Murder on Robin Hill Court
This story could be given many beginnings, such as "It was a dark and stormy night…" or "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…" But no interesting beginning could tell you what this story contains. So it should be given a simple start, therefore it will.
James (Jamie) Newman was walking slowly down the street, ducking behind trees and bushes every chance he got. He had his medium length, light brown hair pulled up into his hat making him look bald. His dark, amber eyes were covered by large sunglasses, and he was wearing a coat that was way too big. Yes, being a famous actor was difficult. For the third time that week he had been chased by some crazed fans looking for autographs and pictures. True this doesn't sound that bad, until you realize they want you to sign something that belongs to you and give it to them. So he ran, ran as fast as he could 'til he reached a small shop which he rushed into and bought the best disguise he could find. Still, he knew the girls chasing him would see right through this little trick.
He reached a small row of town houses; he had made it home without getting caught. Or so he thought.
"There he is," a girl with pigtails shouted. "Get him!"
"Oh no." Jamie thought as he ran toward his house.
He made it just in time; as soon as he was in he slammed the door and locked the bolt. His mother, a short and yet very athletic woman was sitting in the rocking chair watching T.V.
"Rough day?" she said looking amused.
"You wouldn't believe," He said as he pulled of the hat, glasses, and coat. "I was chased half way around Bel Air trying to escape these three crazy fans."
"Well, what did you expect?" She responded, not even trying to hide her laugh.
"Where's Dad?" Jamie asked.
"At work." his mother replied.
Jamie's dad worked at a baseball stadium during the summer because he was a teacher.
"What's for dinner?" Jamie asked walking into the kitchen.
"Lasagna." She answered.
"Cool." he said.
Then the doorbell rang. Jamie walked over to answer it. At the door stood four of his closest friends, a tall brown haired girl named Gabriella, a very small strawberry-blonde haired girl named Eve, super thin dirty blonde haired girl named Nina, and another famous person from Robin Hill Ct, named Isabella. Isabella was a singer who had blonde hair, and at the time was dating Nick Jonas.
"Hey Jamie," Isabella said with a smile
"Hey," he said. "what's up?"
"Can you come
outside?" said Gabriella, shoving
Isabella out of the way.
"Can I?" Jamie asked looking at his mother.
"Please, go outside." She said sarcastically.
"Ok." He said and he stepped back out into the sunshine.
They all played outside for a while but after multiple complaints from Gabriella and Eve they decided to go into Isabella's house. That's when it happened, there was an ear splitting scream, Nina who had gone back to her house to get a drink, came running outside still screaming.
"Nina, what's the matter?" Eve asked looking frightened.
"M-my my m-m-mom," she sad with suppressed sobs, "she-house-d-d-d." But she couldn't seem to finish her sentence. Then with an anguished scream, she collapsed into tears.
"Eve, stay here with Nina," Jamie said. "Bell, Gabby, come with me."
The three began walking in the direction of Nina's house. When they entered, they expected to find something unusual. The room was, there was no other word for it, normal. Absolutely nothing was out of place in the large sitting room, two couches, a glass table, and a glass cupboard. They continued into the kitchen, everything was fine here too, a refrigerator and dining room table. Then into the living room, this was a whole different story. The glass of the coffee table had been smashed in, the T.V. had a hole in the middle, and the couch had a large gash. In the corner was a computer desk and sitting in the chair, head in a large bowl of water, was Mrs. Joanne. Just looking at her made it obvious that she was dead.
"Oh no," Isabella said clapping a hand over her mouth. "How did this happen?"
"I don't know," Jamie said shakily. "Gabby, call the police."
"Yeah, ok." She said quietly.
"Who would want to murder Mrs. Joanne?" said Jamie curiously.
"I don't know, but we're going to let the police handle things this time, right Jamie?" Gabby said hanging up the phone.
Jamie looked around with a grin. "Yeah, sure, of course."
"Oh boy," she said rolling her eyes.
"Hey Gabby, why don't you wait outside?" Jamie said.
"Oh, no I'm not leaving you here to search the house." She said.
"Search the house? That's a great idea." Jamie said as though he had never heard the idea before. Gabby rolled her eyes again, and made her way to the basement doors.
"Fine then, I'll search downstairs," She said in clear annoyance. "Jamie, you check upstairs, and Bell you search in here" Bell was still staring at Mrs. Joanne, looking as though she was going to be sick.
