The sun was shining brightly in the sky and the flowers in our recently refurbished garden perfumed the air as my sister Sookie and I sunbathed on an oversized blanket in front of our Gran's house. We had worked all morning and most of the afternoon on that garden to make it look as good as when Gran took care of it. We planted it full of the blooming colors of the South. She would have been proud. I only wish she could have seen it while she was alive. Working on her garden made us feel connected to her once again.

Gran, I missed her so much. I had been away for the last two years trying to find something, don't know what, but just that something that gives you a little piece of happiness, something different. As soon as I turned 18, Jessalyn (my best friend) and I decided that we were going to hit the road and experience life away from the little po-dunk town that is Bon Temps. The smallness of our town made me feel safe, but it was also stifling at times as well. Everyone knew everyone's business. So, right after graduation, Jess and I took what little money we had to buy a clunker of a car and went whichever way the wind blew. I loved that car, Ole Yeller. We called the car that because, well, it was old and yellow and should probably have been put down a long time ago. As horrible as the car looked, it ran surprising well. So, driving onward we took any job that we could find to make enough to live on. We sang and played piano at a dueling piano's place in New Orleans, worked on a horse farm in Dallas, took visitors on burro rides in the Grand Canyon, etc… always trying something new, something different. I know it sounds weird, but each experience taught us a little more about ourselves and that we could handle just about anything thrown our way, and most importantly, to think on our feet, fast.

As you know, all good things eventually come to an end. Our journey ended when Jessalyn met the guy of her dreams while we were working at Disneyland in California (go figure). He literally was playing Prince Charming and she was Cinderella. (Yes, go ahead and insert your finger in your mouth to gag, lord knows I did when she told me how she met him. While she was flirting with the Prince, I was stuck flipping burgers in one of the hotter than heck kitchens at the theme park sweating my butt off). Owen really was a nice guy though (and darn if he wasn't handsome as all get out, guess he'd have to be to play Charming), even bought a plane ticket back to Louisiana for me. Man, Jessalyn had him wrapped around her finger, although she did keep Ole Yeller (I still miss that car.) and owed me. But oh well, they were in love, so who was I to argue about our great escape coming to an end. I didn't necessarily want to go back home, but didn't have anywhere else to go to neither. Plus, I really was starting to miss my family, and oddly enough, Bon Temps.

In the end, in a morbid sort of way, it was a good thing that I came home when I did as I was able to spend some time with Gran before her death. Unfortunately, about two weeks after my homecoming, my poor beloved Gran was murdered in her kitchen. The same kitchen that us kids grew up smelling, savoring, devouring the most delicious baked goods ever made, baked the only way Gran knew how, with love. Sookie and I were horrified to see her lifeless body lying in a pool of her own blood on the checkerboard floor when we came home from grocery shopping that day. I still need to remind myself every now and again that she's gone. And, even though I still call it her home, I guess it really is Sookie's and my home now. Life was never going to be the same, was it?

To make matters worse, it seems that our older brother, Jason, has somehow become the prime suspect in Gran's and a couple other murders. This was by far the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard because as anyone who has ever met my brother Jason knows, while the boy is dumber than a bag of rocks, he is no murderer. But also, he loved Gran just as much as Sookie and I. There was absolutely no reason why my brother would hurt a hair on her head. So, as we lay on the blanket, Sookie and I tried to figure out how we could help our brother. We definitely weren't ones to sit back and do nothing, although the situation was pretty grim. There weren't too many details to go on right now.

"I just don't get it Sookie… I mean I know Jason had 'relations' with the dead girls, but so has half the town. They weren't known for being hard to get. Shoot, if you had a pulse, or didn't, were decent looking and said 'Hello' they were good to go." I said as I sat up to grab a sandwich and lemonade from the picnic basket. Boy, today was a scorcher.

"I know Arabella, but he was the last one to be with them, so that's why the police are looking at him so intently. Not to mention he made that tape with Maudette, which I wish I never had seen. If I could wash my eyes out with soap to get the picture out of my head, I would in a heartbeat." Sookie replied as she rolled onto her stomach to get more sun on her back.

After taking a bite of my sandwich, I said, "Yeah, I'm glad I never had the 'pleasure' of seeing it. I feel awful that you did. Your timing of showing up at the police station when they were viewing it couldn't have been worse, but it may have some clues about Maudette's life and maybe who might actually be responsible for the murders. Do you remember anything out of the ordinary about it?" I asked Sookie while trying not to go in her head myself for details I didn't really want to see myself. You see Sookie and I are both telepathic, but thankfully we are able to shut others out if need be, and this was definitely a 'need be' situation.

"Well, she seemed to have a fascination with Vampires. She kept wanting Jason to pretend he was one while, well, you know…" she said while making a grimace with her face.

"And Dawn dated a few vamps too, right? Now I know that it's not likely that the killer is a vamp because according to Sheriff Andy none of the victims were drained or nothin', but maybe there's a connection somewhere there…" I thought aloud.

"Maybe, but where does that leave us?" Sookie replied.

"Still at square one I suppose. Look, I'm sure there's something we're not seeing, but my mind is mush now and I need to get out of the sun before I burn to a crisp. Let's go in and clear our heads a bit, otherwise we're going to give ourselves migraines. Maybe tomorrow we'll come up with something that could help." I said as I stood up holding the picnic basket and sunblock ready to go in the house.

"I can't believe you're my baby sister. Have you always been taller than me? I thought it was just your heels." Sookie joked as I stood next to her.

"Yeah, two inches taller to be exact, but you still have the boys drooling over you." I said while walking towards the house.

Sookie got up and followed me with the blanket saying, "well, only because you don't let anyone close enough to get to know you." Actually, Sookie had wondered why the boys weren't banging down their door to have a chance to date her sister. Her sister was drop dead gorgeous, but boys never seemed to pay much attention to her. It didn't make sense. The only boys who seemed to gravitate toward her were the kind that went after anyone with a skirt on, which of course her sister would have nothing to do with.

"When you can read their minds and know the only 'piece' they want is not a piece of your mind, it get's to be a bit of a turnoff sometimes. Not that I don't want to be 'appreciated' but it would be nice to hear that they like me for me sometimes and not just how they think I'll look spread out on their bed." I said opening the door for the two of us and walking into the house.

"Yeah, I know what you mean sis, all too well." Sookie replied with a sigh as she shut the door.