FACTS AND FICTION - INTERNATIONAL MURDER

(put: (prompt: "What is your name?", (either: " ", " ", " ")) into $name) Hey, $name. Remember me? I'm your investigation assistant! Yes? Good. You remember Gemma, right? The girl who got the robberies? Yes? Good. You got the murder mysteries, and we've just found our second case. A visiting politician from another country has been murdered in this very town, and it's up to us to find to culprit. Time to [[pack your detective bag->pack]]! (set: $kindness to 50) (set: $justice to 95) (set: $thorough to 50)

Okay, great. Be sure to pack it all! <img width=500 src="https://image.freepik.com/free-vector/magnifying-glass-icon_1284-2091.jpg"> (link: "Magnifying glass")[(set: $magnify to 1) We've got the magnifying glass.] <img width=500 src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/04/dd/94/04dd942fd562314a2711cc1eaa862373--fingerprints-powder.jpg"> (link: "Fingerprint powder and brush")[(set: $powder to 1) The powder and brush is safe and sound in your detective's bag.] <img width=500 src="http://d1zh4ok0q8k7dm.cloudfront.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/400x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/l/u/luminol16_new_6-11_1.jpg"> (link: "Luminol. It reveals old bloodstains.")[(set: $luminol to 1) Those bloodstains can't hide from you!] [[Have you got everything?->crimescene]]

When you show up at the crime scene, you see Officer Salmon, who is in charge of the case you're investigating, and a little girl standing next to him. She is about nine years old, with sad brown eyes. She looks like she has recently been crying. What's a nine-year-old girl doing at the scene of a murder? "Ah, $name," Officer Salmon says gloomily. "I'm so glad you could come. Ms Forest is a politician from another country, and she has been murdered on this very soil. She was visiting the post office at 4:30 am -" "Why so early?" you ask. "It was a check-up," the Officer explains. "She wanted to beat the rush, but apparently, she hadn't. Five customers, the mail carrier, plus the person running the post office, were there. Seven suspects - and we have absolutely no idea who did it. When Ms Forest's daughter, Zoey Forest, found out, she immediately wanted to help with the investigation." Officer Salmon gestured to the little girl at his side. "Would you be willing to take her in the investigation, $name?" [[Certainly!->yesgirl]] [[She's just so little, and I'm afraid she'll be scared...->nogirl]]

"Of course I'll take her with me in my investigation!" you say. "Thank you, detective!" Zoey says. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" You smile. "'$name' will do just fine," you say. [[Begin the investigation.->investigation headquarters]] (set: $kindness to it + 5)

"She's just so little, and I'm afraid..." you say, but Zoey gives you the puppy dog eyes and you can't resist saying yes. "I mean, I will definitely let Zoey Forest come along as I investigate." "Thank you so much, detective!" Zoey says. "'$name' will do just fine," you smile. [[Begin the investigation.->investigation headquarters]] (set: $kindness to it - 5) (set: $justice to it + 5)

What do you want to do first? [[Examine->examine]] [[Suspects->suspects]] [[Autopsy (I would reccomend looking at this first)->autopsy]] [[Notebook->notebook]] I'm ready to [[accuse->accuse]].

How do you want to examine the crime scene first? [[Luminol->luminol]] [[Look closer->magnify]] [[Dust for fingerprints->fingerprints]] [[I've examined enough.->investigation headquarters]]

Here are the suspects you can interview: [[Lisa Bee->lisa]] [[Jimmy Willow->jimmy]] [[Harry Forest->harry]] [[Samuel Dandelion->samuel]] [[Samantha Crow and Katie Mint->samantha and katie]] [[Mr Nicholas Puff->nicholas]] [[Go back.->investigation headquarters]]

