The+Art+of+Murder

The Art of Murder By Harrison Pyros

Janet McKenzie and Fred Harper stepped out of the black car and shut the doors behind them. Joshua, Janet’s twelve-year-old son, closed the back door as he exited the car. Janet scowled, just like she scowled all the way up there, as she looked at who was approaching them. “Glad you’re here detectives,” said Superintendent Liam Carson. He was a man of average height and at the age of about fifty. His coat wrapped tightly around his slightly rounded belly. His dark skinned face suited his deep brown eyes that narrowed at you when in questioning. Proudly displayed on his right breast was a shiny police badge. “I’m not,” Janet said openly. “You’re never glad to be at a crime scene,” he replied flatly. “No,” she said. “I just don’t like driving all the way out to Songsmith from Bucklenn.” “Oh please,” he said waving off the comment. “It’s only a couple of miles away.” “Try thirty,” Janet bitterly corrected him. “Yes, but—” “In bumper-to-bumper traffic.” “Only—” “Without a single drop of coffee!” Carson sighed then looked at Janet. “You survived didn’t you?” “Barely,” mumbled Janet. Fred cut into the conversation. “Fill us in on what happened.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay,” Carson started looking at the file in his hands and walking towards the overly large house. “The victim’s name was George Williams.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“The artist?” Joshua asked. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Our Virginia’s finest. Perhaps the east coast’s,” Fred said. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet raised her eyebrows, surprised that her son knew that piece of information. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Carson continued. “Coroner reported he was killed around two in the morning. Three gunshot wounds to the torso, one through the heart. Nearly instant death.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Who found him?” asked Janet. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“His agent, Kelly Coates around eight thirty in the morning.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“She a suspect?” asked Fred. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“The only people in the house were his agent, Miss Coates, his wife, Leah Williams, his eighteen-year-old son, Jimmy Williams, his older <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">brother, Hunter Williams, and finally the maid, Becca Lynnslow. There’s no signs of forced entry and the victims room is on the forth floor. No way anyone from the outside could have gotten in the house.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Huh,” Janet said. “So we’re looking at five suspects for murder. Any information you have for me?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, next month Miss Becca Lynnslow was going to resign and go back to college. This was just a summer job.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Most kids work at a burger joint or something. Why’s she working as a maid?” asked Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“She said she knew the Williams’ and it was good pay. Also, Hunter Williams, the brother, came out of a coma about a year ago. Car accident. He was staying under the victim’s roof until he got back on his feet. He got a job as a journalist for the //Times//, but the Williams’ didn’t want him to move out so he stayed.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay. Any more?” asked Janet as they entered the lavish mansion.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes,” Carson continued to read off of the paper. “This one kind of falls under the category of a soap opera in my opinion. The agent, Kelly Coates, was having an affair with Mr. George Williams.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Huh,” remarked Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’ve heard worse,” Janet said brushing off the piece of information like it was nothing to be considered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“But, a week and a half before George Williams’s murder, the wife, Leah Williams, found out, but she didn’t do anything,” Carson said putting dramatic emphasis into the words.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Now that’s a little interesting,” Janet said. “Anything about the son?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Not really,” he said, his eyes scanning the paper. “Except that he is going to the same college as Becca. Nothing drastic.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Alright,” Janet said clasping her hands together. “I want to see the body.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Superintendent Carson led Janet, Fred, and Joshua to the elevator where they stepped in and waited for it to reach the forth floor.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“This place is huge!” Josh said when the doors opened.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah,” Janet said with a smile. “All you have to do is paint a few masterpieces when you grow up and you’ll have a house like this. Or you can paint them now. Wouldn’t hurt for me to live in a house like this.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hey,” he said. “Just be happy I’m getting all A’s and B’s in my classes.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No comment,” Janet said with a tiny smile.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Josh pursed his lips and a little chuckle escaped Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“In here,” Carson said motioning to a room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet and Fred started to walk inside as Joshua followed, but Carson stopped him.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He’ll be alright,” Janet said not looking back. After a moments hesitation he let Josh in and followed close behind.