The Mystery Writer

Death is Only the Beginning

Darcy cradled a necklace in her palm as she limped towards the building that was now surrounded by reporters. Cameramen, crew vans, other staff and a long line of security officers buzzed around the area. The conference hall of city square was the best place to hold a charity event, especially one of the magnitude that would be occurring in just a few hours. The conference hall was also well equipped at keeping large numbers of the press at bay. They were known for their strict policies and having some of the best security teams in the city.

Darcy sighed heavily when she took a short pause, watching her puff of breath dissolve in front of her. After her run in with Leo James, she had assumed the pain in her leg would quickly dissipate but it seemed as if it were only getting worse. It was going to be a long night if she had to stand in the cold with a stiff leg and all for maybe a glimpse of the famous celebrity, Leo James. If they were lucky, maybe they'd get a glimpse of a few more celebrities while they were at it. Her hand slowly opened to reveal the tiny star pendant which caught the light of the closest street light. She quickly protected the necklace once again by clenching her fist around it. If Darcy's boss, Matthias Scott, knew she'd literally bumped into Leo James earlier that day he would have a field day!

“Darcy!” A hushed call brought her back to the chilly night air and she shivered in response. Then her eyes found a man carrying a large camera who steadily decreased the space between them.

“Max!”

She couldn't help but to smile at her cameraman who returned a somewhat goofy but lovable grin. Other than being one of her closest friends, Max had been the her cameraman since they were assigned together as a junior crew. Since then they had been inseparable.

“You are late! The Boss-man wants footage of you in the next 15 minutes.” Max nodded his head in the direction, Darcy assumed, their crew van must be. “He has gone crazed. He is determined to nail Leo James with some big scandal and for Channel 4 to be the first one with the report.”

“I know it is his goal and it is driving me insane. We all know that celebrities have ways of escaping notice, yet our CEOs keep all of us in freezing weather for hours.” Together, Max and Darcy walked to the crew van that was already set up as if they would be camping out there for days. For a few minutes they mingled with a few staff members before Darcy sat down on a small bench that was specifically designated for her. Christine, their crew's makeup technician, scrutinized Darcy before sitting down on the small stool in front of her.

“You couldn't even put a drop of foundation on, Darcy? It is not going to be easy to have you ready in 5 minutes.” Not another words was shared between the two until Christine seemed satisfied with her work and she released Darcy with a friendly smile. “Go get 'em, tiger.”

It was only a few, short minutes later that Darcy was standing on a small hill that overlooked the conference hall. The light from her camera had just flashed on and cast a dim light over her just before she went through well rehearsed lines regarding how important the charity event was and the suspected donators. She entered a short clip about Leo James along with a few other celebrities who would be attending the event before Max called for a cut to the filming.

Darcy then walked briskly towards the crew van, but hadn't gotten far when she froze in her tracks. Dread spiked through her as her eyes landed on her boss, Matthias.

“Redo it.” Matthias appeared before her like a stalker. Darcy was just able to hold in a groan as she took a deep breath and a moment to hold back a sharp comment. Matthias was breathing heavily in his efforts to catch her before she got too far from the recording area. “There needs to be less news on the charity event and more about the celebrities. It is rumored that Leo James will propose to Amara King at this event!”

Darcy rolled her eyes at her boss, thankful that it was too dark and he was too distracted for him to notice. There had been rumors that the two would be engaged ever since Leo and Amara had featured in a film together. Leo James had always emphatically stated that the two of them had never dated.

“Leo James claims to be a bachelor and does anyone as busy as he is have the time to date?” Darcy challenged her boss, hoping she could get out of his demands for a redo. She knew, when Matthias' face started to turn red, that he would not be giving in.

“Two more shots, Darcy. One must include the news of the engagement. We need to be prepared to release it, as soon as the news breaks. It is ridiculous to not let more media attend this event. Especially at such an opportune time.”

“Yeah, I can't imagine why they wouldn't want greedy press inside a charity event. God forbid press reporting on anything but celebrity interests.” Darcy, again, rolled her eyes before returning up the small hill. She wanted to escape before her boss had the opportunity to yell at her. Max gave her an apologetic frown before turning the dim camera light back on.

“Hello, this is Darcy Wren at Channel 4 News...”

The pounding and shouting at the door to her studio apartment did nothing for Darcy's migraine. The ache she hadn't felt the previous night began to settle in her muscles. It was hard enough to open her eyes wide enough to glance at the time on her bedside alarm clock. It read: 7:10 am. She had only been in bed for a little over an hour and someone insisted on rousing her.

