Empty Angel

The music is playing loudly and people are crowding around the house drinking and having a good time. Lilly Rowley is dressed in a baby blue ankle-length dress with white low-heeled shoes. Her hair is pulled back in a loose-fitting bun at the nape of her neck. Her baby blue eyes are searching the crowd in hopes of finding her three best friends Jessica, Angie, and Brittany. Finally, she spots them leaning against the wall talking and laughing.

“There you guys are!” she said with a sigh of relief. “I thought you left me.”

“We would never leave you, Lilly,” Angie shouted over the music.

“I have to get home. If my parents find out that I missed curfew again I will never be let out of the house again!” Lilly said reaching to hug each of her friends goodbye.

“Why do you always do what your parents want?” asked Jessica. “You beat yourself up for them and they still find ways to criticizes you. When are you going to stop slaving away for them and start living for yourself?”

“Jessica you asked this every time I have to leave and my answer is always the same. I do what they ask so that when I go out with you, I won’t get into too much trouble,” Lilly replied.

“Yeah, I know. I just thought you finally got the courage to stand up to your parents and tell them that you don’t want to follow in the family business of fancy balls and stuffy brunches.” Jessica said concern flashing across her face.

She knows what it is like for Lilly right now. She went through the same situation with her parents last year. Lilly and Jessica have known each other since they were toddlers. Just last year when Jessica turned 21, she told her parents that she did not want the glitz and glimmer of nobility. She wanted more freedom to hang out with her friends and to make a life of her own. Now it is Lilly’s turn to do just that. Her birthday is next week and she wants out of the high society and live life normally.

“I know I know. And I will tell them, Tomorrow. But for now, it is time for me to head home.” Lilly says with one last hug to each of them.

Walking down a dimly lit street, Lilly can hear footsteps coming from behind her and she starts to panic. She turns down an alley to try and get away from them. However, the footsteps keep getting louder and louder and her heart is about to pound out of her chest when she hits a dead end. There is nowhere for her to turn, no way to escape whoever is behind her. The only action she can take is to turn around and face the footsteps. To her surprise when she turns around there is no one there, not even a shadow. There is only a large trash bin and some soaking wet cardboard boxes. She blames her paranoia on the alcohol and she starts to head back towards the street when someone grabs her from behind. She tries to break free from their grasp.

“Please! Sir! Let me go!” says Lilly.

“I will give you anything you want! Just let me go! Please!” She continued.

The figure says nothing to her plea. He just holds tight to her. He is dressed in all black. A black trench coat, dress pants, dress shoes, and a fedora. He has a scar that stretches from the inner corner of his left eye to halfway down his cheek. He has piercing green eyes and a smile that can light up a room.

“Please sir, whatever you want my parents will give it to you.” Lilly tries again.

“Your parents have nothing I want,” he said, as he smiles sadistically at her. “Sleep tight little bird”

That was the last thing she heard before she was enveloped in complete darkness.

“It is done.” He said to the woman on the phone. “You don’t have to worry about her anymore.”

“Perfect.” She said as she hung up the phone.

“Hey, Brittany! Come on let’s go dance!” Shouted Angie and Jessica over the music.

Brittany smiled and made her way to her friends to dance the night away.

The next day, Detective Jeremy Adams is looking over Lilly’s body trying to figure out who could have done this. In his notebook, he writes about what he sees at the crime scene. He notes that the girl is in her early 20’s and struggled to get away from her attacker. He also notes that she has a heart-shaped birthmark on her upper right arm was peeking out of her torn dress. By this birthmark, he knows exactly who this is. It is Lilly Rowley.

As he drives to Lilly’s parents’ house dreading the news that he has to give he remembers the first time that he met Lilly. He had just started on the police force and he was assigned protection detail at one of her parties.

The doorbell rings.

“Hello.” says the doorman.

“Hello. I am Detective Adams. I am looking for Lord and Lady Rowley.” Detective Adams replied.

They make their way to the library where Lord Rowley is sitting behind a desk working and Lady Rowley is sitting on the couch reading a book.

“Sir, Detective Adams.” said the doorman.

“Hello, Detective. What can we do for you today?” asked Lord Rowley.

