2021: Adalyn Willow
2 years later…
As I look out the window, I remember my sister. My only sister, Mariana. I miss the fun times we've had with each other, I miss how she always made me happy. My job as an investigator has been difficult, there's been many hard cases I've gone through, but this case is incomplete. It's time for me to find out the true story of what actually happened to my sister.
Name: Kari Meadowbrook
Founder of Seven Diamonds Jewelry Store
Address: 4501 Melody Drive, Metairie, Louisiana
Seven Diamonds Jewelry Store Address: 953 Athania Street, Metairie, Louisiana
I always knew Kari loved jewelry, I remember when she taught Mariana how to make different types of jewelry. A single tear streams down my face as memories of her return. After writing the addresses, I close the computer, grab my notebook and car keys, as I walk towards the door.
I drove to Kari's house, since her store was closed for the evening. I'll make a visit there tomorrow, and continue some further research. As I'm about to knock on the door, my phone rings. It's my friend Dalia and I answer the phone. "Hi Adalyn!" "Hi Dalia, I'm working right now, can I call you back later?" "Sure, bye!"
I knocked on the door three times and no one answered. I walk back to my car and drive back home, I'll see her at her jewelry store tomorrow.
Kari: I pull back the curtain of my window and watch as she walks back to her car. She looks familiar, I think I know her…
"The 22' Magenta Jewel Necklace?" I ask. "Yes" she replies back. I place the necklace in a magenta bag with glitter traced in patterns along the sides and hand it to her. I smile as her face lights up with joy at the sight of it. "Thank you!" she responds and I wave at her as she exits the store.
I hear the bell chime as the door opens, another customer walks in. Then I realize she's not a customer. She has straight black hair pulled back in a pony tail. She's heading towards the front desk … towards me.I immediately grab my phone and head out the back door, running to my car. I know who she is, she's the person who came to my house last week. "Kari!!!" she yells. "You can't run from your past forever!" she says as she runs after me. "Go away!!!" I says. I'm so angry right now, the lights start to flicker. I hear a bell chime and look towards the entrance. Kari walks past me towards the front desk, her eyes pierce through me. I haven't gained any information that will help me solve this case, and I'm afraid I never will.
My phone has 5 voicemail messages from Dalia. It's been three days since she last called me and I haven't got the chance to call her back. "Hi Adalyn!!!" "Hi Dalia!!!" "How's the case so far?" she asks. "I haven't collected any information." There's a long silence on the call… "Dalia?" "What's Kari's last name?" she asks. "Meadowbrook" "That last name sounds familiar." she says. My head starts to spin, my hand starts to tremble, and I almost drop my phone. "I'm coming to your house, we'll start investigating." If Dalia is related to Kari, then the whole case will go in a different direction. Dalia's last name is Meadow, it's similar to Kari's. I've never wondered if Kari was related to Dalia. I knock on the door. Dalia opens it and she starts crying."Adalyn, I found…" she says and continues crying. "Let's solve this case." I say and walk with her into the living room.
Letters are scattered on the table. There's also vibrant pieces of jewelry.
I walk to the table and read one of the postcards.
From: Caley Meadowbrook
November 29, 1858
Since the 1800s, every postcard was signed with Meadowbrook as the last name, for the past two decades. Then in the 1970s, the last name changed to Meadow. I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe Kari is possibly related to my best friend, Dalia. "I found the collection in the basement. It was in a jewelry box." Dalia says. "I never knew, I never thought she could be related to me…" she says. There's another long silence. "Dalia, Kari is your cousin." I say. Dalia, shocked at the news, had tears in her eyes. She never knew Kari was her cousin. "I can't believe she's my cousin." she says. "Dalia! Since Kari's your cousin, it'll make it easier for her to tell you more information about what really happened that day… the day my sister…" I start crying and Dalia says. "I'll talk to Kari. We'll solve this case."
"Did Kari tell you anything?" I ask. "No". "Did you tell her you were her cousin?" I ask. "No", she says. "Why didn't you tell her?" I ask. "If I told Kari I was her cousin, she won't tell me the information. It's better if she doesn't know." "So you just want to keep it a secret from her?! Kari deserves to know you're her cousin." I say. Dalia's hands start to tremble as tears stream down her face. "I'm trying to help you solve this case!" "Why won't you tell Kari?!" now I'm screaming. "Why do you even care anyways?! She's the reason Mariana isn't here." My sister, Mariana. Mariana, with a smile as bright as the North Star. Mariana, with a laugh so cheerful, it could light up the world. "Don't mention my sister!!!!" At that moment, I can tell Dalia immediately regrets what she said. She says sorry so many times until my head starts to spin. Tears stream down my face as I quickly turn around and run towards the door. My best friend, Dalia, has been waiting for a chance to say this. To mention the past and bring back those memories of her. The memories I've tried so hard to escape. "Adalyn, I'm so sorry. Wait!!" she yells as I slam the door. I run, I run so fast, I can only focus on getting to my car and driving away, away from this place, away from everything. I need to travel. I drive so fast it feels as if the world becomes a blur. I arrive back home and a sense of nostalgia returns; I walk towards Mariana's room. The atmosphere in her room is so peaceful, the rays of sunlight shine in her room, and I imagine hearing her melodic voice again. I walk over to her keepsake treasure box, I've been unable to unlock it because I never found the key. Then I suddenly recall the last time I went to Kari's Jewelry store, there was a purple key on the wall with the other keys Kari had with the name Mariana engraved on it. I immediately ran back to my car and drove to her Jewelry store to retrieve it.
A customer walks in and asks Kari a question about her order. While Kari's distracted, I quickly grab the purple key off the wall and run back to my car. I return back to Mariana's room once I arrive home and unlock the keepsake treasure box.
There's a diary inside, I open it, butterflies and stars fly around me, I hear Kari's voice, then I hear Mariana, suddenly everything goes dark.
I'm at a high school, wait, it's East Bridge High School. How am I here? I'm standing on the sidewalk as a large crowd of students walk past me. A younger version of Kari is on the hill, she's talking with Mariana and the younger version of myself. I was 16 years old at the time and Mariana was 14, the same age as Kari. Kari looks tense, and doesn't seem like herself. It looks like she's hiding something and I have to figure out what it is.
It's Jason Shadow…how could anyone forget about him.
Jason had blondish-brown hair and hazel eyes. His eyes were so deep you could get lost in his gaze. His voice was so calming, it could lure you into a peaceful trance.