SUSPECT #2 Issac Morgan - The Janitor [Black curls, autumn eyes, freckles.]

• Note: Found the body, won’t say anymore about it

• Note: Baby face
• Note: Probably on drugs
• Note: Definitely on drugs

“What.” Issac said, not really asking a question but not really saying a complete sentence either. “We have a few questions to ask you. If you don’t mind.” The Chief said politely, which was probably foreign to the guy. “What if I say I do mind? I’m trying to clean and get my paycheck. Making me work over hours.” Issac hissed, annoyed and rolling his eyes. “You can talk to me or talk to some police officer in a couple of hours.” Zaria said, his slightly red eyes widened as he finally noticed Zaria. “‘Sup lady.” He said, his voice was more calm and now he was smiling. “Where were you a couple of hours ago? Preferably two to four hours ago.” Zaria said, ignoring the comment. He leaned on his mop and sighed. “No clue man, probably cleaning upstairs.” He finally replied, Zaria nd the Chief realized that this guy wasn’t going to be much help. “Did you ever see Thorn, the Nanny, near the kitchen?” The Chief questioned, Issac thought for a bit and then jumped up. “Oh, I did see that chick. She was wearing a pink apron covered in red stuff. But that was the second time I saw her. She even threw it away in my trash can. But she had like, two juice boxes in her hand. Someone went in after here but I don’t remember but I saw them and that chick left after.” The Chief was happy they were getting somewhere but Zaria was the complete opposite. ‘That doesn’t prove anything. We already know she got hit by the counter and her body wasn’t moved at all. No fingerprints either. So how did Thorn have all that “red stuff” on her?’ Zaria thought, frustrated, she folded her arms and continued to listen. “The first time I saw her she was messing with those brats in the hallway. I think it was like, 4:30 something? I was cleaning, doing my job, and she walked past me towards the kitchen. I also saw some lady covered in the same red stuff walk into the kitchen as well right after that chick. I think she was wearing a purple dress?” ‘After!? So Sandra already had that “blood” on her before?’ Zaria was now getting confused. How did Sandra have that stuff on her before she met her fate in the kitchen? 

“So if we have the timeline right,  Thorn went to get juice boxes for Daniel and Simon. She passed Issac on the way and Sandra followed, already covered in blood. After a moment, Thorn came out with blood on her outfit and quickly took it off and threw it in the janitor’s trash can.” The Chief recapped, “If that doesn’t scream ‘murder’ then I don’t know what does.” “But that doesn’t make any sense!” Zaria was now getting overwhelmed. She was getting too comfortable in being right, one of her flaws. This confused her a lot. How did Sandra get the stuff on her before she got in the kitchen? Did Thorn do something to her in the kitchen? But her body had no fingerprints? That means she could t have pushed her. Unless she pushed her in her stomach? But her clothes weren’t wrinkled. Zaria was now spiraling. “Where did the red stuff come from?” Zaria, now clutching her face, slides down a wall and has her head between her legs. She wasn’t that upset, just confused. “Maybe we should talk to Thorn again.” The Chief tried comforting her. Patting her shoulder and crouching down next to her, not without a struggle though. “You're okay kid, honestly you figured things out way faster than me.” He said, reassuring her. “Don’t worry, we can call it quits for tonight.” Zaria smiled softly to the Chief and sat in silence for a second. As they did, Zaria thought to herself.

There wasn’t ever a time Zaria wasn’t thinking. Well, there was that one time. But she promised she would never talk about it ever again. She promised her brother, and she promised her last best friend. Zaria was always the person that kept their promises, even when others didn’t or forgot. She thought of herself as a wasp at first, but she didn’t sting people for no reason. So she started thinking of herself as a bee. She has a stinger, but doesn’t use it unless completely nessesaary. Also they have great memories. Her perfect bug analogy was strange to others and herself considering that she hated bugs. ‘Know thy enemy.’  Zaria had always thought, referencing Sun Tzu about battle. The only battle she was fighting right now was her thoughts, herself, and a potential murderer. “Yeah, let’s take a break.”

The sun had already set hours ago. The Chief and Zaria had gone around asking simple questions, just to get a background on everything. So that if one of them slipped up in their lies, Zaria could catch it later. They asked everyone about what they were doing today and when did they see or encounter Sandra. From asking Elle, they had the names of everyone who was in the house at the estimated time of death given by the officers on duty: 5pm. They interviewed everyone that was in the house around that time.

Katherine Monroe: [The assistant accountant] “We had gotten into a fight yesterday about…accounting matters. But today we were fine, I barely saw her today. She seemed normal as usual.

Douglas (Doug) Moore: [The chef] “Sandra’s a real bossy lady but she keeps everyone in check. Well, almost all of us. Those bratty kids are the only ones who really get under her skin. And Clay. I was cooking, preparing for the little one’s birthday all day. They want a fire truck cake.

Diana Wells: [Another Janitor] “I was cleaning on the main floor. I saw Sandra like, once before she rushed into Mrs.Summer’s room. But that was when that journalist—you—were here. When she rushed past me she seemed pretty upset, but she was usually upset all the time.

Rosita Pineapple: [The gardener] “I usually stay in my quarters. I have to make sure none of Mrs.Elle’s flowers die, she is a plant mom as well. Sandra? She would stop by often to grab some and take to Mrs.Elle. She’s…an interesting character. She’s nice to some people though. We are cool though, I always thought we were friends.

Theo Johnson: [The butler] “Gotta clean up the mistress room because if I don’t then all she’ll do is complain. That’s all she ever does really. I spent hours in that huge room of hers and the thanks I get is half of my paycheck? Ridiculous. Sandra who? Oh the accountant. She’s a pain. Always telling everybody what to do and what we can and can’t use. I stay away from her, because if she gets in my way there’s gonna be a problem.

Kelly Jones: [The other butler] “I was serving Mrs.Summer when she came back from her meeting with Sandra. She seemed pretty upset but I didn’t ask. Sandra’s really nice, sometimes. I think she just gets annoyed a lot.

Clay Moon: [The bodyguard] “Stop talking to me. I didn’t see or do anything. I was outside the whole time now, please leave. I didn’t even know Sandra that well, she’s just a b—I mean, she was really annoying and rude. Yesterday she stormed in here uninvited and my team had to kick her out. She was yelling on the front lawn for who knows how long. Now get out of my face. I only went inside to tell Elle what had happened.

After all of that, Zaria felt less overwhelmed and more motivated to solve the case. She saw some slip ups in talking to different people. She had seven suspects, plus Thorn, the Janitor Issac, Elle, and considering when this all took place—herself. Zaria took this seriously, I mean if she was going to hand over this stuff to the police it would be suspicious if she ruled herself out with no questions or proof. Twelve suspects. This would have made Zaria’s younger self go crazy. She’s always wanted to solve cases, for a living or just for fun. She thought it was cool figuring out a mystery, bit by bit. And with each visit, she could get closer and closer to finding out: Who killed Sandra Richardson?