Chapter 207 Case File 3: The Mysterious Dinner Party at Rose Villa (11)
Winston tried to place his fingers on the Baron's carotid artery, but the Baron's neck was swollen to at least three times its size, and the skin was filled with fluid, so he couldn't find any blood vessels.
He gave up and instead searched for a non-existent heartbeat on the Baron's chest.
Finally, Winston shook his head and could only announce: "He is dead."
"How could this happen!" Vivian exclaimed, "I never got close to him!"
Her peanuts were still neatly wrapped in oil paper, isolated with space magic, and stuffed into a small bag. There was no way they could cause an allergy in Baron Chandler.
"It's not you." Winston put on a white glove and wiped it across the baron's mouth and nose. A layer of yellowish-white powder immediately covered the white glove. He carefully examined it and sniffed it with extreme caution. "It's roasted almond powder and rose pollen."
"There would be such powder around the mouth and nose..." Andrei sketched out the corresponding scene in his mind: "Did someone sprinkle almond powder on the roses to trick the Baron into smelling the flowers?"
"That's more than that." Winston flicked his wrist, miming the motion of rubbing a rose across someone's face. "Simply sniffing the fragrance wouldn't be enough. But if I deliberately and provocatively brushed the rose against the Baron's mouth, nose, and face, he could inhale or come into contact with enough to cause an allergic reaction."
Winston, who had been playing the role of clerk for a long time, reasoned familiarly, "Considering Baron Chandler's preferences, the person who could perform this action naturally without arousing the Baron's suspicion must be a woman..."
"For example, Baroness Chandler, or Madame Butterfly... Of course, we can't ignore that crazy Lady Samantha and toxicologist Landner."
——Everyone who comes here has their own purpose. The current situation is unclear. No one can be ruled out as a suspect until we find out where they were and what they were doing in the afternoon and whether they have any alibis.
"According to Baron Chandler's statement before his death, he had just successfully sold the notebook left by his father to someone. It is difficult to say whether his death was directly related to this."
"Wasn't it Madame Butterfly who wanted the notebook? But why did Madame Butterfly kill the Baron after buying his notebook?" Vivian couldn't understand. "Could it be that they couldn't agree on the price? But that doesn't make sense. If they couldn't agree on the price, then they should have killed and robbed the Baron."
"No, maybe there is someone like us who wants to investigate this matter on their own; or perhaps, that notebook not only records the princess's past, but also hides secrets that someone wants to bury forever..." Winston pondered.
"The more important question," André said, "is that a baron died at Madame Butterfly's party. This is no small matter. Where is Madame Butterfly, the host, now?"
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Madame Butterfly hurried over, and even through her mask, people could feel the raging anger emanating from her.
"How could such an accident happen!" she cried angrily, "I specifically told the chef..."
"It's not the chef's fault." Winston interrupted Madame Butterfly. "The murderer took advantage of Baron Chandler's allergy to nuts, but the nuts were ground into powder and put into the roses! This wasn't an accident, it was murder!"
The rapid tapping of Madame Butterfly's high heels came to an abrupt halt. She stood there in shock, "Murder?! Who is the suspect? Why kill someone here? Oh my God! What a terrible impact this will have on my reputation!"
"Madame Butterfly, now is not the time to worry about your reputation." Winston frowned. "The murderer is among us. If we don't catch him in time, I'm afraid we will all be in danger!"
"Ah!" said Madame Butterfly, somewhat dazedly. "Yes, you are right! This is horrible! . . . Do you know the identity of the murderer?"
Winston shook his head. "The investigation hasn't even begun yet. I don't have the ability to predict the future..."
"Madame Butterfly, we need your help to find the murderer. Please gather everyone in this villa together. We need to ask where everyone was this afternoon and what they did..."
"That's easy," Madame Butterfly replied, "I had already arranged a special dinner for all the guests tonight, and now, despite this tragedy, we can't let the food go to waste.
"Butler Richard, please ask all guests and servants to move to the banquet hall, and then notify Ayou to serve the dishes..."
As Madame Butterfly spoke, her heavy tone gradually became lighter, as she had come up with another "good" idea.
"I originally wanted everyone to play a mystery game at this dinner. Imagine how fun it would be for everyone to work together to solve a puzzle amidst the mysterious atmosphere created by seemingly spooky and bizarre dishes!
"But now it seems that no matter how much effort I put into compiling a mystery, it can't be as horrifying as a real case. What's more, such a horrific case happened right before our eyes!
"Oh, I'm sure all the guests will agree with my proposal! The grieving widow needs to know the truth, justice needs to be served, and the anxious guests need peace! And all of this points to the same answer: we need to catch the criminal ourselves!
"What could be more fun and immersive than this? Guests collaborate, suspect each other, or hide things from each other...unmask each other, or help each other cover up?
"Ah! Thrilling, exciting, and realistic! This is the game I want!"
The passing of a vibrant life was not as important to Madame Butterfly as her fame or the fun of the dinner party… André sensed a hint of absurdity and couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled:
If Madame Butterfly was the Baron's killer, then why would she choose to kill him at her own party when she valued her reputation as a party host and a socialite in Vanity Fair so much?
If Madame Butterfly wanted to easily "deal with" Baron Chandler, as a social star, she could have chosen an occasion that had nothing to do with her. Why did she have to do it in her home turf and implicate herself?
——Was this murder premeditated, or was it a case of the arrow being on the string and having to be fired?
Nobles always try to hide their weaknesses as much as possible, but Baron Chandler's nut allergy symptoms are obvious, and it is a secret that cannot be hidden no matter what. Almost everyone in the upper circle knows about it. As long as someone is determined, it is not difficult to take advantage of this.
The key question is, who would have such a strong murderous intention towards Baron Chandler? And who was Baron Chandler, a down-and-out nobleman, standing in his way?
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