First Comes Murder

Chapter Five

Quick Author’s Note:

I just want to clarify that I do tend to type chapters on my phone on the Wattpad app. If I am typing on my phone, the chapter will be really short. I apologize for that because it is not as easy as you may think by typing on my phone. It is very easy to type on a laptop. Therefore, I will try my hardest to constrain my writings to my laptop to lengthen and add quality to the story. Ok, I’m done typing this note. Enjoy this chapter!!!!

Chapter Five

MAGGIE’S POV

Two days had passed since I answered questions about my parent’s murder. I was discharged from the hospital this morning for my parent’s funeral this afternoon. My Aunt Claire bought a dress for me to wear. It was a simple black dress that stopped at my knees. It was cinched in at the waist and had high neck line with an eyelet slit on the back. I felt it was too fancy and nice for such a dreadful day. I didn’t feel like doing much for my appearance, but my aunt knew my mother would be livid with me if I showed up a mess to her funeral. So, Aunt Claire curled my waist length brunette hair into loose waves and pinned the front back out of my face. I was always big into makeup, but I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. I just simply put on some waterproof black mascara and I was set to attend an event that I didn’t want to go to.

Aunt Claire and I, along with her son, Jaime, and her second husband, Paul, rode in a limo all the way to the church I had attended every Sunday with my mother and father. It was packed once we arrived. Almost every citizen of Alexander City was in attendance. It hurt to walk up the stairs with broken ribs. All that could be done for them was to have my chest wrapped tightly in ace bandages. I took some pain pills before leaving Aunt Claire’s house. I held in the tears of pain as I made it to the top of the stairs. The doors were open wide as everyone’s eyes were on me. It seemed every police officer and hospital employee was here. I walked down the aisle with my Aunt’s family following me. I was designated to sit in the front row.

I noticed the young detective Holden was sitting a few rows back next to a beautiful blonde. She was teary eyed, but he didn’t pay her any attention but instead focused on me. It was strange. Why wouldn’t he look away? Am I some sort of freak show now? I noticed he wasn’t the only one looking, everyone was, but he was creepy about it. I turned back to face the caskets in front of me. I asked that they be closed, and I was grateful that I was listened to. There was a big picture frame between the caskets. My mother and father’s most recent family photo was chosen. I began to tear up. It was so hard to see their smiling faces knowing that they were no longer alive to do that anymore. The preacher came to the front of the church. Everyone quietened down. He looked at me and smiled meekly before he began his speech. As their only child, I was asked to come up to the altar and say the eulogy. I had not prepared for this and was taken aback. It took a minute before I stood and slowly and painfully made my way to the altar. I looked upon the crowd of people and took a deep breath.

“Well, I am unprepared, but I believe I can do this for my parents.” I spoke as I continued to look upon the crowd, not sure where to start. “I remember when I was about five years old, daddy brought home the biggest pumpkin I had even seen. It was close to Halloween. At this time he was just a patrol officer. I have no idea how he fit it in his squad car, but somehow he managed. Mom brought out some trash bags and a knife because we were going to carve it for decoration. Daddy called my mom the pumpkin surgeon while I was her assistant. She cut the top off the pumpkin and I helped her pull out the guts. She said that as an assistant, I was the best one she ever had. She and daddy were so happy. Next, she gave me a permanent marker and I got to draw the face for the pumpkin and she carved it out. Daddy took pictures of us while we carved the pumpkin. It was one of my most favorite memories. One of my most cherished. We were a perfect family.” I reminisced a happy time from my life before I headed in a different direction “I cannot believe that I have to refer to my mother and father in past tense. We were the perfect family. No problems. Mom and Dad never had any marriage threatening arguments. They didn’t deserve this. My life has been ruined all because some bastard was pissed off because his dirt bag of a brother died.” I cried out in anger as my Uncle Alex made his way quickly to me before I could fall to the floor in tears.