I had this awesome murder mystery story plotted out in my head, so I had to write it as a story! With Non/Disney characters, obviously. :) I got some artwork done for this story! So check me out on Devaintart please! I'm on there as Florairmatylee also. Pooh, it only got the lest important prt of my cover image. :( I had a way better one! I'll post the link below to the full cover image for this story. Hope you like it, whoever clicks on this story!
Merida tapped a pencil on her desk, watching the rubbery pink eraser leave streak marks on the wood. A file slammed in front of her face, and Merida jumped up to face a grim-looking fellow criminal investigator, Aurora.
"Murder case," the blond said, crossing her legs and straightening her pencil skirt as she sat on the corner of Merida's desk. "Her name was Esmeralda Ayres. Shot several times in the chest, and found in her apartment dead." Aurora most always got straight to the point. Being in Criminal Investigation, that was a good thing. Most of the time.
"Suspects?" Merida asked, rifling through the contents of the file. She stopped at a picture of the victim, a bright and smiling raven-haired beauty.
"So far, no leads," Aurora said, brushing a stray piece of hair back from her otherwise flawless bun. "You're on interrogation duty with a close friend of hers." Aurora proceeded to fix her mascara in a compact she'd whipped out of her purse. Merida turned to the next picture in the file, which was of a different girl.
"Her?" she asked, holding up the picture to Aurora. Aurora shut her compact with a snap and nodded briskly, hopping down from the desk corner, heels click-clacking as she came behind Merida.
"Her name is Chel Cetzal, and was Esmeralda's best friend," Aurora said, running her pink manicured nails over the picture. "So I've heard. You've got to get some details from her, find out who she was with at the time of her murder, if she had heard anything, who might not like her, all that."
"Wait. This Esmeralda girl is a minor, right?" Merida said. "What about her parents? Wouldn't I go to them first?" Aurora pulled out Esmeralda's home status papers from the stack Merida had shoved everywhere.
"She was living alone at the time of her death," Aurora said. "She was 17 and an orphan."
"Makes sense," Merida said. "Alright, I'll get on it. Where am I interrogating Chel Cetzal?"
"She asked to be met at her home," Aurora said. "So go armed, just in case." Aurora pulled a pencil out of her bun at the nape of her neck and wrote something down on a notebook she was carrying.
"Got 'em," Merida said, putting a gun into her pants pocket and standing up. "Are you coming with me?"
"Can't, I'm doing the paperwork for this case," Aurora said. "You're going with Detective John Smith for this one."
"Smith, he's so much fun," Merida said sarcastically as she gathered the papers and her stuff. Aurora laughed.
"I think he likes you, that's why you hate him," she said. Merida made a face like she'd tasted something foul.
"I'm leaving you to your delusions now," Merida said, grabbing the keys to her car. Aurora gave her a giddy wave and Merida slammed the door on her to go find her partner.
"You're Chel Cetzal?" Merida asked the dark-skinned girl sitting in front of her.
"Yeah, that's me," Chel said, examining her nails. "What of it?"
"It's protocol to ask you," Merida explained. From behind her, John snorted in laughter.
"Very attractive, Smith," Merida said dryly, turning to face the blond man. "Aren't you supposed to help me?"
"No, I think you're handling it very well," he smirked. Merida rolled her eyes.
"Are you two going to hurry up your flirt session? Cause I have someplace to be at 2," Chel said with a bored expression, crossing her arms. Merida flushed red because this girl was being much more professional than she was.
"May I ask what you're doing at 2, miss Cetzal?" Merida asked. John sighed loudly, and Merida hit him in the stomach with her elbow. He made a loud groaning sound and bent over. With a satisfied smirk, Merida turned back to Chel.
"I'm doing a Teen Vogue cover," Chel bragged, no longer looking bored. "It's a huge opportunity for me."
"Congrats," Merida said. She looked at Esmeralda's pages and found something interesting. "It says here that Esmeralda Ayres was due to model on this very day as well- where the two of you doing it together?"
"No, I'm replacing her," Chel said. "It was originally her photo shot. But when she died I filled in."
"And have you always aspired to be a model?" Merida asked. Chel shook her head.
