Garnet or Garnets Curse

from this point on you must refer to me as Margo Delancy. ”
    Her eyes widened and she stood up and towered over me. “Are you in some sort of trouble?” she asked.
    I realized I would have to offer her some explanation. “My father left me here under an alias to protect me from a... scandal. Yes, it was a scandal, and you know how gossip can ruin a woman’s reputation. He will come back for me once the rumors have cooled,” I said, hoping that she bought my lie.
    “ Your father must be wealthy. Those kinds of things are not so important here. Was it a lover’s triangle or a married man?” she asked, with a little twinkle in her eyes.
    “It is all so painful. You must agree with me that talk is cheap,” I replied, and turned my head to avoid her eye contact.
    “Oh indeed it is,” she said firmly. “I shall ask no more questions. ‘Margo’ it is.”
    “Thank you,” I replied, in a theatrical tone. Then I told her about the beating and how Ox charged in and saved my life. “The best I could determine, I must have fainted when Ox carried me out of the house. I recalled nothing about a fire.”
    “Good,” she said, looking pleased. “Just tell them only what you have told me. Now go and get dressed and we will leave shortly.”
    “Sorry, Mrs. Lanier. I have no clothes. I am afraid I cannot go out in this nightgown, ” I said, and pulled the sheet off my shoulders.
    “Silly me. One of these days I am going to forget my mind,” she laughed. “Wait here.” In a few moments, she came back with my bag and my clothes draped over her arm. “I hope you do not mind. I took the liberty to do some repairs on your nice things. I had to wash them three times to get the fish odors out of them. Nell should have never expected you to work in that cafe of hers. I myself have never stepped foot in it, but my late husband called her place the devil ’ s watering hole.”
    “Well, that is behind me,” I said, relieved to see my bag. My first order of business was to look in the side pocket where I had hidden my garnet and gold necklace. When my fingers found the necklace, I took a deep breath. I hooked it around my neck and slipped on the clean clothes. Mrs. Lanier was a good, honest woman and she reminded me of Auntie.
    When we arrived at the station, Lieutenant Raymond took us directly to a conference room. There were several other officers there and they began to interrogate me. At first, the questions were simple and direct. However, once they were finished questioning me, the doctor and a heavy-built man joined them. The questions began all over again and it seemed that they were in disbelief of my story.
    “ Miss, we have no proof that this alleged attack even took place, ” said the large man that I had learned was the judge.
    “ You have my word! ” I said, feeling as if I was now on trial.
    “ I am sorry, Miss Delancy, ” said the judge. “ We cannot dismiss the crime of murder on the whimsical testimony of some unknown woman. ”
    The doctor leaned in closer to me. He slipped his glasses down to the tip of his nose and peered into my face, “ Miss Delancy, perhaps you should tell us a little more about yourself. ”
    My heart skipped a beat. If they investigated me, they would have found out that Margo Delancy did not exist. I would have been forced to reveal my identity or be arrested for fraud. Even then, I had no way of proving that I was Garnet Dragos.
    There was only one thing for me to do. I stood up and unbuttoned my dress. Mrs. Lanier gasped as I bared the upper portion of my décolletage. When I unhooked the garnet necklace, the doctor stood up and touched the marks on my neck. “Forgive me Miss,” he said, and turned to the others as I buttoned up my dress. “The marks on this young woman’s neck are indicative of a brutal strangling. The person that inflicted these wounds had every intent to end her life,” the doctor explained, and took his seat.
    The judge looked around at the others at the table before he spoke. “Thank you very much, Miss Delancy, for so bravely presenting the bare evidences.” Several of the men snickered at the judge’s little play on words.
    The judge stood up, walked over to the window and turned his back to the room.
    For a few minutes we all sat in silence, then all at once he whirled around to face me. “I have but one more question for you, Miss Delancy. Why have you not mentioned the fire!” he said, pointing his finger at me.

I felt my