You open the autopsy. "What is that?" Zoey asks curiously. "Isn't it called the o-pob-sie?" "The au-top-sy," you say. "It's a record of how the victim died." Victim: //Ms Carmina Forest// Cause of death: //Blood loss from sharp blow to head// Other information: //Found by mail carrier, Jimmy Willow, next to front desk at 4:50 am. Person in charge of front desk on illegal break at that time. Hit at 4:35 am, died at 4:46 am.// We'll definitely have to interview Jimmy Willow, and the person in charge of the front desk. [[Go back->investigation headquarters]] (set: $thorough to it + 20)

Here are the clues you have discovered: $luminolline $luminoldesk $luminolweapon $line $desk $weapon $deskprint $weaponprint $lisa $jimmy $harry $samuel $nicholas $samantha $katie [[Go back.->investigation headquarters]]

You walk up to Officer Salmon and ask him to line up all the suspects, here at the crime scene. He looks at you skeptically, as if it might be some sort of childish game, but since you are an official detective, has to do as you ask. It takes him a while to get everyone on the phone, but eventually, all the suspects are here. Lisa is grumbling about how the police force is determined to ruin her day. "Thank you for coming," you say. Lisa mutters something about not having a choice. "Before I state who the murderer is, I want to say that I am aware of somebody else that lied. This //lie//, however, does not mean that this person is the murderer - in fact, the lie is unrelated to the case entirely. It is a contradiction, however, that I will now point out." "If this is a waste of our time, $name, there will be severe consequences," Officer Salmon says. You nod. "The contradiction..." [["...is Samantha Crow's gloves."->samsglovesno]] [["...is Nicholas Puff's uniform."->nickuni]] [["...is Jimmy Willow's uniform, gloves and handprint."->jimmyuni]] [["...is Lisa Bee's attitude."->lisaat]]

Where do you want to spray your luminol? <img width=500 src="http://weclipart.com/gimg/592933B947F40797/1404344361000-176427334.jpg"> [[The chalk outline of the body->outline1]] <img width=500 src="https://img.zcdn.com.au/lf/8/hash/27849/15241309/4/Huali-Derwent-Manager-Desk-DW1325.jpg"> [[The front desk->front desk luminol]] <img width=500 src="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~20AAOSwYGFUzpYQ/s-l400.jpg"> [[The murder weapon->luminolweapon]] [[Go back.->examine]]

What do you want to look closely at first? <img width=500 src="http://weclipart.com/gimg/592933B947F40797/1404344361000-176427334.jpg"> [[The chalk outline of the body->outline]] <img width=500 src="https://img.zcdn.com.au/lf/8/hash/27849/15241309/4/Huali-Derwent-Manager-Desk-DW1325.jpg"> [[The front desk->front desk]] <img width=500 src="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~20AAOSwYGFUzpYQ/s-l400.jpg"> [[The murder weapon->weapon]] [[Go back.->examine]]

Where do you want to dust for fingerprints? <img width=500 src="http://weclipart.com/gimg/592933B947F40797/1404344361000-176427334.jpg"> [[The chalk outline of the body->outline2]] <img width=500 src="https://img.zcdn.com.au/lf/8/hash/27849/15241309/4/Huali-Derwent-Manager-Desk-DW1325.jpg"> [[The front desk->front desk print]] <img width=500 src="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~20AAOSwYGFUzpYQ/s-l400.jpg"> [[The murder weapon->weaponprint]] [[Go back.->examine]]

You spray the luminol around the outline of the body, and find a large pool of blood that has been wiped away near the head. You can see some letters smudged in them, but all you can understand is: MKILRWA. This may have once been: MY KILLER WAS, but you're not sure. The name that might have come after it is impossible to read. [[Go back.->luminol]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $luminolline to "Around the head of the chalk outline is a pool of blood. In the blood, these letters have been written: 'MKILRWA'. This may have once been, 'MY KILLER WAS', but you're not sure. The name after it has been permanently smudged, and there is no way to recover what it says. It is not unusual for the blood to be near the head, as that is how Ms Forest died - she was hit in the head with a heavy object.")

