alandslide
+1+
The next morning I woke up as if I were recovering from a hangover even though I hadn’t anything to drink in the past 24 hours. It took a while for me to fully recognize that heavy feeling as grief.
See,
Clara does miss her dad.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and saw my suitcase by the bedside. I could hear
sounds coming from down stairs and I realized I most have been the last one to
wake up.
So,
Mr. F bought up her luggage so he saw Claudia’s passport in the car.
I tossed on a wrinkled black sweater
and black stretch pants and worn sneakers. I took the time to scrub
off my make up and putting my hair up with one of the ties by the counter.
For some reason I expected myself to look more put together than I did
Oh,
hmm. There are hair ties by the counter but I had played with the idea of Mr.
F’s hair being shorter. Oh, well.
I took a deep breath and went downstairs. In the daylight I could really see
how beautiful the house was not that I expected anything less.
Mr. Fierro and I’s brief conversation last night had ended in an impasse
neither of seeing one another for the rest of the night.
Muse
: NO
There were four places set at the table. Mr. Fierro, Rose and her nanny at each
one respectively. As expected I was entirely under-dressed for breakfast but
what perplexed me is that they were all dressed from head to toe in black.
Cause
Mr. F isn’t the biggest fan of Martin DeLune.
None of them looked up as I entered
except for Rose who still seemed a little sleepy at 9 in the morning. I sat
next to her not feeling at all ready to eat.
I turned nervously to the blonde woman on my right, she had to be in her late
thirties, she had a kind motherly air about her. She smiled brightly
considering the somber mood.
“I’m Clara”, I said introducing myself trying not to appear awkward.
“Joy”, she gave me her name, “Rosalie is a wonderful girl. She talks about you
all the time”
“Really ?”,
Clara
keeps forgetting that Rose is a normal girl with a soul who actually loves her ! YAY
“Yes. I promised her I’d take her
out in the snow today. It is so pretty out . . if that’s okay ?”, she said.
“Sounds fun”, I replied
I watched Rosalie as she pushed around the strawberries around on her
plate. I wanted to make up for the six months I’d missed but the strange grief
kept me lethargic.
“Can we go outside now, Joy ?”, Rose asked tugging on Joy's sleeve
“Sure, why don’t you get ready while I clean up.”
Rose took my hand insisting she needed my help to get ready. She was quiet as I
helped her pull on her warm cream colored peacoat with a few shimmering threads
mixed in, matching mittens and hat followed by lined boots.
Really
spoiled.
I tried not to linger on her drastic hair cut. Something told me I shouldn't
ask her about it and I supposed that her hair would grow back.
So when Martin kidnaps Rose he cuts her hair to disguise her as a boy. THANKS L&O SVU
“Are you coming outside ?”, she asked.
“I think I’ll stay inside today”, I told her
Have
to go make sure Daddy’s not going to frame me for murder and all.
“Are you sad, Mommy ?”, she asked
“No—I mean yes---I’m just not feeling well.”
Look
, Rose is empathetic
I wondered if I should tell her about my father, though something told me she
already knew.
But
still creepy
“I thought you'd be happy. . . to see me again”, she said
“I am”, I steadied my hands on her shoulders , “Don’t you have fun with Joy ?”
“Yes”, she said, “she’s my only friend”
“Rosalie”, I knelt down to her
level, “a few days ago my father died. Do you know what that means ?”
“Yes.”, she whispered.
“Do you want to talk about it—“
“I want to go in the snow.”, she insisted crossing her arms. I didn’t want to
argue
“Go ahead. Wait, where is . . um.. .”
Clara
: Mr. F—er—your Fath—um—Da-Hmm-uh . . .
She pointed her gloved hand towards the back of the kitchen before sprinting out
to join Joy in the snow. I went through the small hallway in the kitchen. I
wasn’t at all surprised to see a slanted roof glasshouse connected to the
main house. From the door I could see the humidity fogging up the glass,
surrounded by neat row of exotic flowers.
