"Misleading Familiar Sounds" by Susan Pearl

 Have you ever noticed how realistic a doorbell sounds on a TV commercial?

We have actually checked the front porch ..... only then to realize it was the doorbell sound on our TV that made us think someone was ringing our doorbell.

Some commercials have a short sound like a "ding" that makes me think I may have just received a message. Yes, I have checked for messages and it is disappointing because I truly believed there would be one there.

There is nothing wrong with these sounds on TV. But a familiar sound can be misinterpetted or misleading.

I would write more but I think there is someone at the door.

"A Friend That's True" by Susan Pearl

 I really appreciate you-

Because you know what I've been through-

And I don't know what I would do-

If I didn't have you to talk to-

You understand-

And accept me the way I am-

You are a friend that's true.

I really appreciate you.

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl ( Friday, #10 mystery blog )

 Marla: It would depend if the actions had to include other people becoming victims for their fantasy needs to be met for experiencing total control as a duel unit.  Also, if both of them lose their individual identities as they morph in the process then the compulsion could run a full range of extreme and unrealistic behaviors. To the degree of the control will be the degree of the compulsion.  As the compulsion is fed by the thrill of it all it becomes stronger and stronger. The control will equally become stronger.  Until such a compulsion will need more and more of a thrill to fill the need for the  excitement and the feeling of having total control. So if both were wanting to see how far they could take the thrill without any limits, if it became fun, then it is only a matter of time before the duel unit will strike and then strike again. Somehow what they want to wear and how they dress for the thrill will play a big part of it all.  It becomes like a ritual.

Garrett: That sounds serious.

Marla: It can be very serious.  But for now I am beginning to feel tired.  At eighty seven I have become like a windup toy.  When it is over I simply have to stop and rest.  I hope you think your visit here has been informative and beneficial in a variety of ways.  I cannot emphasize enough to watch for details.

Garrett:  Oh, yes. I am so glad we came and you have shared a lot of possible insights that we would not have been aware of.  (Gini nods in the affirmative. They both stand and tell Marla thank you..)

Marla: You are both very welcome.

Garrett.  We will see ourselves out. Have a good day and a good rest. Maybe later microwave a piece of birthday cake.

Marla:  I'm one step ahead of you.  I already have it thawed out. Bye and have a good day.

(Garrett And Gini leave the house with Marla locking the front door behind them)

Garrett:(Driving Gini to her office)  Well, that was invigorating.  She is way above our heads but I know we will recall the information.  If ever we are in a setting that she has described we'll be able to recognize it and know what to do. We may not know it now but when that detail is discovered we will know what to do.  Then, hopefully, one thing will lead to another and then to another. 

Gini:  I will be so busy getting everything ready as a court date is being set.  Hope you can pound the pavement.

Garrett:  That's exactly what I am going to do.  I have several different avenues I want to pursue.  We'll keep in touch and see if anything new, or better yet, some evidence can come into the picture.

Gini: That's exactly what we need.

Garrett:  If there is anything to find we are going to find it.

Gigi:  The sooner the better.  They are in fast gear to go forward as soon as the results of the audit are known.

Garrett: I understand and I'm ready to give it my best efforts.

Gigi:  One good thing that came from the newspaper showing a picture of the necklace it that the jewelry store called the police and said they sold the victim the necklace.  The name of the jewelry store is Jerome's Jewelry but it is also known as J. J.'s Jewelry.

Garrett: (writes that information down in the notepad he carries in his shirt pocket)  That sounds like a good place for me to start.  I know the victim's name is Lana Daltine. I'll see what I can find out about her and about her purchasing the necklace.

(Even though Gini has already had an investigator check out the jewelry store she doesn't say one word about it to Garrett.  She wants Garrett to be on his own and go with his own findings and leads.  She gets out of the car now parked in front of her office)

Gini: We both have our work cut out for us.  I know we are both up to the challenge and it will be interesting to see which way this goes. Thanks for the ride and I'll see you in about a week. Until then we'll leave each other messages.

Garrett: Sounds like a plan.

(Gini walks towards her office and Garrett drives away)

To be continued:  On Monday, October 4th----the 11th mystery story blog will be published.

