~ SHEILA ~
After that evening, we became instant friends. He paid for my coffee and we exchanged contacts.
"At least I have a reason to come down here now" Those were his lasts words while we parted ways.
Life continued with a new character adding to it. The texts started off occasionally, then they became frequent. Then he became part of my daily routine. I was shocked to find out he lived at a motel next to mine. We started hanging out often but for some reason, I only saw those outings as hanging out, not dates. We officially didn't go out anywhere fancy in the name of a date. It was mostly after working hours at the restaurant but I knew we would eventually get to that stage. So when he popped the question, it was expected with the frequency at which we were spending time together.
I completed my internship and got employed at one of the best top-five ranking firms in NYC; Sandor D.Krauss. I started off as an Associate then gradually worked my way up to an attorney. Ben later advised me to further my studies if I intended to get more promotions in the future.
To fast forward, two years after, he proposed and I accepted. We said our vows at the St. Joseph Parish and later bought a house in-well…you know all that.
Eleven months down the road, we later had Bran.
Pete tried fast forwarding the letter. Why was she telling him all these? How did this have to do with the murders?
Apparently, this shouldn't interest you. Things were normal. Family and marriage life was going all good until the day I matched into Tracy Salma's three-feet bedroom and found her necked and murdered within her scattered sheets.
New York, Manhattan
April 14th 2022
____________________________________________________
During the early hours of April 14th 2022, 4.am to be precise, Ben woke me up to a buzzing phone. I had a ton of paper work to sort out the previous night. Three hours of sleep didn't cut it. The constant buzzing from the phone only made the migraine worse.
"Live it be please".
I dragged myself out of bed around seven. A woman can never be free from matrimonial duties, so I got into them.
"Tracy called throughout the night. Sounds like an emergency". Ben passed me the phone over the dining table as he sipped his coffee. He seemed concerned. The Ben I knew wouldn't even flinch at his own alarm under his pillow and the Tracy I knew, her late hours were meant for clubs and hatch parties. I don't remember being her emergency contact in case of hangovers or knock-outs. She at least respected my marriage. It's probably heartbreak.
"I'll pass by on my way to work. Bran hurry up ok. We don't want to be late now do we?"
Tracy became my best acquaintance when I started working at Shukettes. We met there. The staffs had a name for her which she defended extremely well. We called her the 'golden girl'. She got the highest tips and sold the most drinks at the bar. The manager left that entire department for her. Of course, her highest tippers were men. Highest paid staff with no degree nor prior experience in the field all thanks to pretty and sexy privilege. She had a way with men-even women. She was the type we describe as free spirited, to put it in a decent way. One conversation on Shukette's eight-floor roof after a bad day at work, struggling to assess my life choices looking at my five-hundred gran salary that couldn't even cut my living expenses before savings, laid the foundation for the solid friendship that still blossoms till date.
She was funny, witty and knew how to dissolve the tension in any room. She was extremely likable, too likable. If you struggled with self-confidence before meeting her, jealousy may add to it. Ever since Shukettes, we remained close. Ben had an uneasiness with the friendship even though he never expressed it. Probably because of her wild and witty nature but nevertheless, he decided to look at her good sides; Most times when Ben and I needed a break and some quality time alone, she was Bran's best nanny and the most reliable we could count on. Whether it was for emergencies, family gatherings or other types of functions, you could always count on Tracy for emotional and social support. She became part of the family within no time.
After dropping Bran at school, I passed by her place. I knocked severally but there was no response. Maybe she was at work. About to take my live, some force of intuition urged me to try the door knob. To my surprise, the door was open. Her living room was dark and stuffy. Her living room was always dark, she rarely used it but never stuffy. My friend was a sweet scented girl. She loved perfumes. The house smelled stalled. Like a cow had been slaughtered in the house. The stench of fresh blood made my nose flinch. The stench grew stronger as I approached the bedroom. The feather carpet was littered with clothes. It looks like hers and that of a man. Typical Tracy! She had someone over last night? That's why she forgot to lock the door? I didn't want to intrude and see things that will haunt my memory for life. I decided to dial her. Immediately, I heard a buzzing sound coming from the couch that stood adjacent from the TV stand. Ok, so I have to go in.
The scene of the house reminded me of these homicide scenes I regularly have to deal with in my working life. It was oddly quiet and honestly, nods started forming deep down in my stomach. Nods of fear. Finally entering her room, it's evident where the stench was coming from. She was lying face down in her sheets. Her pillow haphazardly toasted around her head. Her bed-spread completely covering her waist line to her legs but she was bare from there upwards. She's surely still passed out from drinking last night. Honestly, it was a good thing she was good at her job, that's the only reason why all her excesses were excused. Its past seven and the girl is still lying passed out in bed. Shukettes opens at five. Staffs had to prep the place by six and clients start coming in by seven, seven-thirty.
"Tracy.., sleepy head. It's time to get up." No respond not even a flinch. The hangover must have been mad. I picked a cushion from the floor and shot it on her head.
"Hey…wake up!" Nothing-not even her regular sighs. I approached her bed and sat beside her stiff body. She looked too stiff. I tapped her bare back gently to wake her up. She was cold. Still nothing. Ok, now this was getting me uneasy. I shook her violently this time but still nothing. My mind began to wither again to the dark intrusive thoughts I struggled to push back a while ago. With lawyer instincts kicking in, I checked for a pulse on her neck, still nothing. Fearfully placing a hand on her hair to turn her over, what I feared and anticipated finally kicked in. Her hair was wet, wet with her blood.