“Darcy. DARCY WREN! Are you home?!” Max's voice only became louder and louder along with the pounding at her door. Slowly, and groggily, Darcy stumbled the first few feet after getting up. She threw on a crew neck before answering her door. She was hoping to have her question of why Max wasn't at home fast asleep answered as quickly as possible. Maybe then she could go back to sleep as well.

“What in the hell, Max.”

She wanted to scold him but her voice came out to groggily to be taken for angry. One look at Max's face and his blonde hair in disarray startled her into silence. His eyes locked on to the bags under his eyes and she wondered if he had gotten any sleep since they parted only a few hours ago.

“Boss called. We have to be on scene in a half hour.” Max inspected his watch which hung loosely from his wrist. Darcy wasn't sure if he actually read the time at all.

“What? You literally haven't slept at all and it isn't our shift. You can't drive like this, Max. We could cause an accident at this rate.” There was so much more she wanted to say but she felt to overwhelmed on top of a pounding headache and frustration. What more could Matthias possibly want from them?

“I know,Darcy, I know. Matthias threatened us with probation if we don't show up.”

Darcy glared past Max. The sun had risen but it looked gloomy, damp and cold outside.

“If this is to go stare at some celebrity house, I will-”

Her voice faded away as a vision of two frustrated eyes popped into her vision. They belonged to a very frustrated celebrity and she couldn't blame him.

“It is real news, Darcy. A murder and it is a bit shocking. It was the chief manager in charge of last night's charity event. Wyatt Xu was found stabbed to death. The word spreading around is that he was stabbed over 100 times.” Max's voice was chilling before it faded into silence. Darcy could only stare at him in astonishment and disbelief. A tickling thought played at the back of her mind. This was their chance to report on something real and thrilling. It was so encouraging to her that it seemed to take all of her drowsiness and pain away.

“I'll be ready in two minutes.”

Time passed by as if it were flying on the wings of Pegasus. It seemed as if Darcy was instantly transported to the same hill from the previous night. Today offered little sunlight, but a much better view of the venue below them as well as a generous look over the grounds. Police officers now covered the area and everyone who had gathered there seemed to be holding their breath for the next big clue. Nothing, and no one, could convince any of the police officer to leave a comment about the murder scene.

“Max, has anyone been able to talk to someone related to the charity event?” Darcy's mind was racing and spinning as she tried to think like a detective. What questions would they ask? Who would they look for? After looking at her friend's face, she found her answer and responded with a sour look of her own.

“Regional News was the first to act on the idea. They already aired a small segment with a chief executive, but I'm positive they are working on a longer interview as we speak. Crazy how some stations are able to work so quickly during homicides.

Darcy frowned as her thoughts spun towards what they could possibly report on that would wouldn't be old information.

“Incoming, Darcy.” Christine, their crew's make-up technician zoomed by just before Matthias turned the corner around their van and into sight. Darcy and Max exchanged a glance.

“Follow me, Darcy. You too, Max.” Matthias didn't bother to greet them with a good morning. Together, they trudged up another hill behind Matthias and away from everything and everyone else.

“I've overheard a few of the officers talking. There are witnesses from last night saying that Leo James and Wyatt Xu had gotten in a heated argument.” Darcy and Max again exchanged glances. “Don't you see what this means? Leo James will be a top suspect.”

“Wait just a minute. Two people can have an argument without it leading to murder. You cannot accuse someone without absolute proof.” Max huffed defensively and Darcy nodded her approval.

“Don't get snappy with me. You will do as I say. That means I want the story out in a half hour.” Although Matthias' voice didn't raise, his tone became more menacing.

“I won't! You're always on Leo James' a*s about something. I'm not cooperating this time. He isn't to be condemned before he is proven guilty.” Darcy spoke up, though from the corner of her eyes she could see she had just beaten Max to the punch.

“One more word out of you and I'll see you are on probation, or better yet, fired! Now I want the story out within a half hour. I'm warning you. The both of you.” Matthias waited just long enough to see if there would be any rebuttals from them and left with both of them fuming in his wake.

“I don't want to do this.”

“I know but ...” Max hesitated, a thought on the tip of his tongue. “I can't afford to be laid off now. I was trying to keep it a secret but I'm going to ask my girl to marry me. I've saved for a ring and I'm preparing to buy a house. I'm ready to settle down.”

