The Perfect Murder

Chapter 1- Kit's big date

Sweet aromas filled the bathroom as Kit undid her glossy brown hair from the messy bun it had been in since six that morning. Reaching for her makeup bag, Kit retrieved her wipes and cleaned off all her foundation and mascara, revealing a beautiful young woman underneath.

Kit climbed into the bathtub, preparing for her date with Freddie in one hour.

'Freddie' she thought. For ages, Kit had longed for Freddie to notice her, to take a second look at her. Her best friend and roommate Lilian, also Freddie's secretary, mentioned to Kit that he liked natural looking women. So Kit dyed her hair back to her natural colour, eased up on the makeup and a week later she finally got her wish.

After ten minutes, Kit heard the front door open and close again.

"Hiya Lilian! I'm having a bath before my big date!" shouted Kit. No reply. Kit got out of the bathtub, wrapped herself in a towel and ran to her room to change. Staring at her makeup desk and mirror, Kit piled on as much makeup as she could while still looking natural.

The shadow of a heeled boot appeared, slowly, silently, climbing up the stairs. As it reached the landing, a person came into view. Kit, too busy applying mascara, was oblivious to the person creeping along the hallway, sneaking into her bedroom. Another shadow fell upon the walls of Kit's room. A long, slender knife. Too late, Kit spun around, her eyes wide with shock, as the knife made contact with her skin.

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Freddie strolled into work that morning, paperwork in hand, pen in mouth and started the search for Lillian. 'That girl' he thought 'must be the best player of hide and seek ever to walk the face of this Earth.'

As if he had conjured her up from thin air, Lilian appeared, sullenly walking from his office.

"I just put the last of the paperwork on your desk," she muttered quietly.

"Lilian, would you care to come in with me," he asked politely, indicating to his office.

She nodded her head. That was when he realized the marks on her cheeks and tears swelling up in her eyes. At first glance, it was obvious she was upset, but look closer and you see that her whole heart is black with sorrow. As they got into his office, she closes the door behind herself and takes a seat in one of his brown cushy armchair.

"What is the matter today Lilian?" he ask.

"It's Kit," she whispers.

Kit. He didn't want to hear her name, or see her ever again. Three days earlier, he had plucked up the courage to ask her on a date. She looked over the moon about it, almost crying with joy. He had made reservations at his favourite restaurant, costing him a fortune, but it was worth it for Kit. Anyway, it was time for the date, and Freddie arrived early, as usual. He waited ten minutes for her to turn up, then ten turned into an hour. She had stood him up, and he was angry.

"What about Kit?" he asked, looking down at his feet.

"She got murdered... the night she was meant to go on the date with you," Lilian said, her voice breaking with tears.

Freddie sinks into his chair, his eyes wide with shock.

"Oh, Lilian, you shouldn't have come into work today! Someone got murdered in your home just three days ago and you think I still expect you to go to work?!? Go home, take a few days off." Freddie said, thinking Lilian was crazy for coming into work.

"I cant," she muttered "now Kit has gone, I have to pay the rent for our apartment alone. I was going to ask if there were any other jobs I could apply for here that would get me some more money."

Freddie thought. There was one, Freddie's boss had just retired, but Lilian was under Freddie, and that is how Freddie liked it.

"No," he lied "but I will tell you when some positions open up."

Freddie barely spoke a word for the rest of that day. At five'o'clock, Freddie walked out of the double doors and headed for his car. As he drove home, Freddie could not stop thinking about Kit. What her eyes had looked like the moment the murderer showed themselves to her. Whether it had been painful, or whether it had happened instantly.

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Freddie pulled up in his driveway, rummaged around in his pockets for his keys and unlocked the door. Walking through, he could smell his scented candles lit upstairs, see the steam coming from the bathroom door. The kitchen was not how he left it, spices still left on the side, and all the knives had disappeared. The ones from the cupboard, the ones in the rack, even the ones in his secret supply cupboard for emergencies. Freddie thought this might be an emergency, and as there were no knives around he picked up the sharpest pair of scissors he could and started to walk up the stairs.

The aromas grew stronger as he climbed, trying to be sneaky and cat-like. On the third step, was a heeled boot. Strange. He lived alone. No woman had entered his house for a long time. So whose shoe was this?

As he climbed two more steps, he saw the matching shoe.

He climbed the rest of the stairs, and when he reached the top, he saw a shadow. Coming towards him. He pressed himself up against the wall and crouched down.

The door flew open and a woman, wrapped in his towel, emerged from the smoke. She turned to face him. A huge smile spread across her face.

"Ah, Freddie, I have been waiting a while for you to come home. I helped myself to your wonderful pantry downstairs, and I am afraid I have had to remove all the knives. You know, for my own safety and things, seeing as I have just come in here unannounced..." She spoke with a perfect English accent. Her cold blue eyes searched Freddie's for what seemed forever, searching for the key to his heart, his soul.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Freddie asked, intent on finding the answers to his never-ending list of quiries.

"I'm Jenny. I went to your secondary school, many years ago. I always knew you would be successful, with a fancy car like that! And I am here because I love you. I have loved you since the first day of year seven all those years ago." she spoke with confidence, not bothering to pause to look for Freddie's reaction.

Freddie could hardly remember her. He ran to the attic, and foraged for the school photos. Eventually, he brung a small leather-bound book stuffed full with pictures of teenagers. He flicked through till he found the science page. And there she was. Jenny. With geeky glasses, freckles covering her nose and cheeks and braces. He could hardly believe someone like Jenny used to be could turn out so... well, hot! But then he remembered Kit. The way her dark brown hair cascaded down her back, the way her warm brown eyes shined in the sun, changed colour depending on the season, depending on the weather. And he made the connection between the two women.

He ran to his bedroom and confronted Jenny yet again.

"You and Kit were cousins???" Freddie said, startled by the grin suddenly appearing on her face.

She nodded and then, suddenly, a guilty look flooded her eyes and then, her eyes yet again shone with self pride.

"I've been a naughty girl," Jenny said "Poor little Kit, didn't see it coming. "