A Taste for Murder (a Murder, She Wrote/Facts of Life fan fiction)

[MrsGarrettRocksMySocks]

A Taste for Murder
By: Mrs. Garrett Rocks My Socks
(late season 6 FOL, late season 1 Murder, She Wrote...I'm actually not totally sure about the introduction of Seth Hazlitt, Cabot Cove's beloved Doctor, played by William Windom, because I'm not sure when he was introduced on the show. But, I thought it was cool to mention him, since William Windom guest starred on FOL once, as Pete from Pete's Deli!) If you have any questions just ask...and, if case you care, I'm not reading the other murder mystery that's being posted until I get done writing mine, so, anything similiar in the two of them, is either "one life to live"'s fault, or pure coincendence. Hope you enjoy it!
~ Lecture Hall at Langley College ~
“…And so, the heroine of my latest novel, Melody of Murder, finds herself in a rather…curious situation,” Jessica Fletcher was saying, ending her lecture. “Are there any questions you’d like to ask?”
A hand went up, rather cooly, “Yes?”
“How exactly did you get the idea for this book of yours, Mrs. Fletcher?” The question was asked by none other than Jo Polniaczek, leaning back against her chair in very casual attire, making Jessica wish she’s chosen a more comfortable outfit, as well.
“The idea fairy?” she responded with a chuckle that earned her several others. “ Actually it’s based on an actual crime that occurred back in Cabot Cove.”
“And Melody is based on you,” Jo stated.
“What?” Jessica asked, rather surprised by her bluntness.
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? I mean, you’re an intelligent woman, perceptive, all that junk. So, you solve the mystery and that’s how you promote your new book. Follow the money trail, everything leads to it.”
Follow the money trail. Jessica quickly stashed that in her unusually canny memory. Then quickly replied to Jo’s statement.
“Well, not exactly. When I solve a mystery, or even get involved in one, I solve it because I hate loose ends.”
“Like cops,” Jo said as cooly as ever, folding her arms across her chest.
“Jo, stop bugging her,” Blair intruded. She then turned to Jessica, ”Don’t mind Jo, she’s from the Bronx. That really is a gorgeous pants-suit!”
Jessica looked down at her pink pants-suit and white blouse with a confused expression. She knew she wasn’t here to talk about her wardrobe.
“Thank you,” she said, not hiding her confusion.
“Would you at least try to stay on topic, Princess Die?” Jo said to Blair, more sarcastically than an actual question.
“Sorry,” Blair said, her voice full of sarcasm. “But some of us would rather not hear all the gory details of murder.”
“Then why’d you sign up for the course?” Jo asked.
“Need the credit.”
Jessica had stepped back a little to observe the arguing parties. The young woman she now knew as Jo, was athletic-looking and had a tough front. Jessica guessed there was more to her than meets the eye and was looking forward to talking with her at some point, away from the lecture setting. Jessica just loves soaking up people’s personalities. Maybe later when she visited her dear friend, Edna Garrett, she would get some time to talk with Jo. She instantly recognized Jo and Blair from Edna’s descriptions. She knew they argued often, but really were the best of friends. Even if Edna hadn’t told her this in their letters, she could’ve guessed from their arguments. They were both very careful about how and what they said to each other.
Blair, as Edna had described, was stylish, snobbish and seemingly clueless. But, Jessica could tell that, deep down, she had a heart of gold. How? She wasn’t sure. It was just a hunch. Intuition. Jessica knew her hunches were never wrong, though.
“Ladies, please,” Jessica began. “I’m out of time, anyway. No sense arguing over it.” Students began to get out of their chairs as Jessica continued, “Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!” Then she turned to Jo and Blair. “Oh, by the way, would you two mind taking me to your house?”
Jo and Blair looked at her, a little confused.
“Oh! I’m sorry,” Jessica said. “I just would like to see Edna!”
“Mrs. Garrett?” Blair questioned.
“Yes,” Jessica began, “ She does run a store now, if I understand correctly.”
“Ayuh,” Jessica thought she heard Jo say, reminding Jessica of her good friend, Doctor Seth Hazlitt from Cabot Cove. Oh! How she missed Cabot Cove!
“I didn’t tell her I was lecturing here. I wanted to surprise her.”
“I’m sure she’ll be delighted,” Jo said, then looked at Blair, who had found a mirror in a corner and was now admiring herself in it. “Pardon Princess ‘All About Me’ over there.”
Jessica chuckled as she glanced over at Blair, ”Oh! That’s quite alright. I’m sure it’s normal for her.”
“Yea, but, she really can be nice, occasionally.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“So, you ready to go surprise Mrs. G?”
“Of course!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More after I write it...it's not taking me as long as I thought to come up with ideas. I'm really enjoying this one, hope you do, too.

