The Diamond Necklace (A Short Mystery)

Part 2

A young man plays a sad yet encouraging song on his harmonica. The priest stands by the flower decorated coffin ready to be lowered into the ground. Standing around are different members of Webbler, a small town off the west of South Carolina.

"Today we are not celebrating death," the priest says closing his Bible, "No. Today we are celebrating life, the life of Carol Frankstein, a beautiful child of Jesus Christ. A wonderful mother, sister, and friend. She will be missed but do not feel sad for she is in a better place. God has called one of his angels home. Her time of suffering on earth will be no more. So rejoice..."

The funeral is over and everyone is returning to their cars. Clyde Frankstein still sits in his front row chair. He wears a suit that literally looks as if he had put it together. Blue pants and a black blazer over a white button shirt and no tie. He holds a handkerchief and is trying his best not to cry. His girlfriend, Reece Able sits beside him comforting him.

"Everything will be fine Clyde." She whispers. "Your mother held in for a long time. In case you had time to speak with her. Some people do not get that opportunity."

The boy abruptly stands and stares wearily at the coffin. His eyes are red from holding in tears. His body trembles. He turns to look at those leaving and sees his friend Ronny. He leans against a tall tombstone smoking something strong. He watches everyone leave with a smirk.

Reece sees him, "You should come to my house." She touches his arm. He yanks away and begins walking towards him. Reece sighs sorrowfully for her boyfriend. Instead of following him she walks to the car she arrived in. The old silver Cadillac was still in the process of being fixed. One of the headlights was still gone disappearing somewhere within the front hood. Before getting in she takes one last glance at Clyde who had taken Ronny's smoke and was taking a long drag of it. A hopeless shiver went through the girl.

"I feel bad for that boy," a voice says the next day.

The person taps Reece's shoulder. Startled, she lifts from the shiny marble countertop to look into the loving eyes of Mrs. Rosaline Louis. The elderly woman still possessed her ongoing energy glared at her waiting for a response.

"Oh yeah, I know." The girl says trying to recollect what the woman said.

She chuckles, "I should nickname you Daydreamer instead of Reeces Cup."

"Oh sorry Rose, it's just I'm scared for him." The elderly woman dressed in her professional suit walked around the girl to the tall chair behind the counter to sit. "That Ronny is going to pull him down. He doesn't listen to me anymore."

"You should let the boy figure out things for himself. That's what's wrong with these young boys these days."

"But some people need guidance. I wouldn't be where I am if it wasn't for my parents."

"Your parents weren't like the Franksteins," the woman pointed out.

Reece hated what she said but it was true. While her parents sought to save money for her college tuition, Clyde's parents were fighting and spending their money on all the alcohol they could get their hands on. But Reece always knew her boyfriend was different than his parents. Although, he did get involved in terrible things that got him on Webbler's troublemaker list, he had a willing spirit. That spirit of determination. He did good in school. Not excellent but good. He hung out with the wrong crowd but some piece of him wanted the positive attention of the girl he knew since Pre-K.