Seven chimes shot through the dimly lit hallway at the Ritz Hotel as Mr. Carson Klaircy stepped onto the welcoming mat. Mr. Klaircy was a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and stunning almond eyes. He was also very slender and muscular with graying amber hair. A piercing breeze slipped through the lobby, sending an icy chill through every guest’s back. As Mr. Klaircy signed in as a hotel resident, he noticed how cloudy and dreary it was outside. The wind was howling, BOOMS echoed the streets as thunder began its journey through town, and a slight fog was covering the scene.

“Let’s hope this case doesn’t turn out to look like this weather,” Mr. Klaircy commented aloud as he began his way to the parlor where all of the guests were awaiting his arrival.

When Mr. Klaircy plodded into the parlor, everyone stood to greet their new visitor. He surveyed the seen with eager eyes. In the middle room, he found a lovely sight of someone he had not seen for a while, but missed terribly.

“Oh, father, you’re finally here!” exclaimed Elizabeth Klaircy Meirvene, the only daughter of the Klaircy’s. “I’ve missed you so!”

“And I you,” chimed Mr. Klaircy as he held his precious daughter. “And hello to you too Jean! How are you my boy?” questioned Mr. Klaircy as he shook his son-in-law’s hand.

“Holding up,” came the reply of Jean Meirvene, Elizabeth’s recently married husband.

“Excuse me, excuse me, I’m coming through,” grumbled a small, stocky woman as she pushed her way through.

As the arrogant lady pushed forward, the young couple stepped back and rested on one of the lavender sofas.

“Well now,” twittered the stocky lady. “I am Lady Eleanor and I just arrived here not days ago from England. I am told you are Detective Klaircy, a world known case cracker, are you not?”

“Indeed I am madam. Mr. Carson Klaircy, at your service,” replied the detective.

“Well,” responded Lady Eleanor, “I do expect you to have the case of Rheo Feirlo’s death solved quickly. Everyone is going mad and the hotel owner, Mr. Shumbob, is turning this hotel into a boot camp because of what happened. It is simply absurd!

“Well, I’ll do my best to straighten things out as fast as I can, m’ lady,” Mr. Klaircy promised as he sat down on the nearest cranberry armchair and surveyed the room. Everything, including the fine china display, was dainty and charming. The sofas were placed against the Eastern wall as well as the 17th century fine china. Also, portraits glowing with light from a nearby maroon shaded lamp hung about the room.

“However, between you and me,” Lady Eleanor whispered as she continued the conversation and leaned forward so that no one would be able to repeat what she would say, “something strange is going on here. Everything is so tense and mystifying, it’s unnatural. Fix it!!…please…That way my Fluffy here and I can sleep peacefully,” she purred as she led her pet cat up the staircase and into her suite.

“Sure thing,” Mr. Klaircy called after her. “Well, may I now be introduced to everyone else here at The Ritz?”

“Of course,” chirped an attractive guest rising from his seat who was wearing a flattering pinstripe suit. “My name is Sir Edgar Bown, but you may just call me Sir Edgar. I am here with that stubborn Lady Eleanor who you just met on a business trip. Unfortunately, we are engaged, but it’s alright in the long run. By the way, sorry about her haughtiness, she really isn’t that rude. She just gets so stressed out when …well…. accidents like Rheo Feirlo’s occur.

“I understand completely,” commented Mr. Klaircy.

“They were quite close you know. Eleanor and Rheo I mean. They always did stuff together that involved singing because of Rheo’s passion for music. They were practically best friends through grade school until the Feirlo’s moved here to the states. We came to visit her here this week and had jolly good outings. We were actually going to hear her sing again because the night she died was actually going to be her debut here at The Ritz. But as we all know, she never got the chance. When news was brought to us about the reproachful thing that had happened, we were in absolute denial until we actually saw the slaughtered body, still dripping with distilled blood falling from her now silenced heart. It was unbearable to look upon her mangled face and see fear written all over it and a voice that would never sing again,” croaked Sir Edgar.

“I am truly to sorry to hear about the pain you have suffered and I give you my word of honor that I will do everything in my power to solve this case and relieve some heartache,” replied Mr. Klaircy.

