Murder in Jade

" " Speaking

' ' Thoughts

Notes: This is my first mystery story. I tried to make it really puzzling...but it's hard! Man...anyway, I made up these characters.

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Chapter 1: Message in the Wind

A gun shot sounded out through the dark forest. The trees whispered in the wind, muffling the sound of the collapsing object.

"My death...will not go...unsolved..." A voice whispered through gasps. "The murderer...will be known."

A paper rustled in the wind and the sound of a pen scratching on the piece of paper was heard.

Then, everything fell silent and the gasps of the dying person faded away. The pen dropped onto the paper, which left only one message.

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"Now, for the seven o'clock news..." The tv news reporter spoke.

Suddenly, the phone rang through the empty house, causing it to echo.

"Hello?" A young girl spoke as she placed the phone next to her ear.

"Eimi Takachi?" A man's voice rang through the phone.

Eimi's eyes drifted to the telephone. "That's me. Who's this?"

"Ichirou Heiji, part of the police and detective force of Beika." Ichirou spoke into the speaker of the telephone.

"Is something wrong?" From Eimi's throat, a whimper escaped. "Did something happen to my husband, Tatsuki? He isn't home yet and he's usually home by five o'clock." Her hand started shaking in nervousness, causing the phone to shake as well. "I don't really get a call from the police and detective force often, either."

"I don't know how to say this...but, he's dead." Ichirou sighed into the telephone. "I'm sorry."

"D-dead?" Her voice shook as she spoke the word. "Are y-you sure? It can't be."

"There's no doubt about it. He died from..." Ichirou grabbed some papers off his desk.

There was a sound of papers rustling in the receiver.

"He died from a gun shot wound in the chest." Ichirou finished. "If you doubt me, then turn to channel...five on your television. The news reporter just started reporting his death right now."

"..." Eimi's eyes were blank and her face had no expression. "Gun wound...?"

She picked up the television remote and flipped to channel five.

"...Just a few hours ago, the police discovered a man, name Tatsuki, dead inside this dense forest." The news reporter was standing in front of a forest filled with trees, both alive and dead. Tree bark lay scattered all over the ground. "He had been shot in the chest with a gun bullet. When a couple found him, he was barely breathing. By the time the ambulance arrived, he was dead, leaving only a piece of paper, apparently his dying message. The police will not reveal what this message is, though."

Eimi's worst fear had been confirmed.

"Mrs. Takachi? Are you alright?" Ichirou asked, concerned.

His voice only echoed through the voice, as Eimi dropped her phone onto the ground and fainted.

"Mrs. Takachi?! Are you okay?!" Ichirou cried out into the phone, "Mrs. Takachi?!"

Ichirou's repeated phrase left no impact on Eimi, as she lay motionless on the floor.

"Mrs. Takachi, hang on! I'll send an ambulance to come and get you right away. Hang on!" Inchirou hung up the phone and immediately dialed the number to get an ambulance to Eimi's home to retrieve her.

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Author's Note: Sooo!!! How was it? Suspenseful? I hope it was! Next chapter should be up soon! Please review and tell me how it is!