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet looked at the body lying in the bed. His eyes were closed and his hair was a light brown, just right for around mid thirty to later thirties. The extravagant covers were pulled back so they could see his torso. His chest was covered by a dull green pajama shirt that looked like Egyptian cotton. There were three holes in it with a little of the victim’s blood around them.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Did anyone hear the shots?” asked Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No one said anything about hearing anything,” Carson replied from behind her.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So the killer must have used a silencer or something to muffle the sound like…” her eyes drifted to the pillows. “Like a pillow.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It’s possible,” Fred said after a moment of thought.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Victim was shot three times in the chest. Probably in his sleep. Do any of the suspects own a gun?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Mr. Hunter Williams does. Had it registered to him before he got into the accident. Hasn’t been found. He swears it was in his safe where it always is,” Carson said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Who knows the combination to the safe besides Hunter?” asked Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“George, the victim, and Leah, the wife,” answered Carson.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Huh,” Janet said. “What kind of gun was used?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Handgun. Nine millimeter,” Carson answered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet looked at the body and around the room. A large four-post maroon bed with too many pillows to count. There were two large windows, very well cleaned and a painting, not by George Williams, hanging over the bed. It was of a cottage and a dirt road. Very well painted. Up against another wall was a book shelve and another painting right next to it. This one seemed to be just a photographer, yet expertly shot.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know why Mr. And Mrs. Williams weren’t sleeping in the same bed?” Janet said after a quick observation.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Carson answered: “Well, you remember Leah Williams knew about the affair. She was mad and made some excuses to sleep in a different room.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“A ‘for example’ would be nice,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Like, say, she couldn’t take his snoring and she couldn’t go to sleep so she was going to sleep in another room until he went to the doctor,” Fred explained after a moment.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I see,” she said. “I want to talk to the wife first.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well you’re going to have to wait a while,” Carson said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why?” Janet said, her temper rising.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Because she was drugged the night of the murder,” Carson said clearly not appreciating Janet’s tone. “She had to sleep it off, so she’s a little drowsy. She should go last.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Wait,” Fred said. “Doesn’t the drugging of Mrs. Williams count her out as a suspect?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“She could have done it to herself,” Janet said and then turned to Carson. “Can you show us where everyone slept?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Carson led them out of the room and down the elaborate hall. He motioned towards the room next to George’s. “Leah Williams.” He then proceeded down the hall and motioned to the next door. “Kelly Coates.” And finally the last door. “Jimmy Williams.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What about the two others?” Josh asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“On the third floor,” Carson answered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet looked at the door and elevator doors at the end of the hall.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“This is a pretty big house. It has a video camera in the elevator and on the stairs, correct?” she asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Correct,” said Carson.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh,” Fred said realizing what Janet was shooting at. “Check the video camera if Becca Lynnslow or Hunter Williams came up the stairs or elevator. If they do, we have evidence that puts them at the scene of the crime at the time. If not, we eliminate two suspects.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Exactly,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay,” Carson said. “I’ll get someone on that. Fred, I want you and Janet to start interrogating suspects.” He walked away.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred turned to Janet. “So Ms. McKenzie, who shall be subjected to your gentleness first?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Joshua laughed lightly. Janet rolled her eyes and said, “Bring in the maid first. Where will we be questioning them?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“They most likely set up a room on the first floor,” Fred concluded.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">All three took the elevator back down to the first floor. It’s turns out, a room was set up on the second floor in the art studio. They made their way back up there and Janet started to settle herself behind the table they moved to the middle of the room

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">"Need anything, your majesty?" Fred asked Janet, playfully..

