A summer mystery

by Cutetiger123

It is the summer season in Miami beach Florida, and all is well, there is fun in the sun, and a wild night life. But then people start disappearing for what seems like no reason, and then when they are found they have been murdered and mutilated. Love is brewing, but so is danger, what will come of all this? Only time will tell... Based off a role-play between myself and a friend

(This is a story based off of a role-play between myself and a friend, I have his permission to publish this on here, and there will be more chapters following, Alastar Burke and James the bartender are his creations, not mine, and I do not take credit for them, however Impala Merson and Mica Torricelli are mine.)

A young man smiled as he easily took a tray of food from the kitchen, taking it out to the waiting customers. He was working at a small restaurant, right on the beach in Miami Florida. It was a very open restaurant, and the sun's cheery rays shined down on most of the tables, despite the canopy of wooden beams above. It was a popular place amongst both tourists, and residents of Miami, drawing large numbers of teens and college students primarily, such as himself. He currently lived in the area, and needed the job there to support himself.

His long red hair had come loose of the ponytail he had had it in, but the owner never seemed to mind. He was one of the best waiters that the owner had, his deep green eyes, fair skin, and charming Irish accent was appealing to many of the female customers, and his easy-going, laid back personality made it easy for him to get along with the male customers as well. He made it through the other tables and people who were up and moving about to the table that the order he was carrying belonged to and flashed the four young women a dazzling smile. "Please let me know if you need anything alright ladies?" His Irish accent was thick, possibly because he was a new transplant to the area, after graduating collage early.

"You love to woo the ladies don't you Burke?." The owner said as he chuckled and patted the younger man on the back as he passed him. "Maybe so, but they do not seem to mind it." The redhead laughed and rubbed the back of his neck a bit, seeming relaxed and well-at-ease. But that was the way Alastar Burke was. He had come to Miami to follow a potential job, and he hoped to get it, and move his parents out here from Ireland. "No they don't, they come back just to see you I think at times." The owner said with a chuckle.

Alastar did not have time to say anything in reply because one of the women he had just served was beckoning to him, so excusing himself he managed to move easily over to the table, despite his height, which was around six and half feet or so the last time he had checked, but he found that the height worked for him. "What can I get for you lovely ladies?" he asked smoothly, his rich, Irish accent drawing out the words. It did not take him long to check their ID's and go over to the bar and place the drink orders, waiting for them to be finished before he carried them back to the table and handed out the drinks to the girls. He looked down at his watch and smiled. His shift was almost over, he was glad, he needed to sit down and relax, it was Friday evening in the beginning of summer, so it was more busy than normal.

He looked at the clouds through the canopy of wooden beams and a smile crossed his face the sun was setting, and casting a beautiful glow on the sky and the beach, and the soft breeze brought the smells of the ocean up off of the water. It was a typical eighty degrees in the shade, and he could not deny he loved it here, the scenery, the weather, but that was not why he was here. The Miami Metro Zoo was offering a job there, and since he had majored in zoology, it seemed a perfect fit. He wanted that job, he wanted to make it on his own and make his parents proud.

He spotted the young woman who was taking over his shift and smiled at her, going over to her. "It is busy, and it does not seem to be letting up, you will have your hands full tonight." She nodded and looked up at Alastar with a smile. "That is fine, I like busy." Alastar smiled and walked over to the bar, sitting down with a sigh. "One Blue Moon please James." The bartender gave a slight nodded and poured one from the tap before sliding it down into Matthew's waiting hand. "Hope you are not trying for any liquid luck tonight, it won't end well." James said with a chuckle. Alastar laughed and shook his head. "Nah, not really my style." He said as he shook his head and took a drink of the beer.

Someone else who had been working just as long as Alastar had been that day was currently bustling around tables, his khaki skirt blowing gently in the breeze coming up off of the water. Sweat had built up at the nape of his neck under his shoulder length hair that was currently being held back from his face by several small barrettes. He had a slight build, that was rather on the feminine side, and his voice was a light tenor, making him seem very female, and he was perfectly alright with that, in fact, the young Frenchman liked it.

