▌Chapter 1 ─ Ghosts ▌
▌Part 2 ─ Season 1 ─ Episode 1 ─ Pilot ▌

━━━━━ ALORA SAT NEXT to her sister, looking down at the floor. Bess was pacing back and forth, while George sat across from Alora and Nancy. Nick sat diagonally from Nancy and Alora.

"Why don't they let us go already?" Bess asked them.

"They're trying to decide if we're just witnesses or if they have enough to charge us." Nick answered.

"Charge us? With what?" George asked, looking over at Nick.

"The death of Tiffany Hudson." Alora said, placing her eyes on her sister.

"Hey, Nancy. Hey, Alora." Karen said, walking up behind the twins. The two then turned on the bench looking up at her.

"Karen. Hi. Um, I was just..."

"She's 'Detective Hart' in here, FYI." Chief McGinnis said, walking up behind her.

"Can we go now?" Nancy asked, looking at the Chief.

"We've told you all we know. We're not suspects." Alora added, also looking at the chief.

"I disagree with your opinion. I'm looking at a decent five-pack." He said, walking past them. "Town screwup, ex-con, city girl, and Nancy and Alora Drew." He walked back to them stopping in front of Nancy and Alora, looking down at them.

"Why does he say your names like that?" Bess asked the twins. Alora smirked knowing the exact reason he had said their names.

"They used to complicate my job."

"You mean do it for you?" George asked him.

"Ah, Ms. Fan. I haven't thrown your mom in the drunk tank this month. How's she doing? Say hi."

"Mm."

"And for the rest of you..."

"It-it was one count of shoplifting. I never did any hard time." Bess said, as McGinnis turned to look at her.

"Didn't say you did."

George leaned over to Bess. "But good to know.."

"By 'ex-con,' I meant him." He pointed to Nick who lifted his gaze to look at McGinnis. He leaned back on the bench.

"Happened when I was a minor. Records sealed, and time served." Nick told him.

"You never told me you went to jail." Nancy remarked, looking at Nick.

"One of the many things you never asked about."

"Oh... so this is a thing." George said, looking between the two.

"What concerns me is why you aren't questioning Ryan Hudson." Nancy said, moving forward and changing the subject.

"In a case like this, you have to look to the husband first." Alora added.

"Thanks for setting me straight. Maybe you can share more of both your theories in my office." He told the twins, walking past them. "Everyone else, you can go." Karen walked past them and soon Nancy and Alora found themselves in the Chief's office.

"There were no signs of trauma, so maybe Tiffany had a health condition or a drug problem. I mean, maybe foul play isn't even involved." Nancy explained while McGinnis grabbed a laptop and placed it in front of the twins.

"We're pretty sure it is." He then pressed play on the recording.

"911. What's the nature of your emergency?"

"Help me. Please. Please. I'm at The Claw. No!" Alora could hear static on the call.

"Hello? Hello? Ma'am, are you there?" The two stared at the laptop as McGinnis pressed the pause.

"Where were you when this happened?" He asked the two.

"I didn't see anyone, I swear."

"Neither did I, and before I went outside with Nancy I was with Ace." Nancy gave her a side glance, Alora wondered if Nancy knew how she actually felt about Ace.

"I believe you, Nancy, Alora. Look, I loved your mom like a sister, and I know either of you wouldn't do this. But a socialite killed on parade night, we-we have to solve this case fast." Karen told the two.

"Her ring. She was wearing it when I first came out, but not when I found her on the ground."

"Yeah, well, someone like Tiffany Hudson would have a very nice ring. Could be a game changer for anybody. Maybe help your dead. Medical bills do add up."

"Wow." The twins breathed out.

"So now our mom dying is somehow a motive for murder. And we thought you wanted our help." Nancy said, the two soon stood up from their chairs looking between the two.

"Look, if you're not charging Alora or I, then I believe we are free to go." Nancy said.

"But don't go too far. You're both still a suspect. So are your friends."

"They're not our friends." Alora said, looking back at McGinnis.

Though the was the only thing Alora wanted more than anything, she wanted a friendship with one of them. But she was too afraid to say that's what she wanted. The twins walked out of the room, coming to a stop as their dad stopped on the other side looking at the two.

