My mom looked around happily, "it's a perfect house!" she exclaimed. "Can't you just imagine a murder taking place here Molly?".
I nodded in agreement and pushed aside the wispy white drapes at the large bay window in the living room. Outside a wide expanse of closely clipped green lawn swept to the top of a low cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I could see my brother Cory already outside walking along the edge of the bluff in the early morning sunlight, trying to find the quickest path to the beach below. "Is somebody going to get shoved off the cliff?" I asked innocently.
"Nope," dad answered as he stepped through the open front door carrying two overstuffed suitcases. "I think that's too obvious. We need something more sinister, more-.
"Gothic?" mom offered.
A smile crossed my face. Having a pair of screenwriters for parents was never dull. They get asked to write all different types of movies which gets them sent all over the world for "inspiration". My brother and I get to go everywhere with them. Now mom and dad had gotten an offer to come up with a new script for a scary murder mystery, so they simply rented the spookiest home they could find on the coast of Maine and packed up the family for the whole summer.
"This place is great!" Cory exclaimed, letting the screen door slam behind him as he raced in. "The backyard is huge and there's an old fashioned swing, flower gardens, fruit trees and even a bird house. Come on Molly, "he urges "come check it out with me.
"Not yet kids," mom said, halting us at the door and pointing to our suitcases. "These need to be unpacked first. You"ll have plenty of time to explore later.".
By the time mom called us downstairs for lunch, Cory and I had put all of our things away in our room that we were sharing. The room was marvelous, old fashioned, with delicate rosebud wallpaper and a window seat with plump pink seat cushions. Cory said that it was too girly, but I liked it.