Yeah, mixed reactions to the last chapter. I understand where you guys are coming from. Hopefully this chapter (and the next) will be so good it'll get your mind off of it. But yeah, without the last chapter, this entire case would be a whole lot duller.
Anyway, hope you enjoy!
--
Dear Judy
You may be wondering why I'm writing you a letter, let me explain.
This way, I can tell you what REALLY happened without you instantly retorting and making me forget what I was supposed to say. So I didn't call you cause… of that.
Sorry, I'm not that good at writing letters. But I'm not just going to email you either, cause then you can reply almost instantly while you're still angry and you'll probably hurt my feelings.
But that doesn't mean I don't care about your feelings! No… I mean… your feelings are why I'm writing this letter in the first place. See, if I DIDN'T care about you at all, I wouldn't have been, like, totally torn apart inside when I saw you cry and stuff… But that kinda means that YOU cared about me if you cried anyway…
Yeah, what were YOU crying about anyway? I'm single, I'm available, and girls like me. So what are you so cry-ish about? I can kiss whoever the hell I want!
Ok… sorry, I'd erase the above paragraph if I hadn't chewed the eraser off this pencil. I chew stuff when I get nervous. See? I'm nervous, and I just proved it, I guess. If I'm nervous that means I REALLY care about what I'm saying. So I care about what I say to you… Um, sorry. This is why I'm bad at talking.
Ok, I guess you want to know what happened, right? Okay, she was going to KILL me because I just told the court she was intending to kill her mother, right? So she gets all insult-y on me (but you know Raley, she's ALWAYS insult-y. So when I say insult-y that means REALLY insult-y). Only that wasn't great because I tripped over a chair, then she jumped over it and landed on me and our lips touched. See? No kissing whatsoever. You know I don't like her.
Okay, the more I try to explain this the more bizarre it seems. Really, what are the chances that she'd land on me and our lips would touch? See? It's totally ridiculous; I don't even see what we're making such a big deal out of if it was just a mistake. If someone was going to land on me and our lips would touch, I would totally prefer it if it were you.
That doesn't mean I want to get together with you! I'm just trying to be nice, I think. Like your hair. You have nice hair, and I like your jacket. White is totally my thing. Really… smart color. And your glasses are good looking, you do wear glasses, right? No wait, you wore them in high school. But your hair is curly, I like curly. But I don't LIKE it like it. I think it makes you… um… prettier. But in a totally casual, non-romantic way.
So, yeah. I feel guilty and it was a mistake, and I felt bad when you cried so… that's it, I guess.
Oh yeah, and I'm sorry about putting your boyfriend in jail.
Gordon
It wasn't until I finished the letter that I realized that I didn't know Judy's mailing address. Maybe if I just called Ken… but they probably confiscated his phone. And I had the slightest feeling that he wouldn't really want to talk to me at the moment. I sighed.
"Big brother! Hurry, help me!"
Clara was in trouble! I dashed from the dining table into the guest room, which was pretty much her room now. She wasn't inside, but I saw a light coming from the semi-open bathroom door.
"What's wrong Clara?"
"I fell asleep eating a popsicle and it melted all over my face!"
I was struck by the sudden, random dialogue. "What?"
She opened the door with a look of panic. The bathroom sink was running, and there was soap on her face. I stared at her for a second, her entire face had turned blue, and her expression of horror made me bite my tongue.
"Don't you dare laugh!" She puffed out her cheeks at me, which only made it so much more classic. I couldn't help it; I exhaled and began laughing so hard I had to sit down to keep myself from fainting.
"Oh!" She said in frustration. She slammed the door shut and ran back to the sink to ravage the color from her face.
A sudden rumbling came from my pocket. I pulled out my cell phone and flipped it open. "Gordon Truth, attorney at law speaking."
"Ah good Gordon, it's you."
I smiled. "Well if it isn't the almighty prosecutor who let the day's victory slide?"
He laughed. "You still owe me for that. Anyway, I wanted to ask about your client, or should I call her your bride-to-be?"
I went red in the face. "Look, it was an accident, alright? We both tripped and…"
"So you both tripped at the same time, and both happened to land in the exact same spot, so that your lips directly touched for…"
I bit my lip. "I know it sounds ridiculous…"
"It is ridiculous. Just admit that you're freaky for her and I'll let it go."
