The Brooch

Who Took The Brooch?

"You ran?"

"I did."

"Why did you run?"

"Well wouldn't you run if had a crazy lookin lady who had jest slapped you so hard and so easy like you were a gnat on a wall wuz comin atcha? When I saw her pick up them scissors from her vanity table. She wuz comin towards me with them.. I didn't know whut else to do! I took off!"

"Whut about Jeffrey?"

"I panicked!" Mama Woods remorsefully replied. "But I also knew if I left the room and she thought I had the brooch, she wouldn't go anywhere near Jeffy. And that there wuz no way she could harm my baby brother in the process."

"Did Mrs. Crowder follow you?"

"Every step... As fast as I was goin, foe a second, I lost her.

"Where did you go?" Mr. Smarten asked.

"I desperately wanted and tried to find help! Freddie? Mrs. Lexington? One of them. Or anybody for that matter. At least Mrs. Lexington or even Fred knew I wuz innocent and meant no harm. But I couldn't find them."

"There wuz no one in sight?"

"Not in the manor. I found another open room! I wonted to lock it shut. But I had no key. I raced to the windows to see if I could get out that way! But it wuz way too high! When glimpsed out that window ... I saw Fred!" Mama Woods said lookin towards her husband. "I banged on that window as hard as I could. I banged on it for him to help! But he couldn't help... He couldn't hear me!" She said as tears escaped her eyes... "I might as well have been stuck in a cave all by myself! Trapped!" Mama Woods recalled.

"Where wuz he?"

"He and other servants were outside. And it looked like they were decoratin the motor car! As the others in a canopy not far off, were preparin for whut looked like the after party."

"The reception?"

"Yes." Mama Woods uttered. "But I wuz so high up, no one could hear me. But I could hear her... ragin through that house. And huntin for me as if I were her next meal or trophy on uh wall."

Mama Woods eyes laid upon Mrs. Crowder. Chills trickled on Mama Woods spine as she recalled her lost memory so clearly. Almost as if were yesterday...

"Oh I wuz frightened! And I didn't know where I wuz goin. No one wuz around! Not on that floor. Probably no longer even in the house! Cuz not a soul came!Mrs. Lexington, well I no earthly idea where she went. And if she wuz eva comin back! I jest knew I wuz alone. And so was my helpless baby brother." She deeply gulped with a slight whimper. "Worst of all, it felt like my voice betrayed me. I had no words... No sound. Only the poundin of my heart. But I knew I needed to get back to Jeffy. Especially befoe he awoke and realized I wuz not there...But I heard her screamin like the wild! And she wuz comin! She wuz comin fast my way. Right there... smack dab, in the room where I wuz."

"Whut happened next? Whut did you do?"

"I got out of that room.."

"And?"

"I hid.." Mama Woods replied. "I found a little open crevice in the wall of that house. Right in the middle of that hall! At the time, I wuz jest small enough to slide in."

"And did she find you?"

"No. Almost! But I managed to stay hidden. Jest long enough. And when she barged in that room, I shimmied myself out of that corner. I peeked in the crack of that door of the room where she wuz! I could see her, tearin up that room and searchin for me. I knew I had to get away. Every move you made there wuz a creak in those floors. So I took my dress shoes off. As fast and as quietly as I could, I raced back in my now ripped stockings back to the room where Jeffy wuz. Right before I got there, I screeched in writhing pain!" Mama Woods exclaimed!