General Fiction posted August 11, 2024 Chapters:  ...5 6 -7- 8... 


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Another suspected accident

A chapter in the book Spirited Justice

Spirited Justice Chap 7

by Begin Again




Background
"Beauty, Brawn, or Brains" was a global platform showcasing women's diverse talents, yet murders, accidents, and deceit haunted the pageant worldwide. Was there a common link or merely coincidence?
Detective Donatelli pulled up to the art museum in his cruiser, the engine rumbling to a halt as he slid into a no-parking zone near the entrance. Without hesitation, he turned on the red dashboard light, his claim of authority. He was late — again — but at this point, it was becoming his trademark.

He grabbed his suit jacket off the seat and shut the car door, not bothering to lock it. His hair was slightly disheveled, and dark circles under his eyes screamed lack of sleep, yet he took the museum steps two at a time.

The heavy doors swung open as he reached the top of the stairs. Standing inside, Danni waited with a mischievous grin. "What took you so long?" she quipped.

Donatelli shot her a look as he brushed past, muttering, "I thought you were going to stay at the station and go over Bennett's bank statements?"

"And miss out on the interrogation? Not on your life."

Together, they headed for the elevator. Inside, the well-oiled gears hummed softly as the elevator ascended.

Without warning, a faint shimmer materialized, and Eleanor appeared. "Good morning, Detective." She turned her head and nodded toward Danni. "Danni, that outfit looks very becoming."

"Too bad no one else can see it." Danni scowled.

Eleanor offered a knowing smile, then turned her attention to the detective.

He forced himself to breathe. "A little warning next time wouldn't hurt," he muttered. "You take five years off my life every time you do that."

"Forgive me, Matthew. The elevator didn't stop at my floor."

Danni giggled. "Ever heard of knocking before entering a room?"

Eleanor's eyes flashed toward Danni. "A slip in my manners, perhaps, but I'm sure you've been schooled on that subject more often than I." She smiled and turned her attention to Donatelli. "Do you know anything about Jose Hernandez?"

"Hernandez? Can't say the name rings any bells."

The elevator slowed to a halt before Eleanor could ask anything further, and the doors opened. Matthew stepped out, flanked by two ghosts — one he could see and one he could feel.
*****
Jenna's heels clicked against the floor as she hurried from her office. Her exit coincided with Matthew's exit from the elevator, and she almost collided with him, her face flushed.

"Jenna! Slow down." Matthew steadied her, keeping her upright as she stumbled slightly.

"I can't!" she spat. "Come with me. There's a problem on the stage."

"What kind of a problem?"

"The person who called my office said there was an accident. That's all I know." Jenna's eyes flickered to Eleanor and the detective. "You don't think it's another —"

"Murder? Don't jump the gun, Jenna. Maybe it is just an accident." He turned to address the others, but they were gone.

Jenna managed a smile. "Mother and Danni on the case. Aren't you lucky?"

Donatelli groaned, "Why me?" Although the detective knew either one of them could get closer to a situation than he could, he still choked when he had to swallow his pride. "Let's go, or they might have the case solved before we even get there."

*****
Sophia, Max, and Hilda had been amongst the first to arrive. Their faces were pale with shock. Murmurs and gasps spread through the growing crowd gathered around the motionless body.

Jenna and Matthew pushed through the cluster of onlookers and knelt beside the person on the ground. He checked for a pulse, nodding when he felt a faint but steady beat. "He's alive."

Jenna jumped to her feet. "I'll call an ambulance."

Donatelli looked around the crowd and chose two men, probably construction workers. "Can you clear some space? Get all these people out of here unless they say they have information about what happened."

Both men nodded and quickly began dispersing the crowd.

The man on the ground groaned and mumbled incoherently. Donatelli leaned in closer to hear him better.

"Tripped — dodging light —fell — scaffolding."

The detective's eyes darted upward, following the man's gaze to the scaffolding above. A light fixture dangled precariously from its mount.

Was it an accident or something more sinister?
*****
At the sound of the ambulance sirens, the crowd parted to allow the paramedics through. They swiftly began attending to the injured man, asking him about the accident.

Donatelli listened.

The man clutched his side, wincing in pain. "I — I tripped," he mumbled. "Must have lost my footing and — fell."

The detective crouched beside the man, his face etched with skepticism. " Are you familiar with working on scaffolding?"

The man groaned, "Yeah, twenty years."

Donatelli nodded. "That's a long time. Do you always work without a safety harness?"

The man groaned, grabbing at his side.

"I'm sorry, Detective. We've got to get this man to the hospital. You'll have to save your questions for later."

Donatelli nodded to the paramedic and moved out of the way. His eyes shifted to the scaffolding, and he hoped Danni had been able to find any clues.
*****
While Danni investigated the scaffolding, Eleanor walked through the crowd, listening to anything hinting at what had happened. Having been delayed from meeting Sophia and not seeing her near the stage, she was worried about the young girl and decided to check on her.

