The Case Of The Broken Vase

The Mystery

Yesterday morning I went to work and saw that my notebooks and papers were soaked; my desk was wet. Tracing the source of the water, I realised that my vase was broken into 2 pieces. It was still standing but a bottom corner was slightly "detached" from its body, explaining the leak. Before I noticed that my desk was wet, I actually thought that my flowers were very thirsty and drank up all the water over the weekend.

The Queries

1. When did it happen? Friday night? Saturday? Sunday or Monday morning?
2. Who broke my vase and pretended to put it back? He/She did not even bother to dry my desk!
   
3. There was no reason for anyone to approach my desk unless he/she intended to wreck havoc. The flowers and the vase were from my boo. Who then, bore such hatred for me?
   
4. Why did the vase break at the bottom? If it was dropped or knocked into, wouldn't the top part chip instead? Unless it was dropped vertically on its base.

The Witness

The cleaning auntie was the only one who would touch my desk, to pack my papers and wipe the table. She said that on Saturday, the vase was still intact. But she did not see the coward who not only broke it, he did not dare to admit (or clean up after him).

The Theories

1. The cleaning auntie broke it but didn't dare to admit.
2. Someone was fooling around with a netball (inter-department Captain's Ball competition was coming up) and accidentally knocked the vase with the ball. And kept quiet about it.
3. I had a secret admirer who went berserk when he saw the flowers from my boo. Fondness became hatred which turned into violence. He then fled the scene.

The Conclusion

Each of the above was as unlikely as the next mainly because of the evidence left behind. My vase was not some expensive antique and I am an amicable person. There was no reason for the culprit to be afraid to own up or at least clean up the water.

And then, I had a stroke of brilliance.

Did you notice that the weather was very erratic over the weekend? It was super hot, then super chilly during the rainstorm. The vase must have been subjected to the sudden change in temperature. And it broke.

This would explained why the 2 pieces were so neatly placed together, and why my papers were left to soak in the water. If it was an accident, a normal person would be frantic about saving the documents, wouldn't he?

The vase was pretty thick. It could be that the outside surface contracted but the inside couldn't adjust in time, resulting in cracking and eventually breaking.

Oh man, what a genius! Call me Detective Chow!

But all of the above were just deduction. The only thing that was certain - the vase has become useless. And I cut my finger on the broken glass.

The End