The Mystery Machine

The sleek black Harley throbbed its way through New York’s rush hour traffic. 

It finally broke free from the highway and turned into a quiet residential street, peppered with several swanky apartment buildings and condominiums on either side. 

 The rider, dressed in black riding gear, appeared to be looking for something. 

He slowed down in front of an attractive Redstone Condo with window boxes outside each apartment, and looked up at the Penthouse, 30 storeys above. A terrace garden was visible over the edge.

 Yes, this was the one.

The Harley revved up, roared past the Redstone, and cut through a parking lot across the street. 

It disappeared around the corner of an abandoned condominium that once was on its way to being as swanky as it’s neighbours, but now, due to an overload of real estate litigation and mounting bad debts, was reduced to an incomplete derelict tower of exposed metal and peeling paint.

***

At the entrance of the Redstone condo, Marvin, the Concierge, gazed after the Harley with a frown. Marvin was well into his sixties, but his eyes were sharper than an Eagle’s. Something about that Harley was very familiar, and he didn’t like the way its rider had slowed down and looked up towards the Penthouse. 

 Of course, the occupant of the Penthouse, Miss Carmichael, was young and beautiful, and bound to have many admirers, wanted and unwanted. Marvin on the other hand, didn’t have a very high opinion about her. She was demanding, rude and hot-tempered: an Angel’s face and a Devil’s tongue. 

Still, it was his job to protect the privacy of the condo’s occupants; nothing and nobody could escape his scrutiny. Marvin took his job as Head Concierge very seriously indeed.

 He frowned again as the Harley disappeared into the parking lot across the street. 

 A clock chimed somewhere. 

 Marvin immediately checked his wristwatch. 6pm on the dot. His night shift relief wasn’t here yet, three days in a row now. Marvin made a mental note to give young Javier a warning letter. 

 ***

Athena and Asteria, their cold white faces reflecting a fading New York sun, stared impassively at the petite blond woman ranting hysterically into her cell-phone.

 Allyson Carmichael, mid-twenties, had deceptively innocent big blue eyes set in a peaches and cream heart-shaped face, framed by a wild cascade of curly blond silk that hung almost to her tiny waist.

 She had ordered three custom made life-size statues of Greek Goddesses- Aphrodite, Athena and Asteria; an exquisite blend of pure white Marble and Quartz. 

Allyson was as narcissistic as she was beautiful; all three statues had to look exactly like her. 

Currently the female lead in a hit Broadway Musical - The Women He loved - her role was that of the Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty, Aphrodite. 

Although Athena - the Goddess of War, and Asteria - the Goddess of the Stars, were played by two other supporting actresses, Allyson strongly believed that they didn’t do justice to their roles at all; she, Allyson Carmichael, could’ve enacted all three Goddesses to perfection if only Vivian, their bitch of a Producer, shared her sentiments. 

Still, she had the lead role, and had acquired quite a fan following over the past few months. She also got to make out quite often with her gorgeous male counterpart enacting Greek God, Ares…on stage, and off.

 So Allyson decided to indulge her vanity in private by ordering these three statues; different Goddesses…different roles…one person - Allyson Carmichael.

However, today Allyson was enraged. She had had an awful week and was looking forward to coming home from rehearsals today to her three beautiful Greek Avatars. Instead, those imbeciles had forgotten to deliver the most important statue - Aphrodite. They did however deliver, and carefully place in her penthouse living room, in front of the French windows overlooking her terrace garden, Aphrodite’s sparkly quartz Oyster shell. 

 “It’s pointless arguing with you blue-collared lot,” Allyson rubbed her temples. “I’d like it delivered tonight please. What? No! Not tomorrow! Not next week! Tonight! Tonight! I don’t care how late. This is New York goddamitt! The city that never sleeps! Tonight!” 

 Her perfect 36C chest heaved with exertion.

 “What? 11pm? Can’t you make it sooner? I’m a Broadway actress…I need my sleep! Okay then, I’ll get someone to let you in. Please ensure that there are no screw-ups this time. I want to see Aphrodite standing in her shell? In-her-shell. Got it? Great! Goodbye. Thanks for ruining my day!”