He had never really been masculine, he never enjoyed the games the other boys had played when he was a child, nor did he care to play sports, or be a rancher, like his father, he would much rather stay inside and try on his mothers clothes, or hang out with girls and help with makeovers. His mother had tried to accept it, unlike his father had, but neither of them were happy about it, so he had made the choice to move from France as soon as he had been accepted to a college here in Miami Florida. It was hard making it on his own, but he had been doing pretty well at it, and getting by alright, he embraced his more feminine nature, and was happy to have found a job where his boss did not care.

So far it had been working out well, none of the customers had caught on to the fact that the pretty blonde waitress with the beautiful brown eyes was anything but female, and the men tipped him well, as did some of the women, because he was kind, and good at his job. Right now was one of the times where he almost regretted accepting the job there, since the guy taking over his shift had not shown up yet, so he was swamped with orders.

But, Michael Torricelli, known as Mica, was used to it at this point, and did not let his frustration show, and continued to seem cheerful and kind to those around him. He made his way over to the bar to place a drink order, and stopped to chat with Matthew for a few moments, enjoying the ability to take a short break. "You know, there is a table of lovely ladies you could go help, and maybe flirt with."

Alastar chuckled and shook his head with a smile. "Nope, sorry, Mica but I'm off the clock, besides, I can tell by the way they walk two of them are engaged, and one of them has a boyfriend. I am not sure about the other on in the group though though."

Mica nodded and sighed softly. "It is alright. And the other on has a girlfriend, she has been in here together with her before, so you would not have much luck with her anyway." He smiled and picked up the tray of now finished drinks from the bar and walked over to give them to girls. He sighed in relief as the man taking over his shift showed up, and he wasted no time introducing him to the customers he had been serving, before he punched out. He went over and sat down on a bar stool a few seats down from Alastar.

"It is alright. Hey, can I ask you a question, Mica? What kind of girl do you think would go for me?"

Mica looked over at Alastar and tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "I think someone who can see you for who you are. I think you are shy on the inside, and insecure, but you have a great heart, and a good personality. So I think someone who is sweet, quiet, gentle, and caring, yet still fiery and witty is the type who would go for you. But you know, you have to go look for her, and decide it in part yourself, it is not like someone like that is just going to come in and fall into your lap."

While Mica had been talking a young woman walked in, she was wearing a dark blue skirt suit, and had her long brown hair swept back into a large claw clip, her skirt and shirt were slightly rumpled from the day, and some of her hair had fallen loose, hanging around her face. She looked tired, and overworked, as she went over and plopped down on a stool. She was confused about the way it felt, and turned to look behind her, only to find she had plopped down right in some strangers lap. Mica laughed lightly and shook his head with a smirk on his face. "Or maybe she will…"

Alastar raised an eyebrow as he looked at the girl in his lap. "Rough day or just one of those rare times you have a chance to sit on who you please?" The young woman blushed, and shook her head, "I do not go about sitting on people's laps, I swear, it has just been a really rough day." She jumped up quickly and stumbled, landing on her bottom on the floor, feeling humiliated and wishing that the floor would swallow her. Alastar held his hand out to the woman and looked curiously over at Mica, wondering if he thought he might have a chance with the young woman, even if it was just as friend. "Need a hand? Or a drink to ease your mind?" She nodded, and took his hand gratefully, finding it much easier to get up with his aid than it would have been on her own given the height of her heels. "Thank you. And yes, that is why I came in here, I need something cold and stiff." She said with a faint smile and a nervous laugh.

Mica smiled and nodded a little, giving the Irishman a thumbs up and mouthing the words, "Talk to her." To Alastar before he got up to talk to someone.

Alastar nodded once as he looked over at James. "Place it on me." James shook his head faintly with a slight smile. "Whatever you say Burke. Make sure the boss does not know you are doing this." He cautioned as he mixed the drink. Alastar shrugged and glanced over at James. "I think I can take one hit." James raised an eyebrow slightly and eyed Alastar before looking back to his task. "You are still relying on that call from Metro Zoo aren't you? Do you really think you have a good chance there?" Alastar nodded. "I think I stand a chance here. My degree is in zoology after all." James chuckled. "You are still young my friend, a fresh graduate at twenty one, remember that." James quickly finished the drink for Impala before placing it at an empty seat next to Alastar.

