LiLe : Ugh, how did we get here. I called this a paranormal mystery and it is just barley that.
Muse : Think of all the great songs we have
LiLe : Ugh, fine let’s do this
First of all here is what happened in JNRR in chronogligal order
Autum - Mr. Fierro learns about how abusive Matin was to Rose so he decides he is going to kill Martin. He decides he is going to poison him with oleanders, so he grews some oleanders and sends the extras to Clara as a present and maybe as RL-foreshadowing.
Day Before Thanksgiving - Mr. F, Rose and Joy arrive in NYC. While in central park Martin runs into the pair. He is enraged because he thinks Mr. F has come back with Rose in order to kill him and get The DeLune Inheritance. Martin also thinsk Mr. F is a psycho who kindpaped his daughter and got her pregant . . . which is true so . . ..
Anywho MR. F thinks his plan is ruined when,,, guess who saw the meeting in the park ? Claudia Locke. Claudia tells Mr. F about the inheritanc and she says she wants to kill her father becuase her father has become immoral, the business is losing money and so she can leave her husband.
Mr. F and Claudia decide to poison a sotch and send it to Martin. He will drink it over the weekend and DIE. They use HALF A VIAL of poison and send off the scotch
It's all good
Until Martin kidnaps Rose. Mr. F realizes that if he doesn't find Ros BEFORE Martin drinks the scotch he will never be able to find Rose.
Meanwhile Martin leaves the akward DeLune thanksgiving and heads to his office with the poision scotch in tow. He has annoucned that he is CHANGING his will so that the ELDEST grandchild will inherit, despite blood-relation. This means Aubry (Clarice's adopted 7 year old) will get ALL the Money.
Martin offically changes his Will off-page.
Claudia and Mr. F call each other and both rush to Martin's office to intercept the scotch.
Claudia gets there first and runs into Clara. She tells Clara about the poision and shows her the HALF FULL VIAL. Clara tells her not to worry and to go home. Clara goes inside and drinks/spills the poision scotch (remeber she can't die *continuity high-five) to save her father then he HITS her. She gets sick and passes out in some bushes
That's when Mr. F arrives at Martin's office. He and Martin fight and seeing the empty scotch bottle Mr. F realizes that Martin will be dead soon (of course Martin didn't drink the scotch, Clara did). Martin tells him where Rose is and Mr. F peaces out.
Of course first he burns Martin's new will. BURN
Clara calls her mom to get her and tells her mother about the poison. when Mama DeLune sees Clara's face she is fed up with everything. She takes th HALF VIAL OF POISION from Clara and makes Martin drink it.
Okay, let's rip it apart and tell it out of order.
Prologue
Breathe me - Sia
“Dearly Beloved. . .”
The reverend's words were lost on me. My
eyes were fixed on my hands. . . my chest heavy with guilt, shame or
something in between. I could feel and hear the breath of everyone behind me,
they were all waiting. . . this was a show to them.
From her seat up front I could see my mother crying. It was shivering cold but I didn’t care. I would sit out there all day if I had too.
My father was dead.
NO. You killed off Mr. Fierro. This is Rose’s POV right ? It takes place in the future and somehow you managed to try and kill of Mr. F again.
The beautiful soft wood casket seemed to glare at me. I couldn't take my eyes off it.
He was supposed to be invincible.
He was supposed to not die ever, but somehow you KILT him.
I finally allowed myself to let a few tears fall. From her seat my mother offered me a smile. “be strong” that is what that particular smile meant.
There was a murmur and I heard people turning in their seats. I had not realized that the reverend stopped mid sentence.
I turned to see three policemen in blue were making their way down the aisle towards the casket. They were flanked at the side of Detective Olive Rainer. Her bright red hair hung loose her stance was strong, her expression apologetic.
Yes, I bought back Rainer from HOF, cause I was to lazy to make up new characters.
Detective Rainer moved towards my mother and offered her condolences with a simple gesture. The two spoke in whispers. Mother spoke quietly and suddenly she became hysterical. Screaming “no” over and over again till someone comforted her.
“Professor DeLune”, Detective Rainer said now standing over me.
“Yes”, I said appearing sympathetic. My tears were real I hoped she could see that
Red Herring : You know you didn’t fool anyone, right
LiLe : Yeah, yeah
“Come with us”, she said
Before I could protest the two men in blue were helping me out of the chair and binding my hands in tight handcuffs.