Thank you.

Hope you are enjoying my mystery story blogs.

Best Wishes,

Susan Pearl

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl (Thursday #9 mystery blog )

 (The next morning at 10:30 AM Gini and Garrett are standing on the front porch of Marla Steeples house. Garrett rings the doorbell.  The door promptly is answered by Marla)

Marla: Hello.  I like prompt people and here you are at 10:30 on the dot.  I'm glad you called and said your sister was coming with you. That was thoughtful; prompt and thoughtful. You are off to a good start with me. Please come in and have a seat in this front room living area.  Please pardon the wrapping paper.  This week was my eighty-seventh birthday and I had three parties and three birthday cakes; a pineapple cake, a chocolate cake and a carrot cake. I think I have enough cake in the freezer to last me until the holiday goodies start arriving. When it comes to sweets I am what they call "fixed up". (Marla smiles and sits down) Now what can I do for you?

Garrett: I would like for your professional opinions, observations and experiences in dealing with identical twins.

Gini:  And I want to listen and hear what you have to say.

Marla: Really, I only had a couple of experiences dealing with identical twins in my years of solving crimes.  One case that I was a consultant on stands out in my mind.  It was my observation that together both twins made one person's complete thinking system. Their thinking put together made one whole  person's thinking and by that I mean, one twin thought he was invincible and not afraid of taking extreme chances.  The other twin was cautious and kept warning the brother of he was not invincible.  The reckless twin stayed in line by listening to the other twin and he encouraged the other twin to take some chances and risks.  Together they were balanced, but something happened.  The reckless twin started to not listen to the advise and actually believed he could do whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted and he could elude getting caught.  His only hold back all of his life was the realistic advise and common sense of the other twin.  But when he blocked that he had no limits.  His brother had been showing him a limit.  They looked identical, like mirror images only one was right handed and the other was left handed. It was an amazing study and case.  Not knowing limits and being blinded by greed the one twin became a notorious bank robber and shot fifty four people.  He truly thought someone would admire him for not being caught and living a life of his extreme skills of bank robbing and quick escapes. The bank robber biggest shock was when he actually was caught by breaking his ankle at a robbery. That humanized him and drove him more into denial and fantasy. He thought he was a level above all humankind and had been empowered with the coveted premier abilities to be the all time escape artist of robbing a bank. Then as he was running away from the scene that is when he twisted and broke his ankle and on the edge of a sidewalk. He was devastated beyond belief and in shock. He truly thought he was past mortal limitations and had entered a special realm that only few people can know. It didn't bring him back into reality and he was sentenced to death believing somehow he would become a legend like a modern day Houdini. That he had broken ground in breathtaking, death defying get-a-ways. The other twin has stayed private about living a quiet and good life.  He said that somehow the brother he knew was gone when he would try to reason with him. It had gotten to the point that he really didn't know the person in front of him even though he was looking at his identical twin. It was like looking into the mirror yet seeing the other person was not recognizable and gave an aura of being very dangerous, a scary kind of dangerous.  The twins broke off any type of relationship and had no contact years before the robberies began when the quieter twin eloped and moved overseas. 

Garrett: I'm interested in your thoughts and experiences of a serial killer who takes a token from the victim.  Would the serial killer destroy the tokens to destroy evidence?

Marla;  Highly unlikely and not easily done.  The tokens are symbols of having total control and the relishing and embellishment of the feeling and meaning is actually spell binding and like a scrapbook shows that specific moment of total control that only the serial killer can know. Mostly they keep the tokens close.  The closer the better.  Just to be in the presence of the tokens even without seeing them is a thrilling high for the serial killer.  To be in the presence of the token with others present, others not knowing -not having a clue is very exciting. The serial killer can be in both worlds at the same time and be reliving the feeling of having total control and be carrying on a conversation with others all at the same time. It is highly unlikely tokens would destroyed.  There is a relationship with the tokens. The serial killer has a need for the token to be there.  The tokens need to feed the compulsion to reexperience the feeling of such total control, and, the closer the better and the more exciting, too. 

Garrett: What about investigation techniques.

