Arthur Havelock gathered all the members of the Livingston family in the great hall of the mansion, which was now not as cozy as before. The atmosphere was tense, and everyone present felt that they were learning something important today. Havelock was standing by the large fireplace, from where he could see everyone gathered. There was no usual mysterious smile on his face—he looked focused and determined.
—Dear sirs and ladies,— Havelock began, his voice calm but firm. — We have reached the point where the truth must be revealed. During these days, I collected all the evidence and analyzed it carefully. Now it's time to find out who committed the murder of Lord Edmund Livingston and why.
Havelock paused, watching the reaction of those present. Some looked worried, others depressed. He continued:
— Lord Livingston was killed not because of personal enmity, but because of money and power. The motive for the murder is connected with his financial frauds, which affected not only family members, but also external partners. And now I can reveal exactly who was responsible for this crime.
Havelock turned to Helen Livingston, the lord's widow, who, like the others, was tense. Her eyes reflected fear and curiosity.
—Helen,— Havelock said. — You were an important link in this difficult game. Your connections to financial fraud and attempts to hide debts led you to become an accomplice in planning the murder of your husband. But in fact, you weren't the only one who had a motive.
All eyes turned to James Livingston, the eldest son of the lord. Havelock continued:
— James, you were close to your father, but financial difficulties and the desire for independence led you to a dangerous line. Your role in manipulating documents and falsifying financial statements has put you in a dangerous position. However, you were not the direct executor.
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Havelock now turned to Rebecca Livingston, the lord's daughter.
— Rebecca, your attempts to keep the family name and your desire to control part of the inheritance also played a role. Your connection to mystical rituals and secret meetings turned out to be more important than we could have imagined. You escalated the situation, but you weren't the only culprit.
Havelock stepped away from the group to demonstrate a full overview of the situation.
— The true performer was not in the family circle. In fact," he continued, "Martin Rhodes was behind this crime, an outsider that no one expected. Martin, you were the last link in the chain of manipulation. Your financial interests in the company, in which Lord Livingston was a key partner, and your desire to gain control of the business led to you becoming the main motive for the murder.
Martin Rhodes, one of the outside partners, stood at the edge of the room, his face pale. He stared at the floor, aware of his exposure.
After revealing the truth, chaos broke out in the room. Helen, James and Rebecca, although they were not the direct perpetrators, suffered their share of the blame and remained at the center of the conflict. Helen began to justify herself, claiming that she acted out of fear of losing everything. James showed anger, realizing that his actions had led to a tragedy. Rebecca, until the last moment, remained restrained, but her face was distorted by a mixture of shame and relief.
Martin Rhodes, caught in a web of evidence and evidence, could not deny his guilt. He tried to keep calm, but his fear of punishment was obvious.
"You'll all have the opportunity to tell your side of the story," Havelock said. — But tonight is the end of the night, and I am obliged to transfer all the collected evidence to law enforcement agencies so that justice can be restored.
As Havelock completed his explanations and the family members accepted their defeats, the mansion was once again filled with silence. Shocked and exhausted, they realized that after revealing the truth, nothing would be the same.