1737 Fairmount Avenue

A Story by Heather Maria

I am in Nathan's arms as my mother's screams ring out through the air, my twin sister has been murdered.

The church bells rang out as the people filed into the chapel, signaling the start of a sad, dark occasion. The church was not decorated for this event and no one wanted to be there. There was something frightening about the mahogany casket sitting in place of the altar. An organist began playing Chopin’s Funeral March in honor of the deceased wishes. Yes, everything had been planned out to the ‘t’. From flower arrangements to the burial destination, the one-day layout and funeral had been organized meticulously in her will. A somber occasion for the death of twenty-four year old Amanda DeMario, the unexpected death was ruled as a suicide that no one believed. Michelle DeMario, the twin sister of Amanda, thought that the police department was too quick to rule out murder. As the minister came to the podium and asked the congregation to stand for prayer Michelle was forced into reality, her sister was dead.

***

It was a spring day in the middle of April, and Michelle had been working on cleaning her grandparent’s house. This was during her free time from work and on the weekends. Her boyfriend Nathan Evans chose to tag along just so he could see her.

“I think we should the do the attic next.” Michelle said wiping the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand.

“Christening the whole house now are we?” Nate said pulling her to him and placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

“No.” She laughed pulling away and grabbing the cleaning supplies.

“You know this house is something out of a Stephen King novel,” He said following her up the stairs to the second floor where the attic was located. The staircase’s wood had faded over the years, and the hallway was dingy from years of smoke. The house smelled of stale cigarettes, must, and Febreze.

“You’re right, it does,” She replied opening the grey wooden door that she had to use force to open. It was like the door didn’t want to be opened, that whatever secrets was behind wanted to remain a secret. A chill ran up her spine but she ignored it and walked inside the musty cluttered room. Her family saved everything and the attic held memories from the 1920s to the 1990s.

“Wow. There is a lot of…stuff here,” Nate commented stepping in behind her.

“A lot of memories,” Michelle answered while running a hand down the purple, satin bridesmaids dress that was hanging from the ceiling rod. It was the bridesmaid’s dress that her aunt had worn in her cousin’s wedding.

“Hey, what’s this?” Nate asked ducking to get into a small, door that led to the tower. The tower was only a five by five room that had windows on three of the four walls. When the trees were not grown one could see Union Terminal and downtown Cincinnati. “This is so cool. How come you’ve never showed me this?”

“Never thought about, but it’s no wonder you’re a detective,” She said looking in the tower from over his shoulder.

“Who did all of this artwork?” He asked running his hand over the paintings that had been there since the 60s. Nathan was a few years older than Michelle and had spent seven years in the police field.

“My uncle,” Michelle answered and proceeded to other side of the room. Standing in the middle of the room she wondered where she should start cleaning.

“What’s in here?” Nate yelled opening a tall, old oak chifforobe while Michelle rolled her eyes at him. He had been dating Michelle for a year and was never introduced to this part of the house.

“Is every sentence going to start that way? We are supposed to be cleaning not exploring my family’s secrets.” She scolded him while walking over to him.

“I know but how can I resist? Plus, you’re a lawyer you love this kind of stuff.”

“Fine,” She sighed, “We’ll explore before we clean.” Raising her hands in defeat she opened the chifforobe to see what was inside..

“Really?” Nate stated in disappointment while looking down at the Old Catholic Bibles. Michelle picked one up with interest and saw the date inside read May 1928. She found that odd and flipped through the pages. When she got to the back she noticed an extra black, leather flap sown on.

“Look at this here,” Michelle showed Nate her discovery and he raised an eyebrow. “It’s a piece of material.”

“How do you know it’s not part of the Bible?” He asked not really impressed with her findings.

“Do you see how it is thicker than the rest of the back? Plus, you can see the not perfectly matching black string,” She explained pointing to the stitching and handed him the Bible.

“Let me see if I get it off,” Nate took the Bible from her and took out his pocketknife. The stitching was hard to see in the dimly lit attic, but he managed to peel away the access material. Nate was surprised to see an Italian currency bill.

“That’s odd,” Michelle said taking the bill and examining it. She noticed a hole about the size of a nickel in the top right corner. “Is that a bullet hole?”

