Motive: Natural Selection

SYNOPSIS

The victim: twenty-three year old Liz Kerr, a product of the foster care system, a college graduate and currently a coffee house barista. The killer: Seth Armstrong, the father of Liz's friend and coworker Rachel Armstrong. Liz's dead body is found by her boyfriend Ron Dacksell in her apartment. The two participated in medieval live-action role play (LARP) battles, with Liz killed by the mace Ron used in those LARPs. The detectives have many people to contact for the investigation based on the number of people who Liz called or called Liz recently on her cell phone. They find that Liz was a free spirit and had many friends and lovers, about which she was open to all those involved except perhaps Ron, who probably thought they were exclusive. As such, Ron moves to the top of the suspect list as a potentially jealous boyfriend. The detectives also discover that everyone who knew Liz loved Liz, whether they be friends or lovers. In that friends category is Rachel, who seems to be the opposite of Liz in that she lives a sheltered life with her conservative parents Seth and Dana, who believe in family values in the traditional sense. Passed down to Rachel from her parents is the belief in abstinence until marriage. As Rachel and Liz's friendship becomes more of a focus for the detectives, they begin to suspect one of the Armstrongs as being the killer. It is Liz's threat to their family unit that is the probable motive, with their outward Christian fundamentalist values masking their true beliefs. In the process of the investigation, Oscar and Angie accidentally learn some information about Ron's counsel, which leads to further issues between Oscar and Chief Wells. And as Jack will soon be heading back to London, he and Angie talk about their future, which if there is to be one will probably mean a change of job and residence for one of them.