Hollywood Crimes

Three

8:40, 26th January

Hollywood, Los Angeles,

Cole's bar

Glenn sat opposite me and sipped at his drink. I stared at mine. "Well done on the show today." he said, not wishing to tolerate the awkwardness of the silence any longer. I nodded with a momentary smile. He took another long sip. Not wanting to seem rude, I put the glass to my lips and let the substance gently touch my tongue. The taste was strong and displeasing. "The next show is the week after next week, right?"

"Oh...yes." The drink was now having a bit of an affect on Glenn. "Next week is Evander's turn again...then the week after that, it's your turn again." he slurred the words together as he started on another drink. I stared uneasily at him. Drunk people...reminded me of bad experiences. He finished his current glass and went up to get another one. Just as I picked up my things to leave, Glenn returned to the table. Or was it Glenn? The person's face was shadowed by his hat, which bore much resemblance to a detective's hat. I began to feel sick, convinced that another drunk person had gotten confused and had sat with me thinking I was someone else. "Can I help you?" I stammered. The person, who I assumed to be a male due to the suit he wore, removed his hat. The sickening feeling returned, even stronger, to my stomach.

"You." I spat, feelings of scorn dripping from the word.

"Mara, wait!" he pleaded as I stood up. "Please." I looked into his eyes, meaning evident in them. I sighed and with a heart heaving with regret and a mind full of painful memories, I sat down. Matt Booker. My ex partner. He had changed...a lot. My fists were clenched and sticky with sweat. He had broken my heart...the smell of alcohol revived all the tears I had wasted on him. "What do you want with me?" My voice trembled with every word because of the lump of emotion stuck in my throat.

"Look...what happened two years ago...It's over. I'm not here for that." he mumbled. I didn't know if this news made me glad or depressed. I didn't even know if he wanted me back or not.

"Then what? What are you here for?" I desperately wanted the conversation to end.

"I'm sure you've heard. There's been a string of murders recently." his eyes searched my vacant expression. I hadn't heard of anything of the sort. I could tell by the frustrated expression he wore on his face he couldn't be bothered to explain. But he did.

"All the people that have been on the same show as you...MindBlown...they've been killed-All of them. I'm a detective now." he said.

"So you're a detective. That still doesn't explain what you want with me. And how did you even find me?" Matt and I had loved and lost in London, and he had come to America after that.

"I was getting to that," he sighed. "Look, you are the only person I can ask for help, ok? You're the only person on the show I can talk to...Evander doesn't want to get involved, and frankly, I don't think he'll be much help. And I found you because you were all over the newspaper, remember?" He reached into his brief case and threw yesterday's newspaper at me. I flicked past my pictures and paused at the page with the headline "MindBlowing MindBlown Murders". My eyes darted from word to word. The pictures of all the previous contestants were printed with the caption "R.I.P" on each of them. I gave it back to Matt. "So? Will you help me?" he asked as he folded the newspaper and slipped it back into his briefcase.

"Yes." My lips folded into a thin line. The expression of frustration on his face changed into a calmer one. He put his hat back on, picked up his briefcase, and stood up. "Well, bye." I said, assuming he was leaving.

"No, you're coming with me. The first murder was at the beach, and we found something."

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