Marla;  Ask questions of people who know suspects and who know victims. Let them tell you what they want to say.  Listen and be attentive to details.  Usually it is a small detail that starts to illuminate the investigation to the point of knowing where to go and what to do next.  Just star talking to people, to friends, to where they did business, find out their interests and as you do- you will become more confident on which way the case is leading you.   Now, I want to backtrack because I am curious about the identical twins as it is important to know if they liked to dress alike.

Gini:  Is this significant?

Marla, It could be.

Gini: How?

to be continued: tomorrow, Friday (#10 mystery blog)

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl (Wednesday #8 mystery blog)

 Gini;  That's a good question?  But the real question is..."what jewelry?"  Where is it?  It can not be found and there is no evidence of it ever being in the vault room or of Richard looking at it.  So far there isn't any clues and no necklace means no evidence.  And, once again, the prosecution it trying to prove that Hanna is lying about not knowing about the breaking news of the day.  For evidence they went on the public transportation that Hanna takes to work and took pictures inside the bus the same time of her morning route.  From those pictures they counted the opened newspapers with people reading an inside article. They did that for several consecutive days and came up with a daily average. They are saying that Hanna would have seen the front page headlines on her ride to work that morning.  They are saying that Hanna had easy access to seeing that morning's big front page headline news.  That was the top big headline story on the front page that morning.  It even had a picture of the necklace with the headline 'Have You Seen This Necklace"? 

Garrett: How many opened newspapers were there on average.

Gini: Seventeen opened newspapers and they are entering it as evidence.  I am not contesting it because it keeps the avenue of pursuing the necklace a possibility.

Garrett: I don't think I would read the headlines of opened newspapers on a morning bus ride to work. I was surprised they disclosed that information about the necklace yet alone show a picture of it.  They usually keep some information back. 

Gini:  Oh, they have assured me they have held back more than enough information that will identify the killer if they get a good lead.  They are very confident about the information they have held back. As for Hanna, she insists she didn't know anything about the breaking headlines that morning issue of the newspaper.  She says she listens to her headset and watches out the window.  She says she looks as far away as she can otherwise she would get carsick or bus sick in this particular setting.  Which reminds me, here is your copy a waiver with Hanna's signature giving me permission to tell you anything she says to me.  She has refused to waive her right to a speedy trial.  So the trial will start in sixty days or less.  She simply wants to get it over.

Garrett;  What about Hanna having a motive being under investigation that is yet to be revealed?

Gini:  We'll know that later this week when the independent audit of the company logs are done, but it's not looking good.

Garrett:  How serious?

Gini: Let's just say $800,000 serious.  All I know about it so far is that it is some type of embezzlement.  They are working on theories on how Hanna could be involved.  I'm sure they will have something put together by the end of the week.  Hanna denies any involvement with any corporate business matters.

Garrett:  I renewed my private detective license earlier this year not thinking I would use it but I would like to be part of your investigative team.

Gini: Sure!  Just let me know what you are doing and give updates and reports.  Do you have any ideas?

Garrett: I want to know why Richard had set his wristwatch timer. I want to talk casually with Marla Steeples about personality traits of twins and warning signs of violence and serial killers compulsions to kill.  I would, also, like to know why Richard and Henry would not allow any type of surveillance cameras in any of their Dover Brothers Corporation offices, properties or any of their holdings or personal properties.  It seems unusual.  They wouldn't even allow any surveillance camera in the vault.  For as long as I have been in the security business I have not ever seen anything like it. They were emphatic about no surveillance when drawing up the contract for the vault.

Gini:  That is puzzling. Well, Marla Steeples, will be a treasure trove of forensics insight information and she has lots of experience.  She is the retired head forensics pathologist and psychologist of the state.  She also was the lead consultant of the state crime investigators for over twenty years. I say it's worth a try.

Garrett; What can it hurt?

Gini:  When are you seeing Marla Steeples? 

Garrett:  Tomorrow morning.

Gini: I would be very interested to hear what she has to say.

Garrett:  Do you want to come along?

Gini: Yes, I do.

to be continued: tomorrow (bonus mystery blog for Thursday)

Question:

What will Garrett and Gini learn, if anything, from their visit with Marla Steeples?