“Thank you sir, it means the most to my fiancée and me. I just hope you find out who the murderer is soon before something else even more tragic occurs. No matter what, justice will be restored.” ministered Sir Edgar as he proceeded the way Lady Eleanor had.

“Well, quite the group here,” he commented to the couple still sitting on the couch.

“You are quite right father,” spoke Elizabeth, “and we will discuss it with you shortly at 10:30, but at present, Jean and I have a conference to attend. Good bye!!”

“To your comment about the group earlier, I must say I agree,” came a voice from the far right corner of the parlor.

“Good heavens, my apologies miss,” stuttered the detective as he moved close to greet her, “I didn’t see you there.”

“Quite alright, sir. Let me introduce myself. I am Miss Shirley Mass and I am the singer here at the hotel Ritz club diner,” chimed Shirley. “I don’t know if you remember but we’ve met before on one of your cases. Oh yes, we’ve met before.”

“We have?” asked Mr. Klaircy.

“Why yes. You sure were a stud out there, so strong and hunky working on a case about a loved one….your wife‘s murder in fact. You had run to an isolated part of the nearby public park. Oh yes, I was there from afar alongside my group from my singing profession, watching you pour as much tears out of your eyes as were coming from the rain above! Ridiculous really, how much you lusted after her, even after death, when there were so many others. You could’ve had them, at your side and with you. Foolish!!! It was time to move on Carson, you solved the case, but no matter what, she was and is dead!! I found you, and still do, attractive and irresistible, but thought it wasn‘t the best time to bring it up. You denied me once before when I was disguised as another two years ago. It‘s been four years and so now I am bringing it up again. I have much to offer, if you‘ll accept me. I am devoted, a humble servant! Think of the possibilities and all of what we could do together!! I am your only choice, so choose me now!!” she cried while her face began puffing up and turning red.

“That is a personal matter that is very close to my heart. Furthermore, if you dare insult my wife or our feelings for each other ever again, you will regret it. Mark my words, my affection for my deceased wife is infinite and shall be forever and for all eternity! There will never be anyone who comes between our love, no matter what the future may bring, especially no one as repulsive or mad as you!!!!!” bellowed Mr. Klaircy with every intention of his heart.

Shirley knew all along that it would come to this. She also knew what she was going to do, what she had to do. It was the only way her heart ache, conscience and soul could be spared, or at least hidden. Even if it meant that sacrifice was necessary. It was dutifully put into her own hideous soul.

“Fine then,” taunted Shirley, “Have it your way. You can thank me later for its consequences!!”

All of the sudden, Miss Shirley Mass bounded into Mr. Klaircy’s arms and kissed him passionately with so much oomph, that Mr. Klaircy lost all of his focus and fell to the floor. It was so astonishing what was happening, that it took Mr. Klaircy a few seconds to realize that Miss Shirley had stopped the kissing and had began to run down the hall.

As soon as the detective had gathered his wits, he jumped to his feet and started the pursuit of finding the young lady. Shortly after he began his quest of running and searching, he saw a glimpse of Miss Shirley run into a suite at the end of a twisting hallway.

When he reached the suite he barged into the room. The room was dark and musty, with sheets covering the dusty furniture. There was no light, just the shadow of the moon lurking through cracks, like animals waiting for their prey. It was also very congested with all of the dust in the air. Expecting to find Miss Shirley huddled against a wall, he was surprised to find that no one was visibly seen and that there was a sheer draft in the air. Suddenly, the front door banged shut and malicious laughter was heard from behind him. Mr. Klaircy turned around to find himself face to face with Miss Shirley, eyes as tantalizing as ever and holding a dagger, dirtied with blood.

“You fool!” shrieked Shirley, “you’ve fallen right into my trap!”

“No,” retorted Mr. Klaircy, “you’ve fallen into mine!”

“Don’t be ridiculous! At least while you’re still in one piece, let me gloat to you my evil, yet ingenious plan,” boasted Shirley.

“Fine, go ahead, tell me all, I am not afraid,” Mr. Klaircy answered innocently, while he secretly pushed play on a hand held recorder he always kept in his pocket.

