Murderer's Mockery

The sun shines brightly in the clear afternoon skies. A cool, gentle breeze holds the unseasonably warm temp at bay. Birds are singing in the treetops all around them enjoying the last of the summery days. 

The mournful family gathers around the baby pink and gold trimmed casket. A spray of pink roses are centered across the top. Large vases of pink and white roses sit on either side. A crowd conjugates behind the grieving family, shocked by the horrific news.

"I can't believe she's gone. I can't believe my sweet Rachel is gone," Joe sobs, glancing at the casket again. Precious memories flash through the widower's mind as the ceremony continues. 

Joe first recalls the numerous nights they'd stroll hand in hand under the dark starry skies. He then remembers their first kiss under the glow of the moon's full light. How that precious moment in time changed his world forever. The second their lips touched, Joe s knew deep in his heart that Rachel was the one, the woman of his dreams. The one that would make his life complete.

Joe then recalls how her beautiful smile always lit up any room she walked into. The way she was able to cheer someone up even on their worst days. 

 The captain glances around the sizable crowd through teary eyes, he thinks, You've touched so many, did so much good for the world in the short time you were here. "We were blessed to have known her." Joe sobs.

"Amen." the preacher says.

"****

Unlocking their apartment door, Joe steps inside and then sighs with relief. The worst is over, he thinks, tossing his fob in the ceramic dish. It was Bonnie's idea claiming it'd help Rachel keep track of her keys. Something she always manages to misplace.

Joe Jr stops in front of him, looks up and says, "Oh hi daddy." Then dashes away.

"Nice seeing you too, pal." He laughs. 

The babysitter rounds the corner, holding his chubby daughter in her arms. She watches the young lad dart around, shakes her head and says, "Little Joe has been like this all day. I even took him to the play area downstairs hoping that'd help but that only seemed to make things worse." Seeing Joe about to speak, she holds up her hand, and adds. "Before you ask, he hasn't had a single piece of candy all day."

"None that you know of," Joe chuckles, recalling what he'd found in his son's room a few weeks back.

"Like father like son," Rachel laughs, when he shows her their son's stash of sweets. Rachel was always getting onto him and Jerry about their massive consumption of sugary treats. 

"What's this," Joe asks, eyeing the flowers on the table.

"They were there when we got back. So I figured Jeromy dropped them off for Becca seeing it's their anniversary and all."

Scratching his head he asks, "Why did he leave them here instead of taking them over to their place?"

"I don't understand half the things that kid does." 

"I doubt if anyone does." Joe chuckles, recalling some of the other questionable things he's done in the past. He's not the brightest crayon in the box, but he makes Becca happy and that's all that matters. 

Hearing the door open, Joe turns to find his sister-in-law stepping through the door. "Jeromy left you something, Becca," he says, moving out of the way. 

Seeing the flowers on the table, she gasps and says, "He remembered. My baby remembered." Hearing Jeromy tromping up the steps, Becca darts into the hall. Meeting him at the top step, she wraps her arms around his neck and exclaims, "Thank you Jeromy, thank you. They're beautiful."

"What's beautiful honey?"

"The flowers."

With an inquisitive look on his face, he asks, "What flowers?"

"The ones you left at Joe and Rachel's place."

 "I didn't leave any flowers." 

Knowing he likes to kid around, she pulls him into the apartment, points to the table and asks, "You didn't buy these?"

"I didn't, honest."

She studies his face a second, slaps his arm and says, "Stop playing with me."

"I'm not, honey. it wasn't me."

Turning to the sitter, Joe asks, "Didn't you check the card?"

"I just figured they were for Becca since this is her special day."

Becca searches through the flowers but doesn't see a card anywhere. "Maybe it fell out in the hall? Oh wait here it is." Becca's face turns ghostly white as she reads. 

"What does it say?" Joe asks. 

Becca gulps, looks up from the card shaking in her hand and says, "Nice try, Rachel, but I'm too smart for that."

The door opens again, Joe draws his weapon as he spins around. Seeing it's his wife and his mother-in-law, Jeanie in the doorway he lowers his gun. Jeanie is Rachel's biological mom and Bonnie her step mother.

"What was that about Joe," Rachel asks, pulling off her disguise.

"Your little plan didn't work." They faked her death hoping it'd keep their family safe. 

"What makes you think that?"

Turning, he points to the table and says, "These came for you today." 

Shrugging, Rachel asks, "Someone sent flowers to the house instead of the gravesite. What's so wrong about that?"

"Read the card." 

She takes it from Becca's hands, reads it and says, "It's from the one who's been taunting me, not the one who threatened my life."

"And you know this how?"

"The way it's worded. He always says, I'm too smart for that. When I try to trip him up." She shakes her head, and adds, "It's one of the many head games he likes to play, believing he can outsmart me and the law."

"He's still a killer, Rachel whether he threatened you or not."

"I know he is but.. " 

Joe grabs her arms, looks her in the eyes and says, "Don't you get it Rachel? The killer came into our apartment and set them on our table. Which means he has access to our house." Horrid scenarios pop into his head as he paces across the floor. Joe runs his fingers through his hair, turns and says, "I think you should pack a few things, take the kids and go." Seeing his shaken sister-in-law he adds, "And take Rebecca with you."

"Calm down Joe."

"How can I be calm knowing that a killer can break into our home? And what if he does it again when we're all here asleep? No, you're leaving town and you're doing it tonight. So grab what you need and go." Joe Jr, tugs on his daddy's pant leg. "What, is it son?" Joe snaps.

The frightened preschooler gulps and says, "The killer didn't put the flowers there daddy, I did." 

"You what?"

Taking a step back, the child glances over at his mom then nervously continues. "There was a knock on the door thinking it was my friend Jack. I answered it, and that's when I saw the flowers by the door."

"Thinking you were being helpful you brought them in." 

The child nods at his mom, turns towards Joe and says, "I, I didn't mean to make you mad, daddy."

Grabbing the child, Joe says, "I don't want you to answer the door alone ever again, understand, young man?"

With tears streaming down his face, the child gulps then says, "Yes yes daddy. I won't do it again."

Rachel glares at Joe, bends down, wipes the moisture away and then says, "Daddy and I love you, and we want you to be safe."

Little Joe wipes his nose on his sleeve and says, "I know."

"Did you see anyone in the hall?"

Shaking his head, the toddler says, "No, Daddy."

"We need to get the security footage and I want forensics to dust the vase for prints." Grabbing the card Joe adds, "And we need to go to Ruth's Floral to see if we can trace it back to him."

"That's going to be hard to do, since the shop hasn't been in business in years." 

"We'll trace the flowers then."

Hearing an explosion they run to the window to find several mannequins hanging from a tree. Each one resembles one of Rachel's family. A wooden sign below them says three down four to go."

"My parents, Rachel gasps, racing for her phone. She's scooping her cell from the table when it rings. "Hello," she says.

"Something terrible has happened." Her step mother sobs.