Playing with Fire

Case	Case Script

Playing with Fire
General information
Season	2
City	Rusthollow
District	Southern Savannah
Case #	45
Initial release date	14th August 2018
Partner(s)	Faith Parks (All Chapters)
Case chronology
← Preceded by	Succeeded by →
Heads Will Roll	The Sound of Murder

“	The team faces trial by fire as Mildred's home and road goes up in flames! Can you brave the fire and catch this killer or will you go out in a blaze of glory?!	„
	—Case Teaser

Playing with Fire is a case featured in Criminal Case, it appears as the forty-fifth case in Rusthollow and the ninety-ninth case overall. It takes place in Southern Savannah appearing as the third case in the district.

Plot

After discovering a raging fire had broken out along Mildred's road, the team immediately headed there and were approached by firefighter Dominic Miles who informed that he'd found his co-worker Craig Huxxon dead. While the firefighters battled the flames, the player and Faith investigated the scene. Melissa confirmed that Craig had been strangled to death due to the marks on his neck. Following Dominic's interrogation, the detectives went on to suspect protester Natasha Lermontov and Gwendolyn Buchanan, a control centre operator for the upcoming rocket launch to Mars. While reviewing the case progress, the duo heard Judge Martha Murdoch screaming from inside one of the burning houses.

The player and Faith braved the flames and recused Martha from the burning house. When the pair asked what happened, she explained that she was attempting to flee the street when the roof collapsed, trapping her. The team also suspected photographer Connor Fawkes who lived on the street. At the end of the chapter, Martha approached the pair, insisting she had information on the murder. Martha confessed that she remembered hearing two people fighting and a man screaming while she was trapped in the house and believed this was the moment of the murder. Thanks to Martha's information and the evidence discovered throughout the investigation, they arrested Dominic for the crime.

Dominic quickly confessed to the crime, telling them that he had to kill Craig. Dominic recounted how the pair of them were ordered to head to a burning house on the outskirts of town a while back. Whilst in the house, a wooden plank beneath Dominic's feet snapped, trapping him in the fiery abyss. Dominic told the team that he pleaded for help but Craig abandoned him to save himself. Blinded by the need for revenge, Dominic strangled Craig to death and informed the team when they arrived in hopes of diverting their suspicions. At the trial, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Afterwards, the player and Jayden went to ask Martha about her mother's protest movement and asked if she knew anything else about it. Martha explained that Mildred had a box she kept hidden in the house and suggested searching there, warning them about the ongoing fire. The pair quickly found the box and raced out of the house, finding a photo of a young Mildred along with another young man. Eventually, the pair discovered that this man was Adrian Goldberg, the owner of Cosmic Wanderer space station. Mildred confessed that she knew Adrian in her youth and was romantically involved with him. She recounted how he would sneak around, committing fraud and crimes behind her back resulting in the couple separating. Mildred insisted that was why she joined the protest as she believed Adrian was hiding something.

Meanwhile, Mayor Rita Maloney asked Faith and the player for an update on how the fire started, resulting in the pair heading back to the street to investigate further. After searching the street for a while, the pair found a gasoline canister on the crime scene which revealed that the fire along Mildred's road wasn't an accident but was in fact arson. The duo then informed Rita on the situation, who insisted she would head back to City Hall right away and deal with the situation. Finally, the team received a call from a sobbing Mildred, insisting that she'd found Martha's body!

Summary

Victim

• Craig Huxxon (found strangled along the burning street)

Murder Weapon

• Fire Hose

Killer

• Dominic Miles

Suspects

Dominic Miles
Firefighter

Height	6'0"
Age	42
Weight	170 lbs
Eyes	Green
Blood	B-

Suspect's Profile

• The suspect eats chilli dogs.
• The suspect uses sunscreen.

Suspect's Appearance

• The suspect has a burn.
• The suspect has a soot stain.
• The suspect wears a gold button.

Natasha Lermontov
Protester

Height	5'7"
Age	28
Weight	158 lbs
Eyes	Green
Blood	B-

Suspect's Profile

• The suspect eats chilli dogs.
• The suspect uses sunscreen.

Suspect's Appearance

• The suspect has a burn.

Gwendolyn Buchanan
Control Centre Operator

Height	5'3"
Age	36
Weight	158 lbs
Eyes	Green
Blood	O+

Suspect's Profile

• The suspect eats chilli dogs.
• The suspect uses sunscreen.

Suspect's Appearance

• The suspect has a burn.
• The suspect wears a gold button.

Martha Murdoch
Judge

Height	5'6"
Age	49
Weight	160 lbs
Eyes	Blue
Blood	AB-

Suspect's Profile

• The suspect eats chilli dogs.
• The suspect uses sunscreen.

Suspect's Appearance

• The suspect has a burn.
• The suspect has a soot stain.

