Bounded Minds: Story Hour!

"Resisting arrest now?"

Abel forcibly spun the kid around and slapped the cuffs on his wrists.

"I can add threatening a police officer and trespassing to the list as well. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say, can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you." Abel intoned, with a bored sound in his voice.

He didn't really intend to charge the kid, he just wanted him off the lawn until he could get a squad car to the house to keep an eye on the place. And he was used to dealing with inner city thugs, sometimes a good scare was all it took to get them on the right path.

"As for your 'double jeopardy,' I don't think I was around here for that trial. That was when I was still in Boston tracking down serial killers," he said as he shoved Joe toward his car.

 

"Hey, Kubi. I know I said I'd take you skateboarding, but something more interesting came up." Tina said. She found Kubi waiting outside, just like she'd told her too."

"Oh okay, what is it? Is it movies? I love movies!" Kubi chirped skipping up to Tina.

Bad choice of words...no way I'm gonna get rid of her now. Because of the promise she made her adopted mother, she didn't let her disappointment show. "Uh, actually. I was thinking more along the lines of...information gathering. Or rather, solving a mystery. But it might be boring...you know alot of sitting, alot of being quiet and what-not. I'm not sure you'd like it."

"*Gasp* A real life mystery!? That sounds fun, ya I'm in and I'll be quite! yep won't say a word not me. Nope! So where we going?" Kubi was almost too excited, and not at all stealthy.

Damn it... To the house people got murdered in last night. All we have to do is follow that group led by none other than the wanna-be-detective himself.

---
Sure enough, Joe and Peter went straight to the crime scene. Tina and Kubi stayed back, watching the group from a distance. It was getting larger. Apparently word had gotten 'round about the investigation.
"What do they think they can do that the police can't?" Tina asked herself more than Kubi. "I imagine that idiot Joe is the one who instigated this whole thing."

Tina glimpsed someone attempting to hide behind a statue. It was Haleigh, and the girl was failing terribly at being inconspicuous. "Follow me, but don't make a sound." Tina said to Kubi quietly, a mischievous smile playing her lips. She dashed forward until she was only a few feet away from Haleigh. Holding her breath she tiptoed until she was right behind the bully.
"It's not very nice to spy, you know." Tina said, probably a little more loudly than she should have.

"But, Tina, aren't we spying too?" Kubi said tilting her head in puzzlement.

Haleigh's slim body jumped out of surprise as she spun on her heel to face the two.
"Yeah, what the foreigner said!" Haleigh scoffed in reply to Kubi. "What are you doing, playing Sherlock and Watson? Or Dumb and Dumber?"

"Funny coming from the person who already took the role of Dumber." Tina replied, completely unfazed by the attempted insult. Then she smiled cruely, "Thought you said you had stuff to do...or wait...let me guess...that was just another lie right. Can't say I'm surprised considering your the queen of gossip and falsehoods. Oh wait, that would be Adelie. You're more like her hand maid."

"Um...guys? Aren't we supposed to spy? Quietly?"

Haleigh's eyes gleamed with malicious intent as she scowled at Tina. "Little foreigner is right, why don't you shut up and get out of my face? I was here first."

Tina crossed her arms, obviously enjoying the rise she was getting out of Haleigh. It was a rare moment, the girl had none of her 'friends' around to back her up. "Fine. Enjoy sleuthing with your bronze boyfriend there." She nodded towards the statue. "Let's go, Kubi. We shouldn't be keeping the handmaid from her duties."
With that she turned around and began heading towards the group down the street.

Kubi followed, but not before turning around and giving a freindly "be seeing you!"

"So Tina why exactly are we spying?"

"We aren't spying. We're investigating." Tina corrected. "Knowledge is power, Kubi. The more you have of it...the safer you are."

Kubi was tempted to ask what investigating was, but thought better of it. "Um..what exactly are we investigating? and what now?"

Tina sighed. The number of questions this girl asked was irritating. Why had Max made her befriend her? Tina's small amount of patience was quickly becoming depleted. "Someone killed a couple people last night, and now someone is missing. That's what me and a couple other students are checking out. Now...no more questions. Just follow quietly and you'll soon understand."