"Karen was totally out of line calling you." Nancy said, staring at their father. The two then walked to the other side. "I didn't ask for a lawyer."

"How about a father?" Carson asked, the question was mostly directed at Nancy but he had directed it at Alora as well. "You're both still living under my roof."

"That's more than I can say for you." Nancy told him, the two then walked past him. But Carson grabbed their arms, stopping them from leaving.

"I've just been buried at work." Carson told them.

"Poor word choice, given recent events."

"Hey, you know how much I treasured your mom, but that doesn't mean, now that she's gone, I don't have to attend to everything I neglected."

"Does that include your daughters?" Alora asked him, the two then walked away from him. She knew those words stung.

"So why did I say that?"

"Nancy. Alora. At least let me drive you home."

The two walked out of the police station and headed back through main street of Horseshoe Bay.

"Lucy Sable once was able to look upon the sea, but someone got her in the water, now that's where she'll always be."

The twins looked around as the voices of children sang through their ears. They looked to a store as one of the lights started to flicker. Alora and Nancy walked up to the building, both looking at their reflection in the mirror. Fog started to appear behind them, and a crown appeared on Nancy's head. The two turned around and the fog disappeared, it was just an empty town. Alora looked back at the window and soon the twins took off heading home as quickly as they could.

Nancy was sprawled out on the couch while Alora sat at the end. Nancy was on her phone, staring at the picture of her Alora and their mother. Alora was reading a book to pass the time. Alora looked up from her book watching Nancy leaned forward a little but still had her eyes on her phone. Nancy moved next to her sister, handing her phone over to her and playing the video.

"Watch it." She said.

Alora looked down at the video as she played it. She saw something in the fog moving towards Tiffany Hudson.

"What is that?" She wondered to herself. Then the video glitched out, and stopped playing. Nancy looked at her sister as she looked back at her.

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

Nancy paced back and forth while Alora stood in the kitchen watching George, Bess and Ace watch the same video that they had watched.

"Oh!" Bess said, gasping towards the end of the video. Alora watched Bess place her hand on Ace who looked at her. "Sorry, gets me every time." She then sighed, looking between Alora and Nancy. "Tiffany Hudson, murdered by a ghost."

"Okay, you've seen it three times. Can I have it back?" Nancy asked, walking over to her and taking her phone.

"You're the ones who asked for our opinion." George told them.

"Because I thought you would help us find another explanation." Nancy told her.

"I think my girl Bess nailed it." Ace said, looking between the two.

"Not your girl. Never will be."

"And not just any ghost. Dead Lucy."

"Okay, not sure she's a credible alternative suspect here, Ace."

"You all know this ghost?" Bess asked them.

"Lucy Sable. She was crowned Sea Queen in the year 2000. Disappeared after the celebration, never seen again. Blood on the rocks, a little scrap of her pink dress."

Bess turned to look at Nancy and Alora. "It's definitely her."

"Except definitely not."

"Ghosts aren't real, Bess."

"You guys, Lucy gets blamed for a lot of stuff around here. Kid puts a baseball through a window. Dead Lucy. Wife finds a strange earring in bed, husband blames Lucy. Never had a murder pinned on her, though."

"Unlike us." Right after George had said that someone started knocking on the front door of the Claw. Alora followed behind George, but stood in the center of the room watching her walk over to the door, flip the sign to open and unlock the door. "Welcome to the Claw. Glad that murder didn't affect your appetite."

"I'm just here for coffee." Nick told her. "Usually, Nancy brings me one, but this morning she didn't show. I thought maybe learning about my past might have scared her off." He proceeded to walk towards her.

"I thought that you were gonna wait for me at the police station so you could explain..." Nancy paused looking at George. "...more fully and in private." She proceeded to look at Bess then at her sister.

"Oh! You had no problem talking about my sex life back in high school." George said, looking at Nancy.

"That would be the grudge that George had been holding onto and her reason as to why she didn't like my sister."

"I never spread any of those rumors."

