Julian poured a glass of expensive golden whiskey at the bar.
His hands did not shake even a single bit.
He walked over to the framed flag on the wall.
He picked up his smartphone from the wooden side table.
He dialed a saved number with steady quick thumb taps.
The phone rang twice before a young woman answered it.
Elena: Is it done yet, Julian?
Julian: She is completely gone into the deep water.
Elena: Did anyone see you push her off?
Julian: The estate is completely empty today like we planned.
Elena laughed softly through the small phone speaker.
Elena was twenty-eight and was secretly Julian's real partner.
They had planned this rich target scheme for over two years.
They target lonely wealthy women and take their huge fortunes.
Julian had forged Clara's signature on a revised financial will.
The forged document transferred her vast estate directly to him.
He planned to report her as a tragic slipping accident later.
He would claim she stepped too close to the windy cliff edge.
He grabbed his small black leather briefcase from the closet.
He checked the fake ownership papers inside the top folder.
Everything looked completely official and properly stamped by banks.
He took a long sip of his cold dark drink.
He looked at the empty balcony with a smug smile.
He believed he was far smarter than anyone else around.
He walked outside to look at the water below one more time.
The ocean waves were crashing loudly against the jagged brown rocks.
He saw floating white fabric drifting near the shore edge.
He did not worry because the tide was pulling out fast.
He walked back into the living room to dial emergency services.
He squeezed his eyes shut to force fake tears out.
He put on a shaken voice for the recording operator.
Julian: Help me please, my wife just fell off the cliff!
Operator: Stay calm sir, emergency units are coming right now.
Julian: Please hurry up, the water is so rough down there!
He hung up the call and wiped his dry face.
He sat down on the leather sofa to wait quietly.
He practiced his sad expression in the wall mirror nearby.
He wanted the local police officers to feel sorry for him.
He heard sirens echoing down the long private drive path.
Two police cruisers pulled up near the main front fountain.
Julian opened the heavy oak front door with a fake sob.
Detective Marcus stepped out of the first black patrol car.
Marcus looked at Julian with sharp suspicious gray eyes.
Marcus: Show us exactly where she fell, Mr. Vance.
Julian: Follow me to the balcony right this way, Officer.