"Uh oh, looks like someone owed a lot of money." She stated causally. Then taking a hint from Tina's glaring shut her lip.

 

I looked at him as he put me in the car. "I haven't trespassed, nor have I threatened you, you're trumping up charges, but you're not going to be charging me, you're too smart for that, you're just buying time until someone can stick around, watch the place, and then be the one in hot water if I enter the crime scene rather than you." I said, not seeming to be intimidated by being placed in a police car. "You'll be letting me out the second that the officer you're putting in charge of the scene comes by." I said, sounding even more bored. "Why are we playing these games Abel, we're just wasting each others time, but you're mainly doing it to yourself by not allowing someone that can definitely help you enter the scene for a few minutes, learn some facts, which we both know I won't reveal to anyone that doesn't need to know and even then I tend to hide facts in order to make them incriminate themselves." I said, not dropping my calm and bored demeanor.

 

Peter heard the commotion from down the street and his eyes widened as he saw Joe getting arrested.

Uh oh….

“Um sir excuse me!” He shouted as ran towards the feuding detectives.

Kelly snorted. “Looks like he brought back up boss.”

Peter slowed as neared them his expression knitted in worry teeth beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“You can’t arrest him!”

 

She should've brought popcorn.

Or at least something to keep her stomach from growling. Haleigh let out a small sigh as she leaned against the statue, watching the scene play before her. Apparently, someone was in deep trouble and it could only be that annoying guy, Joe, who was always where he didn't belong. When sunlight reflected off the handcuffs, Haleigh knew the cop was winning. And right on cue, came the distinct protest of Peter, making the tension grow to a boil.

Yawn.

This was getting boring.

Haleigh turned her attention instead to the house, the cause of the disagreement in the first place. It was a nice humble house, not as big as hers, but...

Wait a minute. Haleigh took in a sharp breath as her eyes roamed towards one of the windows, the one that had lacy pink curtains pulled in front of it. She'd almost broken that window once, she'd hit it with rocks countless times. And on Halloween, eggs...thanks to Terry.

"No way." Haleigh whispered, gripping the shoulder of the statue. Roxy Xalider's house...that was the murder house?

Haleigh wasn't hungry anymore. A lump formed in her throat as her stomach churned inside. The girl she poked fun at, was part of THIS? Thinking back to earlier, Roxy hadn't been at school. That preppy princess sister of hers hadn't been either.

Was Roxy...had she been...?

Snap out of it, Haleigh! She scolded herself, shaking her head. It wasn't the time to make assumptions; she needed the truth. And sure enough, she was hiding only a few yards away from where she could find it.

Haleigh's wide eyes remained on the window as she swallowed hard. No, she couldn't be...

 

“You can’t arrest him!”

Abel, who had just finished putting Joe in the back of his blue Ford Interceptor, looked at the newcomer.

"Now, see.... I can, and I am," he said. "Kelly, can you make sure that we get a car here to watch the place and make sure that Sherlock Jr there doesn't get into the house?"

Kelly nodded and quickly started to make her way over to her car.
Peter shook his head and turned his gaze at the house.

Seemed familiar did he know the people that lived there?

Peter was dragged back into reality by the hard stare Abel was giving him and he replied with an honest smile.

“No this is probably just a misunderstanding. Please sir if you give us a chance I’m sure it can be worked out smoothly.”

Abel continued to look at him hard. This kid had an honest look to him.

"Alright, tell you what. I'll let him go, but only if you promise me that you can keep him away from her for the next hour. If you can promise me you can do that, I'll let him go."

Peter blinked at Abel.
“I’ll do my best sir but we just came here to see if we could help out in anyway.” He admitted. “Is there anything we can do?”

"Do you know the family that lives here?" Abel asked.

Peter took another glance at the house; yes it rang a bell but the bell rang was out of tune.
Who lived here?

Oh God a teacher? Someone from the school? Had to be

Nausea bubbled in the young man’s stomach as his eyes once again met Abel’s.

“I think I might.”

"Are you friends with Stella or Roxy Xalider?"
Peter’s teeth gritted as the words hit his ears as all saliva in his mouth dried in an instant.
Roxy and Stella, oh no they can’t be…..can they?