“Alright, I will, but soon your fear will be extremely vivid,” challenged Miss Shirley. “I have been singing here at the Ritz for exactly two months. I needed the job desperately, so when the owner, Mr. Shumbob, said he would hire me, and then make my job permanent if he didn’t get any better offers after two months, I accepted whole heartedly. That’s when the problems came. Rheo Feirlo showed up at the hotel about two weeks ago looking for a singing gig. She auditioned and got a magnificent review. Later that week, I was told out with the old, and in with the new. Basically, it wasn’t two months yet and someone better had indeed come along. I couldn’t let this happen. My whole life and career depended on this job and I could not lose it.”

“So what did you do about it?” wondered Mr. Klaircy.

“I’m getting there, hold your horses, sir,” snapped Shirley. “Any way, I knew I had to do something. I found out from a hotel calendar that the night of Rheo Feirlo’s debut would be October18th, otherwise known as yesterday evening. I therefore took it upon myself personally to solve my personal problems. I studied Rheo’s daily schedule and learned she always took forty-five minutes to herself every morning at 9:00 a.m. Furthermore, yesterday morning I snuck into her room and hid myself well, so that not a soul knew where I was. At exactly 9:16, I pulled out a dagger from my coat pocket, in fact, it was the very one I hold in my hand now. At the precise moment, I plunged my dagger through Rheo’s heart when she walked out of her bathroom, unaware that there was any presence but her own in the room and not realizing that the step out of bathroom would be the last she ever made in her life. A deafening shriek pierced the room as she left this mortal world. Blood spilt from her heart onto her milky carpet and stained it as a remembrance what had occurred. Each drop sounded like an earthquake, so I knew I needed to leave if I didn’t want to get caught. As a good-bye present, I stepped on Rheo’s face and shattered her nose into a million pieces, dragged the body into a mangled position on the floor, and pulled the dagger out of the wound, hurled out the door, and escaped from the scene without a single witness of what really happened. Everyone else just thought it was some fan murder or something.”

“So,” remarked Mr. Klaircy, “this whole disaster was your doing, just for a gig?”

“Also because of pride and my longing desire to be noticed,” barked Miss Shirley, “And now, Mr. Carson Klaircy, it is time for your own disaster to take place. Good bye Detective Klaircy, it was nice knowing you. Like I said, you can thank me for your consequence in the after life. And now, with this rigid dagger, I take it in my hand and end your life with no regrets. So long, Mr. Klaircy, FOREV-…”

At that moment, Miss Shirley stopped her plan for mass murder abruptly and fell to the floor. It seems that she had fainted and was knocked unconscious because of how much tension she was feeling and because of how overwhelmed she had become. Thankfully, Mr. Klaircy was not harmed in the least and he had gotten Miss Shirley Mass’s whole confession on tape.
Mr. Klaircy then picked up the unconscious body and brought her to the lobby. When there, he summoned the guests, as well as the police to tell them how he solved the case and revealed the recorded confession. As the cops awoke Miss Shirley Mass and took her away, everyone congratulated and thanked Mr. Klaircy for all of his services.

“We are forever grateful,” Mr. Shumbob complimented. “Thank you for all of your radiant services. As a token of our gratitude here at the Ritz, we would like to present to you this timeshare at the Ritz for a free weeks stay at any of our chain hotels country wide. Thank you once again for everything.”

As everyone began to disperse, Jean and Elizabeth came up to him to be with him and support him.

“Well done, father, another case cracked!” exclaimed Elizabeth.

“An excellent success, Sir,” Jean encouraged.

“Mother would have been very proud,” expressed Elizabeth.

“Thank you, to you both,” replied Mr. Klaircy,” and as for your mother, I know she is proud of all of us.”

“Let’s go home, everyone. It‘s time to be home for awhile just with some family and good memories,” Mr. Klaircy sighed as he led the family out the doors. As he opened the lobby door, let everyone proceed before him, he turned around to have one more glimpse at the Ritz.

“A memory I will never forget,” Mr. Carson Klaircy reflected as he left the Murder Mayhem at the Ritz and went forward not knowing what mystery awaited him next.