chapter5
The morning finds the residence enjoying coffee and donuts in jammies, holding their mugs talking with each other. Still excited and curious about the events of the night before.
The Loud voices coming from the other room, with shouts, curses, the sound of scuffling and fighting, startle the residence drawing their attention towards the stairs, just as a loud male scream of pain and terror, happens.
People come running from all around
A body on the floor and people circling it talking excitedly all at once
Miriam, her nephew Andrew, and Lillian come running into the room. Lillian yelling " What on earth has happened now?"
" It's Lazlo, he fell dow the stair " "Or he was pushed." "It looks like he broke his neck, he certainly looks dead."
Miriam pushes through the crowd "Move aside, didn't any of you ninnies think to check his pulse", kneeling down, "has anyone called for help?" Lillian just can't herself she has to give a warning, even if it wasn't needed "Careful dear don't disturb anything." Throwing an angry glance at Lillian "Once again like last night don't touch or move anything, let the police get here first." Standing up Miriam sadly proclaims " Yes there is no pulse and from the angle he is laying a broken neck is a good guess."
Stepping away from Lazlo, Lillian looks around the room and notices Andrew for the first time. "Andrew, I didn't see you there. How nice of you to come have breakfast with your Aunt, such a shame a tragedy happened to interrupt it." "Yes I was just taking a quick minute to check on dear ole aunt Miriam, before getting on to work. I was so worried that she would be beside herself with anxiety, but really she has taken last nights tragedy in her stride. And now this. It is just amazing how well adjusted seniors can be.
As the police entered the front door, Andrew said his goodbyes to his Aunt and leave out the back door.
The Captain coming in all business and full of confidence, greets everyone a Good morning as he takes in the scene around him and the body on the floor. "It seems we are going to have a lot to talk about today, so if you would all just make yourselves comfortable we will get to you as quickly as possible." Looking at his deputy "Let's get the room set up and, looking down at the body and recognizing who it is, "I want to speak with George first." looking around the room "Where is George this morning?"
"He hasn't come down yet, George is not an early riser, by any means, we normally don't see him until after lunch." "Thank you. Deputy, please go knock on Mr Smiths door, and see if you can't wake him up. Would you please ask him to come and see me." Looking around the room the Captain raises his voice slightly to be heard over the excited chatter "I still have questions for a few of you about last night, but for right now would you please take a seat over there if you saw or heard anything this morning that you think I might need to know. No matter how small or unimportant you may think it is, you never know how much it might help."
" We all know he needs all the help he can get." Not realizing she had spoken out loud Lillian had the good grace to look embarrassed when the Captain says "Excuse me, did you say something Mrs Cunningham?"
"No captain I was just clearing my throat.
Coming back into room the deputy informs the Captain, "Mr Smith isn't in his room, the door was open and the room is in total chaos, completely in shambles ."
"Has anyone seen Mr Smith this morning?"
The entire room answered as one "WHO?"
"George, has anyone seen George?" "Deputy lets get an all......." looking up as he hears a door open to see George entering "Mr Smith, I was just about to put a missing persons bulletin out on you. I do recall asking you and everyone else to not leave this place, did I not?"
"Yes you did, but I don't see what the big deal is , I couldn't sleep, I was tossing and turning and dying for a smoke, so I walked down the block got me a pack and went over to the park to smoke and to think. You can't do that here you know, smoking isn't allowed and people here don't give you a minutes peace. So what's the big rush anyway, Jessica will still be dead no matter how soon we get back to the interview, there will still a killer on the loose and it still won't be me."
An angry Captain points to Lazlo still laying on the floor "Well the big deal is that", George is shocked surprised even saddened by what he sees. " Exactly what do you have to say about that?"
George Stumbling back into a chair " you don't really think I had, could, would, did this, do you?" The entire room is finally quiet as they stare at George like they think he could would and did.
3 people are seated in chairs in front of the desk and the captain is behind the desk."so you all saw and heard the same thing. Voices, banging the scream and something falling?" Besides Mr Rider did you see any one else come down the stairs?"
In unison, No Sir, we didn't even see Lazlo come down the stairs.
"We heard all the noice and ran towards it. When we got to the stairs Lazlo was laying at the bottom of it."
"When I came in there were a lot of people gathered around the body, where did they all come from did you see?"
