Nutsy Nefarious Nights (OOC)

Everything is now in judging. We should have a point breakdown soon, along with HA awards. You WILL gain points for other accusations as long as they were well-reasoned.

Now, for the curious:

All Items You Could Have Examined

the area rug on which Caudata fell.

As you lift the rug, you find a small patch of medium brown fur that is bloodstained on the hide side. Ouch, that must have left a mark? You wonder if it might have been torn in fight?

the cell phone by the bed.

Going through the recent logs, you find a number of calls to one certain number. There are also several text messages to that same number with the same message: I'm not going to do it. You call the number, and a businesslike voice says: You have reached Alberton Mental Hospital. Please leave a voice message at the tone and we will return your call as soon as possible.

the open window and the tree where Tamias saw Caudata's body

While the police have promised a fingerprint report, you notice something else. There are some holes on the tree branch outside. They seem to have been dug into the wood by two sharp matching objects.

a music box on the table in the sitting room.

You wind the music box, and a couple waltz happily across the top. There is a tiny drawer on the bottom, and you pull it open to find a locket with a picture of Utah inside. A gift card next to the locket reads: Valentine's Day, 2014.

a teddy bear in a ballerina costume on the bed

A name is sewn into the bear's costume in the back. It reads: Wuxie

a small diary near the Jacuzzi in the bathroom

This diary needs a key? Where could you find it?

an outfit casually thrown on the closet floor

Part of the outfit is a balled up large shawl, folded a number of times as though someone stuffed it together. Part of it is ripped.

several of Caudata's handbags tossed on a closet shelf

You examine the purses carefully, but find nothing but some sticks of gum and a forgotten half-empty compact. Oh, and one tiny key.

a laptop computer on a desk in the sitting room.

This computer has a password. If you can find it, it may prove VERY useful.

88888888888888

On the laptop:

The background of the laptop shows a photo of Caudata and Sibrica hugging each other and mugging for the camera. They're wearing matching T-shirts that say: "Rodent Girlz Can't Be Trapped." Both girls are giggling.

There is also a video file with a note: "Rica says I need to see this. I'll do it tonight."

You pull up the video and find Sibrica talking to Tamias while she shoots the film, evidently on her own cell/camera as it wobbles in placed.

Tamias is working around a large garden shed not too far from the tree under Caudata's window. Sibrica films to inside of the shed and sees a cot and a microwave on a table.

Sibrica: Oh gosh, I didn't know you lived here, too!

Tamias: It keeps me close. (He is evidently uneasy with her presence and what's she's doing.)

Sibrica: Caudata says you've taken quite a shine to her. She loves having a big fan.

Tamias: (Perking up) She does?

Sibrica: Absolutely. She's so glad she made the trip to visit the hospital that day and met you. I'm glad you're better. Were you very ill?

Tamias: (Nervous now)What did she say?

Sibrica: Just that she thinks you went through a lot. She's amazed you're so calm. Don't you ever get angry?

Tamias: (Turning away) Not with her. She's my sweetheart. I do get angry, but not at her. She's mine; she's always been mine!

Sibrica backs out of the shed on this and walks off quickly.

As you examine the window and the branch, you notice some odd things. The holes on the branch seem to have been made by a very sharp object, and the window sill appears to have a slight stain in the edge, and though a dark leather glove might have been rubbed across it.

Obviously, Caudata wasn't a devoted chronicler, and a number of days are blank or simply have a smile or a frown. She also has an unfortunate habit of failing to mention names. You do, however, find a few truly interesting entries.

I'm almost sorry now that I persuaded Father to give him a job. He IS doing well, and he still has that cute charm that made me respond to him the day I visited for the charity tour, but, gosh, he seems to be obsessed with me.

Men do that a lot, of course, since I'm me, but still this is almost stalkerish.

The bitch is at it again! I know what she wants, but does she have to pick on Rica that way? THIS is why I've never gotten along with her! I'm going to tell Father to go ahead and just do it!

It'll serve her right for all the things she's pulled on me all these years!

And let's see how she likes it when I do what I want to her!

Okay, it was a false alarm, and just stress. I'm really glad about that, but he's still a cowardly bastard. That's all I have to say!
I am so tired of Utah begging me to take him back! I only got involved in the first place because Rica was so hung up on him. I know she was hurt, but he would have ruined her lif. He'd ruin anybody if you took him seriously, but he really was a fun date.

It's just that he's so boring now!

Why won't she help me? She's got the brains for it, and I just have to pass that clearance thing. I don't want to take the class. THAT will be more trouble than it's worth.
I could scream. HE was up in my room again offering me wine and trying to push himself on me. I loathe him, and he always smells like smoke. Makes me want to vomit. Now tonight, he left me another bottle of wine, with a note written like he was already drunk when he wrote it.