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl (Tuesday #7 mystery blog)

 (Several days later, Garrett and his sister, Gini, are having a take-out dinner together at Gini's high rise apartment)

Gini: You look so, so tired.

Garrett: I am so, so tired.  You look beat.

Gini:  I am beat, beat up, beat down you know how it goes with everything this past week.  I did my best but it just isn't going well for Hanna.

Garrett: How is it looking for her charges.

Gini: The way it looks right now is that she will be charged with two counts of murder in the first degree.  Each charge carries a life sentence and a death penalty.  I'm working as fast and hard as I can and I have my entire team of investigators working on it.

Garrett:  Any leads or prospects?

Gini: None. For Richard there is the issue that they say Hanna lied when she said he locked the door.  She is standing by her statement that Richard locked the door.  When Henry came into the office he did have a pass key on his keyring..  He could have unlocked the door but his keyring recoils back to a holder on his waistband belt. There is no proof the door was locked or unlocked.  If the pass key had been in the door knob or on the floor we still wouldn't have anything to work with because the veranda slide doors were open. I could show that the veranda is enclosed with decorative ironwork with no exit.  But I can't actually prove the door was locked and the fact that Richard was unarmed and disabled are at the forefront of these charges for him.

Garrett:  Disabled?!

Gini:  Hanna said he lunged at her but with her having the gun and they are trying to prove that he was acting in self defense of himself when he tried for the gun.  She kneed him in the groin and he was off balance and fell full force onto the edge of the desk breaking his arm.  It was a compound break and they said his arm was no longer functional to shoot or even hold a gun.  Therefore, they are certain that she shot him. She said the gun discharged during the struggle and the falling motion when together they both fell onto the desk then onto the floor.

 Garrett: So, there's no solid proof of the door being locked, Richard was unarmed and during a struggle for the gun he suffered a compound fracture to his arm that rendered him unable to even hold a gun.  Yet he is shot and killed.

Gini: Hanna says she didn't even know had broken his arm.  She said as they were falling she got leverage of the gun but the gun accidentally discharged as they landed on the floor.

Garrett:  How can you prove he was a threat when he had a compound fractured arm?

Gini: It just happened so fast and Hanna felt her life was in danger. She did say to the 911 dispatcher that she had shot an attacker. Even if she had known he broke his arm it would not have mattered with the discharging of the gun when falling onto the floor.  She was holding the gun in self defense, he was trying to get the gun in his self defense.  She had intent to kill him and there is no intent that he would have killed her.  They are saying all he wanted was to have control of the gun when she shot him.

Garrett:  Let's talk about the murder charges against Hanna for killing Henry.

Gini:  Since the police can testify they heard him calling for help and warned that she had a gun, they are thoroughly convinced he was under direct threat of his life.  He, reached for the gun and she pushed back thinking he was turning the gun towards her chest when she clung to his arm and lifted he legs for her weight to pull him down. He did fall towards her not releasing his grip on her arm but the gun discharged with the bullet striking him in the neck.  The bullet that killed Richard struck him directly in the heart.  They have records of Hanna being at target range practices and she went through extensive gun training before buying her gun, and guess what?

Garrett: What? 

Gini: She can bench press 185 pounds.  The prosecution thinks they have more than enough evidence to prove it was not self defense for her. She was willing and had intent with possible motive pending more investigation to be revealed. It is looking like they will file charges of first degree murder, one count for each brother.

Garrett:  What about the jewelry?  She said she saw Richard holding a piece of jewelry inside the vault room.

 

To be continued: tomorrow ( bonus mystery story blog)

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl (Monday #6 mystery blog)

Outside of vault officer:  I am Officer Warren Miles.  It is to my understanding that Garrett Oaklon is in this vault along with our escapee.

Vault Man:  I am Garrett Oaklon.

Officer Miles:  What is the current situation with the escapee?

Garrett Oaklon:  The escapee has posed no treat to me in any way. 

Officer Miles: I have information that you know the code to open the vault door.

Garrett: That is correct.

Officer Miles:  Could you write the code on a piece of paper and pass it through the opening?

