Hey guys! Before you start reading the chapter, please, please, please read the whole thing! This chapter is long and one of the most important chapters in the book! Enjoy!

***

Levi and Anthony were on their way to the library when Levi abruptly turned around, causing Anthony to almost bump into him.

"You knew," Levi stated as a matter of fact.

Anthony licked his dry lips nervously, realizing that was no use hiding it anymore. He will find out sooner or later. "Yes," he replied, shoulders slumping slightly.

"Then you must also know why he was taking the anti-anxiety meds?"Levi asked impatiently, eyebrow raised in question and annoyance.

"Yes."

"Tell me," Levi demanded.

"Sorry," Anthony said, shaking his head, eyes cast downwards now. "It's not my place to tell."

"Eric is dead," Levi said slowly through his teeth, trying to exercise as much patience as possible. "Don't you want to know who killed him?!"

Anthony looked up at that, eyes searching Levi's face, blinking slowly. He shrugged weakly and then quietly said, "What does it matter? He's gone."

Levi took a deep, steadying breath. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he said, "Stop being so difficult!"

"Aren't you suppose to be a great detective or something? Figure it out yourself," said Anthony, rolling his eyes. "I'm done talking to you."

Anthony turned away from Levi and marched back to the common room.

Levi stared silently at Anthony's retreating back, a frown framing his wide eyes, mouth slightly agape. Did he just...

Levi's frown slowly dissolved into a dangerous smile. He loved challenges. Taking the same course of direction as Anthony's, he made his way to the common room with purposeful steps and reached there in no time.

As soon as he entered the room, he spotted Emma and Scarlett discussing something heatedly by the piano, away from any listening ears. Next, he saw Robert just a little further behind Detective Matteo, who was standing too upright in Levi's opinion.

Levi walked towards Robert and as he came close to Matteo who was standing in the way, he flicked his hand saying, "You're dismissed," not even looking at him.

"You can't just dismiss me-" Matteo gritted but soon realized it was futile as Levi's attention was already on Robert.

He watched how Levi leaned over and whispered something quickly in Robert's ear, his hand gestures short but intense. What's this imbecile on to now? Matteo thought, a scowl already in place. When Levi was done, Robert nodded his head twice and then left the room.

Once Robert was gone, Levi straightened and assessed the room once more, eyes resting on Matteo.

"You didn't leave yet?" Levi asked cooly, knowing the other detective wouldn't cave in so easily.

"This is my case too, you know," Matteo said in a deep voice, hatred clear in his eyes and the way his lips slightly curled up.

"Just leave. Come back tomorrow to torment me with your face," Levi snapped, too impatient and busy with thinking to be bothered by him anymore.

"No," Matteo replied calmly, noting his opponent's impatience and frustration. "I think I'll stay, thank you," he smirked, making his way to the sofa and plopping down on it.

Levi released a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. They opened when Mark and Ella entered the room. Levi noticed Ella's lower lip between her teeth, eyebrows pulled together in a worrisome manner. Nervous.

Mark had his signature scowl set firmly on his face as he looked around and grew uneasy when he noticed everyone else. Annoyed.

"Robert said you called us. Why?" Mark questioned.

"I need to say something," Levi said to him, then in a louder voice continued, "Can everybody please take a seat?"

***

The atmosphere of the room had changed from noisy to pin-drop silence in the few minutes that followed after Levi's little announcement. The only sound echoing against the wall was of the fire crackling and the gentle howling of the wind.

The storm had let up a little now, the clouds weren't as grey anymore and the snow was coming down less harsh than the previous night.

Everybody, including Ella, Mark, Charlotte, and Detective Matteo were sitting by the fireplace, waiting with bated breath for whatever Levi was about to say.

Levi sat next to Charlotte, with Ella, Mark, and Matteo on the sofa on his left side. On his right side, a hearty fire burned away.

Scarlett, Emma, Anthony, and Carter sat on the sofa opposite his, in the same order, hands clasped in front of them.

Charlotte sat back, feeling extremely tense. She knew what was going to come next. A storm was brewing, just on the inside now.

"You all must be wondering why I have you all seated here, except for Detective Matteo. You're welcome to leave any time you want," Levi shot him a quick smirk before continuing. "You all know a murder has been committed, in this very hotel, right under our noses..." he said, looking at each of them slowly.

"While interviewing you all, I kept reminding myself that I was talking to a possible murderer," Levi paused, "After going through all the details... I finally know who's responsible for Eric's murder," Levi's voice rang loud and clear in everyone's head.

"But what's the fun in telling it so easily," Levi grinned. "Let's go over the facts, shall we?" he asked no one in particular.

Scarlett and Emma shared a quick nervous glance and looped their arms together for comfort. Anthony sat completely rigid, looking down at the intricate pattern of the carpet. Carter's face was absolutely stoic, his expressions not giving away anything he was thinking.

Levi leaned back in his seat, taking his time with his little speech. "Let's start with Emma," he smiled as he looked at her.

