The clock struck midnight as Detective Lila Novak arrived at the eerie mansion on the outskirts of town. The frantic call from the wealthy widow, Evelyn Montgomery, had been unsettling. Her husband, Edward, had been found dead in the locked study, with no apparent cause of death.
As Lila stepped into the dimly lit foyer, she was greeted by the butler, James, who led her to the study. The room was in pristine condition, with no signs of a struggle. Edward's body lay slumped over his desk, a pen still in his hand.
Lila examined the scene meticulously, her keen eyes searching for clues. She noticed a half-empty glass of whiskey on the desk and a peculiar odor lingering in the air. Evelyn and her two adult children, Olivia and Alexander, waited anxiously in the living room.
Interviews with the family members revealed a web of secrets and resentment. Olivia, a struggling artist, felt her father had never supported her dreams. Alexander, the heir to the family business, had been arguing with Edward over the company's future. Evelyn, on the other hand, seemed strangely calm for a grieving widow.
As Lila delved deeper, she discovered that Edward had recently changed his will, leaving the bulk of his fortune to a mysterious beneficiary. The tension in the household was palpable.
The autopsy report came back inconclusive, but Lila's instincts told her there was more to the story. She returned to the mansion and re-examined the study. It was then that she noticed a faint residue on the rim of the whiskey glass. The peculiar odor she had detected earlier suddenly made sense.
Lila confronted the family with her findings. The whiskey had been laced with a rare, odorless poison. The perpetrator had to be someone with access to Edward's study and knowledge of his drinking habits.
Under Lila's relentless questioning, Evelyn finally broke down. She confessed to poisoning her husband, revealing that she had discovered his affair with her best friend. The mysterious beneficiary in the will was none other than Edward's mistress.
As the police led Evelyn away, Lila couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. Another family torn apart by secrets and betrayal. She knew that the Montgomery mystery would haunt her for years to come.
