His men wrapped up all their picturing and printing and went back to the precinct. Christopher finished questioning the family. After he was done, he took one more look at the area around the pool. He couldn’t believe his men didn’t find anything more than they had found. Since someone could have thrown or buried something in the flowerbeds, he started looking there first. He looked for any dirt that looked like it had been tampered with. He finally came to a patch of dirt that was loose and spread in tiny bits on the concrete. The dirt was so minuscule that not many people would have noticed it. There was a budding pink hydrangea bush next to it, so he lifted the limbs and felt underneath where he found repacked dirt that was still rather loose. It was like someone packed it back in a hurry because they had very limited time. He started digging and not very far down in the earth surfaced a white satin glove that had once been rather dainty until the dirt ruined it. He had a bag in his pocket, so he placed it neatly in and sealed it up. He left promptly and went back to the station to have it analyzed.

Two days later, the funeral of Tabytha Hailman took place. Christopher remained in the background to see if he noticed anyone’s behavior being unusual. After all, now that Tabytha was out of the picture, the three remaining Hailman children received more percentage in the company. He didn’t stay long after it was over and went back to the station. He wanted to analyze all the evidence and his notes again hoping that he had overlooked something the first time. At the Hailman home, several guests gathered to pay their respects to the family after the funeral. It was a very chaotic day because so many people had come to the house feeling such sadness for Tabytha because she was so young. There were people everywhere, everywhere except the patio where the gruesome act had taken place just so few days before. Someone knew that no one would go out there, so they took advantage of this, but they had to be careful. If anyone saw them, they were done for, but they had to get those gloves back. They went over to the hydrangea bush and started digging… bingo… one glove emerged, now where was the other one. There was so little time the other day that it was almost like shoving each glove into the ground separately. They kept digging and digging, but nothing. The other day when the police were here, it didn’t look like they found anything from the view from the inner balcony, but…. maybe they did. They stood up and dusted themselves off with glove in hand, then shoved it down into their pocket and walked coolly back into the ballroom where the family were attending to their guests. Little did they know that there was someone watching their every move. Emma, the maid, now occupied the same balcony where they had stood to watch the police just days before. She watched in disbelief, this killer, this dastardly killer, from the dark earth remove the glove that killed her little Tabytha. Emma had been with the family ever since Tabytha was brought home from the hospital. She had to figure out what to do now. Should she go to the police or should she confront the killer herself, but that might be too dangerous. Too many decisions to make now, she had guests to attend to and too many family members to keep this secret from for now.

It was getting late and the party had died down quite a bit, leaving very few guests. Adam suggested that they all move out onto the patio since the weather was very agreeable that evening. The guests either sat on the lawn chairs or stood around by the flowers that surrounded the area, and some moved over by the pool. It was rather dark because no lights had been lit outside. Adam went over and turned on the pool lights so they could see each other, but still leave a little ambiance. When Adam turned on the lights, Becki had been standing by the pool talking to one of their friends. She screamed, “Adam!” and passed out. Adam looked in the pool at the figure floating in the sparkling water; he then turned a dead white. He sprinted over and dove into the pool, but she had been dead too long, he couldn’t save her. He just held her and cried. Christopher had been one to stay inside, but when he heard the screaming, he ran out to the patio and saw Adam in the pool with his younger sister. He couldn’t believe his eyes; he never would have thought that she would be the next victim.

Everyone had been moved back inside, the police had arrived and the body had been removed from the pool after the investigation. Christopher was with his men looking for clues out on the patio. One of his men called out to him, “Christopher, I think we found something.” “What is it?” He replied. “Look at this. I found it right there. What is it?” The officer asked. Christopher took the object into his surgically gloved hand and studied it. The object was gold, two inches long, and slanted on one side. “I think that this is a woman’s heel to a shoe, “the detective stated. “You actually think that a girl might have done this?” His man looked puzzled. “Sure, you don’t know how strong these women are nowadays with their aerobicizing and what not,” Christopher said sarcastically. “Have a couple of the men search the house, especially the closets. If this was a woman, she would have had to find another pair of shoes to wear back to the party.” “Right boss.” The officer walked off gathering the men for the task. Up until now, Christopher was convinced that Adam had killed his father out of emotion, the emotion of hate. Now, he wasn’t so sure.

