The Crime System

The Piano Prodigy Investigation

As Luke drove along the winding country road toward Phoenicia, his partner Bella sat beside him in the passenger seat.

"Bribery!" Bella Lane exclaimed, as if struck by a revelation. "Someone might have bribed the piano prodigy, gave her a ton of money, and got her to withdraw from the competition! Without her as a competitor, whoever paid her could secure a top spot!"

"Interesting theory," Luke said, keeping his eyes on the road, though his mind raced with possibilities. "Or, maybe it's something more direct. What if someone didn't make it to the finals, ended up in eleventh place, and bribed Lila Davis to withdraw? That way, they could take her spot." He clenched the steering wheel, considering the angles. "You know, the pregnant woman who made it in tenth—could she have…"

"No, Luke!" Bella Lane interrupted. "The final placement wasn't determined by who entered first or last. Even the tenth qualifier could theoretically become the champion!"

"Good point," he conceded, though his gut told him there was more to the story. "Then it'd make sense to look into who got bumped into the finals when Lila Davis dropped out. The person in eleventh place could be a key figure."

"We could be wrong!" Bella Lane said suddenly, backtracking on her theory. "Think about it. Lila Davis was aiming for a top-three spot. Money wouldn't matter—only winning would. Her parents wouldn't just let her give up like that. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"That's true," Luke admitted. "What if it wasn't bribery but a threat?" The idea struck him like a bolt. "What if someone forced Lila Davis to withdraw? If she didn't, would her whole family be harmed?"

Bella Lane wrinkled her nose. "You make it sound like something out of a crime thriller. These were kids playing piano, not gangsters."

"Still," he pressed, feeling the weight of the mystery. "Something major must've happened during that competition. It's the only explanation for why all the victims were finalists."

The thought gnawed at him as he sped down the highway. Whatever had transpired at that competition, it had left a trail leading to these victims. But as the morning unfolded in Phoenicia, Luke found nothing but disappointment. The village secretary and the neighbors they spoke to had little to offer. Lila Davis's family had sold their ancestral home over twenty years ago and vanished.

No one knew where they had gone. Even her distant relatives had lost contact. It was as if the prodigy's entire family had disappeared into thin air.

Bella Lane had already checked for police records, but came up empty-handed. Their visit to the village yielded nothing but frustration, and as they returned to the car, Luke couldn't shake the feeling of hitting yet another dead end.

"Damn it!" he muttered, slamming his fist on the steering wheel. "Why is this case so damn difficult?" Every step forward felt like dragging himself through quicksand. Just when he thought he had a lead, it would dissolve into nothing. He hit the wheel again, growling under his breath as Bella Lane tried to console him.

"Luke, we still have options," she said. "If nothing else, we can question the three surviving victims. Maybe they'll remember something now that we know the connection to the piano competition."

He nodded. "Yeah, we'll do that. But first, let's try another avenue. Maybe we can still track down Lila Davis."

A sudden spark lit up her face. "Oh! We could ask 'that person' for help."

"Which person?" Luke asked, puzzled.

"You don't know? We've got an expert at finding people in the department!" Bella Lane said excitedly. "If he's willing to help, we might actually get somewhere."

Luke frowned, still unsure. "Who are you talking about?"

"Aaron Dawson," she said. "He's in the Cold Case Investigation Team."

Luke almost laughed. "That guy? Isn't he—"

"Yeah, that guy," Bella Lane confirmed, rolling her eyes. "He's got a terrible reputation. Lazy, unreliable, only helps if there's something in it for him. They even call him 'Mudfish' because he slips out of everything. But…when it comes to finding people, he's the best. He's got some sort of secret formula. Even if someone's been missing for decades, he can find them."

Intrigued, Luke decided to give it a shot. Calling Aaron Dawson from the car, he explained the situation and asked for his help. Surprisingly, Aaron didn't brush him off.

"Send me the info," he said cheerfully. "I'll check it out for you."

"See?" Luke said to Bella Lane after hanging up. "He's already agreed."

"Don't get your hopes up," she replied with a knowing smirk. "That's his trick. He'll act all cooperative, but when you're desperate, he'll start making demands. If you don't meet them, he won't lift a finger."

They returned to the station, but Aaron Dawson was nowhere to be found. When Luke called him, Aaron claimed he had a stomachache and would be late.

Minutes turned into nearly an hour. Another call went unanswered. Bella Lane crossed her arms, smug. "Told you. He's not going to help unless you pay up."

Luke chuckled, tapping her shoulder. "Relax. I've dealt with guys like this before. Trust me—he'll help, and I won't pay him a cent. Just wait and see."