“What the hell are you doing ?”I said as every mourner’s eyes fell on me.
Okay, Clara cursing right out.
“Clara, you’re under arrest.”, Rainer said stoically.
“What for ?”
“The murder of Martin DeLune.. . your father.”
DUN DUN DUN !
I turned back to my mother as they pulled me along. Rainer wiped a stray tear but appeared content. As the police car pulled off the first snow of December fell.
Chapter 1
Bodcia - Enya
+1+
The police, or more notably Detective Rainer, had locked me away in an interrogation room. I suppose I was free to leave but I didn’t want to, something . . . guilt maybe was keeping me there.
The interrogation room was actually lovely. It wasn’t like it was on television the seats were comfortable and I felt more as if I were in a job interview. I kept my eyes on my black painted nails gently tapping them against the table.
She must have stole Toma’s black nail polish frm Spirits.
Detective Rainer walked in, her guns still on to intimidate me.
“Clara”, she walked around the edge of the table, “Tell us about your father”
She said us and I looked up to see at the camera in the corner of the room. I pursed my lips before speaking.
“He was a good man, I wish I could have said good-bye at the funeral but I was interrupted. Was it really necessary to come for me in the middle of his--”
Funeral.
“Clara we know your father was poisoned”
“No. . .he died of a heart attack—“
“So you had us believe”, she said, “we’ll have more information once the tox screens come back.”
“Are you accusing me of murdering my father ?”
“Let’s say you're person of interest”
“Why me?”
Wow, this sounds like an actual murder mystery. I knew all those CSI-thons would come in handy.
I kept expecting her to sit down across from me but instead she pulled up a chair right next to me. I kept looking ahead trying not to meet her gaze.
“Well”, she said moving closer, “ I’m thinking it has something to do with your daughter.”
My gaze was now heavily trained on my hands, my lips trembled slightly as I spoke to the detective.
“I don’t have a daughter, Detective Rainer”
I wonder if she could tell that my heart had skipped a beat.
“Really ?”, Rainer asked but it wasn’t really a question.
“Ask anyone who knows me, family, friends or colleagues.”
So,
yeah remember in DSI how pretty much no one but immediate family knew Clara had
a daughter. That’s coming back here. Continuity High Five
Muse : But Peter knew
LiLe : Well, Peter’s dead so.
She didn’t seem impressed and moved her chair in closer.
“Where is she Clara ? did you kill her too ?”
“ I don’t have a daughter”. my words sounded restrained.
The
reason Clara is lying about this is because if people knew she had a daughter
they would find out that Martin was abusive to her and that would give Clara MOTIVE. Right. LiLe has this mystery stuff Down. It's all about MOTIVE.
“That’s not what she told us,”
“Who ?”
Rainer motioned to someone outside and the door. A man in a blue uniform entered this time he had a teenage girl with him. She looked to be about seventeen she had stunning green eyes and cropped brown hair. She was dressed in jeans and a checkered hoodie. I certainly didn’t recognize her.
The girl looked nervous, She had a large white notepad in her hands.
Was
she one of my students ?
And Clara is suddenly a professor . . . wait. I don't think I ever say WHERE she teaches. This really should have taken place a year after DSI.
“Who are you?”, I asked
“My name is Juliet Wakefield”, Juliet answered taking a seat.
Oh,
like those Juliet roses. SO not sure where this character came from. I guess I just . . . no idea.
“Juliet told us that your father was murdered.”, Rainer said matter-of-factly
“How could you possibly know that. . . he was alone when it happened. . . the heart attack that is”
Juliet
propped a sketch book on her knees and began running her pencil across it as if
she hadn't even heard me.
“He told me”, Juliet answered
“Who is he ?”
“Your father. He told me it wasn't an accident. . . he told me he was murdered.”
Logic : wait a second, so is Martin Spectre
LiLe : . . . no
Logic : so are they communicating from the afterlife ?
LiLe : Yes
Logic : How ?
LiLe
: Well, I’m sure things have changed since Peter arrived. I don'tknow just go with it.
+++
She was a psychic.
Or
that is what Rainer would have me believe. They left me in the room alone
with Juliet for an hour. She didn’t say anything except she was trying to
“read” the signs around me.
