Detective Stories, Volume 6/2019 by Gabriela Sandru

By CLASS 8A of 2019

INTERMEDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE Tîrgu-Mureș

SUPERVISING EDITOR, Gabriela Șandru, Teacher of English

CONTENTS Une Histoire D'Amour Mortelle

Unlucky Love

A Bloody Winter

The Twins

Katarina Rostova

To all the English teachers, especially the great ones. To all their students, especially the daring ones.

The human mind is like an umbrella, it functions best when open. ~Walter Gropius~

Une histoire d'amour mortelle (A Deadly Love Story)

Chapter 1

It is a quiet October afternoon in Clermont-Ferrand, a town in central France, in the 70’s. The town is surrounded by forests, hills and inactive volcanoes and in autumn it gets very foggy.

Madame Marie Galete and Monsieur Raoul Renoir are sitting in a café, near Place de Jaude. They are talking about the weather. They are both detectives. Madame Galete is a tall, fit and sensual woman. She is 25 years. Marie has long blond curly hair, usually tied up in a pony tail. In her free time she likes to listen to Joe Dassin, Queen and Tina Turner. She also loves painting and sometimes she sings at L’Appart, a jazz bar in the center of town. She was born in Paris, and had lived there until she was 13 years old, when she lost her dad to a tragic death. He used to be a spy. He got killed in Moscow by the Russian secret police, aka KGB. After that, she moved in with her mom in Clermont-Ferrand and has lived there ever since. She owes it to her dad for her career choice.

Monsieur Raoul Renoir is a typical French man: tall, slender, messy black hair and obviously an rich dark moustache. He is 27 years old.

In his free time he likes to play soccer or go to the gym. Raoul also lives in Clermont-Ferrand, but he was born in Bordeaux. His mother is from Brighton so he is half English. He is secretly in love with Marie. He loves her so much but has never gathered the necessary courage to declare his love.

'Oh! I hate autumn. It is so annoying. It is cold, foggy and wet everywhere', she frowned, while tucking her skirt around her knees. 'Marie,' he taunted her, 'you are always complaining about the wet weather!'

'Yes, but it is true. Anyway, you love this season and I do not understand why!' she pouted before taking a sip of coffee.

'Oh, no! Look at the time,' Raoul exclaimed and sprang to his feet. 'We need to go back to the station. The lunch break is over.' They drove from Place du Jaude to the police station in Rue de l'Ă&#x2C6;glise. They were just entering the office when their boss popped up from nowhere, looking worried.'We have a new case. A crime.' 'Darn! Where do we need to go?' 'Rue Jean Grand.'

'Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go!' Raoul said, while grabbing his gun, badge and the car keys. 6

Chapter 2

They reached the address in Rue Jean Grand. The house was registered as the property of Sonya Boucher. She was a 26-year-old quiet and shy woman. She was of average height, with short brown hair, fair skin and blue eyes. They were flooded with tears when she opened the door. She was born in Vichy, near Clermont-Ferrand. After highschool she got admitted at Harvard University. As soon as she graduated, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Last year she got a job offer, and when she found out that it was in Clermont-Ferrand, she accepted it immediately. In free time she liked to play basketball. 'So, what happened? Were you the one who found the body?', Marie asked Sonya, while gently placing her hand over the frightened woman’s shoulder.

'Yes, madame. I just came back from work and I found him dead.' She was sobbing. 'My boyfriend!' 'Can we come in to take a look?' Raoul asked and sowed her his badge. 'Sure,' she answered, adding 'Please, excuse me! I can’t stop my tears.' 'It’s OK!' Marie comforted the woman.

They entered and found the dead body. He was tied to a chair and had duck-tape on his mouth. They found out that the victim’s name was Albert Hueber. He used to be a very active lawyer. He was short, with blonde hair, a beard and

a very good sense of humor. He was passionate about classic cars and in his free time, he liked to poke his nose into the cars’ engines. His dad used to be a mechanic and he got his passion from him. He met Sonya in the park, while jogging. They fell in love instantly. 'I don’t see any open wounds.' Raoul told Marie. 'Only bruises around his neck.'

'Raoul, look! He is bleeding from somewhere!' Marie said while examining a small cut in the man’s back. 'It looks like a stab wound, but that’s not why he died. This was not fatal.' 'Let’s find the murder weapon. And check for fingerprints.' They searched the entire room while the crew was already dusting for fingerprints. 'Here!' Marie exclaimed victoriously. She found something. 'This knife might have some blood stains.'

It turned out that the killer had removed all the fingerprints not only from the knife, but also from the door knobs, the windows and had let the room clean. 'I’m afraid we are dealing with an experienced killer.'

'Wait! There is a piece of paper,' Marie said, pulling a small piece of folded paper from beneath the night-table. 'It says: Sonya, you will pay for everything you’ve done to me'. 'Madame Boucher! I think we have a problem!'

'A problem?' she exclaimed, while raising her eyebrows and looking terrified. 'You are in danger!'

'But… how can it be possible?'

'Someone is coming after you. Is there anyone who hates you? Have you done something wrong?' Raoul wanted to know.

'Not as far as I know,' she answered, the terrified look still on her face.

'That doesn’t help! Until we find out what happened, you must be protected. First of all, you can’t live here,' Marie said, pointing her finger towards the room. 'You can stay with me. There’s plenty of space for both of us there.' ***

Albert’s funeral took place at Cimetière de Montferrand. There was a small service. Marie and Raoul were there. Sonya delivered her farewell speech in tears before heading towards a man. He was a tall, strong and handsome man. He had short blond hair, which he wore in a crew-cut. His eyes were dark green. He also had a scar on his neck.

'I’m so happy you came all the way from Boston,' Sonya said, wrapping her arms around the man’s neck. 'I’m so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine who could have done such a bad thing', he said, placing a light kiss on her forehead.

'Sonya, who is this man?'

'Madame, he is Benjamin Pavard. He's a friend from Boston. He used to be my roommate and my friend.'

'Nice to meet you, Benjamin. I am Marie Galete and this is my partner, Raoul Renoir.'

'Nice to meet you, too!', the man said, shaking hands with Raoul and then placing his arm around Sonyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoulders. 'Sonya, we need to go. We are running late. See you at my place. Bye, Benjamin!' Marie said, grabbing Raoulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand and walking away hurriedly.

Chapter 3

Raoul and Marie reached Rue Jean Grand again. They wanted to ask the neighbors if they saw anything strange the previous day. 'I will take this part of the street and you the other one, OK?' suggested Marie. 'We meet here in an hour, at 6 pm.' 'OK. I hope we’ll find something,' Raoul said.

After she visited all the houses on her side, Marie reached the last house, feeling hopeless. She knocked on the door and an old man opened it slowly.

'Hello. My name is Marie Galetera and I am the detective who is working on Albert Hueber’s case,' Marie said. 'How can I help you?' the man said.

'I want to know if you have noticed anything strange yesterday?' Marie asked.

