Perfect Storm: A Murder Mystery

Chapter 6. Perfect Crime

"There is no such thing as a perfect crime," Theo stated firmly. He held a wrinkled letter that the guardians of Middle Lake City had received the previous night. The letter had been sent from a small town called Mountville and contained a curious message from a young woman named Ann Storm. Oddly enough, his colleague didn't share his fascination with this case.

"If you knew about the crime, it wouldn't be perfect," Urchin, his good friend, replied. He sat at his desk, and Theo occupied a chair for the visitor.

"Agreed. But I'm willing to bet that's not the case here," Theo insisted. "Someone murdered a wealthy business owner, and it seems like the killer might just get away with it. We have to investigate it."

Urchin gave him a weary look. "Knowing your meticulousness, I already requested a full doctor's report. It turns out it was a regular snake bite. The man, Gregory Storm, didn't have an antidote nearby, and his heart stopped."

Theo shook his head, a nagging feeling of something being off about this case gnawing at him. He had always trusted his intuition, and it rarely led him astray. "According to the letter, this woman, Ann, claims it was an unusual snake."

"It could just be her imagination," Urchin offered. "Stress can sometimes affect people in strange ways. Besides, Gregory Storm was her sole caregiver after she lost her parents."

Theo grinned. He was skilled at uncovering hidden details in any crime. "So you're saying Ann is the sole heir and has inherited all of his wealth, including a collection of black diamonds?"

Urchin's eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "How did you know about the collection?"

"I did my research as well. It was all over the newspapers," Theo replied. Indeed, the late Gregory Storm had been a well-known figure in his circles – a successful businessman, pacifist, and owner of a rare collection of black diamonds. Despite living in a small mountain town at the bottom of the Lake Kingdom map, his death had made headlines in all the prominent newspapers.

"Fine," Urchin conceded, dropping his palms onto the desk. "If you want to pursue this in your free time, go ahead. I can't stop you."

Theo smiled, excited. He had taken a week off to visit his old friends in the capital, and his little vacation had been going well so far. However, when Urchin informed him about the mysterious letter their team had received, he couldn't resist the urge to unravel this enigma. "Well, I still have three more days before I have to return home. That gives me plenty of time to crack this case."

Urchin looked perplexed. "Why would you waste your vacation on this? We have no concrete evidence of a crime. Plus, the body of Mr. Storm was turned to ashes, so there won't be any traces to find. This investigation seems like a dead-end."

"Because this is what true guardians do. If someone reaches out for help, we must respond. At the very least, we need to verify the facts and ensure there was no foul play."

Urchin shook his head, still skeptical. "You never start an investigation without a theory. Who do you suspect?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's Ann."

"What? Why her?" Urchin's eyes widened in surprise. "Wasn't she the one who wrote us the letter?"

"I believe there were more letters, all written by Ann herself. She knew that no one would respond because, as you said, this case seems like a dead-end."

Urchin's confusion deepened. "But why would she do that?"

"This is how people sometimes act in small towns," Theo explained. "Ann did it to protect her reputation in the eyes of a judgmental society." He placed a letter on the desk and smoothed out its corners. "Look, Ann is the sole heir, but her uncle had already approved her engagement. So why would she want to share her wealth with a man she doesn't even love?"