Phantom Thief Kid's warning letter quickly spread across the internet, but Roberts didn't send out the gem because she didn't trust anyone. After dinner, she kept the gem close and went to bed after getting ready for the night.
The night grew late, and the time passed well beyond the scheduled 8:00 PM. Roberts couldn't keep her eyes open, so after washing up and changing into her pajamas, she went to sleep.
Even Phantom Thief's fans had left, thinking maybe this time the thief just wanted to scare Roberts. How could the same item be stolen twice? It was already nearly midnight, and since Phantom Thief hadn't appeared yet, maybe this time he truly wasn't coming. Only the most dedicated reporters stayed behind, waiting for the "white thief" to descend from the moonlight.
The second hand ticked away, and the lights around the villa dimmed. The police were still on high alert, with Commissioner Stonberg keeping his eyes peeled. The silence grew, and everyone was getting tired.
The temperature in mid-April was still a little low. People huddled, trying to warm themselves against the chilly night wind. But the sleepiness crept in, and they became more and more drowsy… until suddenly, a scream pierced the air from inside the villa, waking everyone.
That was just the start. A short pause later, another even more horrifying scream echoed through the night.
Commissioner Stonberg rushed into the villa, only to see a fireball hurtling towards him. He quickly ducked to avoid it.
The fireball swerved and darted toward the outside of the villa, finally plunging into the swimming pool, where it bobbed on the surface, motionless.
"Mrs. Roberts??!!" Commissioner Stonberg could hardly believe his eyes. The villa's owner had been burned to death. He had just witnessed a horrifying murder.
Pulling the body from the water, the Commissioner shook his head. Mrs. Roberts was beyond saving. "Notify the identification team and the coroner."
Roberts' children rushed out, still in their pajamas. Seeing their mother's body, they began to cry in grief.
"It's Phantom Thief Kid, he must have killed mom!" the eldest son, Hunter, shouted. "It's definitely him, the murderer."
The officers exchanged looks, but they also had doubts. How could Phantom Thief Kid, who hadn't even shown himself, be the murderer?
"Quiet. Wait until you're questioned," Commissioner Stonberg ordered.
"What do you mean by that?" Hunter asked.
"It's just a routine procedure. Everyone in the villa, including the servants and butler, will be questioned. You're no exception." The case had gone from theft to murder, and this was no small matter.
The people outside the villa heard the screams and immediately stretched their necks to see what had happened. Was Phantom Thief Kid involved?
While taking statements, Commissioner Stonberg entered Roberts' bedroom. He noticed that the carpet by the door had been burned, and the door itself was blackened by smoke. Clearly, she had been set on fire in this room. But why were there two screams?
"Commissioner, I think this might be a spontaneous combustion incident," one of the officers said. "The fire clearly started on the victim's body. She was likely woken up and tried to flee, but suddenly caught fire."
"You think it was spontaneous combustion?" The Commissioner surveyed the room and agreed, "But why would the victim suddenly wake up in the middle of the night?"
"It must have been Phantom Thief Kid," the officer said with certainty. "She must have seen him, and that scared her, causing her to flee in panic."
"Don't jump to conclusions too quickly," the Commissioner responded. "Go fetch the butler. I have some questions for him."
The butler was brought in, and the Commissioner asked him directly, "Has Mrs. Roberts' bedroom always been decorated like this?"
"Yes, it's been this way for several years. The carpet was specially bought by Madam. It's her favorite."
"Was the sleepwear she wore the same one she's been wearing for years?"
The butler answered, "Not at all. No one wears the same set of pajamas for years. This set was a gift from Miss Marlene to Madam today."
"Then, is the fabric of the sleepwear Marlene gave her the same as what Mrs. Roberts usually wears?"
"Yes, Madam only wore flannel pajamas," the butler replied.
"I see," Commissioner Stonberg thought he understood why Mrs. Roberts had caught fire, but was it an accidental incident or a deliberate murder?
"Sir, there's something I must mention," the butler added. "This afternoon, Mrs. Roberts had a very heated argument with her eldest son, Hunter. It seems that Hunter's finances are in crisis."
"Thank you. That's very important," said Commissioner Stonberg. "I have another question. This room has a distinct fragrance—what is that smell?"
"Sir, it's high-quality Indian incense. It helps enhance sleep."
The Commissioner nodded and walked around the villa, checking various rooms.
"Commissioner, the forensic team has arrived," an officer said, walking up to him.
The forensic team didn't examine much, but they confirmed that the cause of death was indeed burning. There were signs of burning in her mouth.
"Butler, does Mrs. Roberts usually wear socks to sleep?" the Commissioner asked, noticing the socks on the body.
"Yes, Madam is older and sensitive to the cold. She wears socks to sleep."
The Commissioner noticed a silver cross hanging on her chest. It seemed clear now that this wasn't an accident but a murder, and the killer wasn't Phantom Thief Kid, but someone inside the villa.
The statements from the people in the villa were also recorded. By now, it was nearly dawn, and the Commissioner had finished reading the statements of seven or eight people.
Hunter was still shouting that Phantom Thief was the murderer, but he avoided talking about his argument with his mother. He had recently become addicted to gambling, losing all his money in Alaska and needing to return to borrow more. He also mentioned that he hadn't received his company's dividends in six months and had no choice but to borrow money. Now, not only was the bank pushing him, but the tax office and even loan sharks were after him. Hunter was on the verge of losing his mind.
"Commissioner, I believe this is a murder case. The killer is the eldest son, Hunter. He carefully planned it to inherit the estate," one officer said.
But others thought it was an accident. "It's obviously spontaneous combustion, not murder."
Commissioner Stonberg had his own view. "You're all wrong. This case was disguised as spontaneous combustion, but it's actually murder. Now, gather everyone by the swimming pool. I'm going to reveal the truth."
"Commissioner?" The officers were surprised at how confident the Commissioner seemed today, even looking slimmer, as if his beer belly had shrunk. The officers followed his orders, and the forensic team helped to verify a few pieces of evidence. The clues were almost complete.
Among the key pieces of evidence in the case, the pajamas were a gift from the victim's daughter, the cross from her youngest son, and the socks were from the eldest son. It was truly a heartbreaking case.
By the swimming pool, everyone had gathered.
A brave reporter had climbed over the wall and into a large tree in the yard, now filming what was happening below. With everyone gathered, it almost seemed like a grand assembly was about to take place. But the reporter knew this was a crime scene. With the forensics and medical examiner already there, it was clearly a murder case.
The reporter took the risk to sneak in, hoping that if he was lucky, he could headline the next day's news with the title 'Phantom Thief is a Murderer.'
"Now that everyone is here, I'll begin piecing together the unfortunate events that happened last night," Commissioner Stonberg said. "Last night, while waiting for Phantom Thief Kid to appear, our respected Mrs. Roberts tragically burned to death, right here by the swimming pool in front of all of you…"
Mrs. Roberts was dead? She was such an important figure, and she had died just the night before? The reporter hiding in the tree was ecstatic. This was big news. If Phantom Thief was the killer, the headline would make him rich. This story was worth at least a five-figure sum.
Then the Commissioner said, "I am deeply saddened, but I must carefully peel back the layers of this tragic truth."
The officers looked at their Commissioner. 'When did he get so detective-like? His style is off,' they thought.
With sharp eyes, the Commissioner continued, "This case was carefully disguised as spontaneous combustion. The killer who orchestrated this brutal act is right here in the villa, among you all."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's face changed.