“Let me see,” He said looking over her shoulder, and she handed him the bill. Holding it up to the light Nate began to smile. “I think so.”

“I wonder what’s in the rest of them,” Michelle asked picking up another Bible and opening it. Much to their disappointed the other four Bibles held no other treasures but themselves.

“There has to be more in this attic,” Nate said and went to the far left side of the room.

“I don’t know about all of that, but I do know we need to start cleaning or we’ll be here until Christmas,” Michelle sighed and picked up her bucket of water off the floor setting it on an old cluttered desk.

“Yes mother,” He mocked sticking out his tongue at her and she rolled her eyes at him.

“You’re such a child.” She said and began to clean off the desk while Nathan began to wipe down a wall. As Michelle worked on cleaning the desk she found a dusty, once white, box. Opening it she found a worn, yellow letter next to a woman’s knit glove. “Nathan, you’ll love this.” She said reading the letter to herself.

“What is that all about?” He came over to Michelle’s side.

“It’s a death threat,” Michelle answered squinting her eyes to make out of the neatly cursive writing.

“A death threat? To who, for what, why?” He asked in one sentence and she didn’t look up at him.

“If you would let me read the whole thing maybe I would know,” She replied sternly looking up at him with aggravation.
“Yo, what’s going on in here?” Anthony, Michelle’s youngest brother, asked coming into the attic.

“We are trying to clean, but keep getting distracted,” Michelle smiled, “Our family has skeletons in their closet. Wanna join in the fun?”

“No thank you,” Anthony held up his hands in defense and started to back downstairs.

“Anthony,” Michelle called after him, “Where is the party at?” It was Amanda, her twin, and hers twenty-fourth birthday and their family had insisted on a party.

“Here. That’s why they wanted you to clean the first floor first.”

“Don’t look so excited,” Nate nudged her playfully. The way her family interacted with one another was what he loved most about them. They were close and constantly in each other’s lives. It was something he never had with his family.

“It’s bound to be an eventful night for sure. Amanda always makes parties lively,” She answered and put the items back where they found back in their box. Michelle made a mental note to come back later for the box and Bibles with Nathan.

•••

At eight o’clock the party started and the house was blaring with loud music. Michelle was not one for crowds or parties, but when it was in her honor she went. There were almost a hundred of friends and family mingled throughout the house. Perfume mixed with smoke filled her nostrils and she couldn’t help but smile at the familiarity. Walking down the sidewalk with Nate she said hello to those they saw. Sometimes she wished she was a wall flower and could just observe all of the people.

“Auntie Shell,” Galinda ran up and jumped into her arms. Galinda was her oldest brother’s daughter and she a blonde bundle of joy.

“Glenda, darling it’s such a pleasure to see you,” Michelle said in a bad British accent, because Galinda thought the witch from Wicked was named after her instead vice versa.

“It’s Ga-linda auntie Shell you know that,” The little girl giggled and she gave her a dimpled smile.

“Yes, that’s right,” Michelle answered her as if she had forgotten and then set the girl down. “How about we go see what there is to eat?” She said and Galinda took her hand.

“She’s too cute,” Nate said as they walked into the house that was decorated by Amanda herself. It looked like Amanda with streamers and balloons everywhere. Someone would thought they just turned twenty-one again.

“I know and spoiled too.” She answered taking her purse into the hallway to hang up.

“You’re finally here. I thought maybe you had deliberately decided not to come,” Anthony yelled with holding a drink in his hand.

“Do you think I would honestly do that to Amanda?” Michelle replied putting a hand over her heart in mockery.

“Absolutely, because you hate parties. So, yes, I do think you would bail on your own birthday party,” He laughed throwing an arm around Michelle’s shoulder and led her to the back of the house.

“What are we doing?” Michelle asked raising an eyebrow at him.

“Nate, we’ll be back,” Anthony turned his head and yelled before whispering to Michelle, “I think you should know who is here.”

“Who?”

“Riccardo,” Anthony answered her as they reached the back room. That had Michelle’s attention for more than one reason. Riccardo had been her fiancé before law school, but his run in with mafia had her break it off. There had been rumors that her family’s ties with Riccardo’s had to do with unfinished business. That was one of things Michelle never asked about and to that day didn’t want to know about.