Emma's heart rate picked up as she realized he was going to be judging her in front of everybody. Tightening her hold on Scarlett's arm, she resisted the urge to wipe her sweaty palms or swallow the ball stuck in her throat, fearing that anybody could hear it, given the room was freakishly silent.

Instead, Emma busied her free hand by twirling the ring on her finger with her thumb, over and over again.

"Emma, you have the strongest motive as compared to everyone else's," Levi's voice rang in her ears and Emma picked up the pace with which she was twirling her ringer against her finger.

"Eric's and your father share a multi-million company together. A company, which is to be passed down to only one of you. You knew the company would go to you, obviously, since you clearly were the more responsible one," Levi said, staring directly into Emma's eyes.

"I imagine you must have been delirious with rage when you found out about Eric inheriting the whole company just because he was a man. And understandably so, if I do say so myself. It's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard!" Levi said and then paused to catch his breath.

"How convenient for you when Eric mysteriously dies, murdered, on his own trip. Right?" Emma's finger had started to burn slightly where she was moving her ring furiously now.

"I would never, ever hurt Eric, let alone kill him!" Emma's voice wavered, coming out thick as an attempt to hold back her tears.

"Yes, yes. Save it for when and if I name you as the murderer at the end, okay?" Levi felt his wife discreetly press her hand against his lower back. He understood what it meant; A silent warning to act civil. He cleared his throat.

"Moving on, we have Scarlett. Now you," Levi said pointing at Scarlett, "You have been very... what should I say, clever? Yes, clever," he said nodding his head. "Clever in the way you dodged some of my questions. Also very secretive, and very nervous. I wonder what's that about?" Levi cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowed as he looked at Scarlett, trying to figure her out.

"I told you I don't do well with confrontations. And I answered all of your questions... I don't know what you mean," Scarlett said, feeling her throat constricting.

"Why did you lie then?" Levi asked firmly.

"I didn't!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, lied again," Levi said shaking his head.

"Ask me again," Scarlett snapped, adrenaline taking over.

"Nah, I don't feel like it," Levi replied casually, looking into Scarlett's raging eyes.

"Next up, Carter. Oh, where do I begin, where do I begin... Let's start with your fight with Eric. I'm sure the bruises that you're proudly displaying were inflicted by Eric, tell me if I'm wrong?" Levi asked Carter who had clenched his hands into tight fists, eyes wide in fear, or shock, or both.

"And then there's your interrogation. You didn't seem to be too fond of Eric, which is understandable given... you know what," Levi said, giving him a knowing look. Given that you love Emma.

"And finally, of course, the part where I saw you sneaking into Eric's room yesterday," Levi said slowly.

Carter visibly jumped a little, "You saw that?" He rasped, eyes filled to the brim with fear. "Then you also know-"

"Yes," Levi cut him off, his arm raised as if to stop Carter from saying anything else. "I know," he said softly, then recomposed himself immediately.

"Anthony!" Levi changed the subject suddenly, "Eric's best friend, also the only one who knew about his medical condition," he stated, "Imagine my surprise when I figured out how Eric died and all I could think was that you were the only one who knew about the thing he was killed with," he continued, lips pressed in a firm line.

"What are you talking about?" Anthony asked sharply.

Levi looked at him, really looked at him. And then, he looked at others. Everyone wore the same expression. Eyebrows pulled together, confusion swimming in their eyes.

"None of you figured out even after finding out he was on anti-anxiety meds?" Levi asked incredulously, taking in everybody's blank eyes. A slow smile graced his lips, "Fools..." he muttered, shaking his head. Charlotte cleared her throat loudly, giving Levi a pointed look.

"Just tell us, detective smarty pants," Matteo said, rolling his eyes, despite being extremely interested secretly. But he would never give Levi the satisfaction of letting him know that he was actually impressed.

"Eric was taking benzodiazepines, correct?" Levi began slowly as if he was talking to children, "When you're on this drug, alcohol is absolutely prohibited. Eric died because somebody mixed his medicines in his drink, making it lethal for him."

Levi paused, letting the new information slowly sink in everybody's mind.

"When Eric said he stopped drinking, he didn't say it because he was sober by choice, he was forced to be sober," he continued, "benzodiazepine, when mixed with alcohol, is extremely lethal. It was how the majority of people committed suicide in the 60s and 70s."

"Of course the murderer knew this, they had done their research well. But still, they didn't want to take any chances and mixed Eric's medicines in his drink, you know, just for good measure. To ensure that he really dies."

Levi took a deep breath, "For this to happen, the killer must have taken his medicines well before. Hence the reason why Eric was extremely jittery and anxious all the time," he paused for dramatic effect, looking at everyone in the eyes, judging their reactions.

Carter's memory instantly took him back to when he was on the train. So this is what Eric and Anthony were fighting about. He remembered everything now. He remembered that Eric had said he lost something.

Carter looked to his right where Scarlett was sitting and made eye contact. His gut feeling told him that she had the same thoughts running through her mind.

