Killer

I had been to his funeral, I had seen him being carried down the aisle and I can tell you for the fact that it was not I who murdered him. There are many rumors and I suspect the real murder is the one behind them all.It is my duty to find out who decided to frame me.  I have been unrightfully punished,  it is as though the world has accepted that I, John Henry Keprate, murdered my dear brother. I do not understand how the world that I live in can be so cruel. But what I do know is that my brother was a complicated man with many enemies. So it would be natural if one of them decided that they were fed up with my brother's success and decided to put an end to him. But I believe that that is not the whole story, But as long as I am in prison I cannot investigate these enemies,  and it would be unnatural if I decided to hold a meeting with them and be held as evidence against me that I indeed did hate my brother and indeed killed him. So my only and last hope to track down the source of these rumors that I had come in the night to my brother's house, had tea with him and then stabbed him twice in the chest. The problem was that I indeed had come to my brother's house that night to have tea but I do not recall stabbing him twice in the chest nor did I recall anybody else disturbing us. The worst part was that I had no evidence to prove my innocence to the court until I found some source or some clue that would prove that there was more to the investigation than met the eye. I had formulated a plan but I would have to meet with someone that I did not decide to see and somebody who believed wholeheartedly the lie that I had killed her husband. Mary Olivia Keprate had lost her husband tragically,  but since she was the last person to see him alive after I left she had to know something,  because even though she said she believed that I had murdered her husband she did not seem fully invested once she said it. So I knew there was more to what she had seen that night than met the eye. When I finally had the chance to meet her she was very reluctant. I knew that I would have to trick my way out of this conversation so I was very careful and not touchy on certain subjects. 

“I need to know what you know”

 I said, getting straight to the point without hesitation.

 “I know you killed him”

 she snapped back at me fixing her short stubby blond hair and toying with her necklace.

 “Well we both know there's more to the story now don’t we?” I asked, looking straight into her cold, empty ice blue eyes. 

“Listen, we’re on the same side, I just need to know what you know.” 

After an hour of convincing, which the officers were kind enough to provide she finally spilled the tea. 

“Soon after you left Gary received a telephone call. He was shaken afterwards and at dinner he talked about moving to France.”

 she swallowed hard, getting ready to spill the rest. “I asked him why and he said it was an iconic adventure and it was so near.” She looked down at her plain gray dress and fiddled with a loose string “He looked afraid, it was as if he had witnessed a murder and now the killer was coming for him” that's all she would tell me but thats all I needed to move on to the next stage of my process…court. I would have to get everybody's attention and then I would have to present my evidence for the letter from my brother that I had gotten on that night did have a meaning and it had the meaning I had suspected that his death was no accident and that I was not responsible. The day of my sentencing I had groomed and put on my best clothes to be impressive, I would have to look good for the moment of truth.Indeed the moment came just as the judge was going to sentence me to life in prison “if I may your honor” 

 I spoke these words with sheer caution but also great confidence.

 “I believe there has been a mistake and I am not responsible for the death of my brother, Gary Alexander Keprate” The whole court gasped with the accusation.     

“And how can you be sure of this?”  Judge Nicholas asked with a look in his eye that told me that he did not believe me at all.

 “If I may your honor?” 

“You may”

“It has come to my attention that a letter was delivered to my residence by the murdered on the night he was vanquished and this letter…well…it proves me innocent.” 

“How?”

“Take a look”

After many inspections it was confirmed that I was indeed innocent, and was allowed to continue my investigations. The first person I wanted to talk to was Mary because I needed her for the next step…suspects. It’s one of the most essential steps in this process. I believe it is essential for my plan to find the killer. Now that Mary finally knew of my innocence she agreed to meet much more easily but said that I was riding into heavy fire because the killer was stealthy and dangerous. But it came to my attention that she talked about the killer as if she’d seen the murder…even though she had been sleeping…in the same room as Gary… 

“John? John you’ve gone silent…” I was suddenly aware of Mary’s voice…it was steely, metallic.

 “Are you a light sleeper?” I asked hoping the answer would be No! I am such a deep sleeper that once I’m out, I’m out for the night! so naturally my heart stopped when she said

 “Yes. why?” Her voice was short and flat…as if it had been designed to sound normal but clearly wasn’t. I braved myself to ask her the tie breaking question, but before I could a hooded figure snatched the phone away from behind, pointing a gun at my head. Then I heard Mary snickering over the phone

 “Took you long enough”