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” Janet said straightening her pencil by her large yellow notepad. “Well actually—”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You need coffee,” Josh finished.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It’s sad when he knows that,” Fred said with a laugh. “And it’s eleven in the morning.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He sighed. “Fine.” He left and returned with a cup of coffee with the steam wafting from the liquid with so much caffeine it could keep a grizzly bear up all winter. She smiled as she sipped her coffee and gave her thanks.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’ll send in Becca Lynnslow,” he said and slid out the door again. He returned with Becca and she sat down hesitantly in the chair across from Janet. Janet held out her hand and Becca cautiously looked at it. After a moments pause, she shook it.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah,” Janet said with a smile. “I don’t bite.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred, deliberately mumbling loudly enough, said, “Not all the time anyway.” And then closed the door before she could make a snappy comeback.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Becca gave a nervous smile and what seemed like a small forced laugh.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet looked at her. “Don’t believe anything he says.” She made a face at Fred who was looking at them through a window that gave a view to the hallway. Fred stuck out his tongue at her.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet composed herself and then looked at her suspect. She decided to ask a few simple questions to calm the poor girl down.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Alright,” Janet started. “I’m going to ask you a few questions, and I’m going to trust you to answer them correctly.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay,” she said in a faint voice.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Please state your full name.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Her bright green eyes relaxed a little. “Becca May Lynnslow.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Address?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“1517 Kenneth North. Songsmith, Virginia,” her voice was getting calmer. Becca started to absent-mindedly twirl her red hair.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Parents and siblings?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“David and Mandy Lynnslow. No other siblings.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“M’kay,” Janet said writing everything down. “Now comes the real part of the interrogation. Do you know anything about the murder of George Williams?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“N-No,” she said and stopped twirling her hair.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Are you sure? Tell me everything you did before the murder.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, throughout the day I would help cook and clean the house.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What time do you usually wake up?” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Around six thirty to start making breakfast.” Janet grimaced at the time. “Oh, no. I don’t mind waking up early. The Williams’ give me a good pay.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know George Williams’ daily routine?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well that depends on if he feels like painting or not. If he does want to paint, he locks himself in this room, shuts the blinds and stays in there for hours on end. If he doesn’t want to paint, then he either relaxes or does something with the family,” Becca said confidently.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Did Mr. Williams feel like painting today?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What exactly did he do?” Janet asked scribbling every word the maid was saying.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I think he took his brother Mr. Williams, Mrs. Williams, and Jimmy out. I don’t know where they went,” she said after thinking.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And what about Miss Coates?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“She stayed here.” Something stuck her mind. “I always wondered why Mr. Williams’ assistant would stay in his house. Short notice, I guess.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He was having an affair with her,” Janet said bluntly.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Becca gasped. “Really? Mr. Williams?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah,” Janet said drying while writing notes. “It’s like a bad soap opera.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well that would explain why she was staying…”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Now,” Janet said getting official again. “Why did you stay overnight at the Williams’?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Becca answered with an //Oh, that’s easy// tone. “You see my home is all the way in Melton and it’s a long drive out there late at night when I’m all tired. So Mr. Williams insisted I stay on Saturdays, because I have Sundays off, and then I drive home all well rested and chipper for my free day. He is, I’m sorry, //was// very kind to me.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I see,” Janet said. “So you’re going to the same school as Jimmy?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes. I like Jimmy. He’s really nice to me.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Did you two go to the same high school together?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know the combination to Mr. Hunter Williams’ safe?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What?” Becca asked, startled at the sudden change in topic.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“The combination. Do you know it?” Janet repeated.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh. No. All I did was dust it.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Are you and Jimmy in a secret relationship?” asked Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Wait, what?” she paused for a moment and then answered. “No. Not at all. Jimmy’s just a friend.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet wrote something rather <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">largely next to the question on her notepad.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What are you writing?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet held up the notepad. On it, right next to the question she had just asked was in all caps: LYING.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’m not lying!” she said, her voice rising.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes you are. You paused before you answered.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s no—”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And you looked left when you answered me. The human mind instinctively makes you look left when you are lying. You were lying.