The locked room mystery had everyone stumped. Detective Lila Novak stared at the lifeless body of billionaire Victor Stanton, sprawled on the floor of his private study. The door was bolted from the inside, and the windows were sealed shut. No one could have entered or exited the room.
Lila examined the scene, her keen eyes taking in every detail. Stanton's antique revolver lay beside him, a single bullet missing from the chamber. The wall safe stood open, its contents untouched. A half-empty glass of whiskey rested on the desk.
As Lila interviewed the suspects - Stanton's estranged wife, his business partner, and his personal assistant - a pattern emerged. Each had a motive, but none had the means to commit the crime.
The detective's mind raced, piecing together the clues. Stanton's wife mentioned his recent fascination with magic tricks. His partner spoke of a heated argument over a lucrative deal. The assistant revealed Stanton's secret affair.
Suddenly, it clicked. Lila returned to the study and examined the revolver. The bullet had been fired, but there was no blood splatter on Stanton's temple. She looked closer at the whiskey glass, spotting a residue on the rim.
Lila gathered everyone in the study and revealed the truth. Stanton had staged his own murder, using a clever combination of magic and chemistry. He had drugged himself with a paralytic compound, fired the gun into the wall, and positioned himself on the floor. The locked room was a diversion.
Stanton's plan was to frame his wife for murder and run off with his mistress and the company's funds. But Lila's sharp mind had unraveled his twisted plot, and justice would be served.
As the police led a groggy Victor Stanton away in handcuffs, Lila smiled. Another mystery solved, another criminal brought to light. In the world of detective Lila Novak, no secret was safe, and no puzzle was too complex to unravel.
