#ShortStoryNight!!! Who Killed Annabel? Episode 2

Story written by blog reader Carina Jacobs. If you missed the previous episode click HERE

I, Detective Ross and my partner Alero drove to the residence of the victim's boyfriend. When I broke the news he was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe it not until he called Onome to confirm. He was
sobbing, he didn't mind in front of a woman.
   I spoke up. 'When last did you hear from her?'
   He cleaned his face. 'About two weeks ago?'
   'Why? Did the both of you quarell?'
   'No.' he replied. 'Not at all. Anabel told me she needed a break in the relationship. She said I should give her a month to clear her head.'

   'Over what?'
   'Anabel didn't say. I never bothered to ask. I wanted to make her happy so I agreed  to what she wanted.'
   Alero who was patiently watching us asked her own question. 'Where were you yesterday?'
   'Is it neccesary for me to answer?'
   'You have to or are you hiding something.'
   'Oh no not at all.' he said and scratched his head. 'I was with... a friend.'
    ' I need the name.' I said like a gentleman.

   'Her name is Sarah.'
   Alero shocked.
   'You mean you were with Anabel's friend?' I asked surprised.
   Federick looked straight at us. 'You know her?'
   'Yes.' I replied. 'Onome told us about her. We need her contact from you.'
   'But I don't think she knows anything.'
   'Why are you trying to defend her?' Alero asked. 'Or do you have a secret relationship with her? Don't lie, myself and detective Ross will surely find out.'
   Federick swallowed and looked away soberly.    'Yes. I was having a sexual relationship with Sarah. I'm so ashamed I cheated on Anabel. She doesn't deserve it because she was faithful to me. We promised each other we were going to be celebate for a year.' He began to cry again.
I and Alero gazed at each other.
Faithful indeed I thought.

*********
The next day Sarah came by the station to be interviewed by me. Alero wasn't with me because the victim's phone wasn't turned on yet. It was faulty and my partner took it to a repairer.
Sarah is very fair in complexion, well especially her face because her knuckles were black. She must have beached with a cheap cream. I wanted to ask her if she couldn't afford whitelious but I simply kept my mouth shut.
She had a loud make up on and was loudly chewing gun. I didn't care. Women do it all the time. I can't wait for my divorce to be finalized.
    I asked. 'How  come  you didn't sound remorseful yesterday when I  called you about your friend's death?'
    'Excuse me?' she asked. 'People die everyday. Even when my dog died I never cried.'
Is she for real? I asked myself.
   'I know about your affair with Frederick Okoh.' I said to her. 'Anabel was your friend and I'm sure you wanted him all to yourself. Maybe you sent someone to do the dirty job for you and that's why you are a suspect.' To my surprise she began to laugh.
     She clears her throat. 'I didn't kill Anabel.  See I don't snatch people's boyfriends. I only sleep with them.'
    'Oh I see.'
    'Yeah.'
    'Is Frederick aware Anabel and yourself are prostitutes?'
    'Call me an aristo and yes he knows about me but he's unaware about Anabel. To him his girlfriend was a saint.'
    'Can you think of anyone, maybe a customer or a rival in the business that could hurt Anabel?'
    She touched her chin for a moment. 'Well two of her recent customers I can think of because she was always complaining and having issues with them. One of them threatened to slit her throat.'
    'Do you know how I can locate them? I asked.
    'Sure.' I gave her a pen and a piece of paper. She wrote down their names and phone numbers. I agreed to let her leave.
    'Stay in touch.' I said as she rose to leave. 'You're still a suspect.'
   She gave a nod, smiled and winked at me.

********
Later In the day Alero approached me after she came back. She left the phone with the repairer. It was going to take time for me to get the victim phone records and since I'm not a patient man I will use the information I receive to investigate the case.

Thirty minutes later Alero said to me after she received a call from m the hospital.  'You won't believe the latest news about the victim. An autopsy report came out and guess what?'
     'What?' I asked.

     'Anabel was two months pregnant before she died.'

    To be continued....