Who Killed Suzanna?

by  Baghera

July 23, 1921

In a clinic in the country. Candy worked as the chief nurse with Patty. They were neighbors of Tom, a cowboy, who was also an orphan at Ms. Pony’s orphanage. When his father died, he received the farm and land as an inheritance. Sometimes he went out for a walk and often brought them their mail. Tom helped them for their trip.

As for Patty, she was looking more beautiful and mature, her glasses giving her an intellectual look. She preferred to concentrate on work and when she had the time, she would go into the city for meetings. Since Stear’s death she has been more assured and confident in herself.

Annie and Archie lived in a house located not far from the clinic. They usually came during the summertime to meet Candy. They lived in a big Scottish home. Albert, Candy’s husband, was not often present. He was worried about the André’s family problems and his work as a forester.

Neal Legrand decided to leave his home permanently to be with Candy in the USA, unlike his mother and sister Lizza. He was the owner of a grocery and was banished from his family and social class. His mother was thinking of disinheriting him. Everyday, Neal would walk to the clinic to say good morning to Candy, but the reception is often cold.

But this noon, Neal went to see Candy and instead saw Suzanna entering the clinic.

"Ha! It’s the first time that I see her here!" Neal thought. He stood outside the door and overheard a conversation between Suzanna and Candy.

In the clinic, Candy was very surprised to see Suzanna. "Good morning Suzanna! Can I help you?"

Suzanna spoke with a lost and sad voice. "Candy, help me! Terry isn’t recognizable. He gets drunk non-stop and he is more physically violent with me all the time, than verbal."

Candy stared at her and answered her coldly. "If you think that I believe in your lies, then you deceive yourself!"

Suzanna backtracked and seemed more disappointed. Candy was deceived by her before. Did Suzanna really need her help or was this one of her little schemes again. However, Candy paid no attention to her.

Suzanna left without noticing Neal’s presence. Upon hearing the conversation, Neal decided to follow her.

In the clinic, Patty arrived in the backroom. "Who were you talking to, Candy?"

Candy said, "That viper Suzanna!"

Patty spoke with a harsh voice that she does not often use. "She’s very insolent! I imagine that she came to talk about Terry, that crab!"

Candy was impressed at the harshness of her colleague at work. She nodded her head without talking. Patty gave herself a few seconds to relax and gave her a paper.

"Annie phoned. She wants you to call her!" said Patty.

Candy took the paper with a smile of thanks. "It’s probably for dinner tonight! Would you occupy the clinic for few minutes?"

Patty accepted. Candy went to the backroom, took a phone situated there and dialed a number. Before it rang twice, Annie had already answered. Annie was a splendid beauty with her long black hair. She was overexcited. Her spouse, Archie, a witness to the conversation, was sitting and reading a police story. They confirmed their appointment.

Candy’s house was situated under a clinic, with two bedrooms for a couple and others for guests, a kitchen, and a living room. That night, Albert, Candy, Annie, and Archie sat around of kitchen table with dark lighting. They laughed at the good old times, and their good and bad jokes.

Annie said, "Archie is reading a police story!"

"Yeah! It’s the Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie. It’s a good first story written by a women!" said Archie.

Annie is skeptical toward this unknown author. "I think that she wastes her time writing police stories. She should work like the rest of the people!"

"I think that she became popular fast because one of her books will be become a theater play," said Archie.

"And why not a movie!" said Annie.

"Archie is right, Annie. Often writers that we doubt at the beginning become popular," said Candy.

"Candy is right," said Albert. "Who would have thought that one day Candy will become chief nurse! Nobody!"

On this thoughtful sentence, the conversation was closed. Annie decided to change conversation.

"And so Candy, how is it going at the clinic?"

"It’s going well. Patty is helping me alot! By the way, do you know who came today?"

"Neal? Tom?" asked Albert.

"No, worse than that, Suzanna!" said Candy.

Everyone looked surprised.

"What did she come for?" asked Albert.

"She claimed that Terry became an alcoholic and he batters her often," said Candy.

"Again one of her little schemes," said Archie.

Archie said it so quietly that it seems that nobody heard him. Annie herself felt revolted. Albert was pensive for a part of the evening.

24 July 1921.

In the clinic, Candy went to backroom and saw Tom arrive looking afraid.

"Candy, come quickly. Something happened on street!"

Tom left in a rush followed by Candy. She looked from a distance and saw that Archie, Annie, Patty and Albert surround a lifeless form. Candy arrived at the scene and recognized a woman with golden hair and blood on her forehead. It was…Suzanna. Candy knelt in front of her and checked her breathing by placing her ear near her mouth. No breath. She placed her hand on her left chest. No heartbeat. She took her wrist and felt her pulse. No pulse. She rose calmly and reported the diagnosis in a professional manner.

"She’s dead!" she said.

