The Hillcrest mansion was a sprawling estate perched on a hill overlooking Sacramento, famous for its luxury and tranquility. Early that morning, the mansion’s lights still gleamed despite the rising sun. Unbeknownst to the world outside, a terrible crime had unfolded within those opulent walls.
At 7 AM, the police received a frantic call from the McKinley family's maid, reporting that her employer, Elise McKinley, had been found dead in the living room. It wasn’t long before the CBI was brought in to take over the investigation, and soon, Patrick Jane arrived on the scene with his team, led by Teresa Lisbon.
As they entered the mansion, Patrick immediately felt the tension in the air. Elise McKinley was the wife of Donald McKinley, a wealthy businessman known throughout the city. Her body lay sprawled on the floor of the living room, her head resting in a pool of blood. A deep wound to the back of her skull appeared to be the cause of death. Next to her, a half-finished glass of wine stood on a small table.
Patrick didn’t rush to the body. Instead, he stood back, his eyes scanning the entire room with a calm detachment that contrasted sharply with the urgency of the police officers buzzing around him. His gaze fell on the arrangement of the furniture, the light dust that had settled on some of the more untouched corners of the room, and the placement of the wine glass.
“This isn’t a robbery gone wrong,” Patrick said softly to Lisbon.
“You sure?” Lisbon responded, glancing at him skeptically. “There’s no sign of forced entry, and she didn’t put up a fight.”
Patrick’s lips curled into a small smile as he walked towards a painting hanging on the wall behind the couch. He raised his hand, delicately wiping away a faint streak of dust on the frame.
“Look at this,” he said, his voice low but confident.
Lisbon followed his gaze but saw nothing out of place. “I don’t see anything.”
“Exactly,” Patrick replied. “There’s dust here, just a little, but enough to suggest no one has touched this area recently—except for one spot, just barely visible. Whoever did this stood here, right behind her, waiting. They didn’t disturb anything else.”
Lisbon nodded, her faith in Patrick’s uncanny instincts kicking in. But if this wasn’t a random act of violence, then who had motive to kill Elise? And why?
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Donald McKinley. As the husband, he was the obvious first suspect. Rumors had been circulating that the couple had been arguing frequently in the months leading up to her death. Donald was known to be a controlling man, and many speculated that Elise had been looking to divorce him.
But Donald provided an alibi: he was out of town on a business trip at the time of the murder, with several witnesses corroborating his whereabouts. Despite this, Patrick remained unconvinced. Alibis could be fabricated, and he suspected that Donald’s involvement wasn’t as clean-cut as it seemed.
Patrick began questioning the household staff, paying close attention to their behavior and responses. He started with Claire, the maid who had found Elise’s body. Claire was visibly shaken, her voice trembling as she recounted the events of that morning.
“I went in to clean the living room like I always do,” Claire explained, her eyes wide with fear. “I thought she was just asleep at first. But when I saw the blood... I... I didn’t know what to do.”
Patrick looked at her intently, his eyes never leaving her face. “Did anyone come by the house last night? Any visitors?”
Claire hesitated for a brief moment before shaking her head. “No, sir. No one came by. Mrs. McKinley had sent me home early. She said she wanted some time alone.”
Patrick smiled, but it wasn’t the comforting smile Claire might have hoped for. It was a smile that told her he already knew she wasn’t telling the full truth.
“You’re lying, Claire,” Patrick said quietly. “Why?”
Claire's face flushed red, and she looked down at her hands. “I... I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble,” she stammered. “It’s just that... Mr. McKinley’s brother, Alex, came by last night. But it was nothing! He visits sometimes when Donald’s away.”
Patrick’s eyes flickered with interest. Alex McKinley was a name that hadn’t come up yet in their investigation. As Donald’s younger brother, Alex had always lived in Donald’s shadow, but the two were supposedly close.
With this new information, the CBI shifted their focus. Alex McKinley was brought in for questioning, and while he maintained his innocence, Patrick felt there was more to the story. Alex’s demeanor during the interrogation was calm, almost too calm. He answered every question without hesitation, but something about his body language suggested he was hiding something.
The break in the case came when Patrick examined Elise’s phone records. Among her recent calls was a name that had been overlooked—Angela, an old friend of Elise’s who had fallen out of touch years ago. It seemed Elise had called Angela the night before she was murdered. Patrick arranged to meet with Angela, curious about the nature of their conversation.
Angela revealed something that shocked the team. Elise had confided in her that she had discovered something alarming about Donald’s business. Elise had found evidence of embezzlement, and Donald had been using Alex as a front for the illegal transactions. Elise had planned to confront her husband, but Angela warned her to be careful.
“She didn’t listen,” Angela said, her voice full of sorrow. “She thought Donald would just admit it and they could fix things. But I knew it was more dangerous than that.”
Patrick pieced the puzzle together. Donald, fearing Elise would expose him, had orchestrated the murder. But he had used his brother, Alex, to do the dirty work, knowing that Alex’s jealousy and desire to prove himself would make him the perfect pawn. Alex, desperate to earn his brother’s approval, had agreed to confront Elise. However, the confrontation had escalated, and Alex, in a fit of rage and panic, had struck Elise from behind.
With Patrick’s deductions in hand, the CBI confronted Alex, who finally broke down under pressure. He confessed to the murder, but insisted that it was an accident, that he hadn’t meant to kill Elise. Still, the evidence was clear. Patrick’s ability to see through the lies, combined with the meticulous phone records, had led them to the truth.
As the case closed, Lisbon looked at Patrick, a mix of admiration and relief on her face.
“You were right, as always,” she said. “I don’t know how you do it.”
Patrick smiled, his signature grin returning. “Just a bit of observation and logic,” he replied, though everyone knew it was much more than that.
The Hillcrest mystery had been solved, but Patrick’s mind was already moving on to the next puzzle waiting to be unraveled.
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