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She paused again. “Okay. I lied.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“She here’s my theory: You and Jimmy start a relationship in the middle of senior year of high school. No one knows about this, but Jimmy knows that his father would not be happy about him dating a poor girl like you who’s father is in prison. I read your file and background. So you and Jimmy, hate Mr. Williams for not letting you be together, but you are angrier. So in the middle of the night, you knock the old man off with his brother’s gun and return safely to your bed now a murderer.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That is untrue!” Becca blurted out once Janet was finished. “In fact, it’s the biggest load of bull-crap I’ve ever heard in my life! Yes, Jimmy’s dad didn’t know we were seeing each other, but he wouldn’t become angry from Jimmy and I dating. You didn’t know Mr. Williams. You didn’t know who he was, so until you do, stop making false theories based off of his imagined character!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You’re right,” Janet replied calmly. “But it’s my job to find out who this person was and who killed him.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Becca crossed her arms, but nonetheless she started to relax.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That is all I have for you Becca,” Janet said. Becca said a goodbye and left. Fred and Josh came in.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You just pointed out her lies on the spot,” Fred remarked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Try living with her,” Josh said. Janet gave a lighthearted laugh.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“The son is next, I presume,” Fred said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” Janet said looking at her paper. “Bring me the agent. Kelly Coates.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Joshua and Fred left, only for Fred to return with Kelly and then leave again. Kelly sat down in the chair across from Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Kelly Coates was the kind of woman men only didn’t take a second look at; she was the kind of woman they stared at with their mouths hanging open. She was not “hot” or “sexy.” She was gorgeous and beautiful. Her full pink lips were set into a line at the moment and her straight brunette hair <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">rested peacefully below her shoulders. Her milk chocolate eyes stared at Janet from across the table daring her to accuse her of murder.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet started the introduction like she always did with suspects. Then she went through the basics.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Your full name is?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Kelly Anne Coates.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You’re address is?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Here.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“For how long?” inquired Detective McKenzie.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“About a month and a half ago.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Parents and siblings?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Kim and Mark Coates and two older brothers.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet cleared her throat and got to the real questions. “Do you know any information about the murder of George Williams?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No, but I have my theories,” Kelly answered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet raised an eyebrow. “And those theories are?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That that witch with a capital B, the wife, killed George. She knew about George and I, you know.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes, I’ve been informed,” Janet said. “So you think she kicked him in a jealous rage?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Exactly.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You don’t speak very highly of her,” Janet acknowledged.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why would I?” scoffed Kelly. “I swear, if she ever walked into a holy house of any kind, she would burst into flames.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">A laugh escaped the mouth of Janet McKenzie and then she proceeded to the next question:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know the combination to Hunter Williams’s safe?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” she answered. “Why would I? But I can’t help feeling sorry for the guy. He barely remembers anything before the accident.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hm,” she said. “Did you really love George?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She leaned closer. “Of course I did. I still do, but it didn’t start like that at first.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet suddenly became three times as interested.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He approached me first. So at the time, one thought came to mind: money. So I pretended to love him, but he began to grow on me. And I began to love him. And now that toad, Leah, took him away from me!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“We don’t know that, do we?” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It’s her. I know it,” Kelly said stubbornly.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Tell me,” Janet said changing the topic. “Why did you go into George’s room? When you found the body.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He always liked to wake up at eight thirty to either paint or eat breakfast. He never really had a set routine for the first thing in the morning,” she explained.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You don’t look very shaken up about the murder of the man you loved,” observed Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I am shaken up,” she argued.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">//I guess saying a few harsh words is shaken up for her//, Janet thought.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I just don’t show a lot of my emotions,” Kelly explained.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Did you hear anything during the night?” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” she said. “I’m a heavy sleeper.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So here’s just a theory,” Janet started on one of her famous assumptions to discover the reaction it would bring her suspect. “You think George loves you, but really he’s just using you. You’re pretty, I can tell you that, but maybe that’s all he saw in you. He was going to have his fling and then toss you into the garbage. Well, you find out and you don’t like that one bit, now do you? So you somehow discover the combination to Hunter’s safe, maybe seducing him, I don’t know, and you get his gun. Then you take some sort of muffler and shoot him to death exacting your revenge.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Kelly remained perfectly calm, her brown eyes boring into Janet’s and her lips staying placidly in place. She blinked slowly and then spoke in a voice that was steady and peaceful, but at the same time threatening. “That is untrue, but then again, I’m a suspect. My word doesn’t count for anything. So think what you may,” she got up, “but know that I am not in the slightest bit worried because,” she paused and locked her steely gaze on Janet, “there is no evidence to convict me.” And with that she strode towards the door and soundlessly exited.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">//Interesting woman//, Janet thought. //And successful too. Couldn’t be more than twenty-three. She is quite a character though.//