Garrett: Certainly.  Give me a couple of moments. (Garrett has a small writing pad and pen in his shirt pocket and proceeds to write the combination code on the small notepad.  He then passes a piece ofwith the code through the opening)

Hanna: (Trembling)  This is it for me. I just know it.

Garrett: I have a sister who is an attorney.  I know she would help you if I asked her to.

Hanna:  That's something I can't afford.

Garrett: This has nothing to do with money but everything to do with that you can't afford not to.

(vault door opens.  Several police rush in and two policemen escort Hanna out.)

Garrett: (speaking to Officer Miles)  My company will be providing 24 hour security guard service until the vault door is 100% operational for total protection of the contents of this vault.  I will be staying here on watch until the schedule can be put into place.  This is part of my contract obligation to this corporation and I will fulfill every part of my obligation including a new combination code for the vault door lock security.  It may take several days, but I can assure every one in this corporation that all contents of this vault will remain safe.  I have a lot to do.

Officer Miles:  I would like to interview you.

Garrett: May I come to the station tomorrow and give a statement once I get all of this in order.

Officer Miles: I do want to ask you right now a couple of questions----are you aware of the shootings and did she say anything about them.

Garrett: She told me that both shootings were in self defense.  Now, please excuse me. I have a lot to do and I need to call my sister as soon as I can. She would be knowledgeable about any legalities and  I have some other questions for her.

Officer Miles:  See you tomorrow for your full statement.

Garrett: If something comes up, which could be a possibility, I'll give you a call, Officer Miles.  But for now I want to call my sister and get things set up for the vault security. (Officer Miles nods and leaves.) A forensic team enters the vault and are taking pictures. Garrett steps into the hallway and calls his sister. He asks if she can go to the police precinct immediately then he says) I really don't know her name but just tell her you are my sister. (The sister responds that she will clear her calendar go to the precinct as fast as she can.) 

To be continued tomorrow (Two more bonus mystery blogs this week on Tuesday and Wednesday

Questions:

Is Hanna telling the truth or is she a part of a very sophisticated embezzlement scheme that has been  altering weekly logs?  Did the brothers find out about the logs being tampered with and want to talk to Hanna to give her a chance to confess and tell who was involved for a less charge to be filed by them? b

Is the Garrett Oaklon Cummins an unknown part of the scheme and he and his sister want to leave Hanna holding the bag?

With Hana's account of the jewelry is there any evidence at all to prove that account if there is no jewelry in the vault?

Were the deceased twin brothers involved in the nine serial killings?

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl (Friday)

 Hanna: Both!

Vault Man: Evidently a sudden deadline was in place.  There had to be a reason for that.  Something had caused the auctions of today.  Something was in motion and it had to be taken care of quickly...very quickly. (He feels different areas of the vault door and says) This is a hot place on the vault door.  There is so much heat I can barely hold my hand on it.  I think they are using a cutting torch to cut through the door and make some sort of opening.

Hanna: Of my six years here you are only the second person I have ever seen in the vault.

Vault Man: Who was the other?

Hanna:  It was Richard.

Vault Man: Tell me about it.

Hanna: Actually it was three days ago, Monday afternoon. I was filing the weekly logs and I thought I was a alone.  Then I heard a wrist watch beep.  It startled me and I went around the three rows of safety deposit boxes and I saw Richard squatted in front of a bottom row opened safety deposit box.

Vault Man:  What was he doing?

Hanna: Well, strange enough when I saw him he didn't notice me at first. I caught a glimpse of him holding a piece of jewelry.  The strange part was that he was stroking the jewelry and then he held the jewelry to his cheek. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry. It was a necklace in the shape of a diamond crown with red droplets.  He was so deep in thought I think I could have turned and left without him noticing me.

Vault Man: Why didn't you?

Hanna: It seemed like an opportunity for me to have a conversation with one of the richest men in the world.  I was so excited and asked, "Who's the lucky woman?"  He jolted, he was so startled and said that he didn't realize anyone else was in the vault. It just felt awkward and so I asked my question again, "Who's the lucky woman?"  He answered that it was a gift for his wife and I shouldn't say anything --don't spoil the surprise. So I assured him I wouldn't say anything to anyone and went back to check that my drawer was locked and everything was safe.

