Of Playthings and Puppets

Part two of two! Enjoy. (For the first part of the chapter, click here.) Stick around for the next two chapters in coming weeks.

“I’ll see you guys. Alright, let’s see… I guess this must be it? Ma’am? Maria? Are you there? Come on, open the door, lady—hello? Hi.”

“Hi… you’re an officer?”

“Yes, that’s right. Detective Tony Procyk, ma’am. And you’re Maria Alexandros?”

“The one and only.”

“Great. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about this morning and your neighbor?”

“Annie? No. Please, go ahead. Would you like to have a cup of coffee? I brewed some before and I just… I just can’t finish it all no matter how much I’d like to.”

“Sure, please, thank you.”

“Do you think anyone else would like any? I have plenty? And I could always make another pot?”

“I’ll ask them when we’re finished, okay? I promise.”

“Okay, thank you. So what would you like to know?”

“Well, why don’t you tell me what happened.”

“Alright. Well, what can I say? You know, I woke up just like always and I was going out—”

“What time was this?”

“A little after nine thirty, maybe closer to nine forty five. Sometime around there.”

“Did you look at a clock or anything before you left?”

“No, I had just watched the news and I waited to see the weather and that’s about the time they show the weather on the news, you know, that in-between time that people who need to leave and go somewhere need to know what its like outside.”

“So, continuing.”

“Tony, right? I was leaving around then to go for my usual morning jog—”

“You always go for a jog?”

“Are you going to let me finish my story?”

“Sorry.”

“Yes, I always go for a jog, just about the same time every morning. What else is an old lady to do? I’m not going to sit around watching reruns of Lucy all day and the soaps aren’t on until later. Look, my husband’s been dead for seven years and I’ve been alone since then, so I do what I want to do, you got it? I love jogging. I go for about an hour or two, run all over, through the park, down the city, maybe I stop at a little store or something and pick up a croissant for breakfast, but I go jogging and yes, I do it practically every day. So, I was leaving, and I noticed Annie had her door open. I thought maybe she just left it open by mistake, you know, it happens—”

“Had she ever left the door open before?”

“No, not that I remember, but I’ve been known to forget to lock my door before, so I can understand it when you’re in a rush or something, so I walked over to the door and knocked and called her name, thinking she might be in there or something. The lights were all on from what I could see, you know, the living room and kitchen combo area, those lights were all on, so I figured she was home. I walked in, slowly, called her name again. You know, it’s weird, but I think, well, I think I knew something was wrong as soon as I stepped in there… I can’t really describe the feeling, but it was like I knew she was in trouble. So I kept walking in there, and I just followed the lights. Through the door by the couch, down the little hall, and to her bedroom… and that’s… that’s where… well, you saw her.”

“Yeah.”

“And I just ran out. I was in so much shock. I didn’t even cry until after calling nine-one-one. Then I just sat down and couldn’t control myself. She was always… always such a good neighbor. And so sweet. I just… I can’t believe—”

“It’s alright, it’s okay. We’ll find whoever did this to her, you can believe that.”

“Such a wonderful girl….”

“Did she… someone mentioned that sometimes she brought guys home?”

“Well, you know, she is young. And attractive. And single. Is it wrong to bring men home?”

“No, of course not.”

“So, she had her fun. She never figured this would happen.”

“Do you know where she went? A specific bar or anything?”

“No, I never talked to her about that. She was always quiet about that kind of stuff with me. You know, I never really saw her ever talk to anyone about it. Such is the way of the young people. Do you have kids, Tony?”

“Actually, yes, I have a baby boy. Walt.”

“Aren’t they precious? God… I always wanted to have children. Rick, my husband, and I tried so much, but we never could have any. I know I should’ve adopted at some point… but, no. It wasn’t the same. I don’t know.”

“So you live alone now?”

“Right.”

“And so you were here alone this morning?”

“When?”

“About seven or eight?”

“I was… you don’t… you don’t think I’m a suspect? You think I killed little Annie?”

“No, no, you misjudge. I was just getting as much facts as I—”

“Now you listen here, Mr. Procyk. I did not hurt a hair on that little girl’s head and I swear to you that if I saw the man that did that to her I would kill him. Now, I know that’s something I shouldn’t tell you, but to see someone do that to another person, that’s just God awful and whoever did it, why, they should just burn in Hell for the rest of eternity.”

“Right. Thank you, Mrs. Alexandros. We’ll need you to come down to the station to give your formal declaration. I’ll have an officer come get you in just a little while, alright?”

“This wasn’t formal enough?”

“No, this is… this was me trying to help Anne-Marie.”

“Annie.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Thank you, Tony.”

“No, thank you. And for the coffee.”