Manipulation

Prologue

Kris's POV-

People say whatever happens, happens for the best. But what good did that night do? An innocent girl died and a vicious girl emerged. That night left me disturbed and highly alert.

I twirled the strands of my hair as I looked out the window. The frosty snow fell on the benches forming a thick layer on it, like cream on a biscuit. The younger kids of our neighbourhood made snowmen on the streets.

I climbed down the sill to make myself a mug of hot chocolate to drink whilst I drew for my upcoming comic. I had just placed the mug on the table when a distinct sound of a sharp knock on the door hit my ears.

Expecting the visitor to be my too-smart-for-himself neighbour I pulled open my door to give him a good hearing. But turns out, my late night visitor was a young policeman, probably in his early twenties.

He showed his card."Homicide Detective Brian Stein"he said, staring in my eye, probably to know why I wasn't scared like any normal girl. Must be because I'm not a normal girl.

"Please come in. How may I help you?"I gestured him to come in. I passed the mug of hot chocolate to him.

"Miss Darks, I have-"

"Please call me Kristine or Kris"

"So, Kris, I am here to ask you about the death of one of your sisters, and I'm sure you know who"

I decided to go with the cover story I had decided on with my other sister, so as to keep the police away from our family.

"Ah! You mean the unfortunate death of Marie."I feigned a sad face.

"Yes, Miss Marie Darks. A passerby saw the three of you entering her apartment just before the estimated time of death. And she has been murdered by a clean gunshot. But that, is not why I have come. The curious thing is when the body was discovered, by her neighbour, it was glowing an astonishingly pale blue colour. I was hoping you would shed some light on this unusual occurrence."

Oh no! They can't know the truth.

"You said I, does that mean, that the task force doesn't find it strange?"I enquired.

"That's classified information"

"But it concerns my family, so I need to know"I said in a calm voice, knowing that getting agitated would only worsen the situation.

"Well, they do find it strange but think that the killer or killers applied some glowing chemical on the body."

I nodded. They do have a point.

"But,"the Detective Stein continued,"I don't believe this theory. Why would the killer go that far even when she knows that the police would find the body sooner or later?"

"Why can't the killer be a he? You don't have any proof that the killer is one of us sisters."

"I never said so."he replied smirking.

"But you implied it."

"It would be better if you tell us the truth, however ugly it is."

It is uglier than you think mister,I retorted in my mind.

"All I remember is falling unconscious when I drank the juice that Marie had given and on waking hearing her call from her room for us - as in me and Carter - to go home, as she was busy with her work."

"Are you sure that's what happened?"

"Yes"I said firmly.

"Thank you for your time Kris. I hope we won't have to meet in the interrogation room next time."

And he left. I heaved a sigh of relief and went back to my drawing. He shouldn't bother me again.