Vault Man:  Who left first?

Hanna: He did.  The alarm peeped again on his watch and he was out of there.  He quickly walked by me and didn't say a word even though I wished him a good day.

Vault Man:  Did you read today's newspaper or hear any morning news.

Hanna: No, It's my daily workday routine to watch TV and read the newspaper on my morning break in the employee lounge. Why?

Vault Man: They have found another body and it has the same signs to be the same serial killer as the other eight.

Hanna: What does that have anything to do with this?

Vault Man:  The murderer always takes a piece of jewelry from the victim. The jewelry is like a token or souvenir.

Hanna:  What!  Don't tell me!

Vault Man:  The paper said the victim was last seen wearing a necklace in the shape of a crown with droplets of starlet rubies across the base of the crown.

Hanna: (Screams) What does all this mean?

Vault Man:  It means you really saw more than what you thought you did and you were about to find out how much you really do know.

Hanna: That sounds like exactly the piece of jewelry I saw Richard holding. Do you think the jewelry is still in the drawer?

Vault Man:  No, not at all.  Once you saw the jewelry it had to be moved. It wouldn't surprise me if Richard didn't have it in his pocket when he walked by you as he left the vault.  ( suddenly a cutting torch is breaking through the vault door with someone yelling "cover your eyes, don't look at the welding sparks".

( a sledgehammer then hits and hits the vaults doors until a small portion breaks free and falls to the floor of the vault leaving an opening)

To be continued: There will be a bonus mystery blog posted on Monday, September 13th.

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl (Thursday)

 Hanna:  I don't see how anything I would know would be of any significance to anyone.  I am a receptionist.  I am not invited to internal meetings, I am totally out of the loop.  I answer calls. I screen calls as requested, I post the message board.  I refer callers to other receptionists of other departments.  Once a week I get the weekly logs of all the receptionists of the different departments.  Then I bring those logs to this vault and I have a key for a special log drawer and I open the drawer and put the weekly logs into the drawer, I close the drawer, lock it and leave.  That's it.  Each receptionist signs off on the logs from their department and I sign off for my department.  I am only responsible for my department.  I don't look at the logs, I don't study them, I don't know anything about them except  I bring them here to the vault drawer once a week on Monday afternoon..  Then the evaluation team leader takes the logs and the review team does the checking of all the logs for duplication, efficiency, cost control and quality assurance.  The results are formulated into a spreadsheet and sent directly to Richard's office.

Vault Man: Would you know if any problems had been reported.

Hanna:  No, Everything is handled by internal managers and supervisors with Henry being the head supervisor...Or  he was the head supervisor. 

Vault Man: Interesting. Do they know that you do not study the logs.

Hanna:  I don't know.

Vault Man: But they do know and they are totally aware that you are the first person in this whole operation who has access to all of the weekly logs from all departments.

Hanna:  I don't think it would even be possible for me to identify anything underhanded by even looking at the logs. The review team are all certified accountants. Yes, I am the only one who has access to all weekly logs before the review team sees them but that doesn't mean anything.

Vault Man: It may mean something to someone who wanted to involve you as being a corporate thief or an embezzlement of some sort or magnitude.  Any ideas who would want to do that to you.  Has anyone asked you any unusual questions or did something unusual that you noticed?

Hanna:  Do you still think it is something I know or do you think it is something I was about to find out?

Vault Man:  I think it is a combination of both!

to be continued: tomorrow

"Accidental Date with Fate" by Susan Pearl (Wednesday)

Vault Man: That's terrible--double terrible....Richard and Henry are gone. That's hard to believe.

Hanna: It's true and what else is true is that I'm the one tied up to be served up for this contrived plot that will consume me and my future and I don't know why. There was nothing to suspect, nothing out of the ordinary.  My thoughts are spinning trying to think of something.

Vault Man: Who would benefit from their death.

Hanna: Their wives but that is not foremost on my mind that is bothering me about this. To me Henry told me first thing this morning that Richard wanted to see me immediately for a private, personal meeting in his office.  I went there.