“Why? Didn’t Jeremy make it clear that he’s not welcome,” Michelle asked, thinking back to the time when their brother Jeremy had told Riccardo to never come around again.

“I don’t know why he’s here sis, but he’s hanging out with those good for nothin’ McDonalds,” To say that there had been some family feuds over the years was an understatement. It usually had to with the McDonalds being thugs and DeMarios being yuppies. Well, that’s what Michelle had been told over the years.

“That feud has been going on for years and I don’t even know why. But why are the McDonalds here, did you invite them?”

“Of course not,” Anthony proclaimed, “I don’t know who did and I don’t know what they want.”

“Everything ok in here?” Nate asked before stepping into the back room. Anthony sighed and Michelle rubbed her forehead.

“No, Riccardo is here,” Michelle said starting to get a headache. “By the way have you seen Amanda?”

“Not recently I haven’t, and I wouldn’t worry too much about Riccardo. I just didn’t want you to be surprised if you saw him,” Anthony answered.

“I think we better get out there and mingle with your guest,” Nathan said taking Michelle’s hand and leading her back into the kitchen. The fact that her ex fiancé was there irritated him, but he wasn’t going to mention it her. As they walked into the kitchen they smiled and chit chatted with family and friends, never once seeing the other twin. Nathan found this extremely odd because Amanda was normally the ‘life of the party’.

“I’m going to get some fresh air,” Michelle said to Nathan before headed out onto the porch. The scene she saw on the porch made her stop cold. There was old man McDonald and her uncle swapping drugs.

“So do you have it?” Old man McDonald asked her uncle in a whisper and Michelle saw a Bible in her uncle’s hand.

“Yeah, but I don’t think some meth is going to cut it. If the cops find this then we’re all going to the slammer,” Her uncle answered without giving the wrinkled old man the Bible. Michelle couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What could be in that Bible?” She thought to herself but was interrupted when she heard a gunshot.

“What on earth?” Old man McDonald said looking out over the porch to the backyard.

“What was that?” Michelle ran to the ledge just as another shot rang out and Nate came out of know where slamming her to the ground. Friends and family ran to the fence that led to the yard in the back to see what the commotion was. Michelle heard her mother let out blood curling scream and a few others began to cry out.

“Nate get off of me! What is going on?” Michelle yelled but he seemed frozen in shock.

“Michelle it’s bad,” He responded moving to get off of her and helped her get up.

“SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!” Michelle’s mother screamed running down the steps to where the gunshots were heard.

“Nathan?” Michelle questioned him not understanding what was going on until she stood up. Looking over the railing her breath was knocked out of her and her knees became weak. Nathan held onto her as she took in the horror below. Amanda was lying face up in a pool of blood that spilled from her temple and chest. Her pink blouse was stained with crimson and her blonde hair was disheveled. The scene made Michelle vomit and her head began to spin. Somewhere in the distance she heard sirens, but it was a blur.

When the EMT and Police officers got there they declared Amanda dead upon arrival. They didn’t both trying to revive her and the EMTs left while the police officer called the coroner. The police officer had to hold back Michelle’s mother from holding the dead sister. Michelle came to moments after the EMTs arrived and she began to panic.

“Nathan let go of me!” She yelled hitting him but he didn’t let her go. He held tightly onto her until she began to sob. “This can’t be happening!”

Nathan simply held her because there were no words to comfort her. Michelle had just lost her twin, her other half, and her best friend.

Michelle was distraught over her sister’s death. Two men in suits pulled up in a white van with the funeral wings on the side. She didn’t understand why the forensic team wasn’t cleaning up or analyzing the crime scene.

“Here, you need to sit down.” Nate said pulling out a patio chair for her.

“I need to know what’s going on!” She stated angrily, “Who killed Amanda?” She asked as her eyes glazed over.

“I’ll go find out what I can, but you need to stay here,” He instructed going to talk to the police officer who wouldn’t tell him anything until Nathan showed him his badge. Michelle tried to put the pieces together, but her mind was in a haze. It wasn’t until the men in suits were rolling Amanda out to their van that it hit her.

“NO!” Michelle screamed running to her sister’s dead body covered in a white sheet.

