As we arrived at Sarah's residence, a beautiful two-story house in a quiet suburban neighborhood, we could see that she was already expecting us. She opened the door before we even had a chance to knock, and greeted us with a warm smile.
"Good morning, detectives," she said, her voice friendly and welcoming. "Please, come in."
We introduced ourselves, and Sarah invited us to take a seat in the living room. The room was tastefully decorated, with a mix of modern and traditional furniture. There were family photos on the walls, and a large flat-screen TV hung above the fireplace.
Sarah sat down in an armchair, and motioned for us to take a seat on the couch. "Can I offer you some coffee or tea?" she asked.
We declined, and I began the conversation. "Sarah, thank you for agreeing to speak with us today. We're investigating the death of your husband, Gabriel Thompson, and we understand that you may have some information that could help us."
Sarah nodded, her expression somber. "Yes, of course. I'll do whatever I can to help."
I pulled out my notebook and pen. "Can you tell us a little bit about your husband? About your life together?"
Sarah smiled, a faraway look in her eyes. "Gabriel was a wonderful man. We met in college, and we've been together ever since. We have a son, John, who's in the 12th grade. He's a great kid, and Gabriel was so proud of him."
Rodriguez, who was sitting to my left, spoke up. "I'm sorry to hear about your loss, Sarah. Can you tell us more about your husband's death? What happened?"
Sarah's expression turned serious. "I don't know much, to be honest. The police said it was a heart attack, but I've always had my doubts. Gabriel was a healthy man, and he didn't have any medical conditions that I knew of."
Peter, who was sitting to my right, leaned forward. "Did your husband have any enemies, Sarah? Anyone who might have wanted to harm him?"
Sarah thought for a moment before responding. "I don't think so. Gabriel was a well-liked man, and he didn't have any enemies that I knew of. But...there was something strange that happened a few days before he died."
I raised an eyebrow, my interest piqued. "What was that?"
Sarah hesitated, as if unsure whether to continue. "Gabriel received a mysterious phone call. He didn't say much about it, but he seemed upset afterwards. And then, the next day, he died."
I made a note in my book. "A mysterious phone call, you say? Can you tell us more about that?"
Sarah shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not. Gabriel didn't say much about it, and I didn't think much of it at the time. But now, I wonder if it might have had something to do with his death."
Mike, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "Sarah, can you tell us about your relationship with your husband? Was everything okay between you two?"
Sarah's expression turned defensive. "Of course, everything was fine. We had our ups and downs like any couple, but we loved each other. We were happy."
I smiled reassuringly. "We're not trying to pry, Sarah. We just need to ask these questions to get a better understanding of the case."
Sarah nodded, seeming to relax a bit. "I understand. I just want to help you find out what happened to Gabriel."
As we continued to question Sarah, I couldn't help but notice that she seemed nervous, on edge. She was fidgeting with her hands, and her eyes kept darting towards the door. I made a mental note to look into her alibi for the time of Gabriel's death, and to see if there was any evidence of a mysterious phone call.
I took a deep breath and decided to reveal the information I had gathered from my meeting with Jordan and Phillips Thompson the previous evening. "Sarah, I need to inform you of something," I said, my tone serious. "Yesterday evening, I met with your brother-in-laws, Jordan and Phillips Thompson. They shared some concerns with me, and I think it's only fair that I share them with you."
Sarah's expression turned curious, and she leaned forward slightly. "What concerns?" she asked, her voice cautious.
I hesitated for a moment before continuing. "They suspect that you might be involved in your husband's death, as well as Max's. They believe that you might have had a motive to kill them."
Sarah's eyes widened in shock, and she let out a gasp. "What? That's ridiculous!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in indignation. "I would never hurt Gabriel or Max. They were my family."
I held up a hand, calming her down. "I know this is a lot to take in, Sarah. But I need to ask you, is there any truth to their claims? Did you have any conflicts with your husband or Max that might have led to their deaths?"
Sarah shook her head vehemently. "No, no, no. This is all a setup. Jordan and Phillips are trying to take me down because of the company."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "The company? What do you mean?"
Sarah took a deep breath, and her expression turned determined. "My husband, Gabriel, owned a large amount of land, 500 plots to be exact. The company, Thompson Industries, owns the land, and with Gabriel's death, I'm supposed to take over as CEO. But Jordan and Phillips want to take the land for themselves. They're trying to push me out of the picture so they can share the land between themselves."
I felt a surge of surprise. This was a new twist in the case, and I hadn't seen it coming. "I see," I said, making a note in my book. "So, you're saying that Jordan and Phillips are trying to take the land from you, and that's why they're accusing you of murder?"
Sarah nodded, her eyes flashing with anger. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. They're trying to use this as a way to get rid of me and take the land for themselves. But I'm not going to let them. I'll fight them every step of the way."
I leaned forward, my interest piqued. "Sarah, can you tell me more about the company and the land? How does it all work?"
Sarah nodded, taking a deep breath. "Thompson Industries is a real estate company, and the land is its most valuable asset. Gabriel was the CEO, and he managed the company's affairs. With his death, I'm supposed to take over, but Jordan and Phillips are trying to block me. They want to share the land between themselves, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to get it."
I made another note in my book, my mind racing with possibilities. This was a complex case, and I needed to untangle the threads to get to the truth. "I see," I said, looking up at Sarah. "And what about the embezzlement claims? Did you embezzle funds from the company?"
Sarah's expression turned indignant. "No, I did not. The company owns the land, and I'm just trying to protect its interests. Jordan and Phillips are the ones who are trying to take the land for themselves. They're the ones who are being dishonest, not me."
I nodded, making another note in my book. This was a lot to take in, and I needed to process it all. But one thing was clear: this case was about more than just murder. It was about power, greed, and the pursuit of wealth.
"Sarah, can you tell me more about your relationship with Jordan and Phillips?" I asked, trying to get a better understanding of the dynamics at play.
Sarah's expression turned bitter. "They've always been jealous of Gabriel's success. They've always felt like they're living in his shadow. And now that he's gone, they think they can take what's rightfully mine."
I nodded, making another note in my book. This was a family feud, and it was clear that there was a lot of tension between Sarah and her brother-in-laws.
"Sarah, I need to ask you something," I said, trying to get to the bottom of things. "Do you have any alibi for the time of Gabriel's death?"
Sarah thought for a moment before responding. "I was at my private home, alone. I didn't leave the house until the next morning, then I heard of the news in the morning from John who was out at his friend's house that night. I went to the police station to report Gabriel's death."
I made another note in my book, my mind racing with possibilities. This was a complex case, and I needed to get a lot together, if I am to get what I'm actually after.