Since Perry and I were "investigating" we had split apart to perform our covert activities. And there was no problem in the snooping as the party attendees drank, talked, sang, danced and screamed. I looked in every drawer I came across but found nothing pertaining to Mary. I also did not, in the entire evening, see the host anywhere.
That's to say I never saw him alive. When I finally laid eyes on Pete Broons, he was very dead and hanging from a chandelier in the center of the basement clubroom.
"My God, Perry, I hit that body my own self several times. In fact, I was annoyed that someone would place a dummy right in the middle of the room with people dancing and all that."
Perry held me tight in his arms as the coroner's team lowered the body from where it hung. We both should have been long gone, but Perry said he found something and needed time. So we were both in the house when one of the celebrants, at a very wee hour in the morning, flipped on the light switch of the gloomy room to find a dance-dislodged contact lens. And even then everyone laughed and pointed to the dummy to remark at the resemblance to the host, Pete Broons, darling of the local art world. I was two rooms away when I heard the screams and this time the 911 call was for real.
"Okay, when was the last time any of you folks saw your host alive?" Detective Pigeon of the Baltimore Homicide division asked to the now sober group of vampires, werewolves and witches. The assemblage responded by looking to their partner adjacent and shrugging their collective shoulders. I shrugged my shoulders in tandem. I hadn't seen the man all night. I just assumed he was in the house somewhere.
It was 9:00 am the next morning before the police let us out of there. In the harsh sunlight of an autumn day, werewolves look a bit like mangy dogs. Detective Pigeon warned that we would all be interviewed individually.
I had long ago ripped that long witch wig from my head, but it was not until I finally entered my small but comfortable apartment that I was able to get out from under the hot costume.
"Jen, I found some stuff up in Broons' room, but all I could do was grab it. Some real interesting stuff here, Jen. Come on in."

I was wiping mascara and black lipstick from my face when Perry called me thus. I slipped on a nightgown and a robe and went to see.
"Jen, this is a letter, and it's from Mary!" Perry exclaimed, holding out a piece of paper presumably for me to read. With all the excitement of the hanging dummy that was real, I had completely forgot about my investigation into the death of Mary. I took the paper from Perry's outstretched hand and was shocked silent before I read even one word.
Mary loved calligraphy. Almost everything she wrote to include her grocery list was written in this handsome font that she had perfected to an art in itself. The letter handed to me by Perry was written in Mary's calligraphy.
"Darling,
I cannot wait until we are united again. As you know, there is no place for me on this earth and as you promised, you will join me soon. Please take care of my personal effects and make sure my paintings are protected. I will see you soon in the next life my love.
Mary"