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Carson opened the door and poked his head inside. “McKenzie,” he said and Janet looked up. “We looked over the tapes. Neither Becca Lynnslow nor Hunter Williams used the stairs or the elevator. There were also video cameras in the halls and for that matter, them two didn’t even leave their rooms.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Were there cameras on the fourth floor?” asked Janet, hoping that they could solve the case and she could go home to Bucklenn.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah,” he responded. Janet smiled in anticipation. “And neither Leah or Jimmy Williams, or Kelly Coates exited their rooms.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet sighed in disappointment. “And it only could have been those five people?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah,” he said. “Well, at least we knocked off two suspects.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah, alright,” Janet said and crossed off the names Becca Lynnslow and Hunter Williams on her list.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So I’m guessing you don’t want to talk to Hunter Williams?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” she said. “I need all the information I can get. Send him in.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He nodded and exited the room. About a minute later Hunter Williams entered and assumed the position of the suspect in the seat across from Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet smiled at him. She told him he had already been cleared and this questioning was for information only. He said he already knew.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Please state your full name.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hunter Joseph Williams.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Obviously your address is here, so who are your parents and any other siblings besides George?” asked Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“My parents are Ivan and Stacy Williams and I have no other siblings,” he answered confidently.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“By how many years are you older than George?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Three.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So Hunter,” Janet started. “Do you know anything about the murder of George Williams?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’m sorry, but no.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Did you hear anything during the night? Anything unusual, like someone walking around?” pressed Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Again, sorry. No.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Can you tell me the combination to your safe?” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh, it’s the numbers of my birthday. It was one of the only things I remembered. It’s 07- 14- 77.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet wrote it down thinking the safe combo wouldn’t be too hard to figure out.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Tell me about the accident.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What I’ve been told is that I was driving down the freeway at night and some drunk swerved in front of me and I crashed into the barrier and flipped my car. And then I was in a coma for about a year and a half. George and Leah took me in and paid for everything and helped me get back on track. And they wanted me to stay after that so I did. They were so good to me and now he’s— he’s— he’s dead,” a lump caught in his throat and he turned away from Janet. After a moment or two and a deep breath, he turned back to Janet and said, “I want you to find out who killed my brother. And when you do, I’m going to make sure they rot in the deepest darkest pit in prison that I can find.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet could feel the raging passion in his voice. She was amused by his aggressiveness. “I will find who killed your brother. I promise.” She <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">paused and then resumed her questions. “So you really don’t remember anything?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I remember certain things,” he said, containing himself. “Some of my childhood. Other videos spark different memories. Some memories are just blurry. But it’s slowly coming back.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I see,” said Janet. “Did you know your brother was having an affair with his agent Kelly Coates?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Hunter’s jaw dropped. “George?” he managed to sputter out. “George would never do that!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Kelly Coates and Leah Williams confirm it,” Janet said shrugging.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Hunter sighed. “I can’t see George doing that.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet gave him a few seconds to mull over the information she had just shared before going on to the next question.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I heard that George took you, Leah, and Jimmy out yesterday. Where did you go?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“We, uh, we went to the strip mall,” he said still trying to process the previous shock.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Huh,” Janet said. “I think that is all I need from you Mr. Williams. You are dismissed.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He shook her hand and Janet repeated her promise to discover the identity of the killer. He left.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred walked in and asked who was next. She replied by wanting to see Jimmy, the son.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Jimmy sat down across from Janet and remained at a quiet state.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She flashed a friendly smile at him and told him what was going to happen. The usual introduction.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Please tell me your full name.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Jim Williams.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I know everything else so let’s get started,” Janet said and cleared her throat.