"No. You just listened to your friends and smiled. Right?" Alora and Bess looked to Ace as he walked out with a cup.

"Customer wanted coffee." Ace said.

"I think he changed his mind." Bess told him.

"Oh." The two watched as he took a sip off the coffee.

"Nancy?"

"Nick and I are seeing each other. He seems to have an issue with me not acknowledging this publicly, and has decided that now is the time to rectify this."

"Consider it rectified. I feel much better."

"Other than the fact that we're all murder suspects, even though the real culprit is probably Ryan Hudson."

"No."

"I can't believe he's behind it."

"Why?" Nick asked, looking at Bess. "Cause he's rich?"

"I'm with Nancy. Look at the husband first."

"We need evidence of his motive." Alora said, placing her eyes on her sister.

"Which we'd find where?" George asked her.

"In their house. In their room. Husband and wife, it's an intimate relationship. I mean, to start, were they even sharing a bed?" Nancy asked, walking away from the others.

"Well, if she liked her sex like she liked her fish that'd be dry and flavorless so I would say nope."

"Mean."

"But relevant."

"Is either of them on medication? Is there a secret cell phone? Is there a new will? A post-nup? An insurance policy?"

"Gambling debt. A strange addiction."

"I thought you were Team Ghost."

"I am Team Ghost."

"Is a stolen ring evidence of a botched robbery?"

"Or is that what it's supposed to look like?"

Nancy turned to look back at Nick. "Exactly."

"Except Nancy and I don't do this anymore."

"She just... uh, she just meant that that's where Alora and I would start. If we were gonna start something. But I'm sure..." the doorbell proceeded to jingle. "...the police can figure it out on their own." Nancy proceeded to walk away while Alora walked into the kitchen.

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

Alora and Nancy stood outside, Nancy looked at her phone. "This is it. The home of Ryan and 'not killed by a ghost' Tiffany Hudson."

The two ran forward jumping onto the fencing and over it, then they moved forward looking at the house that stood in front of them. Nancy and Alora placed their beanies over their hair. Then the garage started to open, the twins ran across to the other side as a car alarm beeped. When Ryan pulled out of the garage and left, both Nancy and Alora took off running. The rolled on the ground making it into the garage as it shut down and closed.

"Breaking and entering. Just like riding a bike."

The two then stood up and proceeded to move in through the house. Eventually they made it to the upstairs and continued to look around. Moving into the bedroom a window was open allowing a breeze in and the curtains to move. Alora and Nancy looked at the curtains. They walked over to the bedside closest to the window. Nancy kneeled for a short second looking at the necklace, however the door slammed shut, scaring the two and causing Nancy to move her hand into the vase.

Luckily she was able to catch it before it broke. Nancy placed the vase back on the stand it was on. She grabbed her flashlight, turned it on and opened the drawer. The two looked at the contents that lied in it. Nancy and Alora noticed that there was a bottle of nail polish that hadn't been moving. Nancy pushed the drawer in then pulled it back out then pushed it in again. Eventually she pulled it back out, and grabbed the nail polish and lifted it up to see a necklace with a note underneath it.

She grabbed it and pulled the hidden storage back down then closed the drawer. "Nancy. Alora." A ghostly voice called out to them causing the twins to turn around and look for the voice. They made it out of the room heading back the way they came but they could see the security. The two ducked down and moved forward.

They ran down the steps and went to walk forward however someone grabbed their arms. "Hey." Nick whispered to them.

"Nick? What the hell?"

"Why am I not surprised he followed us."

"Shh. Security company."

"Yeah, we know." Alora told him. Nancy pushed him back towards the wall while Alora hid beside them. Nancy went to walk forward when they had moved on but Nick stopped her.

"This way." The three made it out of the house heading for the tree-line that wasn't far from the house. "Down here." Alora was the first to run through it, with Nick and Nancy following after her. "Nancy. Come on."

"My hat." The three made it back to his truck and Nancy was the first to climb in followed by Alora. She closed the door behind her.

"I didn't take either of you for such a badass." Nick told them. "You think that guy killed his wife, and you break into his house?"

"Yeah. To try and help our case." Alora told him.