“Ma’am, we have to take her,” One of the men answered in a soft voice. The whole thing seemed like a joke to Michelle. The police officer, the EMTs, and the men taking Amanda all seemed like something from a nightmare instead of real life. She wished someone would pinch her so she could wake up.

“But you, you can’t! What about the crime scene?” She stuttered in confusion.

“Michelle, honey, let them take her,” Her father put his arms around her and pulled her to him.

“I don’t understand. How did this happen?” Michelle said with tears streaming down her face. She looked up at him and saw the pain in his blue eyes. His normally perfect demeanor was shaken along with his perfect hair.

“Let’s go sit down,” He said leading her back to the porch where she had sat before. Sitting down Nathan came over and took her hand in his. She tried to remain calm, but she began to shake uncontrollably. The crowd had dispersed by that time by the police officer so that the immediate family could have privacy.

“They said she committed suicide,” Her father said in a quavering voice.

“What? That’s wrong. Amanda would never kill herself,” Michelle said.

“I know it comes as a shock, but we have to accept what the police officer says,” He answered taking her into his arms.

“I have to leave,” Michelle said pushing her father away and standing. It was then something finally clicked in her brain.

“I’ll take her home Mr. DeMario,” Nate said to her father and went inside to get Michelle’s purse.

“Michelle,” Her father tried to take her hand, but she wouldn’t allow it.

“No dad. I cannot sit here and accept Amanda would kill herself,” She stated and took her purse from Nathan. Rummaging through it she found her cell phone and she went over to the ledge of the porch to take a picture of the empty crime scene. The blood had not been cleaned up yet and the gun had not been touched. The only thing missing with the dead body, but Michelle wouldn’t need a picture for that because it was burned into her memory. She knew that tomorrow she would have to start her own investigation.

***

After an unsuccessful night of sleep, Michelle got out of bed around seven thinking she had to go to work. But then it all came back to her and she got back into bed growling, and then she looked at the sleeping form next to her. She couldn’t remember the car ride home or when her head hit the pillow. Nathan had brought her home, but she didn’t remember him getting in bed with her. He was still fully dressed in clothes from the night before, but his hair was a mess and he had a scowl. They never had ‘sleep overs’, but she was glad he didn’t leave her alone after everything that happened.

“You need to try to get more sleep,” Nathan moaned without opening his eyes.

“How did you know I was awake?” She asked amused at him.

“You’ve tossed and turned all night. I don’t think I got any sleep. Plus, you would wake up from nightmares sweating and panting,” He explained and she furrowed her brow.

“She can’t be dead, it’s not possible. We were just talking to her and then POW she’s gone? Nathan it doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know sweetheart, I know,” Nathan sighed pulling her close to him so he could hold her.

“You know I overheard something strange right before the shots were fired,” Michelle replied staring at the wall to her right that had photographs hung of her family. Tears fell down her cheeks as she saw the ones of her and Amanda. No two people could have been more alike or more different. Cut from the same DNA the only physical difference was their hair color, but their personalities were night and day. Amanda was a spitting replica of their mother Katherine and Michelle was just like their father Edward.

“What’s that?” Nathan asked bringing Michelle’s train of thought back to the current problem. Brushing away a few of her tears Michelle thought to her uncle’s conversation with old man McDonald.

Michelle explained the scene she saw on the porch to him and wondered why the Bible would be traded for drugs. There was something contained within the lids of those five Bibles. Now, she wondered how many there actually were spread throughout the family.

“A Bible? You mean one of the ones we saw in the attic?” He raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Michelle rolled over to look at him and nodded her head silently.

“We have to go back to the house and figure out what is going on. Nate my sister was murdered and I bet those Bibles have the answer in them.” She said getting up out of bed running on adrenaline alone. Nate followed her and went into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee.

“Do you think it is the best idea to do that investigation today? After all everyone will be over there still,” He called out as she was heading into the bathroom to take a shower.

“You’re right,” She answered trying to think of what they should do next. “How about you go down to the police station and see what you can find out while I deal with the family.”

“I’m really sorry Michelle. I know you’re going to hear that a lot in the coming days, but you know I’m here for you,” Nathan said going to her and placing a kiss on her cheek then her lips. It wasn’t filled with passion or lust, but comfort. Their kiss lingered until the ringing of the doorbell interrupted them. Michelle groaned wanting to take a shower and not wanting to be interrupted.