[HIGH ENOUGH]

Even though you're not repling to my stoy, I'm repling to yours. Its good so far.

[Ryanmo97]

Great! I wish more people would do crossovers!

[Rebel Queen 1980]

I enjoy reading these crossovers,some of them are really good!

[MrsGarrettRocksMySocks]

Well, it's not MUCH more, but, it's interesting reading...and a cliff hanger...

-Edna’s Edibles-There are several customers, some of whom I will introduce later-Natalie and Tootie are in the front, Mrs. G is in the kitchen-
Blair was the first of the three to step into Edna’s Edibles and went to get her apron and get to work. “Nice meeting you, Mrs. Fletcher,” she said, grabbing her apron.
“Fletcher? You wouldn’t happen to be J. B. Fletcher, would you?” Natalie said with wide-eyes.
“Guilty,” Jessica said with her patented smile.
“I love your books! Actually, I just finished one yesterday, and I absolutely loved it!”
“Well, thank you,” Jessica replied, coloring slightly. She was always a very modest author.
“Natalie, keep working,” Mrs. Garrett said, walking into the shop. “Why, Jessica! Oh my goodness!” Mrs. Garrett exclaimed as she looked in Jessica’s direction.
“Edna!” Jessica replied warmly, as the two friends embraced. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Likewise. But, why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I could’ve planned dinner,” Edna said, somewhat disappointed.
“ Oh, I’m sorry. I really don’t think I can stay long. I’m simply exhausted, and I can not wait to get back to Cabot Cove. Not that I’m not in good company!”
“I know what you mean, Jessie.”
Just then, they heard giggling coming from one of the tables. When they looke over, they saw Deana Becker and Blair, giving each other their usual greeting. They watched as Deana introduced her stepmother, Angela Strauss, somewhat condescendingly, which Jessica made a point of noticing. Deana then introduced her stepmother’s best friend, Milly Norton. Jessica noticed that Milly was a shy, quiet type. She was very courteous and kind. Jessica made not of her casual and inexpensive clothes. Unusual to Jessica, because Milly was amongst people dressed more elegantly.
“Those two have known each other forever,” Edna said as the store quieted down a bit.
“Doesn’t it make you sick?” Jo said.
“Oh, I’m willing to bet we have a few years on them, Edna,” Jessica said chuckling. “What was it, 30 years ago, we met? I remember Frank was flying you and what seems like the rest of the world back and forth in that plane! He wrote me constantly, ‘oh there’s this interesting woman I think you should meet!’”
“Shh! Don’t you go throwing around years, Jessie!” Edna said in more of a joking stage whisper. “But really, Frank was a wonderful man, and I’m so happy he introduced us,” she finished, giving Jessica another quick hug.
Then they heard the scream.

[Blair_Warner02]

I like it please continue. I have also written a crossover (between FOL and another show which will go unnamed) but I am not going to post it until I finish posting chapters of "The Shooting Star" which will be soon.