All the dots connected perfectly now, why Eric was always nervous and on edge, his fight with Anthony on the train, why he refused to take Emma's special drink...

Emma and Scarlett were stunned into silence, trying to wrap their heads around the whole thing. Unbelievable... and yet, it had happened.

"The murderer is very intelligent I must say... very intelligent indeed," Levi spoke slowly, looking everybody in the eye, taking his time.

"First, they steal Eric's medicine on the train. Without it, Eric has spun out of control, always anxious and on edge, detached from everybody else. Common side effects when you stop taking anti-anxiety medicines abruptly.

"With Eric's behavior, they laid the foundation of his death. When he dies, everybody will think he committed suicide, unable to handle all the anxiety suffocating him," Levi said softly, eyes still darting between everybody's faces.

"And what's even clever, is that the autopsy result will say he died of a drug overdose, ultimately killing himself. Just like detective Matteo thought," Levi addressed the last part towards Matteo, his tone mocking. "The clever part being, that the post mortem will only reveal traces of his medicine, which is not suspicious at all because it was prescribed to him."

"The killer didn't opt for poison or stabbing him. Nope, they went for the clean way, one which gave no room for suspecting it was murder," Levi continued, "So clever..." he whispered.

"Coming to the part where I was sure it's murder. If Eric had planned on killing himself, he wouldn't have declined to have the drink Emma made. He wouldn't have resisted at all! He knew alcohol was prohibited, knew he could suffer immensely if he drank it...

"However, Eric did give in and toasted to his friendship with you guys," he addressed the friends, "Since he hadn't been taking his medicine because it was missing, he must have thought that a little bit of alcohol would do him no harm. Another one of his killer's tactics... oh, they played so many mind games..." Levi went deep into his thoughts for a moment.

"Now, here's why I suspect all of you guys," Levi said, more attentive now and noticed Carter, Emma, Anthony, and Scarlett sit a little upright, posture rigid. He could see how their chest rose and fell rapidly because of how fast they were breathing.

"It was imperative that Eric drinks the drink which was made because benzodiazepine medicines only dissolve in alcohol, not water. This made the killer's job much harder because they knew Eric won't drink casually. So they had to come up with an excuse... The murderer knew Eric could be emotionally blackmailed into drinking. He was already emotionally unstable as it is," Levi's voice had dropped down a whisper that sent chills over everybody's spine.

Everybody was too engrossed in what Levi was saying. They could feel their heartbeat in their throats as the mystery surrounding who killed Eric only got more intense by the second. The tension was thick in the air, wrapping around each individual like a heavy blanket.

"Here are the facts. It was Emma's idea to toast to the friendship, to drink to it. Emma and Scarlett were the ones who prepared the drinks. Then you all got up and went to the piano, while Eric had forgotten his drink on the side table. It was sitting alone for the few moments in which you four were getting up," Levi paused again, feeling the tension himself now.

"In the commotion of everyone making their way to the piano, anybody could have slipped in the medicine. And finally, Carter was the one who handed Eric his drink by the piano," Levi recalled everything effortlessly, each detail printed in his mind.

"Anthony, who knew about Eric's condition, knew what alcohol could do to it, still didn't stop him from drinking." Levi looked at him, shaking his head disapprovingly, lips pressed into a firm line.

"Eric had even asked Emma if she changed her recipe because the drink tasted funny to him. I saw it in the way his nose crinkled. Of course, the recipe was the same, it was the medicine that changed the taste, making it more bitter."

"How... how do you know all this?" Emma whispered.

"It's a little thing I call observation," Levi said. "I was sitting in the room too, remember?"

"Anyway, the question finally boils down to this, who the hell killed Eric? And why," Levi's eyes were sharp now, piercing into everybody.

Emma, Carter, Scarlett, and Anthony felt lightheaded now, legs shivering, sweat coating their hands and foreheads. Nervousness settled deep into their stomachs as they anxiously waited, taking deep, shaky breaths.

"The strongest motive of them all, love. Such a pure emotion, yet it's capable of influencing and inflicting disaster wherever it goes, whatever it touches. Our killer is somebody, who's too ambitious, wants everything in life but felt like Eric stood in the way, making their dream unapproachable, impossible..." said Levi, wringing his hands secretly because of what he was about to reveal.

"For God's sake just tell us!" Scarlett shouted, shattering the eerie silence as the tension and intensity became too unbearable for her.

Levi looked at her for a long second, then his eyes started moving. Slowly, almost torturously, they went over Emma, then Anthony and then finally came to a rest on Carter.

Carter's breath hitched in his throat, felt like his heart would combust at any moment. He knew what was about to come, already feeling dizzy, teeth chattering slightly, his body shivering. He almost fainted when he heard what Levi whispered next.

"Carter."

***

Sooooo, what did you all think? The book is not over yet! there's so much more to come, we still don't know why Eric was on the meds in the first place!! Stay tuned for more.

Please vote if you liked reading it as much as I loved writing it! See you soon!