34.11-Not my job scope

Last episode, a lot of tension surfaced, eventually leading to the execution of Lily and the loss of 50 points with her. The pot tentatively stands at 150/580 points now. Contestants were then informed of the full mission which would last the rest of the season. Janice also had a hidden exemption because she was thought to be the Mole by most, but is it true? Only time will tell.

***

Kairel: "It's too bad Lily is gone. At first I thought she was cold and emotionless but later as I got to know her I realised that she's a nice and chill lady who knows how to manage her emotions well, and sometimes hide it. I think it's getting harder to let go of everyone because we've been together for quite a while, after all."

Kairel: "How about we form a coalition? We share a room so we'll be seeing each other often. And we're still here, so maybe we're on to something. If we combine forces, then we'll be formidable."

Felix: "I do not mind. I have wasted too many pages and too many hours on my past. It is time to get more information."

Kairel: "That's the spirit! Lewis?"

Lewis: "Let me consider...fine, I'll join."

Kairel: "Yipee! What should we name ourselves?"

Lewis: "Forget about that. Let's begin work. How about we start from the first mission?"

Kairel: "Eh, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's not like we have ants in our pants, am I right? I'm hungry. We should get a bite first. Gotta be refuelled to do this."

Lewis: "So today, Felix, Kairel and I have decided to join forces. I will need it if I want to do some justice around here. I can't be sitting around tolerating James and Gladys's misdeeds. Both of them are abetting criminals and that's just not right. I have to stop them. I've made it my personal goal to try and create their downfall by misleading them. I can't do it alone so hopefully the other two will be able to provide some help against these strong foes. And I've been surrounded by such manipulators in the past. Hopefully I know how the inside works and use them to my advantage."

Gladys: "Boy, the fridge smells. Should I throw away the bad food away?"

Gladys: "Nah. Not my job scope."

***

Gladys: "Out of curiosity Kairel, why do you dress in such a kawaii manner?"

Kairel: "I won some competition so I had to do a photoshoot and I thought 'hey, I don't look so bad' and the rest is history."

Lewis: "Janice, what's the progress on Code Witch?"

Gabriel: "What's Code Witch?"

Janice: "In the process of gathering more data. I need more to conclude this."

Gabriel: "Eh, tell me what it is. I wanna know."

Janice: "There is a reason it's coded, you whiny boy."

***

"Good morning. It is time for your next mission. Someone has been murdered, and the killer is among you. You need to figure out who the killer is to earn 100 points. Before I go into any more detail, select one forensic scientist and two investigators."

Gabriel: "I'm not good at this."

Felix: "Maybe I can be a forensic scientist. Sounds interesting."

Lewis: "No way. You will probably be reminded of your wife and forget the mission again."

Gladys: "Maybe I can. I do believe I have transferable skills."

Janice: "Oh no you're not.

Gabriel: "How about Lewis? I think I can trust Lewis."

Felix: "I am okay with that."

Gladys: "I would be more suited to be an investigator than a suspect then. Kairel?"

Kairel: "Me? No thanks. I'm ok with Lewis being the investigator."

Janice: "If you're an investigator, then I will be too. I am a columnist after all. My sniffing skills are better than a bloodhound's."

"So it is settled. Lewis is the forensic scientist."

"Gladys and Janice are investigators."

Lewis will get 3 free clue cards, such as "Modus Operandi" along with 6 options, which he must pick one for to convey to the investigators. He can purchase up to 5 additional clue cards if he sees that the group is struggling, but each additional clue card costs 10 points.

The investigators must find out who the killer is, what weapon he used and what key evidence he left behind. Each correct answer leads to 20, 40 and 40 points earned respectively. If they fail completely, they will not be penalised for extra clues.

The rest are suspects. After each clue, they may provide their thoughts to the investigators for up to a minute. Every one is aware of what potential weapons and key evidence the suspects have.

***

Suspect #1: Gabriel. His weapons:

High heels

Metal pots

Statue bust

Syringes

Possible key evidence:

Makeup kit

Books

Pots of hunny

Paper towel

Suspect #2: James. Potential weapons:

Poison

Knives

Hand towel

Candle

Possible key evidence:

CD rack

Pen and paper

Flowers

Elephant toy

Suspect #3: Felix. His weapons:

Fish bowl

Trophies

Expired tea

Detergent

His evidence:

Megaphone

Soft drink

Paintbrush

Perfume

Suspect #4: Kairel. Weapons:

Dog leash

Gas cylinder

Vase

Pillow

Evidence:

Gnome

Hairdryer

Bag

Guitar

***

Lewis: "Alright, time to get cracking."

