#ShortStoryNight!!! Who Killed Annabel? Episode 1

story written by Carina Jacobs

  My name is Ross Johnson. I'm a detective. Myself and my partner of
two years detective Alero Martins has been assigned to solve the
sudden death of a twenty eight years old lady who was shot twice at
the back of her head at a bushy environment. The victim's bag was found by her

side at the crime scene where her body layed down on the ground
lifeless. Comestics, international passport, an iPhone 5 and two
thousand dollars were found inside it. She must have been a rich woman
to have such an amount of money with her. I thought.

  "This doesn't look like a robbery, her valuables are still intact."
Alero said. "This is murder."
   I agreed with her. She was right.

   I drove down with my partner to the victim's house, a magnificent
one storey building in a serene vicinity. We got down from the car and
knocked on the gate. A lady, younger than the victim, dressed in a
brown fitted short gown, wore high heel sandals, with a handbag on her
hand opened and approached us. She appeared like someone going out.
   "Good morning." detective Alero greeted her. "We are from the state
CID." We showed our badges.
   The girl's eyes widened. "I hope all is well?" she asked.
   "This should be the residence of miss Anabel Momoh right?"
   "Yes it is." she replied.
   I asked if we could all go in to talk better. She agreed and lead
the way in. We all sat down. I said to her. "I'm detective Ross and
here with me is my partner detective Alero." The lady introduced
herself as Onome.
   "The main reason we both came here is to find out things about miss
Anabel." I said. "Her body was found dead. We believe she was
murdered."

   "What!!" Onome exclaimed in shock. "Are you sure? This could be a
mistake, maybe you are mistaking her to be someone else. It's
impossible!"

  "I'm sorry Onome." Alero said pitifully. "Anabel is truly dead. She was shot."

  Onome rose up, shaking as tears began to flow. She couldn't hold her
emotions, she was sobbing very loud.

   "I'm sorry for your loss miss Onome but we need you to calm down."
detective Alero said, stood up and walked towards Onome to console
her. "Please put yourself together."

   I, detective Ross stared at them dispassionate. It was none of my
buisness, all I intend to do was find out some vital informations
about the victim and get the hell out of this place. I too was going
through a hard time, a messy divorce. My third in eleven years. I'm
not proud of it but glad I was getting out of it. Despite being a good
looking man, I've never been lucky with love. Alero was able to take
Onome back to her sitting position. She sat close to her.

   "When last did you see her?"detective Alero asked. Onome sniffs her
nose and wipes away the tears on her face with her hand.

   "Three days ago." she replied in a brittle voice. Her eyes were
already red and swollen.
   "Where?"

   "Here at home. She left in the evening and we spoke on the phone at
night and that was the last time we talked."

   "How are you related to the victim?" I asked her.

   She glares at me with anger in her eyes. "Victim? Her name was
Anabel! Anabel Momoh was her name!" she yelled at me and started
sobbing again. My partner's eyes fell on me.

   I looked away. "I'm sorry." I apologised.

   Alero looks up at me. "Anabel is...was my friend." she said. "She
was like an elder sister to me."
   "So you both are not in anyway related?" I asked. She said no. I
continued to talk. "Her valuables were intact. Her phone battery was
dead so we were not able to access through it. A relation will be
needed to collect them but we shall remain with her phone as we
investigate. We will like to know the last person she spoke to. Is she
the owner of this house?"

   "No." she said. "Her aunt who lives in Germany is the rightful
owner but handed over the keys  to Anabel before she travelled four
years ago."

    "What does Anabel do for a living or is she still in
school?"detective Alero asked calmly.

    Onome shrugged. "None." she said. "Myself and Alero were
surprised. So I asked the next question.

    "Two thousand dollars was found in her bag. How come she had such
a huge amount of money with her?"

   "Her aunt abroad do send her money." She clears her throat and coughed.

   "Do you work?"

   "Yes. I'm a caterer." she said and signed. "I can't believe my best
friend is gone! How do I break this sad news to her aunt?" she asked
herself.

   "How come you live with her?" I asked.

   "I had accomodation problem with my parents." she answered. "Anabel
told me I could live with her since she lived here alone."

   "So how long have you lived here?"

   "A year and few months now." she replied.

   "Do you have any idea who would do this to her?"

   She shook her head. "Not at all. Anabel was a good person! She was
very kind."

   "Was Anabel in a relationship?" detective Alero asked her.

   She gave a shrug. "Yes she was." Her hands jerked. She seems
nervous. "He's name is Federick Okoh." Alero asked for his number and
how we could locate him. She took out a replica phone like the
victim's own and called out his number. Alero punched the number on
her own handset.

   "Apart from you does Anabel have any other friends?"

   "Yes she had other friends but I honestly don't know them
personally." she said. "I only know one of them and her name is Sarah.
I don't even have her contact but you can ask Anabel's boyfriend,
maybe he will have it."

   "There's a question I skipped. Didn't you get worried not to have
seen your friend for two days?"

   She smiled weakly. "I had no reason to get worried. Anabel can be
gone for a week, two weeks or even more without keeping in touch.
She's a big girl and capable of taking care of herself. I had no
reason to worry."

   "No problem."

   "Can I ask a question?"

   "What about her body and belongings, how do I get them?"

   I glared at detective Alero. She gave her an answer. "You can come
to the station for her valuables but the body has been taken to a
nearby hospital close to the station for an autopsy."

   Onome eyes blinked. "An autopsy? I thought you said she was shot?"

   I quickly answered. "Yes she was shot but there are other things we
need to confirm. Whenever we are done you will have access to her
body."

   "That' not a problem." Onome said. "As long as it will help
captured who killed my friend."

   I and Alero rose on our feet and informed her we will continue to
investigate and find out who murdered her friend. I handed her my card
incase she remembers anything that can help the investigation. As we
walked towards the door, accompanied by Onome, I turned to her
direction.
   "Where were you through out yesterday?" I asked.

   Her left eyebrow raised. "At home alone." she replied.

   "So you have no alibi?"

   "What is that suppose to mean detective?" she asked. Her eyes
turned cold. I could see how furious she was with me. I cared less.

   "We will be in touch." I said and turned to walk out with detective
Alero. The victim's friend Onome suddendly tapped me lightly on my
shoulder. I turned and asked what the problem was. She murmured but I
couldn't hear her clearly. She seems uncomfortable with what ever was
about to spill out from her mouth. My concerned partner motioned
towards Onome, held her left hand. I always wondered why Alero choose
to be a detective because she was a soft and emotional person.

   "If there's anything else you would like to let us know please tell
us, you don't have to be scared." she said in a softened tone.

   "I'm not scared." she said. "I'm only bothered that you might find
out something about her I am ashamed to say."

   "What is it?" I curiously asked her.

   Her facial expression changed into a sad one. Her eyes dripped down
with tears. She wipes it off angrily and said to us with no sign of
grief.

    "Anabel was a prostitute."


To be continued....