COMMISSION: Mystery at MacMaster ch.2 (Patreon)

Author's Note: More this!

[story] [all characters are 18+]

_______________________________

‭‭Four Years Ago

‭“‬Alright,‭ ‬kids,‭ ‬remember:‭ ‬a little noise is fine,‭ ‬but if you get too loud I’m gonna have to come back up here and start some trouble,‭” ‬the tall,‭ ‬swanlike blonde beauty that was Mrs.‭ ‬Vinke pursed her lips at the small gaggle of young teens,‭ ‬one thin brow arched to show that while she was serious,‭ ‬she was also in relatively good humor.‭ “‬And I want you all in bed by ten,‭ ‬too,‭ ‬alright‭?”

“Yes Mrs.‭ ‬Vanessa’s Mom,‭” ‬one of the five girls,‭ ‬Octavia,‭ ‬intoned drily,‭ ‬while the others basically nodded along.

‭“‬Please,‭ ‬it’s Kri--‭ ‬alright,‭ ‬whatever,‭” ‬the older woman chuckled.‭ “‬I’ll be up in a few hours to see if any of you need anything.‭”

Clicking the door shut behind her,‭ ‬Mrs.‭ ‬Vinke left the five girls alone in Vanessa’s spacious,‭ ‬aggressively pink room.‭ ‬An only child with well-off parents,‭ ‬Vanessa’s room showed the relative opulence she lived in,‭ ‬with stuffed animals being gradually phased out in favor of teen heartthrob posters,‭ ‬makeup kits,‭ ‬and other various‭ ‘‬influencer‭’ ‬merch,‭ ‬leaving childish things behind now that she was officially a high schooler.

Among those present was,‭ ‬naturally,‭ ‬Vanessa herself,‭ ‬a bit more gangly than she would come to be known and sporting braces she couldn’t wait to be rid of.‭ ‬Octavia Phan and Mica Bell were Vanessa’s two best friends,‭ ‬the former sporting jet-black pigtails and the latter a head of thick,‭ ‬untameable red hair.‭ ‬Lastly was Piper,‭ ‬a beanpole by any measure at this age and even more conspicuously lanky in comparison to her classmates,‭ ‬sporting braces of her own...‭ ‬and,‭ ‬of course,‭ ‬Piper’s plus-one,‭ ‬with her refusing to go to the slumber party if she couldn’t bring Kora along.‭ ‬Kora sat with her back pressed up against one of the bunk-beds,‭ ‬headphones over her ears and her eyes glued to the screen of her DS‭ ‬--‭ ‬while she would go on to change little‭ ‬aesthetically‭ ‬over the next four years,‭ ‬it would prove a critical time for her development socially.

‭“‬Alright,‭ ‬so,‭” ‬Vanessa began,‭ ‬taking in a deep breath and putting on an immediate air of authority with her mom out of the room.‭ ‬This was her house,‭ ‬and her slumber party‭; ‬she was the one in control here.‭ “‬We have some sandwiches that I helped make if anyone wants,‭ ‬and there’s a cooler with soda just outside the door.‭ ‬It’s all diet so no complaining.‭ ‬I have some video games,‭ ‬or we could do each other’s makeup,‭ ‬or....‭”

“I,‭ ‬uh--‭ ‬oh--‭ ‬um--‭ ‬I also brought a couple board games if you guys want,‭ ‬and a miniature-based tactics game Kora and I are really into,‭” ‬Piper offered hesitantly.‭ “‬S-sorry,‭ ‬I didn’t mean to interrupt.‭ ‬Have any of you guys played Wars of the Red Field‭? ‬The main campaign is short,‭ ‬like three-to-four hours,‭ ‬but I think you’ll really appreciate how subtly it introduces lore through its mechanics and builds on it over subsequent playthr--‭”

“Ooh,‭ ‬what about truth or dare‭?” ‬Mica suggested,‭ ‬seamlessly talking over Piper,‭ ‬a devilish grin spreading over her face,‭ ‬green eyes lingering on her for a moment before moving past.‭ ‬Piper was a decidedly unorthodox addition to these kinds of get-togethers,‭ ‬ill-fitting with and largely unliked by Vanessa’s other friends‭ ‬--‭ ‬theorized to be a replacement for a friend who’d recently moved to Ohio with her parents.‭ ‬Still,‭ ‬she and Vanessa seemed to get along,‭ ‬if strangely,‭ ‬and it was what Vanessa wanted that mattered.

