A police officer finally opened Mr. Coral's door for his lawyer. "Oh Mr. Policeman!" she shrieked, "I'm afraid we have a little mystery on our hands!" The police officer scratched his scalp in confusion. "Um no offense Miss but I fail to see how this is a mystery...Nurse Karina here accidentally gave Mr. Coral the wrong medicine." "Well, Sir I'm Caroline, Mr. Coral's lawyer and I think I know a mystery when I see one. Don't you find it strange that the whole Coral family got wiped out in one day?" "Why yes we have that on file but we have no evidence whatsoever that Marie and her father were murdered." Caroline raised her eyebrow, "And Mrs. Coral?" The police man sighed, "Yes, she appears to be murdered. But her receptionist is to blame. She's in custody right now." I gasped and swam over to him. "The receptionist didn't murder Mrs. Coral! I'm a witness! I was there the whole time!" A woman I instantly recognized swam up behind the police man. She glared at me. "Why the receptionist most certainly did murder her. All the evidence is there." I sighed. It was Mrs. Coral's sister. Would she ever leave me alone? "No she didn't!" I screamed in anger, "I will not let an innocent woman go to jail!" A sly smile crept onto her face, "So if the receptionist didn't murder her, I guess you did since you were there the whole time..." Caroline's eyes grew huge, "No! She's only a child!" She put an arm around me defensively. Mrs. Coral's sister's smile grew larger, "Ah but she was at every death, now wasn't she?" Caroline gasped and backed away from me. The police man examined me closely, "Now don't move. Carl's coming to cuff you." I screamed and instintively swam down the stairs. What a twist of events! How would I prove my innocence?
I heard frantic swimming behind me and instantly knew I was being chased. I swam to the front door and quickly opened it and slammed it shut. Then I swam under a hospital bed in the room next to me. I had a good view of the door. The policeman yelled, "She ran outside!" "She can't go far!" Caroline screamed. I watched them all swim outside. Then I let out the breath I was holding and started to sob. How did I get dragged into this when I was just trying to help? "Are you alright, dear?" a creaky old voice asked from above me. I stopped crying, panic rising in me. This person would tell them where I was! An old wrinkly hand reached down and touched mine. "I know you're under there. It's all right, I'm not telling them you're here." I sniffled a little, "Really?" "Yes, really. I know you're innocent." I gasped, "How?" The old woman chuckled, "Oh child, I know a lot more than you think. I'm Rosie." "Oh um, hi. I'm Camela." "Nice to meet you Camela. Now I know you're innocent but I have no idea what crime you were accused of. Do you mind explaining?" Rosie asked. I sniffled, "I was accused of the murders of my best friend and her parents." I heard Rosie gasp, "Oh my. That's awful." "And now I don't know what to do! Mrs. Coral's sister managed to convince everyone I murdered them!" "Cynthia." Rosie snarled. "Huh?" I asked. "Cynthia. Or Cyn for short. Mrs. Coral's sister. That tyrant." "And you know her..?" I gasped in shock. "Yes, unfortunately I know her. From my days of being a psychic. Or my days of scamming people. I hope you know, psychics are all fake, dear." Rosie explained. "Yes I know. Please go on," I pleaded. "Well, Cynthia came in for a palm reading one day, she had her son with her, Sam I think it is? I told her what I told everyone, she would gain a lot of money soon and her son would grow up healthy. She took my reading too seriously and begged me to tell her details. Of course I had no details to tell, so I refused. She then proceeded to beat me up while her son watched in horror. She slapped me and kicked me. I had her arrested for assault. However she wasn't supposed to be out of jail for two more years. I don't understand how she got out." My jaw dropped open. I couldn't believe my ears. Dust was all over me so I crawled out and stood up. "Ah it's nice to finally put a face to your voice." Rosie smiled at me. "I know what I have to do, Rosie. Only I don't know how to do it."
