The Mackenzie house is immaculate, from the pristine white walls to the polished furniture. It would appear at first glance that nothing is out of place, but should a visitor pay keen attention, they would sense the melancholy atmosphere completely surrounding them. It's almost as if I'm being choked. Despite the sadness that is being emitted from every corner of the room, I manage to remember my aim: find out more about Antoine Mackenzie, and try to find out about anyone who has been in a similar situation.446Please respect copyright.PENANAX9Yqan2zQl
"Thank you, again, for doing this, Miss James."446Please respect copyright.PENANAvl7lKMGnDR
"Reina. Please, call me Reina. And I'm happy to assist in any way possible. I can't imagine how painful this must be for you." 446Please respect copyright.PENANAw159xgZ7ky
"What do you mean?" she asks curiously, catching on to the suggestive tone in my voice.446Please respect copyright.PENANAyIbNMGtgd9
"I believe that your son was murdered, Mrs. Mackenzie, and I think that you believe so too."446Please respect copyright.PENANAPU35P5B49X
"No, he killed himself," she states, sounding extremely unconvincing.446Please respect copyright.PENANA4Xz8GEpfOV
"You don't believe that."446Please respect copyright.PENANAQo4mJ713ms
"Why are you doing this?" she asks me, sounding angry.446Please respect copyright.PENANAHOgEpPaqJz
"Because I want to get justice for your child," I say slowly, stating the obvious.446Please respect copyright.PENANAx5LvD1Kssv
"Listen to me. You need to stop," she says, stepping right up to me, whispering harshly into my ear.446Please respect copyright.PENANAR4SdRBj3C5
"What?" I ask, absolutely confused.446Please respect copyright.PENANA3vCp01vnTc
"My child is dead. You're alive. Unless you want to end up dead too, you will drop this. We have no power. You see them white people out there? They've got the power."446Please respect copyright.PENANAEqc4dMhl85
"I have a policeman on my side. They closed the investigation, but he's investigating it on his own."446Please respect copyright.PENANAqln6v1Ybps
"If they closed it... then they gonna kill him, too."446Please respect copyright.PENANAXFj6EL3ISy
I look at this woman in pure frustration. This is her dead son. How could she be so dismissive?446Please respect copyright.PENANAjFkWWMjnlO
"Listen, I love my son, "she tells me, sensing my judgement, "but I'm not gonna ask you to die in the name of his honor."446Please respect copyright.PENANAMpnNDnKwkX
"This is more than that," I say, using a different tactic. "There are other people that this has happened to--"446Please respect copyright.PENANAmcopDHrsOb
"--and you're not gonna to change that, because if you try, you'll get strung up, just like my boy. I don't want to talk about this no more."446Please respect copyright.PENANAzEGnDpO3Bp
With that, she walks off, to talk to one of the other mourners.446Please respect copyright.PENANAoUKEo7lDCN
I sigh in exasperation. This is going to be harder than I thought.446Please respect copyright.PENANApe6zIpYqjd
***446Please respect copyright.PENANABVCYPjddTF
After playing my heart out at the funeral, I walk around the yard aimlessly looking for someone to talk to... someone who looks approachable. Of course, it's not that easy. What do I say? 446Please respect copyright.PENANAQrzlKIk808
"Hello. I'm trying to properly investigate this young man's death, which is probably a murder. Now please tell me everything about him, as well as anyone else you know that has possibly been lynched."446Please respect copyright.PENANAj1GJBjtMG0
No.446Please respect copyright.PENANAvo78hq7oX3
I sit by an apple tree in the yard, and lean my head back, and begin to drift into unconsciousness. However, just as I'm about to fall asleep, I feel a harsh pinch on my arm. I yelp in surprise slapping my arm harshly.446Please respect copyright.PENANA6cxG4hnqkt
"Shoot," I mutter as the dead ant falls off, a bump now rising on my arm.446Please respect copyright.PENANA5oweuGmG2P
"Annmarie should put a warning label by this tree," a voice from the dark.446Please respect copyright.PENANAkpuW61VaRw
I look up, and see a tall woman standing above me.446Please respect copyright.PENANAi1NS2kMtfJ
"Who's Annmarie?"446Please respect copyright.PENANAM4cChQR3II
"Mrs. Mackenzie," she replies, holding out a hand to me.446Please respect copyright.PENANAVwix1VjHZy
"Ah," I say, nodding as she pulls me up from the ground.446Please respect copyright.PENANA4CfaxPLu8Y
