The Locked Room Mystery
Detective Sarah Pearson arrived at the luxurious mansion of the late billionaire, Robert Vanderbilt. His body had been discovered in his study, locked from the inside. The only key was found in Robert's pocket, and the windows were securely bolted. The cause of death? A single gunshot wound to the head.
Sarah examined the room, noting the scattered papers on the desk and the gun lying next to Robert's body. She interviewed the family members present in the house: Robert's wife, Evelyn; his son, James; and his daughter, Olivia. Each had an alibi, claiming to be in different parts of the mansion at the time of the murder.
As Sarah delved deeper, she uncovered a web of secrets. Evelyn had been having an affair, James was in debt due to a gambling addiction, and Olivia had been cut out of her father's will. All had motives, but none had the means to enter the locked room.
Sarah searched the study meticulously and discovered a small, hidden button under the desk. When pressed, a panel in the wall slid open, revealing a secret passage. She followed it and found it led to the room directly above the study - Olivia's bedroom.
Confronting Olivia, Sarah revealed the truth. Olivia had accessed the study through the secret passage, shot her father, and then returned to her room, unnoticed. The passage's locking mechanism allowed it to be opened and closed from both ends, explaining the locked room mystery.
Olivia confessed, driven by anger over her father's decision to remove her from his will. With the case solved, Sarah reflected on the dark secrets that often lurk beneath the surface of even the most seemingly perfect families.