'In fact, I saw a man coming from Albert’s house when I was out for a walk,' he said. 'Can you describe him?' Marie asked. 'It will help me so much.'

'I didn’t see him quite well, but I noticed that he was a big guy, awkwardly large,' the old man added. 'Thank you very much. Have a nice day!' Marie said. 'Wait!'

When Marie turned back, an old lady appeared next to the man. 'I heard one extremely large man asking for information at the local register office, when I was there to pay my bills,' the old lady said. 'By the way, I’m Anne Hawthorne,' she said, while reaching her hand out for a handshake. 'And this is my husband, Louis'.

'This piece of information will probably help us a lot. Thank you again and good bye!' Marie said, after shaking hands with both of them. Later, she met Raoul at the established place.

'I hope you had more luck than me. No one saw anything,' Raoul said, feeling disappointed. 'Yes, I did! A neighbor saw a large guy but he couldn’t described him,' Marie said. 'And how does that helps us?' Raoul asked.

'His wife heard the same man asking for specific information at local register,' Marie said. 'OK. Lets go there then,' Raoul said, turning around already. 'Tomorrow. It closes at 5 pm!' Marie laughed.

They got in the car and left Rue Jean Grand silently. It had started to rain lightly. Raoul’s 2CV Citroen turned left onto Boulevard Chamalieres to the center.

'I hope we find our guy soon. He might be hard to catch,' Marie sighed. 12

'Yeah! I agree. But, you know what? Let’s talk about work tomorrow. Would you like to come around for a glass of wine?' Raoul asked, hoping she would agree. 'No, I can’t. I need to stay with Sonya. She is still traumatized after what happened,' Marie explained. 'OK. I understand. Maybe next time!' Raoul added joyfully.

'Drop me off there. Just round the corner. I want to enter Monoprix and buy some fruit and cheese. I can handle it from here,' Marie said while getting off. 'See ya’!' 'OK. Bye!' Raoul said smiling as Marie closed the door.

'Jesus! I missed it again,' Raoul said feeling upset in the inside for his lack of courage.

When Marie arrived home, Sonya was reading a book on the sofa. Marie lived in a small cozy apartment downtown, near Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption. The apartment had a small open space, a fire place, a bedroom, a tiny bathroom and of course, a French rooftop terrace. It was just right for two people. 'So, how was your day? Everything fine?' Marie asked.

'Yes. I and Benjamin walked trough Place de Jaude and drank some coffee at a café. Ben told me how things have changed in Boston,' Sonya said. 'What about you? Can I help you somehow?' Sonya asked. 'No. The most important thing for you is to relax and get over that happened,' Marie said. 'Your neighbor, Louis

Hawthorn said he had seen a guy exiting your house. He couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t describe him, but he noticed that he was a big guy. His wife, on the other side, overheard a large man - possibly the same guy - asking for information at the local register office,' Marie explained.

'So, tomorrow you will go to the local register office?' Sonya asked. 'Yes, why?'

'Just to make sure you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need me here. Benjamin invited me to go out for a walk,' Sonya said blushing.

'I think this Benjamin has a little crush on you,' Marie said with a smile on her face. 'No way! We are just friends,' Sonya declared, blushing even more without realizing it.

Chapter 4

The next day, Marie and Raoul have been to local register office to ask the employers if they saw a certain large man. Outside it was foggy and wet after the yesterday rain. They entered and went to a counter. 'Hello. I’m detective Galete and he is my partner, Raoul Renoir. We want to know if you saw a man the other day. A big guy' Marie asked. 'Yes. Two days ago a man wanted information,' the clerk answered. 'What type of information?' Raoul asked.

'He wanted to know Sonya Boucher’s address. He said he is a friend and wants to make her a surprise,' the clerk said.

'Bingo, I think is the one. Can you describe him to us?' Marie asked hopefully. 'No, he was hiding his face, but he had a funny accent. I questioned him about that. He said he was from Cancun, Mexico,' The guy said. 'OK, thank you. Bye!'

'I think we have a suspect,' Marie said as she was getting in the car. 'Who? Fernando, the Mexican guy from the market who sells exotic fruits?' Raoul asked. 'No. Don’t be a fool. Benjamin!' Marie said.

'Sonya’s friend from Boston?' Raoul asked.

'Yes. But something is not clear. He is indeed a big guy with an accent, but he isn’t Mexican and he was in Boston two days ago. That’s what Sonya said. Anyway, I will ask Julie to bring me all the reports with the name Benjamin Pavard,' Marie declared. 'OK. Then let’s go,' Raoul said, and his Citroen left quickly as they went to the police office. When they arrived, their boss was waiting at the entrance. He looked worried. 'So, have you found anything?'

'Yes, sir. We have some suspects. Can I talk to Julie for five minutes? After that I will give you all the details,' Marie requested. 'Sure. She is her office.'

Marie entered Julie’s office. She is a secretary. All the calls comes to her and she has access to national and international reports. 'Hi, Julie. How are you.'

'Fine, what about you? Is the case going OK?'

'Well, in fact I came to ask for your help. Can you search all the national and international reports on the following names: Benjamin Pavard, Luis Martinez, Juan Sances and Hugo Clint? These are the name of all the current suspects.' 'Yes, sure!'

'OK. I’ll be back after lunch break. I need to go home and look for something.' Marie stepped out into Rue de l’Eglise and went straight to her apartment. She entered quickly and found Sonya in the kitchen.

'You were right. Ben has a crush on me. Today he asked me to come back to Boston, and be his girlfriend. I refused him, and I told him that I can’t. I love my life here and I’m still thinking about Albert,' Sonya said. 'And how did he react?' Marie asked. 'He was OK.'

'Interesting, because we think Benjamin is a suspect, but not all evidence leads to him. Do you know if he has connections with Cancun?' Marie said. 'No, but Ben would never do such a bad thing. You remember the message: Sonya, you’ll pay for everything you’ve done'.

'Yes. Why would he write that message, if he loved you that much? Well, I need to go. Bye!' Marie came back to the office and began to study the suspects. Neither one was 100% perfect. Some of them had connections with Cancun, some of them were tall, some of them were strong, but all of them had one thing in common. They knew Sonya Boucher. Luis Martinez was her basketball trainer, until he went bankrupting and she had to find another club. Juan Sances was her neighbor, and all

the neighbors said that Juan hated Sonya, but no one knew why. Hugo Clint was a florist, and Sonya was his favorite client, but everything has changed when he saw that she bought flowers from his rival, Amir Velves. And of course, Benjamin, her old friend. 'Here are all the reports that you was asking for,' Julie said, handing her a stack of papers. 'Thank you very much.'

'Marie, you won’t believe! Another crime' Raoul said worried. 'Where?'

'Rue Jean Grand. The criminal hits again!' Raoul said

'OK, let’s go!' Said Marie and put her reports in her bag.