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So, Jimmy, tell me what you know about the murder of your father, George Williams.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet could see the mental flinch in the eyes of the young boy at the mention of his recently deceased father. His eyes were slightly red, like he had been crying earlier.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I, uh,” he started. “I don’t know anything.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Are you sure? You didn’t hear anything in the night?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” he said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know the combination to your uncles’ safe?” asked Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” he said with a puzzled look. “I didn’t even know he had a safe.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Where did your father take you, your mother, and your uncle yesterday?” asked Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“The strip mall,” he replied.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What did you do? Where did you go?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“We ate lunch after a movie in the mall, and then my dad took my mom shopping, usually what he does when we go out. But this time he bought her a necklace. A really expensive one.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet raised her eyebrows and wrote down what the son had just said. “What happened after that?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, me and Uncle Hunter went to some stores while my mom and dad spent some time together,” he said. “And then we met up again and went back home.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I see,” Janet said and decided not to tell him about the affair. The poor kid had enough on his plate. She decided to drop a different bomb: “Were you and Becca Lynnslow in a secret relationship?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">His face showed a shocked expression, not one of shock and then outrage, but one of shock and then disbelief… like he couldn’t believe she had found out.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Answer the question, Jimmy.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes,” he croaked out.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why did you and Becca keep it a secret?” asked Janet. She was very interested to know the answer to this question.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Because,” he started to explain, “With my last girlfriend, it ended really badly. My parents, especially my dad, liked the girl and they were pissed off at me for breaking up with her. The girl didn’t take it too well either.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And by that you mean?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“She keyed my car,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t know why they were so mad at me. I bought that car with my own money and I got it fixed with my own money.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Parents have their reasons,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Is that little boy out there your son?” asked Jimmy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes he is.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He’s a cute kid,” complimented Jimmy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Thank you.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“A word of advice,” he said. “Don’t spoil him. They end up terrible, as you already know. That’s why my parents sent me to public school and made me get a job, and a bunch of other stuff. I think I turned out okay.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet smiled. “Don’t worry.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She dismissed him and he left. Fred came in.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You went easy on the kid,” he observed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You could call it that.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“There was no theory and you didn’t tell him about the affair.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He didn’t need to know that his father was a cheater right after he died and I didn’t have a theory for him,” explained Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s a first,” Fred remarked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It’s all part of a layered plan,” Janet said mysteriously. “Send in the last one. The wife.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Leah Williams strode through the door and sat down once Fred Harper had retrieved her. She was like an older version of Kelly, but a little less glamorous. She still had a striking beauty and attractiveness, but she did not radiate it like Miss Coates.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hi, Miss Williams,” Janet said. “I’m Janet McKenzie. I’ll be asking you some questions about the murder of your husband.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet could feel the confident aura around Leah falter at the mention of her dead husband. Nonetheless, she regained her composure and shook Janet McKenzie’s hand.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Please state your full name.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Leah Natalia Williams.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Your maiden name please.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Harbinger.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Parents and siblings?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Eileen and Adam Harbinger. One younger sister.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay,” Janet said finishing writing down everything she said. “Please tell me anything you know about the situation at hand.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I don’t know anything.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Naturally, thought Janet. I’m so tired of these stupid suspects knowing nothing!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Alright,” she said. “Let’s start at the beginning. When and how did you find out about the affair between George Williams and Kelly Coates?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“About a week and a half ago. I heard them talking about each other and then I knew. Especially when that damn woman moved into our home.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So I’m guessing you didn’t like her,” Janet said almost sarcastically.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Are you kidding? That agent was using him! I could tell. It was all for the money. And she seduced George and squeezed her way right into our lives. Trying to push me out in the process!” Leah was seething.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet let her settle down and then asked her a new question: “Does he usually buy you jewelry when you go out?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” she said. “Maybe something small and less expensive but this,” her fingers grazed the necklace with the large gem in the middle, “is some-thing for an anniversary or birthday.