“A psychic.. . so can you tell me my future”, I humored her
“No”, Juliet said, “It' not really like that it's like, I have extrasensory perception. I can see so many things that people are blind too. I can't read the livings future . . .but there is something different about you."
You’re not technically alive so I can kind of see your future.
“Um, So”, I said, “my father talks to you ? talking to the dead. . . that’s absurd.”, I laughed nervously
Clara
:Cause I have totally never talked to a dead French king or my dead redeemed
grandmother . . .
“He doesn’t really talk to me. sometimes I can hear bits and pieces of him. Like he is temporarily passing through. I’m trying to make a connection I guess, I intercepted him.For some reason the dead's minds are easier to perceive..”
So Martin is trying to communicate to people through the Sanctuary.
“And the police believe you ?”
“Yes, I’ve helped them before.. . you sound familiar though. It’s like I’ve heard you before.”
“So, my father told you I killed him ?”, I wanted to know what she knew.
“No he never said who did it--”
At that moment Rainer walked in and disrupted us. That was one detail Juliet was not supposed to tell me. Rainer leaned over the table deep with determination.
“Clara what did you do with your daughter? “, she slammed her hand on the table for emphasis, "Why did you kill your father ?":
“I told you I don’t have a daughter ”
“Juliet, please show her the drawing”, Rainer said as if she were putting the final nail in the coffin.
“I don’t know how accurate it is”, Said Juliet, “I only saw the face in his mind for a moment”
Julie took the notepad clenched in her hands and slid the notepad over to me, I flipped a page over and saw a black and white drawing of a little girl, she had large light-tinted eyes and a solemn listless expression that made my heart hurt.
“Look at her.Is she why you killed Martin.”, Rainer’s voice was soft, "what secrets are you hiding"
“Is this your only proof?”, I said tentatively placing the paper down, “a drawing”
Rainer backed herself into a corner as an officer escorted Juliet out. We both sort of looked each other up for a while till I decided to speak.
“I suppose I can go now”, I said calmly. I was actually happy for her frustration, “You don’t seem to have any reason to keep me here... unless I'm under arrest ?“
“Go”, she said though it was more of a command.
I slid my heavy winter coat on as I made it to the front desk. I was aware that Rainer was following me but I remained calm.
“I know you are hiding something”, Rainer whispered.
“I’m not hiding anything, Detective. And if I might add how is Rochester your jurisdiction”
“Martin was found in New York City, that makes it my case. Besides this is also a personal favor. Family friend in all.”
“Well then I hope you find out who did this”
I turned to walk down the hall when I heard her voice behind me.
“Everyone thinks you are innocent, that you can do no wrong. Especially considering you were kidnapped all those years ago. But you aren’t are you? Innocent I mean.”
I walked back over to her standing probably a little more closely than I should.
“I’ve told you a million times Detective Rainer. All I remember is falling asleep and waking up in my grandfather’s house. Thank you for bringing up such terrible memories on the day of my father’s funeral.”, I looked at my watch.
Burn.
Mr.
F : Now she gets a watch (Clara is always late in like all the serials.)
LiLe : At least wait till you show up in the story to start interrupting
“Just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you’ll getaway with this.”
I looked away and smiled at her comment. Did she really think it was that simple ?
“Good night, Detective”
+++
All of this past
I didn’t know what to expect to find at home. Home was a tentative word anyway since I had been living with my older sister Clarice and her husband for the better part of six months.
So Clara has been living with her sister Clairce and not with her parents.
I turned into the long drive way, happy to see only a few cars were parked close by. While we were at the funeral the staff had already begun to decorate the outside of the house for Christmas. Lights were already strung by the cottage style mansion, red bows fastened on every window. I kept my head down as the last of the mourners departed.
It’s a Christmas story !
Colin,
Clarice’s usually jovial husband greeted me at the door. His horn- rimmed
glasses slipped down his nose as he ran his hand over his quickly receding
hairline.We exchanged a silent glance as I entered. Colin was older than
me and I knew he saw me as his wife’s troublesome little sister.
Sometimes Colin and Clara like to nerd out together, hit up Whedon Conventions and what not. This is why she stays with them and not Claudia and Derek.
“Clara”, My sister shouted as she embraced me, “ Are you alright ? Mother told us not to worry that Ms. Rainer would make sure you were okay “
Rainer : Ms. ? Aren’t I a detective
LiLe : You know I’m pretty sure calling detectives “detective” is only done on TV
“I’m fine”
“I wish Father were here, he would know how to ---“, she stopped mid-sentence overcome with grief and I lead her to the couch.