“Will you get that? I’m taking a shower so whoever it is can wait or leave,” She stated without looking back at the door.

“Hey, how’s Michelle?” Jeremy walked into the house Michelle rented.

“Well, she’s holding up all things considered. I’m waiting for it to really hit her though,” Nathan answered going to the pot of coffee he just brewed. Knowing where everything was in Michelle’s structured house he grabbed three mugs.

“She’s always the strong one in the family. Too much like dad for her own good,” Jeremy said sitting down at the bar in the kitchen.

“How do you like your coffee?” Nathan asked pouring himself and Jeremy a cup. Leaving Michelle’s to stay hot until she got finished getting ready.

“Black,” Jeremy answered taking the mug from him and running a finger over the edge.

“Thanks man for being there for her. I would have stayed with her last night if she didn’t have you. This really has the family torn up,” He said for conversation, but Nathan had a feeling he needed to get this out.

“No sweat. I’ve only been in the family two years, but I’m shook up myself. Amanda was a vibrant person and hard to forget,” Nathan replied drinking his own cup of coffee. He heard the shower turn off and wondered how Michelle was really coping. The thick skin she had made it hard to read her feelings. Good thing for the courtroom, but not in a relationship.

“Jeremy,” She smiled and ran to hug her brother. The two were close and Nathan felt a pang of envy. His brother and he were never close, and when his mom passed they never spoke again.

“Hey sis, how are you holding up? No lies.” Jeremy asked putting her at arm’s length to examine her swollen eyes and puffy cheeks. The shower had done her good, but didn’t erase that lack of sleep.

“Horrible.”

“Good, you don’t need to be the shield today,” He said giving her another tight hug and Nathan saw it was his cue to go. They needed time to be alone as a family and discuss funeral matters.

“I’m going to head to the station. Call me if you need anything,” Nathan told Michelle before kissing her cheek and grabbing his keys.

“I’ll see you later.”

“I think he’s going to propose,” Jeremy said with a playful smile that caused Michelle to raise her eyebrows.

“How can you think of marriage at time like this?” She asked him going to get her purse from her bedroom.

“How can you not? Plus, he is so in love with you it’s sickening,” Jeremy teased her and she smiled.

“Vera Wang can wait a few more weeks. We have a lot to do with the funeral arrangements,” She said putting on a light jacket over her Ralph Lauren oxford shirt.

“I guess you’re right. I’ll drive us to the morgue and then we’ll get dinner. Mom scheduled an appointment with the funeral home for tomorrow,” He explained as they left the house and got into his new BMW. She got into the plush leather passenger seat thinking that it was all a dream.

The twenty minutes it to get to the morgue was spent in silence. There weren’t words that expressed the despair they felt; the longing in their hearts for their sister and the desperation for reality to end. “This is it?” Michelle looked at the white two-story building in disbelief. It looked like an old car shop not morgue. Definitely nothing she had ever seen in the movies, but she had heard of the company. Greater Cincinnati Funeral Trade Services were known to have the best embalmers in the city of Cincinnati.

“Yeah, it’s the right address,” Jeremy said getting out of the car and going to the open garage door.

They met the owner of the business and he led them into the prep room. It had tiled floor and white walls, and there were two white granite tables raised four feet off the ground. She could the instruments they use, a needle, scissors, and a knife. The body that lay on the table straight in front of her was covered with a white sheet, but she knew it was Amanda.

Their father was going to sign the papers to release Amanda’s body, but they came as moral support. When the owner pulled back the sheet and Michelle gasped. It wasn’t that her sister looked horrific, but it was that fact she looked asleep instead of dead. The silence thickened in the room and Michelle didn’t know what to do. Luckily her father came in about a minute after the sheet was drawn.

“I think we should get going,” Jeremy said noticing Michelle’s discomfort and they left their father to handle the business.

“It makes it real,” Michelle said in a daze as they got into Jeremy’s car.