Vault Man:  What was his reaction when he saw you.

Hanna:  He was very upset to the point of being angry and said that it didn't have to be like this.

Vault Man: No, what was his reaction when you told him that Henry had sent you to see him privately? Or did you say anything about why you came to his office?

Hanna: Oh, I told him that Henry told me he wanted to see me.  It was like a "yes" as he didn't question it.

Vault Man: Why did he ask for you to come to his office privately?

Hanna:  I don't know but he seemed like it was accurate that he had told Henry to tell me to come to his office privately.

Vault Man: And now you don't have Henry to verify that fact.

Hanna: That's the issue! Henry denied it to me. He said he hadn't told me to meet Richard.  He denied and told me I better change my story because it would be his word against mine. Then he called for the police to help him and grabbed at the gun trying to point it towards me. We wrestled and fell to the floor with the gun shooting Henry.  I was arrested and handcuffed and got away and ran in the vault and closed the door in the nick of time.

Vault Man: So Henry denied telling you to meet Richard in his office?

Hanna: Yes, several times.  Both knew it but Henry was the one who denied it.  He was the one who told me Richard wanted to see me.

Vault Man: This is suspicious to me.  It reveals a plot between them and together they wanted to get you to Richard's office.

Hanna:  But why would Richard and Henry want me dead? 

Vault Man:  You had to be some sort of threat to them.  What do you know that they could not allow to be known?

Hanna:  I know nothing!!!

Vault Man: You know more than you think you do. Exactly when did Henry tell you Richard wanted to see you.

Hanna: Henry came to work about a half hour late. He walked in and came to my desk to tell me Richard wanted to see me. He then went to his office and I went to Richard's office.

Vault Man: Strange that it was so urgent and that Henry knew Richard wanted to see you when he came in to work.  Maybe they had talked earlier on the phone.  Cell phone records should show that if that could have happened.

Hanna: What?   Cell phone records?!!

Vault Man: Yes, because maybe it wasn't so much of what you know, but, maybe it is was about what you were going to find out.

to be continued: (tomorrow)

"Accidental Date With Fate" by Susan Pearl --( Tuesday)

 Hanna:  I don't understand, officer! (sobbing)  I don't understand.

Officer:  Put you hands behind your back. I am handcuffing you and placing you under arrest.  You have the right tp remain silent.  If you don't remain silent anything you say may or will be used against you.  You have the right to an attorney.  If you can't afford one --one will be appointed.  Do you understand?

Hanna:  Yes, I am under arrest. (faints)

Officer:  She's passed out. (He places her to the floor and leaves room briefly for water)  (Other officer in room is checking bodies for identification)

( officer returns promptly with paper cup of water then exclaims) Where is she? She was just here!!! (He runs out onto veranda and looks both ways)   I see someone getting on a bus at the end of the block.  We have got to stop that bus.  I'm calling it in to central. (Officer steps out onto veranda to message dispatcher. Other officer is still checking bodies for identification.)

(Hanna quickly appears from behind the flowing drapery with a side flounce of extra material covering the opened veranda sliding door.  She suddenly bolts from the room).

(both officers shout in unison)  Stop!! 

(Hanna leaps across the hall into the open vault. She fumbles with her handcuffed hands but quickly  finds the button to close and arm the vault.  The vault door promptly closes and clicks three times. the police are locked out. Inside the vault a hidden man comes forward and yells)

 Vault Man: Hey, don't close the vault door. I'm in here. (He runs to push the door but it is too late. The door clicks three more times and then loudly latches. He pounds on the door yelling, ) No!  No!  No! (He turns around and sees trembling handcuffed Hanna and asks) Are you handcuffed?

Hanna: Yes, I am.

Vault Man  I would really prefer if you would sit in this corner so I can watch you.  I don't want to have to knock you out to get you there.

(Hanna moves to corner and sits down on the floor.)

Vault Man.(shakes head) This is a timed release lock. This safe won't open for 24 hours.  We're going to be in here awhile if they don't break through the door.

Hanna:  Can anyone open it by hand?

Vault Man: No, only one person knows the combination and that one person, unfortunately, is me. I came and opened the vault because of the police activity. everything checked out fine and I was getting ready to leave and before I knew it the door was closing. 

