January 31, 2018

February 18, 2009

Fuck you, asshole. We're going to trial.

January 30, 2018

February 17, 2009
He admits to everything except intent. Mark's death was an accident, he claims. He panicked. He kept him in an old freezer then buried him in the back yard. He covered him with a layer of cement. He used Mark's phone to lead us to believe Mark had run off with Melody. He tricked me into revealing the password for Mark's bank account. He tried to kill me when I got too close, knocked me out cold and when he thought I was dead cut off my right arm with a goddamned chainsaw before the police got there. And he will plead guilty to attempted murder of me and committing an indignity to a body and take life with the possibility of parole after 20 years if we will drop all other charges. He wants to spare me the trauma of a trial.

[Author's note - I am borrowing against tomorrow's allotment of words for this one.]

January 29, 2018

February 16, 2009

I am grateful for Anne, who has been like a sister to me. I'm sure she would have become my actual sister if Mark had lived long enough. I am grateful to Melody - who never spelled her name Melady or Melly or Mel. She contacted Mark once to make amends as part of a 12-step thing. He gave her the cold shoulder but she became a friend to me. She is coming to pick me up, and then Anne, and then we are heading to my lawyer’s. 

Because Rob wants to cut a deal.

January 28, 2018

February 15, 2009

Anne still looks like hell, but she's doing better than I am. I know she thought she and Mark would get back together some day. She told me she started a gratitude journal - it keeps the darkness away, she says. I want to try. I am grateful for things, but mostly I just feel rage.

1. I'm grateful I had a cool big brother for all those years
2. I'm grateful to be alive (some days)
3. I'm grateful I am left-handed (that's a joke, son)
4.  

I guess that's enough.

Shari

January 27, 2018

February 10, 2009

My therapist thinks I should keep a journal. I've never done this. I don't even know how to start. All I know is today is the 1 year anniversary of that day. I need to pull myself out of this funk.

1. start a journal
2. call Melody
3. go to the cemetery
4. look for a job.

Journaling is exhausting. I don't know if I can do this every day.

January 26, 2018

April 6, 2008
INDI
+1 555 555 5555

Shari if you get this DO NOT go to Mark's. Police are on their way to his house right now.

January 25, 2018

April 6, 2008
INDI
+1 555 555 5555

SHARI PICK UP YOUR PHONE

January 24, 2018

April 6, 2008
INDI
+1 555 555 5555

Before you go to Mark's, I need to meet with you to go over a few things I've been working on. I can be at your house in 30 minutes. Wait for me.

January 23, 2008

April 6, 2008
ShariBari
+1 000 555 5555

NO! What is happening? Please don't keep anything from me. I'm going over to Rob's but I'll have my cellphone on at all times.

January 22, 2018

April 5, 2008
INDI
+1 555 555 5555

Shari - messages from Mark and Melody have NOT been coming from outside the country. But they haven't come from Graceville either. I'm working on a theory, but I'll need to have my contact look at your phone too. Is that okay? Another thing. There was no activity on Mark's bank account after January 10, then he emptied it on March 20. $11, 452.01. Can you think of any reason for this?

[Author's note - I've decided to adopt Helen's use of author's notes. Indigo will now be a friend who happens to be a private investigator rather than a police officer.]

January 21, 2008

April 3, 2008
Subject: Mark

I know I've been a bit nuts. I'm sorry - and I'm sure you're right. I can wait two more days. In the meantime I've talked to my friend Indigo who is a private investigator. She's going to track the pings or pongs or whatever on his cellphone. That should prove the texts have been coming from her house in Graceville and not Australia. It won't tell me if he sent them or if she did while he's tied up in her basement, but I guess that's the next step.

S.

[Author's note - I have no idea if a friend in the police department would do this. Just roll with it.]

January 20, 2018

April 2, 2008
Subject: Mark

I know you think I'm blowing you off. I'm not. I know you're worried. I'm just trying to stop you from going straight to the worst case scenario. My guess is that he wanted a month without having to worry about someone dropping by and asking questions while he spends the honeymoon phase of this relationship with his new girlfriend. Someone is popping by on Saturday to pick up my old freezer. If you can wait until they leave, we'll make a road trip up north to see them. Let me know.

Rob.

January 19, 2018

April 2, 2008 

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Have you talked to Mark?

Hi Kev. Thanks for checking back. The police say there is nothing they can do because Mark is an adult. He's allowed to quit his job. He's allowed to go on a trip. He's allowed to date Melody fucking Leroy. I want to pull my hair out.


April 2, 2008 

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Have you talked to Mark?

It's Melody Leroy? I know her. But she isn't on vacation. She works around the corner from me. I see her every day.

January 18, 2018

March 30, 2008 - MellyandMark 

I thought we could talk woman to woman. Mark and I are in love. You don't need to feel threatened by that. He is still your big bro and always will be. But it hurts him that you are being so negative about our relationship. Can you please just let us be?

Melady

January 17, 2018

March 29, 2008
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Heard from Mark


Why??? Because my boringly reliable brother has quit his job and gone world-travelling with some bitch he barely knows. And I'm terrified of turning on the TV and finding out that his body has been discovered under a purple sheet wearing Nike runners with 28 other morons who think some fucking UFO is waiting for him behind a god damned comet. So no BABE - I won't relax.

January 16, 2018

March 28, 2008 

Subject: Re: Have you talked to Mark?

We went out for drinks on my birthday - So February 1st. Kev

---

March 28, 2008 

Subject: Re: Have you talked to Mark?

