Prologue...

The Interrogation

The interrogation had been going on for hours.  The room was damp and smelled like mold.  A cheap table and fold out metal chairs were the only items in the room.  The fluorescent light made everyone look sickly.  Aggi had her legs pulled up to her chest.  Her thin pale blond hair clumped together made her appear almost bald.  Band-Aids were wrapped on her fingers to help her from chewing her skin bloody.  Her watery blue eyes stared vacantly at the ground.

"Explain this so I can understand."

"I am so cold.  I hate to be cold.  Can't we go somewhere else?"

"I need you to explain why this was in your pocket."

"I really have to go to the bathroom."

"After we get some information from you.  Look, you seem like a nice kid, but you need to help us to understand."

"It's for good luck."

"Good luck?  How would this give you good luck?"

Aggi's eyes met the detective's.  She stared hard into his eyes with a puzzled look, then stared back at the floor.

"I don't know."

"Look, I don't know what happened to you in your life, but this isn't normal, this isn't right, if you are..."

Her head came up quickly at an uncanny angle and her dull blue eyes suddenly sparkled.

"When I went to see her in her coffin, I waited until everyone left.  I took out my flower cutters and snipped off her finger.  It was only a little one.  Who would care?  She was my friend and I needed to keep a part of her with me.  You know, so I would not forget her.  That's all."

Aggi then walked over to the door and stared at it waiting to be let out.  The room was silent.