 Allyson slammed her phone down on the console table and flung herself onto the couch.

 She glanced at a silver framed photograph of her well-dressed and well-preserved parents, whose smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes.

 Sighing, Allyson curled up on the couch like a child. “ Where are you mother when I need you?” she whispered. A tear trickled down her cheek. 

 Where were you mother, when I needed you all those years ago? She thought.

 For a few minutes, Allyson felt sorry for herself. Then, as an idea crossed her mind, she perked up. There was another 5 hours until her statue was delivered, and her Aphrodite costume had just been altered and was begging to be tried on.

 Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Allyson hurried to the bedroom.

***

Dmitri scanned the deserted basement as he dismounted the Harley. Even if anyone did wander in here, they wouldn’t notice the bike concealed within a dingy alcove of paint peeled bricks. He slipped off his helmet and creaked the knots out of his neck.  Tall, powerfully built, with heavy-lidded eyes, full unsmiling lips, and dressed the way he was, all in black; black jeans, leather jacket, biker boots; Dmitri resembled a contemporary Mafia gang member.

 He heaved a long black tote bag across his shoulders, and made his way over to a rickety service elevator shaft. 

 He punched the button on the wall.  A few seconds later, a groaning creak wafted from down below. 

 Dmitri was relieved – the electric lines hadn’t been cut yet. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he began the slow journey thirty floors up.

***

“ Sorry sorry sorry…so very sorry!” Javier panted as he rushed up the entrance steps and dramatically dunked his knapsack behind the Concierge desk. He didn’t look sorry at all, thought Marvin. He stared dispassionately at Javier checking himself out in the gilt mirror on the wall as he buttoned up his uniform jacket, all the while chewing like a cow on the wad of gum in his mouth. The front of his hair had been gelled and puffed up; he resembled an un-feathered Cockatoo. 

“Well?”

“Well…” Javier smoothened his eyebrows, pouted his lips as he rolled some lip-gloss across them. 

 “I had a thing, Sir,” He grinned at Marvin.

 Marvin snorted loudly. A thing? Javier’s generation always had a ‘thing’. 

 “Lose that gum right now,” barked Marvin.

 Javier complied immediately. 

 “The delivery van’s been and statues delivered up to the Penthouse. They’re bringing another delivery later tonight,” Marvin was all strict business, as he got ready to leave. “Miss Carmichael created a ruckus because they forgot one statue. Expect them anytime between 11 and 11.30pm.” 

 Javier rolled his eyes theatrically.

 “Yes, I know,” Marvin said as he exchanged his Uniform jacket for a sports-jacket, “But, money talks. And besides, her father owns the place, so what little Princess wants, little Princess gets.”

 Javier smirked.  “Little princess indeed!” Marvin shrugged and started down the stairs.

 “Enjoy your evening Sir,” Javier cast longing glances at the mirror behind him. He could see the beginnings of a zit on his chin and wanted to examine it further.

 Halfway down the stairs, Marvin paused and turned around.

 “Oh, and Javier?”

 Javier immediately shoved the half opened pack of chewing gum back into his pocket, an action that didn’t escape Marvin’s eagle eye, but as it was late, he chose to ignore it.

 “Yes Sir?”

 “This could be important. Keep an eye out for a black Harley lurking around…its rider is dressed all in black and appears quite well built. The camera system in the whole condo is on the blink and as it’s the weekend tomorrow, they’ll have it fixed only by Monday. The occupants have already been informed about this technical fault earlier today.”

 “Black Harley? Well-built?” Javier’s eyes twinkled.

 Marvin nodded impatiently. “Miss Carmichael had complained about being stalked, so do pay close attention to who enters and leaves this doorway. All visitors must sign in and out. Don’t forget, no cameras, extra vigilance. 

Capish?”

 Javier gave Marvin a mock salute as his mind conjured up a well-built Harley rider asking him out on a date.