Exotic. . .
like oleanders. That sounds like a Fifty Shades-esque novel.
I started to really listen and I
could hear the sound of glass breaking. I reached for the door and of course it
was locked. I knocked a few times and the sound of the
breaking glass stopped. T
Still
destroying Oleanders.
I tried putting pressure on it, but
the lock looked brand new almost as if it had been put on last night.
He
hears her trying to break in so he leaves out the backdoor to make it seem like
he’s been in the house all morning.
“What are you doing ?”
I jumped and nearly ran into the door when I realized Mr. Fierro was standing
behind me, he was covered in a very light sprinkling of snow.
“I-I-was looking for you”, I managed to get out.
“What ever for ?”
Muse
: Clara: Well, I saw this here glasshouse you have . . .so I figured for old time sake
we might. . —
LiLe : NO *sigh*
I decided it was best he didn’t know that I had been trying to break into his
glasshouse. His arms were shaking slightly I thought it was because he had been
outside without a coat but it was something more.
Mr. F still hates being out in the snow because of him almost dying at the end of HOF.
“Are you okay”, I said reaching for his arm
“Yes, I’d rather not be out in the cold”. He said curtly
“Why didn’t you just unlock this door“, I pulled against the locked door,
"hiding something ?"
Yerp
“I also moved your car last night”, he said handing me the keys, “I found this”
He was holding up the picture that Juliet had drawn of Rosalie. I’d meant to
throw it away.
I
really should have just stuck to calling her Rose, but Rosalie grew on me.
“About that”, I said, “Well, It
appears that Detective Rainer, who is investigating my father’s murder, has
found a psychic. She drew this after 'speaking' with my father.”
“A Psychic ? Do you think she is honest?”
“I do, actually. Are you worried that she will find out what secrets you are
hiding ?”
“Well, then I’ll have to talk about this with Emile. . .and Mr. Essex, though
we will have to wait for the snow to stop—“
“Wait, you still talk to him”, I said referring to Essex, “He tried to kill my
daughter”
“Actually I believe it was the other way around. Besides he knows so much more
about these unusual things.”
Mr. F is right. Rosalie was trying to kill Essex when she made the bookshelf topple over on him.
“I don’t think that will help the fact that I think this psychic knows the
truth.”, I said
“If she does know the truth then why are you not locked away.”
“You really think I’m guilty”
“I know you are guilty, Ms. DeLune”
Cause
she totally kind of is. Okay, I’m going to stop referencing the ending.
“How is that ? You haven’t set foot in New York for years”
“True, but I know deep down inside what you are capable of. “
“Me ? I’m sure your benevolent psychopathic personality makes you perfectly
innocent.”
So,
this is kind of harsh referring the fact that they actually killed someone. Also Mr. F does think the posined bottle he sent to Martin killed him. He doesn't know Clara drank it after Mr. F exited stage right.
“Careful, Ms. DeLune.”, he pressed a finger to my lips, “Also if I were you I
would stay away from locked doors. There are so many doors you do not want to
open”
Clara : Why does he keep touching my lips ?
LiLe
: I don’t know Freud was right ? SH don't you have this problem ?
After several minutes of searching for my cell phone it refused to turn on. I
turned it over noticing scuff marks around the edge of the battery. I figured i
must have dropped it.
Nope,
Mr. F tried to take the battery out. Old people and technology.
No TV or internet but Mr. F has a BOSS sound
system.
I took another walk around the house when I came to another locked door on the
first floor. I reasoned that it must lead to a garage in the back. Despite the
warning I still tried to open it, the lock felt so weak.
“No!”, Roasile shouted, she was shivering from the snow her eyes glazed over
when she saw me. She began to pull me from the door. She had a tight grip
on my wrist and I stepped away.
“It’s just a door”
“No, you can’t open it.”