[MrsGarrettRocksMySocks]

Mrs. Garrett and Jessica both went running over to the table where they heard the scream.
“Is everything alright?” Mrs. Garrett asked.
“What’s wrong?” Jessica asked simultaneously.
Deana was sitting at the table, staring wide-eyed at her stepmother. Milly, who was the one who screamed, was beginning to get hysterical. Angela was slumped over the table, her face in her strudel.
“Good Heavens!” Jessica said, checking for a pulse. “She’s dead.”
“Dead?” Blair asked.
“How?” Tootie directed her question at Jessica.
“She was find a minute ago,” Deana said, “Then she just…”
A customer started to leave when Jessica saw him.
“Um, Sire, I really think you should stay, the police may want a statement from you.”
“I’ll go call them,” Mrs. Garrett said, and picked up the phone.
“What for? I didn’t do anything,” the customer said, rather rudely.
“Maybe, at least leave your name and address?”
“I know him!” Deana said, getting up and walking over to Jessica. “That’s Donald Bain. Angela’s edited books for him before. She told me that she just demanded a huge re-write from him.”
“Well, then I think you do need to stay, Mr. Bain. I’m sure the police will be interested in that piece of information,” Jessica repeated her suggestion to stay.
Jessica was trying to make a quick evaluation of him. She judged him to be the easily angered type, based on the clenched fists now at his side. She figured him to be around 40, and the type to want revenge. A possible suspect.
“And where are you going, Mr. Barnes?” Deana said, forcing Jessica to turn her attention to the newest escaping customer. Deana turned to Jessica saying, “Angie’s Lawyer.”
“I think everyone needs to stay put until the police get here and tell us what to do next,” Jessica suggested calmly. Both Mr. Bain and Mr. Barnes clenched their fists and went to sit down.
“The police will be here momentarily,” Mrs. Garrett said, hanging up the phone.
“Was it murder, Mrs. Fletcher?” Natalie asked.
“I’m not sure,” Jessica said, startled by the question. “It’s always a possibility,” she said, her mind already thinking of the suspects she’d found.
Get a grip, Jessica. You haven’t even seen an autopsy report, it could be anything, she thought.
She went over to look at the crime scene for anything suspicious. She looked at what she could see of the strudel—white icing. She turned to the display cabinet containing the strudel—none with icing.
It was then that the police arrived, and everything fell apart.
Jessica went to comfort Milly, who was hysterical, and even worse, crying so hard no one could understand her.
“Okay, we need statements from everyone who was here when it happened, and no one leaves until we say,” an officer said after examining the scene a while.
“Excuse me,” Jessica said, stepping toward the officer, “Does that mean you’ve determined this to be a murder?”
“No, ma’am. I personally believe it was natural causes, but we have to cover our bases.”
“I see.”
“We’ll need to analyze your strudel if anything unusual turns up, Mrs. Garrett,” the officer continued, turning toward Mrs. Garrett.
“Of course,” Mrs. Garrett said, unfazed.
Jessica noticed her friend’s less-than-there expression and intended ont alking to her about it, when the police came to question her.
“Mrs. Fletcher, what do you know?”
“Excuse me?”
“Did you know the victim?”
“No.”
“what’d you see?”
“Nothing, really.”
“Really?”
“I was talking with someone on the other side of the store. However, I did get the chance to look over some things before you arrived. I’m sure you noticed that the specific piece of strudel that the deceased was eating had icing on it.”
“Yea, so?”
“Well, the strudel in the display has no icing.”
“Are you implying an employee may be responsible?”
“Not at all!” Jessica’s eyes widened. “Only that you should consider further questions anyone who may have had contact with the strudel.”
“Like the employees.”
“or the people she was here with.”
“More likely the employees.”
“No. I’m sorry, but it’s just as likely to be someone here who knew her. There’s an author she just demanded a huge re-write from, her lawyer, best friend, step daughter. It could’ve been any of them!”
“Maybe. We’ve got the strudel bagged, and everyone’s been questioned. Lab boys will analyze the strudel and we’ll go from there.”
“Yes, but—“
“Mrs. Fletcher, Cabot Cove may be a wonderful place to solve murders to promote your books, but here, we’d really rather do it ourselves. Be seein’ you. You may want to plan to stay here a few days. After all, you were present.”
“You can count on it. But you can be sure, if I find a way to help a friend of mine, I will,” Jessica told him with new determination and a flash in her eye.
---------------------------------------------

Well, again, it's not much, but, hope you enjoy it.

