Blind investigation

Like every morning, Investigator Moore sat at his desk, diligently sorting through paperwork before diving into the day's caseload. He had just wrapped up details on one investigation when a file slamming on his desk jolted him from his task. 

Moore initially looks at the file, then raises his head to see who could be so rude, an offended look on his face.

"I might fall for you if you keep glaring at me like this, Daniel," says David, his co-worker, with a mocking tone.

"What do you want, idiot? You surprised me," Daniel answers, now smirking, finding his friend's joke amusing.

"Take a look at this," instructs David, sliding the file across Daniel's desk before pulling up a chair to sit next to his friend.

Daniel frowns as he reads the first line of the document, glancing at David with a perplexed expression.

"Trashcan fire?" Daniel asks, bewildered.

"Read the whole thing for heaven's sake, Dan," retorts David impatiently.

Daniel picks up another document from the file, his brow furrowing again as he recognizes the nature of the report.

"A medical file?" Daniel asks his friend, puzzled by how a trashcan fire could have caused medical harm.

The medical report could be read: 

Medical Report 

Name: Matthew Johnson

Age: 32 years 

Sex: Male

Date of Incident: June 6th, 2034 

Date of Examination: June 6th, 2034

Chief Complaint:

Thermal burn injury to the right hand.

Physical Examination:

General Appearance: Alert and cooperative.

Vital Signs: Stable.

Right-Hand Examination:

Skin: Red and erythematous over the palmar surface and fingers.

Extent of Injury: Superficial to partial thickness burns involving the palm and fingers.

Blistering: Small blisters present over the affected areas.

Pain: The patient reports significant pain upon movement and touch.

Assessment:

Thermal burn injuries, right hand. Estimated 5-10% total body surface area involvement.

Daniel brought his finger to his chin, taking a moment to reflect.

"Apparently, Mr. Johnson reached the trashcan to throw his empty water bottle during his morning run and mysteriously got burned," explained David, cutting to the chase.

"How is it possible not to see an ignited trashcan!?" Daniel asked, baffled.

"If you read the officer's investigation report here," David continues, gesturing towards the document, "you'll see that several eyewitnesses were interviewed, and none of them saw any sign of smoke or flames. However, traces of formaldehyde and formic acid were found on the trashcan's surface and in some charred samples they collected."

"So, you're saying some teenagers swiped flammable stuff, torched a trashcan in the park for kicks, and ended up injuring someone..." Daniel trailed off, dropping the medical report onto the stack of documents in disbelief.

"What makes you think the perpetrator is a bunch of teenagers?" asks David, eager to hear Daniel's theory.

"I don't think someone intending to harm others would choose a metal trashcan in a park. They'd opt for something more damaging, like a house or a building. This metal trashcan in an isolated suburban park tells me they were making tests with that thing you mentioned earlier—something they probably sneaked in their bag from school or brought from home, thinking it was harmless. They certainly knew that metal contains fire, and the secluded location shows they just wanted to experiment safely without hurting anyone or getting caught," elaborates Daniel, massaging his temples thoughtfully with his eyes closed.

"I see," answers David, conceding to the conclusion. "That makes sense, but look at these reports," he continues, pulling out two more sheets from the file and handing them to Daniel.

Mr. Moore has a reputation for being quick-witted. He always knows where to search and what to find to get to the bottom of his cases swiftly and cleanly, bringing justice to the right party. His team loves him because cases under his supervision never drag on, and he's never demanded excessive workloads. But this time, as Daniel looks at the two sheets David is holding in front of him, he has a gut feeling that he'll be truly challenged by a case for the first time in his seven years as a team leader.

"Two additional medical reports," mumbles Daniel after taking the documents from his friend's hand.

He flips through the first report, which details a similar minor injury to the previous one, then turns to the second page.

"ARRRRGGGHTTT!!!" shouts Daniel, startling David, who has been spacing out during his friend's reading.