While the officers went on their search for the missing shoes, Christopher walked through the room where the guests were being interrogated and towards the library where the family was waiting. As he passed through, he could not help staring at all the women’s feet. When he made his entrance into the library, he noticed right off that not only was Joanne wearing gold shoes, but, so was Vivien and Becki. Jokingly to himself, he thought this must be the latest fad. “All right, let’s start the questioning.” Christopher went through the same drill that he had gone through only a little over a month before. About halfway through his questioning the family, his men came in with some news. “We found a pair of shoes with a missing heel and guess what color they are?” Charles followed the men up the stairs while the family waited impatiently at the news. They rounded the comer from the stairs and went passed the study, which had been Dave Hailman’s, passed another room with a closed door, and went into a bedroom and straight into the closet. Sitting neatly placed among 30 other pairs of shoes was a shiny gold strappy pair of shoes missing the heel. “Now how in the hell… “This just couldn’t be, how could anyone get through the party and up to this room and put those shoes like that, so neat as a pin, where they sit? Whose room is this by the way?” Christopher sounding very upset. “Sir, this is Vivien Hail… I mean Tailord’s room. No, could this be, Christopher thought, kill her father and then her younger sister, but why. Jealousy… Tabytha was the younger sister… Money…. unlikely, she just inherited two million dollars…. Power…. not possible; she received a higher percentage than Tabytha in the company. No, it just didn’t make sense, but what was the answer.

Moving swiftly down the stairs, Charles went straight into the library where the family was still occupied. “Mrs. Tailord.” “Yes, Detective Christopher,” Vivien replied questionably. “I need to discuss a private matter with you, if you would please accompany me upstairs,” requested Christopher. “Of course.” Vivien responded, now very curious, but also slightly nervous.

They walked up the stairs rather briskly and back into her room and into the open closet with all the officers taking pictures and prints. Christopher reached in and held up the strappy little gold shoe and asked her, “Mrs. Tailord, is this one of the pairs of shoes that you own?” “Um, let me look at it a little closer,” she inching up to it, “I would never wear something like this. If you look at all my other shoes, you can see that, they are much more conservative than this shoe.” “Would you mind trying it on for us?” Christopher asked politely. “Well, sure, but I am telling you that it is not mine.” She sat down on the edge of her bed and slipped her sleek stylish, but conservative, gold shoe off her foot and slipped this one on. It fit like a glove. “I… .I…I do not know what to say, but this is not my shoe!” She declared emphatically. “Calm down, we didn’t say that it was. Hey, Jones, have Mrs. Hailman and Becki join us up here.” Charles requested. “Sure boss.” The officer went quickly downstairs and within five minutes the other two ladies were walking in the room. Christopher had both women try on the shoe and to his amazement, the shoe fit all three of them. All three of these women wore the same damn shoe size. He couldn’t believe it. “You ladies may go downstairs now, thank you,” he said disappointingly.

The month leading up until Adam’s party revealed nothing to Christopher to solve this case. Joanne had asked him to the party just to be on the safe side. “Detective, I would feel much better with a police officer there. I fear for my family since the killer has not been caught.” Christopher could not refuse.

That evening, Malcolm was greeting everyone at the door and directing the guests into the party. When Adam and Becki arrived together in the family limousine, Malcolm announced them and everyone applauded. Becki looked breathtaking in a champagne colored evening gown that fitted her figure like an hourglass. She had her dark hair pulled up for the occasion and wore simple jewelry because she could get away with it, and still look stunning. Adam looked like he was beaming from head to toe having her on his arm. Tabytha and Vivien both felt out of place there, but Tabytha even more so than Vivien, at least Vivien had her husband.

Tabytha decided to walk out onto the patio to get away for a few minutes to escape, but she didn’t know that someone was following her. She walked around lackadaisical thinking that she just wanted to go up to her room. Suddenly, she felt like someone was watching her, but she knew that no one was there. Her heart started pounding harder because she felt as though there was a presence there. She was about to turn around when she could feel and hear someone breathing heavily behind her and then they grabbed her pretty, young neck and started to strangle her. She tried to scream, but was gasping wearily for every breath that she could take. She clutched their hands as they squeezed harder and tighter. She tried to turn around to see who it was, but their grip was too tight. Tabytha slowly shrunk down to the ground unconscious. The unknown person thought that they had finished their deed and dragged her over to the swimming pool. They pushed her in and removed the gloves that they had been wearing and hid them. They walked into the party as if nothing had happened.