“What happened!?” He was hyperventilating air heaving in and out of his chest. “W..wha…bu…no” Gibberish is all that followed as searched for more words.

This Is not the supposed to happen!

Not to Roxy or Stella, not to anybody……

Peter’s teeth gritted as the words hit his ears as all saliva in his mouth dried in an instant.

Roxy and Stella, oh no they can’t be…..can they?

“What happened!?” He was hyperventilating air heaving in and out of his chest. “W..wha…bu…no” Gibberish is all that followed as searched for more words.

This Is not the supposed to happen!

Not to Roxy or Stella, not to anybody……

“Um Boss.” Kelly said approaching again. “Do you hear that?”

Music…..

 

Working So Hard Like A SOLIDER!!!

Eddy Grant’s voice was blasting loud enough to send what felt like small tremors through the ground.

The source of this noise was a black car windows rolled down followed by a white van.

The car moved slow as the silhouette in the windshield bobbed his head in rhythm.

Gonna rock down to Electric Avenue!

Finally it pulled up in front of the still shaking Peter and Abel. The music finally clicked off as the car door on the driver’s side swung open.

A kid stepped out, twenty one at least……no maybe even younger than that. His features slim and feminine wiry black hair falling in front of his eyes.

He was short at least 5’4 but fine three piece suit completed him as he sang the next words to the song to the confused faces.

“Working so hard like a soldier.”

Suddenly all the van’s doors opened and five men stepped out.

All of various ages and sizes but each dressed in the same generic brown workers jumpsuits with hats to match.

The men carrying various supplies ranging from sweepers to garbage bags to mops to sponges and just about any product you could name.

‘snik’

Was the only sound was heard as the man in the suit used scissors to cut the yellow tape.

“Clean her up boys!”

The men in the jumpsuits all have their nods and simply started to make their way into the house.

 

Abel was stunned for a moment, not comprehending what was happening.

"Kelly... Kelly! Do not let them in the house!" he shouted. "Who the hell do you people think you are? This is still an active crime scene!" he shouted, trying to get in the way of the men. "I am Detective Abel Jefferson, GBPD, stop what you are doing!"

 

"Woah pops." The suited man said shaking his head his white teeth showing.

"I know you think that title of your makes you pretty cool huh?" He asked

"To bad this active crime scene is my crime scene!" He shouted. "And I'm closing it down!" He took a bow.

"Allow me to introduce myself Agent Eugene Splunkerfoot, I'm a specialist with intelligence."

Eugene studied Abel's still furious face. "Perhaps I should elaborate more?"

 

"Perhaps I should elaborate more?"

"I'm going to need to see your credentials and proof of jurisdiction. Until then, this is still my crime scene," Abel said with venom in his voice.

 

I smiled and used this as an opportunity, I reached into my back pocket and took out a bobby pin and made short work of the handcuffs, luckily for me, Abel had left the door slightly open and I quickly and quietly made my escape from the cop car and quickly circled behind the house, I quickly put on a pair of leather gloves and made short work of the lock. I walked into the house and began going through it as best as I could, hoping that Abel would be able to buy me enough time to find things that they missed, they must have, even one small shred of evidence would help, after all, after these people were finished cleaning the scene, every last shred of evidence would be gone...

 

Eugene reached into his pocket and produced a badge.

Which he tossed to Abel.

The badge seemed official but no intelligence agency was on it.

Eugene's smile never wavered. "We are an independent organization. You don't have to believe me pops but if it makes you feel better I'll put in a call to your station.....or better yet why don't you do it?" He suggested

 

Abel studied the badge for a moment.

"Independent agency my ass. You're going to need a court order to get in there," he said after a moment. "I can smell bulls*** a mile a way, and you wreak of it. Now, show me a court order, or proof of federal jurisdiction, or get off of my crime scene."

It was not lost on Abel that Joe had slipped out of his car. He had a sinking suspicion that this was not going to end well, and anything that kid could glean from the crime scene was more than Abel would have a chance to do if these cleaners made their way through.