I blinked, "Can we stop this, please? You know her, Mike. I hated her… like, a lot."
"Not as much as Theodore, evidently."
My eyes widened. Theodore? It had been so long since I heard that name. The one person who's life I had completely ripped to shreds. The man I killed…
The silence didn't go by unnoticed. "What, too soon to mention it?" he joked.
My face went pale. "I think I'm going to be sick…"
He sighed. "Listen to me. I know your little girlfriend didn't poison her mother…"
I grabbed the phone in a choke-hold. "SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!"
Mike was getting frustrated. "Look, after today's trial, I came across some evidence that proves Raley didn't poison Malady. I'd like you to come take a look at it, and we'll talk about the case a bit. Just come over to the prosecutor's office, my door's open. Just come by."
I wasn't listening. A sudden idea struck me. "Do you have Judy's phone number?"
He was taken aback. "You want to call her?" He breathed into the phone for few seconds. "Don't tell me you're going to cheat on your new girlfriend with your ex?" He laughed.
I grabbed the phone with both hands. "I SWEAR I am coming over to your fancy-shmancy little office, and I am going to pound the crap out of you."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
"And no, I don't want to call her. I was hoping you could call her and er… put in a good word for me."
I couldn't see it, but I knew he was shrugging. "I guess I could see what I can do."
"Ok, erm, thanks."
"Sure thing."
I clicked off my phone. "Clara, are you going to be much longer?"
The door flew open, and my sister stomped out; her face almost completely covered with a brown scarf wrapped around her head. "I'm ready!"
I held my hand up to my mouth to hide my smile. "Maybe you should stay home for this one…"
"NO!" She punched me in the shoulder. "I'm coming with you! I'll do whatever it takes to get your girlfriend off the hook!"
I groaned and buried my face in the pillow. Were two people suddenly tripping and touching lips so hard to believe?
"So, where are we headed first?"
I scratched my head. "Well, we could go back to the scene of the crime, we could go visit Mr. Angelo…"
"Mr. Angelo?" Said Clara, suddenly clenching her hands together with stars in her eyes. "You mean we can actually go see him? Isn't he dreamy?"
I looked around the room. "Who are you talking to? If you haven't noticed I play for the home… no wait, that means gay doesn't it?" I rubbed my chin. "So I play for the away team? Is that baseball-innuendo for straight?" I shook my head. "Look, I'm never, ever in my life going to think that Mike is 'dreamy'. If anything, he's an idiot who's about to get his ass whooped."
"Aw…" She held her hand to her chest. "Why do you always have to be so mean?"
"What are you saying? I'm not mean." I said, raising an eyebrow.
"But, you're so mean to poor little Terry!" She said, tears welling in her eyes.
I laughed. "Terry? Look, he doesn't really count."
She grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room. "We're leaving, I don't want to hear another WORD from you, Mr.!"
I managed to grab my suitcase as we flew out the door. "Let's start at the crime scene then!"
--
"Say it Gordon!" Clara looked fierce enough to drive the strongest man over the edge.
I mumbled inaudibly, but Clara only slapped my shoulder, "So we can hear you!"
I rolled my head so that I was looking directly into Terry's face. "I'm sorry that I'm a big, fat, meanie head."
Terry's eyes almost glazed over. "That's some sister you've got there."
I turned to her and put on my best fake smile. "Okay, I feel better now, why don't we race to see who can get to the crime scene first?"
"Sweet!" She threw her purse into my arms and took off. I dropped the purse onto the ground and looked to Terry. "She was going to kill me if I didn't say that."
He smiled. "And I'm sure glad you did."
"Anyway," I said, brushing my shoulders, "that doesn't mean I meant any of it."
"I know, but it was still fun to hear you actually live up to your name."
I raised an eyebrow. "My name? What, you mean Gordon?"
"No… no Truth! By living up to your name I meant finally speaking the truth!"
I blinked. "Did you just… try to burn me?"
Terry shook his head. "Whatever… just… go and do your… things you do."
I nodded and looked toward the house. "Oh, before I head in, any news from the search party?"
Terry took a deep breath. "Can we talk inside?"
He led me into the mansion and up the staircase. I pushed him on the shoulder. "Any reason we're NOT headed for the crime scene?"
We continued walking, the hallways quickly becoming darker and less decorated. "You caused quite a stir at court today, Gordon. They've sent out a picture of the butler on local news and every man in New York is hunting this guy."
