The Last Dance For Mary Jane

It wasn't the blood that stunned the well seasoned female detective 

when she first viewed the crime scene.

It was the number of times the gun had been fired.

Twenty-one.

The exact number of years that Mary Jane

had spent on this earth.

Someone's mighty mad to pull the trigger

twenty-one times.
Not to mention the number of times
that person had to reload.

The diamond engagement ring was still at the crime scene, too.
That was odd.
You'd think that the perpetrator would've taken that with him.
Sort of a souvenir of the entire incident.

Bits of Mary Jane's red corsage were scattered
all over the back alley of the dance hall
where her body lay.
Well,where bits of her body lay.
There were flower bits and Mary Jane bits.
With the red flowers it was not easy
to tell which bits were which.

The detective took a cigarette out of her case.
She put it to her lips and looked around for a match.
Ted's Billiards.
That's what the matchbook said.
Mary Jane didn't seem like the kind of gal
that hung out at a billiard joint.
And yet, that pack of matches
was lying right next to the body.
Someone had thrown the book of matches
at Mary Jane as the ultimate insult.
"Why you're worth no more than this pack of matches."
"And they were free."
But then, thought the detective,
maybe Mary Jane had been too.

One thing's for certain.
There'd be no
Bride Bingo being played at
this girl's party.
No sir.

Someone had meant for Mary Jane
to dance her last dance
and cover her last bingo square.
Someone
had wanted
Mary Jane
DEAD.

Mary Jane may not be dancing or playing Bride Bingo anymore
but the detective was sure
 there were enough clues left
to find out
just who was
the last person
to see
Mary Jane Hopkins
ALIVE!

(Mary Jane's Last Dance Necklace available in my Etsy Shop)