***

The next day was the hardest for the DeMario family as they prepared for the funeral of their daughter. Schafer, Busby, and Danner funeral home had been requested by Amanda in her will. Michelle didn’t know she had a will, but the lawyer said that Amanda did it a year ago. Amanda also specified a one day layout and service, and she also specified where she would be buried. The weirdest thing was the tomb that she requested to be buried in. It was a family tomb that hadn’t been used yet. Michelle didn’t know what the tomb was being saved for, but obviously it was going to be used for Amanda. Monday came too quickly for Michelle and her family. They would have to sit through the first death of one of their siblings.

“Would Amanda’s sister please come forward to give her memorial address?” The minister announced and Michelle had to be nudged out of her thoughts. She stumbled to the podium and took out her note cards. The church was filled with two hundred people at least, and Michelle had to steady herself before she started.

“Amanda,” Michelle said almost as if she was addressing Amanda herself. Then taking a deep sigh she began her speech.

“Amanda was my best friend, twin, and sister. In many ways we were as opposite as night and day, but we balanced each other out. I can remember one time when we were children Amanda was always getting into mischief, and I was always getting her out of trouble. She loved life and loved to live life. As many know she could make noisy room silent when she walked into the room. Her cheerful, fun demeanor was contagious and she could always pull me out of my shell,” Michelle paused as a down her cheek that she hadn’t noticed until dropped onto her notecard.

“It is a shame that someone so young as left this world. I can’t believe that she won’t be there to tell me what to wear or how to do my hair in the latest fashion. When I was getting ready to go to our party Friday night she called to remind me to wear the dress she bought me for Christmas. Amanda was always looking out for when it came to having fun. Now, it is my turn to look out for her. I will find out who murdered her,” Michelle said ending her speech that left the audience quiet. The tension was thick with her last words and she thought this was good.

The rest of the service was as good as a funeral would be, filled with tears and a few laughs. Each of her siblings had said something about Amanda’s life and Michelle thought she would have liked it. As they filed out of the church to go to the cemetery Nate held Michelle close to him.

“We’ll figure this out,” Nathan said kissing her temple. He didn’t find anything out about Amanda’s death at the police station on Saturday. They were starting their investigation from scratch.

“Thanks,” She whispered back as they got into his car. It was a somber ride to where Amanda’s tomb awaited. When they got there Michelle was surprised at the small, intimate cemetery they were at. It was not the cemetery she thought it would be, and she took in the lone tomb that was built in the early 1800s. Michelle stepped out of the car and went to the opening of the tomb. The pallbearers were getting out the casket and she leaned into Nathan’s arms.

The blessing over Amanda’s body and the lighting of the candles in the tomb was an eerie sight. Michelle felt like she had walked into a secret ceremony held by a cult. The inside of the tomb was decorated with candles and roses were spread across the floor. The family and friends began to disperse after the door of the tomb was shut and locked. Michelle knew that everyone was going to the house to have dinner and to support her family. Nathan drove her to the house and stayed with her throughout the evening.

“What do you make of all this?” Michelle asked Nathan as they sat in the back room away from everyone. She was not in the mood to mingle, but she was in the mood to investigate. No one had questioned or commented on her speech. Michelle planned on finding out who killed her sister and why.

“I think it’s all robotic,” Nathan said. He thought that the family had gone through day mechanically. The funeral had been beautiful in a creepy way, because it was meticulously executed. The whole thing seemed like a Shakespeare play and he couldn’t but wonder what the killer thought.

“I think there is something missing,” Michelle said.

“You mean a connection between your sister’s death and the Bibles?”

“I mean I found it odd that uncle Sylvester had one right before she died.”

“I don’t know what the connection could be, but I think you’re right,” He said.

Michelle rose from the couch ready to get back to look through the Bibles. Nathan followed behind her wondering what her family had gotten into. They ascended the stairs to go back into the attic that enlightened them to a dark history. They go straight for the chifforobe and open it.

“Nate, they’re gone,” Michelle said flinging open the other door and staring into empty wardrobe.

“They have to be here somewhere,” He said and started looking through boxes in the attic. They began to tear the room apart and when they finished they found nothing.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Michelle said sitting down on a box exasperated after their search. “What do we do now?”

“Let’s go over what we know,” Nathan said pacing, going into investigator mode. The one thing he was good was solving crimes. “The Bibles were here Friday and you saw your uncle with one that night. They obviously contain important information. The currency we found with the bullet hole has been there for a long time or it was placed there.”