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What do you think of it?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I think, he thought I knew and he was trying to make up for it,” her eyes softened. “That’s why I’m sure he wouldn’t leave me for his agent.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I see,” Janet said writing it down. “So you know the combination to Hunter’s safe.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes, why?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You’re aware he kept a gun in there.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes.” She thought for a moment and then said, “If you think I took Hunter’s gun and shot George, you’re an idiot! I loved George! I would never kill him!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So here’s my theory,” Janet started. “It’s a simple one. One you would expect. The motive of the jealous wife. You get so angry that your husband is having an affair; you work up enough rage to kill him. Bu then your sensible side comes in. You don’t want to go to prison. You want to get away with it. So you take Hunter’s gun and you shoot him in the dead of night killing him.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Leah took a breath and stood up.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Are you married, Detective McKenzie?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I am divorced,” she replied.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Then you know that you just can’t let go of a man you once loved, or still love. It’s not easy. I loved George and I cannot even process the thought of leaving him, let alone murdering him. The only evidence that defends my innocence is that you know that I loved my husband.” And with that she walked out the door.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet wrote some more things down and then got up and exited the room. Three suspects, two innocents. She couldn’t help feeling that this murder was somehow connected with the innocents. Hunter’s gun obviously and the relationship between Becca and Jimmy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred and Josh met her outside.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know who it is?” asked Josh.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I have some ideas,” Janet answered vaguely. “I want to see the crime scene again.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">The three of them went back up to the fourth floor and entered George Williams’s room. The body had been removed, since police photographers had recorded everything. Janet’s gaze swept around the room, taking in the details.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Jimmy Williams, Leah Williams, or Kelly Coates. Two innocents, one guilty… of murder. But how did one of them get into George’s room without leaving theirs… or looking like they didn’t leave.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet walked to the large window, opened it and looked to the left where the other three rooms’ windows were. Beneath each window was a little ledge, thin, but wide enough to stand on. The space between each ledge was close enough for someone to step from one to the other.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet smiled. She had figured out how the killer got to George’s room. Something caught her eye. A smudge on the ledge of Leah Williams’ window. She leaned out further and then her eyes widened and she knew what it was. A part of a show print in the dust and dirt!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Fred!” she exclaimed with excitement. “Get a camera or something!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred got a camera from someone from outside and when instructed, preceded to photograph the shoe print.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’ll get someone to get a better picture from Leah’s room,” he said and fulfilled the promise. He came back inside and the two detectives began once more searching the scene. Janet looked at the bed, still with Mr. Williams’s blood on it, when Fred called her over.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Janet look at this!” he said. He was over near the picture directly across from the bed. Janet walked over.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“This,” he said and lifted the picture and placed it on the floor to show a hole in the wall.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s weird. It’s goes straight through the wall. Like someone cut it,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I know,” Fred said with a smile. “And I’m sure it goes all the way through to Leah’s room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">They rushed out of the crime scene and into Leah’s room. They went to the spot in the wall where they thought matched up with the hole in George’s room. In that place was a large mahogany dresser. With the strength of both of them, they pushed it aside and stared at what they saw. Right there was a hole that looked directly into George Williams’s room. More precisely, right at the bed where George was sleeping.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh my Gosh,” Janet said. They got someone to photograph it all and then left the room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So you think Leah did it?” asked Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I want to look at the other two rooms,” said Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">First, they searched Jimmy’s room and found nothing but the things a teenage boy would own. Then they went into Kelly’s room. On her bed, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">hidden in the back of all the other pillows was a certain pillow. But this pillow had a hole through it… like someone had fired a gun through it.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet pursed her lips.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Who do you think it is?” asked Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I don’t know.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, I think its Leah. It’s got to be her.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It could also be Kelly,” Janet argued.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Leah could have planted the pillow in there,” insisted Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And Kelly could have cut through the wall while the family was away all the time,” shot back Janet. “You know what, go and see who that show print matches to. I’m going to go and think.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">They separated and Janet searched for a quiet place she could be alone. The basement came to mind. She descended the stairs and turned on the light. It illuminated the darkness and showed the actual largeness of the basement.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She pulled up a chair and sat down and started chewing on her fingernail. She got up again, went back upstairs and got coffee and then went back down stairs and assumed her position.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Kelly Coates or Leah Williams? Or Jimmy Williams. He was a suspect too. But why would Jimmy want to kill George? She could think of a reason for Leah and Kelly, but not Jimmy. And plus, the motive for Kelly was kind of weak, but still plausible. She went over to open box of books in it. All the books looked old.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Her eyebrows rose as she found one of interest. Sipping her coffee, she started to read the little book. With each page, she read faster and faster. Fact after fact. Thought after thought.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">//Oh my Gosh//, she thought. //Could this be true?//

