I walk home from school, my usual ride, Leo, not being there to drive me. She never misses school. The note! I grab the note the man gave us from my backpack. We've gotten so many I've been keeping them in a sandwich bag. "Find your friend, she knows all. Locked away, she's a doll." Is this taking about Leo? I grab both threats.

"Stop meddling. Or else."

"Big mistake." They took Leo! I grab my phone and call Zach.

"Hello?" He says.

"Have you seen Leo?"

"No, she wasn't at school today. Why?"

"Do you know why she wasn't there?"

"She was sick, broke her leg, abducted by aliens, why?"

"I have reason to believe she was kidnapped." I hear him laugh on the other line. "Zach!" He stops.

"Oh, wait. You're serious."

"Yeah, I'm serious!"

"Okay, who took her?"

"I don't know. I need you to come over."

"Ugh." He sighs.

"Z, who're you talking too?" It's a girl's voice.

"No one, Vi. Katie, I'll be there in a few. Bye." He hangs up. No one? Wait, am I jealous? No, I can't be. Can I? Doesn't matter. Leo. I sit down on my bed and stare at the clue, getting nowhere. A doll? The doorbell rings.

"Hi, Zach, right?" I hear Aunt Mel say. "And who are you?"

"Oh, hi, um, I'm Veronica." A wave of anger runs through me. He brought her here? To talk about Leo? Being kidnapped?

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kate's aunt. Mel. She's upstairs. Go on up."

"We're at her house?" He didn't even tell her where they were going?

"Yes. It'll just be a minute." I hear footsteps and their voices getting closer. I jolt up and fix my outfit. Because apparently, I need to look nice for them? What is happening to me? They walk into the room, holding hands. Another wave soars through, but this time, it's jealousy. What is going on? I don't like Zach, right? Right!? "Why do you think she was kidnapped?" He says.

"What?" Vi, let's go. I relax. Then straighten because I have no reason to relax. Right? "Who was kidnapped? What is going on here?"

"My friend. Leo," Zach says.

"Long story," I say. "I got these." I pass the note and threat to Zach.

"Leo was kidnapped! What do we do?"

"I don't know! We have to wait twenty-four hours to file a report, but that's only like in two hours. Until than though."

"Babe, what's going on?" Vi asks. The wave is back! He sighs before answering.

"You know how Kate's parents died a few days ago?"

"Yeah. Your mom killed him then herself." Thanks for those knives.

"Well, we were the ones who found them. And we found this on her mom's, yeah." I hand him the first note, who passes it along to Vi.

"What's this red stuff?" She asks.

"My parents' blood."

"Ew!" She screams, dropping the note. "What is the point of this?"

"They were murdered. Both of them," Zach explains, holding onto both her hands like she's a child. "We're trying to find their killer. Leo's helping, and now she's gone."

"So?"

"So now I need to help Katie for a minute." He lets go of her hands, and I relax again. "What do we know?"

~~~

"We just know that." I point to the notes, still in Zach's hand.

"Leo knows stuff? And she's been kidnapped and is a doll. Do you get any of this?"

"No. Not a clue."

"I might be able to help," Vi says, raising her hand. "My little sister had a birthday party last week. It was at the toy store. They each got a doll, and then a makeup artist turned them into that doll."

"Zach, look up the store's website. Vi, thanks for the help."

"No problem." Zach pulls out his phone. "New event, posted today. Meet Dolly the Doll. The new mascot of O'Hilda Toy Barn. Meet and Greet with Dolly tomorrow, five o'clock. Only first fifty will be given tickets. Thanks to our new sponsor, Boho Fro-Yo. Update, only ten tickets left!"

"Do they have a picture of Dolly?"

"Yeah. The doll version. We need tickets."

"Zach, do you have a car?"

"Well, I took Cort..."

"Great, let's go!"