Murder Mystery Part 10

Everything falls into place for Avery, finally!

It's almost over! Just one more part to write!


As Avery approached the beach a great hulk of a man sat at the edge of the water. Avery approached him slowly. At first it appeared the man was laughing to himself about something. His giant shoulders trembled and convulsed. But as Avery approached it became apparent that the great man was actually crying.

Avery tried to sneak away but the man looked up and saw him.

"Oh, Mr. Simmons. I'm sorry, I was just."

Avery was at a loss for words. He recognized the man but not sure from where.

"Its, uh, ok."

"It's me. Ivan. The grounds keeper."

"Oh. How are you?" Avery immediately regretted asking the question.

Ivan looked out at the sea before him. He looked surprisingly vulnerable for a beast of his size and stature. "I'm... not good." He continued to stare out at sea. "She left me."

"Who?"

"Christine. My fiance."

"Christine Prim?"

"Yes, she's a server here at the resort. She left me today."

Against his instinct to flee from emotional conversation, Avery sat down next to Ivan. He noticed Ivan held a camera in his hands.

"I don't know what I did wrong." Ivan looked at Avery. "I gave her everything. I would do anything for her." Ivan looked at the camera briefly. "Anything."

"She didn't tell you why she left you?"

"She said she found the man she was supposed to be with. But how can that be? I'm the man she's supposed to be with!" Ivan began to cry again. Avery felt more uncomfortable but he resisted the urge to run. Ivan wiped his tears away messily. "I did everything for her!"

"Like what?"

"Like-" Ivan stopped and looked at the camera. He shoved the camera at Avery. On the tiny LCD screen was a photo. It was taken at the resort, the same place Kimberly Douglas' body washed ashore. The resort looked almost magical. Something in the corner of the picture caught Avery's eye. A knife gleamed from behind a dark bush. Avery thought hard about the area Kimberly Douglas' body washed ashore. He didn't recall a bush. He took another look and realized the dark mass was a man carrying a stabbing a knife downward.

"This..." Avery looked at the camera. It must be what Glen Endritch wanted to show him, what Glen was killed over. Avery looked Ivan in the eye.

Tears streamed down the giants face. Guilt and heartbreak permeated his features. Ivan burst into tears and hugged Avery.

Avery felt like he was suffocating. Ivan's bear like arms crushed him to his chest as he wept. Avery could feel Ivan's body quaking. After a moment Ivan released and Avery fell back onto the sand. He looked up at the sky.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Simmons. I'm so sorry."

Avery picked himself up and dusted himself off. "Tell me what exactly happened Ivan." Avery pulled out his notebook and monogram pen.

Ivan wiped his nose and cleared his throat. "Last night Christine came to me. She asked me if I loved her. I said 'Yes, of course.' But she kept asking me how much. After I told her I'd do anything, she told me she had drugged the girl. She asked me to kill her, to prove my love." Ivan's eyes narrowed. "She said she had insulted her honor. That I needed to defend it. She gave me a knife from the kitchen and sent me to the beach. She said make sure she was dead, and let the body wash out to sea."

"And later you found it washed back?"

"No. I couldn't just let the body wash away. She was someone's child. They deserve to know she had died. I don't know why. I had to do it."

Avery was surprised to hear about this sudden conscience. "But you killed her."

"I did." Ivan looked at his feet, tears began to stream again. "For her." Ivan wept openly. "And now she left me!"

Avery shook his head. He didn't expect this case to end with a confession like this. He'd take him in for further questioning and he'd be convicted by morning.

"Avery! I've got important news!" Daniel Watson came running up the beach. Avery almost felt sorry the kid was here after it was all over. "I just talked with the coroners office. Apparently the victim didn't die from drowning, or stabbing. She had been suffocated to death."

Ivan looked at Daniel confused. "No." he stated. "I killed her. I stabbed her."

"Uh.." Daniel looked at Avery for help.

Avery stepped between the two. "Ivan has confessed to the murder of the girl."

"But, she was suffocated. At least an hour before the stab wounds."

Ivan looked at Avery. "How is this possible?"

"It means she was dead when you took her body to the beach, Ivan."

"So, I didn't kill the girl?"

"You're still an accessory to murder and you withheld information from authorities so you'll still go to jail I'm afraid. But it means your ex-fiance will be facing a murder charge." Avery turned to Daniel. "Watson, place Ivan under arrest and take him to the precinct for questioning. I have to meet with Mz. Prim."