 

Once I had gotten inside, I pulled out my phone and texted Abel, I had always found a few ways to get my sources, in this case I used his cell phone to call my own and didn't answer when he saw the suspicious number that he had apparently called, I hoped that he wouldn't change his number. 'Stall them as long as you can, use your incompetence as an advantage, if you don't then they'll destroy whatever evidence is in this house and the truth may be buried forever!', I slid the phone back into my pocket and began my investigation, knowing I couldn't go through the whole house, I could investigate the kitchen, the living room, and possibly one other room if I had enough time.

I looked around the kitchen, being as careful as I could to not to disturb even a speck of dust. Dishes in the sink, probably from this morning's breakfast, I looked over at the kitchen table, signs of a struggle, a pretty strong one, it was broken in half, the chairs around it were toppled over, most likely from whoever had been thrown over it. I next looked at the blood on the floor and the outlines of two people, one was closer to the door, unfortunately I had to use my imagination since I didn't have the bodies, I moved onto the trash and looked inside, nothing, I saw that there was a knife stand, I saw there were a couple missing, I looked in the sink and saw the matching knives, well it wasn't their own knives that did it. "Alright, I'll come back to you two later, I promise." I said quietly.

I proceeded into the living room, it was a complete mess, glass everywhere, pictures scattered, furniture toppled over, the only thing that was missing... "Where's the blood...?" I muttered, I would have thought that this would be the place where the murder took place, but the place was spotless absolutely no blood anywhere, I looked under the furniture, nothing but glass and pennies, I then looked in between the cushions, loose change and lint, I got up and then looked over at the corner, I noticed two markers that the police left there, I walked over and saw blond strands of hair and cigarette ash. "...Hm... something seems off about this." I mumbled, this so far was the only traces that I had seen that the killer left, nothing in the kitchen either. "...The killer was clean, but... his assailant wasn't, I bet that it's from this man in the gray suit." I muttered, thinking back to the reports on television, looking for information on the crime, I continued on and began examining the doors and windows closely, no apparent signs of forced entry, I'll have to ask Abel about prints later.

I looked at the pictures more closely trying to get a grasp on who was affected by this heinous crime. "Huh, it's Roxy, hm... poor girl, losing her parents, so who's missing, you're troublesome sister, or are you?" I mumbled quietly, my expression going soft, something that it never did in front of others, I always kept up this impenetrable wall, always keeping the outward appearance of a cold and calculating detective, not caring about emotions or people and only in cold hard facts. I had to conclude that it was her parents because the outlines weren't the same size as Roxy nor her sister Stella, I didn't know which would be harder, losing the child you've loved, raised, and cared about for years, or losing the people that guided you when you were lost, who gave you strength the strength to continue to fight when you had none, and believed in your dreams, no matter how near unattainable they were. I took a deep breath and wiped away a tear quickly. "Ugh...? Emotions Joseph?" I muttered, steeling myself, I couldn't break down over silly emotions, the facts were that someone killed two people without mercy and was out there somewhere, possibly getting ready to kill again, and I was going to catch them!

I walked back into the kitchen. "Alright, let's go with the facts we have right now, two people, the parents of Stella and Roxy, have been murdered, from the amount of blood around their heads, I'd say that their throats were slit. So let's go into chronological order of events that must have happened from the information that I currently have. One was likely here in the kitchen, the other, somewhere else in the house. The murderer enters from point X, I'll say somewhere in the back of the house to not arouse too much suspicion or attention, or possibly he came in with the victims, meaning that they might have known their killer. The killer enters the kitchen and somehow victim one rushes for the door but the killer is quicker and manages to slit their throat first, I'm going to guess that they fell forward, their head facing down, or the killer positioned it that way quickly and then hid, because this victim let out a cry or the killer did themselves in order to get the second victim to come investigate, when they did come into the kitchen they saw their loved one in a pool of blood face down, unable to see that their throat is slit they go to check in to make sure that they're okay, then the killer took care of the other victim quickly." I mumbled crossing my arms with my eyes shut imagining the whole thing in vivid detail, even the agony and fear engraved on their face as their lights were snuffed out.