Annie began to cry in Archie’s arms. Archie remained speechless in front the horror. Patty, who had already seen these things, was not surprised at the news, but she also felt sad. Albert didn’t know what to say or do and then he let out one sentence: "She didn’t deserve that!" with sadness.

"Archie, Albert, go and get me a stretcher. Patty get my first-aid kit," said Candy.

Archie, Albert and Patty ran to the clinic. Tom moved his foot and he felt a piece of glass. Candy looked at where Tom put his foot and saw several pieces of glass. She put on some plastic gloves and slowly picked up a piece of glass. Albert and Archie returned with a stretcher along while Patty brought the first-aid kit.

"There are pieces of glass, be careful!" said Candy.

Patty gave the first-aid kit to Candy. Candy took out a clear, plastic bag from the kit and began to take the pieces of glass, placing them in the bag. Once she had finished, Archie and Albert placed the lifeless body of Suzanna on the stretcher. They brought her back to the clinic with Tom and Patty. Anny remained speechless throughout. Candy came to comfort her, embracing her in her arms.

"We were talking about her yesterday. I never thought it would come to this. Poor Terry! He will feel sad to hear this."

Annie looked into the green emerald eyes of Candy. "Do we notify the police?"

Candy looked at her with a smile. "You’re right, Annie! But before we notify the police, we need to do an autopsy and after that we’ll see."

Candy hugged Annie in her arms to comfort her until she felt better.

"Return to your home and I’ll inform Archie you returned there!"

"Thanks, Candy!" said Annie.

Annie felt comforted by her best friend and she returned home. Candy looked at her as she left. Now it was her turn to feel sad. Candy walked back to the clinic and went to the back room where she saw Patty washing surgical tools. Tom had already returned back to his home. Albert stood by with a comforting hand on the shoulder of Archie, who sat staring at the bloody forehead of the victim. Candy went to Archie.

"Annie is back home. I think that you’re more useful being with Annie than staying here."

Archie rose from the stool. Candy was right. He had nothing to do there and it was more important to comfort Annie. Albert decided to go with him as far as his home. Candy sat on the stool and Patty brought the surgical tools on a tray. Candy used the tweezers to remove the pieces of glass stuck with blood on her forehead. She placed them progressively on a tray. She then took a gauze and wiped the remaining blood. Patty awaited her verdict.

"What did she die of?" asked Patty.

"Internal hemorrhage!" replied Candy.

She removed her plastic gloves and threw them away in the trash under stretcher. She got up and looked at Patty.

"Put the others pieces of glass with those that I picked up!"

Candy went to wash her hands. With her gloves on, Patty, placed the bag with the pieces of glass and added it to the others. She took the bag and gave it to Candy. She took it, left the backroom and saw Albert, who was just arriving.

"Candy, I talked with Archie and Annie. We decided not to call the police because this story will be a media event and I don’t think it would be a good idea!" said Albert.

"Me too, honey! I think it’s preferable to do our own investigation!" Candy agreed.

Albert took the plastic bag from Candy’s hands. "I will go up and throw away this bag in the trash too!"

Albert went to the back room and went upstairs. Candy saw Terry arrive at the clinic. He seemed to be looking for someone. She was happy to see him since it had been a long time.

"Hi, Terry!" said Candy.

"Hi, Candy!" said Terry.

Tom arrived from behind and stood next to Terry.

"Tom, I present you Terrence G. Grandchester. Terry, I present you Tom…" said Candy.

Terry doesn’t take account of the introduction. He interrupted: "Have you seen Suzanna?"

Patty returned from the backroom. Candy and Patty both looked at each other, wondering how to break the bad news. Candy decided to invite him to the back room. Patty moved towards Tom at the counter.

"Can I help you, Tom?" she asked.

"With all the events that happened this morning, I completely forgot to tell Candy who I saw yesterday. I saw Neal eavesdropping at your door and he followed…"

In the back room, Candy and Terry stood before the stretcher of the victim who was covered with a sheet that Patty took precautions to cover. Candy slowly removed the sheet. Terry saw Suzanna’s lifeless body and fell down to his knees, collapsing in tears. Candy preferred to leave Terry with the dead and left the backroom. She saw Patty washing the counter and noticed Tom’s absence.

"What did Tom want?" Candy asked.

She took a usual tone that Patty was used to hearing.

"Tom came here to tell me that he saw Neal spying us at door and that he followed Suzanna!"

Candy began to have suspicions about Neal. Neal, the person who gave her a hellish life since she arrived at the Legrand’s, who assisted all the little schemes of his sister Lizza. Candy couldn’t believe that he would do such a mess but she kept a suspects list. That night, Candy went upstairs to the kitchen. She took a pencil and a writing pad and went to her bedroom. Albert was already stretched out, tired of the hardship of the day. Candy put on an immaculate white bathrobe of an immaculate white. She settled in her bed and begna to write:

WHO KILLED SUZANNA?

