 
## Adventures In Funeral Crashing

Funeral Crashing Mysteries #1

By Milda Harris

Copyright 2010 by Milda Harris

Smashwords Edition

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Cover Art by Brett Gilbert

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Edited by Lauren Cramer

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Funeral Crashing

Chapter 2: Crushing

Chapter 3: Worrying

Chapter 4: Confessing

Chapter 5: Investigating

Chapter 6: Sleuthing

Chapter 7: Finger Pointing

Chapter 8: Inspecting

Chapter 9: Inquiring

Chapter 10: Power Lunching

Chapter 11: Funeral Dating

Chapter 12: Freaking

Chapter 13: Interrogating

Chapter 14: Ditching

Chapter 15: Double Dating

Chapter 16: Kissing

Chapter 17: Panicking

Chapter 18: Suspecting

Chapter 19: Murder Solving

Chapter 20: Homecoming

Excerpt - Adventures of a Graveyard Girl (Funeral Crashing #2)

Excerpt - The New Girl Who Found A Dead Body

About the Author

## Chapter 1: Funeral Crashing

Funeral crashing is a little weird, I suppose, for someone my age. I'm sixteen, almost seventeen, and I just started my junior year at Palos High School in Palos, IL. It's in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. Still, I'm not Harold from _Harold and Maude_ , just to make that clear. I love movies and that one is funny and dark, but I'm not like him. I don't stage fake suicides or drive a hearse. He was dark and somber and totally weird. I don't think I'm like that. I like normal things like regular cars. Actually, I'd really love a bright blue convertible. And, I'm not obsessed with death. I just like going to funerals.

I'm kind of young to be a professional mourner, though, right? That's what they call it if you're old school. It tends to be in reference to groups of old ladies, who just love to attend funerals. Maybe they're trying to get ideas for their own funeral. Maybe they want to beat the Joneses' and get a shinier coffin and better flowers than their neighbor had. Or, maybe they just like funerals, like I do. And, when I say funerals, I'm including the wake and the actual burial. They're both part of the same process.

I actually once found a website advertising an exciting career as a professional mourner! I'll admit it - I was googling. It said you could make $500 a day and all you had to do was start calling funeral homes and offer your services. Now that's an awesome after school job! So, I called, but none of them called me back. I guess it wasn't a lucrative career after all. It doesn't matter. I go to them anyway for free.

I know, I know. What more can I say to explain? It's simple. Super simple. I happen to like funerals and I completely realize that it makes me seem like a totally and utterly bizarre girl. Okay, I'm weird. Yes, I'm a freak. I admit it. Hey, I'm not going to make fun of you for singing along to the latest Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber song or anything. You know you do. Those songs are catchy. Believe me, it wouldn't be the first time someone told me I was weird. My ex-best friend, Ariel Walker, loves to tell me how strange I am whenever she gets the chance.

"Kait Lenox is a freak!" tends to follow me around everywhere, at least when Ariel is around. I'm usually busy trying to blend into the wall when she walks by now. It makes life easier, much easier, and I've actually gotten quite good at it. I doubt most of the student population even knows I exist, unless Ariel points me out to them or something.

Ariel was named after _The Little Mermaid_. You know, the really cute kids movie? Her mother loved it. Well, my ex-bff Ariel didn't grow up to be a sweet little singing mermaid, let me tell you. We were best friends until our freshman year of high school and then poof! She was gone with the popular crowd, like we had never even known each other. Well, we don't know each other unless she stops to tell me how weird I am. Then she's happy to talk to me. That was the year my mother died too. Can you believe that? See what I mean? Ariel is not a nice and sweet singing mermaid. Her mother should have named her Ursula, after the Sea Witch.

Yes, my mother died a little over a year and a half ago. She had ovarian cancer, but by the time the doctors found it, it had already spread. It was like one minute she was diagnosed and two months later she was gone. I try not to think about it. It still makes me really sad and if I dwell on it, I just get depressed. I start thinking about things like if I ever get married she won't be there. Not that I remotely have any prospects, but you know, if I ever do.

I miss her. I really miss her. I'd give anything to have her back and wipe away those last two months. The last moments my mother was alive, she was unconscious in our living room, dying. It's still depressing to walk into the living room. I can almost still see where the hospital bed was, even though my dad has replaced it with a leather couch and a brand new flat screen TV. We all deal with grief in different ways.

The funeral was actually a relief. It was the first funeral I had ever attended. I mean nobody in my family or any family friends or anything had died in the fourteen plus years I had been alive and then the first one to go, is my mom. Sure, I had grandparents die before I was born, but I wasn't born yet, so I never knew them. Anyway, it was a memorable first funeral. I loved my mom more than anything else and it was comforting having all of the people who loved her all around us, even if most of them were just family. And, you know what? It was a nice funeral for being really depressing and all.

It was really cool hearing all the stories about my mom. Things she had never mentioned to me. Like, I didn't know she lived in Los Angeles, California for three months when she was twenty-six just to see if she liked it. She slept on her friend's couch and everything! She was too in love with my dad at the time to stay, but wow, my mom had an adventure! She lived in Hollywood! Where they make movies! I love movies. Maybe one day I'll go into filmmaking even. But, anyway, my mom was there in LA with the movie stars! How cool is that?

Needless to say, the funeral was actually the best part of that whole ordeal. I sound intellectual there, don't I, using the word ordeal? I like to read too – anything and everything. My favorite books range from _The Shining_ by Stephen King (very creepy) to _Gone With The Wind_ by Margaret Mitchell (classic romance) to _Shopaholic_ by Sophie Kinsella (funny chic lit). See, I'm not all dark and dreary. A good book is a good book when you like to read as much as I do. I suppose some of my reading affinity comes from my best friend having ditched me, becoming the weird girl, and having no friends at all upon starting high school. Suddenly, you get a lot of time on your hands to do stuff like read.

So, yeah, I'm not a Goth girl, by the way. I don't wear all black and I haven't dyed my hair black either. I did put bleach blonde highlights into my hair last year, but they've all kind of grown out now and my hair is mostly back to it's reddish blonde again. It's kind of rusty really. My mom always said it was strawberry blonde and that it made my green eyes stand out. I think she was just being my mom because my hair looks rusty to me.

Oh, and to be Goth you have to know it inside out and be good at fashion, in a Goth way. It's not all just wearing black and I'm not good at fashion, by any means. I mostly just wear jeans and T-shirts. To the funerals, I dress up and yes, I do wear black. It's a funeral, you're supposed to. You're respecting and remembering the dead, you know? You should look nice and black is the accepted color for mourning. Besides, the whole point of crashing is to blend into the wake or funeral and fit in, so a black outfit can be key. And, I am there to mourn with them, so it's good to play the part.

So, basically, I'm not a total freak, like Ariel Walker makes me out to be. I just like funerals, which is why I'm at a wake on Wednesday night, instead of at home watching crappy reality television shows or teen dramas like everyone else. And, okay, we do have TIVO and I can always catch them online later, so it's not like I'm missing anything.

It's a wake for Liz O'Reilly. She was only nineteen and died of a drug overdose - a heroin drug overdose to be exact. It made the paper. There have been a lot of overdoses at Laurel Community College in the last two months and it's not the kind of area you'd think would have a major drug problem. I mean, pot, sure, but heroin? Heroin is a hardcore drug. It's something you'd expect to see a problem with in the inner city, not here in the squeaky clean suburbs.

I saw the news article before I even read the obituary. The obituary just said she was taken too soon from her loving family. Nobody wants to admit that their kid was a druggie. Things like that are never in the obituary. Her picture is what really got to me. It made my heart constrict and everything, it was so sad. Liz was really pretty from the photo. You'd never even think of her as using drugs, at least not enough to overdose. Pot, maybe. Alcohol, sure, she's a teenager. Heroin, no way would she be the type to even try it. I guess you can never tell, though. It's crazy.

Liz looked like your average American girl - dark hair, green eyes, tall, thin, and young. I'd bet anything that they used her high school graduation photo for the obituary. It just looked like one of those photos. Liz was smiling and clear eyed, and had her whole life ahead of her. Now, instead, a year later, she was dead and I was attending her funeral. You never knew where life would take you or when it would be taken away from you. Carpe diem, you know?

As a note, you have to be careful when crashing a funeral or a wake. I usually stay toward the back and keep my head down. I like listening to everyone else talk, but I don't actually want to get in on the conversation. Talking to people is a good way to get caught funeral crashing. I mean, you can talk to people, but you have to be very, very careful what you say. When the only info you have on a person is from an online obituary, it's very easy to get caught in a lie. Then again, it's not like the deceased is going to sit up in their coffin and say, "No, I definitely don't know that girl with the rusty hair."

You also don't want to be only one of three people in attendance. Small funerals are a definite no-no. Then you're really forced to talk about the deceased and if you don't actually know them, well, people don't take too kindly to funeral crashers. It's always better to attend a large funeral, so that people don't get too nosy about why you're there. And, like I said, I've gotten very good at blending into the wall in high school, so I'm pretty good at it at funerals too.

Although, there was this one time that I didn't blend so well. Not that I've ever gotten caught, exactly, but when I first started funeral crashing I did have a hiccup. It was the only time I've almost gotten caught. Instead of just sitting down and casually mingling, I got into a conversation and an old man caught me in a lie about his dead nephew and started screaming at me. That's when I made my rule about only minimally talking to people. It was a horrific scene. I acted like he'd gone crazy with grief and then I feigned having to go to the restroom really, really badly. I ended up climbing out the window to escape. I never wanted that to happen again. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. I just...wanted to be there.

I figured Liz's funeral would be big enough, being that she was young and all, that I could blend in with any of the college students that might be there. I was right. There weren't a thousand, like I would have thought, but they may have been waiting to turn out at the end of the night – the whole fashionably late thing. Still, there were enough of them that I wouldn't look conspicuous. I had just thought that most of Laurel Community College would show up. I mean, Liz had died so young, but maybe Liz alienated people when she started to use drugs. I know I would have been mad at her for killing herself.

Still, it was a big funeral. It looked like mostly relatives and family friends. There were barely any seats in the viewing room, people were just milling around, and it was still early. You could tell that all of her relatives were there. The woman in the corner surrounded by people looked like it could be Liz's mom. It was profoundly sad. My heart just wanted to reach out to her. I knew how she felt, except the other way around, since I had lost my mom. I mean, I was not going to go up to her and tell her that I had felt the same way because then I'd get asked the worst question you could possibly get asked when you crash a funeral – "How do you know Liz?"

You have to be careful how you answer that, if someone asks you. I mean – a long lost cousin? Well, there tends to be a family historian in every bunch and you can easily get caught if you say you're related. That's what happened that time I almost got caught by the old man. He was the family historian and knew everyone's name back until they landed on the Americas. Seriously. Anyway, it can work sometimes, but not always, as I found out. So, it's risky.

An old, long lost friend? Yeah, well, that doesn't quite work if the deceased is forty-five and you're sixteen. They tend to think something weird is going on then. Nineteen and sixteen? That could work for me. Liz and I probably looked around the same age. I could pass for a young nineteen. I mean, who can tell these days anyway. There are people in my class who look thirty-five.

Would I ever just admit to funeral crashing? I'm sure there would be a situation where you could say that, nicer of course, but I wouldn't. People might get out their pitchforks and burn you at the stake. It's not a hobby that people take kindly to, even though I'm just here to mourn along with the rest of them. I mean, who says you have to know someone in order to celebrate their life and feel sad about them dying? You know? I think it's a nice thing, what I'm doing. I care about people. Still, when you go around telling people that you crash funerals, they don't feel that way about it, no matter how I've intended it.

So, before I ever show up to a funeral or a wake, I make sure to read the obituary and do some Google research. If I can find anything about the deceased and their family, it always leaves me more prepared. And, I always, always, always try to think of a cover, just in case I get asked how I know the deceased. This one was easy. I had a class with Liz at Laurel Community College. If they pressed me on which class, I was going with a normal one like English. She might not be taking English, so I wasn't going to offer, but it was a good bet that she may have taken it in the last year. And, if they kept pressing, my plan was to simply just say that I didn't know her that well, but I thought it was really sad what happened and all, so I decided to come to the funeral and pay my respects.

It was too bad then that I got all tongue-tied and freaked out when Ethan Ripley, the most popular and gorgeous guy at Palos High School, walked up to me and said, "How do you know Liz?"

I had totally had an answer prepared. I swear. It's just that he's so freaking hot that I totally forgot all about it.

## Chapter 2: Crushing

I couldn't help it. Ethan Ripley is gorgeous, with a capital G. I mean, he definitely beats out handsome! Is there a better word than gorgeous? Hot as hell, maybe? Because hot as hell is definitely the phrase that describes Ethan Ripley.

Ethan is popular, by far. He plays sports – basketball in the late fall and I know he played baseball last spring, but he's not a jock guy. He's smart. Like, really smart and competing for valedictorian.

I don't know how he finds the time, really – for sports and school and being popular. I mean, I have a part time job at the Palos Video Store and my funeral crashing and I'm doing okay – A's and B's are good, right? Still, some days, it's like that homework just piles up on you.

Back to the hotness of Ethan – so, he's smart, he plays sports, and he's nice. Yes, nice. I mean, he volunteers weekends at the hospital or at least he used to freshman year. I'm not stalking him, I swear. I only know this because when my mom was sick, I saw him there one of the times we went to the emergency room. Ethan even made my mom laugh when we were there. She was really sick and we were waiting for the doctor to come back in from talking with my dad and he made her laugh. It was really nice of him because we were all really stressed.

"It's not sparkling water," Ethan Ripley said in a faux haughty maitre d' tone, handing my mom the glass of water she had asked for from the nurse, "but here's the water you asked for."

My mom had a high fever and we were hoping the hospital would help get it down, so you know my mom felt crappy and not like laughing at all, but Ethan Ripley gave her a reason to. It took her a second and it was a stupid cheesy joke, but she laughed. She hadn't even smiled at that point in weeks and here she was laughing at Ethan Ripley's stupid comment. It was really nice to hear her laugh. It may have been the last time I heard her laugh, actually, and it was all because of Ethan. I'll admit, I had already thought he was cute at that point from seeing him at school, but at that moment cute turned into a full on crush. Believe me, I knew nothing would ever come of it, that's why it's called a crush. They're totally one sided and they just crush your heart into oblivion.

To make the story even better, Ethan had brought me a glass of water, even though I hadn't asked the nurse for one. It's like he knew I was thirsty too. He handed it to me and I couldn't think of anything to say. He didn't say anything either, but just smiled. For a moment we just stood there looking at each other. I just stared – I mean he's Ethan Ripley, but he smiled. Ethan has a great smile. I don't think he had to get braces, like I had at the time. At least those are off now. So, I stared at his smile and he smiled at me and then he was gone. I know he was just being nice and that it wasn't like he recognized me from school or anything. Still, it was really nice of him to bring me water too...and make my mom laugh.

And, did I mention he's gorgeous with a capital G? It's the last thing I'm talking about because he really is the real deal wrapped up in a super hot package. I just wanted to make that clear. He's got wavy dark hair. It's the kind you want to run your hands through because you know it has got to be super silky. Not that I've ever felt his hair. Like I said, I don't think he knows I exist. I have a sneaking suspicion Ariel Walker has felt his hair, though, and she totally didn't deserve it.

And Ethan's got bright blue eyes, which are staring at me curiously right now. Sigh, a guy with bright blue eyes equals major hottie in my book. I mean, they say the eyes are the windows to the soul and all and what amazing windows these are.

"How do you know Liz?" Ethan asked again.

I had lost myself in his eyes. What was my answer? I know I had one, "I, uh, I went to school with her."

As soon as I said it, I knew I was in trouble. What was wrong with me? He could recognize me after all...from high school! And, Ethan did look at me strangely for a second. Then he frowned and sat down next to me. That was a surprise.

He was dressed in funeral garb – a black suit and tie, but his dress shirt was the same bright blue as his eyes. I couldn't stop staring at him. Why did he have to be so cute? My brain was getting all weird on me because of it. I couldn't think straight.

Did I look okay? I found myself thinking. I had on a flowing black skirt and a black lacy tank top covered by a long sweater. It was funeralesque, but I think I looked alright and I had made a point to put on make-up before I left and brush my hair. Thank God.

"But you go to school with me," Ethan pointed out, as he turned toward me in his chair. His right arm brushed mine and caused chills to go up my spine. I hoped he couldn't see me blushing. I have fair skin and anything can cause it to turn red. It's a curse.

I had to think fast here, Ethan knew we went to school together. Wait a minute. Does that mean Ethan Ripley knows who I am? Woo-hoo! Why did I suddenly feel like doing a victory dance in the middle of the funeral? Ethan knows who I am! Ethan knows who I am! Except in this case, it was a bad thing. I was totally caught in a lie. I couldn't possibly go to high school and college. I wasn't that smart.  So, I did the only thing one can do when caught in a lie - turn it around on the other person, "How do you know Liz?"

"She was my sister," Ethan said solemnly, his voice cracking slightly on the word sister as he tried to control his emotions.

What?!?! That was my first thought, but I knew it was true because I could hear the grief in his voice. I suddenly noticed it in his eyes too. My heart went out to him. I just wanted to hug him and say, I've been there. I know how you feel. Instead, I said, "Your sister? But you don't have the same last name."

I felt stupid the second after I said it too. What can I say? My brain was busy short-circuiting.

"She was my half sister. My mother was married to someone else before she met my dad. They had Liz and then they got divorced. My mother remarried and had me," Ethan was still peering at me curiously. I was more focused on how close his arm still was to mine.

"That's really sad," I said and I meant it. "I am so sorry."

Ethan nodded back and then looked directly into my eyes. I looked back at him and tried to keep breathing normally.

"So, how do you know Liz, really?" Ethan asked again.

I tried to change the subject again as I felt my heart start to beat harder against my chest in panic, "Why isn't there anybody from school here? I mean, I would think everyone would be here to support you."

As I said this, I looked around the funeral parlor. There was nobody from our high school here. Not even Ariel, who I know would have been glad to comfort Ethan in his time of loss and not just because she was caring like that. She was an opportunist and this would definitely have been a great opportunity for her to sink her claws into Ethan.

Truthfully, it would have been a major get out sign if people from my high school had all been there. I didn't go to funerals to hang out with people from my high school. I didn't even hang out with them in high school.

Ethan seemed surprised by my question. "I didn't tell anyone."

Now I was confused. I mean, how could his friends, and I know he had like a billion of them, being the most popular guy in school, not know his sister had died and that her wake was tonight. "Why not?"

As I asked the question, I remembered my mom's funeral. The only person that knew she had died from school was Ariel and despite being my ex-best friend, she had shown up. I had freaked out the night before and called Ariel in tears, sobbing. I had needed her and she had actually been there for me. It was mortifying for me to think of it now even though she's never been so evil as to turn that moment against me. And, Ariel did show up at the wake the next day, but it turned out to be really awkward to see each other in person. Over the phone, I had been able to pour my heart out to my old friend. In person, the awkwardness and weirdness that had destroyed our friendship, was visibly apparent. We said hi to each other and that was it. I mean, what more was there to say? My mom was dead. Ariel's life was getting more awesome by the moment and we weren't friends anymore. The end.

"Well," Ethan frowned, "My friends Dave and Mike are coming later, but I didn't want everyone at school to know. They didn't know Liz. Dave and Mike did."

I nodded. He was talking about Dave Rickerson and Mike Finnigan. I didn't know them personally, but I knew they were friends of his. They were always at lunch together and I knew they all played sports. So, yeah, I knew who they were. I mean, nobody from that crowd ever looked at or spoke to me. They wouldn't even ask me for a pencil if they needed one for their math test, I was so low on the totem pole. Although, the way they were supporting Ethan was nice. They sounded like real friends.

Ethan prodded again, "So, now don't change the subject. I really want to know. How do you know Liz?"

My mind was blank. I didn't know how to get out of this. I mean, I couldn't exactly tell him the truth. I didn't want Ethan Ripley to think I was a total freak. Ariel Walker, I could handle, but Ethan Ripley thinking that would be totally devastating. So, I did the only thing I could think of to do. I got up and fled the funeral as fast as my legs would carry me. And, I mean, fast. Hey, it worked the last time.

## Chapter 3: Worrying

Lying on my bed at home, under the covers, and curled up with a comfort book – my copy of _Twilight_ (and yes, I've seen all the movies too, multiple times) _,_ that I was reading for the third time, I realized that fleeing the funeral may not have been the best idea. I mean, if Ethan was my Edward like in _Twilight_ , things would work out and he'd think my awkwardness and weirdness was sexy and cute, like Edward thinks of Bella even when she does weird things, like not want to go to the prom. Sadly, Ethan Ripley, was just going to think I was totally weird anyway for running out on him at his half sister's funeral. It wouldn't even take telling him I was funeral crashing.

It was almost midnight and I could hear my dad watching CNN in the other room. We kept to our own rooms, other than dinner. We got along, my dad and me, but we just didn't hang out. I usually read in my room until I fall asleep, unless I have homework, while he watches sports or CNN in the living room.

I usually fall asleep around ten or ten thirty. I know the majority of people my age stay up until midnight every night, but school wipes me out. I crash, sometimes even by nine. My mind was too busy tonight to crash, though.

Liz O'Reilly was Ethan Ripley's half sister. That was crazy. I had looked at the copy of the obituary from my dad's daily newspaper when I got home. He likes to read the actual paper, so we still get one. He's old school like that.

Liz O'Reilly, 19, died Sunday. She was a student at Laurel Community College and hoped to be a veterinarian. She volunteered at the Palos Animal Shelter and loved all animals, especially her rescued dog, Paws. She is survived by her mother and stepfather, Elizabeth and James Ripley, her father Kelly O'Reilly, her maternal grandmother Lilly Morgan, her siblings Ethan and Lilly Ripley, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. The wake will be held on Wednesday from 3pm – 9 pm at Palos Funeral Home. Funeral Thursday at 9 am.

I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed the name Ripley in the list of survived by relatives. It was there, but since he was only listed as Ethan and his sister Lilly was listed as Lilly Ripley, I hadn't focused enough to put two and two together. I obviously needed to pay more attention next time to the names of the surviving relatives. That was my lesson in this.

Regardless, I had no idea that Ethan even had a half sister with a different last name. I hadn't even known about his full blood sister Lilly. Sure, I had a crush on him, but that was only from a distance and at school. I didn't stalk him or anything, I mostly, just gazed and hoped. The usual crush thing.

Poor Lilly. She must have been the little girl that had been sitting on the front couch staring blankly at the coffin, in the somber black dress that no child should ever have to wear. Poor Paws, Liz's dog – he probably didn't even know what had happened to his master. It was sad all around.

My black cat, Scarlett, as in the main character from _Gone With the Wind –_ Scarlett O'Hara _,_ was curled up next to my feet. She liked to do that when I was reading. I reached down and scratched her head, lovingly. She started purring almost immediately.

"I love you," I said and hugged her. My dad had gotten her for me after my mother died. She was no replacement for my mom, but Scarlett was a great cat. She loved to bat around her toys and make me laugh. I knew she'd miss me if something happened to me. Poor Paws.

My mind found its way back to Ethan. Wow, Ethan's sister had died of a drug overdose. I hadn't even heard about it at school and no matter what he said, some people had to know. Then again, I tried to stay away from the gossips like Ariel because if I got too close, they tended to gossip about me. Ariel had already circulated too many malicious rumors about me anyway.

I was worried about seeing Ethan in school. Surely, he'd forget about me by the time he came back to school after the funeral and everything, right? Right?

"You're still up?" My dad poked his head into my room. He had obviously fallen asleep watching television, since his hair was all over the place and his eyes were only half open and squinting at me, "It's after midnight."

I held up my book, "Just reading, dad."

He waited for a moment, not so sure that was it, "Everything okay?"

I smiled, trying to look reassuring. "Fine, just reading."

"Okay. You might want to go to sleep soon, though, you know. School tomorrow," he said and I heard him walk into the bathroom and shut the door.

My dad was cool like that. He trusted me to do the right thing and I knew I needed to go to sleep. I set _Twilight_ down on my bedside table and turned out the lights. It had been a long, crazy night. I wanted to forget about ever running into Ethan Ripley, even if he did know who I was. I stared at the clock and tried to will my mind into slumber, but it just kept thinking and thinking and thinking instead.

So, despite only about two hours of solid sleep and lots of tossing and turning, Thursday at school went by without incident. Ethan wasn't there to track me down at my locker first thing in the morning or waiting outside my first period class. Not even his friends Dave or Mike had stopped me in the hallway, although I admit to ducking into the bathroom when I saw them after second hour, just in case. I had worried all night for nothing. I mean, there was the usual Ariel Walker taunting, but that was a normal occurrence these days.

"Hey, Kait, I'm sure you have your pick of Homecoming dates at the graveyard!" Ariel yelled at me, when I walked by her before my fourth period Chemistry class.

I kept walking. It was best to ignore her. Worst case, she'd yell another insult after me. Best case, she and her friends would laugh and then move onto tormenting someone else.

Ariel followed me, instead, and caught up to me. I could feel her friends, Sarah and Megan, watching from a distance. Why was it cool to torment people? I mean, weren't we supposed to be more grown up in high school? Why couldn't she just leave me alone? Wasn't it enough that we weren't friends anymore?

"So, you didn't answer me about your Homecoming date," Ariel taunted as she fell into step beside me.

It was useless to ignore her when she was walking next to me, "Ariel, why don't you just leave me alone?"

"Wow, you're not ignoring me, for once. That's progress," Ariel said.

"You have new bffs. Why don't you go harass them?" I said wearily, trying to pick up the pace so that I could get to my Chemistry class faster.

"Because you're more fun," Ariel smirked sarcastically. "And there's nothing wrong with Sarah and Megan."

I was almost there, "Gee, thanks. Good talking to you too. Now, byeee."

Ariel stayed next to me, "I'm going with Ethan Ripley to Homecoming. I've turned down three other guys for him."

My heart plummeted. Of course Ariel would get Ethan to ask her to Homecoming. She was evil like that. I couldn't say anything to her comment. My heart was in my throat and blocking all sound. Maybe Ethan would ditch her because he was grieving for his sister. I stopped myself. No, that was mean hoping that Ethan would feel that distraught, but I still couldn't help wishing it, just so he wouldn't go to the dance with Ariel. She knew it bothered me too. That's why she was taking a moment to tell me. I had told her I kinda liked him when we were still friends freshman year. Big mistake.

"I got an amazing dress and everything. Everyone is going to be jealous of me," Ariel was still talking. Why was she still following me and trying to rub it in?

We were at the doors of my Chemistry class. She couldn't possibly follow me in, right? I kept walking, not pausing to find out. I lost her at the doorway. I saw her standing awkwardly for a moment outside as I set my books on my lab table and pretended to arrange them, all the while peeking toward the doorway to see what had happened to her. A moment later, Ariel was blissfully gone.

The Homecoming jibe hurt, though. I wanted to go to Homecoming, which was in about two weeks, at the start of October. I had no date prospects. Not even my weird nerdy Chemistry lab partner, Kyle Jones, would have asked me to go with him.

We were equal social pariahs and yet, it would be worse for Kyle if he asked me to go. He was a nice guy for being weird and nerdy, though, and he definitely didn't deserve the torment he got either. I mean, if anything, he deserved accolades. He was a science wiz. He won last year's high school state science fair and everything. He was an awesome lab partner and I liked him as a friend, not that we ever hung out except in Chemistry. He was just really socially awkward. Kyle mostly didn't know how to talk to girls. Yes, he talked to me all the time, but that was because we were talking about Chemistry projects. Still, I knew he had a thing for Suzie Whitsett. He'd even have a chance with her if he talked to her. Suzie was a super quiet girl and seemed really nice. The quiet thing alone would have made her a social outcast like me and Kyle, but she was also really pretty, so mostly people just let her be. She just didn't say much.

It was funny, though, about Kyle's crush, because I bet Suzie would have been happy to go with Kyle to Homecoming. I got the feeling that maybe there was something there, but both of them were too shy to try and figure it out.

There was this one time at the beginning of the school year that Suzie walked in a little late and walked past our table and she actually turned and said, "Hi!" to me and Kyle, except I could have sworn her gaze was on Kyle for a solid second. I said, "Hi!" back, but Kyle didn't say anything – the deer caught in the headlights thing. Suzie never stopped to say, "Hi!" again. She just walked to her desk. Coincidence? I'm not sure. I mean, she is the quiet girl, but still seems like a solid maybe on a requited crush to me. Not that Kyle was ever going to take the chance and ask her.

Sadly, all Kyle had to do was walk by three lab tables to do it – ask Suzie to Homecoming. I mean, Suzie just sat there alone and read before every class or until her lab partner showed up. This week her book was _Pride and Prejudice_. Last week it was _Emma._ Looked like Suzie was on a Jane Austen kick. I love the book and I've seen both _Pride and Prejudice_ movies. Matthew Macfadyen was a hot Mr. Darcy, but Colin Firth was way sexier in the miniseries.

And, back to Suzie. Kyle totally had a chance, I thought, but he was too awkward to take it. Good times at high school Homecoming Dances, all around, I guess. It wouldn't be fun if it weren't horrifically painful.

Speaking of painful - how could Ethan have asked Ariel to the Homecoming Dance? It was unfair. I know he'd never have asked me, but Ariel? She was evil. I mean, not really, but it hurt more that he had asked her, just because she was my ex-best friend.

I had practically forgotten that I didn't want to run into Ethan. And, I hadn't yet, so my luck was running good.

"Hey, space cadet from the ninth dimension," Kyle said, sitting down next to me.

He was weird like that. Totally into the sci-fi, but he was cool, "Hey, Kyle. Do the homework?"

As Kyle lamented the toughness of the third problem (but only because he had figured out a second way to solve it) my thoughts went right back to Ethan. I knew my luck was only holding because Ethan was at Liz's funeral. Surely, he wouldn't come to school on Friday and search me out or anything, right? I mean, who cares if I was at his half sister's funeral for apparently no good reason. He'll totally forget about it. Right? Right?

## Chapter 4: Confessing

Turned out I didn't have to wait until Friday to find out. On most Monday, Thursday, and Saturday nights I worked at Palos Video Store, which was just down the street from my house. I loved movies almost as much as I loved books, so it was a good after school job and I needed the money. I had been working there since the end of my sophomore year and I actually liked it. They let me rent one DVD at a time, unlimited, for free. So, if I wasn't reading, I was watching one of my free movies.

And, just because I like funerals doesn't mean I only watch horror. I mean, I do admit that I'm a total fan of the horror classics (the originals because they've all been remade they're so good), like _Dawn of the Dead_ , _Halloween_ , _Nightmare on Elm Street_ , and _Psycho_ , but I also have a huge thing for chick flicks. I'm a romantic. I mean, have you seen _Roman Holiday_ or _Sixteen Candles_ or _The Notebook_? Sigh. So good.

Palos Video Store was a small store, so there were usually only two people working. Some nights, my co-worker would be the owner of the store, Anne, and she usually hung out in the back unless it got really busy. Other nights, it was another part-timer like me. Some were from my high school, some were from our biggest rival, and there were a couple people from Laurel Community College. My favorite co-worker, though, was Anne, even though she was the boss. Anne tried to work a lot of shifts, actually. The big online rental companies like Netflix were really cutting into her profits and she was trying to save the extra money in her budget. She never talked about it, but we all knew that the store might be on its last legs. I felt bad for Anne, though, that store was her life and she loved it.

Thursday night, it was Anne and I working the store. She was in the back watching a movie. She watched at least one a day and I was pretty sure she had seen everything in the store at least twice. She could quote movies like most people could quote sports' statistics. I was not that big of a movie buff yet, although I tried to take a movie home after every shift and watch it. I just couldn't quote everything yet, but I was getting there.