Handle this.
“It’s alright”, I put an arm around her.
“All day I kept wish I could take back everything that happened at Thanksgiving.”
What happened at Thanksgiving . . .
“I thought we all agreed to not talk about that anymore. . . it’s very important that we keep that between us.”
She nodded and Colin joined us not liking the idea of us whispering to one another
“Is it true, Clara”, Colin asked, “have the police confirmed Martin was murdered”
“They told me he was poisoned”
Colin shifted closer to Clarice. Even though she was the middle sister she never took a liking as the middle child. Claudia and I were the talented ones and Clarice it seemed manage to just get by. Father knew this and as a result they had been very close. I'd been avoiding her for this very reason I knew she would never be the same now.
Clarice being the forgotten middle sister was supposed to be her MOTIVE for murder, but there was no room.
The three of us sat on the couch unit late into the night. I asked about mother and they assured me my eldest sister Claudia and her family was with her. We had each made sure she was never alone in the big house. If things permitted I considered moving back in.
I was the first to leave from the living room. I took the stairs slowly one at a time till I reached the top. I watched as Colin re-lit the fire and wrapped his arms around his wife. He took such good care of my sister.
Clara : I need to marry myself a nerd
I
had become quiet comfortable in the upstairs guest room. That is to say the
room was a disaster covered in ungraded papers, books, compositions and
cds.
There was a soft knock at the door and I saw my seven year old niece Audrey hiding behind the door. It was way past her bed time and she was still wearing her white dress from the funeral. She dragged her stocking feet across the carpet.
Okay, so the lynchpen of this story is tied up in inheratince and money. So I did this little scene to give Clarice motive for wanting to kill her father.
Note
: I made all of the DeLune grandchildren girls, so none of the inheritance
would get tied up in males only inheriting. Also in LL Mr. F observes that the
DeLune name will end because all the girls will get married and change their
last names. So I kept that in.
“Are you okay ?”, I asked her.
She sulked over to me and i knew she wasn't. I was just glad that Clarice thought it wise not to have her at the funeral or she would have known I had been arrested.
“Everybody's so sad, Aunt Clara. I wish it would stop”, she said
“I know it’s because they miss Grandpa. . . don’t you ?”
She nodded, “I miss him coming over for dinner and sneaking me presents”, she said with a giggle.
“Of course”, I said more to myself, “It will pass though, I promise”
Clara’s
actually really bitter because Martin never gave Rose presents or was nice to
her. Clara's MOTIVE.
“I know her”, Audrey said breaking my thoughts.
She had picked up Juliet’s drawing of the wide eyed girl. I remembered seeing Detective Rainer pick it up before I left. Had she placed it in my bag ? I watched Audrey’s face carefully as she looked at the picture.
“You do ?”
“I think so”, she said, “but from far away. . . I think”
Rose couldn’t go outside and play with her cousins and she was never allowed to spend time with them so they’ve never officially met.
“Don’t think to hard on it”, I said playfully taking it from her, “Why don’t you go to bed.”
“Are leaving too Aunt Clara ?”
“No, honey. Just go to bed. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Oops, that honey is not something Clara would say. Well she is being all super sneaky
"Do you have to ? You're my favorite aunt you know."
"Good to know"
We exchanged good nights and I pulled my one piece of luggage into the hallway and knocked on my sister’s bedroom door. I was relived when Clarice opened it.
“Clarice I need a favor”
“Why ? What’s going on Clara.”, she said meekly
“It’s nothing. . . I just need to borrow your passport”
“Clara where are you going ? Are you running away ?”
“No, I just don’t need detective Rainer knowing I’m leaving. I swear I’m not running. It’s times like these when we need to trust each other. There is something I need to do.”
She looked at me hesitantly. Although she was two years older than me Clarice and I could have been twins before my accident. When I was in college she would often let me borrow her id so I could get into bars.
Oh, yeah Clara was a bit of a party-girl in college. Hey, I wonder if Mr. F should fall for Clarice since she looks like Clara who looks like Lucie.
So I was to busy making Fierro-Clara-Claudia-Derek-Rose look guilty for killing him that I couldn’t fit in Clarice and Colin.
She silently shut the door and brought back her passport. I could tell how uncomfortable she was but I relied on Clarice’s meekness to much sometimes.