Well, it's unopened and a good vintage, so I'll have a glass, but I'm not going to let him in, even if I have to barricade myself.

I'm sick, sick, sick of this!

And, here's the summation of mostly all the clues given out by place and suspect. Only thing I evidently wrote out separately and forgot to record was the visit several teams made to the shuttle port, where they discovered the discrepancy in weight--this had to be queued off of interviewing Woody as a suspect before the place was available.

[spoiler=Most of What Was Asked or Searched]

The crime scene:

You really don't understand what you could have missed, but you figure it's better to be safe the sorry.

Your wisdom pays off as you realize the stain on the window sill is actually some heavy type of lubcricating oil, and it's pretty fresh, too.

The note from the wine bottle simply reads. "See you soon, my dear. It's an exquisite vintage." You also note that there is a small hole in the top of the wine cork, meaning that some substance might have been injected, leaving the wine bottle looking unopened.

In addition, on closer examination of the bracelet, you find that the tiny pillbox ornament of opens and inside you find one tylenol and a smaller pill, a prescription drug by the look of it.

On the grounds:

You don't see much around the tree except a few footprints, including one set that looks like stiletto heels. Gee, Caudata must have snuck in as well, since Bacina is wearing flats, and you can't imagine the Layana is that stylish.

Near Tamias' shed you find a rope ladder that has obviously been recently repaired. It has a set of hooks at the top to attach to a windowsill. There's also a small backup generator that has been oiled and polished.

The Maid:

The maid is a nervous little squirrel obviously overwhelmed at her appointment as the house spokeswoman. She regards you with wide black eyes as you question her.

Injuries? Oh, I haven't seen any in the household. The first aid inventory is still intact, and a patch of fur ripped off would require some attention. Wouldn't it?

This evening? No, I haven't seen anything, but there are a lot of people here? Ms. Bacina's been running everyone around to take care of all of you. There been a lot of people out of Ms. Caudata's room today. I'm used to Ms. Layana going in to argue with her, and Professor Eichhorn trying to surprise her at all hours, and, of course, Mr. Utah before he was replaced by Mr. Woodrow, but that last is fairly new. And Ms. Sibrica, of course, but they were like sisters."

Oh, I don't know if I should say, but Ms. Caudata and Ms. Layana never got along very well, not even when they were children. Too little in common, I think, and different values. She and Ms. Sibrica didn't meet until college, but they were much more like sisters. They shared everything, and we loved seeing the two of them giggling together. Ms. Bacina? Well, she is a first cousin, and the closest relative, I suppose, and she and Ms. Caudata seemed to get along. The last tiem she visited, there was a coldness, though. Some spat over a man, I think, but I don't know many details. With Ms. Sibrica, Ms. Bacina was always so cold. She felt she was a gold-digger trying to muscle in on the family.

On the night of the murder? Well, Professor Eichhorn was in her room for a little bit, but Ms. Caudata threw him out quickly, and I know she was still alive then. He went down to see Mr. Marmota then. Such a tragedy. She was so young!"

Eichhorn

The professor is a portly creature, and clearly quite taken with himself and his "genius." He is puffing on a rather stinky cigar and sipping brandy. He is also obviously impatient with detectives showing up.

"Oh, come now. Surely, you can't expect me to consider a few sessions cramming facts into that idle head as having a connection? Bah!"

"Of course, I have access to chemical substances! I run the research lab at the univsersity. Layana does most of the experiments, though. Brilliant girl. One of the brightest students I've ever had. Rather plain, of course, but can't be helped."

Layana

Caudata's sister is a mousy colored creature with horn-rimmed glasses and hair pulled back into a tight bun. She is a living cliche of the plain sibling of the beautiful sister. She looks out of plain in her simple short-sleeved dinner dress.

She brightens up when you show her the bracelet. "Oh, thank you! I was wondering where that went. I don't understand how it got into Caudata's room. I thought I might have dropped it in the bathroom when I was washing."

As she stretches out her hand for it, you notice the hint of a bandage on her upper arm, as though some fur has been ripped away.

"Oh, thank you for finding this! I think I might need the two tylenol inside tonight. I'm very clumsy you see. I'm always hurting myself."

She opens the pillbox and shakes her head. "What is this? There's only one, and this other thing looks like... flunitrazepam? But that's not possible! I don't use it."

"Eichhorn? well...." she looks away. "he has a wife, you see, and he would never...oh, all right, I adore him! Yes, yes, we were lovers, but it wasn't an affair! It was real, until Caudi turned his head, and he wanted her instead! Wanted her, who wouldn't even look at him! And I adore him!" She sobs.

