on the third day of christmas my true love gave to me a trial to see whodunit

[jinglehellmods]

WHO KILLED CHRISTMAS?

Four hours pass. Thug Dangerzone and Brasco move all the tables together (with no help from Starshine) and the "trial room" such that it is, is set. One long table with plenty of standing room if you aren't feeling like getting buddy buddy with your new best friends. No one seems to have wanted to move the body, so right next to the long table is Kido, sort of covered with the tablecloth. (Was it made to be a reminder, of what you've lost? Or are they just lazy?)

On each spot at the table is a sandwich and apple cider, and that basket sits ominously in the middle of the table as a gruesome centerpiece reminder. Next to the food is a pen and a small notebook, like the kind they use on police procedural.

After everyone is seated, or at least standing awkwardly around, Starshine goes to stand at the head of the table and claps her hands to get everyone's attention. "Hello everyone. I hope you used your four hours wisely!" She sets a piece of paper on the table, with a variety of names. "Here's your suspect list. We were doing a little digging while you guys were busy poking around, so we've determined it's one of these idiots. Please discuss among yourself who did it. When you're ready, write their name on the paper and hand it to one of us and we'll count. When a majority of you have all written the same name, we'll stop. Or, uh, I guess if you waste enough of our time."

She looks from Brasco to Thug Dangerzone and then back to the table and the gathered masses. She waves her hand in a sweeping gesture in front of everyone, "Let the Hunger Games begin!"

23 GUESTS REMAIN

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Comments

[happydreamed]

Given how carefully the tablecloth was placed over him, everything must have been removed and replaced, unless our murderer is very competent at the 'pull off the tablecloth without disturbing the settings' trick.

Why would you bother?

[codeofmisconduct]

That's true. Perhaps the fruit basket wasn't originally on the table to begin with, however. I suppose there's no proof it was.

In fact, considering there was no blood on the table itself-- it's actually unlikely that's where it originally sat.

[happydreamed]

...Perhaps murder made them a tad peckish.

[codeofmisconduct]

I doubt they would have eaten any of the fruit in that basket considering there was blood on the fruit itself. So it was likely there at the time of the murder-- but I don't think it was originally on the table. Perhaps they had it with them at the time of the murder however...

[happydreamed]

None of them had bites taken out of them...

There was bruising on his head. Could that have been responsible for the dent you noticed?

[codeofmisconduct]

That's possible, yes... But that's an unusual choice for a weapon. It would lend to the idea that this wasn't premeditated...

[doublesmall]

Someone who gave enough of a damn about the guy might bother. Wouldn't want to leave him all exposed, yeah?

[happydreamed]

I understand placing the tablecloth over him as respect for the dead. What I don't understand is replacing the fruit basket, table settings, and so on.

'Tis not as though we were expected not to notice, and I would hope we were not expected to have breakfast in the same room as a corpse.

[doublesmall]

If the blood was on the underside of the fruits, maybe they were hoping we wouldn't notice it got used until later on. Which is fucking gross, for the record.

[please nobody get blood on food again?]

[happydreamed]

'Tis indeed disgusting.

[Please no one ever murder here again?]

[doublesmall]

-that, and now that I think about it, why not just use the knife handle if you have to hit someone with something blunt? They already had a weapon.

[happydreamed]

Perhaps they were unaccustomed to using a knife in such a way? A slice on your own hand would certainly be incriminating evidence.

However, that goes counter to the precision of the stab to the heart...