#8.1 : The Poisoned Politician

Detective Valluce and The Poisoned Politician 

 - Part 1 -

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the city, but a dark cloud loomed over the upcoming elections. Detective Valluce received an urgent call from the mayor's office. A prominent politician, Senator John Michaels, had been poisoned. Though he survived, the attempt on his life was a clear sign that someone wanted him out of the race.

Valluce arrived at the hospital where Michaels was recovering. The senator, though weak, was eager to talk. "Detective, I have many enemies, but I need you to find out who did this and why," he said, his voice strained.

Valluce began his investigation at the senator's campaign headquarters. He interviewed the staff and collected information about the senator's recent activities. Michaels’ assistant, Lisa, mentioned that he had received several threatening letters in the past few weeks. She handed Valluce a stack of letters, each one more menacing than the last.

The senator’s security chief, Mark, informed Valluce that Michaels had attended a high-profile fundraiser the night before he fell ill. Several influential figures had been present, including business tycoons and political rivals.

Valluce visited the venue where the fundraiser had taken place. He inspected the dining area and spoke to the staff. A waiter recalled seeing a suspicious man near the senator's table. The man had left in a hurry after the senator started feeling unwell.

Back at his office, Valluce examined the threatening letters. They were typed and unsigned, but one letter had a faint fingerprint smudge. Valluce sent it to the lab for analysis.

Valluce identified several suspects with motives to harm the senator:

1. James Parker: A wealthy businessman who had a recent falling out with Michaels over a land deal. Parker was known for his ruthless tactics and had publicly threatened to ruin Michaels' career.

2. Helen Carter: A political rival who had been trailing behind Michaels in the polls. Carter had been vocal about her disdain for Michaels' policies and had a history of playing dirty in politics.

3. Tommy Blake: A disgruntled former employee who was fired by Michaels for embezzlement. Blake had vowed revenge and had been seen lurking around the campaign headquarters.

The lab results returned, and the threatening letter's fingerprint matched Tommy Blake’s. Valluce decided to confront Blake. He found him at a rundown apartment, nervously pacing.

"Tommy, I know about the letters," Valluce said, holding up the evidence. "Why did you do it?"

Blake’s face turned pale. "I didn’t poison him! Yes, I wrote the letters, but it was just to scare him. I wanted him to feel the fear I felt when he fired me."

Though Blake’s story was believable, Valluce felt there was more to uncover. He decided to dig deeper into James Parker’s and Helen Carter’s backgrounds.