“What do you mean it was placed there?” Michelle asked.

“Well, someone could have recently put the currency in the back of the Bible and made the hole,” Nathan explained and Michelle put her hands on her hips.

“What do we do now?”

“I think for the rest of the day we should be with your family. Michelle, this can wait until tomorrow.” He took her hand and led her downstairs with the rest of her family. It was the last place Michelle wanted to be, because she felt like they were betraying her. They had to know Amanda didn’t commit suicide yet they chose to do nothing about it.

***

The next day Michelle woke up late from having slept little that night. Her dreams were filled with nightmares of Amanda being murdered. Nate stayed over again without her having to ask and she was grateful. They were going to go start investigating Amanda’s murder before they both had to go back to work. Kicking back the covers Michelle got out of bed and went into the kitchen. The aroma of French vanilla coffee filled her senses and she smiled.

“I think you should move in,” Michelle smiled.

“Sounds good to me,” Nathan smiled at her and went back to read the paper.

“You wanna leave here soon to get started?” She asked ready to get on with finding out what really happened to Amanda. Nathan sighed heavily knowing that she was anxious to get closure with Amanda’s death.

“Yes, let me finish my coffee and we’ll leave,” He answered and Michelle went to get dressed. They left her house and headed back to where it all began.

“Where should we begin?”

“Let’s go check out the crime scene,” Nathan said getting out of the car to go to the backyard. When they got down to where Amanda had been murdered they found it cleaned and the gun gone. Michelle pulled out her phone and looked from the picture to the ground.

“I think it would have been impossible for her to have shot herself in the temple and in the heart without collapsing before this spot. If not impossible at all,” Michelle said. Nathan had proceeded to searching the yard for a clue that might lead them to the killer.

“I agree. There’s no way she could have shot herself in both places, because she wouldn’t have had the coherency to do it,” He picked up something that looked silver and brought it over to Michelle. “Any idea what this opens?”

“I have no clue,” Michelle said taking the silver key from him. There were a dozen doors in the house and checking each one would take a while. “What is the first rule? Check everything in the parameter of 50 feet each direction. If the key was dropped by the killer than it could go to anything, but if it was placed here then we should try the closest door.”

“Very good Michelle you get an A,” Nathan teased her before suggesting that they try the door leading to the first floor.

Michelle walked around and saw the root cellar door, and thought it would be the perfect hiding place. Taking the key and putting into the root cellar’s lock it didn’t take much effort for it to turn and pop open. “Told yeah.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll buy you a drink in celebration when this is over,” He smirked going to open the door to the cellar. The root cellar was exactly what they expected it to be, but they also found the Italian bill sitting on top of a crate.

“Do you think?” Michelle raised an eyebrow at Nathan and he just nodded going to open the crate. They were pleasantly surprised to find a Bible, a skeleton key, and a map. Michelle took the crate and hulled out of the cellar to inspect the contents. The Bible contained more than a bill with a hole in it. It contained names and numbers of people that she had never heard of before. There had to be a hundred people on the list dating back from 1912 to 1930.

“Wow,” Michelle said in surprise not knowing what to make of it. “What do you think the names are from?”

“A hit list,” Nathan answered simply because he had seen more than a fair share in his field. “I’m not hundred percent sure what the number represent, but it could be the order they were assassinated in.”

“My family was really in the mafia. None of it was rumors,” Michelle couldn’t believe what she reading or that most of the Bible had been cut out to replace these names. It was dark and brilliant, but it sent a shiver up her spine.

“I really wanna know what this is all about?” Nathan said trying to make sense of the map that was inside the box. It looked like a floor plan of the house, but then on the back it was a layout of room.

“I don’t know what the back of the page is, but the front is the layout of the second floor,” Michelle said taking a look at the map.

“There seems to be a stairway going from this door to the back page. Is that the kitchen door to the basement?” He asked rotating the thin beige paper.

“No, here’s the kitchen. That door looks like it’s in the back room or the living room. Let’s take this key and see what we find behind that closet door.” She smiled and they went back into the house. They walked to the closet in the living room and opened the white wooden door. The old clothes that filled the closet made it look normal. She pushed back the clothes and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Once the clothes were pushed to the side they began to knock on the wood panels. Finding one that was hollow with a hole in the top right corner Nathan slid the panel back.