"You really do not have to do that, I do not want you to get in trouble with your boss, if you did over this I would feel awful." Impala said shaking her head slightly as she sat down. Although, what James had said about the zoo, and the fact that the young man next to her had the last name of Burke peaked her interest. She raised an eyebrow faintly and looked the red-head over curiously, propping her chin up on the back of her hand while her elbow rested on the bar. "You are Alastar Burke?" She asked as she tilted her head faintly, wondering in her gaze.

Alastar looked over at Impala curiously. "Is that a problem...?" He raised an eyebrow faintly. He took the final sip of his Blue Moon before handing the empty bottle to James.

Impala shook her head and she smiled a little, her face softening. "No, not at all, I'm Impala Merson, a friend to your new boss." She said as she reached out to shake his hand. "I suppose I might be ruining the surprise, but oh well, I am sure I will be forgiven. You got the job." She said as she took a sip of her drink.

"I guess that early graduation might have helped me out." Alastar looked over at James with an almost rueful smirk. James chuckled and he shook his head in amusement. "You may have won this round Burke, but when you come back here, remember the little folk you worked with." Alastar chuckled and nodded. "I will be sure to keep that in mind." He looked back over at Impala after a moment. "Are you sure I was the one who received the job?" "Yes it did. They decided that it would be good to have someone who clearly knew what they were doing." Impala said nodding. She looked over at James and chuckled. "Little folk? Hey, you are not such little folk, half of Miami knows you, I hardly think that is little folk." She said with another chuckle. She looked back over at Alastar and nodded a bit. "Yes I am, I am positive, they are quite happy to have you. They want you over there at metro, you have a way with people and animals alike, and they know that, and you will need those two things" She said taking another sip of her drink.

Mica smiled at Alastar happily, his eyes shining slightly with excitement. "Congrats Alastar, I am sure you will be great at the new job, you have earned it" He said with another smile.

Alastar brushed a hand though his hair as he looked over at Mica with a sigh. "Do you really think I should take this?"

James glanced away from Impala and he smiled a little, interjecting his opinion into the conversation. "Kiddo, you have been waiting for this since you moved here. I think everyone would be surprised if you stayed." James said as he began to clean an empty glass.

Mica looked over at Alastar with a warm smile. "Yes, I do. You have my number, if you ever need someone to talk to, give me a call, you can bounce ideas off of me." He said with a soft chuckle before going back over to Alastar, and giving him a hug. "You should take it, you deserve the job, it is what you want. What were you just telling me about doing what I had always dreamt of?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"You make your own clothes. You can go pretty far with that." Alastar chuckled. "I may have a degree, but it has taken me to a zoo, granted, something I do wish." He looked over at the counter. "And if my studies failed me, then that dream would be gone." He said with a sigh.

"Yes, I do, and I suppose you are right, and I have faith that I will one day." Mica said with a slight nod. "Do not think of it that way, your studies clearly did not fail you now did they hmm?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe because one day I want to be able to pay for my parents coming here, to live in this country. They are still back in Dublin and it would be a crushing blow if I could never achieve that." Alastar said as he shook his head sadly.

"Then take the job Alastar, don't be stupid and afraid and let it pass you by, you want this job, it pays well, and I am sure you will do well at it, so stop being silly and look forward to it." Mica said looking sternly at Alastar.

Alastar brushed a hand though his hair slowly after a moment before he looked at Mica. "And that still leaves you here, probably my only friend in the area. You think you will hold up okay?"

Mica smiled. "And you will still have me as a friend, you think you could lose me that easily?" He asked chuckling. "Sorry, you're stuck with me. And yes, I will, maybe this way I will get the good tipping customers, you are the one who always seems to get them."

Alastar raised an eyebrow slightly and he shook his head. "Good tipping customers? The men who think you are a woman give you twice as much as the ones who tip me."

"I know, I was trying to make you feel better." Mica said with a sigh. "But still, I will be fine, I am making it by okay as it is, and I only have a few more years of collage left to go, and then I will start working on my career."

"Go with fashion, if you have not already. I am sure that is something you will strive with, you seem good with it." Alastar said as he smiled. "Go on. You should get home. You have been working too hard today."

