The Holiday Bomber Case

 Hello again, to all those intrigued enough to be back reading another entry to the case file archive. If you're new here, I'm Terra West, the daughter of the Chief of Dakota County's Police Force, and the assistant, informat, and all around best friend of the teenage detective prodigy whose investigations stopped just as many crimes. These are my memoirs, for lack of a better term, but I doubt anyone involved would consider them 'my' stories. Before I recount what happened I would just like to say Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or whatever it is you may celebrate. I say this because this case took place during the winter holiday season. As accordingly, I would recommend you read the records of this particular case in the vicinity of whatever holiday you prefer, because it was definitely the most memorable Christmas I've ever had and I think you deserve to share the experience. So, without further adieu, I'll begin at the place where it all started: Dakota's biggest shopping mall, early morning on Christmas Eve...

December 24, 10:00 AM

J DeMarcus stood beside me, clad in a fancy blue winter jacket and matching hat (A flat cap that made him look like a newsboy) with arms full of shopping bags from various stores, as we were carried by escalator to the top floor of the mall. The usually emotionless egotist I called my friend was currently oozing with nauseating holiday spirit as we embarked on a journey of last-minute shopping. The two hefty bags I was holding were dwarfed by the amount of crap he'd amassed since we got there.

"Do they have to keep playing this music?" I complained as we stepped off the escalator and the mall began another cheesy Christmas song, as had been playing on a mind-numbingly repetitive loop.

"Tis the season, Tee," replied J. I rolled my eyes. "You don't have to be such a Grinch, ya know."
He had a point; as any of my close friends knew, I haven't been the biggest fan of the yuletide Christmas since I passed age thirteen. Growing into the cynical, misanthropic teenager I am, the appeal of a holiday dedicated entirely to commercialized business disguised as a tender and warm family occasion didn't exactly strike me anymore. J, however, was the biggest (and possibly most obnoxious) Christmas enthusiast there was, which didn't make any sense considering the feeling-impaired, logical machine he was every other time of the year. Still, despite our opposing views, the two of us were gathered together, and I was happy to spend time with him that didn't involve us tracking down some criminal.

"What are you doing this Christmas?" I asked as we continued to walk.

"The usual," he answered. "Marathoning every Christmas movie and TV special I can fit into 24 hours and consuming astronomical amounts of eggnog. How about you?"

"Exchanging gifts in the morning and being annoyed just like every year, then running around for a family get together. Though I pleaded, my parents are dragging me to a dinner reunion or some crap."

J sighed, with a strong resentment as if he were disappointed in me.

"What?" I defended. He wouldn't look me in the eye, he just kept looking forward.

"You shouldn't complain about it," he said sternly. "Not everyone has a family to spend Christmas with."

I fell silent, realizing who I was talking to. I suddenly felt like an insensitive idiot and had nothing to say. Luckily, a moment later, the conversation was interrupted when a familiar voice called out from nearby.

"J! Merry Christmas!"

We both turned, peering through the walking crowd of people around us and stopping. Soon, we saw who it was.

"Clarissa!" J called excitedly, practically running over to see her. Oh, joy, I thought sarcastically. Clarissa Troy was the teenage heiress to one of the richest families in the country. We'd both met her a few months back when she was involved in a case surrounding the death threats sent to another millionaire, and she and J had maintained a sentimental bond ever since. The airheaded rich girl and I had long since squashed our beef, but I didn't enjoy being in her presence, mainly because when she was around J seemed to stop being my best friend and start being her right hand flirting buddy.