In the small town of Ravenswood, the annual literary
festival was a big event. This year, the famous writer Arthur Wainwright was
set to reveal his new book, The Silent Witness. Arthur was a mystery himself,
rarely seen in public.
The night before the big reveal, there was a party at
Ravenswood Manor. The manor was filled with excitement as guests chatted about
the new book. Arthur made a brief appearance, holding a sealed envelope with
his manuscript. He announced it would be revealed the next evening and then
retired to his study.
The next morning, chaos erupted. Arthur's study had been
broken into, and the manuscript was missing. There were no signs of forced
entry. Inspector Harold Greene, a retired detective, was called to investigate.
He gathered the key suspects in the library: Eleanor Hughes, a sharp critic;
Thomas Blake, a struggling novelist; and Olivia Saunders, an ambitious
journalist.
Eleanor was known for her harsh reviews of Arthur's work.
Thomas was desperate for success and might have stolen the manuscript to pass
off as his own. Olivia was eager for a big story and could have seen this as
her chance.
Inspector Greene started with Eleanor. She insisted she had
no reason to steal the manuscript, saying, "I respect his talent despite
our differences."
Next, he questioned Thomas, who was nervous. "I would
never steal. I have my own work," he claimed.
Finally, Olivia was calm. "I was here to cover the
festival, not to create a scandal," she said firmly.
Greene re-examined the study. He noticed a faint smell of
lavender, recalling Olivia's distinctive perfume. But this alone was not enough
evidence.
He reviewed the events of the night. Eleanor was seen near
the study around midnight but claimed she was just looking for a quiet place to
read. Thomas was last seen near the garden but had no solid alibi. Olivia had
been mingling with guests, making it hard to pinpoint her location.
Greene set a trap. He announced he had found a clue that
would lead to the manuscript and then pretended to leave. Hidden nearby, he
waited.
Soon, Olivia crept into the study, searching frantically.
Greene caught her red-handed. Olivia confessed, saying she wanted to publish an
exclusive story to boost her career.
The manuscript was recovered, and Olivia was taken away by
the police. The festival continued, and Arthur's The Silent Witness was
revealed to great acclaim. Inspector Greene was hailed as a hero, solving the
mystery of the missing manuscript.
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