"What were you doing there, following us?"

"Hearing you two talk today, I thought you might do something dangerous. And you know what? You're welcome. Because, yes, I have a record. And, yes, I put myself at risk going in there."

"Why?" Nancy asked him.

"Because it was worth it."

Nick pulled up to the driveway and had started talking to Nancy. Alora ignored the conversation because she didn't want to be a part of their relationship in any way. After Nick turned off the truck Alora exited out leaving Nick and Nancy to talk alone. She stood at the front yard watching her sister climb out.

"See, this is why it's better not to talk!" Nancy yelled as he drove off.

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

Nancy and Alora were back at work, the two were next to each other looking at the necklace that they had picked up from the Hudson's house. Nancy and Alora looked back at George.

"If you ask George Fan for help, she will never let you forget it." Nancy and Alora proceeded to walk over to her.

"So, George... you come from a long line of fishermen." Nancy said, as the two walked up to the bar.

"Also alcoholic and highly fertile teenage moms." George said, Nancy then let go of the necklace showing it to George. "That's a manner's good luck charm."

"Yeah, I looked it up online. There's not a lot of info." George then walked over to the twins.

"Oh. So you're seeking my expert opinion? Like, I know more than you and Alora?"

"In this limited area of ocean-themed jewelry, yes." Alora said, sending her a smile.

"Girlfriends would put messages in the charm. When their guys were out at sea, they would dissolve the seal in salt water to find the note. Where'd you get it?"

"In the place where it was being kept. By the person who owned it."

"Who owned it?" George asked them.

"Tiffany Hudson." Alora said, still staring at her.

"You broke into Ryan's house?!" George walked closer, placing the clipboard on the counter.

"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing." Nancy said.

Bess then walked up to them joining in on the conversation. "You stole Tiffany's jewelry?"

"Coming from the known ex-felon." Nancy fought back looking at her.

"It was a misdemeanor, and I'm just saying, I'm impressed."

"Hate to admit it, but so am I."

Ace rang the bell, Alora placed her eyes on him. "I'm impressed, too."

"It was in a hidden compartment in Tiffany's nightstand." Alora told them.

"With a note." Nancy added, pulling the said note out of her pocket. Bess took it from her hand so she could read it. Then George took the charm to look at it.

"'For your protection'? From what? And who's H.G.?" Bess asked, looking at Nancy and Alora.

"We got to crack this thing open. I bet there's a clue inside." George proceeded to walk away from them.

"Where are you going? That's mine." Nancy reminded her.

"Technically stolen property." Bess proceeded to remind them.

"This is why we don't work with others."

"Yo, can I come with you?" Ace asked, walking out of the kitchen.

"No, you cannot." George said, walking past them.

"Hey, can I come with you?" Ace proceeded to ask Bess. "Hey-"

"No." Bess said.

Nancy walked ahead of Alora. "Hey, can I come with you?"

"No." Nancy answered.

He then looked at Alora, who had a smile on her lips. "Hey, can I come with you?"

"No. But I promise I will catch you up with what we discover, deal?" She asked, holding her hand out to him.

"Deal." He answered, shaking her hand.

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

Alora stood with George and Bess, while Nancy placed the charm in the salt water. She then pulled the top of the charm off.

"It works." Bess said.

"Don't sound so surprised." George leaned forward grabbing the top half of the charm. "Too bad there's nothing but junk inside. Alora kneeled down to look at the symbol.

"It isn't junk. Nancy and I have seen this before." The twins then stood up.

"Wait, there's an address on here." Nancy leaned over. "725 Gallows Lane." Bess took the charm to look at it while Nancy looked up the address.

"It's a medium."

"Medium what?" Nancy, Alora, and George looked at Bess. "Oh! Because Tiffany was being haunted."

George took the charm back from her. "Wait. Maybe Tiffany was like Bess. If she believed in ghosts, she could've tried to communicate with one. Or protect herself from one. Even though that's crazy. Also like Bess."

"If this medium met with Tiffany for any reason, that's a lead worth following."

"Then, great, let's go." Bess and George then started to walk away from the twins.

