Margaret Manages Mr. Moore

Aunt Margaret died and I found out I didn't know her at all. How could I ever imagine my Aunt Margaret being a serial killer?

When my Aunt Margaret decided to become the bait, it was not that difficult. You see, some of the research she has done over the years required stealth. She employed costumes and pretending at times.  So, she had  wigs, contacts, glasses, and different sized clothing. Very good costume jewelry.  Friends with very good real jewelry. All kinds of vehicles to borrow. Her friends loved what she did, Pamela Perkins Investigations,  and were happy to be involved. 

One of her oldest friends, Pamela Philpot was the creator of "Change Up" the line of makeup for people with scars, birthmarks, or for actors. She made a butt load of money when she sold it to Estee Lauder in nineteen ninety five. Pamela Philpot has helped my Aunt Margaret become many different people.  Mrs. Lavinia Lancaster will certainly pass muster.

When shadowing the heinous creature "Kenneth Moore", she found out lots of information quite easily.  He acted as if he was surrounded by a cloak of righteousness and whatever he did was accepted and sanctioned. He blithely went about his way without  a care in the world. My Aunt Margaret couldn't wait to dispel that incorrect notion. 

The first thing that struck her as odd, was that he really did not have a job at all. His fancy business cards say "Real Estate Investments, Inc." He belongs to the country club, he golfs some, but not with any enthusiasm.  He mainly haunts the  club bar and glad hands around town. He takes people out to eat and discusses grand plans. He speaks of opportunities. It seems talk is all he does workwise.

He lives off of all the monies and gifts, and stolen art and jewels, he takes from the women he stalks and destroys.  And this is why my Aunt Margaret became a secret avenger. As she saw it, there was no choice. She had to rescue her friend Misty before it was too late. And, she did not, at any time, think it would turn into more.

At the age of thirty, two years after she adopted me, she became a superhero, or serial killer take your pick. She told no one.  Everyone was very used to her quick trips, secret jobs, her inability to discuss the ins and outs of her work. Some jobs she could discuss, but a lot remained a secret. So, no big changes in her life were necessary. She already lived compartmentalized. She did not tell her friends or me about this side of her ever.

So, you are thinking to yourself, wasn't she afraid of someone finding out about her writings, pictures, and mementoes?  Well, not really. You see, she and I had a secret language. One vacation, I think I was thirteen, we got rained in.  

We had borrowed  Chancey Albright's mountain cabin for two weeks.  He has family homes all over the place. In their family whenever they reach the ripe old age of  twenty-one , they are given one of the family's homes. His main house is in Atlanta, it has a big wrap around porch.  Very "Gone With the Wind" in appearance. Then, they are required to buy one at the age of thirty as a vacation home. So, in her large family, they have  two dozen getaway places they share. This "cabin" has a huge kitchen with all current appliances  like a bread maker and a microwave.

The Great room has a humongous fireplace, and tons of heavy glass windows.  All the sleeping quarters are on the second story. There are three bedrooms with king sized beds,  three with  two full size beds in them, one bedroom with four cribs, and two large bedrooms with six single beds each. One room was all girly with pastels and lace, and one with race car and airplane beds.

The great room has four overstuffed couches which can also be beds in a pinch.  They can see the lake from the kitchen and the woods from pretty much every other view.  And, something I love in particular is the widow's walk. It is very gothic.  My mind always goes to "Phyllis A.Whitney" books whenever I am here.

 We had grand plans to spend all day painting, taking pictures, and looking for odd shaped pine cones. A nice relaxing vacation had been planned. It started raining heavily the morning after we arrived. In nineteen ninety three, cell phones and the internet were in the baby stages. We became bored with board games and card games rather early. Jigsaw puzzles had no real appeal.

So, we decided to create our own language. From then on, whenever we were apart, or needed to write a note, we used this language. No one has ever figured it out. With computers nowadays, I am sure someone could eventually. So, after reading I have plans to burn every box.

I just found out, this is not her only storage unit. GULP! My Aunt Margaret's boxes have all kinds of research. I am not always sure when reading, if the research is for her jobs, or just for her secret life. My aunt has been busy.  A few of her boxes were all about how people plan to get rid of bodies. Some were pretty stupid and easy to disprove. But others were right on the money. That "Quick Lime" is a good desiccator is absolutely true. And a frac pit will dissolve a body in less than thirty minutes.

Also there is a known dissolver among certain circles. It is called the chemical stew. There are certain chemicals that when mixed together will dissolve a body , but it takes hours not minutes.  Note: that it is important to do this in the right container. As this mixture will dissolve other stuff too. Do not try this at home. There are many more interesting yet gory bits of information. I love my aunt but I did not have a clue.

Next episode Kenneth Moore, Tristan Atchkinson. Christian Jorgenson, Hamilton Elderwood, and Randolf  Murchison ( all the same guy) get their just rewards.  He always liked summer because of the heat. He will be getting plenty of it where he is going.