Prologue
The music of Mardi Gras was blaring as I staggered down the alley way, blood streaming out of my chest. I never saw it coming, I was watching the parade and a man in a jester costume passed me. The last thing I heard was the jingling of the bells on his hat. I tried to get some of the party goers to help me, but they just took a drink and complimented me on my costume.
As I look ahead I see the hospital in the distance. That’s when I hear the bells.
I turn around and see jester calmly walking towards me. It was almost like he knew I couldn’t outrun him.
I was in full blown panic mode, so I started to hobble faster. But with every step, I heard the bells get closer.
In my haste to escape, I tripped over a beer and fell to my knees. I turned around to face my attacker.
By instinct I threw a punch at my pursuer. I missed my target, his throat to knock him out, instead I knocked one of the bells off his collar. I screamed as the jester knelt down and took out a knife. I took one last look at the face of my aggressor before the knife entered my chest.
Chapter 1
“Given the details of the incident, we have concluded that the victim, which we have identified as 25 year old James Ross, was murdered. This is now officially a homicide investigation” said Chief Inspector Lambert.
Of course, I already knew that. Just by briefly glancing at the crime scene I knew that somebody intentionally eliminated the victim.
“Detective Jackson Andrew Morris, Is that you? Long time no see” called out one of the reporters. Oh No I thought.
“It’s me Sam Lewis, from college.” He said. You have got to be kidding me! I thought.
“Sam! How are you?” I said with all the sincerity I could muster.
“I been doing well, great actually. I just got a job with the Times” He gloated as he pointed to his camera. “How have you been Jack Jack?”
“I have been doing fantastic. I actually just got assigned to this case” I said proudly. I heard what sounded like a Taylor Swift song as Sam looked at his phone, his face getting redder with every word.
I looked at him with a raised eyebrow as he answered the call. He mouthed to me “We’ll finish this later” as he hurried away. I guess that we now have Bad Blood.
I turned out to look at the crowded square, which was still littered with streamers and cheap plastic beads. I singled out one lady that look especially distraught and made my way towards her.
Chapter 2 
“He was the love of my life!” sobbed Natasha Jackson. I escorted her to my study to keep her calm and so that I could get her story in private. As it turns out, Mr. Ross had a girlfriend.
“I met James at a doctor's convention two years ago and-” “So you are a doctor” I interrupted. “Well no… I snuck in with some of my friend's to meet some… successful people” she confessed. “I see…” I responded.
“But it doesn’t matter now…” she said sadly. “So do you know of anybody who would want to hurt Mr. Ross?” I inquired. “I can’t think of anybody who want to hurt by JJ.” she said between sobs.
“Are you completely sure that there is nobody who would want to hurt him?” I persisted. There was a long pause before she answered, before she finally answered “Well, he always did have a competitive rivalry with his coworker, oh what was his name… Mark Shay! That’s it!” she exclaimed. “Thank you now we’re getting somewhere!” I said excitedly.
***
As I was reading my paper the next morning the headline catches my eye. “Local witch doctor savagely murdered”
Witch doctor? I thought. Now why would his girlfriend forget to mention that he was a witch doctor? Unless she  didn’t know! I realize.
As I turn to the next page I almost drop my coffee in shock. At the top of the next page the headline reads “Housewife Natasha Jackson brutally murdered on her front porch”