"A veterinary medical report?! That breaks my heart. These little fellows are completely dependent on us and just follow around for love! Why did it have to get injured because of some bozos?" exclaims Daniel before going back to his reading. "A Po...me...ranian? What's a Pomeranian, Dave? The little yappy one?" asks Daniel, still absorbed in his reading.

"No, it's the small fluffy one," answers David.

"That makes it even worse," says Daniel, disconcerted.

"What do you mean by that?" asks his friend, looking at him as if he's just said something terrible.

"The fur, Dave. The dog has long hair. Hair is flammable. What were you thinking about just now?" asks Daniel in a terse tone.

"Nothing, just that you have a soft spot for the fluffy one," replies David, trying to soften his statement.

"I love all dogs, even the yappy ones, Dave," specifies Daniel emphatically, making it clear that he would never wish harm on any little creature.

"The girl from the first report was walking her dog in the same park. She was looking at her phone, so she couldn't see exactly what happened, according to her testimony. The dog suddenly started shrieking for no apparent reason and pulling the leash in panic. It was only when she smelled burned hair that she noticed the bottom part of the dog was on fire. She immediately took off her jacket to put out the flames. During the process, she burned herself," briefs David, knowing his friend would struggle with reading such a story.

"I guess she was close to a burning trashcan and wasn't paying attention since no flame or smoke was visible," continues Daniel.

"That's right, but since her dog had just caught on fire, she was already alert and quickly ran from the heat source with only minor injuries that she could treat at home. She rushed to the water fountain to relieve her dog's pain with cold water, then headed to the veterinarian as soon as it calmed down," adds David.

"It was the same park you said. Was it the same trashcan?" questions the man, leaning back in his office chair with his elbows on both armrests.

"Same park, different trashcans," confirms his friend, leaning forward to put his elbows on his knees, joining his hands together.

"So it's likely not for experimentation. I still think the most plausible culprits are a bunch of teenagers, but that second trashcan fire tells me that they are either going through a rebellious phase or are delinquents," concludes Daniel.

"What's the difference between the two?" asks David, puzzled.

"A rebellious teenager would just take any flammable chemical to set trashcans or whatever on fire to assert their independence and test limits. Delinquents would choose that specific chemical and time of day, knowing passersby wouldn't see the fire and would get burned," explains Daniel.

"So…"

"So, in the first case, we're looking for young teens. They can't foresee the consequences of their actions, act impulsively, and are in the process of understanding their own identity while seeking independence from authority figures. In the second case, we're looking for older teens, who have the capacity and knowledge to think about the consequences of their actions to some extent and come up with the idea of an invisible fire in a trashcan, oblivious to the fact that someone could get injured. They probably already had problems at school and know each other from some time ago..."

"If it's not accidental, it could also be some kind of pyro... no?" interrupts David.

"Let's consider the most plausible possibilities first and then eliminate the elements we are 100% sure don't fit into the scenario. I don't rule out the chance that we're looking for an adult, possibly someone with a mental condition, but two trashcans in a small park sounds like teens' bullsh*t," answers Daniel to reassure his friend before locking a very serious look into David's eyes.

"Keep looking at me right in the eye like this and tell me you've never played with fire when you were a kid," commands Daniel, maintaining strong eye contact.

David can't help but let a chuckle slip from his mouth, his memory flashing back to his youth.

"Yeah, you're right again," agrees David, shaking his head while smirking from nostalgia.

"You did it, I did it, and if I had a kid, the school would probably be calling me right now to tell me my kid is suspended for playing with fire," he adds, to convince his coworker.

Certainly! Here's the passage with corrected verb tenses and phrasing:

"All right, so what do you suggest?"

"First of all, we need to know who was present at the park at that moment. If they intended to hurt anyone, they would have been around watching. I want to see the location of the trashcans and if it was possible to observe them from the surrounding houses or buildings. There must have been some CCTV installed. I want all the recordings from the month before to that day. I also want to know all educational institutions in the area—elementary schools, high schools, and colleges. I want all the local police station's reports on young delinquents, with those messing with fire at the top of the pile. If we find nothing after that, I'll take other measures to find out who we are looking for," concludes Daniel.