Lewis: "Let's see what we have."

Lewis: "I shall start with cause of death. It's the only sensible choice."

Severe injury

Poisoning

Blood loss

Illness/Disease

Suffocation

Accident

***

Janice: "I still wish you chose a different coloured car."

Gladys: "That is besides the point now."

Gladys: "Hold a moment. Someone is calling me."

Gladys: "Hello?"

Gladys: "Oh, I see. Severe injury?"

Gladys: "I've got it noted down. Yes, even the other options. Goodbye."

Gladys: "Our first clue is that the cause of death is severe injury."

Gladys: "Personally I think it is a very vague option."

Janice: "But we can see that he did not choose poison for example. So we can eliminate things like syringes and expired tea."

Gladys: "Then you're being pigeonholed and misled, dear. What about internal bleeding from poison? Is that not severe injury? And you can use the teapot to whack someone in the head."

Janice: "Fair point. But would Lewis really go take such a roundabout route?"

Gladys: "Let us not forget that other than the killer, there is also the Mole."

Janice: "Okay, but let us just shove stuff like the poison aside first."

Janice: "Do you think this could be referring to evidence left behind?"

Gladys: "You clearly do not understand how murder works, do you dear? Weapons cause death."

Janice: "Thanks for the crash course, Captain Obvious."

Janice: "Okay, looking at our lists, this is what we can strike off."

***

Gladys: "Time to give these criminals their fighting chance."

Janice: "Oh please. Criminals don't deserve sympathy."

Gladys: "Mr. Ruen, the cause of death is severe injury, as opposed to suffocation or accident. What do you make of that?"

Gabriel: "I don't know."

Janice: "Of course you don't."

Gabriel: "I can tell you I'm innocent."

Janice: "And why is that?"

Gladys: "Shh. Give him a fair trial."

Gabriel: "Not poison or illness right? So it's not the syringe."

Janice: "But what about the other weapons?"

Gabriel: "Ehh..."

"Time is up. Time to move on to the next suspect."

Janice: "Hopefully he will be more useful."

Janice: "Alright, I'm glad you're not grabbing the bars and shaking it violently like this."

James: "It's audacious but it's a sacrifice I must pay for this game."

James: "To think that a lawyer is a suspect in murder. Most of my weapons can be removed from the list, It's not poison, it's not suffocation and it's not blood loss, so I'm only left with a candle."

James: "In the same light, Kairel's pillows  and dog leash are out too, since that would entail suffocation."

James: "I don't have time to do a detailed analysis so I hope this has given you food for thought."

Gladys: "I can't read you right now."

Gladys: "What do you think, Ms. Ilien?"

Janice: "I think we move on first,"

Janice: "Share with us your thoughts, Felix."

Felix: "It's not me. It's really not me. I can't be a killer."

Felix: "Half of my items relate to poison. That means the probability of me being the killer based on my weapons list is half."

Felix: "I'm sure others have better odds."

Felix: "Please hurry and let me out of here. This place is creeping me out."

Janice: "Riiight."

Janice: "Do you think it's him?"

Gladys: "Possible, but let's question our last suspect."

Kairel: "So, severe injury?"

Kairel: "You can't seriously be thinking it's me. Can this pretty face be capable of murder?"

Janice: "Yes."

Kairel: "Ouch! That's like stabbing me in the gut. How cruel of you to say that."

Kairel: "Severe injury to me sounds like someone repeatedly whacked you with a baseball bat or something."

Kairel: "And that's not a weapon so we're all innocent. Heh."

Kairel: "So, who has the key?"

"Time is up."

***

Janice: "Everyone is denying it. Based on the clues we have so far, everyone can still be the killer."

Gladys: "Hmm, I wouldn't be so quick to eliminate things like poison, especially because we don't know what kind it is."

Gladys: "There are some very lethal ones that destroy your innards. It's a horrible way to die."

Gladys: "I just don't want to accidentally remove the actual murder weapon because we oversimplified."

Janice: "Let me see that again."

Lewis: "My next free clue is the clue found on victim."

Marks

Scent

Blood

Facial features

Nature

None

Janice: "Hello? You have our next clue ready?"