Mica nodded, "That is the plan, I am taking the classes for it, and so far doing well with them. I hope you are right though." He rubbed the back of his neck and nodded again. "We both worked too hard today, but isn't that what we do every day?" He asked with a chuckle before he yawned and stretched slightly.

"It is all part of the way of the food business. You always over work yourself." Alastar chuckled.

Mica nodded, and yawned. "That is true, I have come to know that well during my time here." He agreed.

"But there are times it is worth it." Alastar smiled and placed his hands inside his pockets.

Mica smiled and nodded. "Yes..There are..."

In the meantime James and Impala had struck up a conversation.

"I am a little folk compared to Metro Zoo. More people of every age visit there every month than they do then here year round. We have spring break and summer as our only real busy seasons." James pointed out as he chuckled. Impala nodded and smiled. "Very true, but you guys have more fun, and metro gets a wider age range." She said chuckling. "Granted, I always seem to miss the fun here."

James arched an eyebrow slightly at Impala. "Fun? Young girls in bikinis I can never have? How is that fun? I am no youngin anymore. You know that all too well. Hence why I am still here all these years." James chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh come now, sure you could, I tell you what, you free Saturday? I'll make you dinner, I bet you are an awful cook." Impala said with a laugh. "Granted, you are not going to get farther than that, you aren't my type."

"I can cook, but it is a limited amount of food items." James chuckled. "And I am still at least forty years your senior. I doubt That would look good to others seeing it."

"So? What's your point? You really think I care what others think? Just so long as you and I both know there is nothing going on it is fine." Impala said finishing off her drink.

"If you want to feed someone, feed the boy." James nodded towards Alastar. "He eats every meal he can get here. Makes me wonder if he can even afford food on his own right now." He said as he shook his head.

"That works, I'm tired of throwing out half the food I cook, and it is too much of a pain in the ass to reduce recipes down to enough for just one." Impala said with a sigh.

"Go ask him to dinner then. The food here cannot be good if consumed for every meal every day, he could use a good home cooked meal or two." James said as he nodded once.

Impala nodded once, and looked over at Alastar, tilting her head slightly in curiosity as she watched him, a mixture of intrigue and fascination on her face.

"He does not bite you know." James said as he smiled and looked over at Impala.

Impala chuckled, and nodded. "I did not think he would, I was just wondering about him."

James chuckled and he shook his slightly as he looked over at Alastar. "What is there to wonder about him? He is an Irish immigrant trying to make his way in the States. A typical young man with a dream of sorts and many insecurities about him." James said as he shook his head.

"There are lots of things to wonder." Impala said with a smile s she eyed Alastar again. She tilted her head and looked over at Alastar. "Hey, Alastar, would you like to join me for dinner? I need someone to help me eat a ham, I cannot eat it on my own, obviously." She said with a soft warming laugh.

James chuckled, not saying a word as he shook his head and pretended to know nothing.

Alastar blinked once as he turned to Impala. "I am a vegetarian. I do not eat ham." That made James crack with laughter as he looked over at Impala.

Impala looked over at James slightly confused, and a little irritated that he did not warn her, she felt weird now. She sighed to herself before she looked back over at Alastar. "You don't? Hmm, well...What do you think of portabella mushrooms stuffed with bread crumbs and cheese? Served with garlic bread and a salad." She said as she ran down a list of thing she had in her kitchen that she needed to cook in her head.

Mica snickered softly but tried to stifle his laughter. He leaned in closer and whispered to Alastar. "You should try and look like that more often, it is cute, you know." He said with a grin as he chuckled, and then straightened.

"And you also know it bothers me when you call me cute. I am all for you being what you are, and you know that, but I still think it a sort of hitting on me when you say that." Alastar whispered as he raised an eyebrow slightly. "Yeah, I do, why do you think I do it?" Mica chuckled and shook his head, leaning against the bar.

Alastar sighed and shook his head before looking back at Impala. "And you are willing to cook for a total stranger?"

Impala smiled and nodded with a slight shrug. "Yep, I am, I have to get to know you after all, I will be working alongside you part of the time, I have to get to know you."

Alastar pondered that for a moment as he turned back to Mica."Yeah, don't do that. Maybe one day I want a wife and kids. That might not help me in any way." Alastar looked back towards Impala. "It still does not help me in any way. You are still feeding a stranger."