‭“‬I think that’s a great idea,‭” ‬Octavia giggled evilly,‭ ‬shooting quick glares at the two girls who didn’t belong,‭ ‬then to Mica‭ ‬--‭ ‬the two held one another’s gazes a long moment,‭ ‬as if reading each other’s minds,‭ ‬already in on some sinister plan.

‭“‬I was thinking we could do that later,‭ ‬but if you‭ ‬really want to,‭ ‬alright,‭ ‬let’s get in a circle,‭” ‬Vanessa huffed,‭ ‬breathing a quiet complaint about nobody taking any sandwiches as she perched down onto the carpet.

Piper fidgeted,‭ ‬faking a half-smile.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬cool,‭ ‬and maybe after we can give Wars of the Re--‭”

“Vanessa,‭ ‬do you wanna go first‭?” ‬Mica interrupted immediately,‭ ‬sitting up from her perch at the edge of the bed to sit on the floor,‭ ‬her and the others beginning to form a loose circle that only Kora wasn’t in on.‭ ‬Glancing her direction,‭ ‬Piper tugged gently at the edge of her friend’s shirt.

‭“‬Uh‭?” ‬Kora grunted,‭ ‬shifting one of her headphones to the side and half-glancing at Piper from her game.

‭“‬We’re playing a...‭” ‬Piper paused.‭ ‬This was far from a game,‭ ‬and definitely not something she wanted Kora to get her hopes up about.‭ “‬We’re going to engage in an activity,‭ ‬your presence is required.‭”

“Oh,‭ ‘‬kay,‭” ‬Kora nodded,‭ ‬switching off her hand-held and begrudgingly removing her headphones,‭ ‬scooting forward to take a position in the newly-formed ring,‭ ‬with Piper to her right and Octavia to her left.

‭“‬Alright,‭” ‬Vanessa breathed in once everything settled down,‭ “‬we’re going clockwise,‭ ‬so--‭” ‬looking to the girl to her left,‭ ‬Mica,‭ ‬she stifled a giggle.‭ “‬Mica,‭ ‬truth or dare‭?”

“Truth,‭” ‬the redhead chirped contently,‭ ‬her face showing the cold confidence of someone with nothing to hide,‭ ‬a bold position for someone so young.

‭“‬Okay,‭” ‬Vanessa grinned,‭ ‬biting her bottom lip as she tried to think of a sufficiently wicked question,‭ ‬eventually choosing to expose,‭ ‬rather than a secret,‭ ‬an opinion.‭ “‬If there were a zombie apocalypse,‭ ‬who here do you think would be the first to get‭ ‬eaten a l i v e‭?‬”

“Well,‭ ‬having seen how clumsy Piper is,‭ ‬I’m sure she’d trip and fall in the first few minutes‭; ‬she’s like a baby foal,‭” ‬Mica snorted,‭ ‬a laugh Octavia joined in on all too quickly.‭ “‬Yup,‭ ‬easy take‭!”

“Hey,‭ ‬I have,‭ ‬um...‭ ‬longer legs,‭ ‬so I can run,‭” ‬Piper frowned,‭ ‬only for the laughter to rise in volume,‭ ‬now joined by Vanessa.

‭“‬She has a point,‭ ‬Piper,‭ ‬you do fall down constantly,‭” ‬Vanessa chuckled,‭ ‬though it lacked the reflexive earnest of the other two girls‭ ‬--‭ ‬more like someone who joined in laughing in order to be in on the joke.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬Mica,‭ ‬it’s your turn.‭”

Biting her lip,‭ ‬Mica turned leftward,‭ ‬facing Piper,‭ “‬Alright zombie-bait,‭” ‬she said,‭ ‬causing another little roll of giggles through the group,‭ ‬with Piper’s freckled cheeks turning deeper and deeper pink.‭ “‬Truth or dare‭?”

“Um...‭ ‬truth‭?” ‬Piper said hesitantly.

‭“‬Have you ever kissed someone before‭?”