 “And Javier?” Marvin sighed. “Please lose the eyeliner…it doesn’t quite go with the uniform.” 

 Marvin prided himself on not being a bigot, but really, eyeliner? He was quite accepting of a lot of new age fads, including men with ponytails and jewelry, but he most certainly drew the line at men with makeup. No clowns on his watch thank you very much.

***

 Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ streamed through Dmitri’s cell-phone, as he lovingly polished a heavy black Makarov pistol with a black bandana. He held the pistol up against a single bare bulb dangling above his head. “Ah beauty! I never had chance to use you in army. Now I have chance. Good good chance. A beauty for a beauty. Poetic justice no? Eh Tchaikovsky?”

Dmitri laughed uproariously at his own joke and moved across the dirt floor to the bare window where he had set up a telescope.  He adjusted the telescopic sight until the Redstone penthouse was clear.  Allyson, magnified in the telescope visor, was dressed in her sheer Aphrodite costume. She twirled with outstretched arms amidst the statues, her face wreathed in smiles.

***

The sheer white gossamer chiffon of Allyson’s Aphrodite costume draped her curves provocatively. She wore nothing underneath. Long golden curls swung wild as she twirled and preened amidst the Greek Statues in her living room.  She climbed into the Oyster shell and struck a dramatic pose.  “ I am Aphrodite, goddess of Love and Beauty. And I am completely yours O Great Ares. What?!?” Allyson mock gasped, “Insecure and jealous? Oh powerful God of war, your words are cruel and unjust. I know not any jealousy, for with you there’s only passionate love!” Allyson felt like a Goddess. She was a Goddess. 

 Everyone thought so…all those admirers and fans. And Nik. 

 Her face fell as she was reminded about her boyfriend, soon to be ex-boyfriend, Nikolas Tzavaras. “Oh Nik, I love you but you’re just not good enough anymore”, Allyson whispered as she slowly sank down into the oyster shell and curled into a foetal position. 

 On the console table, a framed photo of Nik and Allyson in happier times taunted her. Nik was so adoring – like a puppy. It made her feel guilty for cheating on him, and she, Allyson, wasn’t used to feeling that way.  Well, she reasoned, it wasn’t her fault he’d walked in on them. He should’ve knocked before barging into her dressing room clutching that silly rose he always insisted on giving her. 

She didn’t even like roses, she preferred Orchids. But Nik, dear persevering yet dumb Nik, could never get it right.  She suddenly giggled and blushed as delicious memories of that night came gushing back. Strong, manly, and slightly spaced-out Karl, who commanded all his performers in that deep, sexy, gruff voice.  Allyson shivered with pleasure. 

 Hmmm, one more night of that masochistic lovemaking and…but no…no no no. She couldn’t risk getting kicked off the show. After all, she was the star. And Karl’s bitch of a wife was already making her life on stage a bit miserable. Washed out old hag! 

Allyson grinned. She leapt to her feet and facing the window, sensuously stretched her arms in a wide arc above her head.

***

Dmitri moaned. “Ahhhh Allyson…my little bird. Why you tease me!” He punched the raw brick wall in angry frustration, then groaned in pain and licked his bleeding knuckles. 

Moving back to the rickety workman’s table, Dmitri quickly wound the black bandana around his injured hand, and shoved the gun under his jacket into the waistband of his jeans.

“I teach you a lesson you bitch! Nobody treat Dmitri this way. You bitch with beautiful hair and beautiful breasts…I come for you. First…first I have small drink…then I come for you.”

Dmitri pulled out a bottle of vodka from the tote bag and a grocery bag of tomatoes. He chugged deeply from the bottle and crammed a small tomato in his mouth.  Vodka and tomato juice dribbled down his chin and onto his t-shirt.

***

Allyson’s cell-phone beeped incessantly.  She ignored it for as long as she could. Finally, groaning in annoyance, she clambered out of the oyster shell and grabbed it. 5 missed calls from Nik, 3 from Karl’s bitch of a wife, Vivian, and 1 from Karl.  Allyson was tempted to return Karl’s call, but changed her mind and dialed Cara’s number instead.