As she rounded a corner near Sophia's secret hideout, she paused, hearing a sound — much like a dog barking. As she reached the storage room door, she could hear scratching on the wood and thumping against the boxes.

She tried the door, but it was locked. Max greeted her with more barking. "It's okay, Max." She called out to Sophia. "Sophia, are you okay?" She knew something was wrong when she didn't get an answer except for Max's insistent barking.

She glanced around and then passed through the door. Max recognized her and jumped up, trying to tell her something was wrong. "Max, where's Sophia?"

She unlocked the door and swung it open. "Find Sophia."

Max barked and shot through the opening, his four paws a rapid patter against the marble floor as he hurried through the museum. Eleanor followed, her form a whisper of movement as she kept pace with the dog.

They wound through the museum, past exhibits and art pieces, deeper into the building, toward an area less traveled.

Finally, Max skidded to a stop, his hair bristling as he growled. A man dressed in black, his head down, moved from behind a dinosaur exhibit and raced toward the back door. As Max lunged toward him, Eleanor saw his face, and a chill ran through her.

At the same time, Sophia's voice rang out, "Max!"

Her faithful companion stopped his chase and raced toward his master, tail wagging furiously. Sophia buried her face against his fur and murmured, "Oh. Max, I was worried he might have hurt you."

"He's fine, Sophia." Eleanor's materialized form moved closer, but her eyes focused on Hilda and the young man she was clinging to. She might not have recognized the blue eyes and blonde hair, but the college jacket left an imprint in her mind. He'd been wearing it at the airport when she saw Jose and the other men.

The young man smiled at the girls, his voice smooth and reassuring. "It's okay now. He's gone."

Hilda looked up at Eleanor. "Johan saved us. Some man followed us to Sophia's hideout and tried to kidnap us."

Eleanor's eyes narrowed as she gave Johan a once over. "Lucky that Johan came along when he did."

"I'm glad I was there. The girls needed my help."

"How did you see what was happening with all the excitement this morning?"

"He was looking for me, Eleanor." Hilda sighed and hugged the young man again. "My parents sent him to check on me and Klaus. He's my guardian angel."

Johan smiled and tightened his arms around Hilda. "She's safe with me. And Sophia, too."

Eleanor smiled, "Thank you, Johan, for rescuing the girls."

She didn't believe a word of it, but she had no proof at the moment. There was something too polished, too rehearsed in his demeanor. Her mind raced as she tried to piece the clues together. This man wasn't here by chance — he was involved, but how and why?
*****
Meanwhile, Danni was making a few discoveries herself. As she drifted above the scaffolding, she inspected the scene without disturbing anything. She noticed something wedged between the railings — a torn piece of fabric, barely visible in the shadows. It was snagged in a way that suggested someone had been struggling. Nearby, a pair of wire clippers lay discarded, half-hidden under some ropes. In her viewpoint, the clippers were a key detail, and the torn fabric was a smoking gun. This wasn't an accident.

She floated down to the stage, nudging Donatelli. "You need to get a forensic crew up top before anything disappears."

Donatelli moved away from the scene before answering Danni, "You find something?"

"Signs of a struggle and wire clippers."

The detective smiled. "Good work, Danni."

The paramedics had the victim on a gurney and were about to leave the scene. Donatelli hurried to his side. Leaning close to the victim, he asked, "You didn't just trip, did you?"

Fear flashed through the man's eyes as he stared at the detective, but his only response was a guttural moan.

"Sorry, Detective, we've gotta go."

Donatelli watched as they wheeled the gurney through the crowd toward the ambulance waiting outside while he called in to order a forensic team to the site.

He had no idea what was going on or whether the murder and this attempted murder were connected, but something told him neither one was an accident.

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Recognized


Dr. Rosa Galotti -- Morgue Medical Examiner
Danielle "Danni" Delahanty -- Ghost Detective
Eleanor Bennett -- Beloved Ghost Advisor
Dylan - Eleanor's nephew and art curator
Matthew Donatelli -- Detective
Jenna Bradford -- Journalist and Pageant Consultant
Emily - Jenna's faithful assistant
Naomi Henderson -- Lawyer/ex-lover of Donatelli -
Arthur Bennett - deceased lawyer, friend, and enemy of Naomi
Lila - a pageant contestant who was murdered for her research
Sophia - :Lila's sister (blind)
Max - Sophia's best friend and guide dog
Hilda - a pageant contestant and medical researcher
Klaus - her older brother and protector
Johan - a supposed friend of Hilda's with a connection to Jose
Angelo Carter - private investigator with a dark side
Carlos Hernandez - a Mexican landowner with power
Jose Hernandez - Carlos's son - a reckless playboy
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