So, I was alone up front, reading the ending of _Twilight_ for the third time. It was quiet in the store. We were closing in a half hour and most people were already at home curled up with their latest movie rental and some popcorn. We were only open until ten thirty, but it was usually dead the last hour.

I heard the jangle of the video store bells and looked up. Someone was coming in for a movie fix before we closed for the night. As soon as he walked in, though, I knew he wasn't renting a movie. The last person I expected or wanted to see had walked into the store and toward me.

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I couldn't help them. I was both nervous and scared and he was also super hot.

Yes, it was Ethan Ripley that was staring back at me and walking in my direction. I froze, the copy of _Twilight_ still in my hands. Movie recommendations for Ethan Ripley ran through my mind, almost ridiculously. I'd recommend: _Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels_ , _Blackhawk Down_ , and for fun: _Wall-E._ Oh God, what was wrong with my brain?

"I was hoping you were working tonight," Ethan said as he stood in front of the counter, his piercing blue eyes watching my face.

He was in regular clothes tonight – well-worn jeans and a faded Green Day T-shirt. I swiped a hair behind my ears, self-consciously. It was a nervous habit, "You were?"

I had obviously also been rendered stupid. I was in big trouble. Ethan had not waited to search me out at school on Friday. He had found my place of employment and hunted me down. Now that was determination to get an answer out of me. It's not like I could leave work and run away and he knew it.

"So, how did you know Liz?" Ethan asked again.

I still didn't want to answer. "How did you know where I worked?"

"I looked you up on Facebook. It's listed as your job," Ethan shrugged.

Sometimes social networking sucked. I only had like forty friends and most were kids I met at camp in third grade or family. I needed to change my privacy settings. Just because you were unpopular doesn't mean some stalker wasn't going to track you down. Not that I'd mind if Ethan was stalking me because it totally wouldn't be stalking since I'd totally swoon if he declared his love for me. Not that I had any delusions that it was actually going to happen.

Ethan continued, "So, Liz? How did you know her?"

Back to reality. I was starting to sweat. There was no way out of this. Ethan had tracked me down at work after all. Wait a minute – Ethan had tracked me down at work! Okay, not the time to be happy. I was in trouble here. I was being forced to admit I was a funeral crasher and although I don't mind that part of myself, I know my peer group doesn't approve.

"Well..." I hesitated. "It's kind of a long story." Not really, I added in my head. I glanced back toward Anne's office. She was busy watching her movie. I could see the glow of the television on her face through the small office window that looked out onto the store.

"I have time," Ethan prodded.

I was going to have to tell him. I didn't want to! I hedged, "Can I meet you in thirty minutes when I'm done with work?"

It gave me another half hour to figure out the greatest lie ever told and if I ended up having to tell him the truth, at least if I got him to sit down with me, maybe I could explain so that he wouldn't think I was such a total freak. And, I didn't want my boss to overhear. I know Anne liked me as an employee, but still she didn't need to know all of the intimate details of my life. I mean, funeral crashing wasn't like doing drugs, but still. I didn't want to take the chance that she'd be appalled and fire me.

"Sure," Ethan nodded. "My car's parked on the street outside. I'll wait for you to close up."

"Okay," I gulped and tried not to think about the fact that in thirty minutes I'd be sitting in a parked car with Ethan.

"Cool," Ethan said, nodding again, turning around, and walking out of the store.

I had thirty minutes to come up with something. Forget reading. I put my book back into my satchel purse. I stared out into the empty video store. What could I possibly say to Ethan to make this all turn out okay?

Thirty minutes later and locking up the video store, I hadn't come up with anything other than entering the witness protection program and fleeing the state. Somehow, I didn't think they'd take me into witness protection for trying to run away from a cute guy, who's about to find out that I like to crash funerals. Maybe I'd get lucky and aliens would abduct me.

"So, I was watching a John Hughes movie tonight - _Some Kind of Wonderful_. I think you'd like it. It's with Eric Stoltz and Mary Stuart Masterson and is a classic teen movie about unrequited love and high school. You should take it out next shift," Anne was saying, as I locked the front door.

"Uh-huh," I managed to mumble, even though Anne's recommendations were always the best.

"Are you okay?" Anne asked, peering at me. "You seem kind of distracted. School alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said and then continued, seeing that she might press me. "Just thinking about a guy."

"Ohhh, okay," Anne smiled knowingly.

I attempted a smile back, but luckily it was dark, "Yeah."

"Okay, good night then, Kait," Anne waved, as she walked to her car.

"Good night," I managed as I pretended to walk to mine, as Anne got into her car and drove away.

I watched her car speed down the road and had a brief thought that I could just drive away too. It was an option, but not the one I was going to take. I may have been a social outcast, but I was going to face Ethan like a man, well, a woman in my case. Besides, I knew Ethan would find me at school tomorrow anyway if I didn't talk to him. He had already stalked me down at work. And, school could be worse. I could just see Ariel joining in on the conversation and emphasizing my freaky qualities. She'd probably even bring her friends Megan and Sarah. It made one shudder. Ariel was worse than any horror movie monster, including Freddy Krueger from _Nightmare on Elm Street_.

I scanned the surrounding street and saw Ethan sitting in a silvery blue Honda Civic Hybrid just next to the parking lot, staring at me. I was only a few feet away from escape and my car, but I forced myself to walk toward the Civic instead.

"Hey," I tried to say casually as I opened his car door and sat down in the passenger seat, but all I think I got out was a mumble.

I couldn't get over the fact that I was sitting in Ethan Ripley's car. I mean, it was a totally normal, boring car interior, but yet it felt like such an amazing place. That might have a lot to do with the fact that it was Ethan's and that he was only sitting inches away from me. Focus, focus, I told myself.

"Hey," he said in response, so I guess my mumble did come out coherent. "So? What's the story?"

I gulped. This was it. Panic seized my chest. I couldn't even enjoy being in a car with Ethan Ripley, I was so nervous. This could be the closest I ever got to him. The best two minutes ever! Or, at least from high school. But no, I was too busy freaking out to enjoy it.

I just had to do it. It was like tearing off a band-aid. I sighed, held my breath, and just said it, "I was funeral crashing."

"What?" Ethan looked totally puzzled. "What?"

"I was funeral crashing," I explained, "I saw the obituary in the paper and I thought I would go."

"So you didn't know Liz?" Ethan asked.

I shook my head, feeling mortified. "No."

Ethan raised his eyebrows, "Really?"

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. Don't cry, I told myself. "No, I didn't know her. I was just there for the funeral. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry. She seemed cool. It's really sad."

"That's weird," Ethan said and I felt my heart sink at the judgment I could hear in his voice. "Why would you want to crash a funeral?"

"I..." I started. It was a question that I had been asked before, first by my dad and then Ariel. In a rare moment of distraught weakness, I had actually confided in her even though we had stopped being friends. It had been a total mistake. Regardless, I still hadn't come up with a good answer to that question, except for the truth. "I like them."

"What?" Ethan looked utterly confused. "You like funerals? Why? They're depressing."

As I watched Ethan run his hand through his silky hair in frustration, I fought a girlish sigh and tried to explain something that I didn't know how to explain, "They can be. They can definitely be the worst moment of your life, but there's something really amazing about them too."

"Like what?" Ethan demanded. I finally got a good look at him and yes, he was super hot and only inches away from me, but I could also see the desperate grief in his eyes.

I looked away from his eyes, "Like how everyone remembers the person that died and not just remembers - there are some great stories, really great stories. Stories that even if you knew the person well, you might never have heard of that story. And, everyone with all these great stories about this person that they have lost is in one room, and they're all talking about this person because they all miss them. They're all feeling that person's presence together. That's what it was like at my mom's funeral. Anyway, that's what I like about funerals."

I was looking at my hands now. I felt too embarrassed to look over at Ethan's reaction to my admission.

"That's true," Ethan smiled slightly, to my astonishment, "I heard some great stories about Liz today from the family and her friends, but I'd much rather have her here with us than be at her funeral."

His voiced choked on the last word. I resisted the urge to lean over and touch his hand. I was a wreck too after my mom had died. After the funeral weeks went by in a blur.

"I'm sorry," I said, looking into his eyes and I really meant it.

Ethan nodded, "So, you really didn't know Liz at all then?"

"No," I shook my head. "I'm still sorry, though, about her."

Ethan swore under his breath.

I felt myself sink even deeper into the passenger side seat. I just wanted to disappear. I couldn't wait for high school to be over, so I could blend into and be swallowed up by the massive population of a state university. How was I ever going to face Ethan Ripley again after this?

Ethan remembered I was still in the car with him, "I was really hoping you knew Liz."

I was confused, "Why?"

Ethan seemed suddenly anxious. That was weird – him anxious to say something to me. He ran his hand through his hair again, his silky hair, "Well, uh, I'm really sorry about this Kait and I don't know how to say it nicely, but I thought you might know something about the drugs Liz was taking."

It took me a second to realize what Ethan was implying. Then, for once, I forgot who I was talking to because I was so furious, "You thought I was a drug addict! Do I look like I do heroin to you?"

I mean, I am not a stick figure. I'm your average weight girl and a size seven. Sometimes I'm a size nine, if I've been really downing the peanut butter banana milkshakes that I'm addicted to from the Wired Coffee Shop. Aren't heroin addicts emaciated or something? What? I was super insulted. I don't do drugs. Not even pot. I don't even drink except for that one time freshman year when Ariel and I snuck into her parent's liquor cabinet. See? She's a bad influence, totally evil, and corrupting impressionable youth. Regardless, I didn't even know what heroin looked like. Come on. I'm no drug addict.

"I'm sorry. I just hoped. It's just really weird that Liz ODed. I can't explain it. I'm sorry if I assumed that you...knew something about it. People talk about you at school, you know," Ethan seemed really uncomfortable.

I was going to kill Ariel Walker because before her, nobody talked about me. Ethan Ripley assuming I was a drug addict was all her fault. She told people all sorts of crazy things about me. Then the rumors went wild and took on a life of their own and people embellished and totally changed the stories – so, one minute I liked going to funerals, the next I took part in witchcraft rituals, and some people even thought I had my own pet cemetery in my backyard. I guess now the rumor was that I was dealing drugs or hooked on them or something. Great. My reputation had a soap opera life all of it's own and with it, Ariel destroyed any chance of a fun social life that I might have had in high school, "Well, let me set things straight. I don't do drugs. At all. And, okay, the funeral crashing is a little weird. I know it, but ever since my mom died it's the closest I ever feel to her and I..."

Whoa, I felt the tears suddenly rushing up into my eyes again. My voice was about to crack and fail me. I needed to calm down or I would be full on sobbing like a baby in front of Ethan. I stopped talking and tried to catch my breath, turning away from him and toward the window.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have listened to the rumors," Ethan sounded sincere.

I turned to look at him, wiping at my cheeks in case there were any tears. I didn't need him to see them. I was humiliated enough.

"I'm really sorry," he continued. "I just can't believe that Liz did heroin. It totally wasn't like her. I thought maybe you knew something about it. Like, if you knew her, even if you didn't do drugs with her, maybe you knew what really happened. Like where she was that night or who she was with."

"Why would that matter?" I asked before I could stop myself. I mean, if he wanted to know the last few hours of his sister's death that was his business. It's not like he was going to be able to change anything, though.

"Well, I just..." Ethan started and then stopped, thinking better of continuing his thought.

A sudden thought was nagging at my brain and I said it before I thought it over, "Wait, are you saying that you think maybe there's more to Liz's death? Like maybe she didn't overdose?"

Ethan was silent.

The silence dragged on for a moment as I thought about it all, "Wait. You don't think she was murdered or something, right?"

My eyes were locked on Ethan's as he nodded, "Actually, yes, I think it's a definite possibility."

"But who would have done that?" My voice rose in pitch.

Ethan shook his head. "I have no idea. My parents are a wreck and totally shocked and so are her friends. Everyone liked her. Nobody wants to believe that she was a drug addict. There were no signs, at all. There's supposed to be signs. She was happy. I barely ever saw her upset. I never even saw her drunk, but they've all already accepted that Liz was on heroin anyway because it's on the police report. I can't accept it. It's not at all like Liz to do drugs."

My brain was buzzing, "But there's been a lot of heroin overdoses lately. It was in the paper and everything. Maybe it was the cool thing to do and she just got carried away?"

Ethan nodded, "Exactly. And, they're assuming that Liz was just like the rest of them. They think there's some kind of a drug ring going on at Laurel Community College. That heroin has become the hip college drug of choice. They just can't seem to find the supplier."

"Well, maybe Liz only tried it once, just to try it, " I offered. "And, it just turned out tragic."

Ethan sighed. "But she wasn't the drug type. That's what I keep coming back to. It doesn't make sense."

I let this sink in, "So, if Liz was murdered, then the obvious question is do you think the others were murdered too?"

"Well, yes, it's a definite possibility," Ethan said.

My mind was awhirl with information. If Ethan was right, there had been at least two other overdoses that were potential murders. That would mean that there was a potential serial killer on the loose at Laurel Community College. It was only a hop skip and a jump over to Palos High School, my high school. What if the murderer struck there next? Had the police been fooled by a drug trail, when instead all of the girls living around Laurel Community College were really all in mortal danger from a serial killer? Or was Ethan just a totally distraught brother unable to deal with sister's death?

I made a snap decision as my mind continued to go over the puzzle. There really might be something to his questions, "I want to help."

I wasn't thinking about the benefit of alone time with Ethan either. I really did want to help. He was so sad and I know how that felt. I'd want to know the truth too. Okay, at least, I wasn't thinking about the benefits of Ethan time when I originally offered my help. Although now, I couldn't stop thinking about it – being alone with him.

Ethan raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then said, "Okay."

It took me a moment to process Ethan's agreement. He was even kind of smiling at me. I mean, it isn't every day that the most popular guy in school talks to me, learns I'm a funeral crasher, and then accepts my help investigating his sister's murder.

## Chapter 5: Investigating

The two other deaths had happened in the last couple of months, both girls, and all the dead girls had attended Laurel Community College. Hopefully I was safe, being still in high school, since the killer had not veered from his pattern...yet. I had watched way too many horror movies for free from work to seriously want to contemplate being stalked and killed by a serial killer.

The first was Olivia Reynolds, twenty. Olivia was found dead in her apartment by her mother, a needle still in her arm. She had been there for a few days before they found her. The second was Melissa Kent, nineteen. A teacher found Melissa dead in a bathroom stall at Laurel Community College. The syringe had fallen to the floor. In theory, she had shot up just after a math test. She was found within two hours of taking that test. She had gotten an A. And, then there was Liz. A policeman found her in her car on a Sunday night in a nice suburban neighborhood. A stranger had called the police upon seeing a girl passed out over the steering wheel. She wasn't passed out, though, Liz was dead.

Three girls were dead from an overdose of heroin in just over two months. Stupid kids, drug ring, or murder? And why had they all been girls? Wasn't heroin "in" for guys too?

I was leaning toward a verdict of murder or at the very least foul play, which is why I agreed to meet Ethan on Saturday morning. He was taking Friday off from school to spend it with his family. It turns out a lot of family flew in for Liz's wake. It had literally shocked the family into a reunion. Ethan had snuck out on Thursday night, in order to get to me since he thought I was a potential lead in his sister's unsolved murder, but he was stuck hanging out with family again on Friday. It sounded like he was looking forward to it now that the funeral was over.

Friday flew by for me as I did my own research and counted the seconds to hanging out with Ethan. We planned to meet at a local coffee shop, Wired, bright and early at 9 am on Saturday. Wired had the best peanut butter banana milkshakes on the planet. They served those in addition to the ice-blended coffees and believe me when I say the words – heaven on earth when referring to them. Wired was also an after school hangout and high school and college bands played there on weekends, but nobody was going to be there at 9 am on Saturday morning. I briefly wondered if Ethan was afraid to be seen with me in public, but maybe he just wanted to get a jump on his sister's murder investigation, being that the murder would have happened a whopping six days earlier, as of Saturday, and that's eons in murder investigation time.

I wanted to help Ethan find out what happened to his sister and not just because he was hot, but because Liz really seemed like the kind of girl who deserved to be remembered as the great girl she was and not a druggie. She had a dog named Paws for goodness sake, how cute is that? Plus, her killer (her alleged killer, I guess, since it was still only a theory) should come to justice! So, Ethan and I were meeting to go over the details, before going to the police. His family thought he was bereft with grief and in denial, and he didn't want the police to think the same. I was basically going to be his unbiased helper in going over the facts of his sister's and the other girls' deaths.

And, the sooner the police started investigating Liz's murder, the better. I mean, according to that A&E show, _The First 48,_ that I watched as I was internet surfing obituaries and news articles, the case is already cold and only getting colder. Still, helping the police realize it was murder and not an overdose would be a great start. Maybe they could save someone else.

If Liz and the other girls were murdered there had to be clues. Even the most calculating of killers, has to make mistakes. So, every spare moment I had on Friday and early into the hours of Saturday morning, I scoured the internet. I found news articles on the drug problem at Laurel Community College, as well as the obituaries of the three dead girls.

I read, copied, and pasted information from their Facebook pages. They were still up there, even though Olivia had been dead just over a month and a half. They were really sad to look at and read, though. Friends had posted sympathy "I'm sorry you're dead," comments and everything. There had to be clues there somewhere.

Ethan looked tired when I spotted him sitting in a dark corner of the coffee shop, drinking a steaming cup of coffee.

I ordered my usual, super yummy, heaven on earth, peanut butter banana milkshake and went to sit down across from him with my stack of articles, "Hey, so I found lots of articles yesterday. I was up all night looking through them."

"Maybe I was wrong," Ethan was slumped over his coffee and obviously having doubts. Grief will do that to you. Up close, it was obvious he hadn't slept. He was in the same Green Day T-shirt from two nights before. Was it possible that he looked even cuter on no sleep and in dirty clothes? "I just have to face it, Liz is dead and I need to move on. Live my life."

I looked at him incredulously, "I don't think you're wrong at all! None of those girls seem like they were the heroin using type. They all got good grades. Everyone loved them. They had never been in any trouble, of any kind, in their lives. None of them had so much as a speeding ticket. It's weird."

"So, why would anyone want to murder them?" Ethan asked, tiredly.

I looked Ethan straight in the eyes, "That's the question we need to ask. Ethan, you were right about this. I know you are. Liz was murdered. Those other girls were murdered. If we don't do anything about it, someone else is going to die. The police need to start investigating these deaths as murders."

"So, what do you have?" Ethan asked pulling the papers I had printed toward him.

I hesitated a moment, before I slid from the seat across from him, to the chair next to him. It's a little weird sitting next to the hottest guy in school at a coffee shop, even if you're only helping him investigate his sister's murder and not on a date.

I took the papers and spread them out over the table in front of us. I had already organized them. I pointed to the first pile, "These are about Olivia Reynolds. She was the first, so there isn't much, just an obituary and a local column about college kids and drugs. Her Facebook page says it all, though, she was a crafty."

"A what?" Ethan's eyebrows arched at the question.

"A crafty. She liked to make crafts. Her Facebook page had tons of homemade items. She was a knitter – she made tons of scarves, hats, and sweaters. There's even a link to her knitting blog. Olivia was also getting into making jewelry from some art class she was taking. She could sew too. She would so not be your typical drug user. I mean, her favorite singer was Taylor Swift, for goodness sake."

Ethan cracked a smile, "Did you just say goodness sake?"

"Yes," I smiled back at him.

"You're weird," Ethan said, but he was still smiling at me.

"Thanks," I replied and I think he meant it as a compliment.

We sat in silence as Ethan looked over the papers on Olivia Reynolds. It was all there and plain to see. Olivia Reynolds may have been the type to do pot in a hippie sort of way, but not heroin.

I went on, "Okay, pile two is about Melissa Kent. There was a little more about her in the news because she was the second overdose in two weeks from Laurel Community College, but this time, they focused on what the school was going to do about the obvious drug problem, so again, I turned to her Facebook page. And, Melissa was a good Catholic girl, unless her Facebook page was lying. Her Facebook page said the words, "I love God" and everything. Her groups listed were church youth groups and volunteer services. She was so not a heroin addict type either."

Ethan picked up the papers on Melissa. I watched him look through them, his brain furrowed as he read. He was really cute. I felt myself staring at him in full crush mode and shook myself out of it. What we were doing here was more important than my crush. After reading so much about Melissa and Olivia, I really felt like I knew them. I didn't think they had overdosed. Even if one of them somehow had, the combination of them didn't make any sense.

Ethan nodded, looking up from the papers, "And then there's Liz."

I nodded back and looked at the third pile that was all about Liz. I had read up on her already too. Still, I looked back at Ethan. It was better to hear it from a real source, "So, what happened the night she died?"

Ethan took a deep steadying breath and said, "We don't know exactly. She was home in the morning, in her room. Then she went to go work at an animal adoption for the Palos Animal Shelter at the park on the corner of 135th street and Moorpark. A lot of people saw her there. She was walking with a really cute scraggly dog. Everyone said she seemed totally fine. She was trying to get the dog a home."

"So, she wasn't on drugs then?" I asked.

"No. Everyone said she was just Liz. Nothing weird," Ethan shrugged. "They're all floored that she's gone."

"Where did she go after that?" I asked.

"Well, she left there a little after seven. She helped get the animals loaded back up to go to the pound and she spent a little while talking to this couple about the dog. After that, we don't know where she went," Ethan said.

"What time did the police find her?" I asked.

Ethan was solemn, "About two and a half hours later. Nine-thirty about. She was in her car about two miles away from the park and about a mile from our house. It looked like she was on her way home. At least that's what they think."

"What time do they think she died?" It was a hard question for me to ask Ethan.

Ethan paused, "They think it was within the hour that they found her. Between eight-thirty and nine-thirty."

"So, where was she for the hour and a half or so before she died?" I asked.

Ethan shrugged, "We don't know. Nobody was with her that we know of. All of her friends said they hadn't seen her that day. At least the ones we know about. And, all of them said they knew nothing about the heroin."

I frowned, "Well, the heroin thing isn't a surprise. What teenager would confess to that? Seriously, though, nobody knows where she was for the last hour of her life?"

Ethan shook his head, "No. We even checked her cell phone and there were no calls."

"Were there any calls at all that day on her phone?" I asked.

"Just the usual ones. A couple of her friends and I talked to them. They said nothing was wrong or weird," Ethan said.

"Texts?" I offered.

Ethan frowned, "No. She deleted them. My mom once read through her phone in high school and ever since then she never saved them."

"That sucks," I felt discouraged. "Her phone and its texts may have given us a real clue."

"Yeah," Ethan sighed.

"And nobody at the park saw her leave with anyone?" I asked.

"No. The last people she talked to at the park was the couple adopting the dog," Ethan said.

"Huh," I said, thinking. "Was she friends with any of the other Animal Shelter people?"

Ethan shrugged, "Not good friends that I know of, but I mean, she saw them a few times a week, so they were on okay terms."

"But none of them said they were with her?" I asked.

Ethan shook his head, "No."

"And the police didn't find anything in her car?" I had to ask.

"No," Ethan frowned. "Just the needle. Everything else was the same – just the stuff that was usually in her car."

"No finger prints?" I asked.

"I don't know. They just ruled it an overdose. I didn't see a report or anything," Ethan said.

"Not that they'd give us one," I smirked.

"That's probably true, but if we can get them to open the case back up, maybe they'll re-look at all of that evidence. We just need to get something that they missed. Something that seems really weird," Ethan said.

Liz was the only victim we had a detailed timeline on. Ethan knew all there was to know about it because he was family. It still didn't help us, though. We needed more to go on. Where was Liz the last hour of her life? Was someone with her?

"We'll find something. I know we will. So, do you want to tell me about her?" I asked. "What was she like? Anything that might help?"

Ethan took a shuddering breath and continued anyway, "Sure. She loved animals. Her grades weren't the best so she was going to Laurel Community College to get them up, so she could get into a good school that would get her into a veterinary college. They can be really hard to get into and she wanted it more than anything. She volunteered at the Palos Animal Shelter a few days a week after school and she had a job at Petsmart. Animals were her drugs, if anything. She had lots of friends and she had just started dating this guy she really liked, so there was no reason for her to..."

"Wait. What guy?" I asked, interrupting Ethan.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I mean I think his name was Mark. No, that's totally not it. That was the guy before this one. Uh, Travis? Or, was it Brent? Don?"

"You really have no idea, do you?" I asked.

Ethan was really concentrating. "I can't remember. I just thought it was another guy and it was a sorta new guy."

"We could check her phone," I offered.

"Yeah, but she has like three hundred contacts. Everyone she's ever met is in her phone. I checked. Maybe if I saw him. She did show me a picture on Facebook. They only went out for a couple of weeks before she died. It wasn't super serious or anything yet."

A thought was forming in my brain, "Was he at the funeral?"

Ethan thought for a moment, "No, I don't think he was. At least I didn't see him there. The whole funeral thing was a blur for me, though. The only person I remember being there is you, actually, because you ran away from me."

I grimaced, "Thanks. So, do you think there's any way he could be involved in this? Her semi-boyfriend?"

Ethan shrugged, "Sure, if he knew all of the other girls."

## Chapter 6: Sleuthing

That is how I ended up at Ethan Ripley's house, with nobody home, on a Saturday afternoon. Any normal girl would have been beside herself with nerves at being alone in Ethan's house, in his room, on his bed...

It was a large bedroom actually, bigger than mine, at least. I was surprised to see that he had a large bookshelf filled with books. I knew Ethan was smart and such, but he actually read for fun? Cool. There was a lot of science fiction on the shelves. I saw _Dune_ and _Ender's Game_ and Stephen King's _The Gunslinger_ series. He reads! It was super sexy to me. Other than that, there were no posters on the wall, just a few framed records spaced out decoratively – a Beatles album, a Clash Album, a Bob Dylan album, and a few others. There was a guitar lying against the bookshelf. Did Ethan play music too? Wow, I was impressed. He really was the perfect guy. Sigh.

I was struck again by being alone in his house with him. To even be close enough to him to see the inside of his bedroom was amazing. I never would have thought I would be here. And, I mean, butterflies were jumping around in my stomach, but come on, we were investigating a murder, romance wasn't going to happen. I'll admit to being slightly disappointed about that.

It's not like I planned it or like he even planned it, being alone in his house. His whole family was spending the day at his uncle's in a sort of get out of the house day. Since he had spent the day before with the family, Ethan had claimed plans and declined going. I was just excited that I had made the list of Ethan's plans.

The plan, as we were sitting together in his room alone (I loved being able to say that!), was to break into Liz's Facebook account and see if she and the other victims had any friends in common, most particularly Liz's boyfriend Ted or Brent or Travis or Bob or whatever his name turned out to be. We hoped to find that out from her Facebook emails as well, since her status was a non-committed "In a Relationship" without the subject of the relationship's name.

Ethan was lying on his bed, eyes trained on the Facebook computer password screen that was visible on his laptop. I was lying next to him, trying not to think about how close his entire body was to mine.

I distracted myself by looking through Liz's phone again. She did delete all of her texts and her contacts list was an eon long. Her missed, received, and dialed calls were mostly girls that Ethan said were her good friends. He didn't think they had anything to do with it. There were three guys, though. One of them was probably her boyfriend – either Troy or Dylan or Max. None of them rang a bell for Ethan. I wanted to call up one of her friends or the guys, but Ethan had nixed that idea. Her friends were all really upset and nobody wanted to talk about murder. So, he wanted to hack into her  Facebook instead. If we could get in, I was all for it. Besides, it meant I got to hang out with Ethan a little longer, in his house, alone.

"I know it has something to do with Paws," Ethan said, still staring at the screen.

The dog, Paws, was lying at the foot of Ethan's bed, fast asleep. He was a cute little guy, a Boston Terrier, who had lost an eye and wound up in the shelter. Liz had felt sorry for him and didn't think he'd get adopted, so she took him home, ignoring her family's no pet rule. Ethan said it took them less than twenty-four hours to fall in love with the dog too and throw out the rule. Doesn't sound like a girl who would OD on heroin, does it?

"Yes!" Ethan yelled.

I turned away from Paws, to look at the screen. Ethan was into Liz's account.

"It was ilovepaws, if you can believe it," Ethan grinned and then seemed suddenly sad as he said, "So totally Liz."

Liz's home page was up on the computer screen. She had two new messages. Ethan clicked on the inbox icon. Two messages appeared. One was from a guy, Troy, the other from a girl, Vanessa, both dated the Sunday Liz had died. Liz had never gotten the chance to read them. The rest of the inbox was empty. She must have deleted her messages as she read them, just like the texts.

Ethan was smiling, "Jackpot! It's him! His name is Troy Matthews!"

Ethan clicked on the message from Troy:

Hey, Liz!

It was great just talking the other night. I'm glad we did. I can't wait to see you again! Call you later.

<3, Troy

"That doesn't seem weird or anything," I commented after reading the email over Ethan's shoulder. "But that doesn't rule him out, either."

Ethan nodded and clicked on the message from Vanessa:

Liz -

When you get a chance I really, really, really need to talk to you. Called you, but it went straight to voicemail. Thought I'd see if you were online. Call me!!!

- _Vanessa_

"Now that's interesting. She's not on the missed calls," I said looking at Liz's phone again.

"Her phone must have been off," Ethan said after a moment.

"That doesn't help. I wonder what the big deal was. Do you know Vanessa Martin?" I asked Ethan as I peered at her picture. I knew I had never met her. She probably went to Laurel Community College too.

"No. She must've been one of Liz's college friends. They didn't really come over, like her high school friends did. It wasn't cool to hang out here, if you know what I mean. Not that it is now either, but I have nowhere else to go. A lot of her new friends have their own places," Ethan shrugged.

"I really wonder what Vanessa wanted to talk to Liz about," A thought popped into my mind. "Can we email her? I mean, not from Liz's account because that might creep her out, but maybe from yours?"

"And just ask her what she needed to talk to Liz about?" Ethan sounded doubtful.

"Yeah, I mean, if she knows something, maybe she'll tell you. Play up the grieving brother," I offered. "It can't hurt. Worst thing, she'll say is no."

"What about Troy?" Ethan said, clicking back to Troy's message.

"I don't think we should email him...yet." I stared at Troy's message for a moment. "Actually, I have an idea. Can I?"

I reached for the computer and Ethan handed it to me. He sat up and looked over my shoulder as I went to Facebook's friend finder. I typed in the name – Olivia Reynolds. Her name popped up immediately and I clicked on her profile. I was looking for the mutual friends list and there it was - two friends in common, Troy Matthews and oddly enough, Suzie Whitsett, the girl my chemistry lab partner, Kyle Jones had a crush on.

"Okay, interesting. So, Liz and Olivia both knew Troy Matthews and Suzie Whitsett," I started.

"Wait are you thinking... Check out Melissa Kent," Ethan was unknowingly, holding a death grip on the comforter. "Troy has to know her too."

"Okay, okay, I'm checking her too, but do you know how Liz knows Suzie Whitsett? She's in our grade at school," I said, while typing in Melissa's name.

"The quiet girl? I think they volunteered at the animal shelter together or something. Liz took me to an animal adoption at the park once and introduced me to Suzie. I only remember because I had seen her in school, but had never actually heard her speak before," Ethan said, staring at the computer screen.

"You know, you can be really arrogant," I said, without thinking, as the results popped up.

Ethan turned away from the screen to look at me, "What?"

"Suzie's a really nice girl and really smart. She's just shy. You need to learn to get to know people before you judge their entire personalities," I don't know what was wrong with me. I was telling off the most popular guy in school for not taking the time to figure out that the quiet girl is just shy.

"Like you?" he asked, watching me.

I ignored the question and turned to look back at the screen and Melissa Kent and Liz O'Reilly's common friends. I felt Ethan look at me for a moment more before he turned to look at them too.

There it was, only one friend in common – Troy Matthews, Facebook friend to all three of the alleged murder victims. Coincidence? I think not. Although, one would think he'd delete them from his friend's list after he murdered them, but I guess not.

