Daily case of November 3, 2026
The oak-panelled boardroom of the Gaslight Consortium, thick with the ghosts of old cigars and the metallic tang of an approaching storm. Rain streaks the tall windows, and a single, overturned crystal tumbler glistens on the Axminster carpet, marking the spot where the future of British energy was violently rewritten.
Open this fileSir Reginald Thorne — Visionary Chairman of the Gaslight Consortium, poised to announce the transformative North Sea 'Mermaid' field. His aggressive, debt-fuelled expansion plan had deeply divided the board, pitting ambition against tradition.
Head of Exploration — Long-time professional rival, publicly humiliated by the Chairman over the Mermaid field's geological data.
Chief Financial Officer — Sir Reginald's most trusted advisor, responsible for the financial model backing the Mermaid project.
Chairman's Personal Secretary — Fiercely loyal gatekeeper to Sir Reginald, privy to all his confidential matters.
Major Shareholder — The consortium's largest private investor, representing old money and tradition, who saw Sir Reginald as a dangerous upstart.
The culprit, the alibis and the clue logic are locked before your first chapter. The narrator does not know the solution: it can neither leak it nor rewrite it when you close in.