They reached in Rue Jean Grand and met the person who made the call. It was Anne, the old lady. She was in tears. 'What happened, are you alright?' Marie asked, getting out of the car.

'I came back from the market and found my husband dead. I can’t believe that this happened.'

They entered and found Louis dead. The scene reminded terribly of the previous murder. The victim was tied to a chair, a duck-tape on his mouth and bruises on his neck. They searched everywhere, but could find nothing. 18

Later, Marie found a message: 'I know your little secret, and when you are here, I am in the other side of the town and I am going after Sonya.' She quickly checked something in the reports: 'Bingo. I know who is the criminal. I need to go. Sonya is in danger!' Marie said. 'Wait, who is it. And where are you going?' Raoul asked.

'Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not time for this,' Marie said as she was running to the car. She got in and drove the Citroen to town.

Chapter 5

Marie sped to the apartment. She left the car in front of the building and she ran up the stairs feeling worried. She entered the apartment, but everything was fine. Sonya was sprawled in in the armchair, reading the newspaper.

'Thank God you are OK! Hurry up! He can come in any second and attack us. We need a plan until it isn’t too late. We can hide on the rooftop,' Marie said. 'Quickly, let’s go.' 'What happened? Why do we need a plan? Am I in danger?' Sonya asked scared. 'Yes. He wants to kill you. We found a message in your neighbor house, Louis.' 'Who is it? Who would do such a bad thing?'

'Oh, I haven’t I told you yet? His name is Bruno Hernandez.' 'Who? I haven’t heard this name in my entire life.' 'Oh, sorry. It’s Benjamin.'

'This is impossible. He is my friend.'

Marie opened her bag and took one of the reports.

'Look. Ben wanted to join the army but he had health issues. So, he got a new identity and joined the army under the name of Bruno Hernandez. Check your message.' And she took the ticket form her bag. It was signed 'Bruno Hernandez'. 'He thought he would escape by using his false 20

identity because he didn’t know that the police had this information.'

'I can’t believe I was such a fool. And I can’t believe that he had done this to me. I think I hurt him when I refused him.' 'I need to go to bathroom. I will be back in two minutes.'

As she was washing her hands, she heard another voice. And, after that, a desperate cry. He was there. She slowly opened the door and noticed him in the living room. She grabbed the vase from the night stand and hit his head with all her might. He fainted. 'Huh! We finally caught him,' Marie said exhausted. 'Will he be fine?'

'Yes. Now let’s call the cops.'

When Benjamin woke up he was tied to a chair and with a lamp shoved into his face. 'Look who woke up,' Marie said, with a cold smile. 'Our killer.'

'Why have you done this to me? What have I done wrong?' Sonya asked. 'You left me for that idiot,' Benjamin said.

'Albert was not an idiot. You are the only one,' Sonya said.

'You can’t imagine how much you hurt me when you left me all by myself in Boston,' Benjamin said.

'We were JUST friends. Nothing more,' Sonya said

'But I loved you so much, Sonya. I didn’t want to kill you. I wanted to bring you back to Boston,' Ben said. 'But why did you kill Albert?' Sonya asked angrily.

'Because he was psycho. That's why he couldn’t join the army. He thought that if he killed Albert, you would run quickly into his arms,' Marie said from the room corner. 'Is it true?' Sonya asked.

'Well,…,' Benjamin was clearly upset.

'I can’t believe I trusted you. You are a big liar. I don’t want to see you ever again in my life,' Sonya said and she left the room crying. 'See you at the trial,' Marie said and followed Sonya outside. 'I can’t believe I was so stupid,' Sonya said upset.

'Is not your fault. Some boys are just idiots. They just think of themselves, they haven’t got any feelings,' Marie said to make Sonya feel better. 'What if you take a stroll with Raoul while I go to buy some pasta and wine at Monoprix. We will have a little party to feel better.' 'OK. Thank you, for everything you and Raoul have done for me. See you later!'And she left the police office with Raoul. 'Good job with this case. It was a hard one,' the chief commissioner said. 'Thank you. We were lucky,' Marie said.

Chapter 6

Benjaminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trial took place at Le Tribunal National de Clermont-Ferrand in Place de Jaude, on a wet foggy morning. The courthouse was a big building with remarkable architecture. The trial was held in the great hall. Marie presented the final report.

'Good morning, everyone! As you know already, I am detective Galete and I was working on Albert Hueberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case. After the efforts of the police to find the killer, I finally know who he is. All the evidence points to Benjamin Pavard, an American citizen from Boston, Massachusetts. It looks like he had stabbed Albert, then tied him to the chair and strangled him. During the investigation, he killed Louis Hawthorn in the same way. We also found out that Benjamin Pavard was suspected in ten crime cases, eight in the USA and two in Mexico. He had been a drug dealer and the joined the army under a false identity. Now I will let the judge set the penalty. Thank you!' Marie said. 'Thank you too. After considering all the evidence and hearing the testimonies, I decided to sentence Benjamin Pavard to life imprisonment, without parole. Case adjourned!' the judge said, hitting the gravel. After the trial, Raoul and Marie meet in the hallway.

'Good job, Madame!' Raoul said, shaking Marieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand vigorously. 'Same to you, Monsieur!' Marie replied.

'Justice wins again,' Raoul added.

'As always!' Marie said triumphantly.

'Would you like to accompany me for a glass of wine?' Raoul asked. 'Of course, I would!' Marie answered.

And they vanished in the clattering crowd, Raoul with his arm carefully wrapped around her waist.

By : Bâta Alexia, Stan Paul, Blaj Alexia, Boantă Mihai, Baciu Sabina, Boantă Jacob

Unlucky Love Chapter 1

It was a snowy winter day in Seattle. The town was just waking up and everyone was preparing for Christmas. The shops were filled with people who were choosing decorations and Christmas trees. The atmosphere was happy and intense at the same time.

Everything was white and beautiful except for Tessa. She was tall and very beautiful. She had long brown hair and big green eyes. Those green eyes were telling the sad story of her life. No one could ever know how she was feeling all this time, but if you looked in her eyes, you could see it all.

Tessa has been a widow for three years since her husband, Bob, was murdered. Bob had been a generous man and a good husband. He and Tessa met at a disco, where they fell in love at the first sight. They had had a very strong relationship for two years and then they got married. Tessa and Bob had been married for 10 years and because Tessa couldn’t give birth to children, they didn’t have any. Their marriage hadn’t been long, but it was almost perfect. They had rarely fought and they loved each other more than anything in the world. Bob had been tall and slim, with blond hair and blue eyes. He had been very attractive in spite of his big Greek nose. He liked partying and dancing so much. His passion was ballet but he couldn’t ever fulfill his dream because he didn’t have time for that. He used to be very fond of his family but one day his parents divorced and he was taken in by his father. When he thought that his life was falling apart Tessa came into his life and made it much

better. She loved him a lot because he was very kind and helpful, and he was supporting her with anything she needed. Tessa was such a happy person. Tessa and Bob used to spend so much time together. They were going to movies, picnics and they were practically inseparable.