## Chapter 7: Finger-Pointing

It took me awhile to calm Ethan down. Although, it was an excellent lead, just because Troy knew all of the dead girls, didn't mean he had killed them.

"We can't just go to the police and accuse Troy," I reasoned with Ethan. "They're not going to believe us. Haven't you seen like every horror movie? Nobody believes teenagers."

Ethan looked at me with frustration and pointed at the computer, "But it's right there! He knew all of them! What more evidence do we need?"

"A motive?" I volunteered.

Ethan shook his head, "Let the cops figure out a motive."

"Look, I admit it's suspicious, but there has to be more," I argued.

Ethan shook his head, but I could see that he was at the very least, calming down. "I'm still going to the police. They have to know about this. All we need to do is get them to change their minds. We don't actually have to solve the case."

"I know, but I still think we need more," I said.

"But this is huge," Ethan replied. "He knew all of them. The cops have to know."

We had been arguing about this for the last half hour, so I nodded, realizing that I wasn't going to be able to dissuade him. I still didn't think we had enough to go on. It could be a coincidence. Troy could be a totally innocent guy, who just happened to have a lot of dead girl space friends. Still, I will admit, even I had a vague hope that the police would change their investigation from drugs to murder and that Troy's relationships to the victims might be a catalyst for that.

The Palos Police Station is a small police station. My guess is that most of their calls are about domestic violence and petty crime. I should have known that they wouldn't know what to do with a murder case even if it did fall in their laps.

"What can I do for you, Ethan?" Detective Dixon asked, leaning back in his desk chair as he took a sip of coffee from a steaming styrofoam cup.

Didn't he know that styrofoam was practically non-recyclable? What about saving the planet and all that? I didn't say anything, though, even though I was thinking it. We weren't here to save the planet, after all. We were there to stop more people from getting murdered and since I was the weird girl, we had agreed to let Ethan do all the talking. So, quiet, stay quiet, was the mantra I kept repeating in my brain.

Detective Dixon's office was a tiny cubbyhole in the Palos Police Department and it was littered with those empty styrofoam coffee cups. This guy liked his coffee...and killing the planet. Other than that, there were papers everywhere. For a small suburban town with no apparent crime, other than a triple murder labeled as drug overdoses, he looked like he might be a busy guy. And, okay maybe there was more than just domestic violence cases happening in the city of Palos. Maybe it wasn't the nice town it seemed to be. I know I had always felt safe there before, but maybe not so much now.

Ethan was in the middle of explaining the situation, when I tuned back into the conversation and out of my inner monologue, "So, what that boils down to is that we think my sister Liz, Olivia Reynolds, and Melissa Kent were all murdered. And, we think Troy Matthews might be involved. He knew all of the victims."

Detective Dixon had spent Ethan's entire explanation nodding, but he hadn't even touched the blank notepad and black pen lying on his desk, "You said they were Facebook friends?"

Ethan nodded, "Yes."

"Technically, aren't they all connected through their school? Isn't Facebook a social tool? For networking? It's possible that they all knew each other too, isn't it? Laurel Community College is a small school. A tight knit community college, if you will. Everyone knows everyone else and everyone's on Facebook. That's why these overdoses are such a tragedy," Detective Dixon had slipped into his procedural police voice.

It was obvious to me that he was thinking – ah, these silly kids, trying to play detective! I was no silly kid!

"They're not overdoses! They're murders!" I said and okay, maybe I said it a little too loudly, with a little too much emphasis, and totally out of the blue since I had just been sitting there quietly before this.

"And how are you involved?" Detective Dixon turned to me, "Besides being Mr. Ripley's girlfriend? I'm sorry, Miss..."

"Kait Lenox," I said, feeling frustrated.

"Miss Lenox," Detective Dixon continued, "I've worked for this police department for the last twenty years. We're checking these overdoses out, but for now, they're classified as drug related deaths. There's no evidence leading us to believe these girls were murdered."

"But we just gave you evidence!" Ethan cried.

"All based on how you feel about your sister and other girls in similar situations. It's a coincidence. It is very possible that the girls all had lots of friends in common. They may have even known each other. It's a very, very sad situation, but there is absolutely no evidence of anything more than drugs. Troy Matthews isn't a lead because there weren't any murders," Detective Dixon was trying to be compassionate, but it came out patronizing.

"What about looking into if he's a drug dealer or if they did drugs together or something?" I asked, just wanting them to check up on Troy in some way. I was getting really frustrated.

Detective Dixon frowned, "We'll keep an eye on him, but there really isn't any evidence that he's involved..."

"There's also this email from Vanessa Martin that Liz never got from the day she died," I said pushing a copy of Vanessa's Facebook email to Liz toward him.

He glanced at it quickly and said, "This doesn't say anything. Looks like she just needed to talk to her."

"Yeah," I kept pushing, "And then within hours of that email, Liz is dead. Maybe Vanessa knows something about that."

"We'll look into it," Detective Dixon nodded, but I didn't believe him.

Ethan was seething, but trying to hold his temper. I didn't even know him that well and I could see that Detective Dixon was frustrating the heck out of him. Detective Dixon was frustrating the heck out of me too and it wasn't even my sister that had died. I knew we were onto something. The police had to listen. I mean, what were Ethan and I going to do with this information? The law had to help us out and use it to find the murderer and then arrest them.

"At least check out Troy Matthews," I pleaded. I was suddenly afraid that we had blown our one and only shot with the police and solving Liz's murder. That would be a travesty.

Detective Dixon scrutinized us for a moment. I got the distinct impression that he was trying not to roll his eyes, while pretending to humor us, instead. Seriously. It was super annoying.

"Okay, okay, it's time for both of you to leave now. I have work to get done before I go home tonight," Detective Dixon gestured at the papers lying everywhere.

"Thanks for nothing, Detective Dixon," Ethan muttered, bitterly, as he stood up.

I didn't even bother saying anything as Ethan and I left the office.

"Can you believe that guy?" Ethan slammed his fist against the steering wheel of his car in frustration.

We were sitting in the Palos Police Department parking lot with the car off. Both of us were really disappointed with the police's treatment of the situation. I was sure Detective Dixon was a good cop, but in this case he was dead wrong.

"Not really," I said, leaning back into the passenger seat. I needed a nap. It had been a forever long day. "What do we do now?"

Ethan rested his head against the wheel then turned sideways to look at me in defeat, "I don't know. What can we do?"

"I don't know," I replied back. I didn't know. I mean, weren't the police supposed to investigate murders? Why were they ignoring this? I mean, even if we were only one percent on the right track, shouldn't they at least consider it? They were too busy looking for a heroin ring in Palos. Maybe there was one, but I was betting that in this case the drugs were being sold to someone in particular and that person was supplying and killing these girls.

We sat in the car in silence for a few more moments, the Palos Police Department like a window decoration out the front windshield.

"Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I just don't want to believe Liz did heroin. Maybe it was her first time ever trying it and it just ended up with her ODing. Maybe we should just leave it alone and let the police do their job like Detective Dixon said," Ethan looked tired again, as he leaned back against the driver's side seat.

It was hard to believe that just days ago we'd been complete strangers. Having spent an entire Saturday with Ethan, looking into Liz's murder had changed things. I felt braver, much braver, "I don't think giving up is the right thing to do. I think Liz was murdered. Melissa and Olivia too."

"But the police don't. They're the ones that count," Ethan let out an exasperated sigh, "What are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know!" I shouted. Yes, I shouted at Ethan Ripley, the most popular guy at school. "But we can't just give up. I think we have the start of something."

"I'm tired," Ethan sounded defeated. "I want to give up. I just have to accept the facts like my family and the police want me to. I just want it to be over. She's dead. There's nothing we can do about it now."

My cell phone broke off my annoyed retort. We couldn't give up. It was Anne from the Palos Video Store, "What's up?"

I listened. Oh no. I completely forgot about my shift at the store. "I'll be there in twenty minutes, Anne. I totally spaced. I am so sorry."

Ethan was staring at me as I hung up. "I need to get my car. I forgot about my shift at the video store."

Ethan nodded and started the car. He looked completely drained, "No problem. We'll be back at my house in five."

Ethan pulled away from the Palos Police Department and I felt him pulling away from me at the same time.

"But Ethan, what about Liz?" I asked.

He shook his head, "Forget about this whole thing. I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

I ignored his self-defeatist attitude, "Maybe we should investigate her death ourselves."

"Like we could make any difference," Ethan's voice sounded dull.

I remember how he felt. There was a period after my mom died that I felt the same way. Dull. Nothing mattered, at least not really. Ethan wasn't right in this case, though. Liz had been murdered! I was completely sure of it!

I wasn't going to let him get away with blowing Liz's murder off, "But don't you want to know that your sister wasn't a druggie? Even if we can't convince the police, don't you want to know?"

Ethan sighed, "I just can't think about this right now. I'm so tired."

He couldn't give up! I told myself to calm down. Ethan was under a lot of stress. He could sleep on it. Besides, I had to go to work and there was nothing more we could do tonight, "Maybe you just need to get some rest. We can talk more about it tomorrow."

Ethan snuck a glance at me with a resolved look, as he continued driving, "I'm done looking into it. We don't need to talk about it tomorrow."

That was a total blow off if I could say so myself. Ethan was basically telling me that he'd used me for what he needed me for and he didn't need me anymore. And, maybe I was ignoring the fact that he was obviously depressed and for good reason, but I couldn't help it, I felt suddenly really angry, "Well, you're welcome. I'm so glad I spent the last two days doing research for you into your sister's death. Now that I'm convinced that she was murdered, I am so glad you are convinced that she simply overdosed. Fine, leave me with the guilt of knowing that there's going to be a next victim. Fine, Ethan, fine."

And, we proceeded to drive back to my car and his house in silence, as we both pondered my statement, each angry with the other.

Thus, I spent Saturday night worried about getting fired from my part time video store job over a popular jerk, who I had spent a perfectly good free weekend day trying to help. I was over an hour late to work and worse than that, Ethan and I hadn't spoken a word since my rant. Even when we parted ways, he hadn't said so much as a thank you. So much for the hope that he might say "hi!" to me in the halls when we returned to school on Monday.

Anne was cool, though, about my job. It was the first time ever that I had been really, really late. Although, she did warn me that I should make sure it never happened again. It wouldn't. I mean, it's not like Ethan was going to be distracting me from my responsibilities again or anything.

Anne left after chewing me out. Even though she was really nice about it, it was still a chewing out. I hoped it would never happen again and it probably wouldn't. I was usually a very good employee.

It was Courtney Lewis and I watching the store tonight. We got along in that way where you get along without really talking. It was how I related to most other people actually.

That was why it was kind of funny that Anne was out the door for about thirty seconds when Courtney looked at me and said, "So, where were you?"

"I forgot I was working," I said automatically, not looking at her, worried that my face would turn red because I was lying. I pretended to dig in my purse for my book instead.

I found the book and looked up to find Courtney still watching me, "Uh-huh. So, tell me about the guy."

"What?" I feigned, feeling suddenly worried. I knew it wasn't any of Courtney's business and all, but I wasn't good in social situations as it was, so pressuring me to admit to a lie threw me for a loop.

"The guy you were late for? It's so obvious," Courtney was watching me, wanting to hear my gossip for some reason.

If I'd known Courtney better, maybe I would have gossiped to her about my crush on Ethan, but we never talked. I couldn't just come out there with it. I mean, Courtney was older than me by about three years, in college, and she might have more experience on that front than I did, but I just couldn't trust her. Ariel had made me very, very weary of girlfriends and the damage they could inflict if you trusted the wrong one. I had trusted Ariel with everything and she had used it to try to destroy me. Not cool.

And then it hit me. Courtney was in college, Laurel Community College to be exact. Maybe she knew something about the overdoses, er, murders. She could be an in. Of course, I was totally ignoring the fact that as of this moment, I was off the case, but whatever. I couldn't just leave it alone. No matter what Ethan wanted to do, I was already involved.

I faked a smile or maybe it was real because I was thinking about Ethan, "Well, it's this college guy..."

Courtney grinned at me, "A college guy? Where does he go?"

"To your school. Maybe you know him? Troy Matthews?" I asked, hoping I looked dreamy eyed and in love, and that Courtney knew him.

Courtney shook her head, "No, I don't know him. How'd you meet him?"

I thought for a moment, "I was checking out campus, I might go there, and he walked up to me, but anyway, I found out that he dated one of the girls that overdosed and now..."

Courtney looked at me wide-eyed, "Which one? It wasn't Melissa Kent, was it?"

"Why? Did you know her?" I asked, not really answering her question on purpose.

"Not super well, you know, but I do remember my friend who was like friends with her from church group talking about her and a guy," Courtney started. "But I don't remember his name for sure. It could have been a Troy."

"What happened?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, Sandy was just telling me that this guy was totally into Melissa. He was an art major and making all this cool stuff for her. It was his way of doing the whole romantic thing. Anyway, she so wasn't into him – I mean she wouldn't even kiss him, but for some reason she kept going out on dates with him."

"She wouldn't kiss him?" I asked.

Courtney nodded, "No. And, don't get me wrong, if she doesn't like him she doesn't have to kiss him, but it's just a kiss, you know? If the guy takes you out a few times, kiss him, maybe you'll be into him after all. I mean she kept dating him and it's not like it's anything big. It's a kiss."

"That's weird," I said.

"Yeah. It broke them up. He was so into her, but come on, he's a guy. Give him a kiss at least, if you want to keep him around. Anyway, she was such a straight edge. So weird she OD'd," Courtney said. "So, you think this is the same guy? I mean, it's not his fault she did drugs or anything. They were broken up when she died by like at least a couple weeks."

I nodded, "Probably not."

Courtney nodded and then seemed to want me to continue talking about Troy. I didn't know what else to say, so I said, "Okay, I'm going to go restack DVDs."

I grabbed the pile of returned DVDs from the inbox and walked away from Courtney, thinking about what she'd said about Melissa. If the guy Courtney had mentioned was Troy, would Troy have killed Melissa just because he could never have her? Troy definitely needed to be investigated.

Ironically enough, as I was resolving to continue on with the case with or without Ethan, Vanessa Martin was dying.

## Chapter 8: Inspecting

I didn't know about Vanessa Martin until late Sunday night. She had been dead over twenty four hours before I even learned about her death.

Sunday, I had spent my day reading and doing homework. It has to get done sometime, even between work, guys, and murder mysteries. I did make a quick trip to Wired to get a comforting peanut butter banana milkshake (heaven on earth!), but otherwise I stayed in. I ignored all things murder and buried myself in the second _Twilight_ book, _New Moon_. I'm a Team Jacob fan, so it was my favorite book, since Jacob got a lot of Bella/Jacob time in that one. Homework took a back seat to reading, but I got it done too.

I hadn't turned on a television, read the paper, or checked my Facebook all day, when my cell phone started ringing. I thought it was Anne from work, calling me in for the Sunday night shift, but I was surprised to see the name Ethan Ripley pop up on the caller ID instead. We had exchanged numbers days ago on that Thursday night when he came to the video store. I had never really thought he'd need to call me for any reason. I thought it was one of those – I'll delete ya' later phone number exchanges. I guess not. Cool.

So, here was Ethan, calling me on a Sunday night at 6:23 pm. Should I answer? I was supposed to be mad at him, right? Could I stay angry at the most popular guy in school forever? Even when he was calling my cell phone? What if he was calling to apologize? Or ask me out? I answered on the second ring.

"Hello?" I asked, like I didn't know who it was.

"Kait?" Ethan asked, like he didn't know it was me even though he was the one calling me. Figures.

"What's up Ethan?" I asked, trying to sound light and carefree when all I really wanted to know is why he was calling me in the first place.

Ethan sounded almost ghostly on the phone line, "Kait, Vanessa Martin was found dead in her bedroom from an overdose last night. There's been another murder."

"I'll be over in twenty minutes," I said and hung up the phone, already getting my things.

I had to get to Ethan's house. I didn't even remember driving there, I was in such a daze. Poor Vanessa Martin. I felt guilty. If only we could have done something more to prevent her death. If only Detective Dixon had listened to Ethan and me! Her death could have been prevented! We had printed her email out and everything for him! Even though she hadn't talked about Troy, her message had been urgent, so it could have been a clue too. But, no, Detective Dixon had barely even looked at it! We could have saved her. If only.

And what had Vanessa needed to talk to Liz about? Had she been murdered for that information? Ethan was supposed to have emailed her to ask, but I had no idea if he'd gotten around to it after our disastrous efforts at the police station on Saturday. Now, it was too late to find out what Vanessa knew and why she had felt like it was such an urgent matter.

I pulled up to Ethan's house and realized that I had invited myself over to his house, without really asking. I only realized this because his house was ablaze with light. It looked like the whole family was home. Did Ethan want me to come in and meet his family? I wasn't so sure. I also felt really, really nervous all of a sudden. I was afraid to meet them.

I sat in my car, pulled my cell phone out of my purse, and dialed. Ethan answered on the first ring, "Hey."

"I'm sitting outside your house," I said, glancing at his house, toward where I thought his window might be. A dim glow emanated from it.

"Come on up. I'll be right down to meet you," I could hear the springs from his bed moving, like he was getting up to head downstairs.

"Your family..." I started.

"It's okay. Don't worry. They don't know what we're doing. I'll just say you're a friend. I have friends over all the time," Ethan said, hanging up.

He had friends over all the time, huh? How many girls was he dating? Was I ready to meet his family? I mean, we were just friends. Were we even that? Wait. Had Ethan Ripley just called me his friend? I got out of the car and walked up to the house, curious to find out the status of our relationship.

"Hey," Ethan said, opening the door, just as I was about to ring the doorbell.

His hair was wet, like he had just gotten out of the shower. It was more curly than wavy when it was glistening with water. Was it possible for him to get more hot? I think not. I walked past him into the entryway. I could hear the murmurs of a little girl talking in the kitchen and a television on in the family room, down the way. I glanced at Ethan, unsure how to proceed. Did his parents let him just bring girls up to his room on Sunday nights? Did I have to meet them first?

"I already told them I had a friend stopping by. They'll leave us alone," Ethan shrugged, guessing my question.

I walked in and he shut the door behind me, before he started heading up the stairs to his room. I hoped his parents didn't think what I think they were thinking. I wanted to create a good impression, you know, just in case. Then again, being that none of them saw me walk in, maybe they just thought I was a guy. Maybe. Was it wrong to sort of want to meet his parents now? Wait a second. Or, was Ethan embarrassed of me? Was that a possibility? I shook my head to clear it. We were investigating a girl's death. Priorities.

As we walked up toward Ethan's room it occurred to me that there was one thing I wanted to do before we went to his room to discuss strategy. It was something we hadn't done the last time I was there, "Can I see your sister's bedroom?"

Ethan looked at me for a long moment before he nodded and walked to the other end of the hallway.

Liz's room was decorated with pictures of Paws and other animals. She also had a bookshelf in her room, but although hers had a few books, there were a ton of animal figurines that she must have collected since she was a kid.

Ethan seemed uncomfortable, "It feels really weird to be in here now."

"I know," I nodded as I looked around. It took awhile for my dad and me to even box up my mother's things. Who knew how long it would take for Ethan and his parents to pack up a sister and daughter.

We were quiet as we looked around the room. Ethan just glanced, but I moved forward and into the room, to take a closer look. I wasn't thrilled about rummaging through a dead girl's things, but it had to be done. Maybe there was some kind of clue in here. Maybe she had noticed something weird about Troy. Or maybe she had left some kind of clue about her murderer. Or, if the police were really right, maybe she had a stash of heroin in her underwear drawer.

I actually wasn't sure what I was looking for in Liz's room. I just wanted to be thorough. I was hoping a clue would jump out at me. Liz was the one girl we actually had access to – her life was an open book because of Ethan. We could actually go into her room and not be breaking and entering. The other girls – Olivia and Melissa and now Vanessa, were not easily accessible, except for what was on the internet. I couldn't imagine going up to their mothers or siblings or even friends as strangers, interrogating them, and asking about their deaths. I had already thought about it and dismissed it. They wouldn't talk to Ethan or me about it on their own and it could take eons for us to somehow ingratiate ourselves into their lives. Girls kept dying. Wasting time was not an option. Liz was our best lead for clues. So, we needed to be thorough with Liz.

"Did she keep a diary or anything?" I asked as I opened a drawer full of pens, erasers, pencils, paper clips, staples, and all the usual school supplies.

I kept a diary sometimes. It was really sporadic and totally eighth grade, but when I really needed to get something out, I used it. It was currently hiding underneath my mattress where I knew my dad would never look. I know I wasn't the only girl with one either. If I remembered correctly, Ariel had a diary too – with Princess Jasmine on it from _Aladdin_ – and kept it hidden in a shoebox in her closet. Ariel had made me privy to that secret when we used to be best friends. What I wouldn't give to read up on her secrets now. Not that I'd use them against her or anything. I don't think.

Ethan was still standing at the doorway watching me look around. He seemed almost afraid to enter the room.

He shrugged, "When we were kids I think she had one, but I have no idea if Liz has a diary now. She wouldn't have shown it to me, that's for sure."

"But I thought you guys were close?" I asked, although even if I had a brother I really, really liked I wouldn't have shown him my diary either.

"Yeah, most of the time," Ethan nodded.

"Most of the time?" I opened another drawer. It was full of notebooks and papers.

"Well, I mean she was my sister. She could be a real pain sometimes," Ethan said. "She took forever in the bathroom and she could be so self righteous about her causes. I mean she was probably right and all, but sometimes it drove me nuts how I did everything wrong."

"That makes sense," I said as I picked through the papers in the drawer, but it was mostly schoolwork, junk mail for credit cards, and nothing of interest. I picked up her mattress. Nothing there. I turned toward her dresser. That would be the next place I'd probably hide something, as typical as that is. I riffled through the drawers as Ethan watched me quietly. And, bingo! There it was, underneath a stack of tank tops. I had found Liz's diary.

Ethan's room was only lit by the dim glow of his desk lamp. The towel he must have just used was damp and draped across the back of his desk chair. His guitar was lying on his bed. I wished I could hear him play sometime. Maybe I'd ask, one day.

I had Liz's diary in my hands. It was more than halfway full, so it was going to take me a little while to read. Ethan didn't want to read it. I understood. I'd be reading her most private, innermost thoughts once I read it and for Ethan that would be exceedingly painful right now. I was going to go through it at home and let him know if I found anything relevant. I'll admit, I was dying to read it. Right now, though, we had to decide what to do about Vanessa Martin.

Ethan walked over to his computer and sat down at his desk, motioning me to sit down on his bed, "My mom told me about Vanessa. She had gotten a call from a neighbor who had gotten a call from a friend. Vanessa's family didn't really want it to get out about the ODing on heroin. I can understand that. People look at you differently if they think you missed out on the fact that your kid is doing drugs. I know how that goes."

"So, she died of a heroin overdose too?" I asked as Ethan logged into his Facebook account.

"That's what my mom heard and that they found Vanessa in her bedroom in her parent's house, but there's more. I think Vanessa emailed me probably within an hour or two of her death, getting back to me about that email I sent her about Liz," Ethan pulled up his Facebook inbox and sure enough there was an email from Vanessa sent Saturday at 5:12 pm.

He clicked on the link and we sat there in silence as I read the last email Vanessa Martin had probably ever sent:

Ethan –

Yes, I was friends with Liz. We had a Biology class together. I'm really sorry about her. That email was only really meant for her. I just wanted to talk to her about the guy she was dating. Forget about it. It's not important now.

-Vanessa

"It's not important because Liz is dead anyway?" I thought out loud.

"Doesn't sound like someone who ODed on heroin an hour or two later, does it?" Ethan was still staring at the words in front of them.

"Do you think she's talking about Troy Matthews?" I asked.

"Definitely," Ethan nodded.

"Who is she friends with?" I asked looking more closely at Vanessa's profile.

Ethan scrolled through Vanessa's friends. Troy was not among them, but neither was Melissa, Olivia, or Liz. That was interesting. Although, maybe not if Vanessa had dated Troy and broke up with him or something. Still, you'd think that maybe she and Liz would have been Facebook friends.

"Weird," I said. "She's not friends with any of them or even Liz. At least not Facebook officially."

"Maybe Vanessa deleted Liz after she died," Ethan offered, pushing back his chair and sitting to face me.

"Maybe," I said, even as I made a mental note. Most people used a deceased person's Facebook page as a way to talk to them and remember them. If my mom had made a Facebook page, I would probably still be writing on it.

Ethan was looking at me contemplatively. From where I was sitting on the bed, our knees were almost touching. The dim glow of the computer and the desk lamp cast a light shadow on Ethan's face. His chin had some stubble on it. He hadn't shaved after his shower.

Ethan's blue eyes met mine, "I changed my mind. If the police don't want to investigate Liz's murder, I do. I think Troy Matthews is our number one lead. All the dead girls knew him. Maybe they were all dating him. Maybe that's his motive. Some sick and twisted love thing – like an I'm the only one who can have these girls or they die kind of thing."

I nodded. Troy Matthews definitely needed to be investigated.

Ethan continued and took my hands in his, "I understand if you don't want to get involved. You've been amazing so far, actually..."

I was too busy feeling what it felt like to have Ethan hold my hand, to completely focus on what he was saying. His hands felt smooth and warm enveloping mine. The butterflies were going insane in my stomach. I pulled my hands out of his, needing to focus on what he was actually saying. I'm sure I'd regret it later. I should have just enjoyed it while I had the chance. I don't know why I kept letting my mind get in the way of my hormones.

I interrupted Ethan before he could go on talking about why I wouldn't want to get involved. It was best not to think about the downside of getting involved in a murder investigation, "I want to help you find out what happened to Liz. I'm in."

"Really?" Ethan's eyebrows rose.

"Really," I said seriously. "And, I know just where to start."

"Where?" Ethan was looking at me intently.

A zillion thoughts were going through my brain, but I knew that one thing was crucial to our investigation and we had to start there, "Vanessa Martin's funeral."

## Chapter 9: Inquiring

I had a hard time sleeping on Sunday night after I left Ethan's. We stayed up until almost midnight talking. Yes, I'm serious. Still, it's not like we were making out or anything. Not that my dad cared. He was a little mad that I had gotten home so late.

"Kait Lenox, where have you been?" My dad said as soon as I walked in the door at 12:15 am on a school night.

I never did that. I think we were both shocked, so I said, "Out."

I went to my room and that was the end of it. I wasn't about to tell him I was with a boy. If I told him that he wouldn't have believed me that nothing happened even though it's totally true. Now that I think about it, it was a little weird of my dad to let it go that I was out so late with no good reason. He definitely wasn't as mad as he should have been. He should have followed me back to my room and demanded an answer. Then he should have yelled at me and grounded me. He didn't, though. Maybe he thought I had made a friend or something and was happy about it. Parents are weird like that.

Any disapproval on my dad's part was worth it, though. Ethan and I had spent the night making plans for attending Vanessa Martin's funeral. There was an online obituary already up and the wake was Monday night from 3 pm to 9 pm. Ethan and I were going to go right after school. I coached Ethan a little on funeral crashing, since I had been to so many. He had only ever been to his sister's and except for remembering talking to me, the whole thing was a big blank for him. We were going to pretend to have known Vanessa through Liz, if anyone asked. We were hoping Troy Matthews would make an appearance. We were really, really hoping for more good leads.

There were definitely other leads that I wanted to follow too. I had a list. I still wanted to talk to Suzie about Liz and Olivia Reynolds. I was going to do that during school on Monday. Maybe I could get Kyle to join me and at least introduce him to Suzie. It would be like multi-tasking. Hey, if Ethan and I could be semi-friends, Kyle had an awesome chance with Suzie.

The other lead we had to follow up on was definitely Troy Matthews. And if he didn't show up to Vanessa's funeral, Ethan and I needed to find a way to talk to him. The trick there would be not to spook him especially if he was the killer. Neither Ethan or I wanted to end up dead just because we said the wrong thing.

And then there was the thought of having set plans with Ethan for a third day in a row. I was starting to get cocky about it. I mean if Ariel was going to Homecoming with him, maybe Ethan was just taking her to the dance. Maybe it didn't mean that they were dating too. When did he have time? You know? Ethan had spent almost the entire weekend with me. And, okay, a dance is way more romantic than investigating a murder together, but still, the amount of time spent with someone counts for something, right?

The first lead, I was going to follow, though, was reading Liz's journal. I opened it to the first page dated about four months ago.

May 23

Today's my birthday. Happy birthday to me! For this year, I want to: save money to go to Paris, get into a good college, see my first Cubs game, teach Paws five cool tricks, and find a job working with a vet. It's going to be an awesome year, starting today!

I felt exceedingly sad as I finished that first journal entry. It was a short one on her birthday and Liz had so much hope for her future and only a few months later it was gone. I hope she had gotten to do at least a few of the things she had wanted to do. I kept reading. I learned more about Liz and her dreams, the mundane things in her life, volunteering at the animal shelter, her job, about some of her friends and her dog Paws, but there was nothing helpful, in terms of the investigation (and no mention of drugs!), until I got to the last three entries.

August 10

I just met this great guy in my English class. His name is Troy Matthews. Hot, right? Liz Matthews, I can see it. Anyway, getting ahead of myself, he's an art major and he's probably as into art as I am into animals. And he's cute! He asked me out and we're supposed to go have coffee on Friday. I can't wait!!!! Wait, that is a date, right? Even though it's just coffee?

August 14

So, my date with Troy was amazing! We met up at Wired. He bought me a coffee, so it's officially a date since he paid. I even offered, but he said no. We talked all about his art classes and my work at the shelter and Paws. We had so much to talk about. He is the most amazing guy. He even showed me some of his artwork on his phone. He is really talented. I hope he asks me out again. I had the greatest time. We didn't kiss or anything, though. I did give him a hug when we walked outside, but he didn't try to kiss me. I hope he likes me.

September 1

I know I haven't written anything in the last two weeks, but things have been so great with Troy that I haven't even felt like writing. We've hung out almost every day. He's been so amazing. Now I do have something to write about, though. I don't know what to do. I have nobody to talk to. I got this email from a girl claiming to be Troy's girlfriend. She was really angry. He says that I'm the only one he's dating. She claims that he's her boyfriend. I don't even know who she is. She called herself Mary Shelly, like the writer of Frankenstein. I obviously don't think that's her real name. I don't know what to do. I want to believe Troy, but I don't know. I was so happy. Is he cheating on me?

The last entry was dated a little over a week before her death. Was Troy cheating on Liz? Who was the other girl? I thought back to what we already knew and my mind stuck on one thing - Vanessa Martin's email to Liz. Had that been about the other girl? Is that what she wanted to talk to Liz about? Was Vanessa Martin the other girl that Troy was dating and cheating on Liz with? Or did she know her? Regardless, it seemed that Troy was not the perfect person Liz had thought he was and to myself I thought, he's also not the person you'd want to be dating if you actually wanted to survive college.

I fell asleep after 4 am. So, I know I had bags under my eyes from lack of sleep when I rode the bus to school on Monday morning. I had spent ten minutes trying to cover them up. I had, in fact, dragged myself out of bed early despite my lack of sleep to try and look super cute for school. Usually I rolled out of bed and just went, with my hair still damp from a morning shower. Today, I pulled out my mom's old blow dryer and her curling iron and tried to do my hair in a style other than its usual boring straightness. I mean, I was knowingly going to spend part of the day hanging out with Ethan. It couldn't hurt for him to actually think I looked cute, right? Hopefully he wouldn't be too egotistical and think I was doing it just for him. I mean, maybe I was, but it's not like I really wanted him to know that. I wanted him to think I looked cute all the time, even if I had spent the last two plus years going to school with wet hair because I hated getting up early to actually try and do something with it.

