A Murder Misstery Aloft

* * *

"Okay, honey, time to play dress up again."

I switched off the electric train and reluctantly started up the basement stairs. "Oh Mom, do I gotta?"

"You know how much fun we have, please do it for me one more time, and I'll let you help me make a fudge cake and you can lick out the beaters."

That was incentive enough for me. Both of my brothers were still at school, my Dad was at work, so Mom and I were alone in the big old house, as usual. She gave me a big hug when I joined her in my bedroom, where my usual outfit was laid out on my bed: a frilly white blouse, pleated skirt and tights. First, Mom made me take off all my boy clothes and put on a pink robe before she braided my long hair into pigtails, which she tied with ribbons while humming to herself. Then there was the usual spat over the cotton panties and cami which she insisted that I wear under my girl's clothes. When I was finally dressed, she helped me squeeze my feet into a pair of Mary Jane's.

"Your feet are getting too big for these shoes," she sighed. "Oh well, since you're starting kindergarten next month, I suppose our dress-up games will have to come to an end. This will always be our little secret, honey. I promise that I'll never tell your father and brothers if you don't."

The very thought sent a chill down my spine. My older brothers were always teasing me about being a wimp, and I shuddered at what my father would do to me if he saw me in a dress. "Please don't tell anyone, Mommy," I begged her.

She gave me another hug. "I promise, honey. You are so sweet to be my little girl, even if it's only for a while. This will always be our secret," she repeated, then we were off to the kitchen to bake a cake.

* * *

At first I didn't know where I was, or even who I was...why was I listening to a Chicago radio station? I sat up with a start in the pitch dark room, and for a moment I thought I was back in my old apartment, being awakened by the 5:00 alarm for another manic day on the trading floor....