"Bell don't worry I'll handle the living room, you take the upstairs." Jamie said turning her head toward him and smiling. Bell nodded, turned and left the room. As soon as they were both gone, Jamie's smile was replace with a grimace of disgust. He walked over to the desk and looked down at Ms. Joanne. Her face was pale, he touched her hand it was still warm. She had only just died. Jamie pulled his hand away from hers. He turned away from the body, and began to search the room. The back door, he saw, was locked.
"How could they have gotten out without going out the back?" He asked out loud.
It was impossible for them to have left without going out the front door, in which case the murderer was…
"Gabby, Isabella, come here, quickly!"
They both hurried into the room.
"What is it?" Isabella asked.
"It's possible that the murderer is still in the house." Jamie whispered.
"WH-" Gabby started to shout, but Jamie covered her mouth.
"We don't want them to realize we know." He said.
"Jamie you said that it's possible, what did you mean?" Bell asked.
"I, well there is no way he or she could have left, the back door is locked, and we would have seen them leave through the front door." He replied.
Suddenly there was a loud clatter from the downstairs.
"There is a back door downstairs." Gabby shouted.
Jamie grabbed the door handle, unlocked it and ran outside onto the deck. He looked over the edge and saw a foot disappear under the neighbor, Mrs. Delgado's, deck. He turned and ran back out of the house through the front door. Eve and Nina were still standing there; Eve looked up when they ran out the door.
"Jamie, what…" Eve started.
"No time" Jamie interrupted.
He ran around the side of Mrs. Delgado's house, which was on the end. No one was there. He walked back to his friends, Nina was still crying into Eve's shoulder, Gabby and Bell looked worried.
"Whoever it was is gone." Jamie said, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground, determined not to look at Nina.
"Jamie, it's not your fault, no one could have caught up with them." Eve spoke up.
"Yeah, I know," He turned away from them, and looked down the street. "Someone's coming." Sure enough five seconds later the police drove around the corner.
"It's creepy how you do that." Gabby said.
"Are you the kids that called us?" asked a big, burly officer who had just stepped out of his car.
Jamie stepped up to him and explained the story. "Obviously she is very distressed." He added, pointing at Nina.
"You three seem pretty calm about this." He started at Jamie, Bell, and Gabriella each in turn.
"We've been through these kinds of things before." Bell said quietly.
Another police officer got out of the car. "Sorry Jamie, Joe here is new to the force."
This policeman was tall with dark brown hair, his name was Brandon, and he was a friend of Jamie's parent's.
"These kids have helped us catch a lot of thieves and murderers." Brandon continued.
"Wait a minute," Joe said. "I've seen you before." He was pointing at Jamie and Bell.
"James Newman and Isabella Georgia at your service." Jamie said, laughing as Joe's mouth dropped in awe.
"My daughter loves you both, could I get your autographs?" He asked.
"How about we finish this case before getting autographs for the daughter you don't have." Brandon said.
Jamie and Isabella laughed, Gabriella looked annoyed, and Eve and Nina weren't paying attention.
Brandon walked over to Nina and said. "Are you Nina Parker, daughter of Joanne Parker?" Nina, who had calmed down a bit, nodded then burst into silent tears.
"Okay, Joe, we need to go check out the house." Brandon said after making a note on a piece of paper.
"Jamie, why don't you come along, I could use your sharp eyes, or eye, I should say."
"Eye?" asked Joe
"I have no vision in my left eye." Jamie responded.
"Oh, I'm sorry, what happened?" Joe asked as they walked inside.
"It was my second case; I was in a warehouse, looking for a drug dealer, guy jumped out of one of the crates and busted my head open, I was in a comma for three weeks. The concussion shut down the part of my brain that allows me to see out of my left eye. The doctors said my vision would come back in a few days, but it's been two years." Jamie smiled a smile which didn't extend to his eyes, one of which, Joe now noticed, was colorless, and then he turned and walked into the living room.
"Don't be fooled, he hides everything behind a smile." Brandon whispered to Joe as they followed Jamie.
Jamie turned to them and said, "This is it, the body is over there." he pointed to the desk and began to walk around the room searching. Joe and Brandon walked over to the body and began to examine it. Jamie looked around. It looks like this wasn't just an ordinary robbery. He thought. Someone with very little experience thought this is what a robbery scene would look like; no robber would cut up a couch or put a hole in the T.V. This was a murder and nothing more. Jamie voiced his opinions to Joe and Brandon.
"Sharp as ever Jamie," Brandon said. "I agree completely."
The door into the house slammed, and John, Mrs. Joanne's son, came running into the house, followed closely by Gabby and Bell.
"What the he…" John stopped when he saw his mother's body. "What happened?"
"Bell, take John outside and explain everything, okay?" Jamie said with another false smile. Bell nodded and led a white-faced John outside.