“Wow. Just like the map shows,” Michelle said in awe. “I’ll go get a flashlight.”

Nathan just shook his head in amazement at their findings. He had never investigated anything like this before. When Michelle came back they treaded into the darkness with caution and wonder. The staircase was old concrete and the walls were damp with mold. They walked downward for in silence for five minutes waiting for the unexpected to happen. When the staircase ended a long hallway began.

“I wonder where this goes.” Michelle asked shining her flashlight down the hall and it faded into oblivion.

“I don’t know, but we’re pretty far underground because the air has changed.” He answered running a hand against the wall.

“You think it’s a tunnel that leads to the city?”

“The map doesn’t show the city. Let’s find out.” Nathan replied and they started walking deep into the tunnel. After walking for some time they noticed a strong, distinct odor.

“What on earth?” Michelle exasperated putting the neck of her shirt over her nose.

“That’s a sudden change in smell,” He replied walking a few paces in front of her and ran into an old wooden door. “What the heck? Why is there a door in a tunnel?”

“This is getting really creepy.”

“Creepy was about two gun shots back.” He replied and went to open the door with hesitation.

“Go figure,” Michelle sighed leaning against a wall wondering when the nightmare would end.

“Where’s that key that was with the map?” Michelle fished for the skeleton out of her pants pocket and handed it to him. Taking the key Nathan placed in the keyhole turning it left then right until it unlocked. Before opening the door he looked back at Michelle who nodded her head to go ahead.

The door swung opened and a foul odor sent them to their knees. A rotten egg mixed with raw fish lathered in embalming fluid made them nauseated. Once they were able to stand their eyes watered and their stomach’s lurched, but it wasn’t the smell that had them sick.

“Nathan,” Michelle looked on in horror at the sight of skeletons incased into the walls. Flesh had long ago been eaten away by the rats that had made their nests unwilling to escape past the door. There were hundreds of carcasses lying in chewed boxes that were placed evenly into the whole. Next to each person was a gold plate with a number engraved on it and it was then Michelle knew what the Bibles were for.

“Michelle,” Nathan said her name without thinking because what he saw terrified him. A high pitch squeal sent him flying against the wall that caused a body to breakdown onto him. Some of it just crumpled to dust before his eyes and he realized what had just happened. Michelle’s screams of terror had fell silent and he saw the rat nest he had stepped on.

“They were killers,” Michelle stated plainly with pain, rage, and trepidation etched across her face. Nathan had no words to console her with so he took into his arms and sheltered her as the dead audience watched in silence.

“Let’s get out of here,” He said holding her close wondering what they had just gotten themselves into, but as soon as the words came out the door slammed shut. “Someone does not want us to leave.”

“Nathan what kind of sick game are we in?”

“I don’t know, but there has to be a way out of here.” He answered his left hand going to his 40 revolver he always kept with him and his right hand taking Michelle’s hand. They walked past the smiling hollow faces of only God knew who. He looked at the tape colored skulls that smiled grimly at them. In his seven years of police work he had never witnessed a scene like this, and it had his head spinning. It didn’t take long for the tunnel to end and an ascending staircase to take its place. Nathan took out his pistol before leading them towards what could be only heaven from the hell they had just witnessed.

“Rose petals?” Michelle said leaning down to pick up a fresh red rose petal off the staircase. There was a rose petal for every step until they reached the opening that led them to a deathly sight. There in the center of the room was Amanda’s casket and Michelle grasped they were in her tomb. It was intricately decorated with red and black candles with rose petals strewn across the floor. Incense was burning next to a gold goblet to the left of the casket, and the air was thick with sweat.

“The c-c-casket. It’s, it’s,” Michelle couldn’t get her words to form a sentence, because Amanda’s casket sat open; empty.

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Reviews

J. F. Charleston

Brilliant! I love stories like these. Investigation is one of my favorites. Half way into the story I grabbed a bag of cheetos and made myself put them down before the end, because of the suspence. Where did you learn to write like this? (you dont have to answer that.) I noticed that some words were missing in some sentences, but other than that I absolutely loved it! Chills consumed me when I finished reading!