Whodunit

Chapter 18

"I don't get it. I know I'm not crazy." Anisa plopped on the couch, her hand on her chin. "That was her that walked past the door."

"Maybe she ran back up the stairs," Dmitri suggested and glanced up the stairwell. "The real question is where is Jordan? I didn't see him outside, and he never came back."

Anisa scrunched her nose and sank into the couch, not wanting to voice the obvious.

"Dmitri!" Zaria squeaked as she leaned on the balcony. "Anisa!"

Her tiny feet pattered down the right side of the double staircase. She hopped down one step at a time, dragging a blanket behind her like a train.

"Zaria," Anisa cried out for her as she met her at the end of the stairs and pulled her into a hug. "Are you okay?"

"No, I-I just found Nubia dead in the tub. The tub was overflowing with red water and it was all over the bathroom floor. And the whole upstairs smells like burnt bacon. I tried to run, but I couldn't because of my ankle. And-and I can't find Amahd!"

"Nubia's dead?" Anisa murmured to herself. "Oh my God."

Then, who walked past the wine room?

"Anisa, look out!"

Anisa looked up just in time to see the killer swinging a knife over Zaria's head at her. She jumped back, pulling Zaria behind her. Dmitri tackled the killer to the ground and wrestled him down.

Anisa squinted down at the child holding onto to her waist for survival and kneeled down on one knee. "Zaria, remember that big bathroom at the other end of the house when we were filming the house tour for Ximena?" Zaria nodded so hard, Anisa thought she would break her neck. "Okay, run as fast as you can and lock yourself in. Please, don't come out, baby girl, until you hear me, Dmitri, or the police tell you it's safe. Got it?"

Zaria bit her lip as she sniffed up snot and gripped the blanket tight. "What about Amahd?"

Anisa glanced over her shoulder just as Dmitri overpowered the killer and threw him against the rails aligning the stairs, making him drop the knife. She turned back to Zaria and gripped her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. We'll talk about that later. Now, go!" she demanded.

Zaria yelped. She dropped her security blanket as she disappeared down the hall like a freed slave ghost.

"Anisa," Dmitri strained. Anisa spun around and saw the killer choking him over the edge of the balcony.

When did they get upstairs?

"Dmitri!" she called and ran to the stairs.

"Anisa, you need to leave..." Dmitri forced as she jumped the stairs step by step.

She made it to the floor and began pulling at the killer's jacket. The killer let go of Dmitri, spun around, and slapped her across the face.

"Ow!" she winced and stumbled onto the ground, sliding back into the wall.

"Don't touch her, bastard!" Dmitri used his anger and adrenaline to shove the killer.

The killer pushed back until they were gripping each other's shoulders. Pushing hard. Not letting go. Knowing the one with the most strength and determination would eventually overpower their opponent and get the upper hand.

"Dmitri, let me help!" Anisa demanded as she stood from her fall to the ground.

"No, you need to get out of here and just run. Run down the street until you find someone who can help. Don't stop or come back for me."

"No, let me help!" she shouted and tugged on the killer's arm near the top step. "Haven't you learned? I'm not going to leave you!"

One wrong step and the three would go tumbling down the stairs in a barbaric threesome.

"Anisa, I swear to God, if you don't save yourself, I'll let myself die."

Anisa's eyes bucked. "But—"

"Go!" he bellowed, his neck straining in the fight. "I love you."

Anisa stepped back with hard, tearful eyes. Then, she pushed past the wrestling duo and jogged down the stairs with no restraints on her loud sobs. The front doors creaked when they opened and shook the entire house when they slammed.

"Now, it's just me and you." Dmitri cracked his neck and gave the killer a violent shove.

The killer grunted as he tripped over his own feet. In an attempt to save himself, he reached for Dmitri as he fell backwards on the top step. The tips of his fingers gripped the hem of Dmitri's shirt and jerked him down with him, taking him for the ride down the hardwood stairs.

"Umph! Oop! Ow!" Dmitri cried as gravity threw his body in unnatural somersaults down the merciless steps.

Surviving without extreme injuries would be impossible. But he didn't care as long as Anisa had gotten away damage-free for the most part. She'd lost her baby cousin, but at least she was okay.

In some weird twist of fate, Dmitri's body rolled on top of the killer's as they neared the bottom step. Dmitri took advantage and gripped the killer's hoodie as they hit the floor. He pushed down on his neck and stared into the mask. He lived for Scooby Doo reruns as a kid—whenever they had cable. Still, he could've lived without having the duty to snatch the mask off an evil villain, especially when that evil villain wasn't just some greedy person in a Party City costume. This evil villain wanted him dead.

Besides, did he really want to know whose face hid behind the mask? Would the answer traumatize him even more? Would it be someone he loved and trusted who'd betrayed him like he'd done Anisa and like so many loved ones had done to him in the past? Acting ignorant to the bad in his life made it easier to live. He didn't know if he could stomach knowing. Finding out would change everything about this game.

He snatched the mask off anyway.

Words left his body. Confusion chilled his blood like he'd been cut open inside a morgue at the hospital. He felt his body shutting down like the battery in his heart had run out of juice. His jaw stiffened so hard it hurt to breathe through his mouth. He rolled off, confused at what he saw. He had to get a better look. The villain stood up at the same time with a cold smirk. Dmitri shook his head as he gawked at the person in front of him.

This was disturbing. The person's face could only be described as disturbing.

"Ximena?"