“Okay”, I said not wanting to scare her, “It won’t open it anyway”
Okay,
so now Clara thinks he is hiding something relevant to the murder in there. RED HERRING !
She pulled me away from the door and the second she was out of sight of the
door she recovered quickly. I helped her out of her coat and hat brushing
her hair back. I stopped when I noticed a dark lines running aross her arms.
“Rose, what happened ?”
These are from when Martin's kidnapped her and tied her up.):
“I fell”, she said covering the mark with her hand.
“Rosalie”, I said sternly
“It’s true Mommy, it hurt. I didn’t think it would hurt.”
This
has unfortunate implications because Clara thinks she is making it up because someone
is hurting her again. I will admit I was concerned that working in a child abuse plot into DSI was too
realistic.
“Rosalie, how did this happen ?”
“On the stairs, I don’t like them they are slippery”, she folded her arms in
frustration.
I didn't believe but wasn't ready to press the issue.
Clara’s
still not the greatest mother alive.
Once she had climbed the stairs and disappeared around the corner I found
Joy in the kitchen making some warm milk for her.
“Joy, I have sort of a strange question.”
“Sure”
“Were Rosalie and Mr. Fierro here last week ?”
“Hm, wasn’t that an American holiday?”
“Yes, Thanksgiving”
THE NIGHT MARTIN WAS KILLED
It was also the weekend my father
died.
“No worries then, I was with them.” LIES
I went upstairs to find what was taking Rosalie so long. The door
to her room was partially closed and I could hear her talking softly followed
by a very indifferent response.
“No,you have to listen to me, Angel”, I recognized Mr. Fierro’s stern voice
from inside her room.
I think using the term
Angel here reminds me to much of Lost Angel. Seriously what is with me and winged creatures ?
“But, I-“
“You are not to speak a word of that to Ms.-- your mother, understand?”
Mr. F : Your er- Moth--er Ms.. . um. . .hmm"
“Yes”, she said in a small voice similar to Clarice, “But, what about Ms. Joy
?”
“I have already taken care of her. You just need to keep quiet.”
So, Joy agrees to lie
because she’s kind of in love with Mr. F. I mean come on who doesn't want to fix him ? Throw in the cute daughter and I could pair any character with him. Like Sofia. Want/Need
He walked past
without noticing me.
When she saw me she begged me to play with her, smiling the entire time. I
couldn’t bring myself to upset her by asking her what she was keeping from me
Mr. F and Rose are supposed get along a lot better than Clara and Rose do.
+++
. I didn’t
think anything of it when Mr. Fierro knocked on the guest room door.
“Yes”, I said not opening the door.
I had settled into the practically empty guest room with numerous glasses of a
expensive dark wine and my own thoughts.
Clara
is grieving and no one is comforting her. So she turns to wine !
“Get your coat we are
leaving.”, his voice was direct on the other side.
“What do you mean ?”
“We are going to see Mr. Essex and Emile at Emile’s home.”
He
knows she will go to see Emile.
I rolled myself out of bed and opened the door.
“What about the weather ?”, from the window I noticed the snow had stopped
falling.
"You'll manage.”, he said going down the stairs
Mr. F is kind of being a jerk here.
Reluctantly I slipped on my boots and red coat. I was tried of wearing black,
Rosalie met me at her door holding onto my hand till I picked her up.
The snow had temporarily stopped falling making it easier for me to navigate
the back roads. I had been somewhat relieved when Mr. Fierro let me drive
carefully instructing me where to go.
The long drive was mostly silent except for Rosalie occasionally pointing
out snowmen and snow angels that were by the side of the road and when I asked
Mr. Fierro not to smoke in the car which he thoughtfully ignored. I realized he
must have been upset that I called him a psychopath. I wanted to apologize but
a part of me meant it.
Um, wow Clara it might be time to explore your options.
Everything was far to rational with him, among other things.
