This short story and cartoon were created by the Artificial Intelligence program chatgpt.com. I dictated the bold text, and some of the spellings are incorrect and humorous. I let them stay. I don't know how it knew Taffy was a mystery writer - AI is scary smart. But it did not have the backgrounds of others. This all took about 10 seconds - but it is the thought that counts. I thought we looked pretty good in the cartoon.
Write a short story starring Pete Terry, Mariana Bartle, Craig Hellinger, Taffy Cannon, Will Hepburn, Ron Veenstra, Ron McComb, Marie Booty. They're all graduates of Morgan Park High School in 1966. They get together for a 60-year reunion. Craig Hellinger is murdered, and you need to figure out who did it.
A Reunion to Remember
The 60-year reunion of Morgan Park High School’s Class of 1966 was a spectacle of nostalgia. The grand ballroom of the Lakeside Hotel sparkled with balloons in the school colors of red and white, and a jazz band played soft tunes that transported the guests back to their teenage years.
Pete Terry, now a retired journalist, sipped his whiskey while observing the room. He still had the sharp eyes that had earned him accolades for uncovering political scandals. Mariana Bartle, a former actress with silver-streaked hair, joined him. "Pete, you look like you’re solving a case," she teased.
"Old habits," Pete replied, grinning. "Who would’ve thought we’d all make it to 60 years after graduation?"
Across the room, Craig Hellinger, once the class clown and now a wealthy real estate magnate, held court. His booming laugh echoed, but his jokes were cutting, and his arrogance hadn’t mellowed with age. He clinked glasses with Taffy Cannon, an author of true crime novels, who seemed more interested in observing than participating.
Will Hepburn, a retired surgeon, chatted with Marie Booty, a former cheerleader who had become a philanthropist. Nearby, Ron Veenstra and Ron McComb, old football buddies, were reminiscing about their glory days.
But the reunion turned dark after dinner. Pete found Craig slumped over in his chair, his drink spilling onto the table. His face was pale, his body lifeless. The room erupted in gasps and whispers.
Pete’s journalist instincts kicked in. “No one leaves until we figure this out,” he announced.
The Investigation
The police arrived but were happy to let Pete help. After all, he’d solved tougher puzzles before.
Mariana whispered to Pete, “Craig wasn’t popular tonight. Did you hear him insulting everyone?”
“He had a way of making enemies,” Pete agreed. “But who hated him enough to kill him?”
They interviewed the group.
Taffy Cannon was calm. “Craig always knew how to provoke people. He bragged about swindling someone in a property deal tonight.”
Will Hepburn frowned. “He mocked me for retiring early. Said I lost my edge.”
Marie Booty looked shaken. “He said some horrible things about my charity work, accused me of being fake.”
Ron Veenstra and Ron McComb exchanged glances. “Craig humiliated us in high school,” Ron McComb admitted. “And tonight, he brought it up again.”
Mariana chimed in, “He wasn’t kind to me either. He laughed at my acting career and called me a has-been.”
Pete examined Craig’s glass. There was a faint residue on the rim. “Poison,” he muttered.
The Reveal
By the next morning, Pete had pieced it together. He called everyone into the lounge.
“Craig was poisoned, and the culprit is in this room.” He looked around. “He made a career of stepping on others, and last night, he paid the price.”
Pete’s gaze landed on Taffy Cannon. “You wrote about poisons in one of your books, didn’t you, Taffy?”
Taffy’s face was calm. “Yes, but I’m not the only one who knew about them.”
Pete nodded. “True. But you’re the only one who had the opportunity. When the waiter brought Craig’s drink, you were the last one near his table.”
Taffy sighed. “He ruined my brother’s business years ago. Bragged about it last night, like it was a joke. I couldn’t let him get away with it.”
The police led Taffy away as the others sat in stunned silence.
Mariana whispered to Pete, “I don’t know whether to be relieved or terrified.”
“Both,” Pete said. “The past has a way of catching up to people. Craig just didn’t see it coming.”