"And your point is?" Impala asked raising an eyebrow. "You know Mica, and are his friend, so I figure I can trust you, I trust him, even if he is odd." She said with a chuckle.

Mica grinned again. "Even if you do, I still enjoy teasing you every so often." He looked over at Impala and giggled. "You need to watch him though, he talks a big game but is sensitive and insecure inside. You can however trust him, he would never do anything, pretty boy here is still a virgin, and plans to stay that way until he gets married from what I understand."

Alastar brushed a hand though his hair and he looked slightly annoyed. "If you two are going to have a grand old time talking about me, perhaps I should get back to my apartment. I am sure I could find something better to occupy my time than listen to this talk." He rose to his feet.

Impala shook her head. "No, I do not plan to sit here and talk about you, to you maybe, that would be nice." She said with a slight shrug.

Mica shook his head. "Nah, I am going to leave, I'm tired, I need sleep." He said yawning again and pushing away from the bar, heading to the door. "See you tomorrow." He said with a wave before he walked out the door.

Alastar watched as Mica walked out of the door. He shook his head faintly. Hr brushed a hand though his hair before he tilted his head to one side. "What is the real reason you wish to have dinner with me?"

Impala raised an eyebrow. "To be perfectly honest, I want to have dinner with you because I want to talk to you about your job at Metro, as I mentioned, part of the time I will be working with you, I am a scientist, I study the animals, and I am the one that is called whenever there is a problem and one of them comes down with an illness, I want to know who it is I will be working with. The rest of the time I will be at my lab, trying to do things like find the cure for cancer, the common cold, and things of the like."

"Shouldn't you be treating me like everyone else you work with then? Do you treat everyone to dinner all the time or just their first day?" Alastar raised an eyebrow faintly.

"I invite them all over at least once, it is up to them and how they act on whether or not I invite them again, most of the time it is slumber parties, since it seems more women have been being hired recently. Sorry, you will not get invited over for one of those though, I do not invite men over to stay the night." Impala shook her head. "If you do not want to come just say so though, I am a big girl and will somehow survive."

"I might have to pass on the offer. I would not feel right going over to a house belonging to a coworker." Alastar looked at the bar and shook his head slightly.

"And why is that?" Impala asked curiously as she arched an eyebrow. "By the way, I do not work there, I volunteer, so I am not really a coworker, but that is simple semantics." Impala said shaking her head. "James, could I get another one of these please? But this one goes on me, I do not want Alastar to get in trouble."

James nodded as he worked on the drink quickly, smiling as he passed it over to Impala once he finished it.

"I still count that as coworker." Alastar shifted on his feet slightly and shrugged. "If I truly got this job, I should go speak to everyone over at the zoo." He said as he began to walk out.

Impala picked the glass up, and took a sip. "Thank you." She said giving a slight nod before she looked over at Alastar. "Already taken care of, all of the newbie's get a party to sort of welcome them, not much of a party really, I make a cake, and some sort of meal, and there are introductions all around. By doing it that way it is a laid back atmosphere and makes it easier on everyone."

"It's a shame you are going to have to count me out of the party. I will not be attending." Alastar shook his head faintly as he looked back over at Impala.

"Why won't you? It is a tradition at the zoo." Impala said protesting slightly, and wondering why he would not.

"Because I have other things I have to get sorted out. I have no car, nor do I have much money for something. I have to somehow work that out as well as finding an apartment closer to the zoo at a rate I can afford." Alastar said as he shook his head. "You better start telling people I will not be there."

Impala nodded and sighed, shaking her head as she took another sip of her drink. "Okay then I guess, I suppose that cannot be helped really. As for the apartment, I have no idea about that, mine is a good ways away, almost five miles, but I ride a bike back and forth, and have never really paid attention to other apartments in the area."

Alastar shrugged slightly as he shook his head. "It is fine, I can find one on my own." He waved a hand before walking out, brushing a hand though his hair as he walked along the sidewalk.

Impala nodded before she looked down at the drink in her hand, a thoughtful look on her face as she thought about Alastar, her mind straying to how beautiful his eyes were..

Alastar made his way home and unlocked his apartment door before going inside, sighing before he sat down on his couch and leaned his head back, brushing a hand through his hair, thinking for a moment about the day's events.