Mansion Mystery

The Lioness

'What did you all find?'

'The maids confirmed that JiHu came back late at night after Hao Ran came back', Liya read from her notes, 'So that timing checks out'

'His brother and him had a good relationship', Dongmin confirmed, 'However, they were competitive as they grew older'

He ran his fingers through his hair briefly, 'His smile, it's a gambler smile', he stated, 'It's big and it's fake, I've seen that smile all the time in the casino. He's hiding something behind that perfect weatherman'

'JiHu also seems to be a bit agitated', Kaili explained, 'She has this deep guilt due to HaoRan's death'

'She is his girlfriend...'

She shook her head, 'It's different. We've seen people grieve, we know that they're solemn but she's...different'

Chen Fang slowly nodded in agreement, 'Remember the first day we met and talked with her?', he prompted them, 'She didn't cry at all, she had no signs of shock, if I ran into her on the streets I wouldn't even know that her boyfriend was dead'

Kaili sipped her lemonade in thought, 'I requested Himari to get a warrant, we need to see their phones'

The rest looked at her in unison, 'It makes sense', she continued, 'It'll reveal stuff they don't tell us personally'

'It could ruin whatever relationship we have with them as of now though', Dongmin countered

'It's a risk we have to take', Liya defended, chomping down on a sticky frosted cupcake, 'Oh and the gardener said that he went home late that night, around 1am that night because of the storm'

'Storm?'

'Yes it shocked us too but turns out there was as he puts it, the most violent and wig snatching thunderstorm of the year!'

Dongmin choked on his latte as Kaili burst out into a bag of laughter, 'WIG SNATCHING!', she exclaimed in hysteria, 'THAT'S AMAZING!'

'I know right!', Liya let out a loud giggle, 'I held in my laughter when he said that with the straightest face ever'

Kaili fanned herself as Dongmin cleared his throat, 'But on a serious note, that information will help..a lot', he smirked, 'If it's raining hell then that already possibly eliminates him being killed outside'

'Wait', Chen Fang stopped him, 'How can we be sure he was murdered on the property and not outside it'

'The timing', he explained, using a paper napkin near him and pulling out a pen from his left pocket, 'YuXuan said he went drinking with him at around 9:30pm, then he brought him home'

'Well that's only if we can trust YuXuan'

'But then the maids also claimed by saw Hao Ran, otherwise how could they have confirmed JiHu came home after him?'

'They did say they saw him stumbling up the stairs', Liya realized, 'That was right before they went to bed as well...so that means he was definitely killed on the property'

'If there was a thunderstorm how did he get into the pool?'

A vivid memory struck Chen Fang, 'He must've been pushed off', he stood up immediately, 'The balcony'

His hands flew directly in front of his chest, 'He was pushed against and off the balcony directly into the swimming pool below', he explained as he reenacted the scene, 'That would explain the bruises'

'Then the burns?'

'It must've been the lightning', he quickly answered with a spark of light in his eyes, 'Then he died in the pool itself'