"Not necessarily. What with the Caroli-" I stopped upon hearing a door open on Kate's end. A dramatic voice I immediately recognized as Carolina's herself cried, "I heard about-" She didn't even finish. Her shaking, usually confident voice, snapped us all into something. Tears came to my eyes, and Alexia's too, and I could hear Kate and Carolina sobbing on the other line as well.

Then I thought of something. I'd been there when Carolina had stopped by to see Xavier. A little after the last time I saw him. She had walked out solemnly, with not a word. She had been carrying something covered in a cloth, and had calmly dropped it in the pond Xavier was so proud of making the previous summer. She had barely been in there, so they hadn't had sex or anything. What if- she had killed him?

Were these only crocodile tears?

"D-did you kill him?" I said suddenly, my voice quivering.

Carolina's voice cracked.

"What? How could you think that? Kate, tell her!"

"N-no," said Kate cautiously. "I think she's right."

"You're kidding me."

"Guys," Alexia raised her voice. "Let's meet at his apartment. We can discuss there."

"Agreed," said Kate, and the line went dead.