Piper’s blush only grew more intense.‭ ‬Despite barely being in high school,‭ ‬there was always gossip about who was kissing who,‭ ‬who held hands,‭ ‬who was‭ ‘‬going steady.‭’ ‬Innocent stuff,‭ ‬but still,‭ ‬it was sort of a sign of how important and popular you were.‭ ‬Despite not having been friends with Vanessa for long,‭ ‬the blonde had already mentioned going on‭ ‘‬real dates‭’ ‬or having girlfriends...‭ ‬but that wasn’t the case with Piper.‭ ‬Even if all that gossip was just made-up bravado,‭ ‬she had to tell the truth,‭ ‬here.‭ “‬N-...‭ ‬n-no,‭ ‬I haven’t.‭”

“Big surprise there,‭” ‬Octavia giggled.

‭“‬Pff,‭ ‬like‭ ‬you’ve kissed anyone,‭ ‬gator-breath,‭” ‬Kora chimed in,‭ ‬jumping to her friend’s defense.

‭“‬Hey,‭ ‬I kiss all kinds of people,‭” ‬the other girl frowned,‭ ‬but Vanessa took the reins again,‭ ‬quickly pointing to Piper.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬your turn,‭ ‬Pipe.‭”

Swallowing hard,‭ ‬Piper glanced over to Kora,‭ ‬taking a bit of solace in the fact that she could play with her own friend for a moment,‭ ‬rather than the two vultures Vanessa had brought over.‭ “‬Okay,‭ ‬um,‭ ‬Kora,‭ ‬truth or dare‭?”

“Mm,‭ ‬dare.‭”

“Ooh,‭ ‬okay,‭ ‬uh--‭ ‬Vanessa,‭ ‬you said you brought sandwiches,‭ ‬do they have pickles‭?”

“Oh no,‭” ‬Kora groaned.

Vanessa’s nose crinkled,‭ “‬Yeah,‭ ‬why‭?”

“Okay,‭ ‬Kora,‭ ‬you have to eat all the pickles on one of those sandwiches,‭” ‬Piper showed off a big,‭ ‬toothy smile,‭ ‬as if she had embodied the very soul of wickedness.‭ “‬But you can’t just eat the sandwich‭! ‬Only the pickles‭!”

“Ugh,‭ ‬gross,‭” ‬Kora sighed,‭ ‬wincing as she went for the plate of sandwiches,‭ ‬opening one to reveal the lightly mustard-caked trio of pickle chips inside.‭ “‬Fine,‭ ‬fine...‭ ‬phhh,‭ ‬this is gonna be nasty.‭” ‬Hesitating,‭ ‬then sighing,‭ ‬she crammed the pickles into her mouth,‭ ‬making a face as she forced herself to chew them,‭ ‬doing so as quickly as possible before finally swallowing.‭ ‬Extending her tongue to show they were gone,‭ ‬she held out her hands as if issuing further challenge.‭ “‬Done‭!”

“First dare of the game,‭” ‬Vanessa chuckled,‭ “‬cute.‭ ‬Good to see Piper didn’t take it too hard on you,‭ ‬let’s see how you extend that courtesy now that it’s your turn,‭ ‬Kimmy.‭”

“It’s Kora.‭”

“Right,‭ ‬Kora Kate.‭”

“Kora‭ ‬Kane,‭” ‬the girl exhaled through her nostrils in annoyance,‭ ‬then shifted her attention to the girl to her left,‭ ‬Octavia.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬truth or dare,‭ ‬I guess.‭”

“Let’s do...‭ ‬truth.‭”

Kora furrowed her brow in thought,‭ ‬for a moment.‭ ‬The issue was,‭ ‬she didn’t actually care about anyone here besides Piper,‭ ‬so no information she might get would have any value to her.‭ ‬She also lacked any genuine desire to humiliate‭ ‬--‭ ‬but,‭ ‬with the way these two had been treating Piper,‭ ‬maybe a little payback‭ ‬would be fun.‭ ‬Her mind working quickly,‭ ‬she came up with a question that would leave Octavia in hot water,‭ ‬regardless of her answer.‭ “‬Do you think Vanessa’s mom is hot‭?”

“I--‭ ‬uh--‭” ‬Octavia swallowed hard,‭ ‬looking to Vanessa,‭ ‬then back to Kora.‭ “‬Um...‭ ‬no...‭? ‬She’s like,‭ ‬so old,‭ ‬so like--‭”

“She is‭ ‬not,‭ ‬she looks great,‭” ‬Vanessa grimaced,‭ ‬and Octavia backpedaled.

