The Candy Crook

There were three suspects. First there was Charles; twelve years old, always wore suspenders, and lived directly across the street from us. Then there was Frank; eleven, but his birthday was the next week. He could never separate from his newsy hat, and lived next door in the bright blue house. Finally there was Eddy, also twelve, looked like a little greaser with his white T and blue jeans. He lived two houses down on the other side of Frank’s folks’ place. We were all friends, but things never felt the same after that foggy day. I was outside playing fetch with the dog at the time, in our hedge lined front yard. I heard a blood curdling screech. My sister Marjorie, fourteen, found her bag of birthday candy devoured, sitting limp and empty on the treehouse floor. Wrappers were everywhere. The whole street could’ve heard her. A screech that could only mean one thing, the sweets were swept.

Marjorie’s birthday was just the day before it happened. All of her friends from school, as well as the surrounding neighbors, had come with presents wrapped in paper of all different colors. There were games for us kids to play, and the adults mingled, talking about the economy and such. We all celebrated with possibly the best chocolate cake that I have had in my eleven years of life. The frosting was incredibly smooth, the sponge so moist, and the marriage of the two was beyond words. Then, it was time for presents. Marjorie ripped through the wrapping of each gift like a dog destroying a stuffed toy. The smile on her face grew and grew as she continued, until she got to the last one. She tore it open only to reveal the bag of candy. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. There was such an array of different treats. It must’ve had at least one of every variety. There was chocolate, vanilla, hard candy, sour candy, taffy, liquorice, fudge, mint, caramel, anything you could think of. Her expression changed as if she had just found a treasure, which she spent her whole life looking for. It is not far from the truth. Instead of looking for treasure, it was handed to her! I have to admit, I was jealous. Every other kid there would do anything to be in her shoes. But, now we know, someone did.

It was around three o’clock the very next day when I heard that scream. I climbed up the wooden latter and into the treehouse to find Marjorie on her knees, hysterical. I held her back as she continuously dove at the empty bag, in hopes that the candy would reappear. She turned into my arms and I comforted her saying, “it’ll be ok. We’ll catch the sick son of a gum ball who did this.”

After a while of mourning, I began picking up the wrappers and placing them in the bag when Marjorie said, “no! I should do it. I owe it that much at least.” She finished cleaning up the scene, hung the bag on a branch outside the sole window across from the entryway, keeping it out of view. Afterwards, we sat down to discuss the major suspects. We both agreed that it must’ve been someone who was at the party. Who else would’ve know about the candy if they weren’t there? We decided to eliminate the adults, because, one: their sweet tooth’s were no match to that of a child, and two: our treehouse had a kids only sign. Marjorie crossed off her friends from school because they all lived on the other side of town. They would’ve needed a ride to get here, and there were no cars that visited that day. That left three remaining kids, Charles, Frank, and Eddy. They each had motive, in that they loved candy, and they had opportunity; they lived close enough and were kids, following the kids only rule.

I told Marjorie that I would wrangle them up. She had a lot on her mind, so I walked to each of their houses, with my hands in my pockets, and head down walking through the fog. You could easily imagine the sounds of brass instruments playing, straight out of a film noir score. I collected each of them, cheerfully asking if they could play. I didn’t want to raise any suspicion. We all walked back to the treehouse, climbed up the latter and went inside, but Marjorie was gone.

“So what do you guys want to play?” asked Eddy.

I couldn’t say anything. I was too busy trying to figure out where Marjorie could’ve gone. Was she to anxious to look into the eyes of the person who ate her candy? I looked at the three of them as they stood by the doorway of the treehouse, with my mouth open, void of words. But, at that moment I saw the crown of Marjorie’s head begin to peak up as she ascended up the latter. Charles, Frank, and Eddy all moved out of the way to let her in. She entered with a look of shock on her face and a large carrot in her left hand, with one bite taken at the top.

“Is something wrong, Marjorie?” asked Charles, with concern.

Was that concern genuine? I thought. Does Charles not know? Does that eliminate him as a suspect? I decided not to make any assumptions so quickly.

Marjorie stood taller than all of us, looking at everyone’s face before she answered, “well, Charles, I’m not doing so well you see. I came up here to the treehouse around two o’clock to save my bag of candy for later. I like when the chocolate warms up a bit and is nice and soft, just before they get too melted. I went back inside to finish up the rest of my homework, and when I came back to the treehouse after I was done, I found that my bag of candy was gobbled up!” She walked closer to Charles, Frank, and Eddy, looking into their eyes with intensity, trying to see their truths’.