You spray luminol on the surface of the desk and see one bloody handprint. (if: $deskprint is 0)[You should probably check for fingerprints on that handprint. It could have been left by the mail carrier, who discovered the body, Ms Forest, the victim, or even the murderer.] [[Go back.->luminol]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $luminoldesk to "There is a bloody handprint on the wooden surface of the desk.")

You spray luminol on the metal part of the weapon, and see a spattering of blood. This means that the weapon was withdrawn fast, and only made contact with the skin when it made the fateful blow to Ms Forest's head. [[Go back.->luminol]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $luminolweapon to "There is a spattering of blood on the metal part of the wax stamp. This means that the weapon was withdrawn fast, and only made contact with the skin when in made the fateful blow the Ms Forest's head.")

You dust gently around the outline, but you realise that it's a useless search. There's nothing there. [[Go back.->fingerprints]]

You dust across the front desk(if: $luminoldesk is "There is a bloody handprint on the wooden surface of the desk.")[, especially across the bloody handprint you found earlier,] and find a set of five fingerprints. Using a fingerprint-matching device left on the desk for you, you match up the thumbprint. The owner of the print is the mail carrier, Jimmy Willow. [[Go back.->fingerprints]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $deskprint to "On the desk are the prints of Jimmy Willow, the mail carrier for the post office.")

You dust around the handle of the stamp (you can barely believe it's the murder weapon) and find nothing. You can imagine why - the post office is a very grand building, and usually, the people inside are grand people. Most of them might wear gloves on a daily basis. [[Go back.->fingerprints]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $weaponprint to "There are no fingerprints on the murder weapon.You can imagine why - the post office is a very grand building, and usually, the people inside are grand people. Most of them might wear gloves on a daily basis.")

You look closely at the outline, but something to your left draws your attention. Hidden in a dark corner near the outline are two silk gloves - one lilac, and one white. They are stained with blood. [[Go back.->magnify]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $line to "There is nothing strange about the outline itself when you look closer, but hidden in a dark corner not far away are two silk gloves - one lilac, and one white. They are stained with blood.")

The front desk is an average, old desk. Scratched on the side, it says, //You won't catch me//. It looks fresh, so it hasn't been worn away. The writer has neat penmanship. It might have something to do with the murder. [[Go back.->magnify]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $desk to "The front desk is old and plain. Scratched on the side in neat penmanship, it says, //You won't catch me.// It looks fresh, and hasn't been worn away yet. It might have something to do with the murder.")

You look closely at the weapon - a large, metal-and-wood stamp, the kind for wax seals on envelopes. "What is that?" Zoey asks. "It's the murder weapon," you say absently. "It's just a //stamp//," Zoey says. "Yes, but you can see that it's very heavy and sharp," you explain. "You can really hurt someone with it if you try." Finally, with Zoey silent, you are able to concentrate. The letters on the metal are scratched-up, and read PO. It most likely stood for Post Office. [[Go back->magnify]] (set: $thorough to it + 12) (set: $weapon to "The murder weapon is an average metal stamp. The letters on the metal part (the print that would go on the wax seal) read PO. This means that it a) belonged to someone whose initials are PO, or b) belongs to the post office.")

You knock on Lisa's door. She answers, and smiles at you. "Come in!" she says. As you walk along the corridor of her house, she says, "The police said you'd be coming. What did they call you? The youngest and brightest detective of the century! I suppose you're here about Ms Forest's murder and I swear that I had nothing to do with it. What would you like to ask me?" [[She sits down and gestures with her hand for you to start.->ask Lisa]] You notice that she is wearing two silk purple gloves.

You knock on the door of Jimmy the mail carrier. He opens it, and looks grimly at you, as if he already knows why you're here. "Come in," he says. Once you're in the kitchen, he offers you a plate of sandwiches, and Zoey reaches for one. You put your hand on her shoulder and shake your head. They could be poisoned. She drops her hand dejectedly. "[[What is it that you want to ask me about Forest's murder->askjimmy]]?" Jimmy asks you.