Sadly, after all that prep time, I'm not really sure that my hair looked any different on the bus this morning. Sure it was dry for once and maybe it was slightly wavy from the curling iron, but not all that different. Maybe I should have straightened it instead. And I had bags under my eyes despite my attempts with cover-up. Maybe I could get a nap in during some point of the school day. Lectures could be excellent for putting one's mind to sleep.

I wasn't even going to see Ethan until after school, when I was meeting him at his car. Well, I mean, we might pass one another in the halls. We did also have the same lunch hour, but I don't think Ethan even knew that. He usually sat with his friends Dave and Mike and the whole popular crowd.

Would he say hi to me if he saw me? Or, at school, will I have reverted back to the weird girl that nobody who wants to be popular can talk to unless they're harassing her like Ariel?

I tried not to think about Ethan too much, even though my brain wanted to go there. Besides staying awake, my focus this morning was Chemistry class, fourth period. I wanted to get there early, so I could spend a few minutes talking to Suzie. The morning flew by and I don't think I heard a word the teachers in my classes said. I spent the time in my head planning out what I was going to say to Suzie. I didn't see Ethan at all, or thank goodness, Ariel. And, I didn't see them together hand in hand either. I hoped he wasn't dating her. He deserved better. Like me, I wanted to add, but come on, that's still just wishful thinking on my part.

The bell rang signaling the end of third period and I raced to Chemistry class, making it there in such record time that nobody else had even arrived yet. I sat down at my lab table and waited for people to filter in. It felt like eons, but was probably more like seconds before Suzie walked in and toward her lab table.

"Suzie!" I called, as she was about to walk past me.

Suzie turned and looked at me, paused, and then walked toward me, stopping near the chair Kyle would be sitting in, when he arrived. That is, if he didn't have a heart attack first, that Suzie was standing next to his lab table.

"What's up?" Suzie asked softly, hesitatingly.

I had decided that it was best to be straightforward, "How did you know Liz O'Reilly and Olivia Reynolds?"

Suzie's eyebrows shot up and she stammered, "W-w-why?"

I didn't mean to scare her, so I whispered, "I'm helping Ethan Ripley look into his half sister's death. He wants to understand what happened."

Suzie sat down in Kyle's empty chair and stared at me, wide-eyed, "But..."

I nodded, "I know. Weird, huh? But I'm just trying to help. He's really distraught and we started talking, long story, but Liz seemed like a nice girl and I'm sure Olivia was too. So, I'm just trying to help."

Suzie wasn't a gossip, but I didn't really want to get into my long story with Ethan because then I might also have to explain the whole funeral crashing thing...again. I didn't really want more people to think I was a total freak. And, I liked Suzie. Maybe one day we could be friends or something.

Suzie nodded back, "Liz was great. We volunteered at the same animal shelter. She was always telling me that I needed to talk more and not to be afraid of the popular people like her brother. That some of them, like him, were nice. Not like I was going to talk to him or anything. You really talked to Ethan Ripley?"

I smiled, there was nothing like an unpopular girl talking to a popular guy that helped two unpopular girls to bond, "Yeah. So, did you see anything to indicate that Liz was on drugs?"

Suzie shook her head, "No way. It was so weird and sad to hear that she overdosed. It was so not like her. She was really nice and she totally loved animals too."

It would figure that Suzie loved animals. She was completely the sweet girl. Just like Liz.

"Wait, you said you worked at the animal shelter?" I asked.

"Yeah," Suzie said.

I felt suddenly excited, "You weren't by any chance at the animal adoption for the Palos Animal Shelter at the park on the corner of 135th street and Moorpark a week ago Sunday, were you?"

Suzie thought about it for a moment, "Yeah, I was there."

This was huge. Suzie Whitsett was one of the last people to see Liz alive. Not that I thought Suzie had killed her, but she might have seen something. That last hour or so of Liz's life held the key to the whole mystery.

"Do you remember Liz being there?" I asked and held my breath.

Suzie nodded, "Yeah, I do. We talked between showing people our dogs."

I tried to contain my excitement, "What did you talk about?"

"Just stuff. Kind of about guys. She was telling me about her boyfriend Troy," Suzie said.

"What did she say about him?" I asked.

"Just that he had seemed so great and she still really liked him, but she thought that he might be dating someone else too," Suzie said. "Liz was really upset about it and not sure what to do. She really liked him."

"Did she say who she thought he was dating?" I asked.

"No," Suzie shook her head and then added, "She was asking me about Mary Shelly and the book _Frankenstein_ , though."

"Oh?" I asked. My interest was piqued.

"Yeah, I had been reading it like a month ago at the animal shelter and she wanted to know about it," Suzie said.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I told her about it," Suzie said.

That was a dead end. I took a different direction, "Did you see her leave that night?"

Suzie frowned, "Are you asking me if I'm the last person who saw her alive?"

I thought for a moment, "I don't think you are, but you're one of them. I'm just trying to help Ethan piece together the last day of his sister's life."

Suzie seemed to accept that, "Yeah, I saw her leave. We loaded our dogs back into the shelter's vans and walked to the parking lot together. I said bye and we got in our cars and drove away."

"And, she seemed totally fine?" I asked again.

"Yeah," Suzie said.

"And, there was nobody in the car with her?" I asked.

"No," Suzie said. "Why would there have been?"

"Just asking," I said, not wanting to tell Suzie that I was looking for a murderer and that she might have seen something important. Suzie seemed like the easily scared type, but maybe that was just because she was shy and known as the quiet girl.

"How about Olivia Reynolds? Did Liz know her too?" I asked, trying to connect any sort of dots between the victims.

"No, Jenna knew her," Suzie said.

"Who's Jenna?" I asked.

"Jenna volunteers at the animal shelter too, but only once a week. She introduced me to Olivia because I had mentioned wanting to learn how to sew. Olivia was teaching a sewing class from her apartment on Tuesday nights. She was a good teacher," Suzie smiled sadly.

"Was it a big class?" I asked, since that would give a large group of people easy access to Olivia's apartment.

Suzie thought for a moment, "About ten of us. Not super big."

"Any guys in the class?" I asked.

"No. It was all girls," Suzie said.

I tried again, "Anybody talk about Mary Shelley or Frankenstein?"

Suzie looked at me quizzically, "No."

I changed topics, "Random question, but would you say Olivia was the drug addict type either?"

"Not at all," Suzie said.

There was an obvious question that I had to ask, "So, were you in Olivia's class the week she died?"

Suzie seemed uncomfortable again, "Maybe."

"Suzie," I said.

Suzie gave in, "Fine. Yes, I was. Now that you're pointing this stuff out it just makes me feel like you think I had something to do with Liz's and Olivia's deaths. I mean I was at those places, but so were a lot of other people."

"I don't think you had anything to do with their deaths. I promise," I offered. "I'm just trying to piece things together. Was there anything at all weird that happened in Olivia's class that week?"

Suzie thought about it. "It was awhile ago, but I don't remember any fights or anything if you're asking. As to weird, well, there were definitely a wide mix of people in the class, but that's about it."

"So, nobody with a grudge or anything against Olivia, though?" I asked.

Suzie shrugged, "Not that I know of. Then again, if they hated her, why would they pay to take her class, you know? Still, I didn't know Olivia super well. I'd only taken a few classes with her."

"Okay," I contemplated all of this. There weren't really any new leads from Suzie. I was disappointed.

"Wait," Suzie said, "There is one other thing I remember Liz saying."

"What?" I asked.

"Well, it was right at the end of the day, but she said that she was going to meet up with Troy to talk," Suzie looked suddenly worried.

I felt a sudden surge of energy. Bingo! Troy was very easily the last person to see Liz alive. Now, that was finally a lead.

"She said that?" I asked, wanting to make sure.

"Yeah, I guess she changed her mind and didn't think he was cheating anymore. She said things had changed. I don't know how, but they texted a few times while we were at the park," Suzie said.

If only Liz had saved those texts! It was frustrating. They could have proved Troy was the murderer or at least placed him with Liz at the time of her death.

Kyle interrupted us. I would have been mad at him, except that he looked so happy. His cheeks were flushed and he only had eyes for Suzie, "Hi Suzie."

Suzie looked up at him, smiling shyly. "Hi Kyle. I'm sorry, I'm in your seat."

I just looked between them, unsure what to do. I wanted to keep questioning Suzie, but the awkwardness of potential romance was getting in the way. Plus, I was kind of rooting for the romance. Kyle and Suzie seemed like they'd make a pretty cute couple.

Suzie started to get up and scramble for her things as Kyle tried to keep her from running away, "It's okay. The bell hasn't rung yet."

They looked at each other awkwardly, each not knowing what to say next. I decided to save them from themselves. Suzie and I were pretty much done talking anyway. Maybe I was feeling brave for Kyle, being on speaking terms with Ethan Ripley now and everything, so I said, "Hey Suzie, going to the Homecoming Dance?"

Kyle turned pale. Suzie turned red, but answered looking straight at Kyle, "Not yet. I don't have a date."

## Chapter 10: Power Lunching

I could have kicked Kyle. Suzie gave him the best lead in ever and he blew it by saying the following words, "Oh, that's nice."

I mean, dude, the girl you have a massive crush on tells you she doesn't have a date to the dance, well, maybe you should take that as a lead in and ask her. Poor Suzie, I actually think she was hoping he'd ask her too, the way her smile faded after that. Then they just stared at each other in silence. I didn't know what to do. Thank goodness the bell rang and saved us all from more horrendous teenage awkwardness.

I managed to chew Kyle out in whispers while working on our Chemistry experiment. He was just quiet about it. I know Kyle totally knew he had messed up. I did notice poor Suzie looking over at us all during class, so maybe all hope wasn't lost. He just needed a swift kick in the butt.

"So, what were you and Suzie talking about anyway?" Kyle asked as we started to set up for our latest Chemistry experiment.

"Just girl stuff," I said vaguely, not wanting to get into details about Ethan Ripley.

"Oh, okay," Kyle went back to concentrating on the experiment, not even trying to get more details out of me.

We were quiet for a little while as we each measured liquids for our experiment. I was thinking about what Suzie had said, the murders, and heroin overdoses.

"Hey, Kyle," I said after a few moments.

"Yeah?" He was carefully pouring into a beaker.

"What do you know about heroin?" I asked.

He almost dropped the beaker.

"What?" he whispered, looking around for the teacher.

I repeated my question and added, so that he didn't think I was trying to buy some, "I know one of the girls who died at Laurel Community College and you're a science guy and all, so I thought you might know. It is a chemical substance."

"Well," Kyle started, "It was originally an over the counter drug by Bayer that they claimed was a non addictive substitute for morphine."

Kyle knew everything science related. He was my own personal Wikipedia. Still, I didn't need to know everything about heroin as a drug. I shook my head, "Well, actually what I wanted to know is, could you murder someone with it? I mean is that possible?"

"You mean injecting someone, like those girls?" Kyle thought for a moment. "Sure, you'd just need to have a needle ready and then inject them. Supposedly you don't even need to heat the stuff anymore, just add water and go. That's easy enough if you have a supply. After that, it would be quickest to inject a vein, but even intramuscular injection would only take about 5 minutes for the effects to happen."

"Then what happens?" I didn't want to ask, but I had to know.

"From what I've read, you feel a sense of euphoria and then your system slows down, particularly your respiratory system, your heart stops, then you die," Kyle looked somber.

"Okay," I said, feeling a wave of sadness as I thought about Liz and the other girls. It was so sad. My eye caught Suzie's, across the room. She was looking at us. It was time to change the topic anyway. If I thought about it, really thought about it all, I'd just feel depressed and I needed to be productive.

"She's looking over here again," I mentioned as we were getting ready to start mixing liquids.

Kyle looked over at Suzie and I thought I saw that "it" as his and Suzie's eyes met. I felt a pang. I wanted that. Too bad that they were both too shy to get it. Life could be so unfair.

I had lunch, finally, fifth period. I usually sat alone at a long lunch table. Sometimes a few people sat down a few seats away from me because there was nowhere else to sit. I didn't hang out with anyone in high school being the social pariah that I am, so I was used to eating lunch alone. I looked toward Ethan's table, but he wasn't there yet.

That's why I was shocked when Ethan sat down across from me. I didn't think he even knew we had the same lunch hour. I hadn't brought it up last night, because let's face it, I was meeting him after school. I didn't want to push my luck by asking him to have lunch with me too, in front of the entire, extremely judgmental, and peer pressure ruled student body, not to mention his friends, Dave and Mike.

I was minding my own business, eating cheese fries and a soda for lunch. I know it wasn't healthy, but I was in the mood for grease after the long weekend and barely any sleep. Besides, there's nothing like high school cafeteria cheese fries. Mmm, mmm, good. Although, nothing compares to the goodness of the peanut butter banana milkshakes from Wired. Have I mentioned that?

Anyway, I was working on creating an investigation notebook, so that Ethan and I would have a list of details about the murders in case we needed to look back on it. From all of the murder mystery movies I've seen on TV or read in books, there were usually a lot of interrelated details and sometimes it was just about finding something or really anything in common. I was trying to record exactly what Suzie Whitsett had said when I noticed that Ethan had sat down in front of me.

"Hey, Kait," Ethan said grinning at me. "I haven't seen you all day."

For a moment I thought I had somehow gotten myself into an alternate universe, like the _Twilight Zone_. It was surreal. First, there was Ethan sitting with me at lunch, like it was no big deal and then there was the phrase, "I haven't seen you all day" like he really was sorry we hadn't run into each other this morning between classes.

I wasn't the only one who wondered if we had entered an alternate dimension either. I could feel the looks and whispers of the tables around me, but for once I didn't let myself care what everyone was saying. Ethan having lunch with me rocked!

So, I curbed myself from saying the words, where is the real Ethan and what have you done with him and instead said, "I talked to Suzie in Chemistry."

"What did she say?" Ethan pulled a turkey sandwich out of the paper bag that was lying on top of his books, along with a bottle of water.

If I weren't trying to be all cool about hanging out with Ethan, I would have flipped out about how normal he was acting. Like he sat with me every day at lunch or something. Like it was no big deal that we were having lunch together. But, then again, I was acting normal. Normal, normal, normal. At least I hope I was.

So, I read back to him from what I had already written down in my notebook about what Suzie had said and elaborated on the rest from memory. He listened as he devoured his sandwich.

"Well, now we have proof that Liz was going to see Troy. He's there. We have him within the hour of her death," Ethan said excitedly.

"Well, I'm not sure," I said, sorry to disappoint him.

"What?" Ethan asked.

"Isn't it hearsay? I mean, Suzie says that Liz said that and that they texted, but nobody actually saw Liz and Troy together in that hour. And, her texts are gone. And, I doubt Troy is going to admit to being with her that night," I said.

"Then we have nothing," Ethan was disappointed.

"It's something, but it's just not enough. We didn't expect Suzie to give us much anyway. Still, maybe we can find out the names of the other people in Olivia's sewing class and talk to them? She did have one the week she died. Maybe someone other than Suzie remembers something weird," I knew I was stretching, but it was worth looking into if something else didn't pan out first.

We sat in silence for a few moments. I knew Ethan was disappointed that I didn't think Suzie's testimony would be enough to nail Troy for Liz's murder. Still, we both now knew that going to the police with anything short of absolutely solid proof of guilt would be a waste of time.

"Did you get a chance to read Liz's diary?" Ethan asked quietly.

I had forgotten about that. I nodded, "Yes and there was no mention of drugs or anything really interesting until the last few entries."

"What was it?" Ethan asked.

"Well, it's more for the Troy file for sure," I said.

"What?" Ethan asked again.

"Okay, Liz said she got an email from a girl who claimed to also be dating Troy. She never said who the girl was, though. And, it's the last journal entry, so I don't know if anything happened with her and Troy or her and the other girl after that. Well, except that Suzie said that Troy and Liz were making up, so maybe they worked it out," I said. "Although, if there is another girl, it actually makes things a little more complicated."

"Or not," Ethan said. "Maybe Liz and Troy had another fight about this girl, she threatened to break up with him for good, and then he decided to kill her. The whole if I can't have you, nobody can scenario. It could be his thing. A girl wants to break it off and he kills her."

"Or maybe the other girl has something to do with it or knows something," I said, trying to be subjective.

"Or maybe the other girl is dead too," Ethan said.

I thought for a moment, "What if the other girl was Vanessa Martin?"

Ethan looked thoughtful, "You mean the email she sent Liz? Well, then it brings it back around to Troy being the killer. It's definitely something. Now we just need something concrete to tie it all together."

"Yeah, but where do we go from here?" I wasn't sure how to proceed.

"I think tonight will give us some better leads. As morbid as it is, I'm really looking forward to funeral crashing with you," Ethan grinned.

I smiled back at him. It was definitely going to be an interesting night. Me and Ethan, the most popular guy in school, funeral crashing together. I never would have pictured that in a billion, zillion years and yet, it was really happening. It was almost like being in an alternate universe really, like on _Fringe_.

"Hey, E," Dave Rickerson said, suddenly standing at our table with Mike Finnegan.

I felt myself stare up at them in shock. What were we going to do? I felt the sudden panic of any geek when approached by the popular crowd for doing something socially outside the box. Here it goes, I thought. They were going to say something to Ethan and then he'd have to ignore me. It was the way high school worked. Someone popular didn't hang out with someone who was unpopular.

"Hey guys," Ethan said calmly, like it was no big deal.

"So, are you eating with us today?" Mike said, awkwardly.

I felt myself hold my breath. There was a definite strange and tense silence. I knew what they were really asking, but Ethan didn't seem to care or maybe he didn't notice.

"Nah. I have some stuff to talk to Kait about. Catch you guys in Spanish, though," Ethan said.

Dave and Mike nodded and quickly walked away without looking at me. I wondered what they were thinking. The whole school was going to be talking about me and Ethan having lunch now. They were all going to be wondering at his sudden interest in me. I mean, he rejected his best friends for me. I was the only one at our table who seemed to be thinking about this, though. Ethan didn't seem to care. He was eating his lunch like there was nothing out of the ordinary in having lunch with me, even though I was a total social pariah. They probably thought he had made a bet or something. Like in _She's All That_. That would be okay with me. That movie had a happy ending anyway. Geeky Laney Boggs got the popular guy. I could only hope for that outcome in my dreams. I didn't think Ethan would badmouth me or anything, though. He was turning out to be the real deal – popular, good looking, smart, and a nice guy. I almost wished that he wasn't.

So, let the school talk about me. It's not like I hadn't been there before. I didn't like it, but they weren't my friends anyway. And, it's not like our peers were ever going to guess what we were really doing. That would really give them something to talk about.

Just when I thought I was home free for the day on the Ariel front, she found me. I was at my locker gathering my things before I met Ethan at his car to go to Vanessa's wake and Ariel walked up to me demanding, "Did you and Ethan Ripley have lunch together today fifth period?"

The gossip train had worked fast. I put my Chemistry book into my backpack before I looked up at her. Ariel was standing there, hands on her hips, trying to look haughty in her designer, way too expensive for a school day outfit. I didn't have time for this today. Especially not when I was keeping Ethan waiting at his car. Okay, I had read _The Rules_ (for fun's sake only, I swear), so maybe it was good for him to wait a little. Still, that didn't mean I wanted Ethan to wait because I was being forced to talk to Ariel.

I decided to answer simply, "Yes, we did."

"Why is Ethan Ripley having lunch with you?" Ariel demanded. "Are you helping him with math or something?"

Ethan was smarter than I was at school. It was a funny statement and I felt a smile forming on my lips, "Because he wanted to have lunch with me."

"What? Why would he want to have lunch with you?" Ariel demanded, putting particular emphasis on the word "you" to emphasize her distaste.

With that, I slammed my locker shut despite the fact that I was supposed to bring my history book home to study for a quiz, grabbed my backpack, and left Ariel staring after me with her jaw open. At least, I hope her jaw was open. I was going for effect after all and it would only be worth flunking my history quiz if I really got to her. I think I did. At least I'm pretty sure, since she didn't even have the energy to follow me and ask me more questions.

Ethan was waiting for me outside next to his Honda Civic Hybrid. It was more blue than silver during the day. I liked that he was environmentally conscious, what with the hybrid and all. Okay, I'll admit it, I was looking more at Ethan than his car.

Ethan just always looked so good and yet, he looked even better in the suit he was now wearing. He had changed sometime after lunch into funeral garb, black pants and a white button down, although I could see a black jacket lying in the back seat of the car. It would be awesome if he started wearing suits to school every day. He looked really sexy in them.

I looked down at myself, hoping he was having an inkling of a similar thought about me. I was wearing a black skirt and form fitting black lacy shirt that I had changed into before last period. I had grabbed the shortest skirt I owned in fact, trying to be a little more sexy, at least. And, I thought my hair looked okay. At least it had in the bathroom mirror I managed to look into before last period. I was hoping the bags under my eyes had dissipated since this morning. There was no more cover up I could put on them without looking super powdery.

"Hey, Kait," Ethan said as I approached him.

My stomach exploded with butterflies, but somehow I managed to say, "Hey."

Ethan opened the car door for me and I felt my legs wobble a little as I got into Ethan's car. What was wrong with me? We were on a mission! Yet, I do admit that all of a sudden this sort of felt like a date. It was the whole chivalry thing, I thought.

I felt a little, no a lot, nervous all of a sudden. This was funeral crashing with a twist. I really hoped something would come out of it – major evidence or at least a clue would be nice. And, as we drove out of the parking lot, I also secretly hoped that someone, hopefully Ariel, would see me driving away in Ethan Ripley's car.

## Chapter 11: Funeral Dating

"I just threw up chunks," I told Anne via my cell phone as we drove to Worth Hills Funeral Home, where Vanessa Martin's wake was being held. Anne sympathized as soon as I said the word chunks and told me not to come in. I didn't ditch much, but I know how even saying the word chunks makes me feel, so I knew it would work.

I was ditching work for the funeral. I would have given Anne more warning, but since I went to school with three other Palos Video Store employees, I couldn't afford to. I did not have their loyalty. Again, I was risking my cushy part time job for the sake of Ethan Ripley. It felt worth it, though.

We got to Vanessa's funeral a little after 4 pm and I wasn't surprised to find that Vanessa Martin's funeral was a somber affair. How could it not be? She was another nineteen year old from Laurel Community College that had overdosed on heroin. Only, I got the impression that her parents were trying to keep everyone from talking about the h-word, but people were gossiping about it in hushed tones anyway.

As we walked into the wake, I suddenly felt Ethan's hand wrap around mine. I felt my pulse speed up at the touch of his hand. I hoped my palms wouldn't start sweating or anything really gross like that. My stomach started doing flips as his hand grasped mine a little tighter. Then I felt him looking at me. Oh yeah, we were supposed to be walking into the wake. I had completely forgotten what I was doing in the extreme bliss of holding his hand.

"You ready?" He asked.

"Uh-huh," I managed to mumble, trying to get my thoughts back into a coherent state.

It was all Ethan's idea, not mine, I swear. He wanted it to seem like we were dating. Yes dating, again, all his idea, although I admit to being really happy about having his warm, rugged hand clasped in mine...even if it was all just a charade. I mean, it felt real enough even if he wasn't doing it because he like liked me. I would take what I could get. It made sense actually, that we should be dating if we came to the funeral together. Then we only needed one reason for being there...instead of two.

The heart of funeral crashing is the entire experience. You need to throw yourself into the funeral, but not too much. After all, the goal is to crash the funeral without getting caught. One of the main things to do is to solemnly walk up to the casket and view the body. If one was a good actor, managing a tear is perfect. If not, looking sad is definitely enough. Don't smile. And, you don't want to wait and stare into the casket too long either. This makes any anxious family members think you're having some kind of a breakdown and they may get the urge to come over and hug you. If that happens, you better have a great story ready. A casual friend doesn't break down at a funeral and posing as someone's bff when you don't even know them, is tough.

So, our plan was in full swing. We were standing in front of Vanessa Martin's casket and peering in to look at her. She looked so young, with long brown hair cascading down the pillow she was lying on. She still looked youthful and full of life, just with her eyes closed. They did a great make-up job, as morbid as that sounds. If her eyes had been open, my guess is they would have been brown too. It was a sad waste. If only Ethan and I could have saved Vanessa this moment. I thought of Detective Dixon and his Styrofoam cup fetish and felt angry all over again. He should have listened to us! Maybe Vanessa Martin's death could have been prevented if the police had even simply looked into the theory we had given them. I mean, I had even shown them her email!

From the vantage point of the coffin, we were able to clearly observe Vanessa's immediate family. The immediate family – parents, siblings, and close relatives, were almost always sitting on the front couch in front of the casket. The woman that appeared to be Vanessa's mother was hanging on another woman, possibly her sister since they looked a little alike and, carrying on into her shoulder. Nobody else was sitting on the front couch. Maybe Vanessa's father wasn't in the picture anymore. I didn't see any siblings yet.

The rest of the room was full of the rise and fall of murmurs, as people carried on conversations in whispers. These were the relatives, friends, and neighbors mingling. Maybe one of them had some detail that would give us more to go on regarding Vanessa's death. There were a lot of them, though, and we'd need to be very careful trying to glean information from them. In no way could we interrogate anyone. Nobody wants to be interrogated at a funeral, especially if they're in mourning. The last thing we needed was a hysterical scene, so a lot of our information gathering would have to be done by observation and eavesdropping.

Ethan was pulling at my arm with his hand. I had lost myself. Yes, it was time to move away from the coffin before anyone took notice of us. My hand still in his hand, he led me to some chairs toward the middle back of the room. It was a perfect place to sit, relax, and unobtrusively listen in on the whispered conversations happening around us.

I strained to hear the hushed whisperings. I was only able to catch snippets here and there of people gossiping about what went wrong with Vanessa. Another girl lost to heroin, who didn't seem the type to do drugs in the first place. That was the general gist I got, at least, as I tried to listen in on people. It wasn't helping much with my concentration either that Ethan was still holding my hand. He even started absently rubbing my hand in his – like we were really going out.

"What are you doing?" I whispered before I had time to think about what I was saying. I mean, what was wrong with me? My stomach was doing excited flips. Ethan Ripley was not only holding my hand, he seemed into it!

"Oh, sorry, just trying to look like a couple," Ethan whispered back a second later, and fell back into just holding my hand in his.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, I scolded myself. What was wrong with me? I should just take what I could get. Would I ever learn to just go with it? Okay, I needed to go back to listening now.

It had to have been almost an hour since we arrived at the wake and my butt was falling asleep. It was more of the same for the last hour. Nothing interesting had happened. Most people were talking about the shock of it all. Nobody could believe Vanessa was gone.

People had come and gone, but I had spent the last twenty minutes listening to who I thought was Vanessa's elderly aunt, prattling on about all her ailments. She had started with her arthritis and was now complaining about a pain in her lower back when she walked. She was going to see the doctor next week.

Troy Matthews had not made an appearance yet, if he was even going to. We didn't know exactly what his relationship was with Vanessa anyway. If he wasn't expected to be there, he had good reason not to show up. I still hoped he would.

There were a few younger women, probably Vanessa's friends, wandering around in groups, but nobody odd or out of the ordinary. They all seemed normal enough. We had tried to make conversation with one group of them when they sat down next to us, but it was short lived – one of them kept tearing up and within minutes her friend had to lead her out of the room. It was really awkward and completely heartbreaking. They hadn't come back, so Ethan and I sat back down in our chairs.

Now, the old woman I had been eavesdropping on or Aunt Eileen, as the man next to her was calling her, was complaining about her stomach, "And, I just can't handle coffee anymore. It makes me sick. They couldn't have brought some 7-Up for me?"

Her companion was nodding and he was probably wishing he was somewhere else. My stomach growled. I was starving. Lunch seemed like a zillion years ago.

"Are you hungry?" I whispered to Ethan, whose eyes had glazed over.

"Hungry?" He whispered back, snapping out of the bored zone he had fallen into.

His hand was still holding mine. I hoped it wasn't sweaty or anything, my hand, that is. Even if his was, I could have held his hand forever if he'd have let me, "Yeah, my stomach is grumbling. Let's go check out the food."

"Food?" Ethan asked, as I pulled him toward the door, exiting the room.

There was almost always a room, from a kitchen to a living-type room, where some kind soul had brought cookies and other snacks. There was usually at least tea and coffee too, if not soda and water. I had been to this funeral home before and I knew there was a kitchen/dinette area right next to the restrooms.

Ethan followed me there in silence. This was a spot where people felt free to mingle and talk and it could be the best place for us to get some clues from Vanessa's friends and family, but it was also going to mean that we'd have to talk to people and risk getting caught. Still, there was food and I was starving. We had already claimed to be only Vanessa's acquaintances when we were talking to the girls in the other room. They had bought it. Hopefully, Vanessa's relatives would buy it too, if they spoke to us. I knew in all likelihood that they would, but there was always that small chance that freaked me out.

The kitchen/dinette area was crowded with people talking, eating cookies, and drinking coffee and tea. It had to be around 6 pm by now and dinnertime. Some people had probably been there all day, so it was prime snack time. I hadn't eaten since Ethan and I had lunch fifth period. I was starving. I glanced at Ethan, who must also have been hungry the way his eyes lit up at the sight of the snacks.

Ooo, they had cookies! There was chocolate chip, peanut butter, and snickerdoodles – heaven! I moved ravenously toward them and my butt was finally feeling blissfully awake. Thank goodness elderly Aunt Eileen and I weren't going to have any common ailments to talk about – I'm sure she had a thing or two to say about her butt, if she was asked.

I grabbed a plate and was starting to fill it with the yummy goodness known as peanut butter cookies, until I felt Ethan's body go completely rigid next to me. I looked up, followed his gaze, and almost dropped my cookies because standing next to the coffee pot, refilling her styrofoam cup of coffee and adding cubes of sugar, was the dead girl, Vanessa Martin.

## Chapter 12: Freaking

I blinked twice. I blinked again. She was still there. It took me a good sixty seconds to rationalize why it couldn't possibly be Vanessa Martin standing by the coffee pot getting a refill. I mean, come on, we weren't in a world like that book _Pride and Prejudice and Zombies_ for goodness sake. I had read that book a few weeks ago because one of my all time favorite books was _Pride and Prejudice_ and I thought it was hilarious to find out someone had thrown zombies into the classic. Not that zombies drink coffee. They eat brains and the look-alike Vanessa was definitely drinking coffee and not eating brains. And, come on, if Vanessa Martin was alive and well, why the heck were we having a funeral?

No, no, no. She had to be Vanessa Martin's sister. A twin sister by the freaked out expression that Ethan had on his face and I know had been matched on mine for the last minute. It wasn't like we could ask anyone – 'Hey, why does that girl look like Vanessa Martin?' either. It would totally give us away, hook, line, and super duper sinker, as in sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

Ethan was still staring, even though I had dropped my gaze back to the cookies on my plate. They were still there, alive and well. Phew. I looked back at Ethan, who was still gazing at the girl. I grabbed Ethan by the arm and led him to the other side of the kitchenette, near the doorway.

"Stop staring," I whispered as quietly as I could, hoping nobody was eavesdropping on us.

"But she looks just like her," Ethan spoke softly, tearing his gaze away to look at me.

"She has to be a twin or at the very least her sister," I rationalized. "I don't believe in identical cousins or people rising from the dead, at least outside of books and movies."

"It freaked me out for a second though," Ethan admitted and noticing my plate of cookies, grabbed one. "I thought I was seeing things."

"Me too. Here, hold this. I'm gonna find out," I said and handed Ethan my whole plate of cookies, as I headed toward Vanessa's twin.

As I came toward her, she was talking to a balding man in his late fifties. I reached for the coffee pot as I tried to listen in on their conversation.

"But, Jenna, do you think you'll be able to finish out the semester? Things were finally going so well for you, I don't think you should push yourself too hard," He sounded concerned.

"Don't worry about me, Uncle Bob. I'll be fine. I thrive under pressure," Jenna said, sipping her coffee and looking around.