“Remember what father would say ? The only truth is the one we make for ourselves.”
Basically LIE. Go to the DeLune school of Denial and then learn to lie.
“I remember.”, she said
We hugged and silently departed.
I promised myself I wouldn't just leave again, but before this was over I had to make my own truth.
Even if I had to lie to get it.
Clara’s getting all badass now. So yeah, she is going to fly across the ocean to frame someone else for her father’s murder in order to save her mother. Let’s go.
Chapter 2
Uh, so chronoligcally I began posting ABWG and JNRR at the same time. ABWG has ONE chapter and I started re-reading and it is pretty good. I kind of want to finish it—
Clara : What no. You can’t abandon us for some side story
LiLe : Um . . .
Clara : I mean is Tomas going to die ?
LiLe : Well no.
Clara : Okay, that’s all anyone cares about. Someone is dead in this story and I might have done it.
Sofia : But our sadly unfinished story is about family, justice and forgiveness. LiLe wants it to be reflective of Christian fiction.
LiLe :Uhhhhh
Clara : Our story is about family too. A family that kills together stay together.
LiLe : Spoilers ?
Clara : Oh, please it’s a recap drop the act.
Sofia : That’s not very nice
Clara : You’re only saying that because you want her to finish your stor—
LiLe : Okay. .
. um guys. I might be able to finish
ABWG. I mean just 5 chapter. But I’ll continue with JNRR.
Present!LiLe : LOL, nope.
+1+
Andover ,South England .
I was
nervous about using my sister’s passport but the agent at the front age gave me
a sympathetic glance when she saw my scars.
P.S This is how you end up on the do not fly list. So Clara’s scars came in handy.
I kept to myself, constantly tapping my fingers against the arm rest. I knew I was being reckless. I was tempted to drink a bottle of scotch but I would need my senses for the long drive ahead and whatever came after that.
Classy.
Once the flight arrived into London
I didn't hesitate to get on the road. I rented a snow
equipped Range Rover and it was as if the same snow storm that hit New
York had continued its torment in England.
She likes big cars !
Several people warned me not to drive to far in this weather in the dark, but I didn’t have time to wait.
I’d waited long enough.
Muse : Yeah, Clara it's time for you to get some !
LiLe : Um, no.
I blasted classical music and the heat the entire way, following the neatly written directions as closely as I could with only an old country map to help me along.. I had never seen this side of England before.
Blasing classical music like a MoFu. MoFo ? How do you spell that ?
I drove for hours until I saw nothing and knew I was in the right place.
After several more miles of nothing there was a side road enclosed by an iron gate. It was eeire being so far out, not another house or person insight.
Just the kind of place a murder would hide.
I put the car in neutral and stepped out into the frigid winter air to manually open the gate. Once it was open I began to drive through, after a while the road became thin and there was a small unsteady footbridge bridge ahead.
Once I was half way there standing the the midst of the large walkway I began to get the strange sense of d éjà vu. I was only a few steps away from the large house suddenly realizing I’d left my luggage in the car. I turned back to see the car almost covered in snow,
Okay, this was a weak callback to LL
With strong perseverance I reached the front steps of the house. I reached for the knocker and only the wind howled back.
I tried the door bell and nothing.
As a last resort I turned the brass doorknob and it clicked open
Wow, he left the door unlocked.
The warmth hit me instantly and I stepped inside just to be out of the cold. The heavy door closed behind me leaving me in pitch blackness. I slipped off my hat and gloves reaching out but feeling nothing.
“Hello”, I called into the darkness
I stepped forward hitting my ankle on something.
Muse : Was it the ceiling fan ?
LiLe : That doesn’t even make sense.
I felt the walls for a light switch and suddenly I couldn’t find the door anymore, I started to panic. My eyes refused to adjust to the blackness.
SO remeber how in DSI Clara is afraid of the dark after the events of HOF ? Well she still is and Mr. F knows this. CONTINUITY HIGH FIVE
Then something quickly caught my eye.
The smallest flare of
amber appeared out of the pitch black and disappeared. I heard a
soft click and the amber glow of a small flame, for the briefest second
,highlighted an angled face in the darkness.
He’s lighting a cigarette.
The amber glow appeared again this
time his eyes met mine before giving into the darkness. I
“I really don’t like the dark”, I said frustrated
I tripped over something else and
bright lights blinded me as the chandelier, and hall lights clicked on.