"From all over, down the stairs, out of the TV room and the dinning room. We got there first because the breakfast nook is closer to the stairs."
After a minutes thought one of the three added "Miriam and her nephew must have been in the bar or over by the fire place and I guess Lillian was with them because they all came in together. Carlos and a few others came running down the stairs, and I saw a few ladies coming from the TV room, but most were in the dinning room enjoying breakfast." Looking at the other two residents sitting at the desk, they all nodded in agreement with each other.
"How do you know Miriam and her nephew were in the bar?"
"Because they came from around the other corner, not from the dinning room and they weren't in the nook with us. Come to think of it, they weren't all actually together were they? they seemed to straggle in one by one."
"Thank you you have been very helpful, you may go now. I shan't be calling you again I don't think, but please stay handy, and make sure my deputy has your name and phone number."
" What did your Nephew actually want? He wasn't here for breakfast and he certainly didn't appear overly concerned for your welfare the way he slipped out of here in such a hurry." "Oh nothing too important Lillian. He was just asking me once again to loan him money. He doesn't understand, I no longer have any. Everything I had has been spent, I had enough income to cover this slice of heaven and to insure I would always have a roof atop my head, and for a generous monthly allowance but other than that it is all gone. I told him that but he doesn't really believe me. I think he thought holding those auditions and using some of my friends in his movie would have gotten me to part with the millions he thinks I have. It's sad but he even thinks there is money to inherit ."
"I am sorry to hear that Miriam.Why do kids think we have it all? Well at least when they ask where you were when Lazlo fell or was pushed, you have an alibi."
"Thats just it I don't. Andrew was angry when I told him I didn't have money to give or loan and he stomped off, saying he wasn't gonna waste anymore time visiting a crazy old lady like me. He had just come back to apologize when everyone started running towards the stairs. Thats when you and I bumped into each other ."
"Oh, I am glad he came back and apologized, those were some pretty mean things to say."
"I am assuming that is why he came back, but he never actually said anything, he never actually got the chance. I am going to go get changed, and grab my book, I think this may be a very long day." Walking away from Miriam,Lillian is deep in thought, pulling a note pad from her pocket as she goes."
Chapter 6
What am I missing deputy? Where is the connection? Where is the motive? What haven't I asked. I have questioned everyone here, some more than once. What am I missing?
"Not everyone Captain."
"What, excuse me, what did you just say? I interviewed everyone and some more than once. I know because my butt has a permanent imprint from this chair I have been in it so long."
"Sir you haven't questioned the nephew, Andrew I believe is his name. He was here last night and this morning and I noticed both times he slid out the door quickly and as quietly as possible, like he didn't want to talk to us."
"What motive could this guy actually have to kill 2 old people he doesn't even know, and how much could he even know about this place, I am sure he doesn't visit that often. No deputy, I see no reason to bother the young man at this time. Our murderer is here and I will find him or her."
"I am sure you are right sir."
"Excuse me Mrs Cunningham I was just going to get Mr Montalban, do you happen to know where he is"
"No deputy I don't I am sorry." Lillian continues on into the makeshift office, clearing her throat getting ready to tell the captain what she had just learned.
"Mrs Cunningham, I am sorry but I am too busy at the moment to talk with you. I will have the deputy fetch you later.
Bristling and standing tall, "I am not one to be fetched sir. But yes please send for me when you have the time. I have information I am sure you will find useful." Without waiting she turns and leaves the room.
"What did Mrs Cunningham want?"
"Oh I don't know Deputy, some drivel about having information she was sure would help me. I don't really know I wasn't paying attention I was just trying to get rid of her."
"You didn't listen to what she had to say? What if it really was helpful?"
"It wouldn't have been, besides I am perfectly capable of solving this case by myself, I don't need some Angela Lansbury wanna be interfering with it. Let's go get some lunch and look over our notes, my money is on George, I just need the connection to Ms Bentley and I have my case."
"If you say so sir," turning away from the captain, the deputy rolls his eyes and shrugs his shoulders.
As they walk out the door, there is the loudest most blood curdling scream ever heard by man, coming from the main room. Running towards the scream the Deputy and Captain come face to face with a very bloody very dead Miriam staring blankly up at them from a chair near the fire place.
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