Page 50 - SD Woman Glace Ziperovich Issue

F ANT ASTIC FLASH FIC TION

TWIN VILLE THE MOONSTONE RING

by C. F. Illingworth By Shelley Burbank
I’ve been watching a new soap opera on TV. Private investigator Olivia Lively emerged from the airport into blinding sunlight.
The show is called Twin Ville. It appears that She’d managed to catch a few hours of sleep on the red-eye from Boston, and now
most everyone in the town is a twin. The she slipped a pair of dark sunglasses over her eyes against the bright, San Diego glare.
main characters are Velma and Thelma who
are married to Barry and Harry. As the show A sleek car slid up next to her. A dark-tinted window slid down as if oiled. “Olivia?”
begins, Velma and Thelma are talking to Liv leaned into the window. An older woman, dark hair threaded with gray, peered
Polly and Holly about the upcoming double at her. “Yes. You’re Camila?”
wedding of Phil and Will marrying Fawn and
Dawn. You see, all the weddings are double “Yes. The trunk’s open. Put your bag in there and we’ll be on our way.”
ceremonies since the couples are twins. Once settled at Camila’s cool and elegant hacienda overlooking Point Loma, they dis-
It seems that Thelma is concerned that there cussed the case. Camila’s sister Mariana, a talented clothing designer, disappeared
will be no wedding because the two couples three months earlier. Police found no evidence of foul play. Liv, as one of Mariana’s
have not been able to find twin ministers to adoring online Celsy clients, responded to Camila’s pleas and offered to help.
perform the ceremony. As everyone knows, “You’re wearing one of her designs.” Camila’s eyes swept over Liv’s orange and tur-
having only one minister would be a mis- quoise print caftan. “She had so much talent.” Camila swallowed hard. “I mean, has.
fortune. As the two are talking, they spot the I have to stay positive for my sister even though I don’t believe she’d stay away this
outcasts of the village. Manny, Fanny and long voluntarily without contacting me. How will you start?”
Annie come into the supermarket. They, of
course, are triplets and are married to Zack, “I noticed something I think the police probably missed.” Liv pulled a photocopy
Mac, and Jack. Apparently their marriages from an embossed leather portfolio folder. “This image is from Mariana’s social me-
had to be held in Tripleton, another town dia. She posted it a few days before her disappearance. Do you know anything about
three miles away. the ring? She wasn’t wearing it in any of her previous pics.”
Suddenly, Velma and Thelma’s children run Camila drew the photo toward her. “I’ve never seen that one. It is…unusual. It’s a
up to them and announce that all four of clue?”
them had gone to the ice cream store. Each “Could be. It’s an ouroboros design. See the snake eating its tail around the moon-
of their children, Kurt, Burt, Polly and Holly stone? It’s large. A man’s ring. Very intricate and unique. Was Mariana interested
got a double scoop of Ben and Jerry’s double, in the occult?”
double chocolate. However, on the way home
one of Bert’s scoops dropped on the ground “Not that I knew, but she always searched for unusual designs and antiques to gen-
and two neighborhood dogs, Whiff and Sniff, erate new ideas and collaboration opportunities with other artists. Maybe the ring
lapped up the scoop. Now Bert no longer has was an inspiration for her next collection?”
a double scoop of ice cream. While this is go- Liv sat back. She looked out over the view from the veranda, all palm trees and
ing on, Mindy walks into the store without her red-tiled rooftops leading to the sparkling Pacific, pondering. “Could she have been
sister Cindy. The two store managers, Morris collaborating with the ring’s designer or seller?”
and Boris, approach her and inquire as to
why Cindy is alone. Mindy replies that Cin- Camila shrugged. “Maybe. The police have her datebook, but I can ask them to re-
dy has the flu and is staying home. The store turn it.”
managers tell Mindy she can’t come into the “Do you have anything she was working on when she disappeared? Sketches or
store until Cindy is better and can come with samples? Anything about her next collection?”
her. After all, that would have been a serious
breach of protocol in Twin Ville. “Not here. At her studio maybe. Over in Balboa Park.”
In the next soap opera episodes concern- Liv stood. “Let’s go now and take a look.”
ing the residents of Twin Ville, we discover “Yes, okay. I have the key.” Camila’s eyes filled with tears as she, too, stood. “Do you
whether Danny and Andy will be running in think she’s alive? Honestly?”
the mayor’s race, and will Melinda and Belin-
da find out if their husbands, Zach and Mac, Liv hesitated. This was the hardest part of an investigation, the most heartbreaking.
are having an affair with Irene and Eileen. Happy conclusions weren’t guaranteed. “I hope so,” Liv said, evading a yes or no
I just can’t wait to tune into next week’s ex- answer. She slid on her sunglasses. She hoped the moonstone ring would lead them
citing double episodes of the adventures in to Mariana, but sometimes the best she could offer her clients was closure. “I really
Twin Ville. hope so.”

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