Like
his obsession with his ex-wife, indifference and OCDness. Really Clara other fish in the sea.
I
think I really wanted to break them up at the end of this, but that wouldn’t
have been conventional.
My eyes briefly wandered to his smooth unblemished hands and the way he lit
another cigarette without taking his eyes off the road. Would it be so hard to
believe those were the hands of a killer ?
Clara : Cause I totally need to frame him. I can NOT let my mother go to prison. He can dissapear, he's practically a ghost. My mother. . . can't.
“Is this really necessary ?”, I said not wanting to spend another minute
in the same room as Robert Essex.
Robert Essex claimed to be a professor but he liked to dabble in much darker
things. He is also the furthest thing from a gentleman one can get.
“Wouldn’t you like to know if this psychic has any merit ?”
“She obviously knows something. She drew that portrait of Rosalie and no one
outside my family knows about her and -”
“She knew your father was poisoned that does not mean anything.”
Oops
“Well, that and-“, I almost swerved off the road then adjusted myself, “.
. wait, I never told you my father was poisoned.”
Okay,
this plot device is like the oldest trick in the book. A character is supposed
to not know something but accidentally lets one thing slip
“Turn here”, he said regarding the road, “Keep left.”
“How did you know my father was poisoned ?”
“Stop here, Ms. DeLune”
Frustrated I opened the locks, quickly getting out and opening Rosalie’s doors. The minute I let Rosalie out of the car she made her way to the set of row homes towards the end. When we arrived to a light green corner house I helped her reach the doorbell .After a few seconds Emile opened the doors beaming brightly.
That line was just really cute.
Rose
spends a lot of time around Emile and Mr. F. Clara realizes this.
“Clara, how are you”, I recognized
the empathy in Emile's voice,
“I’ve been better”, I said as we embraced
“Come inside. I’m so sorry about your father”, he said automatically
“Thanks”
The row house was small but comfortable, it was decorated mostly with books and
pictures of Emile and another man I didn't recognize.
I
think his name is Robert.
I did however recognized the tall bearded man seated on Emile’s sofa as
Professor Essex. Though I had only known him briefly he looked a lot better
than I remembered. I had a feeling he was eyeing more than my intentions as I
sat down on the the loveseat across from him,. Emile purposely
forced Mr. Fierro to sit next to me.
Emile, I luv you.
"It's nice to see you. . . Ms. DeLune, is it still ?", Essex said
He
wants to know if she is single
"Clara is fine", I said
"I understand you have a psychic problem", he said with a laugh.
"It's not a problem", I said , "you see my father was murdered
and the police have a girl who claims to be psychic. . . she is working to find
out who murdered my father. "
“Isn’t that a good thing ?”, Emile asked setting down a tray of very English
tea.
“It would be except for undisclosed reasons Mr. Fierro and I are certain that
one of us killed him.”
Even though it was Clara's Mom.
“um -did you ?”, Emile said to no one in particular.
Emile
: Great now these two idiots have gone and killed someone *sigh*
“Of course she did, Emile that is
why she is here.”, Mr. Fierro added calmly
“Really ? Well Mr. Fierro, you seem very concerned about this psychic
finding the truth.”, I added
“Yes, and you have been spending all day attempting to break into every room in
my house to frame me.”
“And I’m sure you are not telling my daughter to keep things from me—“
Next, week on Dr. Phil
I was interrupted by the deep sound of Dr. Essex laughing.
“All this psychic can do , Essex said keeping his eyes on me, “Is read the
information given to her.”
“You think she telling the truth “, I said my thoughts turning to
my father
“Of course " Essex said walking uncomfortably close to me , “you and I
both know the dead are more vocal than the living. Psychics are interesting
people and whether they are real or fake it's their business to
never be wrong"
Woo, thanks Essex McPlotDevice for explain parts of the plot again. I almost had to do some work there. This scene was useless.