Janice: "Marks is the clue on victim? Can you be more specific?"

Janice: "Oh, these are the options given to you? Fine."

Janice: "I suppose it'd against the rules. Bye. Gladys, we have work to do again."

**

Gabriel: "Marks? Is it like pencil marks?"

Gabriel: "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Janice: "I cannot even."

Gabriel: "Or maybe it's something big and obvious, otherwise Lewis wouldn't choose marks. Wait!"

Janice: "Seriously?"

Gladys: "Erm..."

Gabriel: "I need to pee."

Janice: "Do we wait for him?"

Gladys: "I say we leave. My modesty has been violated. I'll be sure to let Mr. Sol know."

Janice: "Sometimes I think Gabriel is smarter than he looks but then I'm promptly corrected."

James: "Marks? Pretty vague. They can be any kind of marks."

James: "Lacerations, cuts, wounds, bruises, even small holes made from needles for example."

***

Felix: "This probably corresponds to the weapon. Like it's a heavy weapon that would cause a big bruise."

Felix: "That sounds like Gabriel. He's the killer! Let me out!"

Felix: "We're on the wrong side of the bars. You should be inside, Gladys."

Gladys: "But why? I am an investigator."

Felix: "You fully know why."

Kairel: "I think marks means someing visible, most likely a fluid of some sort."

Kairel: "Like spilled tea or drinks, or blood."

Janice: "Thank you for your time."

Kairel: "If you need me, I'll just be hanging around. I won't be going anywhere."

***

Janice: "Hmm..."

Gladys: "What can we deduce?"

Gladys: "Mr. St. James's reasoning was fairly weak. Why must marks only be fluids?"

Gladys: "And Mr. Ruen was just being himself."

Janice: "But apart from intuition we should also be looking at facts."

Gladys: "We don't have much of that right now."

Janice: "Or maybe we do and you're just hiding it."

Gladys: "What? That's preposterous. We were together the whole time."

Janice: "You're the master of under-the-table dealings."

Gladys: "Says the unethical snoopy columnist."

Janice: "Who you calling unethical!"

Janice: "You must be the pot, because you're calling me black."

"My last free clue is the location of crime."

Park

Hotel

Restaurant

Hospital

School

Museum

Gladys: "I am getting another call."

Gladys: "I see. Goodbye."

***

Gabriel: "I think you need to get into Lewis's mind."

Gabriel: "I don't know him well enough but I think he's a straightforward man, so the items will be very obvious. Like books is probably one."

Gabriel: "And it even can be used to cause severe injury."

Gladys: "But it's not a weapon."

Janice: "And it's your item."

Gabriel: "Oh, then nevermind."

***

James: "So our clues so far are that the victim died of severe injury, there are marks on the victim and the crime was at a school."

James: "Perhaps some of these clues point to the key evidence rather than the weapon, especially the clue on the victim."

James: "I assume you have eliminated most of my weapons except the candle."

James: "The candle doesn't seem to fit in a school, however. A hotel, maybe, but not a school."

Gladys: "Fair. Ms. Ilien?"

Janice: "I don't know,"

James: "So I am therefore innocent. You can trust my words."

***

Felix: "I think I'll be more helpful. None of the weapons has a direct relevance so this must be talking about the key evidence."

Felix: "If you let me out I can tell you more."

Janice: "You do know that we don't have the key and you're never getting out until we finish the mission, right?"

Felix: "I just don't want to be here. I think Kairel is suspicious. He has a pink school bag. Gabriel's books and James's pen and paper are also possible."

Felix: "None of my weapons or evidence are school-related, so I'm not your killer."

Janice: "Hmm..."

***

Kairel: "Oh, you got me."

Kairel: "I have a book bag with me."

Janice: "So you admit to being the killer?"

Kairel: "Mm-hmm."

Kairel: "Wait, I'm just kidding, guys. Don't tell me you really believed that."

Gladys: "Erm..."

Kairel: "Oh come on."

Kairel: "I'm not much of a thinker but I think you can eliminate any food items since that clearly corresponds to a restaurant."

***

Gladys: "I had it with you and your personal attacks."

Janice: "And I've had it with your hypocrisy!"

Janice: "Ow! You dare claw me?"

Janice: "AAH!"

Janice: "Ouch."

Gladys: "I hope you learned your lesson."