“Cara! Hey, those idiots forgot Aphrodite and are supposed to redeliver by 11. Yeah, yeah I know it’s only 7, but I’ve just popped a Valium yeah crazy day huh? Tell me about it! What was that Russian brute thinking? As if I would ever with him euuuu! Too bad they didn’t keep him locked up in there longer. He’s probably out already stealing more panties. Euuuu!” Allyson laughed in response to something Cara said at the other end of the line.

 “And oh before I forget get this Nik proposed to me today after rehearsals! I know! After the scene he created with Karl the nerve! Anyway, I’ve forbidden him to come near me for a while. No, I don’t think I’m being too extreme. You should’ve seen him he was like a wild animal.  Karl almost lost a tooth. Oh yeah, I forgot that you were there. That was one huge rock! And knowing Nik, it was genuine Tiffany Cara! You’re terrible! Of course I refused!”

 Allyson laughed heartily.

 “Cara listen, need a favour hun hate to bother you but, I’m exhausted out of my mind could you supervise the delivery men when they get here the key’s in the usual place…just make sure they put the statue inside the shellthose retards can’t seem to get anything right! Thanks darlin. Oh, and hey, I’m planning to officially break up with Nik tomorrow at lunch you’re welcome to take him back if you like I really won’t mind!”

Allyson chuckled.

 “Cara? You still there? Hello? Oh! Thought I’d lost you for a minute. Well, gotta run, valiums working its magic! Love you too! Ta ta!”

Allyson moved into her bedroom, leaving her phone on the console table. She was too tired to change out of her costume and fell into bed dressed as she was. Life was sweet, she thought sleepily, and pulled the duvet around her. Exactly how it always was, and exactly how it always will be. 

 She smiled angelically as the valium fogged up her senses.

***

Javier turned the magazine page and giggled.   “Oh come on Cosmo, you can’t be serious!” he giggled again and rolled his eyes. Footsteps hurried up the Redstone steps. Javier quickly stuffed the Cosmo magazine under the desk and pulled out the visitor’s ledger.

“Oh, hi Nik!” Javier simpered at the tall, athletic Adonis-reincarnated with chiseled features. Nikolas Tzavaras, a bit distracted, nodded politely at Javier and signed the visitor’s ledger. Javier ached to run his fingers through that gorgeous mane of thick red-gold hair.  And oh, those clean, manicured beautifully shaped hands holding a single rose, so thoughtfully wrapped in protective cling-wrap…Miss Carmichael was a lucky girl indeed.  Javier sighed. He really did appreciate the modern metrosexual who wasn’t afraid to go the extra mile to look good.  As Nik moved towards the elevators, Javier leaned over the desk to admire his well-toned butt.

***

Opposite the Redstone, in Dmitri’s hideout, Tchaikovsky belted out The Nutcracker.  Dmitri, in a jolly mood, belted out guttural sounds in discordant synchrony with The Nutcracker.  The front of his T-shirt was stained with the pulpy tomato juice. And the empty vodka bottle reflected the light from the overhead bulb. The telescope, momentarily forgotten, was pointed towards Allyson’s darkened bedroom.

***

Through the thick fog in her brain, Allyson heard her phone ringing in the living room. Then the doorbell buzzed several times. Damn those moronic deliverymen! Allyson raised her head groggily and glanced at the illuminated alarm clock on her bedside table.  

8.30pm. 

She groaned as they could never get anything right; those idiots were early. Oh well, let Cara take care of it.  She reached for her phone to call Cara, and then remembered that she’d left it in the living room. Meanwhile the doorbell stopped buzzing.  Allyson dozed off again.

A short while later, 9pm to be precise, Allyson was disturbed by the muffled sound of a door opening and shutting.  “Cara?” she called out. She heard only silence. Must be someone else’s door, she thought. Allyson dozed for a while, and then, unable to sleep fitfully, she decided to get out of bed and paint her nails.