The next day at 12: 15, Tabytha sat and waited like a spider for a fly at a little quiet, out of the way table for Becki to arrive. Becki was running a little late and didn’t make it until 12:40. “I am so sorry I am late. I hope you haven’t been waiting long?” Becki asked, half remorsefully. “No, just a few minutes. Sit down.” Tabytha motioned as she spoke. “What did you want to see me about?” Becki asked curiously. “Are you going to marry my brother?” Tabytha asked straight to the point. “Well, yes,” answering very confused, “He’s planning on having an engagement party soon.” Tabytha responded quickly, “If I were you, I wouldn’t marry him. “Why is that?” Becki responded now even more curious than ever. “Well, I don’t think he has the right temperament for being a husband. No one in the family thinks so either.” Tabytha thinking she has the upper hand. “I don’t care what you think. Now I see why you asked me here, to try and stop me from marrying Adam. Well, I am not going to sit here and listen to your stupid remarks and lies. I am marrying Adam no matter what! !” Becki stated angrily and stormed out. Tabytha was stunned at her behavior and didn’t know what to think. She was too naive to realize that she could not scare someone off who was that much in love.

After Becki left the restaurant, she went straight over to the Hailman home and asked to see Mrs. Hailman. When Joanne found out who was there to see her, she decided to ask Vivien to join them. After all, Joanne had confided in her daughter the earlier conversation that she and Adam had had. She thought Becki was coming over to help with the details of the party, little did she know.

Becki was shown into the living room and Joanne and Vivien joined her just a few minutes later. “Becki, it was nice of you to drop by, but I thought that you would call me first about the arrangements for your party. This was rather sudden,” Joanne explained. “That is why you think I am here! Well, it should be the reason, but it is not. The youngest of your children asked me to lunch today and asked me NOT to marry your son! I was appalled at this action and I hoped that the only Hailman who didn’t like me was gone, but I guess I was wrong!” Becki screamed. “Tabytha did what? I can’t believe that she would do such a thing, but she is a very naive girl, so if she did…I apologize for he,” Joanne tried to reassure her. Vivien interrupted rather dryly, “Becki, what you have to understand is that we just lost our father and we are all very upset right now. We all know that he didn’t approve of you for his own reasons and we had to respect him for that. He is gone now and Adam can do as he wishes, so we will support him. My mother and I will help you plan this party if you would like.”  “What she did is unforgivable and what you are saying isn’t much more forgivable than what she said to me earlier! If you all do not mind, I will plan the party myself. Thanks for nothing and good day!” Becki marched out without a glance at either one of them. “Vivien, I can’t believe what you said to her. I raised both of my girls better than the way you have both acted today. What is the matter with you?” Joanne appalled at how Vivien now acted. “Mother, father didn’t like her, so that is good enough for me.”

When everyone had gone to his or her rooms, Adam pulled his mother aside to talk to her about a very important matter. “Mother, we need to talk.” “Adam, are you okay?” she asked with concern. “Yes, I am fine. I know this might seem a bit premature, but I have asked Becki to marry me and I want to have an engagement party here at the house in July.” “This does seem a bit premature, why so soon? Can’t you two just wait until the dust has settled a little bit, why we just buried your father today and you stand here now asking for such a thing,” she responded very hurt. “Mother, I have thought this through and I think it would be good to have something happy brought into the house since all of this has happened, please say yes. You won’t regret it,” he begged. She paused while mulling it over thinking that he might be right, this house needed some happiness and it would give her something to look forward to, “All right, you have convinced me. I will have the arrangements made. Son, please be careful.” “Why do you say that Mother? Everything is okay now. Just you wait and see.” “I hope so,” she said while giving him a great big motherly hug.

Unbeknownst to Joanne and Adam, Tabytha had forgotten her gloves in the library and had come back for them. When she started to open the door, she overheard their whole conversation. She wanted to burst in on them and speak her mind, but she decided to hold back and take another angle. She decided to get her gloves later and went back up to her room. She looked up Becki’s phone number and dialed. Fortunately for Tabytha, Becki was home.  Hello,” Becki answered. “Hi, Becki.” “Yes, who is this?” She asked. “This is Tabytha Hailman. I know that we haven’t talked much before, but I felt I should get to know you better. Will you have lunch with me tomorrow at the little Italian restaurant at 3^rd and Chapel?” “Well, I don’t have any plans, so sure. What time?” Becki asked. “Let’s say 12:30. I will see you there.” Tabytha grinned. They hung up and Becki was very confused because Tabytha had never done this before, come to think of it, no one in the Hailman family had done this before.