Queen of Diamonds

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

All the lights went out in the yard as soon as the last image from the SparkleUp dust dissolved. The house lights, the ice castle, the Christmas tree, and all the yard lights, only the moons reflection off the white snow was left. Mayhem ensued as everyone's eyes adjusted and tried to figure out what was going on.

"What the hell was that?" Talan asked. "Did your little sparkle dust cause a power surge, Sparky?"

"Bite your tongue demon angel," Sarah barked.

"I don't think it's the power, the music is still on in the ice castle," I commented on the distant noise.

"Then what's going on?" Kara asked. "Oh my gosh, do you think someone is staging a coup and going to kidnap us?" she fearfully suggested, looking behind her in anticipation.

"Relax, Goldilocks," Sarah groaned. "This is all probably just part of the party or something," she assumed.

Suddenly, we all heard a scream behind the crowd that rattled my bones. The crowded circle opened up and we saw beyond them a pool of blood all over the fresh snow. A bright red blood spill that hosted a body face down on the ground. I froze in shock when I saw the red on red. A crimson suit soaked in more red blanketed the fluffy flakes beneath. What was going on? How could this be?

"Somebody get help!" I shrieked as I knelt down next to the body. His body. Andrew's body.

After a few more moments of intense personal panic all of the lights turned back on. Angelville was reilluminated and Andrew jumped up from the ground.

"Now, you have all witnessed the brutality that is lurking in Angelville!" he announced. "I have just been murdered by one of you towns people, a confidant, or even possibly my wife," he explained, looking down at my crumpled body still knelt on the ground giving me a wink. "You have seen the crime scene, you know your victim, it is now your job to uncover who has taken your precious Mayor from you," his voice rang through the yard with a vengeance. "There will be another set of clues given to you by our fantastic Santa-tender," he instructed to the partygoers. "Please use your information wisely and bring me justice!" he declared. "I however, for all intents and purposes am dead. So, I will be drinking the night away and enjoying the show," he informed us with a chuckle, wiping some of the blood off his forehead with a handkerchief. "Now, go find me a killer!"

The crowd cheered and dispersed to attack the Santa-tender for their next clue, while Andrew came over to help me up from his pool of fake blood. Fake for now at least.

"You should have seen the look on your face," he laughed.

"Are you out of your mind!" I reprimanded him. "Did you really have to be so extreme!"

"Hey, it's a party Avs. We don't half ass here," he defended, while still chuckling to himself at how I completely bought into it. But these people were crazy. It wouldn't have been a shock to me if someone really did kill someone here. Before I could even rebuttal a swarm of people came rushing over to applaud Andrew on his performance. Luckily, my friends were right behind them.

"I told you it was just part of the game," Sarah said sauntering over to me, I'm sure to make fun of me.

"It was really scary though, I don't blame you Avs," sweet Kara defended me.

"It's going to take a lot more than that to take King down," Greyson chimed in, watching his step not to get blood on his tan suit.

"Aint that the truth," Talan agreed with his cousin, looking disappointed.

"Oh, look! A firefly!" Kara squeaked all giddy as the lightning bug landed on her arm. In the midst of a crime scene Kara would be derailed and delighting by a firefly. Maybe her FBI aspirations were too lofty and she should just become a kindergarten teacher or something.