***

“Oh my princess awake!” Dmitri stumbled to the telescope.  Allyson’s bedroom light was on. “Yes, my beautiful bitch, paint your nails red soon to match your white dress also red!” Dmitri chuckled.  “She moves!” Dmitri dragged the telescope to another opening further down in the wall and focused on Allyson’s living room. “Ah my Goddess, laughing with your friends? But they don’t laugh back. You silly cow! Ohhhh I still want you!” He looked his wristwatch. 10.30pm.

 “The night is still young I wait my turn woahhh!”  Dmitri’s target, the Redstone, was suddenly cloaked in thick darkness.  He adjusted the telescope and cursed; he couldn’t see a thing. “My princess don’t be afraid. I come. I come now!” Dmitri hurried away from his hideout.

 ***

“ Gawwwwwd! No fucking way!!!” The Redstone was suddenly blanketed in darkness. Javier fumbled around in the dark for the emergency flashlight. He grumbled and cursed as he bumped his head several times and knocked over the chair.  “Come on come on come on. Generator where the fuck are you, Ah!” Javier found the elusive flashlight and turned it on. He waited for the main Generator system to kick in.  It didn’t. The clock chimed 10.30 pm. The deliverymen would arrive in 30 minutes. Javier groaned and reluctantly dragged himself through the main doors.

On his way to the stairwell, he collided into someone coming through the stairwell doors and panting hard. Javier immediately held the flashlight up.

 “Oh Nik! It’s you! Are you…are you okay?” Nik looked distraught and his eyes were bloodshot. “Sorry, gotta go,” Nik shoved past Javier and rushed towards the main doors. Javier ran after him. “Hey Nik! Don’t forget to sign out! Hey!” But Nik vanished like a lightening bolt through the doors, slammed into his car across the street, and screeched off into the night.

“Dickhead! More money than brains,” cursed Javier as he gingerly made his way down three flights of stairs towards the Power room.

***

Thirty minutes later, Javier picked at his zit in the mirror behind the desk. The power was back on.  Javier felt very clever. He’d figured out the problem and solved it, without bugging Marvin, for once. He leaned closer to the mirror and frowned in concentration. Just his luck, he thought, to get a zit the size of China one day before his hot weekend date with… Whatsisname?

 Just as Javier was wondering what time the deliverymen would show up, he heard a familiar sound of the elevator doors opening. 

 Dmitri burst out the doors and ran down the stairs.

 Javier frowned as he checked the ledger. Nik was the last sign in.

 “Hey! Hey you! You have to sign in and out,” yelled Javier.

Dmitri, red-faced and crazy-eyed, swiveled around.  His jacket swung open revealing the gleaming revolver tucked in the band of his jeans. Javier squealed and leaped for cover under the desk. 

For the first time in his life, Javier, born to staunch Roman Catholic parents, prayed.

A few minutes later, a bike roared powerfully in the distance.

***

 Nora was grumpy as she heaved her girth out of the elevators.  Not because she was middle-aged, still single, and overweight. Not even because she was an underpaid overworked housemaid who cleaned houses for rich lazy people.  Nora was grumpy because it was a Saturday morning, and her spoilt employer, young enough to be her daughter, had commanded her to come in to work over the weekend. 

Nora clutched her big sensible handbag and muttered in Spanish, probably cursing her employer, as she approached the front door of the Penthouse. 

She frowned.  The door was ajar.  Pushing it further open, she entered cautiously.

“Miss Ally-son?”

Nora surveyed the silent living room. 

She gasped. At the far end of the living room, in front of the French windows, the Greek Goddess statues had been transformed into ethereal glowing beings; sunlight streaming through the windowpanes glittered like stars on their gossamer quartz robes.

 Nora, exclaiming loudly in Spanish, waddled as quickly as her girth would permit her to waddle towards the windows, stopping only once and very briefly, to pick up something from the floor and pitch it into the waste-bin in the kitchen en-route.

 She finally reached her destination, and breathing heavily, gazed reverently up at the Greek goddesses immortalized in pure white stone.

 “You look just like Miss Ally-son…but more beautiful!”

 Athena and Asteria smiled condescendingly down at Nora.