Tessa never got over her husband’s death. She was constantly down and when no one was looking, she would immerse in her thoughts and tears would roll down her cheeks. She couldn’t ever believe that someone could do such a thing to a man like him. He was so sociable and he was friendly with everyone. After Bob’s death, Tessa felt she had to make him a favor so she worked every day to find out who had taken her husband from her.

Chapter 2

That day a new detective came in town. He read about Bob’s case in the papers and was intrigued by the mystery of his death. He looked Tessa up and offered to help her with the case. 'Hello! I’m detective Marcus Rashford. I work with Seattle Police Department. I’ve heard about the crime that took place here some time ago and I hope I can help solve it.'

'Nice to meet you, detective! I hope you can! No one was able to find anything so far. I am not sure they tried hard enough!' 'I’ve read the report, and I’d like to clear some issues. Can you tell me what happened?'

'Well, it was Christmas Eve,' she started her story with a sob. It was obvious that the recollection of the whole story caused her pain. 'Bob was working the night shift', she continued. 'There was a gas leakage and everyone had to go home. On his way home, he stopped at the grocery store in Sam’s neighborhood. I had asked him to buy bread and some vegetables and the shop-assistant said that he didn’t buy anything unusual before he left. As he was getting into the car, someone wearing a Santa costume approached him from the back and stabbed him with a knife several times. The witness couldn’t see the killer’s face because of the beard and the false moustache but he saw the knife blade glisten in the dim lights. It looked like it was made of gold.' She finished her story with a sob and her eyes flooded in tears. 'My poor Bob!' she sobbed, a tear rolling down her left cheek. 27

Chapter 3

In the first week of the investigation Tessa and Marcus were looking for evidence and trying to find suspects and witnesses. The first suspect was John Michael, a 60 yearold-man with little brown eyes and a baldness. John was impolite to everyone, very full of himself and quite aggressive. Bob also had an argument with him on the night of his murder, according to a neighbor who had seen them. The police found out that John also had a Santa costume and wore it that night. Another suspect was Bob’s brother, Matt, who had always had a crush on Tessa. Tessa, on the other hand, was in love with Bob. Also, Matt came into town the day before the attack and he was searching for Bob desperately. Matt was younger than Bob and more beefy. He was tall, like all the males in his family. Matt and his brother didn’t have a good relationship. They have been separated by their parents in their teenage years, as they were always fighting. Both of the suspects were out of Seattle when the investigation started, so it was quite hard for Tessa to reach them.

'I don’t think John killed Bob,' Marcus said as they were leaving the office. 'The doc said he always got sick at the sight of blood, even if he was not the donor. So, he couldn’t have stabbed anyone with a knife, right?'

'That’s right, and I don’t think Matt did it either. He has a wife now and he seems really happy with her. I don’t think he is still in love with me…' said Tessa and closed the door.

Chapter 4

The next day, the suspects were called in for interrogation. The interrogation room at Seattle Police Department was very dark. There was only one chair and a desk with a light on it and nothing else. The atmosphere on that Monday morning was intense because of the situation and everyone was feeling it. The suspects had been brought in at around 5 a.m. It was an important day for Tessa. She wanted to believe she was going to find out who killed her husband. The first suspect was John.

'Where were you when Bob died?' started Tessa. 'After the night shift, I went home to my family.'

'Did you go to the grocery store from Sam neighborhood that night?' continued her. 'No, because that store is not on my way home.'

'And why were you wearing a Santa costume that night?'

'Because I wanted to surprise my 5-year-old daughter on Christmas Eve.' 'Can anyone testify for that?'

'Yes, my wife and my daughter,' he replied.

John left 5 minutes later. There was no chance that he had killed Bob. His fingerprints didn’t match those found in Bob’s car the night of his death. The only suspect left was Bob’s brother, Matt.

'How do you think your relationship with your brother was going before he died?' started Marcus.

'We didn’t have a relationship at all. We haven’t been talking for months, maybe years.' 'When was the last time when you argued with Bob?'

'I really don’t remember, but I know that we haven’t talked to each other since then. It was our biggest fight.' 'What were you two fighting about?' continued Marcus.

'Well, mostly about who was going to stay with our dad, it was right after we found out that we were going to live separately…'

'Oh, I understand. For how long have you been married to your wife, Marry?' '7 years.'

'Why did you come in town?'

'I was looking for Bob. I wanted to make peace with him…but it looks like I got here too late.' 'Where were you on the night that your brother was killed?' 'At the Imperial Hotel, with my wife.'

A couple of minutes later, the hotel confirmed Matt’s story.

The detectives realized they needed to dig deeper in order to find the killer. Tessa was quite disappointed, but Marcus encouraged and supported her. He plucked up his courage and declared his love a few days later.

They were at a picnic on a plain full of flowers, when he gave her a beautiful necklace and declared that he fell in love with her. Tessa said that she fell in love with him too, so they agreed to start dating.

***

With every day that passed, their love became stronger.

One night, Tessa invited Marcus for dinner. She took off his coat and told him to make himself comfortable. As she was hanging his coat on the rack, something shining from an inner pocket caught her attention. She had a bad feeling about it and needed to o check what it was. She asked him to play some music on the CD player and made sure he was not going to see her search his pockets. She picked the object with two fingers and raised it slowly from the pocket, only to drop it back, shocked: it was a golden knife. Could it be the knife used to kill Bob? Tessa was being suspicious. She couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have imagined a detective as a murderer, but she had to investigate. She hid the knife and the rest of the night she kept pretending like nothing happened. She was thinking that, at that moment, she could probably be sitting at the table with her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s killer

Chapter 5

The next day, Tessa went to Seattle Police Department earlier than usual to check the knife for fingerprints, before Marcus arrived. As she expected, the fingerprints matched those found in Bob’s car on the night of the crime. For two more days, Tessa couldn’t find anything else to prove that Marcus killed Bob, but she was still hoping. She searched for information on the internet about him and there was nothing: no profiles, no pictures, no accounts, nothing. That was kind of suspicious.

The third day, Marcus invited Tessa at his house to work on the case, so that was the best occasion to find more about him. After she arrived, Tessa waited for the right moment to go check his bedroom. In a drawer, she found a British passport on the name of 'Jake Melton' and another one on the name of 'Marcus Rashford'. It had an entry visa a day before Bob was killed and it was clearly a forgery. It was a shock for Tessa to discover that Marcus was not Marcus after all and that she let herself be fooled by a psycho. She took the passports and then excused herself with a headache to go home. Tessa stood up all night to search Jake Melton in the Police database. There was a warrant issued on his name for multiple first degrees murders and he had been on the 'Most wanted list' in 6 countries for 3 years. He was found responsible for Bob’s death the next day.