NOT SUSPECTED

Tom (He does not know not her and moreover he went to the city with Patty)

Patty (She went to the city and returned with Tom)

Annie (She is too sensitive)

SUSPECTS

Neal (He followed Suzanna and I did not see him for 2 days)

Terry (According to Suzanna, he gets drunk and batters her)

Archie (No idea)

Albert (No idea)

CLUES

-Discovered a piece of bottle on and around the victim.

-Neal spied at the door and disappeared for two days.

Candy looked at her writing pad and placed it on her bedside before she went to sleep.

25 July 1921.

That Sunday, before noon, was a day of sadness in the church because Archie, Anny, Albert, Candy, and Terry, were all dressed in black and present at Suzanna’s funeral at the cemetery behind the church.

"My dear brothers and sisters. We are gathered here this Sunday, 25 July 1921 to be present at the funeral of the departed Suzanna Granchester. Let us take a minute of silence in memory of her!" said the priest.

After an endless minute of silence, they retired and returned to the church. They walked past a line of candles. Each lit a candle, to make a sign of the cross and came out of the church. They arrived on the sidewalk and looked at each other.

"Annie and I decided to go back home to Scotland. We don’t think we’ll stay here. We’ll take the train at the next hour," said Archie.

Annie began to kiss the cheek of Terry, Candy and Albert. At Archie’s turn, he shook hands with Terry and Albert and kissed the hand of Candy. They remained silent for a few seconds. Annie and Archie decided to go. Candy, Terry and Albert looked at the couple as they left.

Candy saw that Terry was sad. "Come on Terry, I’ll go with you to the hotel."

Candy and Terry began to walk for a few minutes and stopped before Neal’s place. Terry looked at Candy and had tears in his eyes.

"Candy, do you think that I’m capable of killing Suzanna? I remember nothing of the night of the murder."

Terry spoke with doubt and sadness in his voice. Candy regarded him with a comforting smile and held his hands.

"No, I think not!" she said. "Excuse me, I have to see Neal."

Candy knocked on Neal’s door. Neal opened her door and invited her to come into the luxurious living room. She noticed that Neal was traumatized.

"What were you doing eavesdropping at the clinic door?" she asked.

Neal felt too stricken and stifled, but finally confessed. "I did that for your security, Candy!"

Candy was surprised at the answer.

"I followed Suzanna to see if she was plotting something against you. I went as far as the hotel, went up to the room and I listened at the door. I waited for a few seconds and nothing happened. At that moment, I heard Terry shouting insults to Suzanna with all sorts of names. After that, there was silence! That same night, I was on my steps when I saw a shadow who seemed to be waiting for somebody in front of the hotel. Then I saw Suzanna leave the establishment and a shadow smashed a bottle on her head!"

Candy remained speechless. She understood why Neal was troubled. "Why did you do all that?" she asked.

Neal took her Candy’s hands calmly. "Because I love you!"

Neal said it with a passionate voice. Candy remained frozen for a few seconds. She quickly took her hands off of Neal’s and quickly left his place. Troubled, she made her way towards Terry. Candy kissed him like she had not done so for long time. Neal saw this through his window and a tear flowed down his cheek as he squeezed his fists.

Candy looked into Terry’s eyes. "I’m sure that you’re not guilty!"

"Who is it then?" asked Terry.

"It’s me!" the voice cried out behind Candy. They saw Albert brandishing a revolver at Candy.

Candy stood surprised. Terry remained frozen.

"What are you doing?" demanded Candy.

"Something I should have done a long time ago! Kill you, Candy White!" said Albert.

"It’s you who killed Suzanna! Why?" demanded Candy.

"I was jealous of Terry before I married you. I thought that marrying you will make you stop talking about Terry, but it did not! You carried on talking about him like before. The night of the murder, while you were asleep, I called Suzanna at the hotel. I was lucky that Terry was already dead drunk. Suzanna answered me and I set up an appointment to make her believe that I wanted to help Terry with his alcoholism. I took a bottle in our stock and smashed it on her head so you would believe that it was Terry who killed her!"

At the moment when Albert was about to pull the trigger, Neal rushed out of his house and placed his hand on the revolver to snatch it, but Albert resisted. Terry decided to help Neal. The three men fought to snatch the revolver. Candy looked on, surprised.

A shot rang out, the following second seemed long. Albert collapsed on the dirt with a bullet in the middle of his heart. Neal held the revolver then let it fall, his body trembling all over. Terry stared at the lifeless body of Albert. Candy went to Neal and looked at him in his eyes for first time since that they met.

"You risk your life for to save mine!" she said.

The moment finally arrived. Candy embraced Neal in her arms.

That night, in the sky, the stars drew three bagpipe players: Anthony, Stear and…Albert.

THE END

©2000 Baghera