“Marjorie,” said Charles with a heavy heart. “I am so sorry. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right n-”

“Save it missy,” Marjorie interrupted. “I don’t want to hear it.” Charles looked as if he had been slapped in the face. Marjorie continued, “I have reason to believe that one of you three has committed this sick twisted act, and no one is leaving until I get the truth, see?” The three of them were stunned. It wasn’t easy to know who had done it at that very moment.

Marjorie slowly walked to the window, looking down at her shoes, hands clasped behind her back, and carrot in hand. Everybody else watched her as she sauntered. She sat down on the sill, moving the carrot to her side, and lifted her heard to see all eyes on her. She knew she was in control. “All I ask is that you answer my questions honestly and this will all be over quickly,” she said in a calming tone.

“Charles!” she commanded. “Step forward.” Charles was in-between Frank and Eddy, and took one step towards Marjorie. His head was down but his eyes were fixed on her. “Charles,” Marjorie began. “Where were you between two and three o’clock this afternoon?”

Charles swallowed with an audible Gulp! that everybody could hear. “I… I uh… I was at home, watching television.”

“I see,” said Marjorie. “And, you didn’t happen to walk away from your TV and look out your window at any time? Seeing me carry my bag of candy up to the treehouse?”

“I didn’t. I didn’t see anything Marjorie,” Charles said in a very convincing tone.

“Are you sure?” she said condescendingly. “You all have a view of the treehouse from your houses, but you have the best view of our front yard. You could’ve easily seen me with my candy and snuck over after I had gone back inside.”

“I swear I didn’t. Honest.” Charles put his hand over his heart.

Marjorie looked deep into to his eyes while she took a bite of her carrot. The heavy crunch made Charles jump.

“You see what I’m reduced to!” she said, raising the carrot. “I can no longer sink my teeth into a rich piece of chocolate or a tart, artificially flavored fruit gummy. No, I’m reduced to vegetables!”

She examined Charles to see if he would react suspiciously, but never the less, she seemed to believed him. Even though he reeked of anxiety. I have to say, I believed him too.

“You can step back,” Marjorie said to Charles. “Frank! You’re next.”

Frank stepped forward, looking equally as nervous as Charles did. His eyes to the floor and his newsy hat blocking his view of Marjorie.

“Look at me,” Marjorie demanded. He lifted his head just enough for her to see his eyes. “Tell me, Frank,” she continued. “Isn’t your birthday next week?”

Frank nodded. “Yes, it’s next Thursday.”

“That’s great! Turning twelve, am I right?” He nodded again. “That’s exciting! Would you also be happy to get a big bag of candy as a present?”

“Ye…Yes. I’d like that. My parents don’t let me have candy too much, but they always get me some for my birthday.”

“Well, I’m sure you can’t wait then.” Marjorie began to inch closer to Frank, waving her carrot around, the way adults wave a knife during dinner when they’re trying to explain something. “Maybe, it’s so hard for you to wait that you had to get a taste as soon as possible, by eating my candy!” At this point, Marjorie was right up in Frank’s face. His feet stayed in the same place but he leaned backwards slightly.

Frank was quiet for a few seconds until he spoke. “I see what you’re saying, but… but my… my parents would be mad at me if I had a bunch of candy without their permission.” Frank looked as though he was holding his breath, waiting for Marjorie’s response. She stared at him for a bit longer until she told him to step back in line. His shoulders descended and he backed up next to Charles.

Marjorie’s eyes connected with Eddy’s. She saw that he was smirking. That look made her brow tighten. Without saying anything, she looked at him and pointed to the ground right in front of her. He walked over to that point, looking all smug. I thought to myself, does he know something? Is he trying to look clever?

“Do you feel confident? Like you got away with something?” Marjorie implied.

With his slicked back hair glistening from whatever light made it through the fog, he scoffed. “I didn’t touch your precious candy Marjorie.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

Marjorie turned around and walked toward the window. She reached out and grabbed the bag filled with candy wrappers, returning back to Eddy and standing her ground. Eddy’s face became more intense, feeling that Marjorie was trying to accuse him. Marjorie opened the bag and let all of the wrappers fall on Eddy’s feet.