"Uh, guys? I, uh... tend to do these sorts of things with my sister or by myself." Nancy told them as she and Alora turned to look at the two.

"You wouldn't even know about that medium if it wasn't for my extensive knowledge of maritime lore." George told them.

"Plus... neither of you believe in ghosts, which a medium will pick up on right away." Bess added.

"Admit it, Drew. We're helpful." George said, lifting the charm up to them.

"Just follow my lead."

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

The four stood inside the house, "can you just tell us about Tiffany Hudson?" Nancy asked the medium. "A séance isn't necessary. And if I could just ask you a few questions? I brought a notepad."

"Nancy, just sit down and let her do her little show. Just ask her questions after." George said.

"It's ridiculous." Nancy replied.

"It's awesome." Bess added.

"It was expensive."

"Best not to keep the dead waiting." Harriet said, looking at the four as she shuffled some tarot cards. They all sat down at the table and connected hands. "Now you can ask your questions to Tiffany directly."

"Oh. Do you ever moisturize?" Bess asked, her eyes on George.

"Shut up."

"Don't break the circle. Stay focused. Close your eyes. Now breathe together. In and out." Alora and Nancy weren't really buying it. "In a welcoming state. Tiffany. Tiffany. Repeat after me. Spirit, we welcome you."

"Spirit, we welcome you."

"Breathe it. Mean it. Let her in."

"Spirit, we welcome you!"

"We have many questions. But first do you have anything you'd like to say to us?"

Harriet started to breathe differently, Alora opened her eyes to look around. Seconds later the table moved, and the candles flickered out. Nancy and Alora looked at Harriet.

"Find the dress. Find the dress. Find the dress!" Bess removed hands. "Get out." She said, panting. That wasn't supposed to happen."

"What? What wasn't?"

"I heard a voice, from the dead."

"You're a medium. Occupational hazard."

"Whose voice? Whose dress?"

"That wasn't Tiffany."

Bess exhaled, leaning back in her chair. "That was Dead Lucy."

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

Nancy and Alora walked into the room, looking to see Carson kissing Karen. "What the hell?" Nancy asked.

"Nancy. Alora. Karen was here with evidence that you and your sister broke into Ryan Hudson's house."

"And as our lawyer, you're willing to do anything to protect us?" Nancy asked him.

"Don't turn this around on me."

"Your father is worried about you two, Nancy, Alora, and so am I. Not just as a police officer but as a friend." Karen told them.

"A friend?" Alora asked, staring at her.

"Is that what you are? Is that what you were to our mom?" Nancy proceeded to ask.

"This isn't how I wanted either of you to find out."

"That makes three of us."

"I'm gonna go."

"Actually, don't bother. We were just leaving. Need to get myself some new legal representation. If only I could get myself a new father, too!" Nancy grabbed her hat, then she turned around and walked to her sister pulling her out of the house with her.

"Nancy! Alora!" Nancy slammed the door behind her and the two moved down the steps as quickly as they could. "Let me explain!" Nancy! Alora!" The two turned to look back at their dad.

"All this time, we thought you were devastated, and instead you were hooking up?" Nancy asked him.

"You're right. I haven't been honest about Karen. I was trying not to upset you or your sister, which I realize I still did, so let's talk about it. Okay? All of it." Carson told them.

"There's nothing to talk about." Alora told him.

"Alora and I will reapply for school and get the hell out of here, and you can get back to your secret life." They then turned away leaving their father behind.

"Nancy. Alora. Wait." He called out to them as they ran away.

Alora had separated from her sister, she stood in front of Ace's house, then she banged on the door. She waited for someone to open the door, and finally Ace's dad opened the door. She had met him a few times before and he had taught her some signs

"Hi, is Ace here?" Alora asked, signing as she did ask.

He shook his head and moved to the side, there stood Ace looking at her. She proceeded to walk over to him, hugging him tightly. He of course hugged her back but had no idea what she was doing at his house. His dad looked at his son as he hugged the girl tightly, he was picking up on something between the two.

"What are you doing here, Alora?" Ace asked, as he still hugged her.

"You remember how you were there for me when my mom died?" She asked, pulling back from the hug.