Chapter 6

At the trial Tessa was so confused. She was pleased that she found out who killed her husband but, at same time, she was sad for losing a chance to love again. She thought she found happiness after a very long time. It was hard for her to watch Jake. She hated him and she loved him at the same time.

Jake Melton was sentenced to 20 years in prison for first degree murder.

'I lost Bob 3 years ago', Tessa declared at the press conference later that day. 'It was like the end of the world for me. I spent all these years doing nothing but crying. I can finally close that chapter in my life. I feel reborn. Bob will always be in my heart, he had always been. Life goes on and I need to go on, too. I think Bob would want me to do that. And I will. Starting from now on. For Bob!'

By : Bodan Anastasia, Suciu Ileana, Procopie Luca, MureČ&#x2122;an Casian, GyorgyiČ&#x2122;or Alex.

A Bloody Winter Chapter 1

‘How was your day, Jess?’

‘I was waiting for your call, Katya. I have big news. Unfortunately, it is bad news. I’m kind of worried…’ ‘What happened? Is everything alright?’, the woman asked panicking.

‘Not really. I wanted to say that I am coming to Moscow this week. I lost my job a few weeks ago. I can’t afford to pay the rent to my apartment anymore. Can I stay at your place for a while?’ ‘Yes, of course! You are always welcome to our place!’ ‘Wait… our place?’

‘Didn’t I tell you? I am in a relationship. He is such a good man!’

‘Congrats! I am so happy for you. I am looking forward to meeting him.’ ‘See you!’

That was the last phone call between the two women. Jessica Garret, a young independent woman with beautiful brown hair and blue eyes, was a vet in New York.

She was thrilled to hear from her cousin, Katya Garret. They were both 26. Katya was also a nice woman, with green eyes and long blonde hair. She was working in her private dentistry and was living with her boyfriend, Vladimir Andropov. He was a tough man in his late 20’s. He was wellbuilt and had brown curly hair and hazel eyes. He wasn’t working at that moment but that didn’t stop them from loving each other very much. After all, that was the only thing that kept them together. Vladimir was having a drink in a bar when Katya called. ‘Where are you, honey? I thought you were at home.’

‘I’m down at the bar, with the boys. I was just having a beer. Don’t worry, sweetheart.’

‘Oh, OK then. I wanted to tell you something. I will, as soon as you get home. I don’t want to disturb you right now.’ ‘No, it’s OK. You can tell me now,’ he insisted. He liked when she was so careful about his feelings.

‘Well, my cousin, Jessica, is coming over. She’s going to stay with us for a while. Do you remember her? She visited us 3 years ago. She lost her job and now she needs our help.’

‘I don’t think I remember her. But it is OK,’ he said, taking a large sip of beer from his bottle. ‘Perfect. See you later! Have a nice time!’, she exclaimed joyfully before hanging up.

Vladimir was upset. He had been planning to propose to Katya for a couple of weeks. He was going to, that very weekend, but now this Jessica appeared in their lives. All he wanted was some time with his woman. Alone. No intruders. No Jessica or whatsoever. He was determined to get what he wanted!

Chapter 2

Two days later, Jessica had all her belongings packed in two big suitcases. She was ready to join her cousin in Moscow and start a new life. Katya made all the preparations for her cousin’s visit. When Jess’ plane landed at the airport, she was still at the dentistry, taking care of some unfinished business. Katya had asked Vladimir to pick up Jessica from the International Moscow Airport that afternoon. They were to meet later, at home. Later that evening, Katya was still waiting for Jess and Vladimir to arrive from the airport. Time was passing and the two people were nowhere to be seen. Katya got more and more worried. She called Vladimir but couldn’t get through. Jessica’s phone was not in network. ***

Vladimir drove Jessica to an abandoned gas station outside the city, on the pretext that he had to stop there to get something. He lured her in. ‘You know, I wouldn’t stay in the car by myself around here. You never know who might pop up at your door in these parts. There are lots of junkies out there.’ As soon as she got in the building with him, he grabbed her and tied her up in the bathroom.‘Sorry for doing this… but I have to! I don’t want you near me and Katya.’ ‘Don’t touch me, you psycho! What… What are you doing? Hello?’

Vladimir placed a bottle of water and two sandwiches at her feet and then left, leaving her behind. ***

‘Where is Jess, Vladimir?’, Katya asked looking behind the man’s shoulder as he was getting in later that night. She was perplexed and could not process what had happened.

‘I’m sorry! Well, you’re not going to like what I have to say, but…’ ‘But, what? Tell me, for God’s sake! What?' ‘I think she lied to you.’

‘What? What do you mean?’

‘She never showed up in the airport. I talked to the airline company but they said she never booked a flight on their lines. I spent two hours trying to trace her down but I didn’t find her.’ ‘OK… I will call her right now,’ Katya said and rushed in the living to take her phone. Vladimir knew Jessica wouldn’t pick up. As she was reaching for her phone, it started ringing. Katya got startled and almost dropped her phone. She pressed the button and heard Svetlana’s voice. ‘Hi, Katya! How are you?’

‘I am OK. How about you? Why did you call me?’ 38

‘I am fine, thanks. I just wanted to greet our cousin, Jessica. I’ve seen her with Vladimir in the airport earlier today but couldn’t get close to say Hi.’ ‘Oh, really? I think you saw wrong. She never showed up.’ ‘What? I was sure I recognized her. How can this be?’ ‘I don’t really know. I am as puzzled as you are!’

‘Well, let me know as soon as you find something.’ ‘OK. Bye!’

Katya hang up. ‘What if…?’ she asked herself,‘What if Svetlana was right?’

The night passed but there weren’t any news. Katya was getting really worried for Jess. She decided to go to the police station to report her cousin’s disappearance. ***

Officer Sergei Stanislav was in charge of the investigation. He realized it was not going to be an easy case, so he contacted Detective Rick Johnson. Rick was the best homicide detective. He moved to Russia ten years before and had lived there ever since. At that moment, however, he was in America, for business. Detective Johnson accepted the invitation as soon as he found out the name of the person missing.

Chapter 3

‘I am glad to see you again, Officer! How are things?’ Katya asked after answering the door. ‘I contacted Detective Johnson. He will help us find your cousin.’ ‘That’s perfect. Jess told me about him.’

‘Tomorrow we are going to pick him up from the airport.’

‘Nice,’ she said while thinking she should ask Vladimir to lend his car the following day. He accepted immediately, saying he didn’t need anyway since he was going to see a match with the guys. ***

Vladimir opened the door to the old bathroom. It was rusty and covered in spider web. ‘How are you, Madame? Still eager to ruin my life?’

‘I never wanted that. I just wanted to restart mine.’

‘I am not letting you go that easily. Look… here… some more sandwiches and some water. You will never leave this place. I want to see you suffer!’ ‘Please… Don’t leave. Don’t do this to me… Please…’ But he left.

The next morning, Katya drove to the airport to meet the Sheriff and wait for Detective Johnson. He arrived with the 8.30 flight. ‘ Mr. Johnson!’

