The Locked Room Mystery
Detective Lila Novak stood outside the sealed room, her brow furrowed in concentration. Inside lay the lifeless body of billionaire philanthropist, Victor Blackwell. The door had been locked from the inside, and the windows were securely fastened. No one could have entered or exited the room.
Lila turned to the three suspects: Victor's wife, Evelyn; his business partner, Marcus; and his personal assistant, Julia. Each had a motive, but none had the means to commit the crime.
Evelyn claimed she was in the garden at the time of the murder, while Marcus insisted he was in a meeting across town. Julia said she was running errands for Victor.
Lila examined the room carefully. A glass of whiskey sat on the desk, next to a pen and a stack of papers. A fireplace crackled in the corner, and a bookshelf lined the far wall.
Suddenly, Lila's eyes widened. She picked up the glass of whiskey and sniffed it. A bitter almond scent filled her nostrils. Cyanide.
She turned to the suspects. "The killer didn't need to enter the room. The poison was delivered through the whiskey. And only one person had access to Victor's drinks."
All eyes turned to Julia, who trembled under Lila's gaze. "He was going to fire me," she confessed. "I couldn't lose this job."
As Julia was led away in handcuffs, Lila sighed. Another case closed, but at what cost? The price of greed and desperation was always too high.