Darcy's jaw dropped in response to her friend's confession. Dazed, she slowly wrapped Max up in a hug to congratulate him. Max laughed and muttered something about not congratulating him just yet.

“As much as I'm going to hate it, I'll do it for you,” Darcy grimaced before turning to head back to their van. “Christine has her work cut out for her if she thinks she can make me presentable with only an hour of sleep.”

“It has been rumored that during last night's charity event, Chief Manager Wyatt Xu and well known celebrity Leo James engaged in a heated argument. It is also believed that he is the top suspect in Wyatt Xu's murder. You are hearing it here first at Channel 4 News.”

Darcy watched the re-run of her short news segment with a sour look on her face. She felt a hatred that she rarely, if ever, felt before. She was so angry that she had half a mind to resign right then and there. However, she knew that she could never afford her already modest living arrangements without her current income. Anywhere she went now would only pay her minimum field wage and she wouldn't hold her current seniority.

Grinding her teeth together, she resisted the urge to stomp her foot like an angry child. She had been forced into an unchangeable situation and it bothered her more than ever.

“Darcy.” Max rounded the corner of the van and headed towards her at a sprint. As he got closer, he motioned her into action. They both ran to the crew van, Max hopping into the driver seat and revving the van out of the parking lot. Once they were on the road, Max could finally explain what was going on.

“Another body has been found.”

“At City Hall?”

“No. A body was recovered at a salon. The same salon that Leo James got his hair done at before last night's event.”

Something ice cold settled between Darcy's shoulder blades. She had never suspected Leo James to be a murderer and she still believed that. However, these murders followed to coincidentally in his wake. She recalled his lonely eyes and wondered if the look in his eyes could have been an act. After all he was a talented actor, at least, from what she heard.

“So we are headed to the salon, then?”

Exhaustion and weariness were a terrible mix. Max glanced her way through the rear-view mirror, understanding her plight and responded with a nod of his head.

“I'm sorry I backed you into doing that segment earlier. Maybe we shouldn't go, knowing we both are running low on rest and patience with Matthias.” Max kept his eyes on the road ahead of them. Darcy nearly laughed at his suggestion; they both knew that Matthias would have them at the salon before long anyway.

“It wasn't your fault or decision in the end. I'm just hoping our suspect is caught before too long. I don't want to keep pushing blame on the wrong person.”

Max glanced her way shortly, the look in his eyes telling her that he wasn't convinced the suspect wasn't Leo James. The rest of the drive was quiet as the sun began to set over the city. Darcy glared out at the darkening streets. She could tell they were getting close to the salon when the streets began to become crowded and disorderly. When they came into view, crime scene tape already set the perimeter around the salon.

“If Matthias shows up here, which I have no doubts he will, I will be arguing with him that this is our last schedule of the day. Also, I'm requesting we both have tomorrow off as well since we haven't had one in what feels like months.” Max turned off the ignition to the van and stared out at the hoards of people passing by them. Darcy nodded as she stifled a yawn behind the back of her hand. She couldn't argue as she was becoming desperate for a full day off of work as well.

Together, Max and Darcy took to the streets and bundled against the chilly air. She aired small segments while walking closer to the crime scene and the yellow police tape. Once they set up there, she interviewed a few of the onlookers who were willing to be filmed. She decided to film quite a bit on different subjects which they could decide which ones to air in the comfort of their crew van. They hoped that before long they could both be heading home.

“It's Leo James!”

The sudden shout sent the crowd into a frenzy. Some were straining their necks to see the celebrity while others tried escaping as quickly as possible, afraid to be in the vicinity of the suspected murderer. Darcy glanced over at Max as they were both being berated against the stampeding masses of people. Then all types of media reporters surrounded the celebrity, attempting to be the first to get a comment out of Leo James.

Max raised an eyebrow back at Darcy, silently asking if he should start recording as well. Darcy shook her head 'no' before turning around to continue packing their equipment up. Only when she felt Max make a sudden move beside her did she realize that Leo James had shown up only a few feet from her. She glanced around her friend's wide back to find the celebrity staring in her direction.

'He must be angry due to that segment.' Even if Leo James was the murderer, he couldn't have been happy with the way she had reported on him as a suspect. Would a murderer come to the scene of a crime just to confront her? Especially with the amount of people in the area? Darcy inspected Leo once again, his eyes seemed to speak a more desperate sense of loneliness. Regret stabbed her in the gut and she felt as though she would be sick as her stomach dropped. She swallowed back the bile rising in her throat and stepped to the side of Max's protection.