I walked into the living room. "So then, the killer... probably changed clothing, they were covered in blood, if they went out then they'd be noticed almost immediately, perhaps they had a bag of some kind to stash the clothing and possibly the murder weapon, I'll have to ask Abel if the murderer's clothing and weapon was found here. But... then someone must have seen what happened and awaited the killer outside, or perhaps the killer lured him inside somehow, that detail will have to be cleared up with testimony and then a fight ensued between the two, the killer managed to incapacitate him, he must have recovered a little later and began to smoke, then the witness came in and he bolted for it." I muttered, some parts were shaky, but of course this was just from my first look around the crime scene.

"Hm... Okay, Doyle, you can check one more room, but not thoroughly, it has to be in and out, you can take anything you deem important, because once they get their hands on it, its existence shall be forever hidden... Eugene Splunkerfoot... let it be known if you obstruct my path to the truth, I will remove you and make sure you remain removed, even if I must make it permanent!" I muttered to myself, the audacity that... that... boy would even be allowed near a crime scene sickened me to the very pit of my soul. I may have butted my way into a crime scene, but I do it so then the truth will make itself be known and justice will spare the innocent and cut through the dark hearts of the guilty with its mighty sword.

I decided to check the girls' bedrooms, I had to check and see if either had ran away and I needed their diaries, if those were the only pieces of evidence that I could possibly get then I had to grab them. I walked into a room, I assumed it was Stella's, decorated nicely, pictures of friends everywhere, I went to the closet and opened it up, I don't think much clothing was missing, the only articles that were missing were likely because they hadn't yet been laundered, I backed away from the closet and closed it and then walked over to her bed and checked under her pillows, nothing. I checked through her drawers and rummaged through them quickly, then I found it, a diary. "Gotcha." I mumbled, I got up and shut the drawers quickly and then walked out of the room briskly.

I found Roxy's room next, plainly decorated, I checked through her closet, same story as her sister, some clothing missing, likely just hadn't been laundered yet. I checked under her pillows and found her diary fairly quickly. "Alright, got them..." I muttered, I'm sure that I spent too much time in the house already, so I ran out of her room and went to the kitchen, walked out and locked the handle behind me, and then hopped the back neighbor's fence and then charged through their back yard and hopped into their front yard, clutching the diaries. "Whew... I think that worked out fairly well." I mumbled.

 

Tired.

Hungry.

Sore.

In desperate need of a shower.

Adelie would call me an idiot...on a good day.

Haleigh sighed as she held her arms close, huddling near the statue. The sun had dropped in the sky and the aches in her knees told her she'd been standing for far too long. She had watched the same scene play for the last hour, like flickers of life on a screen.

Too bad she couldn't change the channel.

Haleigh took another deep breath as her eyes locked onto the crowd for the hundredth time. Again, the people went at each other, speaking in authoritative tones. Bunch of hard-headed nuts! Like, wouldn't they ever give it a rest?!

"Quite the interesting argument, is it not?" A voice sounded in her ear. Haleigh's whole body tensed and a shudder went through her.

Hearing voices. She was starving, it could be a delusional side effect. She had to be imagining things....Right?

Slowly, she turned to glance over her shoulder. There a man in a top hat was staring back at her, his dark eyes peering into hers.

Wrong.

A high-pitched scream pierced through the evening air.

 

Kubi had zoned out, too much english to keep track of. she juggled some stones unenthused, tried to read English signs, gave up on that quickly. She let out a tired sigh.

A scream.

It sounded from the place they had just left, Haleigh, did something happen? "Tina, Tina you hear that? I going to check it out." Kubi dashed back towards the source, "I'm sure it's nothing, but eh, boredom might as well check."

 

I heard the scream and my head immediately snapped toward the source of the scream. "Hopefully Abel'll keep an eye on that Eugene fool." I thought, still clutching the diaries, I charged toward the source of the scream as fast as I possibly could.

 

Abel

He was so concerned with Eugene Spelunker (or whatever the hell is name was) he almost didn't notice the scream.

Almost.

Within half a second his gun was drawn and he was running toward the source, shouting back as he went.

"You step one foot in that house and I will make the next two days of your life a living hell!"

But thoughts of Eugene were quickly lost as he dashed toward the sound of the scream.

 

Joshua.