"Roger that," says David, writing notes on a pad he pulled out of his vest when Daniel listed his needs.

David finishes his list by poking his pen strongly on the notepad as a final dot, closes the pad, then carefully puts back everything in his vest's pocket before leaving to give the instructions to the team.

"OH, ONE MORE THING!" says Daniel loudly, just as his co-worker is about to close the office door.

"You need something else?"

"Just in case, let me know how the chemical is sold; that can tell us a lot. Also, let me know if another arson report comes in the area and alert the other districts about the case. Even if it's not trashcans, I want to know about any incident involving that combustible fuel," finishes Daniel.

"Alright, sir!" answers David before closing the door behind him.

The next morning, a plan of the park is laid out with two circles drawn on the location of the trashcans and the surrounding buildings identified by small notes. On the map, the park measures about 16.5 square kilometers, divided into three sections by two main streets in a residential area. There are multiple facilities in the park, including a dog park, skate park, community center, various sports installations, and a high school.

Detective Moore rubs his entire face in disbelief.

"Well... That doesn't narrow anything down," he mumbles to himself.

A knocking sound on the door interrupts his thoughts.

"Come in," he answers.

The door timidly opens, allowing the head of a woman to pass through the small space.

"Good morning, Mr. Moore. I just finished the report on the document you requested about that chemical called Methanol," the woman informs him, waiting for further instruction.

"Good job, Aubrey. Please bring it to me; I want to take a look at it," Daniel asks with a soft voice, mindful of Aubrey being a new member of the team.

Aubrey walks across the office in a perfectly professional manner before handing over her report. She thanks the team leader and quietly leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

Daniel holds the report in his hands: 

Methanol Accessibility Report

Prepared for: Investigator Daniel Moore

Subject: Accessibility of Methanol

1. Overview of Methanol

Methanol (CH3OH), also known as wood alcohol, is a colourless, volatile liquid commonly used in industrial and laboratory settings. It is highly flammable and toxic, and its combustion produces an invisible flame, particularly in daylight conditions.

2. Sources and Accessibility

Methanol is primarily available through the following channels:

a. Educational Institutions:

High Schools: Typically have restricted access. Methanol is used in chemistry labs but is securely stored, and access is limited to science teachers and lab technicians.

Colleges: Often have chemistry and biology labs that use methanol. Access is controlled but may be less stringent compared to high schools.

Universities: More extensive supplies in chemistry, engineering, and biology departments. Access is controlled but may be less stringent than in high schools.

Technical and Vocational Schools: May have methanol in their laboratories for specific courses, such as automotive technology or chemical engineering. Access varies by institution.

b. Online Retailers:

Chemical Supply Companies: Require verification of professional or educational status. Purchases often need a credit card and an account with the supplier.

General Online Marketplaces: Methanol can be easily purchased in various quantities. Age verification and payment methods (credit/debit cards) are required, but verification can be minimal, making it accessible to almost anyone.

c. Specialty Stores:

Laboratory Supply Stores: Sell to individuals with proper credentials (e.g., professionals, researchers). Age verification and payment via credit card are common.

Automotive Supply Stores: Methanol can be found in products like fuel additives. These are less regulated and can be purchased with cash or a card without stringent verification.

d. Industrial Sources:

Chemical Plants and Laboratories: Employees with access to methanol may divert small quantities. Typically requires a professional role within the facility.

Prepared by:

Aubrey Tousignant

Research Analyst

''So, anybody can just buy this stuff?!'' thinks Daniel. 

The detective hoped he could at least find a direction to search. He had received only the crime scene evidence, the victim's testimony, the medical report, and the vague location of the park, which appeared to be in a secluded area. The chemical is easily accessible, and the park is crowded with people at all times of the day, yet no new incidents have been reported since then.

Daniel grows increasingly confounded as he reviews the documents. They offer no explanations or leads about the events. He begins to doubt whether the information he requested from David earlier will provide any useful hints.

"Am I overthinking this, or am I facing someone much more competent than I thought?" Daniel ponders aloud.