Frank received a call in the middle of the night, alerting him to an apparent murder at an elegant mansion on the outskirts of the city. The victim turned out to be John Edwards, the son of the influential businessman Johan Edwards. The scene was shrouded in secrecy and tension, and Frank arrived prepared for whatever he might find.
Upon reaching the mansion, Frank went through all security protocols, which included skeptical glances from the officers at the entrance. However, Commissioner Douglas accompanied him and vouched for Frank's presence at the scene. It wasn't the first time they had worked together, and the commissioner knew that the private detective had an exceptional ability to unravel the most intricate crimes.
The mansion was a hive of frenetic activity, with officers collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and scouring the house. Frank approached Commissioner Douglas, who briefed him on the situation.
"We have a gunshot wound to the victim's chest," Commissioner Douglas reported, showing a hint of impatience.
Frank leaned in to examine John Edwards' body closely. He studied the gunshot and chest wound meticulously, while his analytical mind raced. Then, he stood up and walked over to a small metal figurine on a nearby table.
"This is not what it seems, Commissioner," Frank said confidently, pointing out a small dent in the figurine.
Douglas looked at him skeptically. "What do you mean, Frank?"
"This gunshot, Commissioner, is just a distraction. A ruse to make everyone think this is a cold-blooded murder. But in reality, this is a crime of passion, impulsive and spontaneous."
Commissioner Douglas raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Frank's assertion. The private detective had shown his prowess in numerous previous cases, so Douglas decided to give him the chance to explain his reasoning.
"Go on, Frank. What makes you think that?"
Frank looked back at the scene and pointed out some details that had gone unnoticed by others.
"The figurine, Commissioner. If someone were planning a murder, they wouldn't bring such an incriminating piece with them. But this dent in the figurine proves it was taken hastily, in a moment of impulse. Moreover, there are no signs of a struggle in the room. The victim and the killer knew each other and trusted one another. All of this points to a close relationship, possibly a romantic one."
Douglas nodded, starting to see the logic in Frank's reasoning.
"And who do you think the killer is?"
Frank crossed his arms and looked at the figurine.
"That's something we need to find out, Commissioner. But I'm sure this is not the typical scene of a premeditated murder. There are emotions involved here, overflowing passion, and a tragic twist of fate."
Frank moved through the crime scene with an unusual level of seriousness, his hands behind his back, and a meticulous gaze in his eyes. He methodically scrutinized every nook and cranny, leaving nothing to chance.
His methodical and thorough approach earned him curious comments from the police officers who watched his peculiar method. However, Frank remained focused on the task at hand, undistracted by the observations of others.
Frank continued his inspection of the mansion, carefully examining every corner for clues that might shed light on the murder. However, suddenly, he stopped and turned toward a young woman who was watching him from a corner with tears in her eyes. She was Eva Edwards, the victim's sister.
With his characteristic calm, Frank approached Eva and introduced himself.
"I'm Frank Hughes, a private detective. I'm very sorry for what happened. Can I ask you some questions?"
Eva nodded, her eyes still filled with tears.
Frank started with some basic questions to get to know the victim's sister better.
"What's your name, age, and how close were you to your brother?"
Eva answered with a trembling voice.
"My name is Eva, I'm 24 years old. My brother, John, and I were very close. He was my best friend."
Frank nodded with understanding and then asked a more delicate question.
"Do you know if your brother had any enemies or anyone who might want to harm him?"
Eva shook her head.
"No, my brother was a kind person. I can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt him."
However, Frank noticed something unusual while talking to Eva. He observed that she had something in the right pocket of her coat, and she appeared nervous.
With composure, Frank asked, "Eva, may I see what you have in the right pocket of your coat?"
Eva was taken aback by the question and initially refused. But Frank's unwavering gaze and presence convinced her.
"Okay, here you go," she said as she pulled out the item.
It was the victim's cell phone, which Frank had noticed was missing from the crime scene. Without saying a word, Frank took the phone and handed it to a couple of nearby police officers to ensure it was properly documented as evidence.
Eva, with a mixture of surprise and fear on her face, watched as the officers walked away with her brother's phone.
Frank, after ensuring the victim's cell phone was properly documented as evidence, approached Commissioner Douglas and made a specific request.
"Commissioner, it would be prudent to check all the bank accounts of John Edwards and his father. We might find clues related to the crime."
The commissioner nodded, aware of the importance of tracing any financial transactions that could shed light on the murder. The process of obtaining information about the bank accounts was set in motion immediately.
In the meantime, a young female officer approached Frank, introducing herself as Lily Williams. Frank nodded and offered her a friendly smile.
"Welcome, Lily. You're under my command. Let's go and interview the victim's father, Johan Edwards, at his company."
Frank and Lily left the mansion and headed to Johan Edwards' company. On the way, Frank took the opportunity to gather more information about the officer.
"Lily, tell me a little about your experience in the police department. How long have you been working here?"
The young officer provided a brief overview of her experience, mentioning that she had been with the department for three years and had worked on various cases.
Frank and Lily arrived at Johan Edwards' company, but before entering the businessman's office, a secretary approached Frank with a professional smile, introducing herself.
"Hello, I'm Sarah, the company's secretary. How can I help you?"
Frank smiled charmingly and responded kindly, "Nice to meet you, Sarah. I'm here to investigate the murder of John Edwards. I need to gather relevant information for our case."
Sarah seemed a bit nervous at the news, but Frank continued with his natural charm, noticing that she subtly touched her middle finger, as if she had recently ended a marriage.