“I’ve been waiting for you”, he said putting out the cigarette. His other hand lingering on the light switch by his chair. Ankle crossed perfectly over his knee and fully dressed as if he had been sitting there all night.
So this is odd. I should have made the electricity go out because of the snowstorm. I mean in context he just turned the lights off when she arrived just to unnerve her.
“Hello”, I said nervously.
"Hello", he said out of propriety,
"I'm sure you would like an explanation"
“Yes”
He wants to know why Clara left to “fix things” with her father and didn’t comeback for 6 months.
“I-“
Before I began I heard the sound of small footsteps coming down the stairs behind me, l walked over to the creaky staircase. My eyes almost filled with tears
It took a moment for me to realize that her long beautiful black curls had been completely cut off and cropped short in an unflattering style.
I’ve always liked the idea of young girls with pixie haircuts.
I soon was distracted because on the other side holding my daughter's hand was a unfamiliar blonde woman she was carefully helping Rosalie down the steep wooden stairs. The blonde woman smiled while watching her and carefully let Rosalie ‘s hand go returning upstairs herself.
Clara : Why can’t he find an ugly nanny ?
“Mommy”, said Rose
I let the thoughts of the strange blonde woman leave me as I took Rosalie into my arms . I finally realized what I was missing.
Awww, nice change of pace from DSI
“It’ s late", I said, "you should be in bed'
“I knew it was you”, she said, “I missed you. I waited for you to comeback.”
“I missed you to, Rose”
I
mean not enough to come visit you in 6 months but still. So Rosalie may have a soul but Clara's still a little so-so on the parenting thing.
I looked over her, inspecting her hideous hair cut and the expression in her eyes. She looked. . . distant. She hugged me again this time whispering to me.
"Did you get the flowers we sent ?", her voice was tinged with something I didn't quite recognize
Awww, she said “we”. Also the flowers were poisonous Oleanders but whatevs.
"Every last one.”, I replied
"I picked them all out myself"
"They were beautiful", I said thinking of the blue and white vase where I kept the flowers she had sent me.
“Please, don’t leave me again”, it was so quiet I barely hear it.
She
says this because as we later find out Martin kidnapped her and now she's all scared.
“ I won't. . .I’ll be here in the morning.”, I said “ I promise I won't go away for that long again. Why don't you go back to sleep”
“Okay. . .good night”,
I watched as she ascended the stairs giving me a final glance and disappeared down the hall.
“Who is the blonde ?”, I asked as the woman dissappred down the hall after Rose.
“The nanny”, he said simply
“Oh, does she live here ?”
He simply nodded this time, lighting another cigarette. I shifted my weight a little trying not to appeared bothered
“You knew I was coming ? But I didn’t tell anyone--”
“Rosalie told me.”
“How could she have known ?”
“Occasionally she appears to know things”, he answered. I was slightly unnerved that only his hands had moved since I arrived. I noticed a shiny silver band with diamonds wrapped around his pointer finger.
Clara : What’s this all about ? Is that a wedding ring.
LiLe : Lucie redeemed herslf in the last installment. She deserves to still be remembered. Also her ashes have been turned into the diamonds !
I took that from SH.
Clara : HOW ABOUT NO !
“ I’m sure you know about my father”, I said my attention going back to his face.
“My condolences”, he said though I think it was mostly because he felt he had to.
“The police think I murdered him”, I said matter-of-factly
“Did you?”
“I’d rather not talk about it”, I said carefully
The
last time Mr. F saw Martin he was alive so he really does think Clara did it.
Finally he stood up and walked over to me, I backed a way.
“You look tired We can talk more about this tomorrow. You can take the last room on the left.”
I stood there frozen for a while hearing the distant sound of keys. I didn’t want to linger and I was tired. It wasn’t until I began climbing the stairs that I realized how much my entire body hurt from exhaustion.
So he went to destroy all the Oleanders.
I paused by the room in the center of the circular hall, a soft blue light was coming from it.
The double doors were slightly separated, I could see Rosalie’s room. The walls were light blue and white with gold accents, everything matched and she had a bookshelf filled, overflowed really, with books and stuffed animals. Her bed was in the center of it all, she was sleeping peacefully. . . like an angel.
Somebody is getting spoiled. You know making up for all that “I didn’t know you existed and almost tried to kill you” time.
