Unrequited love

PHOTO PROMPT © Yvette Prior

 

Amarah tore her eyes away from David’s face. Focus! She shook fantasy images out of her head. Under the lamplight they studied the crime scene photo’s for the hundredth time.

“We’re missing something.” David pondered.

Reciprocation.

“The victim was alone. Husband’s alibi is watertight.”

“From all those tissues and drinks, it looks like she was upset.”

“We know they argued.”

“Yeah, still..” Amarah stared at the photo. Her intuition poked at something. She picked up the photo of the body. No lipstick. “There’s lipstick on some of those cigarette butts.”

“So?”

“Another woman was there that night. An unidentified woman.”

100 words

 

Wowee! I struggled with this week’s prompt. Wrote one story, deleted the whole thing. After repetitive attempts, this is the final piece. If it’s not up to scratch, I may have over-thought everything. What an awesome prompt, (courtesy of Yvette Prior) it really conjured up so many possibilities that it was difficult to settle on just one.

Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Write a story in 100 words or less.

 

 

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Responses

  1. Iain Kelly avatar

    Lovely, lipstick on the cigarette, a classic clue 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      A classic clue in a maybe less than classic case. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. neilmacdon avatar

    I loved the decoding of the photograph

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Thank you, Neil.

      Like

  3. larry trasciatti avatar

    All it takes is one detail like that

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Yes, it opens a whole new lead.

      Like

  4. Susan A Eames avatar

    You did just fine. Good take on the photo prompt.

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Thank you, Susan. That was encouraging!

      Like

  5. Meha Sharma avatar

    Clever story. Great take on the prompt. Loved it !

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Glad you enjoyed it, thank you.

      Like

  6. Alice Audrey avatar

    Good use of clues.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Thank you, Alice

      Like

  7. anuragbakhshi avatar

    Or maybe he was a cross-dresser, and liked putting on lipstick when at home.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Varad avatar

      Lol! That’s some imagination, Anurag 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Fatima Fakier avatar

      I didn’t think of that. And I think Amarah and David should consider that possibility! Thanks

      Liked by 1 person

  8. gahlearner avatar

    Intriguing. A great beginning to a crime story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      It could be a start to longer length novel, couldn’t it? Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. gahlearner avatar

        Absolutely. 🙂

        Like

  9. rochellewisoff avatar

    Dear Fatima,

    I like Anurag’s take on your story. Time to go to the DNA testing for the owner of the lipstick. It does look like a crime scene, doesn’t it? Nicely done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      After Anurag’s comment, I’m keen to see the lab results myself!

      Like

  10. Dale avatar

    The scene tells quite the story…
    You did well, Fatima!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Thank you Dale!

      Liked by 1 person

  11. abhiray59 avatar

    Nice analysis. A different look at the plot of story.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Akshata Ram avatar

    That was a sharp observation ..feels like there should be a sequeal to this one

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Amarah is good at what she does, provided she isn’t focusing in David all the time 😉 Thank you, Akshata.

      Like

  13. Varad avatar

    That was a clever interpretation, Fatima. Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Thank you, Varad. Wish I had Aunrag’s imaginative take first 😉

      Like

  14. James McEwan avatar

    A mystery indeed, who was the other woman – a jealous sister perhaps.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Well there seems to be a few possibilities. I intended to imply a same-sex relationship between the deceased wife and the owner of the lipstick. But now a possibility with a cross-dresser is on the table…

      Liked by 1 person

  15. pennygadd51 avatar

    I very much like the way you give us a hint of Amarah’s feelings for David while telling a murder mystery. Good work!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      So glad you picked up on that, Penny! It is part of the unrequited love in this story. Thank you.

      Like

  16. granonine avatar

    Personally? I think you nailed it 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Awesome! Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  17. michael1148humphris avatar

    Some times a prompt can challenge one, you rose to that challenge and beat it, with interesting.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      I’m so very glad you think so, Michael. Thank you!

      Like

  18. jillyfunnell avatar

    I love the lipstick clue and the hints about the relationship.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Glad you picked up on the relationship hints. Thank you.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Brenda's Thoughts avatar

    A creative take on the prompt. Nicely done and left me wanting to know more! =)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fatima Fakier avatar

      Thank you, Brenda. IT certainly seemed to have ignited a few possibilities with readers.

      Like

  20. lisarey1990 avatar

    Brilliant detail.

    Like

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