Looking at the empty dressing table, Arthur immediately realized what had felt strange ever since he entered the villa-
Ornaments!
The entire villa lacked small decorative touches.
Every decoration was large and difficult to carry.
Yet a villa like this could not possibly have no small ornaments!
Unless...
As Arthur speculated, his gaze shifted to the corpse.
The body was dressed in nightclothes and lay facedown beside the large bed, its head toward the headboard. One arm stretched forward, while the other was pinned beneath it.
The mangled wound was on the back of the head.
Beside the corpse lay a hammer, presumably the murder weapon-the killer had attacked from behind, killing her with a single blow, without the slightest hesitation.
A glance at the blood and hair stuck to the weapon left Arthur certain of that.
He then moved a little closer to the body.
Amid the smell of blood, he caught a trace of jasmine.
Perfume?
Arthur sniffed a few more times, then headed straight for the Washroom-he was looking for perfume. Since it was not on the dressing table, it should be in the Washroom.
He found the perfume beneath the washstand.
Along with it, he found a shaving razor.
It was not new, but had seen long use. Its accompanying strop was covered in marks-and Jenkin had only returned yesterday.
Clearly, the villa had another, unofficial man of the house: Jenkin's wife's lover.
Putting the razor back, Arthur returned to the corpse.
"Turn the body over."
Arthur gestured to Maltz.
Maltz immediately complied, and the instant he turned the corpse over, the Chief's eyes widened in surprise.
Clutched in the corpse's hand was a small knife-smaller than a dagger, but larger than a table knife. Such blades were common among Golden Fingers, but one should not