When Corpses Lie

The Calm Before and After the Storm

Laura eventually came, even though about thirty minutes passed. Maybe she got lost, or maybe she was preparing herself for my questions.

- Hey. - She said, shaking and rubbing her hands. She had no jacket nor gloves, which made me really suspicious of her. I waved and she asked: - Why are you so far off from the house?

- Well, this is a private conversation, isn't it? - I smiled, rocking my body back and forth. She didn't answer. - Shall we begin? - She nodded. - Ok... Where are your gloves and jacket?

- I lost them...

- But you did bring them here...

- That is correct.

- What color were they? - Something was off with her.

- The jacket was yellow... - I gulped. - and the gloves were black.

- Ok. Why did you and Frank went different ways?

- Because we didn't want to face each other and talk about Stella again.

- You're talking about getting her in jail, right? You said that to Frank. - I needed to test her.

- Not jail, yet. Definitely a restraining order. But he didn't agree.

- So you decided to take matters into your own hands. You killed Stan so Frank would think Stella did it, you know, to convince him into getting the restraining order.

- No... I didn...

- Well, either that or he killed him and hid the evidences while you were distracting me with that phone call.

- What are you talking about?

- Laura, you are looking really suspicious. You have no alibi, and neither does Frank, you had the gloves and jacket and you had a motive.

- James, I wo...

- Did you kill him? - She looked at me, her face turning red.

- Fuck you.

- You know I have to ask these things.

- Go to hell. - She said, backing away. Her back was facing me for a long time when I decided to call the last "normal" suspect, Charles. Besides the normal ones, I had the more exotic people, a list that included Stella, the maid and the babysitter. For a winter-ish day, he was wearing nothing at all. Some shorts and a t-shirt, but the cold didn't affect him at all. He either was boiling or he had a stony cold heart.

- Hello there. - He said, looking perplex at me.

- Hi. Can we start? It's freezing out here...

- No, it's not. At least I don't feel it.

- Believe me - I said. - I can tell. - he smiled. - How closed were you to Stan?

- I barely knew the guy. I would just stick with the polite greeting for the rest of my life if it was up to me.

- Ok. Which room is Laura's? You know, back in the house... - I asked this question because someone could have took Laura's gloves and jacket to frame her.

- Second door to the right, on the left side.

- How do you know?

- Frank wanted to show me something in his PC. Just some memes. - I nodded. - But I went to his room since he didn't want to carry the computer around the house.

- Ok. Where were you when he was killed?

- I was asleep. - He rephrased it. - At least I was trying to fell asleep. The whole Stella thing knocked me out...

- Did you see Robert by any chance?

- No, but I definitely heard some footprints.

- Ok. Imagine you were his killer. - The perplex came back. - Why would have done it?

- I don't think I have a motive... I already told you... I barely knew the guy.

- Ok. Who do you think killed him?

- Robert.

- He has an alibi: he was with me the whole time.

- Ah ok. Then I don't know. Why do you ask?

- Just ignore it. I'm done with the questions.

- Ok. Let's head back then. - He suggested.

The trip was relatively fast. Unlike the other, he held no grudge on me. He simply talked like nothing happened... I remember think back there that maybe he was Stan's killer. He knew where Laura's stuff were to frame her and he was too calm for such a situation.

We arrived fairly fast. The cold didn't affect us the way it should, by slowing us down. It just sped us up, since we didn't want to freeze. Just thinking about this makes me laugh.

As soon as I arrived the house, I went to the office to think about everything. When I opened the door, Hannah was there, and the whole room was upside down. And then I remembered... i still hadn't interrogated her.