Memories of Azura

Fragments

Chapter 26: Fragments

Wednesday, 3:58 PM

My whole body was aching as I thought of my last activities. I was talking to Bryce about the murder list, my mom in first name basis with Officer De Mente, the police cars on our lawn. It was the most recent activities that I could remember. Oh and I … I’m absolutely positive something happened when I went upstairs that night but I don’t remember anything after that, maybe that’s all there was.

I was forcing my brain to remember but nothing seemed to happen after I closed my bedroom door last night. Once again I rerun my memories until it was disrupted by my mom’s loud entrance. The surprisingly clean shaven Officer/ Detective Franklyn De Mente and his son Bryce followed. They looked like a picture of a perfect family.

My mom enclosed me in a tight loving embrace as she stroked my hair. “What happened?” I asked Officer De Mente as I looked at him behind mom’s shoulder. They quizzically looked at each other but he gave me a reasonable answer.

“You were stabbed in your sleep Ms. Connors. But don’t worry, everything’s under control.” Officer De Mente explained. So that’s why I don’t remember being stabbed at all- because I was asleep.

“By who?”

“Stacy Danes, your new reporter. She also admitted for the murder of Kendra Hope and Avery Mitchel.” He answered as my heart stopped the moment I heard Avery’s name.

“Avery? She’s dead?” My voice was almost a whisper. I couldn’t believe anything that’s happening. My mom eyed Officer De Mente, mentally scolding him for the sudden shocker that he had just given me but he continued answering my questions.

“Yes, she was discharged from the hospital yesterday morning from the food poisoning that she’s been suffering from, from the past few days. As of her cause of death; her body was found drowned in their pool the afternoon of the very same day with body building weights chained to her ankles… like an Angkor. She was dead on arrival but unlike her you managed to survive.”

“How long was I asleep?”

“It’s already four in the afternoon so; a good seventeen hours.” He answered as I nodded in comprehension.

“If Stacy killed only Kendy and Avery, then who killed the others?” I asked.

“She won’t admit, but she won’t say anything when we ask her who.” He answered as he sat on the far end of my bed, opposite where mom was sitting.

“Did you try questioning Victoria Clarke? Doesn’t she seem to be unclean to you? Her mom’s a jewelry designer who uses Hydrogen Cyanide for Electroplating. She’s the only one who can have free access on that type of chemical. And haven’t you even thought about what she was doing in the woods where Kendra’s body was found, at lunchtime? She could be checking how good Stacy was doing in her assigned chore. She could be Stacy’s accomplice. And for what it’s worth; Stacy could only be her abettor.” I honestly couldn’t believe the words that came out of my mouth. I don’t even know what Electroplating is.

“Whoa, slow down nerd brain. I didn’t know you had that in you.” Bryce horsed around. Mom was simply baffled but Officer De Mente seemed to have recalled something.

“She said her mother is a nurse.” I heard him sang a curse word as he jumped out of my bed and pulled his radio from his belt. He disappeared through the door.

Mom was just too happy of seeing her remaining daughter alive. I smiled at the thought of my sister Lilly as I saw our framed picture together, leaning proudly at my bedside table. Mom noticed my longing gaze at the picture. “I thought I was going to lose you too within her ten year death anniversary.” She said as she gave me a kind, reassured smile.