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore”, I said getting up. I still couldn’t
put the term dead and my father together. I walked out of the small living room
and went to sit outside on the porch. I think Emile may have gone after me but
Mr. Fierro stopped him.
I took the keys out of my pocket and went to the car, gently leaning on the
horn till Emile and Mr. Fierro came out of the house.
“Emile please get my daughter, I’d like to leave”
Clara : See I said my daughter. Grr her makes me so mad.
Yeah, I really had a hard time getting them to be a couple.
Emile returned a few minutes later with Rosalie and put her in the car.
“Is everything alright Clara ?”
“No, can we talk tomorrow”
Halfway back to the house Rosalie had fallen asleep I had turned the radio up
loud to block out the sound of my occasionally sniffling.
Blastin' That Classical Music LIKE A BOSS
“Ms. DeLune I know what these tears are about”
“No you don’t”, I snapped
“Ms. DeLune I understand you are afraid to see the rest of your family pass as
you did your father. Funeral’s are not pleasant affairs"
“I’m not afraid. . . it just makes me terribly sad. I just don’t ever
want to be without them. One day they are all going to be dead and i'll be-I'll
be. . . ”
Stuck with you.
And Victor
Maybe Lucie
And all the other Spectres
The future looks a little bleak for Clara.
Muse : Well what if
LiLe : NO.
Muse : What if
LiLe : STILL NO
SIS
+2+
We drove the rest of the way in silence.
“Mommy”, Rose said still half asleep.
I
kept wanting to write Rosalie calling her parents by their first names, *Which is funny because they can't even manage that* I played with it a few times.
“Yes”’, I pulled the quilts over her.
“I think everything is going to be okay”
“Is it ?”
I attempted to fall asleep in the cold and extremely lonely guest room, but for
some reason my mind went to the locked doors in the house. My mind also kept
going back to the set of keys in Mr. Fierro’s bedroom. Maybe it wasn’t the
right thing to do but who knows what I would find behind those locked doors.
Silently I slipped out of bed stepping into the hallway without my shoes. The
halls were cold and I didn’t expect the door to his room to be open, but it was.
Again with the no shoes Clara.
The room was empty and just as I’d left it last night, the keys were laying next to the record player and what looked like a porcelain jewelry box, It was a beautiful box. I picked it up and wondered what was in it ? I set it down next to a ring of keys
This music box becomes
a McGuffin box for like one chapter
I took the entire ring, my first thoughts going to the locked door
that had frightened Rosalie. I half expected to find a room full of dangerous
poison.
Maybe a Christian Gray style room ?
The door opened silently to a pitch black room, the floor felt different
the tiles were raised and cold but I couldn’t tell what was
different. I took another step hoping to find a light instead the ground went
out from underneath me.
Instead of hitting something hard , I made an unexpected splash hitting a
chilly pool of water. I struggled to resurface for a while when my eyes
adjusted to the darkness of the water. I swam around the large indoor pool
towards the edge when I heard footsteps.
I held my breath and went beneath the surface just as the lights clicked on. I
watched the perfect line of Mr. Fierro's footstesps. He now had the keys I had
left in the door in his hands. I noticed how perfectly trimmed his nails
were how everything was neat and in order.
I swam closer to the edge and reached for the hand with the keys
wrapping my hand around his wrist and pulling him into the water. He lost
his balance immediately and fell into the cold water.
Look they are in a
pool just like in LL. Casue in LL Mr. F is a swimmer so continuity high five ! Also I this scene is kind of cute.
Once we had both resurfaced we moved to sit along the edge, watching as the
keys sunk to the bottom of the pool.
“Aren’t you upset with me?”, I asked , ".I don't know what came over
me."
“No”, he said hiding his anger and coughing up more water.
“Why was this door locked anyway ?” It's completely harmless", I said
splashing a foot in the water."
“She doesn’t like the water. . . it terrifies her.”