‘Sergei! Nice to see you! And you would be…?’ ‘Katya, Jess’s cousin. Nice to meet you, sir!’

‘Likewise. Let me put my luggage in the trunk and we’ll have a talk. I want to find out everything!’ ‘That is my car, Mr. Johnson. That blue Audi over there.’

‘Wait… I can recognize this from a thousand,’ he said, pointing towards an object in the back of the trunk. ‘This is Jessica’s purse! I am positive. I gave it to her. It is one of a kind. Handmade!’ ‘Really?’ Katya and Sergei Stanislav shouted loudly.

They sent the purse to the lab for further investigation, hoping to find some fingerprints. The results came in three days. They had a suspect!

Chapter 4

Vladimir tried to flee the country but was caught in a town near Moscow. He was handcuffed and sent to the police station in Moscow. ‘Where is Jessica’ Officer Stanislav asked, looking him in the eyes. ‘I’ve never seen her.’

‘Then, why is her purse in your car?’ He remained silent.

‘I repeat it for the last time. Why is her purse in your car?’ He kept the silence.

‘See you in court, man! Even without a body, the purse alone is enough evidence. You’ll rot in jail!’

He started laughing, harder and harder, with a mad look on his face.

The next day, Vladimir was sent in for a mental evaluation. The result was disturbing.

Katya was terrified at the thought of his lovely cousin being alone or maybe… dead, out there. She was not ready to lose her, too. This was not how the story would end. She felt Jessica was still alive somewhere, waiting to be rescued. ***

Vladimir was in his cell, sitting on the side of the bed. He was watching a spider making a web around the door hinges. He was watching the spider and thinking about Katya. It had been hard for him for the past two months. He was madly in love with her and would do anything to see her. He had to have her! ‘You can have only a phone call,’ the guardian told him when he handed him the receiver. ‘Here, dial the number.’ ‘Thank you!’ Vladimir said as he was pressing the buttons carefully.

Katya’s voice was calm and demanding. ‘Tell me where she is! I can’t… No! I won’t promise anything to you until you confess. Where is she? I want the answer now!’ She had to gathered all her strength in order to be able to talk to her former boyfriend. Vladimir was ready to do whatever she wanted just to have her back. He had managed to keep the secret of Jessica’s whereabouts from the police. But he couldn’t say ‘No’ to Katya.

Chapter 5

‘She is at the abandoned gas station near the main road. Please, forgive me. Come and see me, later on. Please!’

Katya hung up. She drove frantically to the gas station. Lots of thoughts were crossing her mind as he focused on the road. She hoped it wasn’t too late. She realized it was farfetched, but she never lost hope. She wanted her cousin alive. She wasn’t ready to lose her. Not yet! She arrived at the gas station. The place was deserted, no one had been there for ages. There was a thick layer of dust everywhere. And spider webs. Lots of spider webs. She found Jessica in the bathroom, dead. ‘Oh no! Jess? Please respond! Jess…’ The police arrived to pick up the body. The case changed from kidnapping to murder. The autopsy revealed that she had been dead for 24 hours. She had died of starvation. ***

Vladimir was accused of first degree murder. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He looked at the spider, spinning its web around the door hinge and thought of Katya. ‘She will be there soon.’ he had to be patient and wait for her. ‘She will come!’ Katya was depressed. Her peaceful life had been shattered to pieces in one moment. Detective Johnson stood by her side at the funeral. He was the only one who saw to it that she was getting over the tragedy.

***

Two years later, the local paper announced the marriage of Katya and Detective Johnson. Vladimir read the news while having breakfast. He spilled his coffee and remained lost in thoughts. Later that night, he was found dead in his cell. Stabbed in his heart…

By : Ormenișan Raul Huza Noris Moldovan Bogdan Chirilă Daria Ban Mara El-Sayed Naser

The Twins Chapter 1

It was an early morning in autumn. The weather was foggy and the sky was cloudy in Huntsville, Alabama. It looked like it was about to rain.

Jane was looking at the sky from a lovely French window, in the grandiose Spanish mansion she was sharing with her twin sister. Their parents died in a car crash a couple of years ago. Both of them got depressed after the accident. They felt frustrated and ripped off by life but, at 21, they were old enough to manage the terrible loss and move on with their lives. The air was still and silent. There was no movement on the street, only few cars from time to time. Jane drew the curtains close and went to her sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room, to find her asleep. She stopped there for a few moments and watched her sis.

Jennifer was a pretty lady with short wavy red hair and very attractive features. She was short and slim and had the most adorable hands. Jane was standing by the bed, feeling as if looking in a mirror. Unlike her sister, she had long straight silky red hair. Both of them had gracious confident blue eyes and loved detective stories since they were little. They had a marvelous library with lots and lots of books that they had read a long time ago. ***

The red-haired sister went to the library to check for something. After that, she climbed down the stairs, took her jacket and left the house. She was going to see an old pal, James Peterson. They were going to meet at a cafĂŠ in the center of the small town, that very morning. ***

Chapter 2

James was a charming, tall guy with dark reddish-brown curly hair. He was blue eyed and he had a wonderful personality. ‘I’m glad you could make it.’

‘It was pretty easy to leave the house without my sister suspecting anything.’ ‘Good. I know your sister wouldn’t agree with our relationship. Let’s go for a walk, shall we?’ ‘Sure.’

And they left for a walk in the park nearby. When they got to James’s car, a dark-blue Lexus RS4, he invited her to go to his place and figure out how they could continue their relationship. She refused saying she had to meet her sis at home. ***

She got home to find her twin at the computer. ‘What are you looking for ?’ she asked.

‘Oh, just something about this author,’ she replied, clicking on a link that opened a Wikipedia page. The face of Agatha Christie appeared on the screen. ***

Chris McLean was one of the greatest detectives in Huntsville. Everybody in town was familiar to his face and the story of the bank robbers caught while trying to run away with the millions stolen from the North Alabama Bank. All the local papers kept writing about the news for a month and even The Times issued a cover story. 48

As soon as he got to his office, his boss came and asked him to deal with the weird case of James Peterson, who had been found dead earlier that morning. The detectives arrived at the crime scene. They found Mr. Peterson near his car, with a large wound in his head. It looked like it had been made with a heavy metallic object. It must have been a hard, deadly blow to his skull.

McLean asked to contact his family but found out that they had died in a car crash years ago. His crew were still looking for clues at the crime scene when McLean found an old newspaper in the local library. There was an article about a car crash which took two lives. ‘The Petersons lived in this town,’ he said to the other detective at the end of the line, when he called to report his findings. ‘It looks like Mr. Peterson was a science teacher and Mrs. Peterson worked as a nurse in the central hospital. They left behind two twin daughters. I couldn’t find anything about a son. Probably we have misspelled his name.’

‘I don’t think so, detective! We have his ID. The name is P-ET-E-R-S-O-N,' said his assistant . 'We’d better find the sisters.' ‘Well then, let’s do this,’ McLean replied before he hung up and got into his car.