I had poured myself a full cup of coffee and looked to stall, so I reached for the powdered creamer. I also added sugar cubes. I wanted to keep listening for at least another minute or two longer.

"You pushed yourself too hard last time. You and your sister. Take it easy," Uncle Bob urged.

"I'll be fine," Jenna said again and feigned a look out of the room, "I should go in. Mom will be wondering where I'm at."

"But, Jenna..." Uncle Bob started to say, but Jenna waved him away, already fleeing for the doorway.

I expected her to leave like she said, but instead I saw Jenna stop just before the exit, to talk to Ethan. Now, I was staring at her. Actually, I was staring at them. They almost made a cute couple, but I was actually thinking for a strange moment that Jenna looked to me like a black widow spider ready to pounce on Ethan. Still, maybe that was only because a huge pang of jealousy was coursing through me, watching Jenna talk to him. That, and Jenna was dressed all in black. I know black widow spiders also had a splotch of red on them, but whatever.

From this distance, Ethan seemed into her. He had his arm on the doorway and Jenna was leaning toward him. I knew I was staring, but I couldn't help it. Was it possible to feel this jealous about a guy you had no chance in the world of ever going out with? Besides, it's not like Jenna was going to pick up a guy at her twin sister's funeral. What kind of a girl did that? I didn't want to think about the answer to that question.

Before I could really delve into my jealousy about a possible Jenna and Ethan coupling, Uncle Bob started to talk to me, "Be careful, you're gonna have more sugar than coffee."

"Oops," I had put in a good eight cubes of sugar into my coffee and although I liked it sweet, that was a little much. "I like it pretty sweet."

"How did you know Vanessa?" Uncle Bob asked.

"My boyfriend's sister was friends with her. I didn't know her too well, but we thought it was sad, so we wanted to come," I offered.

"It's very sad. It's like the family can't get away from tragedy. First their dad. Now this," Uncle Bob frowned.

"Oh?" I wondered if Uncle Bob would volunteer details.

Turned out Uncle Bob liked to gossip, "Their dad's in jail. Embezzling, although there were more allegations, but they were never proven. Nobody ever would have known, except that he was stupid enough to get caught buying a house for his mistress, with money he wasn't supposed to have. Tore the family apart. My sister went on anti-depressants. We were afraid she would go insane. They were completely blindsided. The girls had a really rough time of it. The family all thought the worst had passed, until...this."

"Wow, I'm really sorry," I managed to say and I meant it. While she was alive Vanessa had been going through a rough patch. Maybe she really did overdose. In her case it actually might make sense with that sort of family drama going on.

"What more can happen to this family?" Uncle Bob asked, but I don't think he was actually waiting for me to answer because he continued on. "They really were the cutest little girls. Their mom always had them in matching outfits and they absolutely hated it. Vanessa was a tomboy and Jenna loved to wear pretty dresses. They were so different even though they were twins. It's funny how that happens."

I smiled at his reminiscing. Ah, the sentimental part of funerals – the stories are the part that really drew me to them. I loved the real remembrances of a person gone too quickly. It made me think of my mom. I wish I had more remembrances of her. If only she was still around...

By the time I managed to tear myself away from Uncle Bob, who after his brief reminiscing wanted to go on about how things couldn't get any worse for the family, Ethan had eaten most of my cookies, and Jenna was gone, back into the casket viewing room. I, of course, was interested in Uncle Bob's reminiscing, but how could I let Ethan eat all of my cookies?

"I saw you talking to Jenna..." I trailed off unsure what else to say, as I approached Ethan, grabbed the last peanut butter cookie off the plate, and devoured it. It was a good cookie and I was still starving. I dragged Ethan back over to the table to get some more of them.

"Yeah, she wanted to know how I knew her sister and we got to talking." Ethan was grinning, "She's going to meet us after the wake at The Pie Shop across the street."

Had Ethan just asked the grieving sister out on a date? Didn't it creep him out that she was also the spitting image of the deceased? Of course, I had no reason to be jealous of Jenna. Ethan could ask whomever he wanted to out for pie.

Ethan was looking at me oddly, "What's wrong? This is huge! Jenna wants to talk to us about our theories. She thinks Vanessa could have been murdered too. She wasn't a hundred percent sold, but she said it was totally unlike Vanessa to do heroin."

"You told her our theory?" I tried to smile back at Ethan like nothing was wrong. I mean, Jenna was really pretty, even though she resembled a dead girl and all, and I couldn't help but wonder if I was about to become the third wheel in a murder investigation.

"Well, we started talking and I felt like it would be okay to tell her," Ethan explained. "She's going through the same thing I am."

I nodded, still feeling hurt for no reason. This was actually a great lead. Jenna Martin would have the inside scoop on Vanessa's death. I just didn't want her hitting on Ethan.

I didn't have too much time to worry about Ethan and Jenna having a romantic connection, though, because Detective Dixon suddenly entered the kitchen/dinette area, heading straight for the coffee and his favorite thing in the world, Styrofoam cups. I know I should have felt optimistic, since Detective Dixon probably didn't normally show up to an overdose victim's funeral and this might be a sign that he was giving the murder angle we had suggested to him a chance, but I was actually more concerned that he would interrogate Ethan and I than anything else. We didn't exactly belong at this funeral.

I poked Ethan, who had the same reaction as I did, and we tried to bolt, but unfortunately Detective Dixon saw us. We managed to make it out to the parking lot, though, before Detective Dixon caught up to us.

"Just drive away!" I urged Ethan as we ran to his car, but Ethan stopped and turned instead.

"Hi, Detective Dixon," Ethan said.

Detective Dixon slowed his pace and walked up to us, "So, you want to tell me what the two of you are doing here?"

"We could ask you the same thing," I quipped.

Ethan shot me a warning look and turned to the detective, "Investigating my sister's murder."

Detective Dixon shook his head, "You're not supposed to be here. The police are looking into the situation. Leave it alone. You don't want to get in over your heads. Drug dealers are not nice people."

"But Liz didn't do drugs," Ethan reminded him. "Did you look into Troy Matthews yet?"

"Yes, and he's clear," Detective Dixon said, almost too quickly.

Ethan shot me a look and I could see that neither of us believed that the detective had looked into Troy at all. He was still looking for some sort of a drug ring and here I had hoped, that maybe just maybe, he had given the murder angle some actual thought.

"Are you even supposed to be here?" I asked. "Isn't it in bad taste for the police to interrogate the victim's relatives at the funeral?"

Detective Dixon frowned at me, "I'm here to pay my respects and make sure that people like the two of you don't crash the funeral. This is a serious matter. I don't want to disrupt the family in any way. The two of you shouldn't be here."

I nodded, but I didn't believe him. Detective Dixon was definitely at the funeral for a reason. He was investigating the case.

"The police have this under control," Detective Dixon said again. "Go home."

"We were just about to," Ethan said, unlocking the car doors.

We both got in the car in silence. Detective Dixon watched us back out of our spot and drive out of the parking lot. Ethan and I rode in silence. I watched Detective Dixon out of the side mirror. As soon as we turned out of the parking lot, the detective walked back inside the funeral home.

"All clear," I said.

Ethan took the next opportunity to make a u-turn and head over to The Pie Shop across the street. Hopefully the detective wouldn't be going for pie after the wake too.

"I think the detective was looking for something," I said.

"Oh, he definitely was," Ethan snuck a quick glance away from the road and looked at me.

I wondered what evidence Detective Dixon and the police force might have found and if it would help Ethan and I in our own investigation. If only we could collaborate with the police. I knew Ethan and I had something. What exactly, I wasn't sure, since I was not completely convinced that it was going to be as easy as Troy Matthews committing all the murders. It could be, but I couldn't be sure yet. Obviously, though, collaboration with the police was not going to be possible. Detective Dixon literally thought we were meddling teenagers. Hadn't he seen _Scooby Doo_? Or watched the TV show _Veronica Mars_? Obviously sometimes meddling teenagers had good ideas and were able to solve crimes.

I know this wasn't television. And, I'm no Veronica Mars or Nancy Drew. Still, hopefully, Jenna Martin would be able to give us some clues. I wanted to solve this case.

## Chapter 13: Interrogating

I had devoured my piece of chocolate peanut butter pie (still not as good as Wired's peanut butter banana milkshake!) and was sipping on a hot chocolate by the time Jenna Martin joined Ethan and I at The Pie Shop.

The Pie Shop was a diner, but they specialized in pies. If their peanut butter chocolate one was any sort of representation, they did make pretty excellent pies. Ethan had opted for a burger and fries instead of dessert, but I was fine with having a slice of pie for dinner. I knew I had just eaten a bunch of cookies and maybe following that with pie wasn't the best idea ever, but I could eat healthy at home. I wanted to spend my money on something yummy and besides, canned soup and TV dinners were waiting for me at home if I wanted them.

"How's the pie?" Ethan asked between bites of his burger.

"Great," I managed between my own mouthfuls.

It was silent for a moment. I wondered if we'd even have anything in common if we didn't have the murder to talk about. I decided to find out, "So, I noticed a guitar in your room. Do you play?"

"I try to when I have time. I took lessons in junior high, but I've just been messing around since," Ethan said, chewing on a fry.

"What kind of music?" I asked, making sure my mouth wasn't full before I spoke.

Ethan thought for a moment, "Indie rock mostly, although punk rock is fun, maybe a little folk rock too. I'm a big fan of Green Day. I know they're getting up there, but they're fun. And, I like Bob Dylan. He's classic."

I didn't know much about music, but I could hear the love he had for it in his voice, "Are you in a band?"

Ethan shook his head, "Not right now. No time between school, sports, and college prep stuff. Maybe eventually. I write my own songs too, so it keeps me going."

"What kind of songs do you write?" I was curious.

Ethan shrugged, "Usually stuff that's going on in my life. Sometimes love songs. The usual."

Now I was more curious, "Love songs?"

Ethan laughed, "You're such a girl. Yeah. I mean, not really about anyone or anything, but what I think real love should be like, you know? Hey, it worked for the Beatles."

I smiled, "Yeah. Do you ever play them for anyone?"

Ethan thought for a moment, "Not really. Some of them are kind of personal. Maybe eventually, when they're ready, but I haven't even tried the whole band thing or playing live or anything. So, eventually is my answer."

I nodded, "Just make sure you keep it up. It's important to do the things you love."

Ethan smiled at me, "So, what do you love to do besides crash funerals and solve murder mysteries?"

I thought for a moment, "As boring as it sounds, I mostly read and watch movies."

Ethan shrugged, "That's not boring. I like those things too. What's your favorite movie?"

"All time favorite? That's hard," I thought for a moment, "But if I had to choose, probably _Gone With the Wind_."

"That's a classic," Ethan grinned.

"And, a chick flick. You wanted to say," I retorted, "But I like it because it was my mom's favorite movie and her favorite book. Now, it's mine. Second on the list would be _Star Wars,_ by the way and it's a very close second."

Ethan laughed, " _Bladerunner_ is at the top of my list."

"Also a classic," I said.

It was really nice talking to Ethan, not about the murder investigation for once, but about normal stuff like movies and music. It was a nice change of pace. I was really interested in what Ethan had to say too. And, no, not because he was cute, but because he was actually cool. It was too bad then that the moment was interrupted by Jenna.

Jenna had obviously come straight from the funeral home, still in her black dress and sexy stockings. We were still in our funeral garb too, but Ethan had left his jacket in the car.

"Hi," Jenna said, sliding into the booth next to Ethan.

I was sitting across from them and trying not to notice how close she sat to Ethan. "I'm Kait."

"Jenna," Jenna said as she held a tight smile. "So, I guess I should just start. I don't want to do the usual talking about stuff that doesn't really matter. You both think my sister was murdered?"

"We're not trying to freak you out, Jenna," Ethan had turned to her with concern.

"Oh, I'm not freaking out," Jenna said, "I've been thinking about it since we talked and I think you could be right. But I think you could be wrong too. I mean, we've had a couple of crappy years."

I nodded. Ethan did the same. There was an awkward silence. I watched Jenna fidget in her chair. It was so bizarre to see her sitting across from us very much alive when her twin was across the street in a coffin. They looked so much alike. This had to be horrible for Jenna. Still, we had to start this before Jenna changed her mind.

"So, what exactly happened to Vanessa the night that she died?" I asked after a moment.

It had to be asked and I knew it would be hard for Jenna to talk about, but all Ethan and I knew was what his mom had overheard and what was in the obituary. We had to ask. At least that's what I kept telling myself even though I felt guilty about it.

"Well," Jenna said, and then seemed to collect herself. "It was pretty much a normal day. I mean, I didn't see Vanessa in the morning. She liked to sleep in. I went to work. Then I came home around four. Vanessa and I argued for a second and then I went out with some friends. My mom found her a few hours later in the bedroom."

"What did you argue about?" I asked as Ethan shot me a warning look. I ignored him.

Jenna sighed, "She sucked at taking messages and someone called for me, but she couldn't remember who. So, I got mad at her. I mean, if it was someone really important they would have called my cell, but still. Write it down, Vanessa."

I nodded. Ethan was quiet. Jenna looked sad.

"So, did anything happen before your mom found her in the bedroom?" I asked.

Jenna shook her head, "No. My mom was downstairs making lasagna and watching TV. She went upstairs to find out if Vanessa wanted some and found her dead."

"And you were out with friends?" I asked again. Was there anything else Jenna knew that she wasn't saying? Any detail could mean something.

"Yeah. You can check if you like," Jenna said looking at me, challenging me to ask her for proof of her whereabouts.

"No, it's okay," Ethan said for me.

I shot him a look. We might have to check on them, but for now I decided to try a different tactic. We needed to know about this anyway.

"Do you know if Vanessa knew a guy named Troy Matthews?" I asked.

Jenna thought for a moment, fidgeting uneasily. "Well, I don't know if it's the same guy, but she did date a guy named Troy right after we graduated high school. That was forever ago, though."

Ethan and I exchanged a glance. It was very likely our Troy knew the latest victim too! It was all becoming a very, very big coincidence. He had to be the murderer!

"Are you sure?" I had to ask again, just to be positive.

Jenna looked straight at me with the same intense brown eyes her sister must have shared, "I remember her talking about a Troy a lot. I met him once at a party. He seemed okay. But, I can't tell you his last name. She dated a lot of guys. I didn't keep much track of her love life. I have my own to worry about, you know."

"But do you know what he looked like? Anything?" Ethan asked, wanting to be sure too.

"I mean, he was a guy. Cute. Blonde hair, I think. Maybe light brown? Built. She liked the muscular guys," Jenna shrugged.

"Anything else?" I asked.

Jenna continued, "Truthfully, if we could help it, Vanessa and I never brought boyfriends home. My mom was having a lot of issues, my dad was going to jail, and we kept family and everything else very, very separate. And, even though Vanessa and I were twins, we were not very close. We're totally different. She only mentioned Troy to me a couple of times."

"But you remember his name?" I asked. This really could be the key to our investigation! Troy seemed to be very much the common denominator. It had to be the same guy.

"Vanessa was crying in her room. I could hear it through my wall. She thought maybe she had found someone to finally be serious about. Turned out he wasn't serious," Jenna frowned and looked at her hands, which she had clasped together, anxiously.

"Did he break up with her or something?" I asked, taking my last bite of pie.

"He cheated on her with another girl," Jenna looked really, really angry for her sister.

It was just like Liz. This guy was a player. He dated a girl, cheated on her, and then she died. So, now we just needed to figure out Troy's motive.

Jenna paused for a moment and then said, "Do you think this guy Troy has something to do with this then?"

"Yes," I nodded looking at Ethan, who nodded too.

Jenna had settled it for us. Troy Matthews was our prime suspect.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Jenna asked, watching us with an intense gaze.

I looked at Ethan. He looked back at me. We had no idea.

The next day at school, Ethan and I planned to meet for lunch. It was a date! Okay, not really.

After talking with Jenna Martin, Ethan and I knew that we had to find Troy Matthews. Jenna was not completely convinced her sister had been murdered and she split pretty quickly after we talked about Troy, but it was all understandable – her sister wasn't even buried yet. With more time, we knew she'd be on our side. Regardless, Ethan and I felt like we were definitely on the right track. If we could get something, anything on Troy, maybe Detective Dixon would listen to us. Even if he started an investigation of Troy as the head of some drug ring, it would at least be a step in the right general direction.

Ethan found me at lunch again and sat across from me, "So, I was looking through my sister's things last night and I think I found something that might help us."

"What?" I asked.

Ethan pulled out a sheet of paper, "Troy Matthews' class schedule."

I grabbed the schedule from his hand and looked at it, "How did you find this?"

"I was looking through her backpack. They must've exchanged schedules at some point. Maybe to meet between classes or something," Ethan was looking over the top of the paper at me. "How do you feel about ditching school tomorrow?"

I looked up from the schedule I had just been analyzing. Troy was not the brightest peach in the pie if you get my meaning. He had a remedial math class, in addition to a remedial English class, although the rest of his classes seemed normal enough, if you counted Metal Shop I and Art 103, which rounded out his class schedule.

"Why would we ditch?" I asked. It wasn't that big of a deal to me, actually. I had ditched three times before. Twice to go to actual funerals and once right after my mom died just because I felt like spending the whole day reading _Harry Potter_. I could have ditched the whole week and just sat and read the entire series, but I didn't. I thought I might have gotten caught if I had done that.

"I want to follow Troy," Ethan was getting his lunch out of his customary paper bag. "See what he's like and take it from there."

"Are we going to try talking to him?" I asked, taking a bite out of the slice of pizza I had bought from the cafeteria. I knew I wasn't eating well lately, but hey, I hadn't gained any weight yet. And, the salads in a high school cafeteria....ew. At least I was eating real pizza, Pizza Hut Pizza. The school had switched to it last year. Yum.

"Is it safe to talk to him? I don't know, but I do want to see if we can find out anything. Maybe I'll just know," Ethan shrugged. "If you don't want to go with me, it's okay. I just wanted to ask you."

"No, I'll go!" I said quickly. I didn't want him to think I wasn't interested in spending another whole day with him because I was. I was getting used to having him around all the time. It was like it almost wasn't a novelty to have Ethan Ripley sitting in the high school cafeteria having lunch with me now. Almost, but not quite.

Ethan took the schedule back from me, "So, it says that Troy has a 10 am class - Metal Shop I. It gets out at 12 noon. Want to meet at my house at ten thirty and then we can head over to Laurel Community College together?"

I felt myself nodding and I was going to say something, but I forgot when the worst thing ever happened. Ariel Walker walked into the cafeteria even though it wasn't her lunch period.

I saw her walking toward us and froze. Ethan must have thought my expression was odd because he turned to look too. I wish I had taken the time to notice the expression on Ethan's face as his maybe date to Homecoming was stalking toward us, but I was too busy staring at her in surprise and wondering what mortification I had in store for me now. It was going to be bad if only because it was going to happen in front of Ethan. The cafeteria, which I was sure was still gossiping about us anyway, was going to be in for a real treat if Ariel had anything to do with it.

Ariel stopped in front of our table. I held my breath waiting for Ariel to make me look like a freak in front of Ethan. It figured that she would do this right at the time when it felt like Ethan was accepting me and maybe, thinking I was an okay girl. I mean, maybe I hoped for more than that, but a week ago he knew me as the weird girl, so it was progress. Now, Ariel was going to ruin everything for me again.

Ethan looked up at her, like this was no big deal. "Hey, Ariel. What's up?"

Ariel looked down at him, smiling brightly. It was like I didn't even exist. I was surprised the insults hadn't started flying from her mouth yet.

"Well, do you have a date for Homecoming yet?" Ariel asked in her sweetest voice.

I hadn't heard her use that tone of voice since we were bffs in junior high and she was trying to get her mom to let her go with my family to Wisconsin Dells for the weekend, even though she was getting a D in math and was grounded. It worked then too. She had the voice down.

Wait a minute. Wait just one minute. Ariel told me that she and Ethan were already going to the Homecoming Dance together, so what was she doing? She had suggested that he had already asked her.

"No, not yet," Ethan said.

I looked at him. Ethan Ripley didn't have a date for Homecoming. I was incredulous. It was less than two weeks away and he was the most popular guy in school. How could he not have a Homecoming date yet? I mean, unless he hadn't asked anyone. Had Ariel lied to me? Why?

"Would you want to go to the dance with me?" Ariel sang it, like she was really _The Little Mermaid_.

I wanted to put my hands over my ears so I could block out the sound of Ethan's obvious answer. Instead, I just waited to hear Ethan agree. I couldn't give Ariel the satisfaction. She would already enjoy this whole scenario far too much without me reacting negatively to it.

Ethan was silent for a moment. "Actually, Ariel, I can't go with you."

Did I hear that correctly? Did Ethan just turn Ariel down, even though she was using her do my bidding voice and everything?

"Why not?" Ariel whined.

Ethan shook his head, "I just can't."

And, with that Ariel stormed out of the cafeteria, leaving Ethan staring after her and me staring open mouthed at Ethan. Why couldn't he go with her to the dance? I mean, she was pretty and popular and totally going along with the whole popularity track he was on.

"Why couldn't you go with Ariel?" I asked before I could think about it.

Ethan turned back to face me and shrugged, "My mind is on other things besides dances right now. And, anyway, I just didn't want to, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings either."

Okay, I thought. Boys are dumb because Ethan totally hurt Ariel's feelings. Especially the part where he said no to her in front of me, which I knew had to be the ultimate in humiliation for her.

"Oh," I said, like it was no big deal, when inside I was doing cartwheels. Ariel had just tried to humiliate me and it had totally backfired on her. It was awesome.

My brain was spinning and already two steps ahead of me. If Ethan didn't want to go to Homecoming with Ariel, who did he want to go with? Did I have an inkling of a chance? I'd be okay with going as friends, even. It was a good day!

## Chapter 14: Ditching

I thought about pressing Ethan for more Homecoming details when I met him at his house at ten-thirty the next morning, but I totally forgot when I saw that he was carrying his guitar to the car.

"You're bringing your guitar?" I asked hopefully.

"I thought I'd mess with a tune while we waited. I hope you brought a book or something," Ethan asked as he placed his guitar delicately in the back seat.

I slid into the passenger side as Ethan got into the car and started it. I was excited. We were on a stake out. It hadn't even been hard to ditch this morning. I faked sick, my dad bought it, called into school for me, and went to work. It was a cakewalk so far.

"Ready for today?" I asked as Ethan pulled away from the curb. We were only minutes away from Laurel Community College.

"Most definitely," Ethan said.

We got there with over an hour to spare before Troy's Metal Shop I class let out. We took the time to get the lay of the land. Laurel Community College wasn't a big campus, but it was big enough that if you didn't know where you were going you could get lost. We found Troy's Metal Shop I building first. We were in luck. It opened up into a courtyard and there was an empty picnic table where we could hang out and wait for the class to let out. Since we had a lot of extra time, we also took a walk to the Art 103 class Troy had after Metal Shop I. This was just in case we somehow missed seeing him.

Ethan was convinced that he'd know if Troy had killed his sister in a glance. I didn't think so. Even if he did, it wasn't exactly proof. Truthfully, either Ethan would be biased and make a snap judgment about Troy's guilt or he simply would feel torn and not know. I didn't think Troy was going to get away with Ethan feeling nothing. Ethan felt too much about his sister to let a guy who looked pretty suspicious go. And, although I thought Troy better have a great alibi for where he was the nights those girls' overdosed, I wasn't ready to convict him yet. He could just be a total player. There are guys who know all the girls because they just want to date them. I wanted to talk to Troy first. Ethan seemed adamant against me talking to him, though. He didn't want to go near the guy claiming the excuse – if he's already killed four people, do we really want to be next?

Ethan and I spent the hour mostly not speaking, waiting. I was trying to read my copy of _Anne of Green Gables_. I was going to bring _Eclipse_ , the third _Twilight_ book, but it was just too big. I settled for the adventures of Anne Shirley instead. It was like comfort food, but in reading. Ethan was strumming on his guitar while I tried to focus on my book. Secretly, I was listening to the tune he seemed to be trying to perfect. I thought it sounded pretty catchy. He might want to consider pursuing music, eventually. He definitely had rock star good looks going for him, in addition to the catchy tune.

I was starting to hum along with the tune Ethan was strumming when I noticed people streaming out of the Metal Shop I class. They were ten minutes early.

"Ethan," I hissed and he looked up, setting his guitar down next to him.

We both scanned the students leaving Metal Shop I and suddenly there he was, Troy Matthews, in the flesh.

Troy was pretty good looking, actually. I was slightly disconcerted to find that I was thinking that about a murder suspect. His hair was blonde and longish, almost shaggy looking, and he had a golden, fading summer tan. He looked like a surfer, except we weren't in California. Troy definitely worked out too, you could tell even though his forearms were covered by the hoodie he was wearing. He was probably nineteen or twenty, if I had to guess. And, a totally hottie. I know I couldn't tell if he was innocent or guilty just by looking at him. He did not have a creepy vibe, as far as I could tell. That was something going for him.

I glanced at Ethan, who looked like he was focusing all of his energy on discerning if Troy had killed his sister. It was an intense glare too. I knew Ethan had forgotten all about me. I was glad. I had already decided what I was going to do and I knew Ethan wouldn't like it. So before Ethan could stop me, I flung myself full force in Troy's direction.

I ran at Troy and by the time Ethan noticed what I was doing, it was too late to stop me because I was busy smashing myself with full force into Troy Matthews.

Amazingly, I was the one who fell to the ground. Troy Matthews was built like a linebacker. I wondered if he felt the impact at all. I knew I was going to have a couple of nice and large black and blue bruises in multiple places. I felt dazed.

"Are you okay?" Troy was staring down at me with concern.

It took me a second to realize that he was talking to me. Troy reached down to help me up and it was totally real when I practically fell into his arms. That impact, even though I'd planned for it, had knocked the wind out of me.

"I'm fine," I said breathlessly, a moment later, pulling out of his arms. "Just catching my breath."

I smiled up at Troy and took a moment to glance at Ethan, who was frozen to the spot, but looked absolutely livid. I was going to have to deal with that later. I focused back on Troy.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Troy picked up my purse from the ground and handed it to me.

I wanted him to keep talking to me and I had to think fast, "Art 101."

Troy looked interested, "Really? I'm going to 103. Who's your teacher?"

I had painted myself into a corner. I didn't know any teachers' names, "It's a guy. Uh. I'm bad at names."

"Plumber? Kelson? Abbott?" Troy seemed to know all the art teachers' names.

I didn't want him to catch me in a lie, so it was time to change the subject, "Wanna walk together?"

Troy smiled, "Sure."

I wondered if Ethan would follow us, but I didn't look back because I was focusing all of my attention on Troy, "How is 103?"

Troy thought for a moment, "I like it. It's sculpture, so I definitely like it better than 101. 101 was too general. A lot of drawing and painting, which is fine, but I'm definitely more into sculpting and making stuff. I'm actually getting really into Steampunk art."

"What's that?" I interrupted him.

"I'd have to show you for you to really get it, but to make it simple, they combine a lot of modern things like a computer, for example with brass and wood and make it art. They make it look all twenties era and like it runs on steam. It's really cool," Troy sounded passionate about it.

"That sounds neat," I said and I meant it.

"It's really fun. I'm working on an art project with an old computer. I want to add a wooden façade and maybe some brass ornamentation. Maybe work an old clock into it. It's going to look really great when I'm done. Retro, but modern."

As Troy went on about Steampunk art, I felt like I was getting a Cliff Notes' version of insight about Troy's personality. I had the distinct impression that Troy was an artist at heart and consequently thought that he was probably in remedial classes for all the regular subjects simply because he didn't share the passion for them, that he did for his art. He didn't seem like a meathead at all for sure, despite the biceps. I was also finding that I liked Troy. His passion for art was catchy. Was that dangerous?

Troy had continued on, "And, I want to try my hand at that, so I'm hoping sculpture and things like Metal Shop will help me. I want to learn the mechanics of things, so I can make regular objects into art. Are you just taking the intro course or are you an artist too?"

It was a toss up here, should I lie or tell the truth? The more lies you told, the harder it was to keep it up, and I knew absolutely nothing about art. I hadn't even been to an art museum since grade school, "Just 101. You make it sound so neat, though. It would be cool to see the work you've already done."

And, I really meant that, murderer or not. I was hoping it was the not, though.

We were almost at his classroom, when Troy slowed down. "Thanks. Hey, my class starts in a few minutes, but would you want to maybe hang out after? I'm Troy, by the way."

I panicked. Was Troy asking me out? No guy had ever asked me out. I hadn't expected Troy to ask me out. I had only wanted to get a sense of him, who he was. Is this how you did get a guy to ask you out? By not wanting him to? How did that work?

"So?" Troy asked as my silence stretched on eternally.

"Uh..." My tongue was tied. What did one say in this situation?

Troy started backtracking, "It's cool if you can't. I just thought..."

"How about tonight? And, my name's Kait," I said before Troy reneged on the invitation. Words had managed to form in my brain again, although I couldn't believe I had just made a date with a guy, even if he might be a murderer.

"Kait," Troy repeated my name, "Do you have a phone number so I can call you?"

Fifteen minutes later, after hiding in the Art building's bathroom until I knew that Troy's class had begun, I started walking back to Ethan's car.

I had a date with Troy! Was it scary that my first date ever might be with a serial killer? I didn't think he was our serial killer anymore, actually, but there still had to be some connection between him and the dead girls, since he knew them all. Not that I could really be a hundred percent sure about my gut instinct, of course.

I thought about our date. I should definitely make sure that we met at a very public place just in case and that he didn't follow me home or anything. Wow, it was crazy. I had an actual date! I couldn't believe Troy had wanted to ask me out! I had tried to look kind of cute today for Ethan, but maybe it had worked on Troy instead.

I was happy to see that Ethan was waiting for me by his car until he saw me. As I walked the last few steps toward him, Ethan ran toward me, grabbing my arms, and staring down into my face with wild eyes, "Are you crazy?!?! I've been out here trying not to call the police. Where have you been?"

And then the most amazing thing happened. Ethan hugged me. It was a real hug too. I could smell the cologne he had on. It smelled almost sweet and the butterflies in my stomach were going crazy as he clutched me to him, stroking my hair. I felt myself melt into him. I could stay in this parking lot forever in Ethan's arms. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him back. He held me closer. His hands were stroking my hair. My face was pressed into his chest and all I could breathe in was his cologne, a scent that I would now always associate with Ethan Ripley and this hug. This was better than any peanut butter milkshake Wired could ever make me. It was heaven on earth wrapped in an amazing sweet smelling guy. My heart was on air. That was the only way I could explain this feeling. It was the best day ever times ten.

I was in bliss for probably only about thirty seconds before Ethan let me go and the yelling started. Ethan didn't even give me a chance to tell him the good news about my date with Troy before he started in on me. I must have really worried him.

"I thought we had decided that we weren't going to talk to him! What did you think you were doing? What if something had happened!" Ethan was waving his hands and everything.

I got in the car calmly and Ethan followed, like I hoped he would. I didn't want to cause a scene, "Nothing happened. It's completely fine."

"Thank God," Ethan raked a hand through his hair (silky hair...) and turned to face me. "Don't ever do that again."

"Okay," I nodded, hoping I could keep my promise.

"Okay," he said and started the car.

We were silent as Ethan pulled out of the parking spot. I knew I had to tell him, so I just said it, "Troy asked me out and I said yes."

Ethan slammed on the breaks, screeching the car to a halt.

## Chapter 15: Double Dating

It took a lot of convincing for Ethan to let me go on the date. I know it's not like he was jealous or anything, but it was kind of nice to see Ethan all concerned about me going out with Troy. I tried to tell Ethan about how I didn't think Troy could possibly be the killer, but he didn't care. He said that every girl that Troy knew seemed to end up dead. I couldn't argue with that, but I did remind Ethan that this could be an excellent way to get some dirt out of Troy. He finally agreed if he could come with. I argued with Ethan, but he wouldn't relent, which is how I ended up agreeing to go on a double date with me and Troy and Ethan and...

