Chapter 1
“Sir, please listen to me! I did not do it!”
The man’s voice echoed. The house was empty, and the atmosphere was strangely calm. Family photos hung on the wall; each photo spoke of different memories. It felt like a home—but not with the dry blood on the floor.
It was a crime scene. The body of a mother and a loving wife lay there. How can such a place, where everyone—including you—felt safe, turn into a crime scene?
The house had been closed by the authorities. The police and detectives in charge were questioning the loved ones of the victim- Andrea Hale.
“She was very... I mean, extremely kind to everyone,” a neighbor remarked. “I believe she had no enemies. Her relationship with her husband was very peaceful. They even have a son; I really just can’t believe she died at the hands of someone she loved so dearly”.
All of these comments were made by Andrea’s neighbors. Her body had already been received by forensics.
“Any other comments, Detective Jennifer?” asked Detective Sean Mercer.
“No, Mr. Mercer, this is all I’ve got”.
“This is that one case where the killer is quite obvious,” remarked Detective Sean.
“Anyways, Jennifer, enlighten me with the suspect and also the actual killer of Mrs. Andrea Hale".
“Mr. Hale is known to be a high-profiled businessman in the West. He is well-respected. His wife, Andrea, was also well known in this society. They were described as a quiet, happy family, bound together by small rituals, shared laughter, and the steady presence of their son, Luke”.
“I feel like Noah Hale is not the one we are searching for,” Elena confessed.
“Why do you feel so, Officer Donovan?” remarked Mercer.
“Detective Mercer, don’t you feel he is too good to murder someone he desired for so long? I mean, his records speak for themselves, as does the fact that he ‘adored’ his wife, Andrea. These two were lovers, according to what the neighbours said. He just doesn’t fit the profile of a killer,” Elena remarked confidently.
“We can’t judge a book by its cover—can we, Ms. Elena Donovan?” Sean said it in such a way that made Elena tame her mouth and her thoughts.
Detective Sean Mercer was a renowned detective and had won every single case he fought. But he always had a motive for taking on a case, and his motive for this one was different. Unlike the others, this one stirred something deeper. He wouldn’t admit it himself. He was always roughly dressed, as if he had slept in his suit. The woolen bracelet he wore—a stark against his dominating and powerful demeanor—was a token of something personal; only he understood it.
“Sir, Mr. Noah is waiting. I think we should go,” said Ethan Cole.
It was time to start the investigation of a case that left a 5 year old motherless, a loving husband broken and the murderer?
Amused.