When you knock on the door, a teary-eyed man with similar features to the victim answers. "Hello?" he says with a blocked nose. "You must be Detective $name. Please...please come in." You follow him down the hall and you sit down across from him in the living room. Just then he seems to notice Zoey. "Hi, Zoey," he says, giving her a hug. You guess that they are related somehow - after all, they share the same last name. Harry seems too distraught to wonder what she is doing investigating murder. "[[What do you want to know->askharry]]?" he asks.

You knock on Samuel's door. He answers it. He looks surprisingly okay for a suspect for murder. As you walk down the corridor, you ask him why and he shrugs: "If you detectives are any good, I'll be found not guilty, because I didn't do it." You both sit down on armchairs in the living room. "I want to [[ask->asksamuel]] some questions..."

You knock on Samantha Crow and Katie Mint's door. You notice that carved there are words, //Katie and Sam//, in neat penmanship. They both answer you cheerfully. "You must be that detective girl," Samantha says. "That's Katie. I'm Sam. And you are..." "$name," you say. "Nice to meet you," Samantha and Katie say. "Come in." They welcome you into their tiny house and into their living room. You and Katie squash onto the only couch and Samantha sits on the floor. "I'd like to [[ask->asksam&kat]] you some questions, if that's okay," you say, and get out your notebook. It seems that they are determined to be interviewed together, and even though you'd rather do it separately, you have no choice but to do what they want - unless you don't mind sounding rude."

[["Where were you the morning of the murder?"->wherenick]] [["What was your business in the post office that morning?"->businick]] [["Do you usually wear gloves?"->glovesnick]] [["How do you know Ms Forest?"->forestnick]] [[Make some conversation. "How are you?"->hownick]] [["Thank you for your time."->suspects]] (set: $nicholas to "Nicholas Puff is Ms Forest's bodyguard. He says that she asked him to wait outside, and that his presence was bothersome. He wears gloves, as they are part of his bodyguard uniform.")

[["Where were you the morning of the murder?"->wherejimmy]] [["What was your business in the post office that morning?"->busijimmy]] [["Do you usually wear gloves?"->glovesjimmy]] [["How do you know Ms Forest?"->forestjimmy]] [[Make some conversation. "How are you?"->howjimmy]] [["Thank you for your time."->suspects]] (set: $jimmy to "Jimmy Willow, the mail carrier, was in the post office the morning of the murder. He was there to pick up the mail. He only knew Ms Forest from stories and news. He says that she was a heroine to her country. He only wears gloves when he's carrying mail.")

"I was in the post office, at the front desk," Jimmy says. "This was after the murder happened, of course. Ms Forest's head was tilted in an odd position, so I pulled it back, thinking she was unconscious. But she wasn't..." [[Ask something else.->askjimmy]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I was delivering the mail that morning," Jimmy declares. "When I discovered Ms Forest's body, I was picking up a load." [[Ask something else.->askjimmy]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"Gloves?" Jimmy laughed. "Well, I'm not the fancy type, but I do wear gloves when I'm taking mail around. It's part of my uniform." [[Ask something else.->askjimmy]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I...I...well, I'm fine, actually," Jimmy says. [[Ask something else.->askjimmy]] (set: $kindness to it + 5)

"I only knew her from stories," Jimmy says. "She was quite a heroine to her country, you know. I admire her greatly." [[Ask something else.->askjimmy]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

[["Where were you the morning of the murder?"->wherelisa]] [["What was your business in the post office that morning?"->busilisa]] [["Do you usually wear gloves?"->gloveslisa]] [["How do you know Ms Forest?"->forestlisa]] [[Make some conversation. "How are you?"->howlisa]] [["Thank you for your time."->suspects]] (set: $lisa to "Lisa was on the second floor, waiting for her friends Samantha and Katie to come up to meet her. She only wears gloves when she is going out, or about to go out. She only knows Ms Carmina Forest from the news. She was wearing a pair of lilac silk gloves.")

