The Curious Case of the Twisted Trails

by Naelle St. Forte and Lillian Byrne

“Yeah, I’m on my way to work right now. Be there in... hmm,  maybe 20 minutes?" Theo said before ending a call with his colleague, Stephanie. Theo was about to be late for his shift at the precinct for the third time this week if he didn't hurry up. As he practically ran to the bus station, something caught his eye from across the street. It was caution tape, in fact, so much caution tape that it took up most of the block. It was surrounded by cops and reporters, and the second Theo saw it, his curiosity immediately sparked into a flame. Being one of the most famous detectives, he was ultimately intrigued. However, as he was about to walk over, the bus zoomed right in front of him, forcing him to postpone his investigation until later.

While on the bus, Theo couldn't stop thinking about the crime scene. "I wonder what it was," he thought to himself. He pondered over it all day, and when he arrived home, he made up his mind to investigate it himself. He grabbed his keys, coat, and briefcase, and headed out the door and back to the crime scene. By the time he got there, nothing was left except a few dark red stains on the ground. Wondering if they were related to the recent murder case, he pulled out a DNA test kit from his briefcase and swabbed the ground to collect a sample. "Okay, that’s all for today," Theo whispered to himself as he turned around. However, as he got up to leave, his wife’s friend, Ellean, popped up behind him, startling him.

"Gosh! You scared me! What are you doing here?" Theo asked, taken aback.

"I can’t tell you much. She'll get me, but promise me you'll stay out of this. I don't want 'it' to happen to you too," Ellean replied urgently, then ran away as fast as she could.

Theo could barely sleep at all that night. All he could think about was what Ellean had said. However, he was still in a rush to get up and see if there was any new information on the death from yesterday. He raced to check his computer and clicked on a link that led him to the information he was looking for. The headline read: "The Mysterious Death of Elizabeth Solace." As he read through the article, he discovered that Elizabeth Solace, a beloved teacher known for her dedication and passion, had been brutally murdered. The article provided few details about the crime, leaving the investigation wide open. Theo couldn't help but feel a personal connection to the case, given his role as a detective.

Soon after he finished reading, his wife, Jane, came out of their room dressed head to toe in all black, wearing a large trench coat.

"What's with the outfit?" Theo asked, curious about her sudden change in style.

"Nothing. Is there a problem?" Jane replied, her tone laced with a slight attitude.

"No, of course not. You just usually wear bright colors," Theo remarked, noticing the departure from her usual vibrant attire.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with my outfit!" Jane retorted sharply, before storming out of the room. Theo immediately sensed something amiss, wondering if Jane's behavior

 was connected to the recent murder or if there were other underlying reasons.

Deciding to take the day off from work, Theo prepared himself for the day and focused on his detective project. He called in sick, allowing himself time to gather more information about the mysterious murder. However, as soon as he stepped out of the building, he was met with what seemed to be an army of police officers surrounding 

the lifeless body of Ellean Enryb. With each twist and turn, the web of intrigue surrounding the murders deepened, and Theo couldn't help but feel that he was getting closer to the truth.