Jeremy's murder

The smoke lifted off the Cuban cigar and lightly wafted up, gaining more smoke as it passed over the grand roaring fireplace, over the large moose head above, not stopping to admire all the family pictures hung on the old cedar walls before it found its place of rest within the high vaulted rafters above. The rafters looked down on what would prove to be the most gruesome scene the majestic cabin had seen since it’s build nearly fifty years before. Below, on a great L shaped leather couch sat two people and two others stood near the front door, in between them all, a corpse. The great lodge now stood as a temporary mausoleum to its creator who lay lifeless on the floor and occasionally getting smoke blown on him.

“Jeremy, would you put that damn thing out?”

“Blow me Jenna, I was never allowed to smoke with the boys, I’m getting mine nin now.” He said blowing a puff of smoke in the air and swirling a glass of scotch with his other hand. His feet were propped up on the coffee table in front of them, a polished tree stump with a glistening glass decanter sitting on its rings.

“It’s a little dramatic to be doing it in front of your dead father though, even for you.”  Jenna said

“Oh stop, look at your face, you’re giving yourself wrinkles. Shut up and join me he said offering her the double rocks glass. She slapped it out of his hand, shattering onto the wooden floor, sending its contents into the fire place. They all felt the warmth of the fire as it shot up. Jeremy watched the fire for s moment then nonchalantly raised the decanter to his mouth and continued to smoke. “Daddy would be very displeased that you’re breaking his glasses.” 

“Kids! Kids!” shouted a woman standing at the door, presumably frozen in place since she entered.

“Oh Janice , good you’re here” said Jeremy, “A few things;” He said then took a swig of the dark amber liquid in the decanter. “First off, shut the door. Second, stop calling us kids, you’re our step mom and you’re five years older than us. Third, can you go get me another glass” he said, smirked, and accentuated it with a smile and a “mommy?”

“What the fuck is happening here?” She shouted.

“Well as you can see, father dear is dead.” He said gesturing vaguely at the corps below and  looking down in indifference. Janice began to cry loudly and ran to the corps before getting stopped by Jeremy’s leg. “Woah whoa, first off, we know you were there for the money and so I can only assume those are tears of joy, secondly, don’t you dare touch the body. This little emotion you display could be a way of you covering up the fact that your hand prints were already here. I saw some fresh tire marks out front and I’m not entirely sure you weren’t here when ole papa kicked the bucket.” He said matter of factly.

“Jeremy, even for you this is-“ Jenna began but was interrupted.

“Listen here you you entitled little shit” Said Janice, all signs of loss gone from her face.  Jenna looked down trying to make herself smaller and avoid the confrontation and just as Janice began, she took the decanter from Jeremy, “I’ve been faithful to your father for over five years, what more do you want from me? I’ve done my time and I deserve respect. After all the petty drama, the groveling for money,  and just overall having to look at you two.” She spat out as Jenna passed the decanter to Jeremy who took a swig. “I’ve had it. Your father was a good man, plain and simple and you two degenerates could learn a thing or two from him.” She said and turned and slammed the front door leaving the whole front of the lodge to creak, the reverberating slam echoed in the old rafters and brought a silence on the ghroup, only the crackling of the fireplace was there to fill the void. The man behind Jaince finally broke the silence.

“What happened here?” he said indignantly, his toine implying authority.

“well while you and Janice were screwing in the car, I imagine or at the motel right down the road” Jeremy began

“Hey you can’t talk to us like-“

“-Let me finish” Interjected Jeremy, when the crack of the fireplace continued as did he, “While you two were screwing” he began again, the man’s fist clenched, “I was just getting here, probably thirty minutes ago. I opened the door to see the old man laying on the wood. He I tried to resuscitate him but he was already dead. Before I called 911 though, I figured it would be a good idea to wait for everyone to get here so we can get our stories straight. You know father has impeccable lawyers and all of us could be suspects.”

“Me an Janice were not screwing and to even say that is-“

Jeremy butted in again, “ You have lipstick on your collar that matches Janice’s slipstick. Janice you have a hickey. Girl the first rule of running around is wear a high collard shirt just in case. I’m a slut ok, if you need advice just come to me.” Jeremy finished and took a drag of the cigar.

“ I don’t have the slightest clue what you’re talking about” she said crossing her arms, the channel bag on the crook of her arms reflected the fire just beyond.

“Also, Mark, my dad, and your supposed best friend is dead on the ground and the only thing you’re thinking about is covering your ass from being accused of cheating with his wife. I find that” he took a drag of the cigar and crossed his legs blowing the cigar smoke out, “interesting.”

“Listen here you little” he began as he lurched toward the couch. Jenna stepping between the two and stopping him. “he never loved you you know, he talked shit about you all the time a the lodge.” He said trying to get around Janice who was doing everything in her power to stay in between the two. Jeremy sat relaxed on the couch, completely unphased by events caused by him. Instead he handed his decanter back to his sister sitting on the couch.

“Do tell me, how is Malcolm.” He said his voice now full of intrigue

“OH he’s good, we are starring to look for ski destinations for the winter and” She looked down at her father’s corps below, “why do you ask?”

“Because I saw on your shared family google calendar that you and Malcolm were supposed to be together this weekend. “

“Yeah so?”

“well, Bonnie, I’m just wondering where Clyde is?”

“What are you insinuating?”

“I’m just saying that you stand to inherit a large sum when dad kicks the bucket and this death is happening at a convenient time because Malcolm is starting a business and is looking for seed investors. I know dad would say no, but someone in his will might be more persuadable. “ he said and tried to take the decanter from her. She held it tight and when he gave up she began to grin.

“Remember the eighth  grade when you didn’t get the lead role that you thought you so badly deserved. You started so many rumors about corruption and incompetence that eventually the play didn’t happen?” He smiled and nodded at her and said, “Those assholes didn’t know real talent when they saw it.”

“right well, in the end there was no grand conspiracy, there was no fraud, just an angry Jeremy.” She said and took a sip from the decanter. “I think this looks like a natural death being whipped out of proportion by a child who never learned how to deal with his emotions. Usually daddy issues are more etherial than this but I think it s safe to say that, since mom left he’s been doing whatever he wants and eating is probably to p tof that list. He probably had a snickers bar that was literally to die for and now in his wake we’re fighting like he always made us do. Personally, I think we just have the police come and confirm it so we can just begin to move on. “

“Your lack of emotions in a clearly emotional situation is truly inspiring and I hope you give your body to science. Said Jeremy.

“Well I hope you work through your daddy issues, but I think the case of the whodunnit comes down to your imagination. She said and made her way out of the front door. Soon the lodge would be filled with the cacophony of [police sirens going off. It was only a matter of time before the matter was solved, but  even more time before Jeremy admitted that Jenna might have been right.