Ethan called Jenna Martin, first, to see if she wanted to come as his date. He had this idea about shocking Troy into confessing with Vanessa Martin's look alike. Even if Troy knew about the twin sister thing, it would still be a shock to see a dead girl's look alike sitting across from you on a double date. And, although I could see Ethan's reasoning and I knew his calling Jenna was for a good cause, I tried not to feel jealous or anything as I listened in on his side of the conversation. Ethan explained the details to her and what we suspected of Troy Matthews, but Jenna turned Ethan down. Jenna said it was just too soon for her and if Troy was the killer...she just couldn't do it. She'd jump out of her skin getting anywhere near him.

I could see her point. Ethan wanted to call it off again after talking to Jenna, but I wouldn't let him. I still thought I could get something out of Troy by simply talking to him a little more. Ethan thought I was nuts, but finally agreed to humor me.

We threw around alternative ideas for last minute dates, but Ethan seemed set on one in particular. It was the worst one possible, in my opinion. He was just positive she would say yes. I didn't see how she could say no either, but I still didn't want Ethan asking her. So, I begged.

And, I pleaded with Ethan about his next choice, but he wouldn't listen, which is how I ended up going on a double date with me and Troy and Ethan and Ariel. Can you believe it? My first real date ever and I was going with a potential serial killer, my ex best friend/arch enemy, and the hottest guy in school that I kind of had a crush on, except he wasn't going with me. The potential serial killer who asked me out was pretty cute too, though, and besides, I didn't think he had anything to do with the murders, except for the fact that for some reason he knew most of the victims. So, maybe it would all work out in the end. I hoped.

I did feel a little bit better when I heard Ethan tell Ariel that he expected her to be nice to me. I could hear whines coming from her end of the line, but she must have been so excited about getting to gloat at being Ethan's date, that she agreed anyway. Plus, she was probably hoping that he'd change his mind and accept her Homecoming invitation. Ariel's status as a popular cool girl would go up a couple points if he did. She couldn't not accept.

How in the world had Ethan explained being on double date terms to Ariel? He claimed that I was good friends with Liz. Ariel wouldn't know he was lying. She didn't know any of my friends anymore or that I didn't actually really have any. Ethan told her that I was also a volunteer at the animal shelter and that he had been helping me get through Liz's loss. That was possible if Ariel really thought about it. She knew I really liked cats, at least. Ethan then went on to explain that this double date was a set up to help cheer me up. It was almost laughable, like Ariel Walker would ever want to cheer me up. She had her chance when my mom was sick and instead she ditched me and since then all she'd ever done was make fun of me and spread malicious gossip. I'd believe she cared when pigs really did fly. Ethan even convinced Ariel to lie about the whole college class thing, so Troy wouldn't know I was lying about being in college. I guess miracles could happen or Ariel was just really, really, really out to impress Ethan. My bet was on the latter.

I went home and massacred my closet looking for something to wear for my first date ever and with a college guy! My cat Scarlett was enjoying it, though. She was busy jumping into piles of clothes as I tossed them aside. I'm glad she was having fun, but I was in a panic. Troy was definitely cute and if he didn't turn out to be a murder suspect maybe I could explain things and make romantic things work between us anyway, since Ethan still seemed to be oblivious to thinking about me in any sort of romantic terms.

I finally settled on a dress that I had never worn. My aunt had gotten it for me for Christmas the year before when she took me on a shopping trip. Despite my protests that it was too low cut and I knew my boobs would fall out of it so I'd never wear it, she insisted that someday I might want to wear something sexy and that since I didn't have my mom to buy it for me, she was going to. Then she told me I should definitely hide it from my dad. I had done just that.

It was perfect for a date. It was a dark blue dress that clung to me perfectly and showed plenty of skin. Hey, I know what guys want. I may not normally wear those things, but believe me I know. Besides, even though I was wearing a clingy dress, that didn't mean I would actually give it to him, not on the first date anyway. The dress actually made the strawberry blonde in my hair look nice too. I hoped Troy approved of the cleavage I was sporting. Maybe as a plus, Ethan would notice too. My other outfits had been way more conservative than this. Maybe he needed a jump-start to really see me now that he at least thought I was kind of normal.

Because we didn't want Troy to know where I lived, we were all meeting at the date location – a hamburger joint that was known for its build your own hamburger menu called The Burger. They really did have the best burgers.

The Burger was always extremely busy, so it wasn't like there was any way that Troy was going to have a chance to get me completely alone and stick a heroin needle in my arm. Ethan wasn't taking any chances, though, and told me that he would be picking me up...for my double date with Troy. His date, Ariel, was meeting us there too. I knew she'd totally hate that. Ariel was a pick me up at my house and open the door for me kind of girl. It would probably be a good idea for the guy to have flowers too if he wanted anything to happen.

If this wasn't the weirdest double date ever already, maybe I would have said something to Ethan about that. Not that I wanted to do any favors for Ariel where Ethan was concerned or anything.

Ethan knocked on my door promptly at seven o'clock. Luckily, my dad had gone over to his friend's to watch a basketball game. I was saved from any kind of explaining about Ethan and the dress. My dad might actually have made me change.

I opened the door and was pleasantly surprised to see Ethan do a double take. I knew I looked sexy! Instead Ethan said, "Maybe you should change."

"Why? What's wrong with this dress?" I demanded. I had looked repeatedly in the mirror for the last twenty minutes and even I had to admit, I looked pretty darn good in this dress. I didn't look fat at all and who knew my boobs looked this good? Not me and now everyone, including Troy and Ethan would. The dress fit me perfectly. I had to admit, my aunt had good taste. We'd have to go shopping again this Christmas in case I ever got asked out on another date.

"I mean, you don't want to give him the impression that you actually like him, do you?" Ethan volunteered, not able to tear his eyes away from me.

"Isn't that the point of a date? To make your date think you like him?" I asked and then as an afterthought added, "Maybe that's why you don't have a Homecoming date. You're clueless."

I knew it was a petty thing to say, but I was hoping for a reaction and I got one, but not quite the one I was expecting.

Ethan raised his eyebrows, "Ariel already asked me, in front of you if I remember right. And, I could have my pick of any girl. I just haven't asked her yet."

"Wow," I responded with sarcasm.

He could be so arrogant! Well, maybe Troy would take me to Homecoming, once I cleared him of all murder suspicion and admitted to him that I was still in high school. I mean, it's not like nineteen and sixteen (almost 17!) weren't close in age and all.

"I'm wearing this dress. It's perfect," I demanded and to prove my point, walked out of my house, shutting the door behind me, and walked to his car.

If he had been about to open it for me, like a real gentleman would, I didn't wait. I got into the passenger side and sat down, feeling huffy. Who knew Ethan was a prude in disguise? I didn't care if he didn't like my dress. I knew that Troy would.

Ethan got into the driver's seat and looked at me one more time and said softly, "You know, you do look pretty."

And then he started the car and blared the music, so I spent the rest of the drive trying to figure out if he meant that as just an apology or if he really thought I actually looked pretty. Guys were so confusing.

The Burger was packed when we arrived, even though it was a Wednesday night. People loved this place. Maybe it was the weird burger combinations you could make – hamburger with pineapple and goat cheese, anyone? If you wanted, you could have that. I was a little more traditional – hamburger with swiss cheese and avocado. Mmmm, avocado. Sometimes I even added mushrooms.

Ethan and I were early, so we got a booth and sat down, waiting for Ariel and Troy to arrive. There was still a sort of weird tension between Ethan and me, so I spent the time staring at my menu like I wasn't sure what I was going to order. I did get absorbed by looking at the different milkshakes, though, so I didn't see Troy walk in the door until he was almost at our table.

"Hey, Kait," Troy said, sliding into the booth next to me. He looked at me appraisingly. "You look awesome!"

"Thanks," I said, smiling back at Troy, but not before I saw Ethan scowl. "Oh, and this is Ethan."

Ethan's scowl had disappeared and he had on a smile instead as Troy turned to look at him, "Hey, man."

They shook hands. Ethan was a good actor. You'd never know that he was really thinking that Troy might be a serial murderer. Poor Ariel. Now that I thought of it, she really didn't know what she was walking into. I almost felt sorry for her.

"Ethan!" I heard her squeal a moment later as she walked toward our table.

Troy was studying the menu, but he looked up to study Ariel as she walked up. He was totally checking her out even though he was on a date with me. Strike one against him, but even I had to admit that Ariel looked amazing. I was a wilted flower compared to her tonight and I had thought I looked pretty good. Ariel had curled her hair, but she had the I-always-look-this-good-effortlessly thing going on. I wish I could look good effortlessly. I had spent over two hours getting ready for this date.

I didn't see Ethan's immediate reaction to Ariel, but he seemed preoccupied as she slid into the booth next to him, and I mean right next to him, since he only said, "Oh, hey, Ariel."

We did the introductions all over again and then it was an awkward silence as we looked at the menus. At this point, I felt like I had the thing memorized. I had decided on trying their peanut butter banana milkshake in addition to the burger. I wanted to see how it would compare to Wired's. It couldn't be as good, but hey, I wanted to experiment. Let Ariel order a Diet Coke and a salad with nothing on it. I was a real girl.

The waiter came by and we all ordered, Ariel shooting a smirk at me when she heard my totally unhealthy order. Whatever. Ethan and Troy ordered burgers and shakes too, so Ariel was the weirdo with her salad, dressing on the side.

"So, Steampunk art is what exactly?" Ethan was asking Troy, while Ariel was busy trying to seem interested.

"I was trying to explain it to Kait. Its background is really science fiction and fantasy. It's got a Victorian feel to it, but with modern objects. Has anyone here seen Hayao Miyazaki's movie, _Castle in the Sky_ or the anime _Steamboy?"_ Troy asked.

"I've seen both," I said, trying to remember more than just the stories from those movies. Working in a video store had its perks sometimes.

"Me too," Ethan added.

Ariel just nodded.

Ethan continued, playing up his interest to keep Troy talking, "So, you actually make things look like they do in those movies? That's pretty cool. I'm a huge fan of sci-fi."

Ariel was unusually silent. She obviously knew nothing about anime or science fiction. Actually, it looked like Ethan had more in common with Troy than either me or Ariel. Too bad there was no way that they were actually going to be friends.

The burgers and shakes came (with a salad and diet Coke for Ariel) and Ethan and Troy had monopolized the conversation moving on from Steampunk art to talking about Cyberpunk novels like _Snowcrash_ by Neal Stephenson. They both wished that someone would make it into a movie.

Although it was great that Ethan was getting a chance to get to know Troy and see how he couldn't possibly be a psychopathic killer (unless he was really, really good at hiding it, being that he didn't give off a creepy vibe at all), I hadn't had any sort of chance to try and talk to Troy about the dead girls. Not that I knew how I was going to bring the subject up or anything. I mean, I couldn't just interrupt Troy and Ethan's conversation and go, "Excuse me, but Troy, what do you know about four girls overdosing on heroin?" That would just be a party killer.

I think Ariel and I were getting equally bored. It wasn't like we were going to talk to each other, so we were stuck listening to the science fiction chat that the guys were having. Ariel had spent a little of this time trying to get a little closer to Ethan than I liked. She put her hand on his arm and a moment later he casually brushed it off while making a point to Troy. She put her hand on his leg, at least I hoped it was his leg, but he moved over. The girl was trying. I'll give her that. Thank goodness Ethan wasn't having any of it. I mean, I know I was on the date with Troy and all, but I didn't want or need to see Ariel hanging all over Ethan. What Ethan did on his own time was fine, but I didn't want to know.

I needed a break from the cyber/sci-fi talk, so I interrupted a discussion of the movie _Bladerunner_ , "Hey, Troy, can I get out?"

Troy looked at me like he was just remembering I was there - so much for the lasting effects of my dress. I heard the conversation resume as I walked to the restroom.

A few minutes later I was washing my hands and debating how to get Troy to myself. I needed him alone if I was going to interrogate him. I knew Ethan wasn't going to go for it, but I had an idea. There was a small arcade at the back of The Burger, just past the restrooms. Normally, I ignored it. I went there for the food and I hadn't played video games since grade school. I will admit to having been pretty great at them back then. Right now, though, I just needed a few minutes alone with Troy and the arcade might be a great distraction, away from everyone.

And then Ariel walked into the restroom and broke off my planning, "Are you as bored as I am? Those guys should be on a date together."

Ariel headed straight for the sink next to me and started re-applying her make-up. First powder was applied, then eye shadow, and eyeliner. I guess it wasn't as effortless as she made it look.

I was going to regret what I was going to say next later, but it had to be done, "Hey, Ariel, how would you like to help me get a few moments alone with Troy?"

It took Ariel a second to figure out that also meant that she would get a few moments alone with Ethan. She turned to me with the most real smile I had seen on her face since we had been friends. I almost felt a pang of sadness at not being friends anymore. Almost.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked, halfway done with applying cherry lip-gloss.

I caught myself hoping that Ethan wouldn't be tasting that lip-gloss when Ariel had him to herself. I pushed that thought away. I was doing this in the name of the investigation. It was for Liz and all of the dead girls. I was trying to let the world know what really happened to them. That was more important than any jealous feelings I was having. Still, could I help it if I wished that I could be the one distracting Ethan by making out with him with cherry lip-gloss?

## Chapter 16: Kissing

Ariel and I walked back out into the restaurant together, closer than we had been in a long time. We had a shared purpose – to get each of our guys alone. And, okay, her purpose was probably more fun, wanting to make out with Ethan, while mine was just to investigate a murder. Still, it had to be done.

Ariel made it to the booth first like we had planned. She pushed herself right up on Ethan, surprising him midway through a sentence about _Star Wars_.

I tried not to gag at Ariel's overt coming onto Ethan as I grabbed Troy's hand, pulled him out of the booth, and said as seductively as I could manage, "Come with me."

I definitely got his attention. Troy was up and next to me as quickly as I was able to pull him away from our table and Ethan and Ariel. As I led Troy away, I could see Ariel make her move. Her mouth was heading straight for his. I couldn't watch. Still, on the upside, Ethan was too busy dealing with that to notice that Troy and I were gone. Things were all going according to plan.

The arcade was an old school video arcade with only 1980s video games like Pac Man, Ms. Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Galaga, and Joust. There was usually nobody in it just because they were so old school. Besides, it was getting to be well after eight o'clock on a school night and all the little kids were at home in bed.

So, Troy and I had the small arcade to ourselves for the moment. I hoped Ariel would be able to keep Ethan busy enough (gag), so that I could have a moment with Troy before Ethan raced to find me. That is, unless Ethan was enjoying whatever Ariel was doing. I didn't want to think about that. I had to focus.

"What game do you want to play?" Troy was oblivious and actually looking around at the video games.

"I actually just wanted to get you alone," I said in a voice that I hoped sounded sort of seductive. I've never really done the whole seducing thing, but I had seen enough movies to know what it sounded like.

Troy definitely got it because he grinned and moved a step toward me. It surprised me that it actually worked. I unwittingly took a step back and my butt hit the back of Ms. Pac Man. In the back of my mind I was still a little worried that he was a serial killer. He wasn't in the clear yet.

Still, if Troy was going to make a move on me, I guess I was going to have to go with it. He was no Ethan, but he was pretty cute. And, it was all in the name of the investigation!

"You wanted to get me alone, huh?" Troy said and moved a step closer, getting into the game, his hands resting on the game console on either side of my body.

I had to hurry up and say something or I was going to get kissed. Not that I would mind. I mean, he was even sexier up close and he had this great cologne on. I think it was the same one Ethan wore. It actually made Troy more attractive. My stomach started doing nervous flips.

"How did you know Olivia Reynolds?" I blurted it out.

Troy stopped mid-lean, "Huh?"

"How did you know Olivia Reynolds?" I asked again.

"What does Olivia... What?" Troy was confused.

I had to think fast, "I noticed you were friends with her and some of the girls who ODed on Facebook and...

Troy frowned, "It freaked you out? Well, yeah, me too. But didn't everybody know them?"

He dismissed it. What should I do?

I nodded, thinking, and Troy took that as an invitation to lean closer, saying, "Let's not talk about it, then. Let's..."

And, Troy was suddenly an inch from my lips. I moved my head slightly, "But, I'd feel better knowing how you knew them."

"Fine," I could tell Troy was getting exasperated. He leaned back and crossed his arms and stood in front of me. "Olivia and I took Art 101 together. She was really creative and we'd have lunch after class, and talk about art. I hadn't seen her since that class ended, though. Melissa Kent was my math tutor. I suck at math. I don't know how I'm going to pass now. She was an awesome tutor and okay, we did go out a few times, but nothing ever happened. And, yes, I did date Liz O'Reilly for a second, but we had barely been a couple when she broke up with me. She thought I was dating someone else. I wasn't. She stopped calling me back. Then a couple days later she ended up dead from a drug overdose. Sure, we had texted and it looked like maybe we'd get back together, but we weren't even officially back together when she died. And, how was I supposed to know that they were all doing heroin? It doesn't have anything to do with me."

"What about Vanessa Martin?" I asked.

"Who?" Troy's brows were furrowed together.

"Vanessa Martin," I repeated.

Troy shook his head, "I don't know a Vanessa Martin."

Okay, that was weird. Jenna said her sister had dated him. Even though she hadn't remembered his last name, come on, it had to be the same Troy! How many Troys could there be in this small circle of girls? It was too much of a coincidence unless Troy was just lying to me to cover his tracks or he really was a major player and couldn't remember the names of all the girls he had dated.

Troy seemed puzzled for a second longer, "Wait. I did date a girl named Jenna Martin the summer after high school, but that was a long time ago. Wait. Maybe she did have a sister named Vanessa. I kind of remember that, maybe. It ended really badly. Why are you bringing her up?"

Hold on one second. I thought Jenna said that Vanessa had dated Troy. Was I confused? I was sure I wasn't. That's why I wasn't sure how to proceed. Was Troy the one I should be questioning? Had Jenna lied about Troy? Why? Did she date him? Or was Troy lying after all? Somehow, I doubted that. Why admit to knowing either sister at that point? That pointed me right back at Jenna. Okay, now I was really confused.

Troy took my silence as an invitation to get back to what he thought we were starting. His arms took back their positions on either side of the game console. I should ask him more about Jenna or was it Vanessa, I thought, but it was quickly wiped away by realizing that Troy was going to kiss me.

I was going to get my first kiss ever. I closed my eyes and...nothing. I opened them and saw Ethan pulling Troy away from me.

"What are you doing, dude?" Troy was saying, totally caught off guard, since he thought he was going to be kissing me, not being attacked by some other guy.

"Stay away from her," Ethan said, trying to pull Troy even further away from me.

And then to my astonishment, Ethan punched Troy in the face. Troy was surprised by it too because he didn't even try to protect himself from the hit. Besides, Troy was way more muscular than Ethan and I was pretty sure he could hold his own in a fight. Troy staggered backwards, but almost immediately bounced back, his gaze locked on Ethan. They eyed each other.

"What is going on?" Ariel was standing in the doorway, hands on her hips, super annoyed.

I was just standing there with my mouth open, shocked. Troy's eye was swelling up, but he didn't seem to notice as he glared at Ethan.

"What's going on man?" Troy backed further away from Ethan. "I don't want to fight with you."

"Stay away from her," Ethan said quietly.

They stared at each other for a moment. The tension was building. Ariel and I watched.

Troy turned to look at me, where I was still leaning against the Ms. Pac Man console, in shock. "Your friend obviously has some kind of issue. Why don't you call me when you get it sorted out?"

I nodded. With that, Troy walked past Ariel and out of the restaurant. Ethan watched him, still shielding me. Ariel seemed at a loss for what to do. I stood frozen by the game console.

"I'm leaving too," Ariel decided and then she threw a final jab at Ethan, "Ethan Ripley, you're a lousy date."

Ariel turned and walked away. Ethan and I were left alone in the arcade. What had just happened?

"I guess we're stuck with the check," I volunteered, giggling nervously. I think I was in shock.

Ethan didn't laugh. "We're leaving."

I suddenly felt like some older brother I didn't even have had caught me making out with some guy, except that I hadn't even made out with Troy. Ethan took my hand as if he was afraid that I was going to leave him too. It wasn't as romantic this time since I could tell Ethan was pretty mad at me. He was probably afraid I'd go after Troy and I actually might have if I thought I could get away from Ethan.

Ethan dragged us both back to our booth, flagged down the waitress and paid the check, while I watched him in dumbfounded silence. Ethan Ripley, the most popular guy in school, had punched another guy trying to protect my honor...kind of. We walked back to the car in silence.

The silence didn't last too long, though, because as soon as Ethan slammed his car door shut, Ethan turned to me, "I thought we talked about going off alone with Troy! What did you think you were doing?"

"Ethan, we were in the middle of The Burger. It's not like he was going to do anything to me," I started.

"Except kiss you!" Ethan yelled back.

"So?" I dared him.

Ethan looked furious, "Do you want to end up dead like those other girls? Have a funeral of your own?"

I sucked in a breath and tried to remain calm. "No. I don't have a death wish. I was trying to get Troy to talk to me."

"By making out with you?" Ethan asked sarcastically.

"And like you punching him was the best idea in the world," I retorted.

"It was better than your great idea," Ethan snapped back.

"Yeah, hit a serial killer," I said, my words dripping with sarcasm. "Smaaaart."

"I hope the kiss was worth it when he shoots you up with heroin," Ethan angrily fired back.

"For your information, he did not kiss me!" I yelled. "And, I did get information out of him."

Ethan was stubbornly silent for a moment. I tried to calm down. I understood why he was all freaked out, but I could take care of myself and it was worth it. I did find out something. Something important, I was sure, if I could just figure it out.

"Like what?" Ethan's curiosity got the better of him.

I told Ethan what Troy had told me, without the whole inching forward, trying to make out with me stuff mixed in. Ethan didn't need to know any more than he already did about that. He had probably seen enough of it to get the gist anyway, right before he punched Troy out.

"And he said he dated Jenna, not Vanessa. He said he didn't even know Vanessa," I added. "Maybe I could have gotten more out of him too if someone hadn't come barging in. Like why it had ended badly between him and Jenna."

Ethan laughed bitterly, "And how was he going to talk to you with his tongue in your mouth?"

"Maybe I was trying to butter him up!" I offered.

"He could be lying," Ethan wanted to dismiss it.

"I don't think so," I retorted. "It's weird. Like, you can't make this up weird. He said he dated Jenna. She told us that he dated her sister. So?"

"Sadly, some guys don't exactly remember the names of all the girls they date either," Ethan smirked at me. "And, it's not like he'd really want to talk about it in front of a girl he's trying to get with."

"Whatever," I was feeling annoyed with Ethan. What was his problem? Why did he care if Troy wanted to make out with me? I just wanted to go home at this point.

Ethan shook his head, "How can I get it through your thick skull that someone who could commit four murders, might also be a good liar?"

"But what if he did date Jenna and not Vanessa?" I asked. "Don't you think that's weird? Why would Jenna lie? Maybe she has something to do with the murders."

"Maybe they switched. They were twins," Ethan offered.

That was true. It was a possibility, but it still made things weird. I nodded, "Maybe."

Ethan shook his head, "Even if Jenna did date Troy, maybe she was afraid to say so. Maybe she knows he's a killer. Maybe he killed the wrong sister and she doesn't want him to come after her."

I felt my eyes narrow. It was possible that Jenna Martin was scared for her life. I had to admit it, but I wasn't so sure of Jenna's complete innocence like Ethan was. There was definitely some kind of chemistry between Ethan and Jenna if he could just dismiss her being a suspect like that. It was weird. Any casual observer would have to put her on the list of suspects now. Jenna was involved somehow. I knew it. I was not going to be giving her a free pass like Ethan seemed to want to.

Ethan continued his tirade, "I think it's weird that you are so all about Troy when he's probably a serial killer."

He finally started the car. I couldn't wait to get home. I rolled my eyes and shook my head feeling exasperated. Ethan concentrated on his driving. I ignored him and stared out the window as he drove, thinking. Ethan just wanted to think badly of Troy. I was more convinced than ever that Troy hadn't committed any murders. It was a gut instinct. Then again, Ethan would probably just say that was chemistry between Troy and me. Maybe it was. I admit it. Troy wouldn't ever be completely in the clear until I found the real murderer, though.

So, I was very interested in Jenna, now. What did Jenna and Vanessa have to do with all of this and Troy? There was most definitely something there and even if Ethan didn't, I wanted to look into the suddenly conflicting story between Jenna and Troy. Did he date Vanessa or Jenna? Was it important? And, really, why would Jenna lie about it? Or if Troy was the one lying, why would he? Answers just seemed to bring on more questions.

## Chapter 17: Panicking

Ethan dropped me off at my house without saying a word. I got out of the car and slammed the door. Ethan pealed away in a rush. It was only a little after nine o'clock, but it felt late. It had been a long night and I was exhausted. I stared after Ethan for a moment, wondering if we would get past this latest quarrel. I didn't even care if he talked to me at school tomorrow, I was so mad at him. I felt the energy drain out of me. I just wanted to go to sleep. Thinking about Ethan only seemed to drive me crazy.

I was about to turn and walk up the driveway to my house and my oh-so-comfy bed, when I felt my skin start to prickle. I live in a decently nice suburb and I don't think the crime rate is very high or anything, but nonetheless, I started getting the creeps. I looked around. My particular subdivision didn't have many street lamps. There were a few, but they were so far apart that there were plenty of dark shadows to hide in.

As I scanned the area, I started digging in my purse for my house keys. They always get buried in my purse no matter how small it is. My skin was really crawling now. I wanted to bolt inside the house. I couldn't see anyone lurking, but it didn't mean that there wasn't anybody there. I felt my hand close around my key chain – a small stuffed cat that I thought looked like Scarlett. I ran for my front door. Somehow, I didn't even fumble the keys as I turned them in the lock, pulled the door open, and slammed it shut behind me.

The house was dark. My dad still wasn't home from his friend's house. I turned on all of the lights. I knew that if someone wanted to get in, they still could, but a houseful of lights at least made me feel safer. I wished we had an alarm system. That would make me feel even better. Or even a dog. As I thought that, my cat Scarlett came out from under the couch in the living room and I scooped her up and carried her to my room. At least she could keep me company even if she wasn't going to scare away any stalkers.

I wondered if I should call someone. Ethan was probably only a mile away. Should I call him? I wondered if he'd even answer. Should I call my dad? I listened for any sounds of someone breaking in. Was I just spooked because of the whole serial killer on the loose thing or was there really someone out there watching me? I didn't want to look like a scared kid. Maybe this whole murder investigation was just getting to me.

I debated. After thinking about it, I decided to wait. I didn't need Detective Dixon coming to my house and giving me a lecture about calling the police for no reason if they couldn't find anyone. I definitely didn't want it to look like I was freaking out or anything. It would damage our case to the police when we were ready to present it and it would give proof to Ethan that he was right. I didn't want to prove him right.

Still, I put my cell phone on my desk within easy reach, just in case. I would call the police if someone broke in or if I had any concrete evidence that someone was trying to kill me, in a heartbeat. I put Scarlett on my lap as I turned on my computer. I wanted to email Jenna and ask her about what Troy had said, but as soon as I logged onto my Facebook, I saw that there was another message. It was from Jane Austen, as in the writer of _Pride and Prejudice_. Yet, my name was the subject. Weird. I clicked on it and felt myself start to shake as I read the message: _Troy is my boyfriend._

I stared at that message for a long time without moving or thinking. It was just one sentence, but it was terrifying. My rational brain was reminding me that this was a big break in the case. We were obviously getting to someone – even if that someone just thought that Troy and I were actually dating. Despite this big break, though, at that very moment I was paralyzed by fear. Someone was threatening me. The email was only one sentence, but the sentiment was definitely clear. And, it must be just like the email Liz had received. Hers was from Mary Shelley, the author of _Frankenstein,_ but still. They were both from dead writers. I wondered if any of the other girls had received this kind of email.

Who was it? All of Troy's girlfriends were dead, at least the ones we knew about. I knew I didn't want to be next. Who else was there? Unless...and she was the only one I could think of, Jenna was involved with Troy. Was this email from Jenna? Was she the murderer? Was she capable of killing her sister and all the other girls?

Jenna had already made my list of suspects after Troy's confusion about knowing her, Jenna, and not knowing Vanessa Martin. I thought about it. I had only spoken to Jenna for about fifteen minutes that night in the diner where Ethan and I had questioned her about her sister's death. She had seemed normal enough and forthcoming. I tried to analyze her now, in retrospect, but I just didn't know. Was she a crazy person underneath that normal exterior? I had never exactly liked her, but I wasn't sure that just wasn't jealousy over Ethan.

I wasn't sure what to do. Unless Troy was trying to throw me off his scent, this email implicated a girl and the only girl I knew to implicate was Jenna. The question was - what did I do about it?

I made a decision. I jumped on Facebook and emailed Jenna like I had originally planned. I would have called her, but Ethan was the one with her number and I wasn't completely sure he'd give it to me if I asked him for it. Besides, I wasn't sure I could act the part I wanted to play for Jenna on the phone. Email was easier. She couldn't hear me say it, which would totally give me away. And anyway, I wasn't going to call Ethan first. I had nothing to apologize for. I had done what I had to do in regards to Troy.

I thought for a moment before I started typing. I had to play it right. Scarlett tried to get my attention by pawing at the keyboard. I pushed her paw away, stroked her head, and managed to write a quick email:

Jenna,

I have a question for you. I went on a dinner date with Troy Matthews tonight. It went great. He's a great kisser, actually, and we're supposed to go out again. Anyway, he said something that was kind of weird. He said that he dated you, not Vanessa. Want to tell me about that?

Kait

I reread it as Scarlett finally settled down on my lap, purring. I debated being even more confrontational, but settled on clueless. Jenna would get the hint. If Jenna had dated Troy and was a jealous psycho murderer ex-girlfriend then my gushing about going out with him and kissing him would send her over the edge. I knew she was aware that my date with Troy was a setup from the call between her and Ethan earlier, but I was hoping my admission that we were going on another date would set off the crazy in crazy ex-girlfriend anyway if that is what she was. If not, hopefully Jenna would answer my question and tell me why she had lied or if she hadn't. I'd give her a shot to tell me that she was scared that Troy would kill her too or that she was totally innocent. I sent it before I thought more about it. Someone was lying and the key was definitely the Martin sisters.

I picked up my cell phone and stared at it. I scrolled through the numbers and found Troy's. I knew Ethan was going to hate what I was about to do, but it had to be done. I dialed Troy's number.

It went to voicemail. Figures that he might not want to talk to me after my "friend" punched him for making a move on me. I didn't blame Troy. Still, I was going to leave a message. Troy hadn't cut all ties when he left, after all. He had told me to look him up after I talked to Ethan and that's exactly what I was doing. The beep sounded.

"Hey, Troy. It's Kait. I'm sooo sorry about tonight. I don't know what came over Ethan. I'd still really like to keep hanging out. Call me, okay?" I hung up.

I half hoped Troy wouldn't call me back, but I needed to talk to him. I needed to keep the communication lines open with him and I needed to find out how things had gone badly with Jenna Martin. Hopefully I wasn't rekindling a dating relationship with a serial killer like Ethan was going to think.

I put my phone back on my desk and stared at my Facebook sent box. Now all I had to do was wait for Jenna to read her email and respond and for Troy to call me back. I didn't know how I was going to get through the anticipation part of all that. Everything hinged on those two conversations. I tried to take my mind off of it. I needed to stop thinking about the entire night, actually. I was still listening for sounds of a break in. I put Scarlett on my bed and went to my dresser to get out my pajamas. I was probably going to have a hard time sleeping with my thoughts spinning in every direction, but I could definitely use the rest.

