Back In Business

**Back In Business** is the twenty-second case in Murderworlds: Zorro Island. It takes place in Saint's Valley, and Javier assists in the investigation. This also serves as the case introducing new lab chief Jae-hyun Cho, as he assists in Chapter 1 as well.

## Back In Business

### Partner(s)

Javier Hernandez  (All Chapters)
 Jae-hyun Cho  (Chapter 1)

## Plot

A month after Pedro Garcia's suicide, Chief Mendes meets the player at the station, asking how they're holding up before Javier arrives. Chief Mendes informs them that the new lab chief has flown over from his work in Seoul, and is waiting for them at Hotel Le Lune, the most expensive hotel on Zorro Island. Evidently antsy to meet the new chief, Javier and the player head there immediately, as they meet the new lab chief in the parking lot, as he introduces himself as Jae-hyun Cho. As the three make to leave, Adriana Sanchez rushes out and begs the player to help them, as Jae-hyun, Javier and the player follow Adriana to find the body of her father, hotelier Esteban Sanchez, pushed from the hotel roof.

Mid-investigation, Chief Mendes summoned Jae-hyun back to the station to meet everyone else, leaving Javier and the player to investigate together. The pair then had to stop hotel maid Carmen Alonso from throwing chemicals all over the crime scene, since it would remove all of the evidence, while they also had to calm down an absolutely distraught Salvador Sanchez as he threatened to kill whoever harmed his brother. In the end, the killer turned out to be the victim's assistant, Lenora Levine.

Despite initially denying the accusations, Lenora eventually confessed to the crime, saying that she had done a DNA test a few months back and discovered that Esteban was actually her biological father, as her mother had told her in the past that her father had abandoned them to live with his "proper family". Taking a job as his personal assistant to get closer to him, Lenora was angered to see the amount of love Esteban showed for Adriana, compared to the absence of love he had for her. When she confronted him on the roof, she was enraged to find out that he didn't know who she was, as she shoved him off the roof in a fit of rage, killing him. Understanding Lenora's reasoning vaguely, Judge Vargas lamented over how sometimes some things are better left unsaid and untouched, before sentencing Lenora to 7 years in prison.

Post-case, Jae-hyun approached Javier and the player, saying that he knew nothing about anyone at the station, as they had all been quite stoic and closed off, which upset him. Upon speaking to Francesco about it, he explained that it was likely because they had all known Pedro for so long, and it was scary to see someone replacing him. Jae-hyun and the player then found a large bundle of boxes of chocolates in the hotel bar, as he gave one to everyone as a peace offering, apologising for being an inconvenience. This led Alita and Rosa to feel bad, as they then took him on a tour of the station, while Juan said that Jae-hyun was recommended by Pedro, meaning he was likely a very good addition.

Meanwhile, Chief Mendes informed Javier and the player that they had been reported by obnoxious billionaire Howard Emery for asking him "inappropriate questions" during their investigation, as Javier said that they had only asked him if he was bribing Esteban to keep his shady dealings a secret. Chief Mendes then said that Mayor Alexandra Lyon was here to see them, as she warned them them that while she was aware Howard was a bad person, there was never any concrete proof of his work, since he used shell companies and had a lot of connections - even within the police. Mayor Lyon then informed the detectives to stay vigilant, as Howard was going after them, and he would be going all out.

After all of the events, Axelle - who had been deemed the coldest towards Jae-hyun - relented, as she asked Jae if he wanted to go for a drink with the detectives, which he joyfully accepted, while Chief Mendes informed the team about the Howard Emery situation. Juan then brought up the fact that he knew Howard from high school, as Bonita then asked if he knew her father as well, to which Juan did not respond. The team then headed their separate ways, with Chief Mendes issuing a warning to the player, advising them, as well as the rest of the team, to keep an eye on Howard.

## Summary

#### Victim

* **Esteban Sanchez** (pushed from the hotel roof)

## Suspects

* Adriana Sanchez - Victim's Daughter - The suspect speaks Spanish and is >40.
* Carmen Alonso - Hotel Maid - The suspect is allergic to dogs.
* Howard Emery - Businessman - The suspect drinks margaritas, wears a buttoned shirt and is >40.
* Lenora Levine - Victim's Assistant - The suspect drinks margaritas, speaks Spanish, is allergic to dogs, wears a buttoned shirt and is >40.
* Salvador Sanchez - Victim's Brother - The suspect drinks margaritas, speaks Spanish, is allergic to dogs and wears a buttoned shirt.

## Quasi-Suspects

* Jae-hyun Cho - Lab Chief
* Francesco Lobo - Weapons Expert
* Alexandra Lyon - Mayor of Zorro Island

## Killer's Profile

* The killer drinks margaritas.
* The killer speaks Spanish.
* The killer is allergic to dogs.
* The killer wears a buttoned shirt.
* The killer is >40.

## Crime Scenes

 Hotel Restaurant
 Rooftop Balcony