Alison Whelan

**Alison Whelan** was the head chef of the patisserie Chappy Danny's and the business partner of the patisserie's owner Danny Chapman. Alison was killed in the thirteenth episode of the fifth season "Not So Sweet After All".

Alison was a celebrity chef whose talent has been recognised by businessman Danny Chapman. According to Alison, Danny pleaded to her to be the head chef for his patisserie business while he handled the financial part. Alison agreed to take the job and signed the partnership.

However, the relationship between Danny and Alison were on the rocks when Alison started to take more finances. Danny began to concoct a scheme to get Alison out of the business — he had renowned restaurant critic Sandra Madison to give a bad review on Alison's food. Alison would be so ashamed that she would leave the patisserie to uphold her reputation.

While Alison grew angry towards Danny, she began to neglect her boyfriend Greg Baxter as she focused more in fighting her business partner.

Upon finding out about Danny's scheme, Alison grew furious and decided to dissolve the partnership and claim her share of the business and set it up as her own business. In turn, Danny was outraged and his wife, Laura, heard the news and expressed that she knew it would happen.

When Alison returned home and expressed her anger to Greg, he complained how she only cared about the business and not about their relationship. Greg then broke up with her and left her in her penthouse.

The next day, Greg came back to the penthouse to gather his things. It was then that Alison's dead body was discovered in the kitchen — beaten with a rolling pin. The police arrived in the scene and Lt. Lawson deduced that Alison was killed last night and the victim struggled with her killer before she was struck with the rolling pin.

Edwin Goodman and the police went to interrogate the suspects — Greg claimed to be in his sister's house, Danny was in the café to cool down his temper while Laura stayed behind at home resting from her flight. Sandra was busy filling in a report for her criticism towards a restaurant. While Lt. Lawson focused her suspicions towards Danny, Edwin still investigated to reveal the truth.

## Solution

Edwin unveiled the killer's identity as Laura Chapman, Danny's wife. The detective discovered that when Alison signed her contract, it showed that Laura would inherit her share of the business if Alison was to somehow leave the business, as long as the business was under Danny's power.

But when Alison decided to dissolve the partnership, split the business and claim her share of the business, the term outlining Laura's inheritance became invalid. In other words, Laura could not inherit her share of the business.

Another evidence that proved that Laura was in the crime scene was the jewel that was found in Alison's fist. The jewel came from a jewellery set that Laura owned. Also, Laura may have given Danny an alibi, but Danny have no knowledge whether Laura stayed at home or killed Alison in her apartment.

Laura admitted in killing Alison. She stated that she came to her apartment only to negotiate the situation with her. Only for Alison to disagree and proceeded in her decision to split the business. Laura grew angry and struggled with Alison, only for her to be disarmed. While Alison was not looking, Laura grabbed the rolling pin and bludgeoned her to death. Laura tried to grab the pieces of her broken necklace, not knowing there was still a jewel segment that was clutched in Alison's fist. Upon her confession, Laura was placed under arrest for murdering Alison Whelan.