“Are you sure about that? You had just as much opportunity as Charles and Frank here!” Marjorie pointed at the two of them, still staring at the ground, looking like standing pencils. Frank had taken off his newsy hat, holding it tightly with both hands in front of his waist, and Charles was tugging on his suspenders, trying anything to avert the discomfort.

“Sure. I had opportunity like them, but I’m not gonna steal someone else’s candy.” He quickly moved his hands, clipping to his waist. “I ain’t no crook!” There was a pause of silence, and then he continued. “Besides, you haven’t even examined every option.”

Marjorie stepped back, with her face nearly in shock. “What are you saying?”

Eddy took a step closer to Marjorie. “I’m saying, you’ve confronted your three suspects with out getting much information. Maybe that’s because none of us took your candy. Maybe there’s one more person here that could’ve done it.” At that very moment Eddy slowly turned his head to me.

Marjorie did the same. She looked right at my eyes, and I at her. I couldn’t tell if her eyes were becoming glossy, or maybe it was mine.

“Marjorie, I… I swear I didn’t,” I said with sincerity.

She continued to look at me. I could tell that she was starting to believe that I had done it, and she was trying to convince herself otherwise. But it wasn’t working.

“You were already outside with the dog when I came back for the bag,” she said to me with a lump in her throat. “Did you do it then?”

“Marjorie, no,” I said, as calmly as possible. “You’re my sister. I couldn’t live with myself if I did.”

The entire treehouse went silent. We all stood around exhausted, until Marjorie broke the silence, staring at the floor.

“I’d just like to say one thing. I don’t know which one of you did it. But what I do know, is that I don’t have many more Halloweens left. Even Mom and Dad mentioned it to me. This bag may have been my last hurrah, even in their eyes,” she said softly, completely drained.

We all looked around at each other, confused.

“I may not be dressing up for it again. I’ve hit that age. It might be too late for me to have a big bag of candy for myself. This could’ve been my last chance. So whoever did it, I hope you can sleep at night. ‘Cause you ate a lot of sugar, and ruined my birthday.” She paused for a minute, allowing her words to sink into our heads. “I’m going inside.”

She began making her way to the doorway of the treehouse when she bumped into Frank. It looked like it was unintentional, but as she did, something happened. As she passed Frank, a single candy wrapper fell out of his hat. Marjorie bent down to pick it up. It still had some melted chocolate on it. “Frank?” she asked.

When Marjorie looked into Frank’s eyes this time, he began to tear up. He fell to his knees the sweet relief of being found out overcame him and he weeped. “I’m sorry Marjorie, you were right. I’m weak. I’m impatient. I couldn’t wait any longer.” He was fighting through his tears to speak, and snot began to drip from his nose. “My parents… my parents don’t let me have candy often enough. I needed a taste.”

None of us could believe what we were seeing. Frank continued.

“At first I just wanted a piece to hold me over until my birthday, but one became two and I lost my self.” He was still crying like a never-ending waterfall flows. “I lost my self in those sweet tastes.”

Marjorie couldn’t take her eyes off of Frank, like driving by a car accident. But she couldn’t find the energy to say anything to him either. She stood there, watching him on his knees airing out his pent up lies, and yet was too tired to do anything else.

Slowly, Eddy and Charles began to leave. Eddy went first, followed by Charles. Marjorie and I were still watching Frank as he fell deeper into his sorrow. I can’t say I wanted to, but it was hard to look away. I was frozen. Once again, Marjorie broke the silence. She said to Frank, “you should go home now,” as if she was giving advice to someone trying to face a fear, encouragingly but with a push. Frank did as he was told. He slowly stood up and made his way down the latter, avoiding eye contact with either of us.

Marjorie still stood in the same spot she was in when she first bumped into Frank. This time I broke the silence. “Are you okay?”

She turned her head to me, forcing a small smile. “I’ll be fine. I’m just tired.” Marjorie made her way down the latter and walked inside the house. I turned my head back to the candy wrappers Marjorie dumped on Eddy’s feet. I picked up the bag and refilled it like Marjorie did before. I began making my way down the latter, and before my head passed the treehouse floor, I looked back up to see it empty. I would never look at it in the same way ever again. None of us would.