Chapter 3

The Petersons owned a big Spanish house in on Watts Street in the eastern part of the Paola Grande neighborhood. McLean was curious about the investigation. He had never examined twins in his entire detective career. He took a deep breath and knocked at the door. After a while, the door opened to reveal two young short ladies. They looked amazingly alike. ‘Good afternoon, gentlemen! How can we help you?’ asked Jane.

‘Good afternoon, young ladies! I’m detective Chris McLean and I’m here with my crew to ask you a couple of questions about James Peterson. We found out that you are related to him somehow. Unfortunately, he was found dead earlier today.’ ‘What terrible news! I’m Jane Peterson. This is my sister, Jennifer. Please, enter. We are eager to help... if we can!’

The detectives entered, following the young ladies in the living room and sat down on a big comfy British couch. The living room was ample and valuable with lots of painting and nice wooden furniture. ‘Would you like something to drink ? A coffee maybe?’ one of the sister asked, while the other one left for the kitchen. ‘No , thank you. That’s very sweet of you .’

‘Well then, tell me what happened with James. Where did you found him? What have you discovered so far?’

‘He was found dead near his vehicle with a broken skull. We tried to contact his family and…’ 50

‘And that led to us,’ Jennifer replied.

'Exactly,’ said the detective and looked at the girl with short wavy red hair. ‘What is the connection between you and Mr. Peterson?’ ‘He used to live near here and we were pals in our childhood. Then, he moved in the other part of the city and we met him occasionally,’ claimed Jane, who just entered the room with a mug of coffee in her hand. ‘What about the surname? It’s pretty weird though.’

‘It’s just a coincidence, detective! It was weird for us too!’ mentioned Jennifer. Then the detective wanted to know where they were and what they were doing at the time of James’ murder. The sisters said they were at home doing some research about an author and then went out for a while to do some shopping. ‘Last question. When did you last see the victim?’ ‘I think a couple of weeks ago,’replied Jennifer.

‘Yes! At the shopping centre, we waved at him.'

‘You did. I didn’t. I had my shopping bags,’ explained Jane. ‘I just nodded.’ The detectives thanked the ladies for their time and returned to the office. The victim’s autopsy was about to be finished soon.

Chapter 4

The forensic examiners confirmed the detective’s assumptions. The victim’s large wound was made with a heavy metallic object and the shot caused his death. But, they discovered more. While they were examining the victim’s clothes, they found a red hair on his jacket.

As soon as McLean found that out, he summoned Jane and Jennifer Peterson at the police station for DNA testing. He was sure at least one of them was guilty for committing the crime. They were held in until the DNA results came out. They were positive. ‘So… We got the results!’

‘Well then… do tell us, detective!’ said Jane feeling nervous.

‘The red hair we found belongs to Jennifer Peterson! I’m sorry to announce you, I’m arresting you for first degree mur-’ ‘But that’s wrong! It’s definitely WRONG!’ screamed Jane.

‘Wait, detective!’ Jennifer said while two policemen were putting handcuffs on the girl’s hand.

‘You will be fine, I promise ! I know you will!’ said Jane to her sister, while the latter was being handcuffed, a horrified look in her eyes and tears running down her cheeks. ‘I trust you, sis! I’m innocent! Please, you must prove my innocence.’

Chapter 5

Later that day, McLean was working on some documents about James Peterson’s case. The detectives discovered earlier who was the boy’s criminal, by doing some DNA tests that matched Jennifer Peterson. When McLean was writing those papers, the officer who was watching the prisoners came and told him Jennifer wanted to have a word with him.

Soon after finishing his job, the detective went to Jennifer’s prison cell. He found her standing next by the cell’s wet cold rock wall. She was shaking and her cheeks were extremely blushed and her eyes were red because of her crying. ‘Good afternoon, Jennifer ! Do you want to see me ?’

‘Yes, detective. Thank you for your time. I felt bad and frustrated about what I have done and I think I’m ready to confess’, said Jennifer and a tear crossed her cheek. ‘Are you sure?’ asked the detective.

‘Definitely I really think it’s time to receive the punishment I deserve.’ ‘OK, then..’

‘So… Let’s tell you about that morning. You know, the morning of the murder. I woke up super early without my sister suspecting anything. When I found the perfect moment, I took my jacket and left the house. I met James that early morning because we wanted to discuss our relationship. We had been dating for a couple of weeks before that day', mentioned Jennifer. 'We met at a café and then we took a walk in a park nearby because we tried to find a way to tell my sis about us. Then we got to his car. It was parked on a small tight street. He offered me to go with

him at his place but I refused saying that I had to meet my sister at home before she realized that I left and got suspicious. After that, we said goodbye and I hugged him and he turned around. He had problems with opening the car’s door. I looked around and made sure nobody saw me. The street was narrow. We were the only people there. That was the moment when I knocked his head with my own invention: a small sharp heavy axe!' sniffed the young girl as if she were proud of what she had accomplished. 'I made sure that he was dead and entered the first shop I found open and bought something just to justify my leaving home. After that, I took the 45th bus to go home and later you and your crew came and asked us a bunch of questions’, said Jennifer finishing her confession while two rows of salty tears were rolling on her blushed lovely cheeks. ‘But I cannot understand why you killed him…’

‘I’m sorry, detective. That’s something I can’t tell you right now. But you must believe me. I had been 100% honest.’

‘Well, thanks for that. I’ll let you know when the trial is as soon as I find out.’ ‘Thank you , detective. Have a nice day!’ ***

The trial was a couple of weeks later. Jane was there too, to support her sister. She looked far better than her sister but she was thinner than when the detective last saw her. Her face was also very pale. She looked absent, lost in thoughts, unlike her sister, whose eyes were red beside their absolutely gorgeous eye color. Jennifer looked very much present.

Soon after Jane and McLeanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrived in the courtroom, the judge came, Mr. Allan Gareth.

Jennifer was accused of murdering James Peterson. She was found guilty by the jury and was sentenced to 30 years in jail and special treatment for her mental health. After the trial, Jane had the right to talk to her sister for a few minutes before she was to be sent to Alabama State Prison. She told Jennifer to behave nicely and be patient as the things were going to get better. She promised to come and see her again soon. Then they hugged, both of then crying hardly. ***

McLean was sipping his coffee at the office. He was feeling intrigued by everything that happened. He felt there is more to the story than the sisters wanted the world to know. He remembered the newspaper and the article of the Petersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death. He had an idea.

Dear Jen,

Epilogue

I’m writing to express my gratitude and my apology towards you! I couldn’t have been here without you. Killing our brother was a brilliant idea and I’m very thankful for your creativity and intelligence. Everything worked as we planned, and I’m very happy that our ‘little’ lie passed that easily. At the trial, I was surprised to see you didn’t hire a defense attorney, as we had planned. Anyway, I was very proud of you! There is only one thing that didn’t work as we planned… I didn’t pay the bail. Yes, I sold the house five months after your trial, as we discussed, but I am going to keep the inheritance for myself. I left the town and you are never going to find me again. I have a new home, a new job and a new name. Leaving the place where our parents died and left us all alone was crucial for me.