Joshua and the Janitor of Stickler high were the best of friends. They never spoke, outside of the casual "hello" and "goodbye", they rarely looked at each other, and they'd never called in, or granted any favors. They communicated in untainted silence, save for the ocassional squeak when Mr. Hamilton shuffled over the just-mopped floors. Joshua liked sitting near the Janitor's office, even though there was only a bench. It had become a habit after his father had once forgotten to pick him up from there, and he liked being able to see his bike, even though there was no one left in school to steal it.
Now if I get an A on chemistry and at least a B+ on English, I should ace the rest of the year! Excited by the prospect of improving his great-grades masterplan even further, Joshua hardly noticed the lights had been turned off.

"I am closing up," Mr Hamilton said from behind his desk. Or at least, Joshua estimated the man's desk to be somewhere close to where he sounded. Still lost in the endless meandering of his thoughts, he stood up, packed his bag and said Mr. Hamilton goodbye.

Once outside, he unlocked his bicycle, hopped on and began to cycle home. He always had to make a slight detour near their house, to tidy himself up again and put his skull cap back on. No way that he was going to cycle through half the down with an upside-down bowl on his head. Besides, even the slightest breeze would knock it off, and then he'd have no cap at all to come home with. He was just passing a corner when he heard the scream. Being as dreamy and absent-minded as he was, his hands instinctively let go of his steering wheel and, consequently, he was firmly introduced to the ground.

His left leg was squeezed between the bar and the ground. "Ouch," he hissed, before scrambling onto his feet again, The sound hadn't come from far away, and it took his eyes only three seconds to find a man standing over something in the adjacent street. He wore a top hat and a black suit and there was an unsettling grace in his posture. Perhaps it were the leather gloves that made him look so flashy, perhaps it were his Hispanic looks.

Limping, Joshua stumbled towards the man, then stopped a few feet short of him, reconsidering his move. The man couldn't have been the one screaming, the pitch had been to high and shrill. But it was too late to run and dash now, besides, more people were already flooding in from all angles.

"Is everything alright?"

 

Haleigh’s scream died down though simply from tired lungs.

The top hatted man’s gaze was unimpressed as he stared down at the frightened girl.

“Honestly miss no reason to scream.” He said a Spanish accent obvious in his tone.

"Is everything alright?"

“Quite so, I’m afraid I gave the girl here a bit of a fright while doing some reconnaissance.” The man stretched out his hand to her his eyes shifting back and forth between Haleigh and Joshua. “Need a hand little lady.” A friendly smile spread over his handsome features.

"More company approaches best not to be caught on the ground."

 

“Quite so, I’m afraid I gave the girl here a bit of a fright while doing some reconnaissance.”

"Ah," was all Joshua could muster, he had recognized Haleigh immediately, though he promptly tried to hide it. As for the Spaniard, well he was definitely a new face in town, and a friendly one by the looks of it. His eye fell on Haleigh again, and he hoped the sun would blot out the blush on his cheeks when he asked; "are you okay Haleigh?"

 

"Awwww I was hoping for a murder."Kubi said skipping up to the small group now coming together.

.....

"NOT!"

.....

"huh...i thought Americans liked those kinda jokes."

 

Haleigh took a struggled breath as she looked up towards the man, with hand outstretched. He seemed friendly enough...a little too friendly.

A scowl deepened on her face.

"Are you okay, Haleigh?" someone asked in the crowd that had formed. She squinted to see it was the boy from her English class, Jesse was his name, she recalled.

Okay?

Okay?!?

"No, I'm NOT okay!" Haleigh yelled, her voice gone hoarse. Refusing the Spaniard's offer of help, she leap to her feet.

"This...this....man's a pervert!" she yelled again, pointing a finger. "I mean, he was like...close to me! And, I'm seventeen! That's totally creepy pervert nature...he...he...should be arrested!" Crossing her arms to keep herself from shaking, Haleigh took a large step backwards.

 

"It's not a crime to sneak up on a suspicious character, you daft fool." I said as I came up to the scene, annoyed that it was Haleigh making a big deal over nothing, I looked at the man. "New to town, well off by the looks of it, clear Spanish heritage." I thought.

 

Kubi gave Haleigh a weird look. "baby... I was almost married off at 15,most of my friends where married off at a similar age and now have kids, you are lucky America is so nice. Honestly you can't even handle someone getting close? that's just silly."