FANS OF THE FMAM MYSTERY DAME

December 2005 - I Am Mystery

Submitted by Flo Stanton

I bumped into Mystery babe Saturday night at the Nicole Simpson booth at Mezzaluna's and she motioned for me to sit down. After introductions I asked, "What's your story, sister?" and she gave me that wry, you'll-have-to-do-better-than-that smile.

We dished murder and mayhem and swapped stories on what fools men are until well into the devil's hour. After knocking back too many agave margatinis, she gave me the inside scoop:

Why will I not let you see my face? You would recognize me immediately. But go ahead - lift the brim just a little. Take a closer look.

I am a siren, Circe, lurer of men. I am Jezebel, Eve. Delilah and Salome. I am Scheherezade, weaver of tales.

I am Lucrezia Borgia, Mata Hari, the Empress Josephine. I am the Lady in Red at the Biograph, the Woman in Black at Valentino's tomb. The Black Dahlia.

I am the Lady of Castle Glamis, Irene Adler of Briony Lodge, Laura Hunt of Fifth Avenue, Rebecca of Manderley. I am faithless Brigid O'Shaugnessy, greedy Phyllis Nirdlinger, treacherous Cora Papadakis. Fah Lo Suee, deadly spawn of Fu Manchu. I am the unhinged sisters Sternwood, grifters Lilly Dillon and Moira Langtry. A black widow.

I am V.I. Warshawski and Kinsey Millhone, Britt Montero and Stephanie Plum, sleuthing the streets of Chicago and L.A., Miami and New York.

I slink and spy, entice and conspire. I enchant and intrigue, deceive and beguile. I am the sultry siren, the temptress, the scheming seductress luring men to their doom. I am irresistible. Many pursue me but none shall possess me. I am Woman. I am Mystery.

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After the last call, as we headed out into the night, she turned to me and said, "The name's Lilith - but you can call me Lili." She stepped into a shadow and she was gone.