Rosegold | ONC '24

Unseen clues

While he hated working overtime the most, Alex Marcel had spent the entire night in his study, digging connections that hadn't occurred to him to date. The acting industry was a huge web, everyone was connected to one another in some way or the other. If you were to investigate the murder of some director, you'd be surprised to find out his own crime history. It was the same with all the victims of Robin. She was a murderer, but she had only ever killed people who had a history, that is, until Sophie. Robin's killing spree began almost four months ago with the murder of James Maxwell.

[NOTES]

James Maxwell: A very prosperous talent agent according to the scouting agencies. He has given many people a good future. However many rumours stated that most people that he scouted were featured in adult websites. The porn actors themselves never filed any complaint and thus there was no proof or investigation into him.

Vanessa Camlett: An up-and-rising actress whose career wasn't actually working out. She had gotten the role of antagonist in a movie that Cynthia Reyes was producing but before the movie could come out, she was murdered. In the past, she had been working in a theater. Alex had to call the theater himself to confirm the period when she worked there. The discovery was baffling. She and Rose Veretta had worked together for two years in the theaters before James Maxwell scouted Rose and left Vanessa.

Yuri Mikaleason: A famous Actor was found overdosed on Viagra in his own apartment in New York. While he wasn't connected to Robin in the beginning, there was a diamond necklace on the site. It was assumed to be of his girlfriend but after two months, when a similar diamond broch was found on the murder site of Lloid Sein.

Lloid Sein: An old director in his late fifties. The industry called him as old man Sein because he was resilient and refused to take retirement even after many of his competitors tried dirty hacks against him. He had a few reports filed against him on harassment and rape. But they were diminished before the investigation. The question was, why only him when there were so many other similar directors?

Cynthia Reyes: A well-renowned Producer who had launched many successful artists like Rose Veretta. She was known for her keen eye for talent.

And finally, Sophie Fernandez: The girl was just starting her career in acting. The crew had said she was a jolly girl with a good nature and that she took Rose Veretta as her idol.

Except for Sophie, no one on the list was innocent enough. And the one connection all the people shared was the national goddess, Rose Veretta.

"Dad, why are you still awake?" Mitch barged into the study rubbing his eyes.

"I just found a clue on the Robin Darling case," Alex replied without thinking. His eyes were aching from having been thrown wide open for several hours.

"Why do you have Rose's autograph here? You'll dirty it!" Mitch whined, attempting to pull it back.

"Hey hey, relax, I won't harm it. This is a clue."

"A what?" Mitch made a face, looking very annoyed about having been stolen from.

"I have a question for you actually." Alex abandoned his laptop and turned to face Mitchell.

"This autograph is it really Rose's?"

Mitchell gasped indignantly, "Are you doubting me, Dad?! She signed this in front of my eyes!"

Alex shook his head, "Then why is there no photo of her autograph in the entire internet?"

"Dad, don't you know? It's her thing, she never gives autographs. Instead, she gives white roses."

Oh.

"Alright, off to bed you go now. Thanks." Alex stood up from his chair and pushed Mitchel out of the room.

"I'll make you pay if you destroy the autograph!"

"I know I know!"

His knees and back cracked loudly as he stretched. No wonder the media hadn't made this into a story yet. Rose never signed an autograph but Robin always did and for some reason, there were several similarities in their signatures. The little rose drawing on top of the R and the curve of the letter itself.

If Alex's deduction was correct, Rose's life was definitely in danger. Robin was only targeting people who were connected to Rose. Except Sophie had gotten close to Rose in the recent few weeks, so Robin went berserk. According to Alex, Robin was a stalker of Rose. It wouldn't be surprising. Many fans in the past have stalked their favorite artists and gone to great lengths over their obsession with the person that only existed on screen.