[Jo/Blair_fan]

Great. I absloutely love it. My mom watches Murder She Wrote so i kinda know about the show and you make it soo cool the way you inertwine the two shows.

[ABlairican Pie]

This sounds like an interesting idea!!!! Write more!!!!
Facts of Life meets the Facts of Death!!!!

[Jo_Marie]

I think I'm gonna have to quit reading if I get any writing done.

It's Great!

[Jo_Marie]

Great Story! Post More soon

[MrsGarrettRocksMySocks]

After the police had finished their investigation and everyone had left, it was considerably late.
“Well, it looks like I’ll be staying in town for a few days,” Jessica said, sitting next to Mrs. Garrett on the couch, specifically leaving out the fact that she was staying only to make sure the girls weren’t unfairly accused.
“Huh? Oh, that’s lovely Jessie,” Mrs. Garrett replied, somewhat dazed.
“Edna…are you alright?” Jessica asked, noticeably worried.
“Oh! Oh, of course, Jessica. Why do you ask?”
“You seem a little…out of it.”
“I guess I am a little frazzled.”
“And with good reason!”
“Jessica, do you think, if they find something in my strudel I’ll—I’ll be accused of murder?”
“I’m not sure. But, I am sure that you didn’t do it. That alone should be enough.”
“Well, let’s hope you’re right. I don’t know what I’d do in jail…My girls—“
“Let’s not focus on that right now.”
“Jessica, will you promise me something?”
“I’ll think about it…”
“If I do, ya know, go to jail, take care of the girls.”
“Edna, you’re talking like you’ve got a reason to go to jail!”
“Well, that’s what everyone will assume, isn’t it? If something is found on my strudel? What other possible conclusion would they think of? It’s not like I can prove anything.”
“But you didn’t do it!”
“Of course not, but it’ll be my word against all of that supposed evidence. Just, please promise me you’ll at least make sure the girls are ok?” Edna said again, with a pleading look in her eyes.
“Okay, but I hope I won’t have to follow through with that promise.”
“Me too, Jessie, me too!”
“Well, it’s rather late,” Jessica said, glancing at her watch. “I better find a hotel somewhere.”
“Oh! Don’t be ridiculous, you’ll stay here.”
“Oh, I couldn’t impose.”
“What imposition? Natalie will be under the same roof as a writer, and we, Jessie, will finally get to catch up!”
“Well, when you make it sound so tempting, how can I refuse?”
“Good. You take my room, and I’ll bunk with the girls, or take the floor, or couch.”
“I couldn’t let you do that—“
“No, no! I insist! Not another word!”
“If you must-“
“I must,” Edna said, leading Jessica upstairs. “And thank you, for everything."
_______________________________
It's again, not very much, but I just couldn't wait to post it! Glad y'all are enjoying it!

[Jo/Blair_fan]

SWEET!!!!!!! Your doing a great job! Keep it up!!!!!!!!!

[Ryanmo97]

Originally posted by MrsGarrettRocksMySocks
“Of course not, but it’ll be my word against all of that supposed evidence. Just, please promise me you’ll at least make sure the girls are ok?” Edna said again, with a pleading look in her eyes.
“Okay, but I hope I won’t have to follow through with that promise.”

Don't take this the wrong way but I would love Mrs. G be the one who did it. Not because I hate Mrs. G, but it would set up a great new series of fan-fiction!

[MrsGarrettRocksMySocks]

Originally posted by Ryanmo97
Don't take this the wrong way but I would love Mrs. G be the one who did it. Not because I hate Mrs. G, but it would set up a great new series of fan-fiction!

I understand. When Charlotte Rae guest-starred on MSW, I was hoping the WHOLE time that her character did it...i was so disappointed when it wasn't her...
I guess we'll just HAVE to see, won't we?