Recollections of a Murder

The headache was growing. Lari needed to get out of there, quickly. She started running in a panic, walls where closing in and she was going to get smushed. Usually she would take the quicker way out but the crowds where horrendous and she was not ready for that. She glanced up at the second landing, a glorious white-marble slab 85ft up in the air, suspended by golden metal beams. 

She always did her shopping here, the shopping mall in the rich neighborhood, where middle aged women in fur coats shopped for decorations for their large houses on the coast, men behind the counter wore suits instead of normal clothes. 

She noticed that the top landing was completely devoid of people, quickly she rushed up to take the back way out. Back when the shopping mall had been a very large mansion the back stair case was where the servants would wind their way down the kitchens. She would take the back way out, she decided. A loud crash sounded from the back of the mall and she quickly rushed up the stairs. Looking back as she ran up the stairs she noticed the source of the crash, a cleaning cart had been tipped over. 

Suddenly she rammed into someone, a woman probably in her late 30s wearing a colorful dress and a fur coat. The woman's eye's went wide as she tumbled down the stairs. As she realized that she was falling, the women threw out an arm, on the arm there where deep stab marks. What had happened to the women. As she fell, her perfectly curled platinum blond hair hit the marble steps. The women wouldn't stop screaming and it was affecting Lari's headache. Why did people have to scream? Her late husband had done it too as he fell down the stairs, much in the same fashion. She couldn't tear her eyes away as the woman's head slowly became less blonde and more of a matted red mess. Finally the woman stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and, with a final painful, crack, stopped. Someone in the shopping mall started screaming and rushed over to women lying dead at the bottom of the marble stairs. Blood pooling out of her like a hose during summer. 

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The police arrived quickly. She was not sure why but all she did know was that she was trapped in the shopping mall. The police were sympathetic towards her. She had run into the lady and ultimately, caused her death. Even though she knew that it was wrong, she kept replaying the woman's head going, clunk on the stairs and it unwillingly brought a smile to her face. Lari sat wrapped up in a rough grey blanket. The had done the same to her when her husband's body had been discovered as well. That time they had been very sympathetic.

"Ma'am," a police officer startled her out of her recollections "your name?"

"L-Lari" She said shakily. 

"Last name, Darling?" the officer asked. Lari noticed that she had the same curls in her hair as the dead women. 

"Gernt" Lari answered. She needed to keep the quiver in her voice. Maybe the officer hadn't noticed the face-consuming smile she had had when the woman was found. 

"Well Ms. Gernt," The officer said "you are currently under investigation, we aren't sure if this is an unfortunate accident but regarding your-er- history we can't be sure."

Ah, the officer was talking about the tragic accident that occurred with her previous marriage. Her husband was found dead at the bottom of the stairs, blood pooling out of his head like a hose during summer. Of course that one had not been an accident. He had deserved it. But this women was just an accident. A silly little accident. Now if Lari could get something for her head, that would've been just peachy, but unfortunately she needed to stay for "interviews" 

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The "interview" room was a private lunch table in the back of the food court. The police read her her rights and told her she had the right to a lawyer.

"We usually wouldn't be doing an investigation but Mrs. Yue had some stab wounds in her arms so this is currently a homicide investigation" The detective in front of Lari. She hadn't seen any wounds or even blood on the woman, but then again, she hadn't really seen her alive. It was quite fascinating that she had only really seen this woman dead.

"Stab wounds?" Lari asked, making sure her voice shook.

"Yes, we are currently checking CCTV footage and if you only pop up running into her, we can all leave and I can get a drink" The detective said. Lari was shocked, Mrs. Yue was obviously an important figure, with her furs and such, but she didn't expect this detective to be a sloppy one.

Suddenly, another officer appeared and whispered something into the detective's ear.

"Congratulations Ms. Gernt! You are free to go, would you like to catch a drink with me? The detective stood up and offered his hand for Lari to shake.

"That sounds lovely, but I have quite the migraine at the moment." Lari replied politely. And walked out of the mall and out into the cold.

Suddenly a cold, rough hand closed over her mouth and dragged her to the back, near the dumpsters. Lari kicked and screamed, it wasn't so fun when she was the one being kidnapped. She was promptly slammed to the ground, quickly she turned to see her aggressor. A handsome man in his mid 40s stood above.

"I just wanted to thank you" He said, suddenly realizing the awkward situation he had gotten himself into.

"For what?" Lari asked, wondering if her day could get any crazier.

"My wife, I tried to exterminate it-her but she got away, you finished the job for me" He replied. Lari didn't miss the way he had called his wife it .

"Wasn't my first time." Lari offered

"Nor mine."