The Locked Room

Detective Sarah Thompson stood outside the locked room, her heart racing. Inside, the body of billionaire John Montgomery lay lifeless on the floor. The room had no windows, and the only door was locked from the inside. It seemed like an impossible crime.

Sarah examined the door, noting that the lock hadn't been tampered with. She turned to John's wife, Olivia, who had discovered the body. "Mrs. Montgomery, can you tell me what happened?"

Olivia, her eyes filled with tears, spoke softly, "I heard a gunshot from inside the room. When I tried to open the door, it was locked. I called for help, and when we finally got inside, John was... dead."

The detective surveyed the room, spotting a revolver near John's body. She picked it up using a handkerchief and noticed that only one bullet had been fired.

As Sarah interviewed the family members and staff, she learned that John had been receiving threatening letters. She also discovered that his business partner, Michael, had recently argued with him over a lucrative deal.

Suspicion fell on Michael, but he had an airtight alibi. Sarah was puzzled until she noticed something peculiar about the crime scene photos. In one image, a small mirror on the wall reflected a partially open closet door. However, in another photo taken moments later, the closet door was closed.

Sarah rushed back to the crime scene and opened the closet. Inside, she found a secret passage leading to an adjacent room. She realized that the killer had hidden inside the closet, shot John, and then locked the door from the outside before escaping through the passage.

But who was the killer? Sarah's instincts led her back to Olivia. Upon confronting her, Olivia broke down and confessed. She had discovered that John was having an affair and, in a fit of rage, had murdered him. She had planned the locked room mystery to throw off suspicion.

As Olivia was led away in handcuffs, Sarah couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. Another case closed, but at what cost? The price of love, betrayal, and a locked room mystery that almost went unsolved.