Detective Eliza

The Mystery of The Disappearance of An Official's Son in Rome

The cobbled streets of Rome, usually a canvas of color, laughter, and the scent of freshly baked bread, now wore a veil of haunting quietness. The night had settled heavily over the city, and a mist hung in the air, making the lights of distant buildings look like muted stars.

Eliza paced along the streets, the echo of her heels clattering the only sound breaking the silence. Her piercing eyes roamed everywhere, searching for the smallest hint, the slightest anomaly. She had come to this city on countless occasions, but never under such grim circumstances.

Martha, trailing behind her, wore an expression of unease. She felt the heaviness in the atmosphere too. Her eyes, always vigilant, darted from one shadow to the next. "Rome shouldn't be this quiet," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"I've got something," Robert's voice broke in, sounding from the small earpiece both women wore. Eliza stopped in her tracks, focusing on his words. "The CCTV footage from the café where the official's son was last seen is riddled with gaps. Almost as if someone tampered with it."

Eliza's brow creased in thought. "That means someone wants the boy hidden. The question is...why?"

Nearby, the magnificent silhouette of the Colosseum stood, a silent witness to centuries of secrets. Eliza felt its weight, almost as if the ancient structure was urging her on, prompting her to delve deeper.

She paused, taking a moment to breathe in the cold Roman air, letting the gravity of the situation sink in. The son of a top-ranking official had disappeared, and it was up to her to uncover the web of mystery that shrouded this case.

"They say Rome holds many secrets," Martha mused, drawing close to Eliza, her breath fogging up in the chilly night. "But secrets have a way of coming to light."

A fleeting smile played on Eliza's lips. "Then let's shed some light on this one," she murmured, determination shining in her eyes. With that, the seasoned detective and her assistant delved deeper into the labyrinthine streets of Rome, each step taking them closer to the truth.

A Father's Desperation

The sun had barely risen when Eliza and Martha reached the opulent residence of the missing boy's father. The vast villa, decorated with Roman columns and surrounded by meticulously pruned gardens, stood in sharp contrast to the urgent mystery that beckoned them.

Inside, the atmosphere was thick with anxiety. Hushed voices whispered behind closed doors, and servants moved about in quiet trepidation. The house echoed with the silent cries of a father's despair.

They were led to a spacious, luxuriously furnished study where the official sat. His face, etched with lines of worry, was a mask of despair. Grief shadowed his eyes, the deep-set blue now dulled to a weary gray.

"Ms. Eliza," he began, rising from his seat to greet them. His handshake was firm, but his palms were clammy. "I can't begin to describe the agony I feel. My son, Carlo, was not one to disappear without a word."

Martha observed the room – pictures of a younger Carlo playing in the gardens, attending prestigious events, always by his father's side. The bond between them was evident.

"We've been informed about the gaps in the CCTV footage from the café," Eliza mentioned, her voice calm yet authoritative. She watched the official's face closely, noting the flinch in his eyes at the mention of the café.

He sighed deeply, running a hand through his graying hair. "I was hoping it was a simple mistake, a misunderstanding. But the longer he remains missing, the more I fear something sinister is at play."

Robert's voice crackled in Eliza's earpiece, "I've managed to recover fragments from the corrupted footage. There's a shadow, a figure that appears right after Carlo leaves the café. It's not clear, but someone was definitely following him."