"I was waiting on the second floor," Lisa says. "I was meeting my friends Samantha and Katie there. I believe that those two are other suspects on that list of yours." [[Ask something else.->ask Lisa]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I was waiting for Samantha and Katie on the second floor," Lisa says. [[Ask something else.->ask Lisa]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"When I go out," Lisa says. "Or when I'm about to go out. I was going to go meet Samantha and Katie, and that's why I'm wearing gloves now, but then we were all told that we were suspects for this case and that we had to stay home to be interviewed. Ridiculous, really - I know I didn't do it, and if you had ever met Katie or Samantha, you'd know they wouldn't do it either." [[Ask something else.->ask Lisa]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

Lisa shrugs. "I've seen her from time-to-time on the news, but nothing she's done has really stuck in my brain. I can't even remember her first name, but I think it starts with K..." "Carmina?" you offer. "Yes, that's it." [[Ask something else.->ask Lisa]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I'm all right," Lisa sniffs, "but this investigation has ruined my day!" [[Ask something else.->ask Lisa]] (set: $kindness to it + 5)

Thank you for playing Facts and Fiction - International Murder. Here are your stats for the game: You were $kindness% kind. You were $justice% driven by justice. You were $thorough% thorough in your investigation. Click [[here->Untitled Passage]] to play again.

[["Where were you the morning of the murder?"->whereharry]] [["What was your business in the post office that morning?"->busiharry]] [["Do you usually wear gloves?"->glovesharry]] [["How do you know Ms Forest? Are you related?"->forestharry]] [[Make some conversation. "How are you?"->howharry]] [["Thank you for your time."->suspects]] (set: $harry to "Harry was waiting on the balcony of the post office for his sister, Carmina. He says he never wears gloves, but his late sister loves them and wore them always.")

"I...I was waiting for Carmina on the balcony on the fourth floor," Harry says. "We were going to meet up there after her inspection, and when she didn't arrive, I came down...the mail carrier Jimmy had already called the police." [[Ask something else.->askharry]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I was waiting for Carmina," Harry says. [[Ask something else.->askharry]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"Never," Harry says. "I hate gloves, but Carmina always wore them..." [[Ask something else.->askharry]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"Carmina was my sister!" Harry cries. "I miss her so much... More than when she was overseas, because I had known that she would come back..." [[Ask something else.->askharry]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)(set: $kindness to it - 5)

"I can't cope!" Harry sniffs. "My little Carmina..." [[Ask something else.->askharry]] (set: $kindness to it + 5)

[["Where were you the morning of the murder?"->wheresamuel]] [["What was your business in the post office that morning?"->busisamuel]] [["Do you usually wear gloves?"->glovessamuel]] [["How do you know Ms Forest?"->forestsamuel]] [[Make some conversation. "How are you?"->howsamuel]] [["Thank you for your time."->suspects]] (set: $samuel to "Samuel was in the bathroom at the time of the murder. He was doing his job at the front desk, and after Ms Forest asked him inspection questions, he took an illegal break. That was when Ms Forest was murdered. He had never heard of Ms Forest before his boss told him about the inspection. He doesn't wear gloves.")

"I was in the bathroom," Samuel says. "I admit that it was an illegal break, and that I was supposed to be behind the desk, but things were slow. Literally everyone was meeting somebody else there, and no one actually wanted to post something." [[Ask something else.->asksamuel]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I was doing my job behind the desk," Samuel says. "Ms Forester came in, asked me a few questions, took a few notes, and that's when I took a break and went to the bathroom." [[Ask something else.->asksamuel]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"No," Samuel says. [[Ask something else.->asksamuel]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"The first time I heard of her was when my boss told me that she was coming to do an inspection of the post office," he says. "I don't watch the news, and I've never bought a newspaper." [[Ask something else.->asksamuel]]