"So…" I scratched the back of my head. "Any luck?"
He took off his glasses and rubbed them on his shirt. "Absolutely nothing; it's like he clean disappeared off the face of the earth."
"So why are you leading me around here?"
He tapped his temple. "You see, after the search began, I was instructed to search the butler's room, which we come upon now."
We came to a dark, mahogany door next to a bathroom. The only distinguishing feature of it compared to regular doors was the bright, shining and complex-looking lock sealed next to the doorknob.
"And, you wouldn't believe it," he placed his glasses back on his nose. "We can't get through the door."
I rapped my knuckles against it. "Why can't you just bust it down?"
"Unfortunately, both daughters have placed grounds to sue if there is any damage…"
"But a murder occurred in this house! What about the search warrant?"
"I was getting to that." He sighed. "The warrant only covers the crime scene, and the kids got the whole no-damage-to-the-rest-of-the-mansion policy on contract before we could get another warrant."
I shook my head. "Now that is lame with a capital suck."
"And as you can see…" He kicked the door below the doorknob. "The apparent locking mechanism prevents us from simply picking it. Apparently, this lock requires a five-numbered code in order for access to be granted."
"A code huh?" I rubbed my chin, leaning forward to get a better look at it. "Can't you just go through all the numbers? 11111, 11112, 11113 and all that?"
"There are so many combinations, such a thing would be nigh impossible. Wait, what are you doing?"
I input '11111' into the lock and pressed the enter key. It buzzed for a second, and a red light appeared below the number pad.
Terry shrugged. "I guess it was worth a try."
I straightened up. "Ah well. I guess we'll never know what occurred in the lowly butler's room, unless… you broke down the door despite it all?" I raised an eyebrow at him.
He waved his hands in front of his face. "I'm not risking jail for a simple murder trial."
"Well," I put my hands in my pockets, "my senses are telling me this case is anything but simple."
--
"I won, so you have to buy me five boxes of popsicles!"
I pushed her aside. "I know, anything interesting here?"
She frowned. "Nothing we didn't uncover yesterday, but looky who's here!"
I turned to find Missy Vian perched on the master bed where her mother was murdered. She pursed her lips. "Well look at the grubby attorney, come back to idolize his mansion?"
I blinked, "wait… what?"
She narrowed her eyes at me. "I see what you're doing; trying to get my older sister's attention. Before you know it, the bells start ringing, and bang, the mansion's yours…"
It struck me so suddenly that I didn't know how to answer. "W-what? H-how?"
"Oh, I'm not mad; well, not surprised anyway." She gave me a cold smile, different from her sister's. Her head instead looked upward, casting a creepy shadow on her face. "I don't care about what you do with Raley; but for me, you're competition." She stood. "And I hope you're ready for the gloves to come off." She laughed and flicked her short hair.
I felt my face get warmer. "I'm not looking to do anything with your sister. She's my client and my client only."
"So, is making out with your client part of your policy?" She curtsied. "Sorry, I'd love to exchange conversation, but I'm afraid my polo lessons are beginning in a few minutes, and I best be off."
She began to walk through the door. I reached my hand out to her, "wait."
She froze for a moment. "I have not the time, please relinquish your inquisitions for another day."
"Sorry, this one can't wait." I walked toward her. "Do you know the combination for the butler's room?"
She tapped her forehead. "Why would I ever want to enter the living quarters of our filthy servant? It was his room and his only, I'd be surprised if no-one but him had ever set foot in it."
Missy Vian was quickly overtaking her sister on my 'Top Ten People I Hate' list. "What did you think of the butler?"
She shook her head. "Again, I have no time for talk, I really must be going." She stepped out of the room and into the foyer, leaving my sight.
Clara held my shoulders. "So now what?"
I shrugged. "I guess we could pay Mike a visit."
"Oh yay!" She clasped her hands together and her eyes began to sparkle. "I'll actually be up close to him!"
I raised an eyebrow. "I hope you can control yourself in his 'dreamy' presence." I walked out of the room, Clara following. "Seriously, any boy you like is automatically an enemy of mine, and I quite enjoy Mike's acquaintance. So please don't ruin it for me."
She frowned. "I like YOU."
I shrugged. "And since when did I ever like myself? Really now, I'm beginning to wonder if you're really my sister. Let's call a cab."