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She forgot about her coffee and kept reading this engrossing book.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">At the end, she closed it and stood up. Gripping the book in hand and coffee mug in the other she ascended the stairs.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She had just read a confession.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet McKenzie raced down the hall, searching for Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Fred?” she called. “Fred where the hell are you?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Janet!” Fred called from behind her down the hall. “Janet!” he ran up to her. “I know who did it.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She raised the book. “So do I.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Seated at the table were Kelly Coates, Jimmy Williams, and Leah Williams. Janet paced in front of them. Off to her right were Becca <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Lynnslow and Hunter Williams. To her left were Fred Harper and Joshua McKenzie.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She started her speech. “One of you murdered the appraised artist George Williams. One of you is seated next to a killer.” The three looked at each other. “And now I reveal the culprit of the crime.” She pointed an accusing finger at the person responsible for the death at hand. Mouths dropped as their eyes followed Janet’s finger to Hunter Williams.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">His jaw dropped. “What?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You killed him, Hunter,” Janet said lowering her hand. “And I know how you did it and why!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I didn’t kill George! He was my brother!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh, shut up,” Fred said from across the room. “We have evidence against you so you can stop trying.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Before George’s murder, you spent hours alone cutting a hole in the wall, of the wall shared between Leah and George’s rooms. And then you concealed them so no one would notice. But you would make sure they weren’t hidden well enough for us to discover them. And then you steal one of Kelly Coates’ pillows to use. These were used to try and put the blame on Kelly Coates or Leah Williams.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So in the middle of the night, you take the gun from your safe, it was never stolen, and you open your window. You climb out onto the ledge and pull yourself up by Leah’s ledge. But you aren’t worried she’ll hear you because you already drugged her. Put something in her drink before she went to bed. So now that you’re on the ledge, you easily get to George’s window and slip inside with the gun and the pillow. You aim it at him and shoot him to death! Then you get back to your room, and hide the gun somewhere. And when Kelly wakes up and finds her lover dead, you take that opportunity to return the pillow. But why? Why would you kill your brother that has taken care of you after your accident? This answers that question!” she tossed the book onto the table. “This is your journal Hunter Williams. You wrote down the plans for killing George Williams and your motive //and// the shoe print on the window sill matches your shoe!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And now comes the ‘why?’ It’s because George was not the artist, Hunter was! When Hunter got into the accident, he was meeting someone to talk about organizing an art show with all his works he had painted, but on the way there he crashed and went into a coma. That’s when George found all his works and claimed them for himself making money and fame off of them. But then trouble started when he woke up. At first, he actually //didn’t// remember anything, but it all quickly came back, but he //acted// like he didn’t remember anything, letting George think he was off the hook. All George <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">had to do was tell him some lies about what Hunter did before the accident. So to exact his revenge, he planned to murder him! And he succeeded!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">The room was silent. All mouths were wide open. It was clear no one except George knew about his unfairly obtained paintings and money. He did lock himself in his art studio everyday, probably up there just reading a book or something.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Hunter stood calmly, staring at Janet. After a long pause he finally spoke, “That is all correct.” He pulled out a gun and aimed it at Janet. “And this is what I used to kill him with.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet stared at the gun. She looked up at Hunter and said, “Go on. Do it. I dare you. Pull the trigger. You don’t scare me, you piece of crap.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“But I know what does scare you,” he said smiling and positioned the gun so it was aimed at Josh.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet’s eyes widened and Joshua froze, staring into the dark hole of the handgun.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You don’t want to do that, Hunter,” Fred warned.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh, but I do,” he said. Janet leaped for her son as the shots rang out. She grabbed hold of him and pulled Josh to the ground, as Fred pulled out his own weapon. Josh covered his ears as gunfire rang out. People all in the room screamed in terror. Janet’s heart thudded in her chest.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">With a scream, Hunter fell on his back with three shots in him. He gasped for air as he bled from three separate holes in his chest. Fred holstered his weapon.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet got up to see the moments before Hunter Williams’ life ended. Lying in a growing pool of blood, he sputtered once and then his eyes unfocused and he was still. The murderer was dead.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet looked over to Fred and whispered two words with tears in her eyes, “Thank you.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Superintendent Carson and some other police officers burst into the room. The body was taken away by the paramedics, and Fred, Janet, and Joshua left the house and got into the car. They were headed back to Bucklenn, back home.

= = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">THE END