I jumped. I heard a sound in the living room. I dropped my pajamas on the floor. I heard the front door opening. I grabbed for my cell phone, ready to dial Ethan and the police.

"Kait?" My dad said from the other room.

I sighed in relief. It took me a second to stop shaking.

"I'm in my room, Dad!" I yelled back after I regained my voice and felt relief wash over me.

This whole detective murder mystery business was starting to get to me. I picked up my pajamas off the floor. It wouldn't be good if my dad saw me in my date dress. I changed quickly. Besides, it was definitely time for me to go to sleep.

## Chapter 18: Suspecting

I woke up exhausted the next morning. I had spent the whole night tossing and turning between nightmares. I guess that figures when you're in the middle of a murder investigation. I checked my Facebook before getting ready for school, but there was no response from Jenna and definitely no voicemails or texts from Troy. I had practically slept with my cell phone waiting for him to call me back. Then again, I didn't blame him. Ethan had made a terrible enough impression on him for the both of us.

It was going to be a long day at school. I was so tired and the day seemed endless even as I got off the bus at eight in the morning. Still, I was surprised to find Ariel waiting for me at my locker. It wasn't a good surprise by any means, but since I needed a book for my Spanish class out of my locker, I was going to have to face her.

"So, what's going on with you and Ethan?" Ariel asked before I had even reached my locker.

Hadn't we gone through this a few days ago? "Nothing."

"Uh-huh," Ariel watched as I turned my locker combination. "Is that why he practically tore that guy Troy's head off for making a move on you?"

I turned to look at her feeling incredulous, "Ariel, if you're suggesting that Ethan likes me, you're nuts. You have a way better chance with him."

"Oh, is that why as soon as you left with Troy and I was making my move, Ethan practically pushed me out of the booth to run after you? I told him you were in the bathroom. And, he assumed with Troy. Do you know that he busted into the women's bathroom looking for you? He scared the heck out of some old lady peeing in a stall before he decided to check the arcade," Ariel was looking at me matter of factly.

That was interesting. It was kind of fun thinking over what it might mean that Ethan was so frantic to find me that he burst in on an old lady peeing.

"Hi, Kait!" Dave Rickerson said, walking by, making me remember where I was.

Even Mike Finnegan, who was walking with him, waved. That was surreal, but I waved back anyway. Ariel looked at me incredulously.

"So, Ethan's friends are saying hi to you for no reason at all?" Ariel asked.

"Why are you telling me all of this, Ariel?" I asked, ignoring her question.

"Because I think you're both idiots," Ariel started and I knew there was more. "And, if there's something going on with you and Ethan, I wondered if you might be interested in hooking me up with Troy?"

"What?" I was incredulous. Twenty-four hours ago she had been all about Ethan.

"What? He's cute," Ariel shrugged. "He's in college and he has super huge muscles. Hot."

"But you don't even like art," I managed.

Ariel looked at me like I was an idiot, "When you look like me, art is the last thing on any boy's mind."

I didn't know what to say. As much as Ariel had gone from being my best friend to becoming my arch enemy, I could not in all honesty set her up with Troy at this very moment. Troy was not clear of murder suspicion despite what I thought of him. And, even if he wasn't murdering the girls himself, he most likely had some part in all of it. I could not have my ex-bff's murder on my hands, arch enemy or not, so I just said, "Gotta go to Spanish. Bye..."

Then I sprinted for my Spanish class. I took off at a full run and everything. Otherwise, I knew Ariel would have followed me, asking a barrage of Troy questions and annoying me until I had to give her his number. I was only delaying it, since I knew this wouldn't be the end of it. Once Ariel set her mind on someone, she would not let up, especially if that someone was a hot guy.

I managed to avoid Ariel all morning after our bizarre run in, so it was a good day. I hadn't seen Ethan either, so it wasn't a great day (even if we were still in a fight), but all in all, I was in an okay mood by the time I made it to Chemistry class, fourth period.

I was one of the first ones to walk into class, but I noticed Suzie was already at her desk reading the end of _Pride and Prejudice._ She was so engrossed in it that she didn't even notice me walk in. I went to my lab table and set my books down. That's when my mind did a double take. I looked back at Suzie again, who still hadn't looked up from her book. Yes, it was definitely _Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen that she was reading. That was an odd coincidence.

Don't get me wrong. Jane Austen is a great writer and I'm sure many people enjoy her books (I know I do), but come on, this is high school. What are the odds of Suzie Whitsett reading that book at the same time that I got a harassing email from its long dead author? Was it a coincidence or was there more to it? And, Suzie had admitted to also reading _Frankenstein_ by Mary Shelley around the time of the first murder, not to mention that Suzie was one of the last people to see Liz O'Reilly alive at the Palos Animal Shelter Adoption Fair in the park.

Now, I couldn't imagine Suzie having anything to do with the murders, but there were a lot of weird coincidences. I also couldn't ignore the idea that sometimes the quietest ones could be the most deadly. I looked back at her. I knew that Suzie had known at least two of the victims. Did she know Troy? Suzie mentioned that Liz had talked about him, but I hadn't asked her if she knew him. Did Suzie have any sort of a motive to try and murder those girls? I thought for a moment and then before I could convince myself not to, I walked toward Suzie.

"Hey Suzie," I said, walking up to her lab table.

Suzie looked up from her book. "What's up?"

"Did you know Troy at all? Liz's boyfriend?" I asked.

"Wha-a-t?" Suzie stammered nervously and put down her book.

"Did you ever meet Troy Matthews?" I asked again.

"Once," Suzie admitted after a moment.

"When?" I asked.

"At the animal shelter," Suzie offered.

"What was he doing there?" I sat down next to her.

Suzie shifted her chair a fraction of an inch away from me. "He was there visiting Liz."

I pressed on, "What did you think of him?"

Suzie shrugged, "He was cute, but I know he wouldn't go for me or anything."

I raised my eyebrows, "Why not?"

"Most guys don't," Suzie admitted, looking sad. "I'm too quiet and shy people say, but they just usually don't."

I knew how Suzie felt on that account. Guys didn't normally fall all over themselves for me either, at least not until last night, when they got into a fight over me. That was an anomaly, though.

"I hear you," I said, trying to think of my next question.

Suzie seemed suddenly anxious. Was I getting to her? I wasn't even sure what I was getting at. Was she crazy over Troy too? Were all girls? What was it about him? I felt like I was in that movie _There's Something About Mary_ except Troy was Mary. Although, even I had to admit...Troy was pretty cute.

And then Suzie suddenly blurted it out, "So, I was talking to the girls at the Animal Shelter yesterday and Jenna kept telling me I should just ask Kyle to Homecoming. She was really crazy adamant about going after a guy if you liked him. Anyway, so I thought I'd ask you since you talk to him every day."

Finally! I thought. I was right about her and Kyle. But what if Suzie was a murderer? I couldn't let Kyle date her then. I could barely believe I was saying Suzie and murderer in the same sentence.

And then something dawned on me, "Suzie, the girl you work with at the animal shelter, Jenna? What's her last name?"

Suzie looked confused for a moment. "Jenna Martin. Do you know her?"

Yes, I knew her, but I only had a few minutes until the bell was going to ring or before Kyle showed up and took up all Suzie's attention, "She knew Liz too?"

"Yeah," Suzie said, wondering where I was going.

Funny, Jenna hadn't mentioned that. Although, Ethan and I hadn't thought to ask her either, mostly because we had just assumed she didn't.

"And she introduced you to Olivia Reynolds?" I continued.

"Well, yeah, for the sewing class," Suzie was getting distracted, looking toward the doorway for Kyle. "Why?"

My brain was spinning. Jenna knew at least three of the victims. She had been around Suzie and her books. And, now the most important question...

"Do you know if she knew Troy Matthews?" I had to ask.

Suzie frowned, "Liz's boyfriend? I don't know. He was at the shelter that one day. Jenna might have been there. Uh..."

Suzie thought for a moment. My mind was racing. This was the most important detail.

Suzie nodded, "You know, now that I think about it, Jenna didn't meet him that day because she had a girl emergency or something. You know, her period. I leant her a tampon."

I still couldn't be sure Jenna didn't know Troy. Maybe she faked the emergency so that she didn't have to see him because she did know him. I couldn't be sure. Then again, to be fair, even Suzie knew a fair amount of the people involved in all of this and I really doubted she was a murderer despite the coincidence in books. It was all so involved and confusing. Why couldn't investigating a murder be simple and straightforward?

Still, it sure sounded like Jenna, in addition to Troy, knew all of the murder victims – from Liz to Vanessa to Olivia. The only person I couldn't be sure that Jenna knew was Melissa Kent. Jenna knew about just as many people as Troy did. Jenna was easily up for grabs as the murderer now. But what was her motive? Why would she kill her sister or any of the other girls? Was it about Troy? Was she just crazy?

Suzie was looking at me, puzzled. "Why do you want to know about Jenna?"

I shook my head, "I just realized I know her too."

"Oh. Do you think she has something to do with..." Suzie left the question open ended.

I smiled, "I don't know, but there's some weird coincidences."

Suzie thought for a moment, "Uh, well, I don't know if this is important, but Jenna was there that day too, at the Animal Shelter Adoption in the park."

I felt my blood run cold, "She was?"

Suzie nodded. That put Jenna in the right place to have gone after Liz.

I thought for a moment and then said, "But you said Liz left alone? And, that she was going to see Troy?"

"Yeah," Suzie said.

"Where was Jenna at that time?" I asked.

"I don't know. Wait, she left early. She said she had to go home," Suzie said and then added, "She and Liz did talk before that, though. I saw them, but Liz seemed totally fine. I saw them hug and Liz was smiling, so I don't think they had a fight or anything."

"But Liz definitely got in her car alone?" I asked again.

"Yes," Suzie replied.

I thought about what I knew. Troy and Jenna both had potential access to Liz within the hour that she died. Troy claimed not to have seen Liz for a few days, much less the night of her death, although if he was guilty, he was lying. Still, what if Liz just never made it to Troy's because Jenna killed her? Even if they had gotten along at the park, she could have followed Liz, forced her to pull over, and killed her. It had to be one of them.

I saw Kyle walk into the room and head for our lab table. Suzie saw him too. Her gaze followed his every step. She was so innocent. There was no way that she could be the killer.

I nodded at Suzie, "Please ask Kyle to the dance. He's dying to ask you, but for whatever reason he thinks you'll say no."

Suzie looked horrified, "I wouldn't say no. I swear. You really think he'd say yes?"

I smiled at her, "Definitely. Go ask him."

Suzie looked at me hopefully. I gave her a playful push and she got up and walked toward my lab table where Kyle was trying not to look at us.

Suzie walked over to Kyle and stood there awkwardly. How could I have thought even for a moment that Suzie was a killer? She couldn't even say anything to Kyle about the dance and Kyle was gazing up at her like she was a goddess.

"Hey, Suzie," was all Kyle managed to say.

Suzie pounced on it as a good sign and said in the most rapid way possible, "Kyle, do you want to go to Homecoming with me?"

Kyle looked like he had been shot, but in a good way. It took him a moment, but suddenly he had a huge grin, "Yes!"

Then they just stood there grinning at each other awkwardly. It was so cute! I sighed. At least they were getting their happily ever after. I still didn't have a date for the Homecoming Dance and I was neck deep involved in a rapidly confusing and potentially deadly murder investigation. At least I had narrowed it down – Troy or Jenna, Jenna or Troy. My mind was going over and over all the details. I was going to figure this out if it killed me. I hoped it didn't.

I checked my Facebook email in the library quickly before lunch, but there was still no response from Jenna. Maybe because she is the murderer, I couldn't help thinking. Then again, I had to be fair, there was no voicemail from Troy yet either, calling me back. They could both have actual lives to deal with. I looked again at the email from Jane Austen. I printed it just in case.

I sat down at my usual lunch table, alone, wondering if Ethan was going to join me. We had parted on such awful terms the night before that I thought things might go back to the way they were before, where he stopped remembering I existed. Even though I still thought I was right, I kind of missed Ethan. I opened up my bag lunch of peanut butter and jelly, a Coke, pretzels, and an apple. It was going to be lonely today at lunch.

And then suddenly there was Ethan, sitting down across from me with his own paper bag lunch, "Jenna just left me a message, all freaked out."

I almost spit my Coke out all over him, "She did?"

"Yeah, she did. What did you email her? She just kept saying, 'What did Kait say to Troy?'" Ethan looked annoyed with me.

I felt defensive, "I didn't say anything bad in the email. I only asked her if she was the one who dated Troy."

"Well, maybe you should just leave her alone. Troy freaks her out," Ethan warned.

Why was Ethan suddenly soooo protective of Jenna? I was mad and wanted to shock him, "Well, maybe that's because Jenna is the murderer!"

Ethan started laughing instead. "Jenna? You think Jenna?"

He couldn't stop laughing and I was getting super annoyed. "Yes, I do."

"But she's so tiny!" Ethan wiped a tear from his eye.

I wanted to kill him. "So? She knew everyone just like Troy. I mean, I don't know about Melissa Kent, but still."

Ethan looked suddenly serious, "How do you know that?"

"Suzie Whitsett knows Jenna. I hadn't thought about it before, but I asked her about Jenna today and Jenna knows everyone!" I wanted to go over the evidence again. I was sure the pieces would fit.

"Except Melissa Kent," Ethan said stubbornly.

"Okay, well, I just don't know about Melissa Kent. She might have known her. Maybe she had her as a math tutor too," I rationalized. "Or maybe she stalked Troy and saw them together. I don't know."

Ethan opened his lunch bag, "But until you find out, you're right, you don't know. It's a hole in your logic."

"A little one," I was getting angry again.

Ethan sighed, "Come on, Kait. Jenna is a teeny tiny girl. How in the world could she force a heroin needle into the arms of four girls? Troy is the one with the muscle."

"But Jenna's lying!" I whined.

Ethan thought for a moment. "Maybe she is lying about Troy. One of the two sisters dated him. We know that. Like I said before, maybe she's just scared he'll come after her too. Have you really thought about that?"

I had thought about it and dismissed it. Although, I guess if I thought my sister had been murdered by my ex-boyfriend, I may not want him to think about murdering me too.

Ethan continued. "Maybe Troy killed the wrong sister. Maybe he thought he was killing Jenna, but killed Vanessa instead. Have you thought of that? Poor girl. No wonder she's so freaked out."

I sighed.

Ethan took that as a sign to go on, "And, I mean her sister just died. Do you know how that feels? Give her a break."

Ethan was making me feel bad playing that card. He was right. I didn't know how it felt to lose a sister. I had no siblings, but I had lost a mother. So, I did know how it felt to lose someone you really cared about and knew for your entire life. I looked at the table still not wanting to be dissuaded from my suspicions.

Ethan looked at me, "Oh come on, you can be wrong sometimes."

I frowned. "I haven't decided yet if I'm wrong or not. We haven't cleared anyone."

Ethan nodded, "And, that's something I wanted to talk to you about. I think this is getting dangerous. I mean, you almost kissed a..."

I looked at him with warning.

Ethan continued, "...an alleged murderer last night."

I snorted, "Please."

"Hey, I'm giving you Jenna as a suspect," Ethan reminded me.

"Fine," I said reluctantly. "Then what do you make of this?"

I pulled the printout of the email from Jane Austen out of my History book and handed it to Ethan. He read it quickly and looked up at me, instantly alarmed.

"When did you get this?" he asked.

"Last night after I got home," I said.

"This is getting dangerous," Ethan raked a hand through his hair and read the letter again. I almost forgot to notice how sexy his hair was. Almost.

"Yeah. I'm totally freaked out," I said, seriously. "And, see, Jenna doesn't look so innocent anymore, does she?"

Ethan smirked at me, "Troy could be totally psychotic too."

We were at an impasse on the issue. I voted for Jenna as the suspect and Ethan was still gunning for Troy. Either of us could be right. Or, the murderer could totally blindside both of us and turn out to be Suzie, but I had already dismissed that. Besides, I didn't need to confuse Ethan any more, so I wasn't even going to bring Suzie up as a suspect.

"I'm scared," I admitted instead.

Ethan nodded and looked up from his third time reading the letter, "I think we need to get ourselves out of this and hand it over to the people who know what they're doing."

"But, Ethan, the police wouldn't even listen to us last time!" I pleaded.

"Well, we have to make them listen," Ethan looked at me intently, "Come with me after school. Help me convince Detective Dixon that he at least needs to look into Troy Matthews."

"And, Jenna Martin," I reminded him.

Ethan frowned, "Fine, if you give me Troy, I'll give you Jenna."

"But what proof do we have of anything?" I asked, frustrated.

Ethan looked at me, "We have proof that Troy and Jenna knew most of the victims. Suzie can place them both potentially there within Liz's last hour alive."

I smirked at him, "But they just think these are overdoses, remember?"

"Well, then, we'll have to convince them they're not. There are plenty of people who would say that Liz was totally unlikely to overdose on heroin," Ethan offered.

"Probably not good enough for Detective Dixon," I said.

"We have to do something and now we have proof of two letters - one to Liz from Mary Shelley and one to you from Jane Austen. Even Detective Dixon will have to admit that it's weird. What if the other girls got something like that? This is getting dangerous. So, are you in for coming to the police station with me or what?"

I frowned at Ethan, torn. "I can't. I have to work."

## Chapter 19: Murder Solving

I did have to go to work. I wasn't lying. If I showed up late or called in sick again, Anne was going to fire me or at least she should since it would be the zillionth time I'd flaked out in the last two weeks. And, even so, I might have ditched work again, but I was a little annoyed with Ethan. I didn't think we should go to the police yet. I know I got that email and that was definitely a warning, but we had at the very least a few days before someone came after me. Liz had gotten the email over a week before she was killed. I wanted the killer to have the time to take the bait.

Ethan could go battle it out with Detective Dixon and his Styrofoam cups alone. That guy irked me too. It wasn't like the Detective was going to listen to something a couple of kids had to say. He had made that abundantly clear. Twice. Ethan was probably wasting his time. I just hoped Detective Dixon did listen when the time came that we really needed him to. Like, if someone really did decide to kill me by overdosing me with heroin or something.

I was about to get out of my car and walk into work when my phone beeped. Ethan had texted me: _Here at the station, waiting. Sure you don't wanna be here to help?_

I texted back, feeling mean: _Can't. But maybe Troy will come and meet up with me at work, though, if you're looking for him. Still want to talk to him about Jenna._

I don't know what possessed me to write that. I half hoped Ethan actually did think Troy would come visit me at work. Not that Troy would probably ever speak to me again after the way Ethan, my "friend," had freaked out on him. Still, Troy had said I should call him once I got the whole Ethan thing sorted out, so maybe there was still a chance I could get him to take me to Homecoming. That is, after I made sure he wasn't a serial killer and all. I mean, it wasn't like Ethan was going to ask me.

I threw my cell back into my purse, locked the car, and walked toward the store. It was empty when I walked in, but I saw the glow of Anne's television through her office window. She must have started her daily movie early. She must still trust me to have started it before I even got in. I was glad to know that she didn't think I was a total flake.

I had just set my purse down behind the counter and was pulling out my copy of _Anne of Green Gables_ that I wanted to finish reading, when I heard the door chimes jingle. I looked up and got ready to smile and say hello to a customer. Instead, I froze.

Troy Matthews had just walked into the store. What was he doing here? I hadn't actually called him to invite him to visit with me despite my text to Ethan. What was going on? I knew he couldn't be psychic and besides, I hadn't told him I worked here. We hadn't had time to get that far between the interrogating and almost making out the other night. He hadn't even called me back from the night before. Troy finally spotted me and started walking toward the counter.

I didn't know what to do, so I simply said, "What are you doing here?"

"You IMed me," he said, walking closer. "And you left me a voicemail."

I did leave him a voicemail the night before, but I sure as heck did not IM him and tell him to meet me at work. I didn't even know his IM name. I looked toward the back office. At least Anne was there if Troy tried anything...like killing me.

"I didn't IM you," I felt my voice crack. I had been so sure that Troy wasn't the psychopath too. I suddenly wished I had gone with Ethan to pay Detective Dixon a visit.

Troy frowned, "Yes, you did. You wanted me to meet you here."

Boy, was he insistent. Was it better to argue or appease an insane person? "Uh, ok, sure," I managed.

Troy was almost at the counter now. Anne had a button to call the police in her office near the safe. Maybe I could signal her somehow if I could get her away from her movie for a minute.

"Hey, Anne!" I yelled toward the back. "Can you help me out here?"

I turned toward the office expecting to see Anne poke her head out, but instead I was surprised to see Jenna Martin and that she had a gun.

"I knew it!" I yelled, forgetting that I was in mortal danger for a moment even if it wasn't from Troy. Unless, that is, they were in on it together. I backed into my area behind the corner so I could see the both of them.

Troy seemed as surprised as I was, "Jenna?"

"Hi, Troy," She said sweetly while still aiming the gun at each of us in turn. "And, it's Vanessa, actually."

"Vanessa?" Troy and I both said at the same time. I mean, Vanessa was dead and all so it was a reasonable question for both of us.

"Yes, Vanessa," she answered both of us. "Jenna is the one who died last week."

"Jenna's dead?" Troy was confused.

"Poor, poor Troy," Vanessa and not Jenna said to him and then looked at me, "What Troy here doesn't understand is that Jenna and I used to play a game with some of the guys that we dated. We'd switch on them. And, well, I fell in love with Troy and told Jenna to stay away from him. She didn't, in fact, she slept with him just to spite me and then she broke it off with him. When I tried to get him back, he thought I was crazy."

Poor Troy did look really confused. "You sent me all those weird letters? Not Jenna?"

"I loved you!" Vanessa cried passionately to Troy. "I still do! You and I could be together! That's why I kept writing to you! But your ignored me! You kept dating other people! First Olivia, then Melissa, and then Liz! Now her! I loved you!"

I was trying to think of a way out of the store. Vanessa was nuts, whether she was Jenna or Vanessa or whoever. Where was Anne? I glanced toward the office. I hoped she wasn't dead. She was the best boss I'd ever had, even though she had been my only one.

"I didn't even want to kill them," Vanessa continued, "I tried to warn them. You and I are meant to be together. I told them to stop dating you, but they just couldn't. They wouldn't listen. So, I had to kill them to get them to stay away from you. I love you."

Vanessa was looking at Troy like she was hoping he'd declare his love for her. I was hoping he would too, so that maybe Vanessa would fall into his arms and I could make a break for the door. Instead, to my surprise, Ethan burst into the video store, and ran straight for Troy.

It was an amazing tackle. Ethan flew through the air and took Troy down to the ground. Troy didn't know what hit him. He smacked his head on the ground and was gone to the world.

It was then that Ethan looked up and got a real handle on the situation. Vanessa was shocked, but still holding the gun and it was pointed straight at Ethan.

Ethan looked at me, "I guess I was wrong."

"Uh-huh. I wasn't quite right either. Ethan meet Vanessa," I managed.

Vanessa snapped out of it. "Well, this complicates things. I guess I'll just have to kill you all."

I was tempted to say, 'You'll never get away with it,' but she had already gotten away with four murders, so what was four more? I wondered if we were all about to OD on heroin too or if she was just going to shoot us.

Ethan asked the question for me, "What are you going to do?"

"I was just going to shoot Kait and have Troy kill himself, but I do have another needle on me, so maybe I'll inject Kait, shoot you, and then have Troy shoot himself. Oh, the options. I just have to make it look realistic," Vanessa seemed to be pondering her choices. "Troy's going to be my fall man."

"I thought you loved him," I managed to say.

Vanessa looked at me with cold, hard eyes. "I do love him but if I can't have him, nobody can. Besides, I can't be the one looking guilty and Troy knew all the girls. Mystery solved. Police happy. All of you, dead. Me, safe."

Ethan looked at me. I looked back at him. What were we supposed to do? I mean, you couldn't rationalize with a psychopathic killer who it seems had already decided to kill us all.

"Where to start, where to start," Vanessa was pointing the gun between us.

I wasn't quite sure what to do at this point. My first instinct had been to bolt, but how was I supposed to get myself, Ethan, potentially Anne if she was still alive and in the back room, and an unconscious Troy out of the video store alive without Vanessa shooting anyone? It was impossible and yet I had to do something. That is until Ethan distracted me.

"Kait, will you go to Homecoming with me?" Ethan shouted out of nowhere.

Vanessa and I both turned to look at him, surprised.

"W-w-what?" I stammered. I couldn't quite grasp the question. Was he actually asking me to Homecoming even though we were both going to die? What was the point? Wait. Did he like me and this was his way of showing it? Was I getting some sort of weird dying wish? This was surreal.

"Will you go to Homecoming with me?" Ethan shouted again.

Vanessa was looking between us, indecisively. I didn't know what to say. I mean, was he really serious? And, was Ethan on crack? We were about to die here. How could I go to Homecoming with him? We had more important things to think about, "Uh, Ethan..."

Vanessa swung the gun toward me and then I saw her eyes flicker to the storefront window.

"Kait, will you go to Homecoming with me?" Ethan yelled again.

I ignored him. He had obviously cracked under the pressure. I followed Vanessa's gaze to the storefront window. What was she looking at?

Ethan yelled again, "Vanessa, over here! Duck Kait, duck!"

And, I meant to, but then the explosions began. Vanessa fired. I hit the ground with a searing pain in my shoulder. Oh my God. Had I been shot? Was this better or worse than dying of a heroin overdose? I would never get to tell Ethan I liked him. Did he really just ask me to Homecoming? Or was he asking Vanessa? Why would he ask Vanessa, though? She was about to shoot him or inject him with heroin. Life had been very confusing. Sleep, I just needed to sleep.

I think I was unconscious for only a minute before my eyes snapped open. I had to get out of the store. I couldn't die. I mean, Ethan had maybe just asked me to Homecoming. My shoulder was aching with excruciating pain as I managed to crawl out from behind the counter.

The scene had totally changed. Detective Dixon was handcuffing Vanessa. There was blood all over her jeans. Had she been shot too? Police were everywhere. Ethan was on the ground looking in my direction, and gesturing frantically to the police officer talking to him. Troy was still out cold and there was a paramedic attending to him.

"My boss is in the back!" I yelled and saw a police officer head toward the back office.

Another officer headed toward me, "Are you okay? You're bleeding! We need a paramedic over here!"

Then, miraculously, Ethan was there too, holding me, and I gladly passed out in his arms.

## Chapter 20: Homecoming

The first thing I remember was thinking, did Ethan really ask me to Homecoming? And then I realized I was in the hospital with a stiff bandage on my chest and my upper arm. My shoulder was killing me.

Ethan was sitting up looking at me, "Your dad just went to the cafeteria. I'll go get him."

"No," I managed to say.

"Are you sure?" he asked, concerned.

I nodded, "I just feel a little weird."

Ethan smiled, "Getting shot will do that to you."

"You talked to my dad?" I asked.

Ethan's smile broadened, "Yeah."

That was totally brain shattering. Maybe it was good that I was knocked out for that one. I couldn't imagine what my dad would have said to Ethan. I just hoped they were getting along.

"What happened?" I moaned, putting my healthy hand to my head.

Ethan took that hand in his, surprising me, "I'm assuming you mean with the whole getting shot thing."

I nodded, still feeling his hand in mine and not wanting anything to change that wonderful feeling.

Ethan continued, "When I got your text, I freaked. I thought you really had asked Troy to meet you so that you could interrogate him some more."

"But..." I started to say, wanting him to know what really happened. It occurred to me that his reacting that way was almost...jealous. No. He had to have been just concerned for my safety and my brain must be acting weird from painkillers or something.

Ethan stopped me, "Now, I know you were just egging me on. Still, you have to admit, you do have a bad habit of side stepping me and doing what you want, after all. So, I thought you did something impulsive."

I smiled. He knew me well. He smiled back at me and then frowned as he continued to tell the story, "Anyway, I was so convinced that Troy was the killer. I thought you were putting yourself in danger again. I yelled at Detective Dixon, I was so panicked, and then I ran out of the office."

I smiled at the thought of Ethan chewing out the detective. Detective Dixon deserved to get yelled at, even if he had ended up saving us. He could have saved us all of this trouble by believing us in the first place.

Ethan continued, "When I got to the video store, I could see you and Troy through the window. You looked as white as a ghost. I called 911, saw an opportunity, barged in, and knocked Troy out."

I smiled and Ethan looked sheepish, "How was I supposed to know Jenna or Vanessa or whoever she is was in there pointing a gun at the both of you?"

"True," I nodded.

"Then I saw the cops outside. I tried to distract Vanessa. I didn't want her to see them because, well, who knew what she would do then. She was already getting set to shoot us," Ethan explained.

"So, you didn't really mean to ask me to Homecoming?" I asked. I had to know, you know, just in case I needed to go and buy a dress.

Ethan smiled at me. "I thought it was a good distraction."

"Oh," I said, feeling a little sad, because it would have been nice if Ethan kind of meant to ask me to Homecoming even though he thought we were about to die at the time. "And then the police came in?"

"Guns blazing. Vanessa knocked off that shot at you and then they took her down, shot her in the leg, and everything," Ethan squeezed my hand. "I was really scared that she shot you in the chest when you went down so fast. I thought we were all going to die in the crossfire."

I felt suddenly panicked. I had been so self-absorbed, "Oh my God, what happened to Troy? Is Anne okay?"

Ethan smiled wickedly, "Troy is in the next room with a concussion. He is being nursed back to health by Ariel Walker."

"What?" I was incredulous. "Are you kidding me?"

Ethan shook his head chuckling, "No. She saw us on the news, called my cell phone repeatedly until I answered, and demanded to know where we were."

"Wow, that girl moves fast. She was just asking me for the dirt about him this morning. I knew she wouldn't give up," I shook my head in wonder.

"Ariel did check in on you too, you know. I don't know what happened between the two of you and why you stopped being friends, but I can tell you that she didn't want you to die," Ethan said trying to joke about a serious subject.

"Well, I guess that's something," I smirked.

Ethan frowned as if he had some bad news. "Anne is in intensive care."

"What?" I jumped and felt a pain shoot through my shoulder.

Ethan tried to soothe me, "She's going to be okay. Vanessa had already pumped her full of drugs. She's in detox and they want to make sure there will be no lasting effects. Anne's really lucky. The dose wasn't high enough."

"Wow, I hope she'll be okay," I said. I really liked Anne and I wanted to keep my job at the video store, at least until I graduated high school.

Ethan squeezed my hand, "I know she will be."

"It's just so crazy," I said and then gulped, but I had to ask, "What happened to Vanessa?"

"Well, she's in the hospital too," Ethan started and then noticing my alarm, squeezed my hand to let me know that there was more to tell, "They had to give her medical attention for her leg, but she's under armed guard. She isn't going anywhere, except to jail, for life I hope."

"Good," I said adamantly and then I was curious. "Is she really Vanessa or Jenna?"

"From the gossip I heard at the nurse's station, they don't know for sure yet. The girls switched all the time as kids, so it is totally possible that she really is Vanessa, like she said and that Jenna's actually dead. They just can't take her word for it. She's totally insane. They're going to take a blood test, though, and try to figure it all out," Ethan said.

"Wow," It was hard to wrap my mind around. "So, Vanessa or whoever did all of this because of Troy? Some kind of fatal attraction?"

Ethan nodded, "Looks like."

I frowned, "But why kill her sister then?"

Ethan looked sad for a moment, "Well, and this is all just a theory right now, it looks like Jenna found out about Vanessa's obsession with Troy and suspected Vanessa. Then Vanessa also needed a way to escape suspicion. It was convenient for her to kill Jenna."

"Wow," I said again. It was so sad and surreal.

Ethan continued, "Yeah, they found Jenna's diary and pieced things together from that, my statement, and from what Vanessa's been saying. They're talking to Suzie right now. They're going to want to talk to you too when you're up for it."

"Yeah, definitely. So, what do they think happened then?" I asked.