Janice: "I knew you weren't an angel."

Gladys: "Oh dear, that was bad for my image, wasn't it? Hopefully that can be scratched. How about we just focus on making preliminary deductions?"

Janice: "Oh you got to be kidding me."

Janice: "You think I'm going to listen to you?"

Janice: "I know your niceness is a facade. I know your past. I've been digging it up."

Gladys: "You have nothing on me."

Janice: "On the contrary, I have everything. All your corrupt acts will be known soon."

Gladys: "I'm warning you. You won't like your fate once you publish it."

Janice: "Go ahead and threaten me. I'm not afraid of a ginger. I drink it every day."

Gladys: "Why can't we just work together?"

Janice: "Oh wow, I'm so afraid."

Janice: "Your various ploys and threats don't work on me."

Gladys: "Hmph."

Gladys: "It is clear we cannot work together any more."

Janice: "Hmph. It is clear we cannot work together any more."

Gladys: "Are you mocking me? I don't sound like that."

Janice: "Maybe you should take out those earplugs of yours."

Gladys: "What earplugs? Don't be ridiculous. Or should I not have expected so much."

Janice: "Just you wait. I'll have the last laugh."

Lewis: "What clue should I buy? Based on what they've been doing so far, I think it's best I buy the victim's identity clue."

Male

Female

Child

Young Adult

Middle-Aged Adult

Elder

Gladys: "Oh, just in time."

Gladys: "What Lewis just gave us pretty much confirms everything we know so far."

Gladys: "Is it not obvious children go to school?"

***

Gabriel: "I don't know what his intention is for buying a redundant clue."

Gabriel: "Maybe he's trying to lead you to think in a different direction."

Janice: "And what would that be?"

Gabriel: "I don't know. You're the investigators."

Janice: "Man, Gabriel can be sharp at times."

***

James: "Children and school seem to go hand in hand. I don't know what Lewis is doing,"

James: "Maybe the trophies. Children nowadays earn a lot of participation trophies."

Janice: "Wonderful. More confusion."

***

Felix: "Let me out! Gladys should be in here."

Gladys: "Yawn. Don't you get tired of that? I'm tired of hearing it already."

Felix: "I think toys should be included."

Felix: "Maybe that is Lewis's focus for this clues and the school clue was for something else. Perhaps the weapon. But I'm not sure. I'm just throwing things out."

***

Kairel: "Oh, a child! How despicable."

Kairel: "I would never hurt a child."

Kairel: "I think the killer has something against children. Maybe the toys are evidence. Like the elephant toy."

Kairel: "I think he was trying to lead us to the idea of children with the previous clue but we missed it."

Janice: "I see. I will consider that."

***

Gladys: "I really think it is time to make preliminary conclusions. I get a feeling it is Kairel with his bag, but I cannot figure out his weapon."

Janice: "I'm getting mixed signals from all of them, but Kairel does seem the most probable so far. It is possible Lewis chose that children clue to lead us to Kairel."

Gladys: "But he isn't the victim. We need more information. And we do not even know if each clue refers to the weapon or evidence or both."

Lewis: "What other clues can I buy?"

Lewis: "There is an autopsy report here..but I don't think that is useful."

Lewis: "How are they doing so far? Oh dear."

Lewis: "Let me analyse the evidence again."

Lewis: "As well as samples of the victim."

Lewis: "Hmm...maybe this would provide them some help."

Lewis: "I shall buy the clue on the evidence left behind."

Artistic

Natural

Synthetic

Written

Personal

Unrelated

Janice: "Hello? I see you have another clue."

Janice: "I don't need evidence left behind, idiot."

Janice: "Oh, artistic evidence? Interesting."

***

Gabriel: "Artistic? Maybe the paintbrush. It could be an art school, where children learn to paint."

Gladys: "I really doubt that."

***

James: "A lot of things can be considered artistic. Such as the creation of toys. It's a craft. Although it says evidence left behind I think this could also be referring to the weapon too. Gabriel has a statue bust, although I would classify that as being more in a museum than a school."

***

Felix: "Again points to Kairel. Kairel has a vase. If you smash it on someone's head it will definitely cause severe injury."

Janice: "Not excessive blood loss?"

Felix: "Depends on how hard you hit."

***

Kairel: "Evidence, eh? How about the makeup kit? Or the paintbrushes? And it depends on the type of art. If literature is included, books are possible, or if music then things like my guitar or James's CD rack are also possible."

