[ WEEK THREE – TRIAL ]

[sheriffexe]

TRIAL

In the morning, the town comes back to life. Birds crow overhead, a snake nearby hisses, a lingering coyote dips behind a shop before disappearing into the wild. It's a frightening contrast to the stillness of yesterday but it doesn't mean it's over yet. After all, today is the trial. The Sheriff stands on the porch of the Town Hall and brings his hand up to his mouth to let out a whistle. He'll thumb back to the Hall behind him and very clearly state -- "Trial time, folks. Get in here and figure out who did it." And then he'll turn to leave before pausing and adding on, "Bring a snack or somethin' too. The Town Hall is set up more like a court house, a Judge's bench at the front but instead of at center, it's off to the side as if more for observation than participation. There's a table at the front of the room already holding a small box and a pad of papers and pen, for voting apparently. A side room containing only a metal gurney is next and today it's obvious why there's a gurney there at all with the corpse, resting right on top of it. Aside from that, there are rows for everyone to take a seat and it's only after everyone is inside and settled, that the doors close and the Sheriff speaks. "Well, have at it. You've got till nine." And then, he points to a clock on the wall that reads 12:00. Good luck. Welcome to the trial post! Characters are free to discuss everything related to the trial here. They won't be let out of the room until 9PM when voting ends. Every character must vote and the voting post can be found here. If there are any questions, please shoot a message to this journal or to robowest.

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Comments

[thatsthespirit]

[-- ah]

So. . . no one but you two knew that you would be staying with Tarvek to watch the camera this week?

[because if so, then. . . how would the thief have known to sneak into Xion's room for said camera. . .?]

[insincerely]

[Shinnosuke pauses, before:]

Well, I did. Not so much the Tarvek part explicitly, but Xion told me last week she was keeping the camera.

[thatsthespirit]

[sheeee frowns]

You can see where I'm going with that question, yes?

[insincerely]

I didn't mention it to anyone, if that's where you're going with this.

[thatsthespirit]

It's one place I was going, yes.

[but the other?]

How could the thief have known the camera would be in Xion and Tarvek's room this week, if the information wasn't public knowledge?

[insincerely]

Don't know yet.

... And if someone's going to accuse me because I happened to know, let me point out that according to Xion, she trusted my advice above all else regarding the camera since I originally found it with her—ah, well, she's mad at me right now, so she might refute that just to spite me.

[Unrelated things, uh, happened between them.]

But in any case, if I wanted the camera, I would've just asked for it. Besides that, it's not like I knew where Xion was going to be.

[He also probably would not have admitted to knowing that Xion had it just now????]

[thatsthespirit]

[. . . she nods]

And your roommate can confirm your presence in your room at midnight, so. . .

[she doesn't really want to accuse him]

[ALSO THIS IS UNRELATED BUT]

Why is Xion mad at you?

[Milla that's prying]

[insincerely]

[He shrugs.]

I was myself last night and she didn't appreciate it.

[Read: he was a huge dick and no one should be surprised.]

[thatsthespirit]

[oh dear]

Did you attempt to comfort her and fail miserably?

[so blunt]

[insincerely]

... Do I look like the comforting type? Anyway, that's not what happened, and what happened isn't relevant.

[thatsthespirit]

[glances between them]

[raises her eyebrows]

[BUT BLESSEDLY she doesn't press]

If you insist, I won't ask you any further questions about it.

[ceded]

I'm not mad at him!

[ Butting in, looking offended. ]

Shinnosuke is being stupid. Ignore him.

[ceded]

[ .....

Xion just ... kind of looks at him.

She nods in confirmation of what he says, but her eyes don't leave his face. ]

[ceded]

No one but us should have known I was going to spend the night with Tarvek in our room, no. Since I wasn't in my room with the camera last week, I ... don't know how they figured out where I was going to be.

[thatsthespirit]

[glllances at Shinnosuke]

[but she really isn't sure what she thinks at the moment]

Do you think it's possible the Sheriff shared that information?

[ceded]

[ ... ]

I don't know how he would have known, either. The only people who should have been able to tell anyone where the camera was were ... me and Tarvek.

[ Xion frowns. ]

Maybe they just assumed I'd be in my room this week, after I wasn't the week before...? But ... I only made that decision a few days ago.

[thatsthespirit]

[hmmmmm]

Someone could have followed you to see where you turned in for the night. You didn't notice anything of that nature, did you?

[ceded]

[ ... slowly, she shakes her head. ]

No. Tarvek and I even went back to the room at slightly different times, so it wouldn't look like we were going someplace together.

[ At least, she planned it that way. ]

You could ask him if you saw anyone, though.

[dubiousalignment]

I saw no one, and I made sure to watch behind myself.

[That pocketwatch and his alertness should guarantee no one was following or watching him, he's sure of that]

[impulsiveness]

But if they saw you going into your room that night, it wouldn't have been far-fetched to think you still had the camera in your possession. [... He frowns, troubled.] Not that thinking that way will help us narrow down our list of suspects, though.

[ceded]

.... I guess that's true. I just ... don't really know what happened. It's been bothering me since Friday morning. Especially that the door was still locked.

[impulsiveness]

If it's for the sake of a murder, the door might have been unlocked for them and then closed right back up after they left. That, or they already had a way to get in and out without being noticed.

[Like, say, they were already in the room.]

[ceded]

... should we ask the Sheriff? If that's possible. If you're going to kill someone, are doors unlocked for you, or do you have to find a way in? [ A pause, and: ] Curfew is still in effect, isn't it? We know because Mr. von Karma and Higekiri had to go out the windows last week. So the hotel's main doors are still locked after curfew, even if you're a bandit like Higekiri was. But... could you ask to be let into rooms?

[impulsiveness]

It wouldn't hurt to ask. And if the doors wouldn't be unlocked if you ask politely, it might be worth checking if lock picking is possible after Thursday nights.

[ceded]

[ she went!! to ask!! so she comes back to find Jason! ]

The Sheriff won't unlock doors, but you can pick locks, or use a key.