“I want to talk to D.W.” Leo James finally spoke after landing eyes on her.

“You can ask for an official interview at Channel 4 headquarters.” Max responded coolly to the celebrity and the two stared at each other without flinching. Flashes of light seemed to surround them and the familiar buzz of video recorders began to hang in the still, silent air. It seemed as if everyone were holding their breaths to see what would happen next.

“It's ok, Max.” Darcy placed a hand against his arm and gave a gentle pat before facing Leo. She squared her shoulders as her hand fell away from her friend and she did her best to feel confident and powerful in front of the celebrity. It was her determination to stand up to whatever scolding she deserved to receive and come away with a new dignified grace.

“'You don't know me. What makes you believe that I am capable of murder? I'm human, yes. I do get angry and vent my frustration just like anyone else would. Do you think that these feelings always lead to murder? Can no one have an argument, especially one that was supposed to be private, and not be considered a murderer the next day?” Leo huffed, the look in his eyes becoming more desperate and even angry.

Darcy hesitated to say anything as she was unsure of how to respond. Leo didn't want any excuses she may give him and no apology would be enough to solve the injury she had given his reputation.

“Leo, it wasn't her idea.” Max attempted to defend her which she stopped by shooting him a glance full of daggers.

“Don't talk to me like you know me or even care how I feel. You're all the same. When will you stop using my name for a scapegoat?”

Darcy could only watch Leo as frustration overtook the angry and lonely look in his eyes. She could recognize the signs of despair and panic battling within him.

“Then why don't you show us who you truly are?” A voice rose from the crowd. A plump silhouette emerged through the thick masses of media reporters and onlookers. Darcy closed her eyes, her head throbbing at the sudden appearance of her boss, Matthias Scott.

“I thought it was strange not to see him around here. He was laying in wait, it seems.” Max glowered at their boss. “What could he be up to?”

“And how would you recommend I do that? Everyone believes I am a murderer. Who is going to believe anything I say? Everything I do say is just twisted in whatever way you want it to mean anyway.” Matthias grinned devilishly back at Leo after his response. It seemed as if a joke only Matthias knew was making him smile.

“Would you agree to having someone stay with you for twenty four hours a day, seven days a week? A reporter, for instance? They would be able to ask you live questions at any time of the day. There would be live streams of your daily routines. The people could feel reassured as there would always be eyes on you and it would give you the chance to display all of your abilities to your fans.”

“You want me to participate in a reality show? Why?” Leo James didn't seem to skip a beat, not by Matthias' request.

“You want to prove to the world that you are innocent, don't you? This is an opportunity for you to do that. Also, you can be publicly honest with your fans.”

Leo's eyes hardened at the comment. “Everyone believes I'm a murderer or at least has doubts about my innocence. Who would agree to stay with me?”

Matthias' grin only widened and became more malicious. He paced behind Leo a few steps, his eyes scanning the area till they landed on Darcy. She felt dread spike across her body and heard Max mutter an oath under his breath.

“How about Channel 4's very own, Darcy Wren?”

Cameras flashed suddenly in Darcy's direction, leaving her blinded momentarily. Conversation quickly buzzed around the circle of witnesses.

“You can't commit her to do this. Darcy hasn't agreed to anything.” Max was quick to defend her once again, spitting out words in disgust at their boss. He became so agitated that his face turned red. Meanwhile, Leo glanced behind Max and Matthias to meet Darcy's uncertain gaze.

“I'll agree to all of this only if we sign a contract,” Leo c****d his head in Darcy's direction. His lips thinned as he challenged her.

“How does 3 pm tomorrow at the Channel 4 Building sound?” Matthias held out his hand to Leo, his breathing become quick at the prospect of landing such a deal. Leo ignored Matthias' and stepped around him till he was just in front of Darcy. Max quickly stepped in front Leo and wordlessly warned him not to get any closer.

“If Darcy Wren doesn't agree then I won't agree to any of this.” Darcy peered around Max to see Leo and found that there was no malicious intent in his eyes. Darcy, rather, found the threatening look coming from her own boss. She quickly looked down and away from everyone. Why was she the one now stuck with a decision of her own? She took a deep breath before throwing her shoulders back.

“I agree.”

Darcy muttered loud enough for those closest to her to hear then lowered her head to avoid catching anyone's eyes.