I hadn’t planned to waste your life like that but things never go the way we plan, isn’t that right, sis? You were always mom and dad’s favourite. You were everybody’s favourite and you always had it all. Now, it is my turn. I hope you can forgive me! Love, Jane

***

McLeanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes widened as he was reading the birth records at the The Alabama Center for Health Statistics. Marie Peterson was registered to have given birth on the night of 22nd day of September, 1983 to a set of triplets: Jane, Jennifer and James.

By : ChirilÄ&#x192; Lisa Echim Marta Procopie Mihnea Coman Paul El-Sayed Anis

Katarina Rostova Chapter 1

The story of Katarina Rostova began in 1936 when she was born in Moscow, Russia to a wealthy family. She was a special child of unnatural beauty. As was growing up, she developed a deep passion for chemistry and sciences. Her parents sent her to the States to get an education. She moved to the USA at a very young age and lived with an aunt, who was a physicist. Katarina followed her dreams and became a teacher at â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stanford Universityâ&#x20AC;?, a well known university in the U.S.

Katarina was a very seductive woman. She had long red hair, her cheeks were covered with freckles, her lips were red and smooth, her skin was as pale as a sheet of paper and her bright green eyes were making her face even more friendlier. At the age of 34 she lived her best life. She got married in 1957 to a handsome fireman of Russian descent, Jack Dimitrievich. It was love at the first sight and soon after they met they got married. They were blessed with two sons, Ilya and Igor, whose looks were also very pleasant to the eye. Their Russian origin was visible in the pale skin, big blue eyes, full lips and blonde hair. However, in spite of his beauty, the older kid, Ilya, was a difficult child. At 15, he was skipping classes, smoked weed, talked back to his parents and had serious anger issues. The younger son, Igor, was the complete opposite. He was quiet, read books and loved to express his feelings while painting and playing the guitar.

He loved tangerines and would eat quite a few every day. Sadly, a medical routine check broke him down. He was soon diagnosed with leukaemia.

The news broke everybody’s hearts into million pieces and turned Igor into a very sad kid. At first, Katarina couldn’t get over the terrible news. She would cry herself out every night at the thought of losing her son.

One day she woke up determined to save her son’s like life, even if that meant losing everything else, including the entire family fortune. Therefore, she hired the best doctors and nurses, rented an entire wing in the city hospital and refused nothing when it came to her son’s life. Soon, the family’s biggest problem was money as the medical expenses were very high.

Chapter 2

Katarina decided to use her brains and make more money. After weeks of failed attempts, she succeeded in making the purest methamphetamine. So, she decided to became a drug dealer. Her drugs were blue because they were so pure: 92% of them was meth, which made them the best on the market. Katarina bought the ingredients from drugstores, stole some from the university’s lab and used its equipment to produce the drugs in a secret chamber set in the basement of her villa.

Everything went fine for her new business. It was easy money. At the beginning, Katarina was selling in her neighbourhood and her city. Then she bought a farm outside the city, near the woods. She quitted her job at the university to supervise the production herself. Soon, she had a network of dealers all over the country. After several months she was already running an empire of drugs that extended to Russia and Canada. In about two years the police was really sick and tired of the so-called “Meth Queen”. Katarina Rostova was the primary suspect. The police had a lead but they were unable to find clear evidence against her. Being smart and rich, she knew how to leave no trace and stay out of the spotlight. Ilya and his sick brother were sent to Cuba, with their dad. Katarina’s husband had no idea that his wife was more than a university professor.

Chapter 3

Then, one day the miracle happened. There was an overdose and a witness. Getting a warrant for Katarina’s farm, the cops searched the place and found plenty of evidence there. They took the substance to the lab to be analyzed.

Katarina got arrested and was taken to jail for thirty days. She was given a cell that was really nice and clean, comparing to the others. The walls were all white and there weren’t any windows. There she had a toilet seat, a washbasin and and a bed. Katarina was taken to the interrogation room for a chief examination. “Hi, Katarina Rostova. You probably know why you are here,” said officer James Patterson. He was a tall man with black hair and prominent sideburns. He smelled of tobacco and cheap cologne. “I really don’t know officer,” she answered in a flat voice.

“Oh, so making meth is not a good reason, right Rostova?”

“What are you talking about?!” she cried, as she sprang to her feet.

“Calm down,”, the officer said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We found your lab, you can’t keep denying. Your DNA was all over the place.” Katarina started laughing.

“What is so funny? This is a serious matter. I would stop the bullshit if I were you. Confess and you can get out in 25 instead of 30.”

“I’ll tell you what is funny: the fact that you think that I’m the one doing bad things. That I deserve to be behind bars.” There was a knock at the door. James Patterson was called out by his partner.

“She is crazy man! I don’t get it, why is she doing this?” James asked his partner, Nick Grayer. “Calm down, James, I have one question for her.”

The cops went back to the room together. Katarina was still at the table. Her arms spread on the table, her head down on her arms, her golden hair scattered all over the table. She was sobbing and crying.

”Why did you do it?” Nick asked in a peaceful voice. “You have a family! What are they going to say when they find out what you did?” he asked. “I… I did it for my son. For Igor… He’s sick.”

Chapter 4

Katarina’s trial was held three months later, on the 18th June. She appeared in front of the jury wearing a black suit that complimented her pale skin. She had clearly lost weight and was not feeling well. Still, she looked astonishing. Three hours in the trial and the jury was ready with the verdict. She was found guilty of drug dealing and was sentenced to 32 years in prison but pleaded guilty and got a reduced sentence of 25 years with no parole. While confined, her only visitor was Ilya, her older son. He would come to see his mother at the Hospital of the Mentally Disabled in Harrington twice a year and would bring her tangerines. She loved tangerines as they reminded her of Igor, her younger son. Igor had passed away a week after her trial. She was still beautiful but her beauty was somehow eerie. Every night she would stare at the moon with fixed eyes before falling asleep. She was alone, forgotten and sad. Her eyes were empty. She was not there anymore.

By :

Bucur Lorena Simon Cristina Dicoi Eduard Török Robert Chiorean Andreea

Disclaimer This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. ***

Special THANKS to Paul Stan, Raul Ormenișan, Anastasia Bodan, Lisa Chirilă, CristinaȘimon and Noris Huza for giving a helping hand with the typing of the stories.

THANK YOU all for reading!

This book is a collection of detective stories written in groups at the beginning of the school year 2019/2020 by 8th grade students from ‘Tudor Vladimirescu’ Secondary School in Tg.Mureș, Romania. There was a lot of hard work from the part of the students but it was worth the effort: the result has just surpassed my expectations. G. Șandru, Teacher of English