"I'm fine," Samuel shrugs. "Like I said, if you're any good, I won't get arrested." [[Ask something else.->asksamuel]] (set: $kindness to it + 5)

"I was waiting outside the post office for Mistress Forest," Nicholas says. [[Ask something else.->asknicholas]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I was guarding Mistress Forest at the time," Nicholas says. "She asked me to wait outside, because she felt..//uncomfortable// with me around all the time. She said she didn't need me. Now look what has happened..." [[Ask something else.->asknicholas]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I do wear gloves," Nicholas says. "Black gloves are part of my bodyguard uniform." [[Ask something else.->asknicholas]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

"I am Mistress Forest's bodyguard," Nicholas says. You notice how he still speaks in present tense about his former boss. [[Ask something else.->asknicholas]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)

Nicholas just stares at you. "Okay," you say. "Moving on." [[Ask something else.->asknicholas]] (set: $thorough to it + 3)(set: $kindness to it - 5)

You double check the address to make sure you got it right. Nicholas is living at a hotel. You enter the hotel and ask for Nicholas Puff. The man serving you gives you a suspicious look, so you tell him that you're $name - youngest detective in the world and investigating international politician Ms Forest's murder and show him your business card. Then you ask again. He gives you a cardkey to room 401 on the third floor. You thank him and get in the elevator. ************************************************************************** You knock on the door, thinking it might be a little bit creepy if you waltzed in there with a key to your suspect's room, and Nicholas Puff answers. "To who do I owe the pleasure?" he says. He speaks with an accent, like English is his second or third language. "$name, youngest detective in the world, investigating the murder of Ms Forest," you say. You've started to enjoy seeing the look on people's faces when you tell them. Nicholas, however, did not look fazed. "You're on the list of suspects!" you add. Still no reaction. "Can I come in and [[ask you some questions->asknicholas]]?" "If you must," Nicholas growls.

[["Where were you the morning of the murder?"->whereks]] [["What was your business in the post office that morning?"->busiks]] [["Do you usually wear gloves?"->glovesks]] [["How do you know Ms Forest?"->forestks]] [[Make some conversation. "How are you?"->howks]] [["Thank you for your time."->suspects]] (set: $samantha to "Samantha says she was with her friends Lisa and Katie on the second floor at the time of the murder. She knows Ms Forest from the news. Katie's parents are from the country where Ms Forest is in government, and they do not approve what she is doing with the country, but they say that they don't mind. Samantha says she always wears gloves. On her hands were a mismatched pair of white and lilac silk gloves. They carved the words, //Katie and Sam// on their door in nead penmanship.") (set: $katie to "Katie said the same things as Samantha.")

"We were on the second floor with our friend Lisa," Samantha says. Over her legs, she crosses her hands. You notice that one hand is covered with a lilac glove and another is covered with a white glove. The difference was so tiny that you could barely notice unless you were looking for it. You see that Katie is wearing pale blue gloves. "We didn't even know about the murder." [[Ask something else.->asksam&kat]] (set: $thorough to it + 6)

"We were with our friend Lisa," Samantha says stoutly. [[Ask something else.->asksam&kat]] (set: $thorough to it + 6)

"We wear gloves everywhere," Katie announced, showing you her hands that are covered in shining fabric. "Made of the finest silk." [[Ask something else.->asksam&kat]] (set: $thorough to it + 6)

"We see her on the news from time to time," Samantha says. "Katie's parents are from the country where she's in governmnent, so that's why we pay attention whenever we hear the name Carmina Forest." You think you see Katie grit her teeth, but it might have just been a trick of the light. "We don't love what she's doing to that country," Katie says. "But we don't mind too much. Mum and Dad are planning to move out, anyway." [[Ask something else.->asksam&kat]] (set: $thorough to it + 6)

"Oh, we're all right," Katie says. "We've got each other." [[Ask something else.->asksam&kat]] (set: $kindness to it + 10)

