Essyydiamond: I love ur story Larrysun.

Thanks a lot, Essy dear.

Nelly21: All I can say is 'WOW' Your writing is flawless and I love the way the story is turning out

Thank you, Nelly. I'm glad you like the story. Have you read the prequel?

pricelesslove: but i thought cain is dead. between Larry where is the romantic guy nahh. I'm still waiting for him oo

Forgive me for keeping him away too long.

You are just too good in what you are doing Mr. Larry.

LarrySun: Ha-ha! What is it that makes that Ariel so lovable?

i just like him

LarrySun: I didn't say that o! I heard it from Lot himself.

yimu

@Larry, I hope say no be marijuana u gave my Ariel.

Larry, I need answers to the following questions, pls.

Your signature reads; I'll be waiting for you. Who are you waiting for?

Larry, why don't you want to divulge your field of study?

LarrySun, you write as though you're a god. Dammit! Where do you draw powers from? I need to tap that source.

Adinije: @Larry, I hope say no be marijuana u gave my Ariel.

Seems you're totally in love with Ariel already.

You'll make Larry jealous and he'll kill Ariel. *kidding*

Never a dull moment reading Larry's update

Iaz93: Larry, I need answers to the following questions, pls.
Your signature reads; I'll be waiting for you. Who are you waiting for?
Larry, why don't you want to divulge your field of study?
LarrySun, you write as though you're a god. Dammit! Where do you draw powers from? I need to tap that source.

LWKMD
no be small sontin
pls answer, i would like to know too

Iaz93: Seems you're totally in love with Ariel already.

You'll make Larry jealous and he'll kill Ariel. *kidding*

Abeg follow me beg Larry make nothing happen to him o!

LarrySun: Me mysterious? I'm an open book.

Hmmmm, i'll tell them u said so.

so when will i see him between Larry which planet did u come from? because u write like a god. nor let me cum go fall in love with u ooo.

Yes I have and I totally enjoyed it,that's what motivated me to read the sequel

Adinije: Abeg follow me beg Larry make nothing happen to him o!

LOL

Larry, pls.

I dnt want 2 start imagining d amount of ur time u put in 2 come up with this great work,I'll only ask that u keep it up.

Ariel smiled ruefully, “How can it be strange? I got the inspiration to write that book while I was using the loo. To be frank with you, detective, many writers do a lot of their thinkings inside the comfort station. I don’t know why, maybe most of our inspirations result from the fragrance that is produced from the release of our bowels.”

“And you’re telling me that’s not strange?”

“Maybe you’d have cracked this case if you’d spent some time in the restroom.”

“Not in your dreams. I used to think that you’ll talk as creatively as you write, but you apparently write better than you talk.”

Ariel shrugged indifferently, “That’s the way of life. Nothing is ever as it seems; isn’t that what you detectives always say?”

“I wonder why you write under a pseudonym instead of your real name.”

“I prefer to hide my light under a bushel.”

“Talking of light; what light can you shed on the events that occurred during the night your father was killed?”

“Oh, I forgot to wish you guys a happy new year. Happy new year!” then he frowned, “I don’t know much about that night. I was so drowsy that I took no notice of anything.”

“Did you hear the sudden scream?”

“Yes, I did. I’m sure everyone in the house did.”

“Where were you at the time of the scream?”

“Where else would I be if not my room? I rushed out to the source of the scream, and after unlocking the entrance door we found father lying there dead. That’s all I can recall.”

“Was there anything that night—or before—that caught you as strange or unusual?”

Ariel frowned again, trying to think back. He finally shook his head, ‘No, nothing strange. My family has always been a strange one already, and nothing can be stranger than strange itself.”

“I understand that you don’t live in this house.”

“That’s right. I live alone in another part of the state.”

“So, you came here to celebrate Christmas with your family, right?”

“Not really. I was made to come here.”

“Please explain that, Mr. Malik.”

“I was planning to celebrate the Christmas Day alone, then I received an odd text message from a strange number.”

“A text message?”

Ariel nodded, “The text message stated that my parents wanted me to celebrate Christmas with them.”

“Do you know who sent you the message?”

“I don’t know. It could have been a family member. When I got here I asked everyone present but they all claimed ignorance. However, I suspect David of pulling such pranks.”

“Who arrived here first between David and you?”

“Sister Ruth came before every one of us; then David and his wife came. I came after them; Vera was the last person to come. Isn’t Vera cute? I wish I wasn’t her uncle. I’m quite frankly enamoured by her.”

Daniel, who had been silent the whole time, raised his head sharply. He could not help glaring at the writer. This was another adversary to his love life. He later felt mollified at the certainty that uncle and niece could not have anything romantic to do with each other.

‘Do you still have that message on your phone?” asked Lot.

“Of course.”

Ariel produced his Android Smartphone and showed Lot the message. The detective, on the other hand, told Daniel to copy out the phone number through which the message came.

“Do you have anything else to ask, Detective?” demanded Ariel.

Lot consulted a paper on the table and read aloud, “There is a tide…” he quoted and looked at Ariel, “Do you know where that quote comes from?”