"I didn't do anything to Rica. How could I. Father and Caudi both love her. Oh, I could make her feel poor and small, even stupid, but it was all words. She's the other sister in this house. Father even wants to adopt her! Me? I'm just a nuisance!"

"Tamias? He's a nut job, but overall harmless. Caudi met him when she did a charity tour for Alberton. He swore she was his childhood sweetheart after that, which is ridiculous. Still, he did watch out for her. Men liked Caudi." She looks a bit envious.

"Caudi and Bacina? Lord, what a mismatch! One airhead and one conniver. Caudi spent money like water, and Bacina would slit her mother's throat for a penny. Or Woody. Lord knows what she's sees in that playboy, and he seems to be the only thing she likes more than herself. She and Caudi had a real set-to over him. Caudi dumped him shortly after that, but I doubt it was for Bacina."

Sibrica

Sibrica is a pretty and tiny creature with soft auburn fur who is obviously holding herself together with some effort. One of her small paws are tightly clasped around Mr. Marmota still paw, and she is reading poetry aloud from the book across her lap as you enter.

On a nearby table, you see two medicine bottles, both anti-depressants. One is flunitrazepam.

She smiles bravely up at you. "The doctor says that reading aloud to Father will help him come back to us more quickly. I can't lose them both! I just can't! They're the only family I have."

"Bacina and Caudi? Oh, my! what a row that was. You'd think Woody was Bacina's personal property. Evidently she didn't ask him, but Caudi went off him shortly anyway. Something happened that she really didn't like, and then it must have resolved, but she never told me what it was. Bacina kept looking daggers at her, though."

"Bacina hates me, plain and simple. She can't accept that Father treats me like another daughter. But is she here with him now. Of course not. There's no money involved. I'm soory, I'm being almost as bitchy as she is."

"Alberton is one of Caudi's favorite charities. She feels sorry for those who got off an emotional end. I think that's why she was so good with me when I bottomed out. Gosh, I miss her!"

"My phone? Oh, of course!" She digs out a pink mobile decorated with a sparkly butterfly cover. "Caudata gave me that cover. It's pretty, isn't it? Like Caudi. She was so pretty, so pretty..." Tears are now sliding down her cheeks.

"I really don't know why I tried to kill myself now. I jsut felt I had hit bottom. I thought I had no one, and no place to be, but the Father said I should live her, and Caudi came every night to sit with me and tell me I was her very best friend. The meds have helped, too, but, in the end, I couldn't help her. If only she'd screamed. I would have done anything to save her!"

"I do use flunitrazepam, but only in the combination, and only at night. I counted my pills, too, and showed the police. None of them are missing."

Tamias

Tamias is long and lanky for a prairie dog, and his fur is a dark brown, almost black. He is always on the move, pacing, wringing his hand, or nervously turning his head from side to side. On a nearby table are several drug bottles, but none of them look as if they've ever been opened.

"You know what they do if you have a few fantasies and say them aloud? Or you notice your boss is having fun with all the employees and hates her rich husband? They lock you up in an instution and say you've had a breakdown. That's what. Then they let you walk around, and they talk to you, and drug you, and talk to you, over and over and over....then one day she was there, just doing a charity visit, Ms. Caudata Marmota, and she was so beautiful! That was when I remembered she was my childhood sweetheart...or was she? They said I was having another fantasy, but they let me out after a while. They decided I wasn't dangerous. SoI found my love again, and she let me stay. I took such good care of her after that, and her father, too. But I didn't take care enough care that night, did I?"

He sits sadly and says no more.

"Yeah, I saw that Professor go in with something in his hand. Caudata threw him out fast though. She was always full of spunk, even when we were kids. Did I mention she's my childhood sweetheart?"

"He is violent. He was arrested for it once, but he got off. They should have locked him up, the way he beats Ms. Layana. Ain't my place to defend her; she's not my girl like Caudata. Still, he's even ripped fur off of her. Bet he beats his wife, too!"

"She didn't sneak in. She went up right and proper, and then she threw out the Professor and locked her door. I came out here, climbed up and checked on her. She was just having a glass of wine, and starting to dress for bed. I wanted to look, but that wouldn't be right, staring at my girl when she can't see. So I came down, had a couple of shots of Jack Daniels and went to sleep. When I woke up, the ladder was still there, so I climbed back up to see how she was...and..." He picks up a glass and throws it against the wall behind you. "Could you all just leave now? Talking ain't bringing her back to me!"

"Yes, I have dark work gloves. Want to see?" He opens a drawer and shows you a pair of well worn and cracked gloves. They could obviously use some care.

"I know Ms. Rica. She lives here, too, and she likes the flowers in the garden. I keep them nice for her, since she's Caudi's best friend.

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Nutsy Nefarious Nights (OOC)

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