After several minutes of watching her sleep I went to the guest room.
I shrugged off my wet winter coat and wrinkled suite jacket. I almost fell asleep the minute I fell back into the bed.
The door opened suddenly, no knock or warning.
Mr. Fierro walked around me loosening his tie and removing it. He opened one of the closets and placed on a color coordinated tie rack, the jacket and vest were tossed into individual baskets.. I heard the soft tone of keys rattling against the dresser.I watched as a small gold key slipped loose and fell to the floor.
Wow, he is super OCD. I miss writing about Tomas.
Also that key was added as a last minute Red Herring plot device. I needed Clara to have a reason to stay after Mr.F leaves her at the altar, so he makes up a story about having something in a box that could frame Clara.
Suddenly I noticed the old photo on top of the dresser, the perfect line of men's shoes peeking out from the closet and the 4 large arrangements of roses surrounding the space.
Clara : Yay ! A picture of me.
LiLe : Actually that’s a picture of Lucie. It’s revealed in later chapters.
“Is this your room ?”, I asked suddenly feeling uncomfortable
“Yes”, he said watching the snow fall from the window, “the guest room should be done by tomorrow. I will be downstairs if you need me. . . though I rather you didn't.”
Cause he thinks she killed someone.And formerly murdered people don’t like it when you murder other people.
I laid back against the pillows, playing with the pearl buttons on my blouse.
Sure, Clara’s clothes can have real pearl buttons on them
I realized he had turned from the window towards me, watching me.
Because she is basically unbuttoning her shirt.
“Maybe now would be a good time for me to explain why I've kept my distance ”, I offered.
“I’ll listen”, he agreed.
I didn’t really know where to start, what I would have to say to make him understand.
Okay, so here LiLe comes up with an excuse for the six month gap. I really needed the characters to be separated so here we go.
“I was so full of anger and self righteousness when I went back home. I knew what I would say to my father I wanted to call him out on how he treated me, my family, my daughter.
My sister’s were having lunch with my parents in the solarium when I arrived back in New York. I think he knew what I was going to say the minute I walked in.
“Bastard” was the first thing I called him my own father.
DRINK
My mother scolded me and my sisters were in shock and they became so protective of father. I told him how I knew he had hurt Rosalie. You should have seen the way he took the truth. My mother broke into tears, because she kept his secrets
I have never had the urge to physical harm my own father, even thinking about it right now causes me to have to restrain myself.
Anyway, father sat me down and talked to me in that tone of his, making me feel like a stupid child.
“Look at your mother, Clara”, Father said and I watched my mother crying hysterically,”look what you did”
“You did that”, I said not really believing it. It was like I became a child again under his gaze. Under his sharp tone, cold eyes, expensive suits. . .
Clara : Not again with this Electra complex
LiLe : I mean it’s there.
“Why are you trying to ruin this family?”, Father asked, “What will our friends think of such lies.you know we are struggling financially as it is. Do you want me to go to jail. . . who will take care of your mother and Clarence ? How can you be so selfish Clara, tearing your own family apart over something that is not even here.”
Yes, he called her a something.
Mother started clinging to father, begging him not to leave. She had been dependent on him since she was eighteen years old. Her adult life meant nothing without him.
Drawing attention away from Clair
Father got up he held the phone in his hand and extended it to me.
“Go ahead Clara, do what you must. I’ll imagine you may need a lawyer which I doubt you can afford seeing as you don’t have a job. You’ll also need the child so she can be questioned, proded by lawyers, judges, the police forced to relive what ever lies you put in her head over and over again. It won’t be my responsibility to explain why you kept her a secret for so long.. . speaking of which where is she ?”
So Martin knows something is off about Rosalie, and if Clara goes to the police about what he has done then she’ll have to explain why no one knew about Rosalie and the police my figure out she was conceived while Clara was kidnapped.
I left the house and walked for hours. . . thinking. I knew Rosalie was safer than she had ever been with me. Father would always say the DeLune name used to mean something and I was constantly running it through the dirt.
I slept in my car (that my father had bought me) that night and I finally braved going back to the house the next morning while he was at work. My mother and Clarence were there going about their day as if nothing had changed. Mother tried so hard to make it seem like everything was okay.
We were silent for so long till she finally said something
“Is she really okay”
“Yes”
“Isn’t it better this way ? Um, she never really belonged in the family anyway”. That was my mother’s strict Catholic upbringing coming out.