That was why Rosalie was so afraid of this room.
Because LiLe is still
stuck on that AU ending where Martin drowns Rosalie. Rose is afraid
of water because Martin tried to drown her and when she didn’t die he got.. .
mean. This is shown in DSI.
“I think I knew that”, I said watching his profile
“I am sure you did.”
She didn't, Clara needs to get her act together.
“I’ll need to go back home in two days.”, I said keeping my eyes down,
"After all I do have a job and my mother must be beside herself with
concern.."
His expression darkened
“I understand. I‘m sorry your time here wasn’t productive.”
“You really think I just came here to blame my father’s murder on you.”,
I said still not moving.
Well that wasn’t the only reason she came .
Muse : That's what she said. . . er he said or did ?
LiLe : What ? No ! BAD MUSE
“Why else did you come ?”
Muse : --
LiLe : Don't you dare
“I saw that picture of Rosalie at the police station and I just missed her. I’ve
been thinking. . . I would feel better if I could keep and eye on Rosalie. ..
and you. You could keep an eye on me as well if you came back to New York with
me. . . well not with me but--”
“That would be beneficial. Though US markets are not as predictable as the LSE”
he said more to himself, “. . . and I would like to be closer to this psychic.”
Okay, so Mr. F has
been investing money into stocks. The money he has is the inheritance Clara received
after her Grandfather’s death. Or something. He is randomly rich.
“Whatever for”, I asked, “I thought you were innocent”
Well, Mr. F’s not 100%
innocent.
“For your sake of course.”, he said finally turning to face me choosing his
words carefully, “Ms. DeLune it has occurred to me that due to your father’s
death. . . perhaps this gives us a second chance.”
Cause Martin is one of
the few people who put together than Mr. F might have kidnapped Clara.
“Hm”, Was all I could think to say, “Careful, Mr. Fierro that is starting to
sound a lot like a motive.”
Yeah, RED HERRING MOTIVE !
“If it only it were that simple”
“New York is lovely this time of year”, I said changing the subject to weather
of all things, "I'm sure you remember"
“I was considering moving someplace warmer for the winter, like Southern
Italy.”
“Really ?”
“Yes, you should know Italy is home to the most exquisite things : suits, wine,
women . . .”
Clara is Italian so that earns a
Flirty Flirty
Muse : AWW YEAH
“Are you forgetting yourself, Mr. Fierro ?"
“Not entirely”, he said again helping me to stand up and leaving just as
quickly. .
I reached for a towel drying my hair and clothes slowly making my way
back to my room. By the time I had made it to the warmth of the bed I
couldn't fall asleep.
Something was happening.
Something was going wrong.
+3+
This is one of my favorite scenes. The song is Time Lapse Lifetime. I will leave this section in peace.
Juliet Wakefield had fallen asleep sometime before 10 p.m. She usually stayed
up late even on school days but her history book had lulled her to sleep.
She was able to block out the loud music on her ipod and the sounds of her
mother’s work out dvds on top volume.
She was peacefully sprawled out on her bed her hands crocked at her sides her
legs comfortable fitted to the frame. She was surrounded by pure darkness when
something soft touched her face. It felt like snow or a tiny feather. Whatever
had fallen was followed by another and another.
Juliet finally reached up and picked up the tiny objects in her hands.
Flower petals
They were light pink and shaped like tiny windmills, the flowers smelled sweet
but there was something about them that made her uneasy. She watched as they
continued to fall gently coating her in a thin layer. She inhaled deeply
completely lost till the last petal fell.
She sat up breaking way from her dream.
The sun had just risen and her alarm clocked blared at 6am
Juliet reluctantly picked up her cell phone and pressed the last number
dialed.
“Yes”, said the straight-laced detective on the other end.
“I know what poisoned Mr. DeLune”
“What”, on the other end Detective Rainer reached for a pen and paper
“Oleanders. He was poisoned with flowers.”