Connor Fawkes
Photographer

Height	5'10"
Age	31
Weight	172 lbs
Eyes	Blue
Blood	A-

Suspect's Profile

• The suspect eats chilli dogs.
• The suspect uses sunscreen.

Suspect's Appearance

• The suspect wears a gold button.

Quasi-Suspects

Mildred Murdoch
Historian

Height	5'3"
Age	71
Weight	156 lbs
Eyes	Blue
Blood	AB-

Rita Maloney
Mayor

Height	5'6"
Age	47
Weight	160 lbs
Eyes	Brown
Blood	AB-

Killer's Profile

• The killer has a burn.
• The killer eats chilli dogs.
• The killer uses sunscreen.
• The killer has a soot stain.
• The killer wears a gold button.

Crime Scenes

Burning Street	Pavement	Burning Street Bonus
Firehouse	Firemen's Truck	Firehouse Bonus
Burned House	Divan	Burned House

Steps

Chapter 1

• Investigate Burning Street. (Clues: Victim's Body, Cooled Ashes; New Suspect: Dominic Miles)
• Autopsy Victim's Body. (18:00:00; Attribute: The killer has a burn)
• Examine Cooled Ashes. (Result: Badge)
• Examine Badge. (Result: Sauce)
• Analyze Sauce. (10:00:00; Attribute: The killer eats chilli dogs)
• Ask Dominic about his co-worker's death. (New Crime Scene: Fire Station)
• Investigate Fire Station. (Clues: Firefighting Supplies, Faded Card)
• Examine Firefighting Supplies. (Result: Singed Figurine)
• Examine Singed Figurine. (Result: Symbol; New Suspect: Natasha Lermontov)
• Question Natasha about the fire.
• Examined Faded Card. (Result: Code)
• Analyze Code. (08:00:00; New Suspect: Gwendolyn Buchanan)
• Question Gwendolyn about the launch.
• Go to Chapter 2. (No stars)

Chapter 2

• Rescue Martha from the flames. (Attribute: Martha eats chilli dogs; New Crime Scene: Burned House)
• Investigate Burned House. (Clues: Burning Wood, Fire Hose)
• Examine Burning Wood. (Result: Dirty Fabric)
• Examine Dirty Fabric. (Result: Bowtie; New Suspect: Connor Fawkes)
• Ask Connor if he's alright. (Attribute: Connor eats chilli dogs)
• Examine Fire Hose. (Result: White Substance)
• Analyze White Substance. (06:00:00; Attribute: The killer uses sunscreen; New Crime Scene: Firemen's Truck)
• Investigate Firemen's Truck. (Clues: Fire Alarm, Trash Can)
• Examine Fire Alarm. (Result: Message)
• Confront Natasha over her threats. (Attribute: Natasha eats chilli dogs and uses sunscreen)
• Examine Trash Can. (Result: Crumbled Note)
• Speak to Dominic about the victim stealing money. (Attribute: Dominic eats chilli dogs and uses sunscreen)
• Go to Chapter 3. (No stars)

Chapter 3

• Hear Martha out. (Attribute: Martha uses sunscreen)
• Investigate Pavement. (Clues: Satchel, Burned Paper)
• Examine Satchel. (Result: Broken Frame)
• Examine Broken Frame. (Result: Family Photo)
• Speak to Connor about the photo of him and the victim. (Attribute: Connor uses sunscreen)
• Examine Burned Paper. (Result; Restraining Order)
• Confront Gwendolyn about the restraining order. (Attribute: Gwendolyn eats chilli dogs and uses sunscreen)
• Investigate Divan. (Clues: Victim's Blazer, Wooden Plank)
• Examine Victim's Blazer. (Result: Black Stain)
• Analyze Black Stain. (08:00:00; Attribute: The killer has a black stain)
• Examine Wooden Plank. (Result: Blood)
• Analyze Blood. (11:00:00; Attribute: The killer wears a gold button)
• Take care of the killer now!
• Go to Reach for the Stars (3/6). (1 star)

Reach for the Stars (3/6)

• Ask Martha about her mother's protest movement. (Reward: Firefighter Costume)
• Investigate Burned House. (Clue: Antique Box)
• Examine Antique Box. (Result: Old Photo [Unknown Man])
• Examine Unknown Man. (Result: Adrian Goldberg; New Quasi-Suspect: Mildred Murdoch)
• Question Mildred about the picture of her and Adrian. (Reward: 20,000 Coins)
• Ask what Rita needs.
• Investigate Burning Street. (Clues: Barrel)
• Examine Barrel. (Result: Faded Canister)
• Examine Faded Canister. (Result: Gasoline Canister)
• Inform Rita of the arson. (Reward: Burger)
• Move onto a new crime! (1 star)