"I'm Chloe. Antoine's godmother."446Please respect copyright.PENANAHFOcBU0YZz
"Reina."446Please respect copyright.PENANAggQTqZV5vZ
"You're the piano girl. You played beautifully," she complements me with an all-white smile.446Please respect copyright.PENANAxE5IRWFDyJ
"Thank you," I tell her, following her as she walks back towards the rest of the mourners.446Please respect copyright.PENANAeSUbRavafn
"Just out of curiosity, why did you come over to me?"446Please respect copyright.PENANAmXpyIYo6xS
"I came to see if you were okay. Most people don't fall asleep on the ground by an apple tree when they're at a funeral. Unless they're drunk, that is."446Please respect copyright.PENANALuQ8Srbd32
I feel my face heating up in embarrassment. I turn away from her so that she doesn't see my face change from light brown to cherry red.446Please respect copyright.PENANARg1R7fif6C
"I'm sorry."446Please respect copyright.PENANAqtjr5Xld47
"It's all good. You should have asked for a bed, though."446Please respect copyright.PENANAStH7dAYWWK
"That feels a little intrusive."446Please respect copyright.PENANA2YHqRlt5jc
"Nah. We won't be using Antoine's bed again, anyhow."446Please respect copyright.PENANA5j3Gu5KbyH
Damn. That would be the perfect opportunity, wouldn't it? Stay in the boy's room, see into his life. Then again, I don't want to piss his mother off.446Please respect copyright.PENANAdr37BC6Qmy
Damn it. Damn it to hell.446Please respect copyright.PENANALsOn5CAvNK
What's wrong?" Chloe asks me.446Please respect copyright.PENANAborz9IkWYd
"I'm investigating Antoine's death." The way that it sounds kind of strange, as if I myself am a police officer.446Please respect copyright.PENANAzb5ArtGFtO
"Well, that is kind of... dangerous."446Please respect copyright.PENANAioRT7XAh2E
"I still want to do it, but his mother doesn't want to help."446Please respect copyright.PENANAqgcezM82KE
"His mother doesn't believe in martyrdom, especially with her experience concerning this kind of thing."446Please respect copyright.PENANAG7aSDj0FBv
"What do you mean?"446Please respect copyright.PENANAM2GtZzh3Ny
"Uh, I shouldn't have said that," she mutters to herself.446Please respect copyright.PENANAyrWufKgNO9
"Listen," I say to her in the best pleading voice that I can manage. "I need your help. There are others--"446Please respect copyright.PENANApGA7yZ4fcu
"Oh, I know that, darling," she says, her eyes telling me so little, yet so much. "I know."446Please respect copyright.PENANAgvUkHuPRbE
***446Please respect copyright.PENANA6NGQz89faG
"He was on his high school track team. He loved sports, but concentrated on his education in community college. He was studying to become an engineer. Loved fish. Hated red meat. Nothing here for a motive for a hate crime, apart from the obvious. Race."446Please respect copyright.PENANArIT0bvIkP5
"Was he a part of any activist groups?" Officer Tiller asks, looking exceptionally pale on the bright computer screen.446Please respect copyright.PENANAkppSehpiMc
"No. I checked. His mother is exceptionally paranoid; she'd never allow it."446Please respect copyright.PENANATkFf77J10n
"Was he dating anyone?"446Please respect copyright.PENANAIxCakAwP67
"No."446Please respect copyright.PENANAkO38qpi6KI
"Was he outspoken on any firm beliefs?"446Please respect copyright.PENANAIAenU59hgk
"No."446Please respect copyright.PENANAc2xcXae4xF
He lets out an exasperated sigh.446Please respect copyright.PENANAkkJ1bEsqL8
"This is frustrating," he mutters, pulling a hand through his blonde hair.446Please respect copyright.PENANAbCgU7hSiig
"I did find some hope, though."446Please respect copyright.PENANANWISkTkUPU
"What?" he asks, suddenly sitting up a little straighter.446Please respect copyright.PENANACmVnWiasWJ
Antoine's mother, Annmarie, Has a friend Chloe. Chloe is Antoine's godmother; she is the one who told me about him."446Please respect copyright.PENANAieFeUUx6zp
He looks at his computer screen with newfound enthusiasm, waiting for me to continue.446Please respect copyright.PENANAE6tTUNZXHK
"Chloe's son, Johnathon -- Annmarie's godson also died in this way. That's part of the reason why Annmarie is so paranoid -- she saw her godson as her son. Chloe is just more open to risks than Annmarie."446Please respect copyright.PENANAC6Y6YgGged
"And?" he asks, the excitement growing on his face.446Please respect copyright.PENANACdDjJM4Asv
"I've convinced Chloe to talk to us about her son."446Please respect copyright.PENANAitweu1Gqj8
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