Hanna: I didn't know what else to do! They think I murdered two men.

Vault Man: You what????

Hanna: I said that they think I murdered two men.  I may have killed them but I didn't murder them.

Vault Man: Don't move.  I mean it.  I told you before that I don't want to knock you out.

Hanna: I killed them but I didn't murder them.

Vault Man: Stop, tell whatever you have to say to the police not me.

Hanna: Please listen to what I have to say. This may be my only opportunity to tell someone my side of the story.  I'm desperate! I've been set up! I can't believe this has happened.  I'm doomed if you don't listen to what I have to say!

Vault Man: You can talk but not move.

Hanna: Please, please hear this--They may soon be trying to blast the vault open.  I don't know how long I have before I fall under such false accusations, if that happens I DON'T HAVE A CHANCE!

Vault Man:  Why do you say that?

Hanna: Because I was set up so good....without a flaw.  but something must have gone wrong.  I know I killed them both in self defense.  The second brother was trying to position the gun to shot me and I don't think that had been in a plan.  They both wanted me dead., but why?

Vault Man: You are telling me you killed Richard and Henry the twin brothers who own this massive enterprise?

Hanna: Yes.  I had to!!!

to be continued: (tomorrow)

"The Accidental Date With Fate" (Monday) by Susan Pearl

Hi, Readers,  This next five blogs with be my first five segments of a mystery script entitled:

"The Accidental Date With Fate" 

Each month there will be five blogs, Monday through Friday, for a continuing mystery story.   On the first full week of each month the Monday through Friday installments of the mystery will be posted.  This will continue the first full week of each month, Monday through Friday until the mystery is solved and completed with the final words, "The End". 

This is the first time I am writing an an ongoing mystery for a week each month until completed.  It is my ardent hope that it will be enjoyed by the readers.  I am stretching my writing capabilities but I believe I am up to this creative task and challenge.  The mystery story is written like a script, nothing fancy and is more of a narrative type writing ----here is the beginning of:

 "The Accidental Date With Fate"

With Best Wishes,

Susan Pearl

Place--

(Inside a large corporate office building)

Speaker ---                                                                                                                                                    Hanna:  Henry told me that it was imperative that I immediately come to your office.  He said that you wanted to talk to me personally and privately.  What's this all about, Richard?

Richard: (walks in from his customized office veranda, steps behind Hanna to close and lock the door.).Then he says rudely, This is about something that didn't have to be this way.  It didn't have to be this way, Hanna!!

Hanna: Move from standing in front of the door because I really want want to leave.  If you are blocking my exit I considered myself being kidnapped. I want to go.  I want to go, now.

Richard:  It didn't have to be like this.  I didn't have to be like this.

Hanna:  Like what?  This is so off. ...so wrong. You look so mad.  Stay away. I carry a revolver and I am calling for help. (takes out revolver and cell phone)

Richard: (lunging) You provoke me!!!

(struggle---shot fired)

Hanna: 911, I think I killed an attacker. 2420 Modenther Drive, Suite 18

Henry:(running into room)  I thought I heard a gunshot.  It's Richard! (checks for vitals)  He's dead.

Hanna:  When did Richard tell you he wanted to see me?

Henry:  What!!  He never----I don't know what you are talking about!

Hanna: Don't you remember telling me less than a half hour ago that Richard wanted to see me immediately for a private conversation in his office?

Henry: No!!!

Hanna: I hear sirens.  The police are coming!

Henry: You better not lie and involve me.  It is your word against mine.  You are going to get caught in a lie if you don't change your story!

Hanna:  But it's not a lie!!!

Henry: I say it is. I am in no way involved in the death of my twin brother.

Hanna:  Henry, did you set this up?

Henry:  (yells and screams)  Police Help!!!  Help!!!  She's got a gun!! (he reaches for Hanna's gun. He twists the gun towards her chest. They struggle and fall to the floor causing the gun to fire)--(Hanna stands up---Police enter----

Police: Drop the gun!  

(Hanna drops the gun and raises her hands)

to be continued- (tomorrow)