Artless Deceit

**Artless Deceit** is the eighteenth case in Murderworlds: Zorro Island. It takes place in the Education Area, and Ellis assists in the investigation.

## Artless Deceit

### Partner(s)

Ellis Mandelio  (All Chapters)
  Judge Andrew Vargas  (2 Tasks In Hitting The Books 3/5)

## Plot

Arriving at the Academy Arts Festival, Ellis and the player met with Aurora Keyes, who said she had knowledge of people rumoured to be in the secret society due to work with Ellis. She led the player and Ellis through the crowd as they found themselves inside the central arts centre, as Aurora left the pair to go back outside to the festivities. As Ellis and the player waited, a gunshot suddenly rang out upstairs, as Ellis and the player ran up there to find Bronwyn Angelopoulos dead on the ground with a gunshot wound to the heart.

Mid-investigation, Ellis and the player had to ask Axelle for help in breaking up a fight between Na'eemah Aziz and Kylie Ozola, who were fighting over ownership of the victim's very expensive studio. Later on, Javier aided the detectives in convincing Sutton Foster to unlock the door to his studio, as he had locked himself in after his initial interrogation. In the end, however, the detectives managed to identify the killer as the studio's neighbour, Natalie Milton-Trent.

Despite stagnant denial, Natalie eventually admitted to the crime, saying that Bronwyn's studio had the best views of everything in the area, and it also possessed a great lookout to spy on the Secret Society, which Natalie admitted to being a part of. Upon hearing of this, Natalie realised Bronwyn likely knew all of the members of the society, as she stole Rhys Coleman's gun and shot Bronwyn when she promised to be a model for her photo shoot. After refusing to give Judge Vargas a list of names, Natalie was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the senseless killing.

Post-case, Judge Vargas approached Ellis and the player, asking if they could take him to Bronwyn's studio, since she had evidently been looking into the Secret Society. Upon arriving, Judge Vargas discerned that the society met at the local café, as Ellis and the player searched there and discovered a list of regular customers, including Adriana Sanchez, Rhys, Natalie and, surprisingly, Nari Freeman. Upon interrogating Natalie again, Natalie said that there were a lot more than just those four people in the Secret Society, as Bronwyn had been closer to the truth than anyone else. In exchange for a five year reduction on her sentence, Natalie suggested the detectives investigate the "smarter" students at the academy, before guards escorted her away.

Meanwhile, Pedro approached the player, asking for help after Adora Mandelio went off the grid, worrying Ellis and Alita significantly. After finding her phone at the bus station, Bonita figured out her last sent text message was to Zoe Leung, who was *meant* to be in prison for killing Alvin McGuinness. Despite this, Chief Mendes suggested they figure out why that was happening later, as she would dispatch guards to ensure Zoe was serving her sentence, as Adora later turned up at the station extremely dazed and confused, before she fainted and was taken to hospital.

With Ellis and Alita tending to Adora in hospital, Rhea and Rosa theorised about the Secret Society with the player, talking about how it was likely some kind of prestige thing revolving around their parents, or that they were just innocent kids, as Juan informed the detectives that there happened to be a debate happening two days from then which would have some of the smartest students present, as the team resolved to find the remaining members of the secret society.

## Summary

#### Victim

* **Bronwyn Angelopoulos** (shot in the heart in her studio)

## Suspects

* Sutton Foster - Victim's Neighbour - The suspect drinks aloe vera juice, knows photography, wears stripes and has a piercing.
* Na'eemah Aziz - Victim's Best Friend - The suspect uses *Essence Of Paris* and wears stripes.
* Kylie Ozola - Photographer - The suspect uses *Essence Of Paris*, knows photography and has a piercing.
* Rhys Coleman - Secret Society Member - The suspect drinks aloe vera juice.
* Natalie Milton-Trent - Drama Student - The suspect drinks aloe vera juice, uses *Essence Of Paris*, knows photography, wears stripes and has a piercing.

## Quasi-Suspects

* Andrew Vargas - Judge
* Pedro Garcia - Lab Analyst

## Killer's Profile

* The killer drinks aloe vera juice.
* The killer uses *Essence Of Paris*.
* The killer knows photography.
* The killer wears stripes.
* The killer has a piercing.

## Crime Scenes

 Retro Diner
 Bus Station