“Sir, Ma’am, I am here because I have some grave news. Your daughter, Lilly was found this morning in an alley. It seems that she was brutally murdered last night.” Detective Adams explained.

“What do you mean murdered?” asked Lady Rowley. “She was here all night. In her room.”

“I’m sorry ma’am. But this is your daughter. She has a heart-shaped birthmark on her upper right shoulder. The same as Lilly.” informed Detective Adams.

“No that can’t be. Our Lilly Bear would never sneak out. She is a good girl and an obedient daughter. She would never go against our rules.” said Lord Rowley.

“I know this must be very difficult to accept but I need to know if you have any idea of where she was last night?” replied Detective Adams.

“How could this happen? We thought she was in her room,” said Lord Rowley. “Maybe try talking to her best friend Jessica Holder.”

“That is what I am going to find out Sir,” replied Detective Adams. “Thank you for your time and I am sorry for your loss. If I have any further questions for you, I will let you know.” Detective Adams said with sympathy.

Detective Adams leaves the Rowley’s home and heads towards Jessica’s house to ask her about what happened the night of Lilly’s death.

He knocks on Jessica’s apartment door and minutes later it opens.

“Hello, are you Jessica Holder?” asked Detective Adams.

“Yes, I am. Is there something I can do for you?” replied Jessica.

“Do you mind if I come in? I have some grave news that I must share and some questions that I need to ask.” Detective Adams says sincerely.

“Of course. Come in.” Jessica invites him in. “What questions can I try and answer for you?”

“Well first I must share that sometime last night your friend Lilly Rowley was murdered,” stated Detective Adams.

“What no! That can’t be! She was perfectly fine when she left last night. I don’t understand how this happened.” cried Jessica. “Everyone loved Lilly. She was the kind of person who could light up the room with her smile and sense of humor.”

“She was with you last night?” asked Detective Adams. “What were you two doing?”

“We met up with Angie and Brittany for a party a few blocks from here,” answered Jessica. “Around 2:00 AM Lilly told us that she needed to get home before her parents realized that she was missing. That was the last time that I saw her.”

“Did anything seem off at the party? Was Lilly acting weird? Did she say anything about being followed?” asked Detective Adams as he writes in his notebook.

“Actually yes. About two weeks ago she did tell us that she felt that someone was following her.” Jessica said remembering. “We all thought she was just stressed out because of the pressure that her parents have been putting on her. We told her to ignore it,” explained Jessica.

“What pressure have her parents been putting on her?” asked Detective Adams.

“They wanted her to step up and become a steadier figure in high society.” Jessica explained, “Lilly didn’t want to though. She wanted to get out of the light and just be a normal woman.” said Jessica. “She was going to tell her parents today that she wants to leave.”

“Did she ever describe this man to you?” asked Adams.

“Not that I can remember.” Stated Jessica. “I never thought that it was real. I don’t know anyone who would want to hurt Lilly.”

“Thank you for this insight. Do you know how I can reach both Angie and Brittany? I need to ask them some questions.” asked Detective Adams.

“Yes, they both live two floors up. Apartment 4B.” replied Jessica.

“Thank you very much for your time. If I have any further questions, I will contact you.” with that Detective Adams got up and left.

He knocked on the door of apartment 4B and Angie opened the door.

“Hello, is this the residence of Angie and Brittany?” asked Detective Adams.

“Yes. Who are you?” asked Angie.

“I am Detective Adams and I have some questions that I would like to ask both you and Brittany. May I come in?” stated Detective Adams.

“Sure. Let me get Brittany.” Angie leaves the detective sitting in the living room. When she returns Brittany is with her.

“Last night your friend Lilly was murdered in an alley. Did she say anything to you about who she thought was following her?” asked the detective.

“What! This can’t be happening!” Angie cried in disbelief “I do remember her saying something about being followed but she never said anything about what he looks like.”

“Did she say anything to you about who was following her?” Angie asked Brittany

“No, not that I am aware of.” Replied Brittany.

“You seem very calm for someone who just found out that her friend was murdered last night.” Noted Detective Adams.

“Well, we weren’t close. She was closer to Jessica and Angie.” Explained Brittany.