"It's just a hobby," she said. "For me at least. For Esmeralda it was her life."
"Let's get down to business," John interrupted them, and turned to Chel. "Are you Esmeralda Ayres's best friend?" Merida glared at him. After all, Chel could be the murderer if she had jealousy motives.
"Yes?" Chel said in a duh-you're-so-stupid voice.
"On the night she was murdered, was she with you?" John asked, writing things down on the pad.
"No, she was with her boyfriend Flynn Rider," Chel said. "She was on a date with him, I think."
"Thank you," John said, writing this down as well. He whispered in my ear, "See, I'm already getting more done than you." The smell of his mint gum infuriated Merida, that all-knowing little triumphant grin, and she elbowed him in the stomach again. This time though, he only grinned and turned back to Chel.
"And was there anyone who was ever jealous of Esmeralda?" John asked.
"No. She was a very liked person," Chel said, taking out her phone to scroll through her texts. "Are you done?"
"Besides you, who were her best friends?" Merida asked, cutting off John before he could talk. He gave her an annoyed look.
"Let me think- there was Megara Kellis and Jasmine Bishara," Chel said. "They were close to her."
"And did these girls see her the night she was murdered?" John asked. Chel's face hardened.
"I don't know," she snapped. "I honestly don't care. Why are you asking me? I didn't do it!"
"We didn't say you did," John said sympathetically. "I'm very sorry if it seemed like we were accusing you.." he gently placed his hands on Chel's shoulders, but Chel pushed him away.
"I don't know what you two are playing at, but I've got a good life right now. Mentioning her again will just fuck it up!" Chel yelled.
"Thank you, you've been a great help," Merida said, taking a hint. Chel had been worn to a breaking point. Could this be the grief talking?
"We are very sorry for your loss," John said respectfully.
"Yeah, whatever. Just get the hell out," Chel said, standing up.
"Do you think she did it?" John asked, driving Merida's car back to the office. "She sure didn't seem to care that her best friend died."
"We can't jump to conclusions yet," Merida said thoughtfully. "However, she had the motives. She is now the cover to Teen Vogue, once her so-called "best friend" now couldn't do it."
"Coincidence? I think not," John agreed. "Do you want to investigate a bit about the friends?"
"Let's go talk to Aurora first," Merida said. "She has to do the paperwork for the whole thing anyway." John nodded and pulled into the driveway of the building. Merida's phone buzzed with a text, and she snuck a look at it as she went inside with John.
Aurora: Any luck?
Merida: On my way in. Tell u right now.
"Here's what we've got on Chel Cetzal," John said, handing his notes to Aurora. "You can put it in the work."
"Mine too," Merida said, tossing her notepad on the desk by John's. "Is there any chance you could pull up some records on two girls, also close friends to Esmeralda Ayres?"
"Give me names," Aurora said, sitting at her computer and pulling up files.
"Jasmine Bishara," John said. "You got her records?"
"Got her," Aurora said, tapping away at the computer keys. "She's 17, lives with a rich father and caretaker a few blocks from Esmeralda's apartment."
"Thanks," John said. "Think we can bring her in for a couple of questions?"
"I can contact her now, or send an officer," Aurora said, grabbing the phone off the desk.
"Sure," John said. "Then we'll accompany Miss Bishara wherever she'll cooperate."
"Officer Li Shang, this is Aurora from Criminal Investigations," Aurora said, spinning in her office chair. "We were wondering if you could pick someone up for us..."
"I'll do the talking this time," John said to Merida. Merida looked up from Jasmine Bishara's files with a frown.
"Why? Are you saying I'm not capable at all to do this? Because I can," Merida snapped. "I've been doing this longer."
"Yes, but you're a girl,"John said. "People take me more seriously."
"Take that back, asshole!" Merida yelled.
"Ahem," Aurora interrupted. "Shang's got her coming to the office in twenty minutes. I'd suggest you two figure out something now."
"Might not happen with this girl," John said. "She can't get to the point."
"What?" Merida exploded.
"Merida," Aurora teased. Merid raised her hand to strike her but realized she was acting like a little child. Sulking, she laid down her hand and turned to John.