"Samantha's -" you pause when you realise that this has //everything// to do with the murder, but it's too late to turn back now. "Samantha Crow's gloves," you say. "I see it now!" Officer Salmon says. "$name, this is totally linked with the murder. You have made a mistake. We can't afford that when working with such important cases. Your fellow detective Gemma has been making some successes in her robbery investigations," Officer Salmon says. "We will offer her back the murder mysteries, as you are obviously incapable of solving them yourself." [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"Nicholas Puff's uniform," you say. "It's weird..." "It's true that it has nothing to do with the murder..." Officer Salmon says. "But I don't think it has to do with anything else, $name. Can you link it with something from somewhere else?" "Erm..." you say. "Your fellow detective Gemma has been making some successes in her robbery investigations," Officer Salmon says. "We will offer her back the murder mysteries, as you are obviously incapable of solving them yourself." [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"Jimmy Willow's uniform," you say. "Let me explain: Jimmy says that he wears his gloves whenever working. That morning, he says that he was working - but he was not." You pause dramatically and point at Jimmy. "Weren't you? No, quite the contrary. You mentioned that Ms Forest was a heroine to her country. You also said, and I quote, 'I admire her greatly.' You were not coming to pick up the mail that day. You weren't even wearing your uniform! You were coming to meet your hero!" Everybody murmers excitedly. "I know this because of your handprint on the desk. You said you picked up her head, so you had blood on your hand, and that's why your bloody handprint is on the desk! I know that you aren't the murderer because of evidence that wasn't left by you that couldn't have been left because of anything else. This evidence is the reason I will incriminate you -" [[Samantha!->asamantha]] [[Katie!->akatie]] [[Nicholas!->anicholas]] [[Samuel!->asamuel]] [[Harry!->aharry]] [[Lisa!->alisa]]

"Lisa's attitude is so weird," you say. "It's true that it has nothing to do with the murder..." Officer Salmon says. "But I don't think it has to do with anything else, $name. Can you link it with something from somewhere else?" "Erm..." you say. "Your fellow detective Gemma has been making some successes in her robbery investigations," Officer Salmon says. "We will offer her back the murder mysteries, as you are obviously incapable of solving them yourself." [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"It was you, Samantha Crow," you say. "And you were cooperating with your friend, Katie Mint. You murdered Ms Forest. The piece of decisive evidence you left is..." [[...gloves.->gloves]] [[...a smell of perfume.->perfume]] [[...letters scratched on the desk.->deskletter]]

"It was you, Katie Mint," you say. "And you were cooperating with your friend, Samantha Crow. You murdered Ms Forest. The piece of decisive evidence you left is..." [[...gloves.->gloves]] [[...a smell of perfume.->perfume]] [[...letters scratched on the desk.->deskletter]]

