The body lay crumpled on the floor, Stained with blood that pooled and spread, A knife protruding obscenely, From the still chest, now cold and dead. Around the scene, clues lay strewn, Telling a tale of murder done, But the identity of the killer, Was not yet known, the search begun. The detective arrived on scene, To examine every single detail, With a keen eye and a sharp mind, Determined to unravel the veil. As he surveyed the grisly sight, The detective's brow furrowed deep, This was no simple killing, But one that secrets would keep. The victim, a man well known, Had many enemies, it was said, Those with motive to take his life, Were numerous, the field was wide-spread. The detective would have to dig deep, Into the past of the deceased, To find the thread that led to now, And the killer that would be released. He set to work at once, Combing through evidence with care, Interviewing all who had known, The man who now lay there. As the hours passed, leads began to emerge, Each one pointing to a suspect new, The detective chased down each clue, Pursuing the truth that would break through. Late into the night, he labored on, Pouring over every scrap of info, Till finally, a picture took shape, And a name rose to the fore. The killer was found, brought to light, His crimes confessed under oath, Justice served for the dead, The murderer's soul damned to death. The detective's work was done, The case closed, the killer convicted, But still an unsettled feeling lingered, Some deeper mystery, yet unmitigated. Though the deed was done and the deed was known, The detective sensed a secret remained, One that lurked beneath the surface, Of a truth not fully explained. For even as the killer was punished, The detective's doubts persisted, Something still rang false to him, Though outwardly, all seemed resolved and finished. He vowed then to never rest, Until the whole truth was uncovered, To lay bare every last detail, Of this murder that left him disturbed. For he knew that the real mystery, Lay in the heart and mind of the slain, And until their