"Yeah, of course."

"Well, I need you to be there for me again, just for tonight."

"Okay, I can do that."

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

The following morning, Ace had dropped off Alora back at her house. The two had spent most of the night talking about what had happened, and what they had seen when Alora and the others went to see the medium. Now she was walking into the house with her sister. Nancy closed the door, while Alora looked down at the floor.

"I'm sure you have a million questions." Nancy said.

"Nope, only one." He turned to look at Nancy. "I saw who just dropped you off. What are you doing with Ned Nickerson?" Carson asked, his eyes on Nancy.

"What do you know about Nick?"

"More than you do, clearly. Look, I know I've screwed up, let you both down, and maybe my words don't mean much to you, but if they mean anything, please listen to me. Stay away from that kid."

"Oh, my God. Were you his lawyer?"

"You know I couldn't discuss it, even if I was."

"That's totally a yes."

"Just trust me on this. I'm late. Let's talk later?" Carson stopped in front of the twins, looking between them. "A real talk?" He then exited out of the house.

───── ☾☾☾ ─────

Both Nancy and Alora had gotten cleaned up, they now stood in front of the door that led to their father's study. Nancy slid open the door, the two looking around the room. Nancy had a screwdriver in her hand as they looked at the locked small table.

"Come on. Like we were ever seriously considering not opening it."

Nancy moved forward and placed the driver in the key then proceeded to move it around until it unlocked. She and Alora opened the drawer after Nancy had placed the drive on top. Nancy proceeded to skim through the files until she eventually found Nick's. She pulled it out and placed it on the floor so the two could look at it. The two looked through the file reading everything that was in it.

"Manslaughter." Alora said in her head.

"Defendant was found guilty after the testimony of a single key witness..." She flipped the page up. "...Tiffany Hudson." The two looked up from a file as a truck beeped from outside.

Alora stood up and followed behind her sister. Nancy walked to the front door opening it, while Alora stood back and leaned against the other frame. She could see Nick from where she was.

"Let's see if we can get this thing running again." Nick said.

"Great." She then closed the door and turned back towards the frame, as tears fell down her face.

"I can't believe we missed the signs. Though to be fair, I wasn't romantically involved with him like Nancy is or was I guess. Nick is also a real suspect now... with a real motive for killing Tiffany Hudson. Revenge."

Alora sat in Nancy's room, writing in her journal as well. She was on the floor, with her book on her lips as she wrote down her thoughts.

"Let's face it, we all have secrets. The truth is, everyone who was at The Claw that night is a suspect."

The two had begun to make their own list of what they thought as well as trying to figure out more information on Ryan and Tiffany Hudson. The song that they had been listening to glitched out as the lights went out too. Nancy looked back at her sister as she looked up at her.

"The last time that happened, it was not good."

Alora placed her book on the ground and grabbed her phone. She caught up with Nancy following behind her as the two exited out of her room. Nancy grabbed her flashlight before doing so while Alora turned the one on her phone on. The twins went to walk down the steps however the attic door opened up.

They exchanged a look with each other and proceeded to walk back up the steps eventually making their way up the steps to the attic. When they got into the attic the two proceeded to look around at the things that were in it. Wallpaper started ripping, they turned around and walked over to the wall to inspect it. Nancy placed her hand on it and started to pull it off.

"Lucy Sable once was able to look upon the sea. But someone got her in the water. Now that's where she'll always be. Count to five, enjoy the view. Hope the killer doesn't get you!"

Nancy threw the wallpaper to the floor as they looked at the writing scratched into the wall. The twins then turned to see a chest that looked oddly familiar to them. So they walked towards it.

"One, two, three, four, five." Nancy pulled off the blankets that were on top. "You'll never get out of here alive!" The two then opened the lid.

"Find the dress! Find the dress! Find the dress!"

"Why is it always the ones you love most..." Nancy and Alora placed their hands on the dress lifting it up to see a blood stain on it. "...who have the most to hide?" Nancy placed the flashlight down on the ground, Dead Lucy appeared behind them as they continued to look at the dress. But the twins lifted their heads.