We had a beer together right around Thanksgiving. Jeff

---

March 28, 2008 

Subject: Re: Have you talked to Mark?

I borrowed his ladder to take down my Christmas lights - around middle of January, I think.  Matt

---

March 28, 2008 

Subject: Re: Have you talked to Mark?

I don't know - sometime after the New Year?  Dave

January 15, 2008

March 28, 2008 

Subject: Re: Have you talked to Mark?

Hi Shari - I haven't talked to Mark much since we broke up, although I ran into him once right before Christmas, and we had a nice chat then. I actually thought he might want to get back together, but he hasn't replied to any emails I've sent. BTW - he has a hootmail account we always used. It's just smartmarktyt@hootmail.com. I'm pretty sure it still works - I didn't get a bounceback - he just hasn't answered. If he's deleted his jeemail, try that one.

Anne

January 14, 2008

March 28, 2008 - Shari 
Call me.

March 28, 2008 - Shari 
I ran into someone Mark works with. He quit his job at the beginning of February!! By text!! This is nuts. I don't know what to do.

March 28, 2008 - Shari 
CALL ME.

March 28, 2008 - Rob
Babe. Relax

January 13, 2018

March 20, 2008 - Rob 
Hey Babe! I was talking to my mum yesterday and told her all about Mark's travels. Scotland, Sweden, Finland, Singapore - Australia and New Zealand coming up. She said he must get it from your mum. She said Webers always had the travel bug. I said I didn't know if you mum was a Weber.

March 20, 2008 - Shari
Close - she was a Webber (two b's). And I never remember her going anywhere further than Disney Land.

January 12, 2018

March 15, 2008 - MellyandMark 
Tja, läget from Sweden! Having a great time! See you soon! Love to Mum!

January 11, 2018

March 8, 2008
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Heard from Mark


Saturday sounds great. They are calling for a few warm dry days in a row, so I'm laying concrete for my new patio Saturday. I'll be looking forward to pizza after that. I'll swing by Dairy Queen and bring my world famous ice cream cake for dessert. Does 7ish work?


Rob

January 10, 2018

March 8, 2008
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Heard from Mark


So I guess I have to wait until April to give him a piece of my mind. And for the next month I have to convince our mother that her son isn't in danger, he's just a fucking idiot.


My Saturday just got freed up - would you like to come over and try some of my famous take-out pizza?


S.

January 9, 2018

March 8, 2008 - MellyandMark 
Hey. I know this must seem weird to everyone, but I really am fine. I feel like we are making up for lost time and I've honesty never been this happy in my life. Melady and I are going away tonight for a vacation together. To see if our relationship can take it haha. We'll be gone for a month. Talk to you when we get back.

March 8, 2008 - Shari
Where are you going????????

January 8, 2018

March 5, 2008

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Heard from Mark

I had a great time too. Sure - let's do supper some time. As far as Mark goes, I'll give it a little more time - but it's already been almost a month since I actually talked to him. I've had a few emails and texts and Facebook messages, but the last time I actually TALK talked to him was early February. I might go to his work and try to catch him there.


How about next Thursday for supper?


S.

January 7, 2018

March 4, 2008
Subject: Re: Re: Heard from Mark


Hey. I can't stop thinking about our coffee. Think you'd like to do it again? Maybe supper and a movie this time?

For what it's worth, I say just give your bro some time. I think the less you push the sooner he'll come to his senses.

Rob

January 6, 2018

March 2, 2008
Subject: Re: Heard from Mark


The fam??? Since when does he say things like "the fam"???? She's turning him into a middle-aged hippie. This is insane.

Sure - let's meet tomorrow for coffee. 1ish?

January 5, 2018

March 1, 2008 - MellyandMark 
Rob tell Shari to back off. I'm with Melady and happy for the first time in my life. We are spending time together and I'll contact the fam when I feel like it.

January 4, 2018

February 27, 2008
Mail Delivery Subsystem <mailer-daemon@googlemail.com>


Address not found
Your message wasn't delivered to SmartMarkyT@jeemail.com because the address couldn't be found. Check for typos or unnecessary spaces and try again.

January 3, 2018

February 15, 2008 - ST 
Hi Rob - it's Shari. Sorry I'm just seeing this now. Mark didn't unfriend you - he closed his facebook account and they opened a new one "MellyandMark". (Gagging noises) They have like 4 friends. I had to threaten him to get them to friend me - I'M HIS FUCKING SISTER! He only wants Facebook friends who support them. Seriously. So send him a message about how pretty that skank is and how great they look together and they'll friend you.

February 22, 2008 - RB
Jeezus.

January 2, 2018

February 3, 2008
Subject: Re: Do you remember Melody?


Hey man. I think I remember her. Short, weird hair, played Steeley Dan a lot? Why does she want to meet you after all these years? Personally I’d tell her to go fuck herself but whatever floats your boat, man.

I could use some help drywalling the laundry room next Sunday. There’s a beer and some pizza in it for you if you want to stop by. Should only take an hour or so.

Rob.

January 1, 2018

February 1, 2008 - ML 
Hi. I hope this doesn't seem too weird. My name is Melody Leroy, and I went to McGill in 1998 for a year. I knew someone named Mark Tester, and I wondered if you might be that Mark? We met during Psych100. Anyway, I'm new to Facebook and I hope this isn't considered bad form.

February 2, 2008 - MT
Yeah, I remember you. We had a third date lined up and you never showed up and never returned my calls. Nice to see you worry about "proper form" now.