"The ballerina"
It was a Friday evening, my sister and I were making plans for the weekend, talking about how much we were fed up with work and thinking that nothing could ruin this wonderful moment of relaxation. But then Ashley’s phone rang and on the screen showed ‘Silvio.’
-I thought we’d get a break from work. -said my sister before picking up the phone.
-I’m going to ask the most naive question in the world: What if no one was killed? - I asked on an exhale.
-I don’t think so. Hello...Well, that’s what I figured...Where to?...Wow...Okay, we’ll be there soon.
-Where was the murder this time?
-You won’t believe it, at the Costanzi theatre.
-And who was killed?
-A ballerina.
-Okay, let’s get ready.
After about 15 minutes we left the house. My sister and I got in the car and I started the car.
-Do you remember the address? - Ashley asked me as she put on her seatbelt.
-Sure.
Ten minutes later we pulled up to the theatre, I parked the car, and my sister and I walked into the building. There was Dante waiting for us.
-Good evening, if I may say so. -I said hello to Dante, and Ashley did the same.
-Good evening. Let’s go to the murder scene.
Turns out the murder scene was the ballerina’s dressing room. When we entered the dressing room, we saw the girl’s body lying on the floor, and there were vomit stains on her clothes and on the floor.
-Isabella Cavalli, 25 years old, a famous ballerina. -Silvio said.
-Are there any witnesses?
-No witnesses, no one knows anything, no one has heard anything.
-That’s too bad. What happened before she was killed?
-She had a performance that ended at 7.30pm. Then she went to her dressing room and at 8.35pm she was found.
-Who found her?
-Her friend.
-I’ll have to ask that friend.
While Ashley, Silvio and Dante discussed the contributing factors of the crime, I began to examine the body.
-Alice, come here, help me. -I said, squatting down next to the body.
-And hand me the gloves, please.
I didn’t find any wounds on the body, by all accounts death was due to toxic asphyxia.
-Rose, what do we have on the body?
-Well, what can I tell you, cause of death appears to be toxic asphyxia, she was poisoned.
She’s been dead about half an hour, and I’ve already got an idea what kind of poison she was poisoned with.
-What was it?
-Aconitine.
-How did you determine that?
-The vomit and sweat stains, the dilated pupils and the fact that she died in about 20 minutes. But again, it’s just a guess. I’ll do an autopsy and forensics and then I can tell you exactly what kind of poison she was poisoned with.
-Okay. Silvio, is that a camera? -the inspector asked, pointing her finger at the camera in the corner.
-Oh, I couldn’t see it behind the wardrobe.
-It’s lucky I’m wearing high platform sandals today.
-Very lucky.
-So we should go request the security footage and get our victim’s friend.
-I’ll go request the security footage. -Dante said as he headed for the door.
-I’ll go get the friend. -Alice said.
-And I think I’ll go have a smoke. -I said.
-You started smoking? Something happened?
-I’m just nervous.
Taking off my medical gloves and tossing them in the bin, I walked out of the dressing room. ‘It’s so stuffy in here.’ I thought as I closed the door behind me. I headed towards the exit of the theatre, stepping out of the building I breathed in a full breath of fresh Roman air. I was about to have a cigarette when I saw this....
-Good evening Rosie.
-What the hell? -I whispered, turning to face my worst nightmare.
-Not happy to see me?
-As always, actually.
-Stop joking, darling.
-Stop stalking me, idiot.
-You’re suddenly interested in the opera? -said he, ignoring what I said.
-Don’t pretend you don’t know about the murder.
-I do know something, but I’m sorry to say I can’t tell you. Unless you do me a favour.
-No favours, I don’t want your information.
-But maybe you’ll agree to one of my offers, and then I’ll tell you everything. -He said with a smirk and stepped closer to me.
-How many times do I have to say “no” before you finally catch on.
-I’ll wait as long as it takes, even if it takes forever, but I’ll finally wait for the moment when you say “yes”.
-No, you won’t. -I said and headed for the theatre entrance.
-Goodbye Rosie, and believe me, I will.
-Damn you. -that was the last thing I said before I walked back into the theatre.
On my way to the dressing room, I ran into Ashley, who was going to watch the video from the security camera. I went with her. After about two minutes, we reached the security room.
-Is there a video? -asked my sister to Dante, who was standing in the doorway.
-Yeah, let’s go.
We went to the monitor and the video showed up on the screen. Ballerina enters the dressing room at 19:39, at 19:55 she vomited and there was paralysis of skeletal muscles. Then she started choking, and at exactly 20:00, the ballerina died.
-That’s terrible.
-Now I’m even more certain she was poisoned with aconitine.
-Colleagues. - said Alice, who suddenly appeared, with a girl standing next to her.
-I guess you’re Isabella’s friend.
-Please tell me your name and who you work here. -Ashley asked, pulling out a small notebook and pen from her pocket.
-Agnes Leone, I’m a makeup artist.
-What can you tell me about your friend?
-She was a professional, the best ballerina I’ve ever known.
-Did she have any enemies, any conflicts with anyone?
-She was very friendly, never fought with anyone. She didn’t have any enemies.
We talked a little more with the dead ballerina’s friend and went back to the dressing room. We searched there for about an hour, but we didn’t find anything. After that, we drove to the police station.
