" Winston queried, getting out of his car. 

“Yeah, that’s me," came the tired response. Samuel looked up from his task, tossing a quick glance at the detective’s badge.

“My name’s Detective Winston. I need to speak with you about a few things. Mind if we step inside?” 

“Sure, detective,” Samuel gestured toward the main entrance and Winston followed. 

Once inside, Samuel's persona changed. Winston noticed the way he moved around the shelves, the confidence in his steps. The paramedic knew his way around medical supplies. His extensive training had equipped him with the knowledge to deal with a variety of emergency situations, including trauma inflicted by barbed wire.

A jangling of keys pulled Winston's attention back to Samuel. He was unlocking a storage unit near the far end of the store, revealing shelves lined with a variety of products, including a roll of barbed wire. 

"Just restocking," Samuel explained, but Detective Winston made no response - it wasn't his place to draw conclusions. He pulled out his small notebook from his back pocket, jotting down a few insignificant details before closing it again.

Later that day, Winston visited Isolde’s workspace, noting the appointment book left open on her desk. It showed a visit from Samuel penciled in at a noontime slot, the same day Isolde was murdered. 

Buried under the papers on Isolde's desk, the detective found a DVD labeled "Surgical Errors," - the video evidence of Samuel's medical malpractice. It was clear Isolde had been collecting her evidence against Samuel.

He next met with Isolde’s secretary, who was visibly shaken. "Yes, Detective. I remember confirming Samuel’s appointment." she mentioned, “I believe it was his medical review?"

Winston nodded, making no comment. He reflected upon the video evidence he had found at Isolde’s office. The recording that allegedly held evidence of Samuel's botched surgery had now become more significant.

He returned back to his car, pondering over the details of Samuel's superior who had warned him about the potential job loss and jail time, given his recent errors. 

His last snippet of information had come from a security guard at Isolde's building who had seen Samuel entering her office on the day of the murder.

Winston felt the familiar burn of an overworked mind. But he kept his thoughts at bay as he rounded out his day. The puzzle pieces were often murky, and their connections circumstantial. His job was to find them, and affix them one by one until the whole image revealed itself.

Winston was staring at his murky reflection in the last few drops of coffee. Isolde was dead, strangled in her home office, possibly by her roommate and partner in crime, Bernard. Together, Bernard and Isolde were involved in some mystifying activities, being partners in their dubious affairs while sharing the same living space. 

Winston sighed and thought to his next interview, Bernard. He was next on Winston's list. Known as a cattle rancher in town, Bernard made his living through the ranching business. He was also known for his suspiciously close relationship with Isolde, as they not only shared a living area but were partners in crime.

Upon entering the ranch, Winston noticed Bernard wearing a rugged cowboy hat and a pair of gloves, trying to fix a broken fence. Intriguingly, there was no barbed wire in sight, an important element for a ranch fence. Winston had received a report about missing barbed wire from this very ranch, and here, he was staring at an opened box that should have contained barbed wires for the fence. 

Over a bitter cup of coffee, Winston began his inquiries. "Heard about your Halloween contest victory, Bernard. Hannibal Lecter impersonation, was it?" 

Bernard smiled, his eyes glinting, "Oh yeah, good times. Did an Anthony Perkins one at the last party too, from Psycho." Many at the party overheard Bernard reciting Anthony Perkins' lines with unnerving accuracy.

Winston thought about the strangeness of the situation, a man so obsessed with horror and thrillers, impersonating characters from such genre. Bernard might have been telling the truth, but it was part of Winston's job to consider all possibilities.

Bernard happily divulged how he frequently visits speciality stores to buy all kinds of horror and thriller movies. His eyes lit up with excitement as he spoke about his dedicated room for his extensive movie collection, featuring an array of thrillers with Anthony Perkins' Psycho as the crown jewel.

When Winston asked Bernard for an alibi on the night of Isolde's murder, Bernard reaffirmed he didn't invite anyone else and that he was home alone that night. No neighbors reported any visitors to his residence during the time of the crime. Winston asked Bernard if he noticed anything out of the ordinary during that time, to which Bernard looked puzzled and shook his head.

Winston finished his coffee and made his way towards the door. As he left Bernard's ranch, he noted the puzzling absence of the barbed wire from the fences, Bernard's conspicuous enthusiasm for horror characters, and the deafening silence from the neighbors about any missing barbed wire. The picture was becoming clearer. What conclusions these facts would lead to, that was for a later time. For now, he had to focus on gathering more crucial facts and information about the suspicious circumstances surrounding Isolde's death.