Ethan took a deep breath, "Well, it looks like Jenna told Liz that day at the animal shelter adoption that she thought Vanessa was messing with her regarding Troy and that Vanessa was obsessed with him."

"So, that's why Liz was planning to go see Troy that night," I interrupted.

Ethan nodded, "Yeah, she really didn't think he was cheating on her anymore. Anyway, it looks like while Jenna was telling Liz everything, Vanessa was trying to get to Liz first to tell her that Jenna was the crazy one, by emailing and calling. Vanessa failed because Liz hadn't checked her email and had her cell off. Then Jenna went home early and confronted Vanessa and told her that she had told Liz everything. And, also that Liz and Troy were getting back together. Or, at least that's what the police think happened. Although, their mom definitely confirmed the twins had a fight."

"Oh God," I said, knowing what was coming next.

Ethan paused for a moment, collecting himself, and then continued, "So, Vanessa did what she had to do. She waited for Liz down the street from Troy's house, flagged her down, and killed her. Vanessa thought it was done because the police thought it was just another overdose, but it wasn't over with because you and I discovered that email tying Vanessa to Liz."

"She knew because you emailed her about it," I filled in.

"Yeah," Ethan said, "So, Vanessa killed Jenna to cover her tracks and then pretended to be Jenna, while making the world think Vanessa was dead. But, then we kept investigating. And, Vanessa knew you were about to be onto her again after the whole Troy thing and catching her in the lie about who dated Troy, so then her plan was to kill you and frame him. Besides, she thought he might actually like you."

"Wow," It was a lot to handle and it was all I could seem to think of to say about the situation. So much had happened in the last few days. My mind was spinning.

"Yeah," Ethan looked sad, but determined. "At least, that's what it's looking like. We'll know more once they run tests on Vanessa and actually complete the investigation."

"Finally," I said.

"Yeah," Ethan nodded.

"So, how would they have confused the bodies, though, if the sisters did switch? I mean, didn't they have to ID Jenna? How did they get that wrong?" I asked.

"Their mom identified the body with Vanessa pretending to be Jenna. At least, that's what the cops think happened. So, their mom assumed it was Vanessa dead on the floor. Besides, she was in Vanessa's bedroom, in her clothes. They never did any sort of forensics because it was obvious. The parents positively identified her. And, "Jenna" who we now know, or almost know, is Vanessa was walking around as Jenna. They just didn't know. They'll have proof soon enough, though," Ethan said.

"So, Troy didn't know anything either?" I asked.

Ethan shook his head, "He had no idea about any of it. I mean, he knew he had a crazy ex, but he's totally in shock about it all."

I squeezed Ethan's hand back. "I'm so sorry about Liz."

Ethan smiled slightly, "But now we know. You know? I feel better about that. Liz's name is cleared and people won't remember her as a drug statistic. She'll be remembered as a great girl who loved animals instead. And, my parents and her friends and I won't be beating ourselves up about not noticing that she had a drug problem."

I nodded and looked at Ethan with suddenly teary eyes as it all started to hit me, "I can't believe this happened."

"I know. And, I don't know how to thank you," Ethan smiled.

"Thank me?" I frowned.

Ethan was looking at me sincerely, "If you hadn't crashed my sister's funeral, they never would have caught Vanessa or at least, a lot of other people would have died before she had messed up and gotten caught."

I smiled, "Are you actually thanking me for crashing your sister's funeral?"

Ethan smiled back, "Yes, I am. I'm really glad you did."

"And, what about for taking a chance and going after Troy?" I asked.

Ethan frowned, "Don't push your luck. That was still dangerous. He was a viable suspect at the time."

I grinned back at him, "You're welcome."

We looked at each other in silence for a few moments. Then Ethan looked suddenly anxious.

"What?" I asked.

Ethan hesitated and then said, "I mean, theoretically, what would you have said, if I had asked you to Homecoming for real?"

I laughed. Like I was stupid enough to admit my real feelings and answer that question! So, I did my best flippant response, although I'm not sure it came out completely flippant, "You'd have to ask me to find out!"

"Okay," Ethan said.

We looked at each other for a moment. It was kind of weird, actually. It was like Ethan was searching for an answer in my eyes or something. Then he said it - the words that were going to change my life completely.

"Kait, will you go to Homecoming with me?" Ethan was still holding my hand in his and he looked totally and completely serious about the whole thing.

I must've woken up in an alternate universe. That is the only way that this could be happening. Either that or I had died and went to heaven. Maybe both. Did it really matter? I wanted this to be real!

"Yes," I managed to say. I hoped it came out somewhat coherent. I felt like I was saying it from a million miles away. My brain was spinning. This was all so surreal.

"Awesome," Ethan said.

"Really?" I asked, looking into his eyes, searching them. I had to be sure.

"Yeah, really," Ethan grinned back at me. "And, Kait?"

"Yes?" I murmured, feeling light as a cloud. I was going to the Homecoming Dance with Ethan!!! This was real! This was real!

Ethan was smiling at me, "What would you say if I kissed you?"

I couldn't contain my smile. I don't think I had ever smiled this big. This had to be real, "I'd say - What took you so long!"

And, with that Ethan Ripley, the most popular boy in high school, kissed me. It was the best first kiss ever. When I leaned in to him, to keep kissing him, I almost didn't notice that my shoulder was hurting. Kissing was a great pain relief aid. They should bottle it. I could have kissed Ethan forever, except I had to think about buying a Homecoming dress! Cuz I had a date!!!

Oh, wait, never mind, it's not like they were going to let me out of the hospital tonight so I could go to the mall. Gee darn, I guess I'd just have to spend the extra time kissing Ethan! And, his hair! It was super silky! Sigh....

By the way, I'd take kissing Ethan over a Wired peanut butter banana milk shake anytime. Just saying, if you wanted to know.

And, back to kissing...

###

## Adventures of a Graveyard Girl (Funeral Crashing #2) Excerpt

Read an excerpt of the second book in the Funeral Crashing Series - available now!

I was going to the Homecoming Dance with Ethan Ripley, the most popular guy in school, even though I was the weird girl. Could life get any better? No, I didn't think so, at least not in the foreseeable future.

Wow, I couldn't believe how hot Ethan looked dressed up in a suit and tie. His tie was a bright blue and it made his eyes stand out even more than normal. I was already dying to run my hands through his dark, wavy hair. It was funny, I'd never really thought much past how amazing he already looked in just jeans and a T-shirt, but there was something about a suit and tie that made my stomach do loops. I just never knew that until this very moment. That was probably because this was my first time being on a date to a dance with a guy I thought was really hot already. Well, Ethan was actually my first date to a dance ever.

I thought I looked pretty good too, at least that's what I gathered from the double take Ethan did when he saw me as I answered the front door when he arrived to pick me up. I was wearing a silvery blue dress with spaghetti straps. It was just past the knee and flowing, yet clingy in all the right places. My shoes were these really amazing silver sandal heels and because I had a tendency toward the clumsy and always felt rickety in heels, I had practiced in them, so I wouldn't fall or, simply, look like an idiot walking in them. I had even gone through the trouble to get my hair done at a salon, so it was up in a twist with curls and I had a couple tendrils of hair framing my face. When I looked in the mirror, it was a little scary. It almost didn't look like me, especially after I put on my make-up. I almost wished I had gone to a makeup counter and had that done too. Then I really would have wowed Ethan. Next dance. It was hard to believe that I was already thinking about a next dance with Ethan! I couldn't help it. He was just so amazing. I was gushy about him, I'd admit to that. Well, to myself at least. He didn't need to know. I hoped that he was at least half as gushy about me. I mean, I thought I looked pretty great and I wouldn't normally be saying that.

Nobody would have known that I was in the hospital only a week ago. Yeah, that's right, the hospital and I did have a scar, but it was covered up as best as I could with make-up. I was shot while solving Ethan's half sister's murder case. The upside was that for two whole days afterward, Ethan stayed by my side almost around the clock. It wasn't that serious of a wound, thank goodness, but it was still nice of Ethan to stay with me. Ethan even brought me a couple peanut butter banana milkshakes from my favorite coffee shop, Wired. I love peanut butter banana milkshakes so that was super awesome of him. They are heaven on earth! He didn't need to do that either. Just having him to talk to and pass the time with would have been enough. Well, that and the kissing.

I mean, even though I was out sick from school and really had gotten injured, it had been a pretty amazing week just hanging out with Ethan. Ethan had gone back to school already, but I had hung out with him after school, when I wasn't out looking for a Homecoming dress, resting, and getting better. It was probably in that order too, but hey, I really needed a dress for the school Homecoming Dance!

That reminded me, I was going to have a ton of homework to catch up on when I did go back to school on Monday. I hadn't done anything besides read novels, watch movies, and recuperate and I knew I was going to be totally behind in my classes. I didn't look forward to that. My usual pile of homework was always enough work for me and only just balanced out okay with my after school job at the Palos Video Store. Focus, Kait, focus. You're about to be at the Homecoming Dance with Ethan Ripley, now is not the time to worry about making up homework or think about going back to work.

Ethan and I were about to walk into the Homecoming dance together. A few weeks ago I never would have believed that this moment could happen even in my wildest dreams. Just goes to show you, anything is possible!

We handed our tickets to the teachers at the front entrance and walked into the main hallway. There were a few couples talking in the hall, but I could see that the majority of them were down the way near the lunchroom and the gym. Ethan and I walked slowly down the corridor. We were about to make our entrance. I felt a little nervous.

"You ready for this?" Ethan asked, grinning down at me.

Ethan thought I was worried about nothing. He just didn't understand because of course, he didn't need to be worried, he was Ethan Ripley and used to the whole being popular thing. The only thing popularity had gotten me, though, was a weird girl reputation, so I was understandably nervous. The whole school was about to watch our entrance. That totally freaked me out.

I nodded despite my nerves. Still, I couldn't help but hold my breath as we walked closer and closer toward the area where the entire school was probably gathered, watching and gossiping about the arrivals of all of the new couples like we were on the red carpet of some Hollywood awards show. I knew we were going to be a huge target for the chatter. I braced myself.

Then we were in the lunchroom. I knew people were staring. I wasn't the expected girl that Ethan would bring to the Homecoming Dance and I knew it, even if he didn't seem to get it. People expected someone like my ex-best friend Ariel to be on Ethan's arm. She was popular and gorgeous and well, at the dance with someone else. A college guy, Troy Matthews, that I met and went out on a date with first and introduced her to, actually, even though she's my ex-best friend. I could see a circle of Ariel's friends and hanger-oners surrounding them at a table just inside the gym, next to the dance floor. Ariel was playing the - I'm here with a college guy card for all it was worth. That was so totally Ariel and one reason we weren't friends anymore. There were a lot of other reasons too, of course.

I knew I was being overly insecure about walking into the dance with Ethan and about what other people might think. I couldn't help it. The thought that the most popular guy at my high school might just actually like me back totally freaked me out. That sort of thing only happened in movies like _Sixteen Candles_ or _She's All That,_ not in some weird girl who crashes funerals' life. Yet, it was really happening to me. It was flipping me out, albeit in a good way.

"Want to dance?" Ethan asked, breaking into my a zillion miles per minute thoughts. "Yes," I said, gratefully. Anything was better than standing in the lunchroom awkwardly, watching all of the people look back at us and gossip to each other.

Ethan didn't seem to notice, though. I really envied that quality about him - the obliviousness to all the gossips. He just went with it and then did his own thing, no matter what they said. It was pretty cool, actually. I admired him for that.

Ethan took my hand and led me toward the gymnasium. My heart did a little flip as his hand touched mine. I couldn't help but gasp as we walked all the way into the gym. It had been transformed into a romantic Homecoming Dance room. Yes, it was still the gym where I was forced to play basketball and volleyball (and I was horrible at both), but there was something about the decorations and all of the dressed up couples. Sure, the gym was only decorated with cheap streamers, balloons, handmade signs, and paper mache, but it was still breathtaking just because it was very simply, the most romantic moment of my life. At least it was the most romantic night so far.

I gripped Ethan's hand a little tighter. He smiled down at me. I smiled back at him. I wished it could all last forever.

Ethan led me toward the dance floor, past groups of people that I had stopped paying attention to because for me, it was suddenly just Ethan and I at the dance. For at least a moment, nobody else mattered. I didn't even care what song was playing. My first high school dance with a date and we were actually going to dance! He wasn't one of those - I don't dance guys, where you spend the whole night staring at each other and eating way too many of the chips and cheese and crackers because you have nothing better to do. I've been there and done that when I've gone by myself, which I did once.

It was freshman year and I'd gone to the Homecoming Dance alone, mostly to just see what it was like. Well, and my mom really wanted me to. I mean, the way everyone built it up, it was supposed to be this amazing dance, really romantic, and tons of fun, except that it totally wasn't. First off, Ariel, who was still kind of my friend at the time, ditched me for her new friends, Sarah and Megan. Ariel and I were already getting rocky in our friendship, but I didn't expect her to start making fun of me to her new friends when I approached her at the dance. I left after they started laughing at me. Then I spent about ten minutes trying to look absorbed in the food at the snack table. That was, until I noticed that Ariel and her friends were going group to group to say something mean about me. So, I hid in the bathroom for an hour before calling my dad and asking him to pick me up.

Actually, I ran into Ethan on the way out of the bathroom that night, now that I thought about it. He smiled at me in greeting as I walked toward the exit, while he walked back toward the gymnasium. He was being polite and didn't know me, I knew that even then, but the kernel of my crush started growing with that slight encouragement. We'd already met before, when my mom was in the hospital, but he didn't remember that, I didn't think. Maybe somewhere in the recesses of his head, a kernel of a crush had been growing for Ethan too that night. Maybe. Probably not, but Ethan still made my night by smiling at me even if it didn't mean anything. That night, it was the only encouragement I'd had - the one bright spot. I got home and my mom was already way sick with cancer by then and I didn't have the heart to tell her how much that Homecoming Dance totally sucked, so I told her about the boy who smiled at me outside of the bathroom instead. Consequently, my mom thought I had an amazing time because I had developed a crush. I was pretty gushy about that smile. I'd admit to that, but the truth of the matter is, crushing is never fun if it's unrequited. Now, once it's requited...that is a totally different story!

At least I was finally getting that great experience I had heard so much about. I wished I could share it with my mom now, when it was actually true. A wave of sadness blew through me. I missed my mom. I wished she could have known that a mere year later, I'd be at the Homecoming Dance with the smiling boy I had gushed on and on about.

"Kait!" I heard a girl yell behind me and it shook me out of my thoughts.

Ethan and I had just reached the other dancers and were about to join them. I turned to look, wondering if the call was for someone else. I didn't really have any good friends in high school at the moment, but there was always a first. Ethan followed my gaze.

Surprised, I looked to see Suzie Whitsett dragging Kyle Jones towards us. I felt a sudden warmness fill my heart at seeing my friends from Chemistry class. This was the first time I had ever seen them outside of our Chemistry classroom and they were actually acknowledging me instead of pretending they didn't know me. It wasn't me being insecure, by the way, talking like that - it was the simple truth. Ever since my ex-bff Ariel and I had ceased being friends, I had become the freaky weird girl and I had stayed that way all through high school so far. So, this was a very nice first - being at the dance with a date and stopping to talk to what might just be blossoming from more than just lab partner friends into real friendships.

"You guys look so great," Suzie gushed. Normally she was the quiet girl, but since I had helped her and Kyle get together, it didn't seem like she was so quiet around me anymore.

I felt myself turn beet red at the compliment anyway, "Thanks. You guys too."

Suzie turned the full force of her smile on Kyle. He stared back at her like there was no other girl for him in the universe. They were such a ridiculously cute couple.

"Hey, man," Mike Finnigan said, suddenly appearing next to Ethan. He was at the dance with one of Ariel's bffs, Sarah, and had dragged her along to say hi to his best friend. I could tell Sarah wasn't so thrilled to see me, although she was probably taking mental notes so that she could relay them back to Ariel.

I looked around for Dave Rickerson who wasn't usually far behind Mike and Ethan, but he must have been dancing with his date. I wondered who he had brought to the dance. Wow, we were almost starting to form our own group, Ethan and I. It was an odd group too - a strange mismatch of popular kids and totally unpopular kids. Luckily, everyone was being nice to each other despite that, at least so far.

I was only just getting to know Ethan's friends, Mike and Dave, but I liked them a lot. They had come to visit me in the hospital even though they were just Ethan's friends. Their motto seemed to be that any friend of Ethan, was a friend of theirs and they thought it was really cool that I had helped him find out what had really happened to his half sister. Nobody had believed in Ethan's suspicions at first, that she had been murdered, except me, and Ethan had turned out to be right. The fact that I believed in Ethan and supported him in his search, thus, gave me mad points in Dave and Mike's book.

"You look hot, Kait," Mike said to me, to his date Sarah's annoyance.

Ethan smiled and squeezed my hand. He and I both knew that Mike was just trying to make me feel comfortable in their group. Still, I glanced at Sarah again and hoped she'd complain to Ariel about me. She didn't need to know that Mike was just being nice to me.

"Thanks, Mike," I said, smiling back at him.

There was a bit of a silence as our weird group took each other in. I tried to think of something to say to kick-start the conversation, but I was drawing a blank. Mike and Ethan were both sports nuts although Ethan also wrote songs and avidly read sci-fi novels. Kyle was mostly into all things science. Suzie liked to read about as much as I did, which was a lot. I had absolutely no idea what Sarah was into besides make-up and boys. We were all pretty different, actually.

"So, the gym looks pretty cool," I said lamely to our group, trying to break the awkward silence.

"The Pep Club decorated it," Sarah said proudly, like she was the Pep Club, instead of just a member. "Well, with the help of some other clubs too, but I was here until late last night decorating."

"It looks great!" Suzie said, chiming in.

Everyone took a second look around, as if just taking in the decorations. I mean, it was super romantic, but I just noticed it was themed too.

"I like the theme: A Night in Paris. Super romantic," I said, trying to keep the conversation going.

It was well done, actually. There was a big banner at the front of the gym, where the DJ was, announcing the theme for the night. A fake Eiffel Tower stood in the middle of the snack table, separating the snacks and the beverages. An Arc De Triumphe was the entranceway into the gym. The tables scattered around the dance floor were covered with white tablecloths and silver stars. The mood lighting was ultra romantic, with small fake candles sitting on the tables.

"Yeah, it was all Madison's idea. She's our club president. Ariel said it was her idea, of course, but I heard Madison suggest it first," Sarah said.

I stopped myself from asking more about what Ariel had said. Was Sarah really criticizing Ariel? Was there dissension among the new group of bffs? I was dying to know, but there was no way Sarah was going to give me any juicy gossip if I asked her. The group lapsed into silence again. What were we going to talk about?

"It looks very cool," Ethan said, trying to get the conversation started again.

The first notes of a romantic slow song were starting to play. I started swaying to the music. Couples formed all around us. We all watched them as we tried awkwardly to think of a conversation piece.

"So, how about we dance?" Mike asked Sarah.

"I'd love to," Sarah said.

"Bye guys," Mike said, as Sarah dragged him away, totally grateful at the chance to get away from us.

Kyle turned to Suzie, "You want to dance too?"

Suzie nodded and turned to us, "See you guys later."

Then they walked away too, hand in hand. Ethan and I were finally alone. We stared at each other, suddenly awkward with one another. I felt a little nervous. We had been about to dance before, but suddenly the air was charged with possibilities.

"Dance?" Ethan asked.

I nodded and took his hand. Ethan led me a little ways onto the dance floor and placed his hands on my hips, drawing me toward him. I hooked my arms around his neck. I caught the scent of his cologne. He smelled amazing. We started moving to the notes together, side to side. My stomach was doing nervous excited flips. Now this was the best moment of my life.

Ethan looked down at me and I looked up at him, our eyes meeting. I leaned up to kiss him. I really couldn't have asked for a more romantic Homecoming Dance moment.

It was so perfect, but just as our lips were about to touch, we both jumped as the music stopped with a screech, ending in dead silence. Then I heard the girl screaming, and screaming, and screaming.

###

## The New Girl Who Found A Dead Body Excerpt

Read an excerpt from Milda Harris' next book – available now!

Chloe sat on her luggage, watching every passing car speed by with interest, waiting for the one that was supposed to pick her up. They all seemed to weave in and out of the unending airport traffic with grace. Some even managed to stop and pick up loved ones, but her ride hadn't arrived yet. Chloe hoped that he'd be able to find her in the chaos that seemed to be LAX airport.

Chloe wondered if she'd recognize him. She hadn't seen Jake since the fifth grade, when he and his parents had moved from Illinois to California. Chloe's mother and Jake's mother had been best friends since grade school. Then they grew up and had children, only a few months apart. Thus, Chloe and Jake had been best friends as kids, always thrown into play dates when their mothers wanted to visit with each other. Then after the fifth grade, Jake and his family moved to California. Chloe and Jake had been best friends back then, but the distance and the excitement of growing up quickly made their friendship grow apart and turned it instead, into a fond childhood memory.

Chloe hadn't seen Jake since, but their mothers had still kept in constant contact. Jake's father died a couple of years before and Chloe's mother had gone back to the funeral to console her friend, coming back with stories of California and the now handsome grown-up Jake. Chloe had been more excited about hearing about California. She had already set her mind on going to California to college for film school. She had known that she was destined for California ever since the beginning of her freshman year when a girl in her class started bragging about her brother in California who made movies for a living. It sounded like the perfect life and from that moment on, Chloe had made up her mind to go to California for film school. Her parents were supportive, but money became the big issue. An out of state school would cost money and lots of it and there was no way her family could afford to send her to an out of state college. Chloe spent about half of her junior year of high school sulking with frustration at the thought of being unable to follow her dreams until her mother had approached her with an idea. She and Jake's mother had talked about it and with a year's residency in California with Jake and his mother, Chloe would be able to attend a California state school, as a resident. Chloe didn't think twice about it. She agreed. She knew she would miss her friends in Illinois, but this was a chance to follow her dream and she couldn't pass it up.

Chloe could barely believe that she was in California about to start her new life. It was all really exciting. If only Jake would show up, so she could start the adventure. Jake was supposed to meet her outside the baggage claim when she arrived, but he hadn't shown up yet. Chloe looked at her cell phone, wondering if she should call him. She felt a little shy about it. She would rather see him face-to-face first. Maybe she should text him. Why was she so scared about seeing him again?

Chloe tried to picture Jake in her mind, but could only see the little boy with unruly brown hair and mischievous blue eyes that she had played with as a child. Before she had left for California, Chloe's mother had shown her a more recent picture, but Jake had been looking at the camera with only half of his face, so Chloe wasn't quite sure what to expect when she actually saw him. Hopefully the picture her mother had sent his mother had been better. Chloe cringed inwardly, hoping that her mother hadn't sent him her last year's school picture. It had not been the best picture of her life. She had woken up late for school and hadn't had any time to make herself look good for the photo.

Looking back, Chloe realized she should have friended Jake on Facebook. It would have been a good way to get to know him again before this meeting. His profile had been set to private, though, and although, she had sat at the computer and tried to think of an email to send him or a way to add him as a friend she couldn't do it. She had just been too shy and the situation just felt too awkward. Besides, Jake hadn't sought her out either.

Chloe had tried her best to look good today, although five hours of flying had taken the curl out of her long blonde hair. She had quickly touched up her make-up before picking up her luggage, though, so she felt a little better about that. Still, she was nervous. She really wanted to make a good first impression. This was the start of the rest of her life.

"Chloe?" a male voice questioned from her right.

Chloe turned and stared into the bright blue eyes of Jake Spencer. Her breath caught and she felt her cheeks turn pink.

He was cute! He still had the unruly brown hair and his eyes had become an ocean shade of blue. A dimple creased the right corner of his mouth, making his smile contagious. Chloe smiled back.

"Hi, Jake?" Chloe said, attempting to recover from her sudden reaction to him.

"I'm so sorry! I was late and then I couldn't find you in the baggage claim and I left your cell number at home," Jake paused, catching his breath and then he grinned broadly, "It's so good to see you!"

And, before she knew it Jake was engulfing her in a hug. Chloe hugged him back and noted, with wonder, at how nice it felt to be in his arms. Chloe caught a hint of his aftershave as he pulled away.

"It's good to see you too," Chloe smiled back.

They just grinned at each other for a moment and then Jake looked away, "My girlfriend, Kate, should be here any second. She's circling, while I went to look for you. The airport's crazy."

Chloe nodded absently at his words, her mind suddenly elsewhere. Jake had a girlfriend. Of course he had a girlfriend. She felt a surge of disappointment. She immediately pushed it away. She hadn't come to California for romance. Well, she hadn't come for just romance, she admitted. Some romance would be nice eventually, but she had come for the adventure and to pursue her dream. Besides, even if it couldn't be romantic, Chloe thought, she would enjoy getting to know Jake again. It had been a long time since they had been friends and she was eager to hear about his life since then.

They stood for a few moments in silence, watching the cars fly by. Chloe felt awkward and gawky, suddenly, standing next to Jake. He was at least a head taller than her, his shoulders broad and muscular. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes as he scanned the crowd for his girlfriend. She wondered if he was still the same boy she had known in grade school. She searched his features, looking for the friend she had lost to distance so long ago.

"There she is!" Jake motioned toward a blue convertible, which screeched to a halt next to them.

Wow, Chloe thought, as the sleek car pulled up. "Is this your car?"

"Yeah," Jake grinned. "I love this car."

Chloe looked at it in admiration. It was the perfect way to arrive in California. How much more perfect than a convertible driving by the ocean could you get? Chloe felt a warm glow of happiness form in her stomach. This was going to be great!

Jake busied himself with loading her luggage into the trunk and Chloe found herself gazing awkwardly at his girlfriend, Kate. She was the epitome of the California girl – tall, blonde, with cool blue eyes, and a killer sense of fashion.

Chloe felt old fashioned in comparison despite the efforts she had made to look nice in the airport bathroom before she had gotten her luggage. Her own blonde hair was a strawberry blonde, the curls she had tried to put in that morning, falling out, and she had on the normal jeans and baby doll T-shirt that were her usual ensemble. Chloe felt almost like she was staring at a girl from a magazine, sitting inside a perfect car. Kate, on the other hand, had sleek, bleach blonde hair, make-up that looked almost professionally done, a glowing tan, a mini-skirt, and a purple lacy tank top that fit her body perfectly. Chloe had a feeling that she was going to have a lot to learn if all the girls in California looked like Kate.

"Hi, I'm Chloe," Chloe smiled, stretching out her hand.

"Kate," Kate replied dismissively, pulling on big sunglasses that hid her eyes completely.

Chloe felt her smile falter at Kate's lack of enthusiasm. She wasn't sure how to react to it.

"Okay, bags are in the trunk. Let's go!" Jake said, coming up behind Chloe.

Chloe was glad of Jake's appearance and crawled into the tiny backseat, as he sat down in the front, next to Kate. As they drove off, Chloe could almost feel Kate's cold eyes boring into her through the rear view mirror.

Chloe pushed the thought away. Perhaps Kate was a little unsettled by the thought of Chloe living with her boyfriend. When she had a chance, Chloe thought, she would reassure Kate that she had no intention of stealing Jake away from her. Chloe almost laughed at that thought. If you put her and Kate side by side, Chloe imagined, there would be no comparison. Kate would blow her out of the water in a beauty contest. Regardless, Chloe thought, she would never try and steal someone else's boyfriend, no matter how cute he had grown up to be.

As they walked up to Jake's house, Jake carrying the bulk of her luggage, Chloe couldn't help but wonder at the beauty of her new home. It was nestled into a hill above the ocean. Other houses were littered all the way down the hill, perched above blue water. The house itself was modest in size, but the exterior was cozy, almost like a chalet nested into the hill.

"Chloe!" Jeanette Spencer cried happily, seconds after Chloe walked into the house. "It's so good to see you!"

She enveloped Chloe in a hug and then stepped back to get a better look at her, "You look just like your mom at your age! I'm so happy you're here! It'll be like having her here with me!"

Chloe grinned, "Well, you might get the real thing in about a month. She's already itching to come visit me. Thank you so much, Mrs. Spencer, for everything. "

"First of all, no Mrs. Spencer's here. Call me Jeanette. And, secondly, it's such a pleasure to have you here! I would do anything for Stacy. This will be fun," Jeanette looked over to Jake and Kate. "Do we have time for dinner or are you all off to that party?"

"Party?" Chloe looked over at Jake and managed to see a quick look pass between him and Kate. Obviously, Kate wasn't thrilled with Chloe attending the party with them. She'd have to have that talk with Kate and soon.

"We weren't sure if you wanted to go, but there's a party tonight at this girl's house on the beach, sort of a back to school thing. It's up to you, though, no pressure. I understand if you're tired from the flight and all," Jake managed, without looking at Kate again.

"Um..." Chloe felt indecisive. On the one hand, she was tired from the trip across the country, but on the other, she was absolutely energetic with excitement about her new life and a party sounded like a great way to start it all out. It would be a great way to meet the people she'd be going to school with tomorrow.

"Why are you even thinking? You're young! Go out and have a good time!" Jeanette replied before Chloe could say anything and then she looked at Jake seriously, "Just not too good of a time."

"Mom," Jake replied, laughing uncomfortably.

"What? I worry. Especially, after your father died," Jeanette's smiling face crumpled for a moment, at the memory, but then regained it's composure.

"I know," Jake said, softly.

Chloe felt uncomfortable and glanced over at Kate, who was staring at the ground.

"A party sounds perfect!" Chloe said, breaking the uneasy silence. "Let me just change clothes and I'll be ready."

Although she had forced herself to sound more cheery and energetic than she felt, Chloe really did think the party sounded fun. She picked up her backpack and swung it onto her shoulder, her mind on what she might wear to make a good impression on her new classmates, when there was a crash. She had just knocked over a vase on the kitchen table with her backpack.

"I'm so sorry!" Chloe said, automatically dropping everything and stooping down to help clean up the broken vase and flowers.

"Oh, don't worry about it!" Jeanette said, running into the kitchen for clean up supplies.

The white carnations that had looked so pretty on the kitchen table were now in a pool of water on the floor. Chloe couldn't believe she had just been so clumsy. Two minutes in their house and she had already broken something. Jake stooped down to help her, as Kate stood awkwardly nearby.

"Be careful!" Jeanette said, walking back toward them with towels and a bag for the broken glass and flowers.

As she said it, Chloe felt a piece of the vase she was collecting slice into her finger. A drop of blood escaped and stained one of the white carnations on the floor. Chloe felt a strange sense of foreboding. She should have taken the warning.

###

## About the Author

Milda Harris is a Chicago girl who ran off to Hollywood to pursue a screenwriting dream! She likes silly sports like dodgeball and kickball and loves John Hughes teen movies. Between working in production on television shows like _Austin & Ally, That's So Raven,_ and _Hannah Montana_ and playing with her super cute dog Licorice, she writes young adult and new adult novels.

This book started as a 3 Day Novel Contest submission and is the first book in the Funeral Crashing series. It is followed by _Adventures of a Graveyard Girl (#2), Adventures in Murder Chasing (#3), Adventures of a New Year's Kiss (#3.5),_ and _Adventures in Heartbreak and Homicide (#4)_. Make sure to also check out the Ethan Tells All Stories: The first is _Adventures in Double Dating_ : Ethan Tells the _Adventures in Funeral Crashing_ Double Date Scene.

New Releases!

**Losing It: A Collection of V-Cards** \- There's a super steamy Kait and Ethan scene in it from _Adventures in Funeral Crashing_. It's super HOT! Plus read some really sexy scenes from 21 other best selling YA authors! This collection is recommended strictly for mature readers.

Be sure to check out Milda's other books: _Doppelganger,_ _Doppelganger 2: On the Run, The New Girl Who Found A Dead Body, Connected (A Paranormal Romance), Crashing Prom,_ and more!

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Website: http://www.mildaharris.com

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