“Do you mind if I speak to each of you individually? Just so I can get a sense of what your relationship with Lilly was like.” Asked Detective Adams.

“Yeah. Who would you like to talk to first?” asked Angie.

“I would like to speak to Brittany first.” Replied Adams.

Angie left the room to give them some privacy.

“Okay Brittany, tell me about your relationship with Lilly.” Asked Detective Adams.

“Well, there is not much to tell.” Replied Brittany. “She is best friends with Jessica and so am I. We don’t talk outside of the group. When Jessica brought her into the group her and Angie hit it off right away.”

“So, you and Lilly never had a strong connection?” asked Adams.

“No, we never clicked as she did with both Jessica and Angie.” Confirmed Brittany.

“How did that make you feel? Knowing that Lilly had a stronger relationship with Jessica and Angie and not you?” asked Adams.

“What do you mean?” asked Brittany.

“Did you feel like Lilly was stealing your best friends?” Detective Adams questioned.

Brittney shifts uncomfortably on the couch as she tries to come up with an answer.

“I guess. I have known both Jessica and Angie for five years and then Lilly comes in and, in some ways, steals them from me.” Answered Brittany.

Adams notices that she is becoming uncomfortable and a red flag goes off in his head telling him that she knows something about what happened.

“Brittany, what are you not telling me?” inquired Adams.

“What?” Brittany said taken off guard. “I am telling you what I know.”

“I don’t think you are.” Said Adams. “I think you are hiding something from me. I think you know who killed Lilly.”

“What makes you think that?” asked Brittany nervously.

“Your body language is telling me that you are hiding something.” Continued Adams. “And if you tell me everything that you know right now, I will be able to help you.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Brittany said as her heartbeat quickens.

“This is your last chance, Brittany. Tell me who killed Lilly and you will get the minimum sentence.” Detective Adams said. His patience running thin.

As he said this Angie walks into the room.

“Brittany, who were you talking to on the phone last night?” Angie asked.

“What?” Brittany said jumping at the sound of Angie’s voice.

“Last night around 2:00 AM you were on the phone with someone before Jessica and I yelled for you to dance with us. Who were you talking to?” Angie asked again.

“Oh. Umm, that was Jake.” Brittany replied.

“Jake? Who is Jake?” Asked Adams.

“Jake. He is the guy that lives the floor above us. What did he want?” asked Angie.

“Umm. He umm.” Brittany was stammering to figure out what to say.

“Brittany. You need to tell me who this Jake is and what you guys talked about.” Adams told her.

Brittany said nothing.

“Angie, you said that he lives on the floor above you right?” Adams asked.

“Yes. Apartment 5A.” replied Angie.

With that information, Detective Adams left Brittany and Angie and headed up a floor to talk to Jake.

Adams knocked and Jake opened the door.

“Hello, Jake. I am Detective Adams do you mind if I come in and ask you some questions?” said Adams.

Jake opens that door wider so that Adams can come inside.

“What is this about detective?” asked Jake.

“Last night a young girl named Lilly was murdered in an alley. I was just downstairs talking to her friends Brittany and Angie and your name came up. I was wondering what your relationship with the deceased and her friends are?” informed Adams.

“Wow, really? Umm, I have known Brittany for seven years.” Jake said casually.

“What can you tell me about her relationship with Lilly?” asked Adams.

“She didn’t like her. She felt that she was stealing her friends.” Replied Jake.

“What did you guys talk about last night at two o’clock in the morning?” asked Adams.

“I told her it was finished and that she didn’t have to worry about her anymore,” Jake said.

“What do you mean?” wondered Adams.

“I mean that the guy that she hired took care of Lilly for her.” Stated Jake.

“Who did she hire? And what is your involvement in all of this?” asked Adams.

“His name is Drew. He is my roommate. I didn’t know that anything was happening until last night when he came home and told me to tell Brittany that is was done.” Explained Jake. “I tried to ask what was done but neither of them would tell me. Now I understand.”

“Where is Drew now?” asked Adams.

“He is in his room. Second door on the left.” Said Jake.

Detective Adams made his way down the hall and found Drew passed out in bed. He arrested him for the murder of Lilly Rowley. Then came back for Brittany and charged her with accessory to murder.