______________
ChatGPT said:
A Reunion to Remember
The 60-year reunion of Morgan Park High School’s Class of 1966 was in full swing in the grand ballroom of the Lakeside Hotel. Nostalgia buzzed in the air, with a live jazz band playing classics and a slideshow of old photos casting memories on the wall. Pete Terry, retired journalist, stood with Mariana Bartle, a former actress, observing their classmates mingling.
“Feels strange seeing everyone this old,” Mariana said, adjusting a pearl necklace.
“Speak for yourself,” Pete quipped, sipping whiskey. “I’m still in my prime.”
Craig Hellinger, once the class clown and now a wealthy real estate magnate, was holding court at a central table. His booming laughter filled the room, but his jokes were sharp-edged, often cutting others down. Across the room, Will Hepburn, a retired surgeon, quietly conversed with Marie Booty, a philanthropist. Ron Veenstra and Ron McComb, old football buddies, reminisced about their glory days over beers.
Taffy Cannon, a mystery author, leaned against the bar, watching the room with a writer’s curiosity. “Craig’s bound to make trouble,” she murmured to Pete as Craig toasted himself loudly.
Trouble came after dinner. Craig was found slumped over at his table, his drink spilled and his face pale. The room fell into chaos, but Pete’s sharp eyes caught something: Craig’s glass had a faint residue on the rim.
“Poison,” Pete muttered.
The police arrived, bringing two seasoned detectives with them: Sandy “The Shoe” Johnson, a sharp-dressed investigator with a penchant for pacing, and Suzy “The Wig” Daniels, whose towering beehive hairdo concealed a mind as sharp as her nails.
The Investigation Begins
Detectives Sandy and Suzy took charge of the room, their personalities as bold as their appearances.
“Alright, folks,” Sandy said, tapping his shiny leather shoes. “Nobody’s leaving until we figure out who wanted Craig dead.”
“And from what I’ve heard, that could be just about anyone,” Suzy added, her exaggerated eyeliner narrowing in on the guests.
Pete stepped up. “I’d like to help. Craig had a habit of making enemies, and tonight, he was in rare form.”
Suzy arched an eyebrow. “We’ll take all the help we can get. Start talking.”
The group was interrogated one by one.
- Taffy Cannon: “Craig destroyed my brother’s business years ago. Bragged about it tonight. But I write about murder—I don’t commit it.”
- Will Hepburn: “Craig mocked my retirement. Called me ‘washed up.’ It stung, but I’d never hurt him.”
- Marie Booty: “He accused me of using my charity work for attention. I hated him for it, but I’m not a killer.”
- Ron Veenstra and Ron McComb: “Craig brought up some humiliating high school stories tonight, but he wasn’t worth the trouble.”
- Mariana Bartle: “He laughed at my acting career, called me a ‘flop.’ But words are just words.”
Sandy tapped his chin. “Someone’s lying. The residue on the glass didn’t get there by accident.”
Suzy’s eyes gleamed. “What about the bar? Who handled his drink last?”
The Truth Comes Out
Piecing the clues together, Pete, Sandy, and Suzy retraced Craig’s steps. It was Suzy who noticed a critical detail: the bartender mentioned seeing Taffy linger near Craig’s table after delivering his drink.
“Taffy,” Suzy said, her voice sharp, “you’ve written about poisons in your books. And you were the last one near Craig before he drank.”
Taffy’s calm façade cracked. “He ruined my brother’s life. Bankrupted him and laughed about it. I wanted justice.”
Sandy crossed his arms. “You mean revenge. Justice comes with handcuffs.”
Taffy was escorted out, leaving the room in stunned silence.
Aftermath
As the crowd dispersed, Mariana turned to Pete. “Well, at least Craig managed to bring the drama one last time.”
“And us? We’re not so different from the detectives,” Pete said, nodding toward Sandy and Suzy, who were already deep in another case.
“Speak for yourself,” Mariana replied, smirking. “I’m more of a leading lady than a gumshoe.”
Pete laughed. “Fair enough. But if trouble ever strikes again, I’ll call The Wig and The Shoe—and maybe you, too.”
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