"Only one more question," I said, "How did you know I was innocent?" Rosie smiled mysteriously, "Let's just say magic, Child. Everyone needs a little magic in their lives." I smiled at Rosie, suddenly full of hope, and hugged her goodbye. "Be careful!" she screamed after me as I swam outside. I swam to a beauty salon first. A petite woman swam up to me and smiled, "What kind of hair cut would you like?" "I want it cut to my chin. And dye it black." I sighed. This wasn't what I wanted but I couldn't complete my mission if people were chasing me. A look of pity washed over the woman's face. "But your hair is so long and blonde and beautiful! Are you sure?" I grimaced, "Positive." I grimaced every time a piece of my hair fell to the floor, and eventually resorted to closing my eyes. "All done!" she screamed. I opened my eyes and gasped, "It's...hideous." The woman frowned, "I know. Bad choice on your part. I warned you!" "Ah well. Everyone makes mistakes. Here's your money." My eyes landed on a pair of reflective sunglasses laying next to a purse. "Oh my! Mind if I snag those sunglasses?" I asked. The woman looked confused, "Um those are mine." I pouted and grabbed a piece of my horrible black hair. "Oh all right," she sighed, "Only because you look so bad." I smiled and put her glasses on, "Oh one more thing. Mind driving me to the town jail?"
A startled look came across her face. "Why, the jail is no place for a teenage girl...why would you want to go there?" "I'm trying to solve a mystery. No more questions please." I said. "Well alright." she sighed. ------------------------------------------ We pulled up to the jail, and I instantly felt like I was in danger. "Want me to come in with you?" she asked me in concern. "No, no. I have to do this myself." I said as I hopped out of her car. I opened the door and walked up to a policeman behind a desk. He was obnoxiously chewing a donut. "Whaddaya want?" he said between chews. "H-hi," I said nervously, "Is a prisoner named Cynthia here?" He sighed and threw his donut on his desk. Then he took a huge binder out of a drawer. "Cynthia...Cynthia...C-y-n...C-y-n-t...oh yes there is a prisoner named Cynthia here. Why?" "What? I don't-um...well can I see her?" I said in confusion. He eyed me suspiciously, "Are you a relative?" I started to sweat profusely, "I'm her niece, Marie." He smiled, "Alright Marie. You follow me and I'll take you to her cell." I followed him down a long hallway to a lone cell at the end. He banged on the bars with his keys. "Cynthia!" he screamed, "Wake up you have a visitor!" Cynthia woke up and stretched. Then she shuffled over to the cell door. "Mind giving us some privacy?" I asked the policeman. "No problem. My donut's waiting anyway." he then walked back to his desk. I gave Cynthia a stern look, "I don't know how you left jail and came back but..." She held up her hand and nodded, "Look I don't know you. Why are you harassing me?" I narrowed my eyes at her, "Don't lie. You know me! I used to have long blonde hair! Remember?" I whipped off my sunglasses. She squinted at me, "Kid, I've been in jail for 5 years. I wouldn't remember you if I tried." I stomped my foot, "I saw you today! I talked to you today! Stop lying!" A look on comprehension spread across her face. Then she nodded. "Alright how about you explain who you are, then I'll explain who I am?" I sighed, "I'm Camela...Marie's best friend?" "Oh, Marie, my niece?" "Duh!" I said, annoyed. "Ok well I'm not Cynthia," she whispered, "I'm Madison." I gasped, "Wha-?" "I'm Cynthia's twin," she whispered.
"Your name is Madison?" I gasped, "Why are you in jail instead of Cynthia?" She sighed and stared at the dirty floor. "I-I owed her one. And I'll be out soon. Trust me." I squinted my eyes at her, "You owed her one? Can you explain?" She rolled her eyes at me, "Whatever, detective. Cynthia's husband cheated on her, with me." My jaw dropped open, "What?! So you went to jail for her?!" She hung her head in shame, "Yeah, basically. Cynthia is scary, as you probably know. It's not good to get on her bad side. She said if I went to jail for her, she would forgive me and bail me out when she earned enough." "But why would you cheat with your twin's husband?!" I screeched, "That's horrible!" She sighed, "He thought I was Cynthia. He was drunk, I was drunk. I went along with it. I regret it to this day." "That's still bad! When do you get out?" I asked. "Any day now," Madison said, a disturbing smile on her face.
Suddenly it hit me. "NO!" I screamed. I knew where I had to go next, whether I liked it or not. Madison gave me a strange look. I looked at her in disgust. "I know what you're doing," I whispered, "And you're not going to get away with it." She shook her head frantically, "No Camela I don't think you understand..." I gave her a death stare and swam out. I swam to the nearest taxi before I could change my mind. The taxi driver looked bored, "Where can I take you, Miss?" "To the surface, please." He looked at me, shocked. "A-are you sure? Well ok. That will be. $15 plus an extra $10 for your water tank. You won't survive long without it." I paid him and swam into the cab. I instantly felt nervous. "Miss, I can turn on some music if you're nervous..." "Yes. Please." I sighed.