The Locked Room
Detective Sarah Pearson stood outside the locked room, her heart racing. Inside, the lifeless body of millionaire philanthropist Victor Blackwell lay sprawled on the floor. The room had no windows, and the only door was locked from the inside. Blackwell's wife, Evelyn, had called the police in hysterics, claiming she couldn't open the door.
Sarah examined the lock, noting no signs of forced entry. She turned to Evelyn, who was trembling. "Mrs. Blackwell, can you tell me what happened?"
"I... I don't know," Evelyn stammered. "I heard a gunshot from inside the room. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. That's when I called you."
Sarah nodded and glanced at the other two people in the hallway: Victor's business partner, James, and his secretary, Linda. "Did anyone else hear the gunshot?"
Both shook their heads, looking puzzled. Sarah turned back to the door, deep in thought. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Mrs. Blackwell, may I see your key to this room?"
Evelyn handed over the key, and Sarah compared it to the one in the lock. They were identical. Sarah unlocked the door and stepped inside, taking in the scene. Victor's body lay near the desk, a gun in his hand. A single bullet wound marred his temple.
Sarah moved closer, examining the gun. It was Victor's, and only his fingerprints were on it. As she searched the room, a small detail caught her eye: a tiny hole in the wall, almost invisible behind a potted plant.
She turned to the group, her eyes locking with Evelyn's. "Mrs. Blackwell, I believe your husband was murdered."
Evelyn gasped. "But how? The door was locked from the inside!"
Sarah held up a thin, nearly invisible wire. "With this. The killer threaded this wire through the keyhole, around the key, and out through this tiny hole in the wall. After shooting Victor, they pulled the wire, turning the key and locking the door from the outside. The wire snapped, leaving no evidence."
She turned to James, who had gone pale. "Isn't that right, Mr. James?"
James stammered, "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
Sarah held up a small piece of wire. "I found this in your pocket. It matches the wire in the room. You killed Victor, didn't you?"
James collapsed to his knees, sobbing. "He was going to leave the company, start a new one with Linda. I couldn't let him destroy everything we'd built."
As the police led James away, Sarah turned to Evelyn. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Blackwell. But at least now, you know the truth."
Evelyn nodded, tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Detective. Thank you for bringing my husband's killer to justice."
