MuSR / Who is the most likely murderer?

question

Who is the most likely murderer?

narrative

In the quiet isolation of a remote chalet, Cecilia's life brutally ended by an axe and it's now up to the jaded Detective Winston to untangle a web of deceit involving suspects, Stuart and Alice.

Winston wrinkled his now weather-beaten brow, his dark eyes hard and focused as he stood at the outskirts of the secluded chalet. The sight of Cecilia's body, found long after the time Stuart was noted alone at the site lent a sense of unease that still imprinted in his mind from the crime scene photos.

There was a strange quiet that persisted in the area as the evening shadows coalesced further into night. Winston was particularly interested in the electrical works of the chalet, the severed power cables indicative of Stuart’s well-known method of using his axe to cut them. All conveniently hidden behind walls and ceilings but paramount in their purpose. He was reminded that important clues sometimes lurk in the most innocuous of places.

Winston glanced around, his gaze settling on Stuart lumbering towards him. As usual, the man had his tool bag over one sturdy shoulder, the familiar shape of an axe imprinted onto its side. Its weight was seemingly imprinted onto Stuart’s posture, yet worn with a sense of profound solidarity. A sense of familiarity, born from years of dedication to his profession and the meticulous demand for his specialized tools, such as axes.

“Stuart?” Winston enquired, attempting to mirror a casual air.

“Yeah, that would be me,” Stuart responded, his respect for the detective's powerful presence evident.

“You've been working on this property?”

“Sure have,” the large man nodded, setting his tool bag into the dirt nearby. The soft clink of tools echoed faintly in the silent expanse. Stuart was a proficient electrician, everyone in the county knew. He had harbored resentment against Cecilia, for reasons unknown; a motive that lingered with a subtle hint in the air. His rigor and loyalty to his profession manifested in every job site he touched—an axe always included in his equipment.

A long moment passed, the evening wind whistling in the background. 

"Cecilia, the owner... she hired you, didn't she?" Winston broke the silence, his gaze firm on Stuart.

“Yeah... had a bad power outage that day."

"How long did it last?"

"Unusual one. Lasted all day actually."

The chirping of crickets began to build and a layer of frost was slowly painting itself across the chalet’s exterior. This suggested that there were no other workers or inhabitants during the time of Stuart's work.

Winston found himself hooked onto the echo of Stuart's resounding words, stirring question after question in his mind. He wouldn’t voice them; not yet. 

A cold wind blew past the duo, shifting leaves rustled around the chalet whispering secrets that they had witnessed. A secret Winston had set out to uncover. With that, he bid Stuart a goodnight and left the chalet site, the outline of the crime scene etched into his memory as he sped off into the distance; his wearied sights set on tomorrow's set of questions.

Detective Winston sat in his office, a thick folder splayed open in front of him. Inside were various reports about a school counselor named Alice. Alice was evidently no ordinary school counselor - a slew of allegations and complications surrounded her. 

Winston got up, tucked the folder under his arm and headed to the school where Alice was employed.

As he approached the counselor's office, he could hear the muffled sound of murmuring in the hallway around him. Alice was known for her involvement in outdoor activities for students – particularly annual camping trips. Winston glimpsed several pictures of these camping trips on a notice board outside the office, seeing Alice in several of them, even demonstrating axe-use to the students.

He knocked gently before letting himself into Alice’s office. 

“Ms. Alice, I presume?” He asked, to which she nodded. 

There was an air of tension about her. Perhaps it was because she was carrying the burden of an extramarital affair that threatened her standing in the local community and her professional career. It was common knowledge in the school corridors that Alice was on the brink of losing her job due to the scandal. 

The conversation turned to Alice's personal life, Winston asked, "Ms. Alice, it seems you have a fair amount of free time in the evenings?" Alice agreed, mentioning that she spent her evenings alone in a particular room at her house. Her neighbors had reportedly seen her carrying stacks of newspapers into her house, which she hardly ever let anyone in. They claimed to have heard her reading out loud from these newspapers, specifically obituaries, although Winston kept this bit to himself.

The mention of the school's woodshop arose during the conversation, with the principal having reported seeing Alice take an axe from there post-school hours. Alice explained it was a tool demonstration for the camping trips, but Winston noted down the fact, considering the murderer’s weapon – an axe. 

Mention of Cecilia came up, the young girl who had lost her life in a chalet not long ago. Alice didn't seem surprised at the mention of Cecilia, nodding and mentioning about her being one of her students. 

A little bird had earlier mentioned that Cecilia had tripped over Alice’s secret of a grade-changing scandal and had evidence of her infamous extramarital affair. 

As Winston left Alice’s office, he knew the web was much more tangled than what met the eye.

choices

• Stuart
• Alice