As autumn arrived, I was determined to uncover the truth. In the early morning, I called Haven and inquired if he had found Miss Ariana. To my shock and dismay, he delivered heart-wrenching news.
"Sorry," he began, "we did see Ariana, but when I asked about her sister, she claimed that her sister was not alive, stating she had passed away five years ago."
Speechless, I hung up the phone, gripping my hair in utter bewilderment. I immediately headed to the palace, scouring documents in search of any mention of a death certificate, but found none. Then, by chance, I stumbled upon a photo near my feet. It depicted Isabelle with a young girl beside her, and a small inscription that read, "My beloved daughter, Serena."
I was stunned. I took the photo and sent it to Haven, urging him to investigate this mysterious girl. He informed me that he had seen her with Ariana, but Ariana had claimed her as her own daughter. Something was amiss, and I requested Haven to bring them both in for questioning.
After a two-hour wait, they arrived. Ariana, as beautiful as the photo had portrayed her, and a young girl by her side. I asked Ariana to sit and offered her a glass of water before posing the crucial question, "When did you last see your sister?"
Ariana replied with sadness, "I haven't seen her since she left with the prince." I showed her the photo, inquiring about the little girl beside Isabelle. "This girl was with Isabelle two years ago," I insisted, "when Nathaniel passed away, and she was nine months pregnant. Tell me, ma'am."
Before she could respond, I handed her the letter written by Isabelle. She read it, tears streaming down her face, and then spoke with sorrow, "I know Isabelle has endured three years of suffering in this palace. Lysander revealed everything when he visited me two years ago. He also mentioned that Isabelle disappeared, leaving her daughter with Lysander, who cared for her."
I nodded, understanding her plight. "Alright, but finding Isabelle is crucial to solving the serial killer case. This killer is suspicious, and if we can speak to the owner of this palace, we might uncover information about the killer who has been targeting the elderly."
Ariana hesitated, but finally said, "I can't be certain, but Isabelle once mentioned a man who was always with Nathaniel. Before she left, she expressed her strong dislike for him, claiming he looked peculiar. So, I'm certain Isabelle would have fired him."
I pressed further, "Do you know his name?"
Ariana replied, "No, but Lysander knows." I immediately dispatched other agents to locate Lysander, and they soon informed me that he was on his way.
Upon Lysander's arrival, he was taken aback by the crowd in the palace. I asked him to take a seat and explained that he needed to answer some questions. After he complied, I inquired, "Do you know the identity of the individual who was always with Nathaniel?"
He nodded, saying, "Yes, he was Nathaniel's former bodyguard. Isabelle despised him, leading to his dismissal. However, before Nathaniel's demise, he returned and expressed his sorrow over Nathaniel's loss. His name is Richard."
I was astounded. All this time, it appeared that Mr. Richard was the key to unraveling the mystery. I showed Lysander a photo of Mr. Richard and confirmed, "Is this the person you were referring to?"
Lysander affirmed, "Yes, that's him."