I'm sitting at my desk working on homework, when I hear the dull clinking of something against the window. And again. Rocks.

I leap up and peer out the window. Kitty's standing there, with a fistful of stones. I open the window and call out, surprised. "Kitty? What are you doing? This isn't exactly a 90's rom-com; it's a God-damn murder mystery!"

Kitty looks up at me. "I need to talk to you! Stuff just happened at the police station!"

I sigh, and cup my head in my hands. "We do have a doorbell, you know, and it works just fine!"

A look of realization crosses Kitty's face. "Oh, of course, yep, I'll go and ring that now!"

I sigh, "I already know you're here, I'm coming down now," I announce, turning to my door.

That was the thing with Kitty and Aster. Drama was their forte.

As soon as I open the door, Kitty bolts upstairs, into my room and locks the door. 

"So, how was your break-in?" I asked in a hushed whisper, not wanting my family to hear.

"That's why I'm here, you idiot!" Kitty exclaims, and makes herself comfortable on my bed. "Dad's office was - wow - I really didn't know he meant much to everyone. It made me realise how much I miss him. And I can't hide that." her face drops, before she perks up, like my little brother on a sugar high. 

"I found the file on the blood in the woods. No test results! None! None at all. That means they either never tested it or someone's taken it!" she exclaims, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.

I stroke my chin, pacing around the room. "I knew the police had to be involved. Why else wouldn't they release any data?"

"Anyway," Kitty continues, dramatically, "Detective Lane was going to interview me and she almost caught me in the files room. I made it out just in time, and said I was in the bathroom. Honestly, scarier than watching a horror movie."

"What did she interview you about?" I ask.

"You know, the usual. When did you see her last? Was she herself? They know about the dress, Fox. If they find out about "Lucy's Demise" and that I have it, they could be onto us. Besides, didn't Lane tell you to 'leave the detective work to them'. We're competing with the police, and I for one, don't want to get caught!"

***

Midnight paces around, deep in thought, now also suspicious of the police after finding out the truth about the blood in the woods.

"So, who do you think it is?" she asks, "The policeman involved? Sally Lane?"

"No," I shake my head, "she was really nice to both me  and Kitty, she wouldn't do such a thing."

Midnight rolls her eyes, "Okay, Drew Casterwyre?"

"No way!" says Kitty, "He was a friend of my father's!"

"You know you can't choose favorites, right?" says Midnight, "All of us are their suspects, so we must consider all of them as our suspects."

"We still don't know where she went after the party," I explain, as Midnight's pacing comes to a halt.

"Maybe we should talk to Lila?" Eilon pipes up, unlike his usual self.

"I agree," says Kitty.

With that, and the tsunami of anger building inside me, I storm through the school hallways and into the cafeteria, Kitty, Midnight and Eilon following, slowly and anxiously.

Lila is sitting at a table with Kitty and Aster's old friends, laughing and twirling her shiny blonde hair. She's taken Aster's position as the Queen of Eastmore.

I stride my way up to her, and her laughter stops immediately; the whole school cafeteria is silent. She stands up, smiling playfully. "What do you want, Fox?"

I grab her by the collar, shouting into her face. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ASTER? WHERE WAS SHE THE NIGHT OF YOUR PARTY?!"

Lila gasps as I let her go, collapsing into her seat.

"Woah, woah, woah, Jack; break it up," says Mr. Carvellis, the teacher on duty. "Detention this afternoon. My office," he steps defiantly between the two of us.

"She went home herself, I saw her," Lila mutters under her breath, as I walk away.

"Oh my God, Fox, what was that?" Kitty asks, flabbergasted, "You can't just do that!"

"I can if she did something to Aster," I answer, still fuming.

"Was it usual for Aster to go home herself, late at night?" Midnight asks, on to something.

"No," says Kitty, "I mean, Fox, Aster and I all went to the party together. But I don't remember how we got home." she hangs her head, "I must have been so drunk I forgot it."

"Aster often jogged at night," I recall.

"Do you think someone kidnapped and killed her while she was walking home?" Eilon asks.

"Oh my God!" says Kitty, in sudden realisation, "If Fox and I went home together, than what if Aster saw us...together...and fumed off in rage, then ended up being murdered!" Kitty turns ghostly white, "I can't remember anything thing from that night. That's probably what happened. Oh God, I feel terrible!"

"No," I say.

Kitty turns, confused, "No, how do you remember, we would have been so drunk that..."

"No," I say again, "I  never drink. I'm underage, never at parties. It's not the right thing to do."

Midnight raises an eyebrow. "You? A football jock?"

I sigh, "Just because I play football, doesn't mean I have no morals."

Kitty furrows her eyebrows, "But we both drank heaps, you know, out of those red paper cups."

I shake my head. "That was apple juice, Kitty."

"Apple juice?" Kitty says in confusion, "Lila Deramaine isn't the kind of girl who serves apple juice at her house parties."

Details of that night start coming back to me. "There was alcohol, but not much. Her Dad was out working so she ransacked his stash. None of us had any. We all stuck to juice."

Kitty scratches her head. "Than why can't we remember anything?"

Eilon looks up. "Oh my God! Lila must have drugged you."

"Why would she do that?" Kitty asks, confused.

"She must of been up to something," Midnight concludes. "Meaning we can't trust her. We have no idea if she really saw Aster go home. Maybe she was lying."