Cloak

There it was pushed against the side of the chair. Dust piled on the dresser like icing on a cake. I pulled the ruby red key out of my pocket and slipped it through the keyhole. I swung open the doors and there wasn't much, but there was a pile of papers.

One of the stapled packets was a restraining order, here's the thing they were not completely filled out and there was no name of who they were against. The next bunch of papers were blueprints - of the house. The last pile of papers were blank, scarfed in between them were a few old pictures of my mom. One was a picture of her before she had me. She was in a leather jacket; she loved that biker-look when she was younger. I remember her telling me that she actually had a motorcycle, it was a Harley. She said it was black with purple flames all across it. I never saw it though. The second picture was of her and my aunt, they looked happy and they were standing in front of the house.

The house looked different though I couldn't quite put my finger on it though.

I didn't know what any of this meant so I just took it all and threw it on my bedroom dresser and went back to sleep.

(Afternoon)

Tonight I was going to try to get my life back. I made up my mind, to go to a Murder Anonymous Club. It starts at 8, so I figure if I go out and maybe get some new clothes I'll be in perfect condition.

But I also think about the clothes I got for Alexa before she just got up and left.

Right then I get a text from her, ironically ...

"My dad said I that he'll let me come back, he said he was sorry for everything. He said it's just been so hard for him lately"

"Sorry that I just left"

I look at the message and completely ignore it. Why am I going to open my house and my money to her, for her just to leave?

Never again-

I had gotten Alexa a white silky blouse and some dark black pants. The outfit was perfectly casual, not too fancy, but not too trashy. Before the clock hit 7, I rushed straight to the shower.

After putting on make-up and all of the fixins, I got my keys and hopped in my car. I needed to bring something; I just don't want to show up without anything to snack on, I'll look like the groom late to his wedding. Can you imagine everyone's faces?

To the supermarket it is-

I almost sped through the parking lot of GroceryPlus. I slammed my door shut and rushed right inside. I first circled around the platters, a pepperoni platter was nice as a snack, but not for thirty dollars it's not. I then found myself in the snack aisle, I was in the Minotaur's Labyrinth, the more I tried to get away from the junk food the more I got lost in Lays and Oreos. Finally escaping the gross calories, I discovered the fruit trays. Pineapple, watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, kiwi and other assortments laid prettily across the plate. I knew that a tray makes for a perfect center in a buffet, a fruit one at that with so many colors will definitely catch the group's eye.

I searched around the check-out at the front of the store, to try to find the shortest line. It was already 7:43 and I don't want to even be remotely late.

After paying for the tray, I made it back to my car and drove off to the community center for the Murders Club.

I finally made it to the building, it was a circular glass building with bright spotlights outside the front. The building reminded me of the Sydney Opera House. Smallish bushes lined up the concrete pathway to the door. The bushes were very nicely trimmed- almost like Aunt G's bushes. I walk through the door and the aroma of delicious food immediately hits my nose and tingles my taste buds. Meatballs, muffins, macaroni and cheese just danced around me and encumbered me in this delish shell that I just wanted to eat my way through.

I sat my platter gently down on the table and scathed the floor to meet some of the groups of people mingling around.

The first group had a middle-aged lady with dark brown hair, a younger guy with a frat boy kind of vibe and an older lady who looked like she could be anyone's grandma.

Hey, I'm Noel and just moved back into town.

The middle-aged lady turned around and said, "I'm Heather, this is Michael"

Before she could say the older ladies name, she actually introduced herself.

"I'm Laura, so is your Aunt Geniveve?"

Yes, I'm finding out that a lot of people see her looks in me. I laughed.

Heather chimed in the conversation, "I absolutely love that house, the front porch is so beautiful".

So how does this club work? I asked.

Heather turns around and starts blurting out random stuff, but Laura in her comforting attitude reassured me that I'll learn as we get through the night.

The frat boy walked away almost right away as I walked in.

A few minutes later while everyone is still making small talk, a small pudgy lady with bubble glasses and short blonde hair waddles out. She snaps her fingers in the air and asks everyone to find a seat.

For a minute I looked a little confused and then I almost wanted to laugh because I've never seen anyone ever do that. Her name was supposedly Evelyn.

I decided to follow Laura and Heather towards the front row.

Evelyn turned towards the dry-erase board for a few minutes and scribbles down the basis of the murder case in expo.

"So this is the Dream House Murder", Evelyn said in her shrewd, little voice.

"Lindsay Buziak was a realtor in Victoria, British Columbia and she went to show a house to two unnamed viewers, moments later she was in a pool of her own blood in the master bed. The husband tried to call her moments before, but she wouldn't answer. The husband then proceeded to try to get inside but the front door was locked. The husband and a friend then went behind back and went through the patio door and later found her body", Evelyn briefed.

"Another thing to note is that Lindsay's friend got a strange call in the middle of the night from a unknown number with a strange accent. And this Nikki remembers that Lindsay said she was meeting someone with an accent at the showing", she highlighted.

"Okay, I'm passing around folders with different suspects: The boyfriend, the boyfriend's work colleague, cover-up (police), Lindsay's mysterious friend, and Shirley Zalio (Relative of the husband). Different types of evidence will also be contained in the folder too. Your rows' job is to make a case of why this person is guilty", she hollered loudly trying to get everyone fired up.

"The group with the overall best conceptualization wins a paid dinner to The Barbe Grill'', she said in the most jolly tone.

I turned to Heather and Laura and we opened the folder. Our suspect was the boyfriend's work colleague. We looked through the evidence for a bit, suggesting ideas between each other.

A little while later we presented our case.

"So we believe that the colleague killed Lindsay Buziak because he was trying to find Lindsay the fastest, meaning that he was trying to get to her before the boyfriend did. We think that he killed her during the time period of him getting in the house and him opening the door for the boyfriend. Her body wasn't ravaged or anything, meaning that someone snuck up on her. Another thing to point out is that nothing was taken. So we believe that since it was such a clean murder that it had to be targeted. We also think that Lindsay possibly knew that this "colleague was in the mob and she was threatening to expose him. And the viewers of the house were just a simple distraction". Heather expedited perfectly.

Everyone looked around at the three of us and clapped.

Evelyn sat up out of her chair and said, "I think we have a winner!".

(A few minutes later)

"So are we going out to dinner?", Laura happily asked.

"Oh definitely, Mike is watching the kids tonight", Heather said.

I chimed in and said let's do it.

Before we left to go to dinner, I invited Evelyn too, since she whole-heartingly provided the prize. And sure enough she thankfully agreed.