#12 : The Unexpected Visitor

Detective Val Luce and The Unexpected Visitor

It was a quiet evening in Detective Valluce's office. The ticking clock was the only sound, until a sudden knock on the door broke the silence. Valluce opened the door to find a nervous young woman standing there.

"Detective Valluce? My name is Emily. I need your help," she said, her voice trembling.

Emily explained that she had received a strange letter with no return address. The letter contained a single sentence: "You are in danger." She had no idea who sent it or why.

Valluce took the letter and examined it. The handwriting was neat but unfamiliar. He agreed to take the case and began his investigation.

Valluce started by visiting Emily's apartment. He looked for any signs of a break-in or anything unusual. He found nothing out of the ordinary, but Emily mentioned that she had seen a shadowy figure outside her window the previous night.

Next, Valluce visited Emily's workplace. She worked at a small bookstore, and her colleagues seemed friendly but clueless about the letter. The store owner, Mr. Benson, was particularly concerned and offered any help Valluce needed.

As Valluce left the bookstore, he almost tripped over a stack of books someone had left on the floor. "Watch your step, Detective," Mr. Benson called out with a smile.

Valluce decided to dig into Emily's past to see if anyone had a grudge against her. He discovered that Emily had recently inherited a valuable piece of land from her late uncle. This could be a motive for someone to threaten her.

Further investigation revealed that a real estate developer, Mr. Harper, had been pressuring Emily to sell the land. Harper had a reputation for using underhanded tactics to get what he wanted.

Valluce paid Harper a visit. Harper was smooth and confident, denying any involvement in the threatening letter. However, Valluce noticed a pen on Harper's desk with the same ink color as the letter.

Valluce set a trap for Harper. He leaked information that Emily was considering selling the land to see how Harper would react. Sure enough, Harper took the bait and arranged a meeting with Emily.

At the meeting, Valluce was waiting. "Mr. Harper, I believe you have some explaining to do," Valluce said, stepping out from behind a bookshelf.

Harper tried to deny everything, but Valluce presented the evidence: the pen, the motive, and a witness who saw Harper near Emily's apartment the night she saw the shadow.

Harper was arrested, and Emily was safe. The land remained in her possession, and the threatening letters stopped.

As Valluce walked back to his office, he reflected on the case. It had been a simple yet intriguing mystery, proving that even the smallest clues could lead to the truth.

Back at his desk, Valluce prepared for the next case. The city was full of surprises, and Detective Valluce was always ready to uncover the truth.