"Me?" Nicholas says in his thick accent. "I am her //bodyguard//. I am there to protect her from harm, not cause it!" "Your fellow detective Gemma has been making some successes in her robbery investigations," Officer Salmon says. "We will offer her back the murder mysteries, as you are obviously incapable of solving them yourself. It is obvious that Mr Puff would not have killed his own mistress." What? How was it over so fast? [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"I was in the bathroom at the time," Samuel growls. "You have no way of proving otherwise. I would only get proven 'not guilty' if you detectives are good. Clearly, you're stupid - you can't see the truth. What evidence did I leave?" You can't think off anything. Your mind is blank. "Your fellow detective Gemma has been making some successes in her robbery investigations," Officer Salmon says. "We will offer her back the murder mysteries, as you are obviously incapable of solving them yourself. There is no evidence that Mr Dandelion left on the crime scene." What? How was it over so fast? [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"Me?" Harry cries. "Her...her //brother//? I loved Carmina. W-we grew up together. Why would I murder someone I love?" "$name," Officer Salmon says sternly, "this is a wild accusation. I hope you have an explanation." "Erm..." you say. "I thought it was an act..." "Your fellow detective Gemma has been making some successes in her robbery investigations," Officer Salmon says. "We will offer her back the murder mysteries, as you are obviously incapable of solving them yourself. Mr Forest would not have murdered his own sister. Even if he had, he has left //no evidence// on the scene of the crime." What? How was it over so fast? [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"Me?" Lisa says haughtily. "I have nothing to do with that stuck-up polititian. I couldn't care less about her." "What reasons do you have to request Miss Lisa Bee's arrest?" Officer Salmon says. You have nothing to say. "Your fellow detective Gemma has been making some successes in her robbery investigations," Officer Salmon says. "We will offer her back the murder mysteries, as you are obviously incapable of solving them yourself. Ms Bee hasn't left a single piece of evidence on the crime scene." What? How was it over so fast? [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"Your gloves," you say. "When you murdered Ms Carmina Forest, you were wearing gloves. Both of you got one of your gloves dirty, and you hid them in a corner. You had to get away quickly, you couldn't have them found on you, so that's why you didn't dispose of them in a better way, like burning them. I imagine that the gloves that you, Samantha, were wearing were your favourite gloves. It would be suspicious if you stopped wearing them, so, since your gloves were similar colours, Samantha wore the clean ones. Most wouldn't notice the difference. Your motive - Ms Forest was a great left-wing supporter. You said you 'didn't approve' of what she was doing, so I imagine that you are right-wing supporters. You were telling the truth then. You were lying, however, when you said it didn't matter! It mattered very much. So much that you killed her. Now for some smaller details: Why did Samantha wear her favourite gloves to murder someone? You were meeting your friend Lisa, and you were dressed up. You didn't know that Ms Forest was inspecting the post office, so when you murdered her, it was a spur-of-the-moment plan. That was why you chose a PO wax stamp for your murder weapon. You grabbed it off the desk when she wasn't looking. Secondly: The letters scratched on the desk? I recognised the handwriting from your door. One of you did it, didn't you? It was a very general calligraphy handwriting, so I couldn't be sure it was you, but when put together with the gloves, it was obvious. So, do you deny these claims, Misses Samantha Crow and Katie Mint?" Katie opened her mouth, then closed it. She started to cry into her friend's shoulder. "We shouldn't have left that message," Samantha began. "I knew it was dangerous, but we wanted some memory of when we saved Katie's ancestral country. We did it for the good of the people, not to cause any harm to a fellow human being. As for the gloves...well, we should have hidden them better. But now we're discovered...I apologise." "It was my idea!" Katie blurted out. "I hated Carmina Forest. Sam didn't like her either, but I convinced her to do it! It wasn't her fault." "You have both committed a terrible crime," Officer Salmon says. "I will take you to the police station, and we will discuss it further there." ************************************************************************ "Thank you!" Zoey Forest says after Officer Salmon, Samantha and Katie drive away. "You helped my mum. Now she's in peace, and when I see her again she will be happy." You smile as Zoey hugs you, and you hug the little girl back. [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

"You left a scent of your own perfume," you say. "I smelled it as soon as I came near you, Samantha Crow." "Actually," a condecending voice that you recognise says, "that wasn't it." Gemma steps into the post office. "Hi! I've been doing a little investigation of my own, and I think you'll find that the decisive evidence was the gloves." She gives a complicated explanation why, and says, "I knew you'd fail, $name. I'm just here to offer my impeccable service instead of yours. As you'd probably know, I've had tons of success in my robbery investigations. Officer Salmon - would you be happy to hand the murders over to me, and give this joke of a detective my robbery cases?" Officer Salmon blinks. "Of course, Miss Gemma." "There," Gemma smiles. "Get lost, loser." [[THE END->TIE OFF]]

You open your mouth, but realise that the words on the desk must be presented later. They are decisive, but only when put together with something else... [[The gloves.->gloves]] [[The perfume.->perfume]]