I was going to leave. . . I was, but you see my sister’s are married and I realized I needed to protect my mother and Clarence from my father. With most of of the DeLune money tied up in inheritance and the money the company was losing daily, I knew I had to be there for her.
INHERITANCE. MOTIVE. PLOT
Father promised if I put the last four years behind us, we could be the family we used to be.
It was tempting but I still moved in with my sister Clarice, I know my letters to you and Rosalie made my move seem less permanent but you know how I can be with my family.
So Clara decides to stay in town for her mother’s sake.
I kept giving myself deadlines to leave New York and come back to be with Rose
After I finish my dissertation turned into after graduation turned in after I found a job turned into after I quit my job…
Oh and before Thanksgiving but that's another story entirely.
But all that matters is that I’m here now. . six months to late, though I wish it were over better circumstances.”
Timeline : Wait a second LiLe . . .
LiLe : heh heh, what ?
Timeline : If DSI ends on Roses birthday which is in August
LiLe : yeah . . .
Timeline : Then wouldn’t six months later be Feburary ?LiLe : I know, but I really wanted to tell a story set during Christmas. . .and I also really didn’t catch that.
“Why exactly are you here”, he asked turning towards me.
“That’s easy. . because you are the reason my father is dead.”
Clara
doesn’t know that he actually is the reason her father is dead, (cause he made the POISON) but she wants
to frame him or something.,
“Are you asking or telling me, Ms. DeLune
“How about you tell me”
“I refuse to take the fall for your crime, Clara”
“You mean the crime you committed, Addison”
There were nine versions of the
truth,
Nine different lies
Nine suspects.
One murder
Muse : *cue hot hate sex*
LiLe : What no. I was going to do this but I mean Clara’s father just died and they are accusing each other of murder. It just seemed irresponsible.
+++
“I thought you said there were nine”
Olive Rainer felt terrible being so
cross with a girl as young as Juliet, but at the same time she was tired of
chasing loose ends.
Rainer turned her attentions back to the drawings Juliet had produced. Each one the perfect sketch portrait of who may have killed Martin Napoleon DeLune.
Aw, lawd his middle name is Napoleon ?
He was found dead in his New York
City office five days ago, Rainer had heard the call on dispatch she recognized
the address as the DeLune Academy Offices. The description matched Martin
perfectly. She wasn't one for religion but on the way there she prayed it
wasn't him.
She had walked in to see Martin spiraled on the floor of his executive
office. It was a gruesome scene that was belived to be onset by a heart attack
. He had been alone and the hard wood floor of his office did very little to
help his fall An empty bottle of imported scotch had been resting on his desk.
This is the bottle that was poisoned. Remeber Clara drinks a shot then spills the rest.So when Mr. F enters Martin's office after her he thinks Martin drank it
The thought of working with a psychic was laughable to Olive but the girl had insight. She refused to say the dead talked to her but she could read them. It was a gift that supposedly plagued Juliet since she started puberty.
s. Sometimes Juliet saw the dead's final images before death claimed them but more often she saw the one thing that ran through their mind over and over again and that was the circumstances that lead to their death.r.
“Eight”, Rainer counted the drawings again, “There are only eight pictures”
Rainer recognized the six of the eight figures Juliet had drawn.
The first being Clara DeLune
The second, Clair DeLune
The third, fourth ,fifth and sixth
featured the remaining DeLune sisters and their husbands
The seventh and eighth, a man and a woman, were unrecognizable
Mr.
Fierro and Nanny Ella. (Ella could have killed him for money)
And the ninth
The ninth one was missing.
“You said there were nine”, Rainer told the girl again
“There are”, Juliet said sounding like a typical bored teenager.
“Where is the ninth one ?”
“You gave it to her”, Juliet said continuing her sketch of the over-worked under slept detective.
“What-what do you mean ?”
“The picture.You slipped it into Professor DeLune’s bag the other day. I have to re sketch it from memory”
Rainer turned to the other wise indifferent teenage girl, studying every inch of her down to her light green eyeshadow.
“T-that drawing was of a child.”
So remember that picture Clara had of Rosalie that Audrey saw ?
“I know, she’s the ninth suspect”
For a while it was going to be Rose that killed him. I wish I had gone in that direction but then she would have had to be a sociopath.