"Don't worry, we're not accusing anyone without evidence. We just need to gather information to clarify the facts. Your cooperation is much appreciated."
Frank noticed Sarah was becoming more at ease and decided to capitalize on the situation subtly.
"I imagine that working so closely with Mr. Edwards, you must have seen many interesting things, haven't you?"
Sarah blushed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Frank decided to use this opportunity subtly.
"I'm sure your work allows you to be privy to what happens here in the company. But have you noticed anything unusual lately? Something that might not seem important but could shed some light on what happened to John."
Sarah seemed to reflect for a moment before responding.
"Well, actually, I've noticed something. Mr. Edwards has been acting somewhat strangely lately. He's been more nervous and distracted than usual."
Frank nodded with interest, knowing he was on the right track. He decided to press further.
"Sarah, I know I can trust your discretion. Can you tell me if you're aware of any personal relationship that Mr. Edwards might be having? Something that isn't public knowledge."
The secretary seemed nervous but finally confessed, "Well, yes, I do know that Mr. Edwards is in a relationship with someone outside of his marriage."
Frank thanked Sarah for her honesty and decided not to press her further. He smiled and bid her a courteous farewell.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Sarah. Your information will be valuable. Don't worry; we'll protect your confidentiality."
She looked at him dreamily as if expecting something more, but Frank simply walked toward Mr. Edwards' office.
The door to Johan Edwards' office swung open abruptly, startling both Lily and the businessman himself. Frank entered with a relaxed smile, as if he were walking into a social gathering.
"Good morning, Mr. Edwards. I apologize for the abrupt entrance. I'm Detective Frank. I'd like to ask you some questions about your son, John."
Johan appeared surprised by Frank's relaxed demeanor and looked at him curiously.
"I don't understand. How do you know my name? We've never met before."
Frank nodded with a friendly smile. "That's true, we haven't met in person, but I've heard about you and your company. But let's put that aside. Can I ask you some questions about John?"
Johan Edwards, still confused, agreed.
"I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure he was a brilliant man. I'm sure you shared many good moments together."
Johan nodded with a sad expression.
"Yes, I'll miss him greatly. We were very different, but in the end, he was my son."
Frank continued with his technique, offering information that seemed accurate without revealing the source.
"I understand that your relationship with John wasn't particularly close. Maybe you had some differences in terms of personality. He was more extroverted, while you're more reserved."
Johan seemed surprised by what Frank knew.
"That's true, but how do you know that?"
Frank maintained his smile and continued.
"People's lives can be complex, Mr. Edwards. Sometimes, family relationships aren't easy. I've heard that you also had a... complicated relationship with your wife."
Johan appeared uneasy and asked cautiously, "Who told you that?"
Frank didn't reveal his source and simply replied, "I'm a detective, and it's my job to understand all aspects of a case. But what interests me the most right now is your relationship with a special woman, someone outside your marriage."
Johan became rigid, and his face turned red. He responded aggressively, "I don't know what you're talking about. Who told you that? Are you investigating my personal life?"
Frank maintained his composure and continued with his technique, providing a precise description of Johan's lover.
"I'm not investigating your personal life, Mr. Edwards. I just want to understand all aspects of your son's life. I'm sure you wouldn't want uncomfortable details to come to light."
The businessman seemed alarmed and dumbfounded. Frank had managed to obtain valuable information without revealing his source and had left Johan confused and defensive. Lily, who watched the scene, nodded in admiration of Frank's skill in the interrogation.
Frank didn't seem inclined to drop the subject of Johan's lover. Despite the businessman's resistance, he continued pressing but, at one point, he took the conversation in an unexpected direction.
"I understand you don't want to discuss your personal relationship, Mr. Edwards, so let's change the topic. I'm interested in learning more about the workplace environment in your company. I've heard that John had a rival, someone who was competing for his position. Could you tell me more about that?"
Johan, who was still upset by the previous line of questioning, felt a bit more comfortable talking about work-related matters.
"That's true; John had a rival in the company, a man named David Ross. They had different ideas about how to run the business, and they often clashed in meetings. But I don't think that has anything to do with his death."
Frank nodded and mentally noted the information.
"I understand. Workplace dynamics can be complicated. And, of course, I'm not suggesting that David Ross is involved in your son's death. We're just trying to gather all the information that might help us understand what happened."
Johan seemed relieved that the conversation had shifted away from his personal life, and he was willing to cooperate as much as possible.
Frank continued his interrogation, gathering more details about the rivalry between John and David Ross, as well as information about other employees who might have had motives to harm John Edwards.
Frank and Lily returned to the police station, where they could analyze the collected information. While preparing a cup of tea in the small police station kitchen, Frank shared his thoughts on the case.
"The information we got from Mr. Edwards is valuable. The rivalry between John and David Ross could be an important clue. But we also need to consider other employees in the company. Who knows, maybe someone else had reasons to harm John."
Lily nodded as she watched Frank handle the process of making tea with the same ease he seemed to apply to every aspect of his work.
"You're right. We need to thoroughly investigate David Ross and other employees. Maybe we'll find something that sheds light on the case."
Frank took a sip of his tea and nodded.
"Exactly. For now, let's focus on David Ross. Request his work history, talk to his colleagues, and see if there's anything unusual in his relationship with John Edwards. Lily, I'd like you to arrange a meeting with him. We're going to need answers."
Lily nodded determinedly.
"I'll do that right away, Frank. Let's solve this case."