***

Gladys: "Hmm, Kairel really seems to be the murderer."

Janice: "It's getting pretty repetitive so I'd like to wrap this up."

Gladys: "Based on all our evidence I think James is not our killer and neither is Felix,"

Janice: "I really can't see it right now. Come on, think."

Janice: "Let me review the clues again. Severe injury. I would think something like the vase would shatter and the shards would cut and cause blood loss."

Gladys: "But would that be the cause of death? And why can't it be a plastic case?"

Gladys: "The victim is a child and the crime was done in school. This really points heavily to the books or the bag. But Gabriel doesn't seem to have relevant weapons."

Lewis: "I don't want to spend too many points. I trust they can figure it out now."

***

Janice: "It looks like he's not giving us any more clues."

Janice: "We must be on the right track."

Gladys: "I suggest then we put aside our differences and work together."

Gladys: "Let us look at all possibilities. Is it possible Gabriel did it with the statue bust which is artistic and left behind books, which pertains to school and can be the child's?"

Janice: "Why the sudden change from Kairel to Gabriel?"

Gladys: "I am merely contemplating every single outcome. We cannot afford losses."

Janice: "Did you pass Simlish? Evidence refers to evidence, not the weapon. So the evidence is artistic, not the weapon."

Janice: "If I were the forensic scientist, I would then have the location of crime pertain to the weapon. So the killer grabbed something from the school."

Gladys: "But you are not Lewis. We do not know how he interprets the clues."

Gladys: "I think the child clue must be referring to the evidence since the killer won't choose a childlike weapon to kill a child. Which narrows our options considerably.."

Gladys: "Which would be Gabriel's books, James's pen and paper and Kairel's books. But James has no relevant weapons so he's out."

Janice: "I just want to know what the artistic evidence means. Could James's flowers be considered?"

Janice: "And why would Lewis give us so much evidence but nothing on the weapon?"

Gladys: "I think he was limited in options and this was the best way he could convey to us that the weapon was artistic, not the evidence. Even then the bag could be artistic. There are many styles nowadays."

Janice: "We are assuming it's a school bag."

Gladys: "It's not like producers would make it so explicit."

Janice: "You seem hell bent on Kairel. I'll follow you then."

Gladys: "Alright. Our final answer is Kairel did it..."

Gladys: "...with the vase..."

Gladys: "...and the evidence is his bag."

***

Janice and Gladys may now see if they are correct.

Gladys: "All of His weapons and evidence are still intact."

Janice: "That means he's not the killer."

Gladys: "It's a good thing we didn't pick him."

Janice: "Everything is here. James is not our killer."

Gladys: "I really think we are right."

Janice: "Wait..."

Janice: "One weapon is missing."

Gladys: "The trophy."

Gladys: "I think the paintbrushes are gone too."

Janice: "You're the killer?"

Janice: "I can't believe it. What good do you get?"

Felix: "I was told I would get a hidden exemption if you failed to pinpoint me as the killer. And it's revenge against Gladys."

Janice: "Ugh. It's such an expensive exemption. I can't believe you would play with points like that for petty reasons."

Felix: "Petty? Surely you would understand."

Here is the actual scenario: Our dear Lily Flowerina was knocked in the head with a bunch of trophies while she was at the art gallery admiring art. In a moment of panic, Felix dropped his paintbrush (which he wraps around a cloth so that's the pillow thingy under the paintbrush) at the crime scene. 0/100 points were earned, making the pot 150/680 points. Felix stands to gain a hidden exemption. 

Lewis: "I thought I should explain my reasoning. Clearly, the MOD is blunt force trauma, which is severe injury. I imagined that would leave some sort of visible bruise or fracture so I picked marks as the clue on victim. And the paintbrush could have paint which would get onto the victim, so there's that. I thought of art school, since there isn't an art gallery and museums don't make me think of painting. It's not like you can paint in there anyway. And children would be the most interested in art and getting trophies rather than anyone else. I had no idea who the victim was so the victim's identity was really to guide them to the evidence or the weapon. And the artistic evidence was to steer them onto the right track. Is it not obvious I'm referring to the paintbrush? But they misinterpreted it. Sigh..."

***

Felix successfully fooled Gladys and Janice, but was the exemption too expensive? And did Felix have personal reasons for going against the group?