Frank stood in the bathroom of Mike Collins's apartment, carefully examining the crime scene. Every detail seemed important, every corner of the room held a clue that could bring him closer to the truth. Commissioner Douglas, on the other hand, watched his young partner with concern. He had learned to trust Frank's intuition and deductive skills, but he knew that this case weighed heavily on the young detective's mind.
As they investigated the crime scene, Frank found a mobile phone lying on the floor, just inside the bathtub. It was an iPhone, and it appeared to have been thrown in an act of desperation. He picked it up carefully and examined its contents. In the photo gallery, he found several images of a group of friends: Emily, Daniel, Mike, and two individuals he didn't recognize. The photos captured moments of happiness and camaraderie, but now, all of that was overshadowed by Mike's death.
"Commissioner, we need to find out who these two strangers in the photos are," Frank said, showing the images on the phone.
Douglas nodded and instructed his team to trace the images and gather information about the two individuals in question. He knew that these photos could be a crucial piece in solving the case.
"In the meantime, we'll keep Daniel Harrington under surveillance," Douglas said. "We can't allow him to disappear or become another victim."
Frank agreed. The landscape was becoming more complex with every step they took. The relationship between Emily, Daniel, and Mike was at the heart of the mystery, and the two strangers in the photos were a crucial piece of the puzzle. Frank's mind worked at full speed, analyzing the possible connections and the clues they had found so far.
1
Hours passed, and the day turned into a cloudy afternoon in the City of Braidey. Frank Hughes was in his classroom, but his mind was anywhere but in the class. He completely ignored the teacher's words as he got lost in his thoughts, all focused on the case of Emily Sinclair and Mike Collins. Despite the apathy he showed towards the class, Frank remained the brightest student in the school, though his brilliance often set him apart from his peers.
School had always been a strange experience for Frank. From an early age, he had shown himself to be an intellectual prodigy, solving complex, university-level math problems before his classmates had learned basic addition. His deductive abilities and exceptional intelligence made him a kind of role model, admired and yet isolated. He was seen by his classmates and teachers as a superior figure, but that admiration didn't translate into friendship.
Frank had no, and had never had, friends at school. There was no one he could talk to about his interests and thoughts. He had always been alone, a solitary observer of the world around him. People saw him as an extraordinary being, an enigma they couldn't decipher. And he, in turn, couldn't relate to his classmates, who seemed to inhabit a different world than his own.
Despite his perfect memory, there was a void in his life that extended beyond school and his detective skills.
He remembered every mathematical formula, every detail of the cases he had solved, but he couldn't recall even a single important person in his life. His mother had abandoned him at an orphanage when he was a baby, and although he had no memories of her, he had discovered the truth through his intelligence. The cold and legal letters he had found in his adoption record were a constant reminder of the absence of a maternal figure in his life.
The lack of a mother and the loneliness he experienced at school were like thorns in his mind, reminding him that, despite his brilliance, he had lived a life marked by a lack of meaningful relationships. He had no friends, no family, and that made him a solitary being in a world that often seemed incomprehensible to him.
Despite his gift for memory, Frank couldn't remember his mother's face, not even a kind smile or a motherly touch. He had learned not to long for those things, to take refuge in his privileged mind and his ability to solve puzzles. But there were moments when the weight of his loneliness was overwhelming, and he wondered if he would ever find a place where he belonged, a place where someone would see him as more than just a brilliant mind.
In that classroom, sitting at his desk, Frank felt like an alien on his own planet. While his teacher talked about literature and his classmates yawned in boredom, he got lost in thoughts about fingerprints and hidden motives. School wasn't a place of learning for him; it was a prison that separated him from what truly mattered.
As he looked out the window, the rain fell in the schoolyard, a reflection of his own melancholy. He wondered if he would ever find someone with whom he could share his thoughts and emotions, someone who would see him as an equal rather than a peculiarity. But loneliness was his constant companion, and as much as he wished for friends, he knew his mind was an insurmountable barrier.
Returning to his internal monologue, he thought about how that loneliness had led him to perfect his skills as a private detective. From an early age, he had solved logical puzzles and mathematical riddles as a pastime. He learned about criminology, forensic psychology, and investigative techniques on his own, fueling his obsession with deciphering the inexplicable. The admiration he received from others drove him to prove that he was worthy of it.
2
As Frank remained lost in his thoughts during the boring class, his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. The teacher's gaze fell upon him, a gesture of disapproval for his distraction. However, Frank couldn't afford to ignore this call. He knew it was Commissioner Douglas, and that meant there were updates on the case.
"Excuse me, teacher, but I need to step out for a moment," Frank said hastily as he rose from his seat and headed towards the classroom door.
The teacher frowned, but Frank didn't wait for a response and left the room, his mind already focused on the case of Emily Sinclair and Mike Collins. Quickly, he dialed the commissioner's number as he hurried through the school's corridors.
"Commissioner Douglas, what's the latest on the case?" Frank asked urgently.
The commissioner's voice sounded concerned on the other end of the line.
"Frank, we need you to come to the police station right away. There's a new lead we need to investigate. It looks like we're getting close to solving this case, but we need your help."
Frank nodded, his mind working at full speed as he headed for the school's exit. He knew he couldn't afford to waste more time in the classroom when there were leads to follow and lives at stake.
"I'm on my way, Commissioner. Keep everything ready. I'll be there as fast as I can."
He hung up the phone and hurried towards the exit. His classmates looked at him curiously as he walked away, but Frank couldn't worry about what they thought. His mind was focused on the case, on finding answers and bringing the culprits to justice.