"Fine. You'll be asking most of the questions. But I will add what I want. Deal?" Merida said, holding out a hand to John. John nodded.
"Deal," he agreed, shaking her hand.
"Please take a seat, Miss Bishara," Merida told the girl who walked in. "We'd just like to ask you a few questions."
"Okay," Jasmine Bishara said, laying down her jacket and pulling out a chair.
"You were a close friend to Esmeralda Ayres?" John asked.
"Yes. I'm her best friend," Jasmine said confidently.
"Uh-huh," John said, making a note of this. "Did you see the deceased at all the day she was murdered?"
"Yes," Jasmine said. "She came over to tell me about her Teen Vogue photo shoot. Did you know that my best friend was going to be a famous model?"
"Interesting," Merida said politely. "What about you? Did you ever want to be a model?"
"What does this have to do with the case?" John whispered, but Merida shushed him and turned back to Jasmine.
"I do now," Jasmine said. "I mean, I recently got into modeling like a few days ago, but I love it."
"Wonderful, thank you," John butted in. "So, where was she going after she went to talk to you?"
"She said she was going on a date with her boyfriend Flynn," Jasmine said. "Why?"
"Thank you, you've been a great help so far," John said. "We just need to ask you a few more questions and we'll be on our way." He was scribbling down things on his notebook, when Merida noticed that Jasmine had a tattoo on her shoulder.
"That's some fascinating ink," Merida said to Jasmine. "What is it?"
"Oh, thank you," Jasmine said, pulling down her shirt even more so Merida could see it. "It's a heart." A red heart was surrounded by black cursive letters. F-L-Y-N-N was what they spelled.
"Flynn," John said aloud.
"Huh?" Jasmine asked.
"Your tattoo. It says Flynn," John said. "May I ask who Flynn is?"
"He's a friend of mine," Jasmine explained. Merida pulled out a photo of Esmeralda Ayres to confirm her suspicions. She was right, Jasmine and Esmeralda had the same tattoo.
"When did you get this tattoo, Jasmine?" Merida asked, not taking her eyes off of the picture.
"Yesterday," Jasmine said. "Isn't it fab?"
"Yes, very nice," John replied without too much thought. "Now, Jasmine, was Esmeralda ever said anything hurtful to you, or anyone? Was there maybe anyone who didn't like her or was jealous of her?"
"No, Esmeralda was a generally nice person," Jasmine said. "Always really nice to me, and to everyone else. I don't think she had any enemies."
"John, look," Merida tried to show John the picture of Esmeralda's tattoo, but he waved her away.
"And what about her boyfriend Flynn Rider?" he asked. "Did you like him for your best friend?"
"Yes," Jasmine said. "He was always such a player and ladies's man until he started dating Esme. Then he changed."
"Would you think he was violent at all?" John asked.
"Nope," Jasmine said. "Never."
"John, will you shut up for one second!" Merida blurted. Jasmine looked in surprise at Merida, but Merida glared at John.
"You need to see something," she said, and showed John some pictures. The strikingly similar tattoos were only the beginning of similarities between Esmeralda and Jasmine. Both had the dark skin, the the same facial structure, and similar bodies. However, only Esmeralda's looked natural.
"What is it you two are looking at?" Jasmine asked, leaning closer to the files. Merida slammed the folder shut quickly before she could see anything.
"So, Jasmine, if you want to answer, have you had any cosmetic surgery done?" John asked.
"Yes," Jasmine said, sitting back down. "A little."
"And what would a 'little' be?" Merida asked.
"Some lipo," she said. "A nose job. Those are the basics I had."
"Any reason?" John asked, tapping his pencil against his notepad.
"I wanted it, that's all," Jasmine said. "I never liked my body."
"You look very much like Miss Esmeralda Ayres," Merida said. "Any connection?"
"No, it was all me," Jasmine said. "The tattoo also."
"Well, thank you for your time," John said. "Officer Shang will escort you out." Jasmine had left and John turned to Merida.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"I think this case will be interesting," Merida said.
We get to meet out other murder suspects next chapter! Oh and here's the link to my cover art if you want to see the full uncut version.
art/The-murder-of-Esmeralda-371539953?q=gallery%3Aflorairmatylee%2F42427662&qo=4