 For a few minutes Nora was transported to another realm where Heavenly beauties resided, herself included, and no one cleaned houses for a living. 

 She was rudely transported back to reality when a stain on the floor near the statues caught her eye. Nora was aghast; she had spent the better part of yesterday polishing that same floor in preparation for Miss Ally-son’s statues. This was really too much!

Nora cursed as she slowly got down to her knees to examine the stain. It was a spatter of dry rust colored drops, concentrated closer to the Oyster shell. She rubbed at one smear and then wrinkled her nose as she sniffed her finger. The smell was vaguely familiar. 

Suddenly Nora noticed the Oyster shell; so taken up had she been by the statues when she first walked in that she hadn’t seen it then. She half shuffled, half crawled on her chubby knees to get a closer look. Clutching its rim, Nora heaved herself almost upright and peeped inside, hoping to see another Heavenly beauty.

Instead, Allyson a rather dead Allyson stared up at Nora with a frozen scream on her face and red-varnished fingertips curled like desperate talons.  Nora fainted.

 ***

 Two days later…

 Thirty one year old Theo sat alone at the bar, nursing a cold beer. He was attractive in a scruffy un shaved kind of way- tousled dark hair, faded, ripped jeans and a faded T-shirt added to his sex appeal. A football match blared from the wall-mounted television behind the bar counter. The pub, to  G.I. Joe’s- namesake of the owner and head bartender, Joe, who was an army veteran and a retired cop- had exactly 10 customers; a few aged veterans who were die hard loyalists to G.I.Joe’s, and a couple of tough tattooed factory workmen. In the corner of the pub, an old jukebox coughed out a medley of 60’s music.Theo noticed her first as she walked in through the door. She looked completely out of place in her simple but expensive clothes- black jeans and a matching tank top- and well-maintained hair. Conversations ceased and all heads swiveled in her direction; strangers, especially young pretty brunettes were a rarity at G.I.Joe’s. Scanning the smoky room a bit hesitantly, she finally settled herself in a secluded corner booth. For a few seconds, Theo observed her gazing listlessly at the menu on the table, and then, losing interest, he turned his attention back to the football match. Joe threw Theo an annoyed glance before walking over to the woman.

 “What’ll it be, Miss?” asked Joe politely.

 “Whiskey, please. Double. No rocks,” the woman smiled up weakly at Joe.

 Joe was take aback, not as much by her bold order at 2pm; Joe didn’t normally care what his customers drank and when they drank it; but by the painful expression in her beautiful green eyes and the tired dark circles beneath them.

 “Anything else, Miss?”

 The woman declined and went back to studying the menu.

 “Double whiskey coming right up,” Joe looked a bit worried as he returned to the bar.

 “Everything okay, Joe?” asked Theo.

 “Not sure,” Joe frowned as he poured out a whiskey. “Something’s up…I’ve seen that look before…she’s afraid.”

 Theo twisted slightly in his seat to get a better look at the woman. She was staring out the window at nothing in particular. 

 Theo turned back to the bar and stared at the whiskey glass in front of him. “Sorry, didn’t order this. Too early, too hard.”

 “Not for you numnuts, for her.” Joe clucked in mock exasperation.

 Theo just stared at Joe and sipped slowly at his beer.

 Joe stared back at him, not about to be swayed. “Go on.”

Theo turned his attention firmly back to the television.

“Take it to her. Find out what’s wrong. At least try to talk to her?” Joe persisted.

“Why are you doing this?” asked Theo. “I’m not a cop anymore, Joe this isn’t my problem.”

“There could be a case here. You need this son!”

Joe sighed and tried a different tactic. “Look at her. She’s pretty…and vulnerable…can you resist helping out a damsel in distress?”

Theo struggled to maintain his stoic expression.

 “Did I mention that she’s got these gorgeous green eyes that make her look so”

“Yeah yeah I know!” Theo caved in. “Pretty and vulnerable!” He picked up the whiskey and grinned at Joe. “I’ll check it out, but this’ll cost ya.”