He carefully studied the writer’s face to catch any emotion of surprise or fear. But Ariel’s face remained passive.

“Who doesn’t?” pronounced Gabriel, “It’s from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I live and breathe Shakespeare; very few of his lines can escape me. Oh, how I would have loved to have a jug with William Shakespeare and listen to him babble; the sweet, sweet man.”

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Malik. We shall call on you when we need to ask you any more questions. You’ve been a great help.”

“I’ll answer your call anytime.”

When Ariel reached the door, he turned back and walked towards the detective, “Do you know that this case could be solved by using what I call the Shakespearean method?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“It could only be a question of associating probabilities in the most probable fashion. For example, in The Tempest, a shipwrecked duke and his comrades commented on the strong storm that washed them ashore on Prospero’s island and yet failed to dampen their clothing. For years scholars have debated among themselves concerning this singular tempest. Some have defended this mystery by saying that it was a metaphysical storm, and others have postulated equally intricate symbolic hurricanes; it was designed to leave the mariners’ clothing dry. Yet it helps to note that the reason the storm did not disarrange the duke’s clothing was that costumes were the most expensive part of the Elizabethan theatre’s resources and the managements could not risk mildew every time the play was performed, to say nothing of the actors falling prey to pneumonia. It is easy to imagine—once one is armed with this knowledge—the Burbages, father and son, requesting their playwright to throw in a line alluding to their dry habiliment after their terrible confrontation with the elements.”

“I still don’t get you.”

“Okay, let me use a more literal term. Look at it this way, this case could be the core of an onion which is covered by layers of skins. To arrive at this core, you have to peel away these layers.”

Lot regarded him a moment before speaking, “Thanks for your insight, dear scribbler, I shall look in that angle.”

“You’ve only got to search for a chink in the armour of the criminal.”

“The pattern I’m following is totally different from what could be derived from Shakespearean method, onion spices or a gladiator’s shield.”

Ariel considered this statement seriously and said, “Maybe there is no pattern at all. These two killings—my father and mister unknown—might very well be random.” He stopped and brought out an Ipod. “Consider this MP3 player which has a random shuffle function; almost all phones that play music have it. Statistically, it uses an algorithm to create a random order for the songs. But when people listen to their random shuffle mode, they perceive patterns. That is just pure coincidence.”

Daniel agreed with what the writer was saying, “I can swear my BlackBerry MP# player likes to play certain songs. I know mine has a thing for Beautiful Nubia and Banky W, of all the hundreds of songs in the memory.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” asserted Ariel, “Human beings perceive patterns where there really aren’t any. Maybe you don’t have to follow any pattern, Detective Lot, maybe you just have to look at the case in another perspective that does not demand too many what-ifs.”

“Okay, thanks for your suggestions,” said Lot, “Can you kindly leave now?”

“Of course, I’d rather be with my niece than remain here.”

Exit Ariel.

“Famous, dial the phone number.”

Daniel wanted to ask what phone number the detective was talking about, remembered and caught himself at the last second.

The number he dialed was unavailable.

It was only Lot who saw it. The phone number was the exact number they had cracked from the half-burnt note.

mariemummy: You are just too good in what you are doing Mr. Larry.

Thanks a lot, Marie. I feel honoured.

Flakeey:

i just like him

That's gratifying.

Flakeey:

yimu

Lol! Ye of little faith.

Adinije: @Larry, I hope say no be marijuana u gave my Ariel.

Lol! He needed Dutch courage.

Iaz93: Larry, I need answers to the following questions, pls.

Your signature reads; I'll be waiting for you. Who are you waiting for?

Larry, why don't you want to divulge your field of study?

LarrySun, you write as though you're a god. Dammit! Where do you draw powers from? I need to tap that source.

Question1: You know na

2: It's not very interesting.

3. I have a passion for words. I write much but I don't speak much.

I hope I've been able to answer your questions. Lol!

Iaz93: Seems you're totally in love with Ariel already.

You'll make Larry jealous and he'll kill Ariel. *kidding*

I'm getting jealous already. But whatever happens to Ariel is not caused from my envy anyway.

sanandreas: Never a dull moment reading Larry's update

Thank you. San. I'm so very pleased.

Flakeey:

LWKMD
no be small sontin
pls answer, i would like to know too

Answered.

Adinije: Abeg follow me beg Larry make nothing happen to him o!

Lol! Let's beg the murderer.

pweeeetychi:


Hmmmm, i'll tell them u said so.

Tell who?

pricelesslove: so when will i see him between Larry which planet did u come from? because u write like a god. nor let me cum go fall in love with u ooo.

Lol! You want Ariel to beat me up?

Nelly21: Yes I have and I totally enjoyed it,that's what motivated me to read the sequel

Oh, thanks a bunch!

Iaz93: LOL

Larry, pls.

I'm not the murderer I'm only a narrator.

Essyydiamond: I dnt want 2 start imagining d amount of ur time u put in 2 come up with this great work,I'll only ask that u keep it up.

Thanks Essy. It's daunting but interesting.