What if you fall in love with your main suspect?
When Theo starts investigating a murder in a small, distant town, he meets a charming young woman, Ann, who captivates his heart. However, the problem is that Ann might have killed her wealthy uncle...
"Then maybe it was you?" Theo's sudden question caught her off guard. "You had enough time to create a mess in your room while I was waiting for you."
"Why in the world would I do something like that?"
Theo's voice remained steady. "Let's consider it an awkward attempt to divert my attention from the primary suspect to the mystery thief."
Her throat tightened as she struggled to find her voice. "Your main suspect... is it... me?"
"As a detective, it is my duty to suspect everyone, including you. I apologize if it sounded insulting, but I need you to answer honestly. Can you do that for me?"
Ann nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. Theo was an exceptional detective, and if she truly was responsible for the deaths in her family, he would eventually uncover the truth. She only hoped she would have a little more time to prepare for the inevitable arrest. "Okay. I swear it wasn't me who vandalized the room."
Theo narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Without a doubt. If I had done it, I would remember."
"If it wasn't you, then I must remain objective and acknowledge that the culprit is one of your closest friends. Let's say it was Marie. I understand the depth of your friendship, however, if you withhold any crucial information about her, it may hinder my investigation. Then, we will never find out who is responsible for your uncle's death. I don't want to waste your time or mine. Is that clear?"
"Yes, detective."
Her sarcastic response seemed to soften Theo's demeanor. "I apologize for speaking to you in such a manner. But I have to be direct. The truth is often disheartening – in many cases, the perpetrator is someone you trust. Ann, it is crucial that you are honest with me and disclose everything you know about Marie, even if it means uncovering her as a potential murderer."
And why among all the guardians, I got the most stubborn one? Ann let out a weary sigh. Perhaps, Theo was her challenge, the one Divine had sent to hold her accountable for her actions. She knew he would make her answer for everything she had done. That's why she had no doubt that he would thoroughly investigate all her friends, even though she was certain none of them were guilty. "Alright, let's suppose it was Marie. But what could be her motive?"
"The diamonds," Theo replied. "I discovered that Marie and Elajio had been discussing the acquisition of a diamond collection just before your birthday dinner."
Ann's eyes widened in surprise. How does he know about that? She hesitated, her mouth half-opened, but remained silent. Theo was exceptional at his job, and it was likely he had obtained that information from John.
He took note of her silence. "Ann, this is the detail you chose not to disclose to me. If I'm correct, Marie has been playing games with you. Has she ever made you question your own sanity?"
Ann shifted uncomfortably, her gaze avoiding Theo's as she recalled the numerous conversations that followed that fateful birthday dinner. Marie had often insinuated that Ann was losing her mind because of the snake drawings. But deep down, Ann knew it wasn't Marie's fault – she had been acting strangely all this time.
"I suppose Marie must have seen those stolen drawings," Theo stated. "She mentioned them during dinner tonight."
"After she brought them up, everyone knew about them. Then, anyone could have taken them."
"True," Theo agreed. "So, there are two possible scenarios. The first one is that Marie took advantage of the time gap before you two met for shopping. She stole the drawings and created the mess to intentionally unsettle you."
Ann nodded, recalling that Marie had been half an hour late when they met at the hair salon. However, Marie was always tardy, so it hadn't struck her as suspicious.
"And the second option," Theo continued, "is John. He left the dinner early, which would have given him the opportunity to slip into your house unnoticed."
"He has the Invisibility Gift, so Peggy wouldn't have noticed him," Ann admitted, her voice filled with confusion. "But why would John do something like that to me?"
Theo's expression softened as he considered her question. "I noticed that John seemed concerned about you, so perhaps he believed he was helping you. Maybe he even thinks that you were the one who killed Uncle Greg."
And here is the moment of truth. Ann's eyes dropped, her cheeks flushing. "Do you truly believe that I killed my own uncle?"
His hand landed heavily on hers. "If you were the culprit, it would be foolish to summon a detective to investigate the case, huh?"
She bit her lip. It may have been a foolish decision to ask the guardians for help, but it was the right thing to do. Ann had written those letters to various Guardian Houses in an attempt to alleviate her guilt. She had tried to convince everyone, including herself, that there was a murderer at large. However, deep down, she had always blamed herself. Now, with Theo's unwavering determination to investigate all her friends, the guilt almost choked her. Okay, I'll confess right now and accept my punishment. Whatever it is. Ann gave Theo a sorrowful look, her mouth opening to speak her truth.
"Alright, here's what we'll do," Theo interjected, cutting off her attempt to speak. "Tomorrow, I will examine the crime scene and question anyone who might have had a motive to harm you."
Ann nodded, silently agreeing with his plan.
"And as for you..." Theo paused, locking eyes with her. His gaze sent a shiver down her spine. "I want you to create a new drawing for me. Can you do that?"
"Of course. I'll ask Peggy to buy a new sketchbook and pencils in the morning."
"Very well," he said with a small smile. "Then, if you don't mind, I'll retire for the night. Tomorrow will be a busy day."
"Of course," Ann replied, her heart ablaze with conflicting emotions. Theo was a skilled detective, driven to uncover the truth. At this point, there was nothing she could do to change that. She only hoped that tomorrow, she would find the courage to reveal to him the identity of the true murderer.
~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~
To be continued...
If you enjoy this story, please support it with your vote!
Thank you! 💖💖💖
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
P.S. How do you think - will Theo find out the truth, or will Ann confess first?