Joe rolled his eyes, secretly pleased. “I’ll add it to the tab.”

“And tell her it’s on the house!” he called out as Theo walked away.

 The woman, lost in her own private reverie didn’t hear Theo addressing her. He cleared his throat and placed the glass of whiskey in front of her. She stiffened and flashed startled eyes at him.

 “Didn’t mean to startle you here’s your drink.”

 The woman looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I was just…” her voice trailed off uncertainly.

 “It’s on the house by the way. Compliments of Joe, proprietor of this fine establishment.” Theo smiled.

 “Oh how kind! Thank you.” She raised the glass and gave Joe a ‘thanks for the drink’ gesture. She sipped slowly and Theo made to leave. Joe shot him a stern look from across the bar. Theo immediately pulled up a chair and sat down.

 “Is everything okay? Joe seems worried about you…does he have reason to be?”

 The woman just stared at her glass, tracing patterns on its moist surface with her finger.

 “Look,” sighed Theo, “ Joe won’t let me leave this table until I find out what or who is upsetting you. Can you help me out here?” he looked appealingly at the woman.

She relented with a small smile.

“That’s better. Now can you tell me where this jerk lives, so Joe and I can pay him a visit?”

The woman looked at Theo gratefully. “It’s not…it’s not about a guy…well, not the way you and Joe think anyway. It’s my…” She lowered her gaze, unable to complete her sentence. Theo waited patiently.  

“It’s my sister. She was murdered two days ago and the police still have no clue who did it and they’re thinking of closing the case.” The words came tumbling out. “I don’t think that’s something you or Joe can help me with.” The woman’s shoulders slumped and she looked away towards the window.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Theo glanced across at the bar and caught Joe’s puzzled frown. He took a deep breath. “Maybe I can help.”

 “Really?” The woman sat up and looked intently at Theo. “ You catch murderers for a living?”

 “Only on my good days,” replied Theo and slid a Business card across the table towards her. “Theo Black, Private Investigator.” He stretched his hand out.

The woman shook his hand, a bit dazed. “Cara. Cara Carmichael.”

 Theo leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Don’t worry, Cara, we’re going to find your sister’s murderer.” Cara’s handbag vibrated on the table. She rummaged inside it and pulled out her cell-phone.

 “Hello?” asked Cara. 

 Cara frowned, “Yes, this is Cara Carmichael. No, I haven’t. What! Are you sure? 

 Theo was alerted to Cara’s sudden agitation.

 She fiddled nervously with a paper napkin and her fingers clutching the phone were tense. “I’m out at the moment…okay…I’ll get back to you as soon as I hear anything. Thank you. Goodbye” 

 Cara slumped across the table with a groan.

 “What is it?” asked Theo, now really concerned.

 Cara sat up slowly and inhaled deeply, her eyes brimming with tears.

 “Cara?” Theo touched her hand gently.

 “Nik my sister Ally’s boyfried ex-boyfriend. He’s missing. One thing after another this is crazy!” Cara grabbed a napkin from the table and dabbed her eyes. She noticed Theo staring at her with narrowed eyes.

 “What?” she asked.

 “Think he did it?”

 “I…I don’t know. I don’t know what to think anymore. That was the officer on the case…he asked if I’d heard from Nik as they needed to question him and couldn’t find him anywhere.” Cara scrunched up the used napkin and grabbed another.

 Theo was charged up; every cell in his body had slipped comfortably into Private Investigator mode. His eyes glittered as his brain sifted through various possible scenarios. 

 “Alright. Think he’s missing because he’s dead?”

 “I hope not,” gasped Cara, and took a deep gulp from her whiskey. 

 “Hmmm…interesting,” said Theo calmly. “Let’s find out, shall we?

*To be continued, By,  You. 

We have this mystery covered till here, Click on the start writing button to give this Mystery Machine your flavour and direction. 

Who do you think killed Allyson Carmichael?  Was it Dmitri? Or was it Javier? Cara or Nik? Get cracking on this mystery challenge.

Make it yours, Make it exciting.  Enjoy the adventure!