‭“‬Like,‭ ‬she looks great and everything,‭ ‬but like,‭ ‬just way outside my...‭ ‬range.‭ ‬Of people.‭ ‬Like I would like.‭”

“Tch,‭ ‬whatever,‭” ‬Vanessa pouted.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬your turn I guess.‭”

“Okay,‭ ‬Van,‭ ‬truth or dare‭?” ‬Octavia said hesitantly.

‭“‬Hmm.‭ ‬Dare.‭”

“I dare you...‭” ‬Octavia glanced to Mica,‭ ‬who flashed a brief grin,‭ “‬...to kiss Piper,‭ ‬on the lips.‭ ‬Finally give her that first she’s been needing.‭”

Piper’s heart leapt into her throat,‭ ‬her mouth suddenly dry.‭ ‬The friendship she shared with Vanessa was not entirely innocent‭ ‬--‭ ‬the two weren’t in any kind of relationship,‭ ‬of course,‭ ‬but Piper’d been nursing a crush on the blonde since gradeschool,‭ ‬getting closer and closer to her and even finally infiltrating her group of bitchy friends in an attempt to better get to know her.‭ ‬This could be the moment she’d been waiting for,‭ ‬the moment when sparks flew,‭ ‬when Vanessa realized she felt the same way.

That moment of terrified elation came tumbling down when she saw the look of shock on Vanessa’s face.‭ ‬Not horror,‭ ‬but...‭ ‬not far off.‭ ‬Closer to disgust.‭ ‬Mica and Octavia were both giggling quietly as Vanessa began to stammer.‭ “‬Wait,‭ ‬hold on‭? ‬Piper‭? ‬No way‭ ‬--‭ ‬I’d rather make out with my own mom‭! ‬You’ve gotta be,‭ ‬like,‭ ‬totally‭ ‬kidding--‭!”

“Those are the rules,‭ ‬Vanessa,‭ ‬you chose dare,‭ ‬you have to do it‭!” ‬Mica jeered.‭ “‬Though,‭ ‬I mean,‭ ‬I can’t imagine you’d actually‭ ‬want to....‭”

“It’s okay,‭ ‬Vanessa,‭ ‬it’ll be quick,‭ ‬w-we can just--‭” ‬Piper tried,‭ ‬only to be quickly cut off.

‭“‬No way,‭ ‬it’s‭ ‬my slumber party,‭ ‬it’s‭ ‬my‭ ‬house,‭ ‬I decide what flies in truth or dare,‭ ‬and I’m tired of this game anyway‭!” ‬Vanessa scoffed,‭ ‬either ignoring or not noticing the sudden rush of wetness to Piper’s eyes,‭ ‬her blush of shame and humiliation rapidly returning.‭ ‬She may not have noticed,‭ ‬but Kora did.

As the sound of raucous laughter from Mica and Octavia grew seemingly deafening,‭ ‬Kora had wrapped her arms around Piper’s shoulders,‭ ‬lifted the two of them to their feet,‭ ‬and hurried downstairs to call their parents and get taken home.‭ ‬The two of them didn’t get invited to any parties after that,‭ ‬and Piper’s friendship with Vanessa had ended as abruptly and unexpectedly as it had began.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Present Day

‭“‬Yo,‭ ‬I just got a--‭” ‬Kora looked driverside,‭ ‬pausing when she saw Piper’s distant,‭ ‬thoughtful expression.‭ “‬Hey,‭ ‬you good‭?”

“Mm‭?” ‬Piper said absently,‭ ‬then shook herself from her reflective daze.‭ “‬Oh,‭ ‬yeah.‭ ‬Was just thinking about something from a while ago.‭ ‬What’s going on‭?”

“I got a text from Heather Edwards,‭ ‬of all people.‭”

“Heather Edwards‭? ‬I didn’t even know she had your number.‭”

“Neither did I,‭ ‬honestly--‭ ‬ooh,‭ ‬taco place is right up here‭!” ‬Kora paused and pointed,‭ ‬directing Piper to turn into the parking lot of a hole-in-the-wall fast food place called Quesadillicious.

‭“‬What’d she say‭?” ‬Piper pulled into a spot,‭ ‬then unbuckled her seatbelt and gave Kora her full attention once again.‭ “‬I can only imagine it’s something important,‭ ‬it isn’t like Heather Edwards is known for making social calls.‭ ‬Not to us,‭ ‬anyway.‭”

“Hey,‭ ‬I think we get along better with Heather Edwards than most of the girls at MacMaster,‭” ‬Kora shrugged.‭ “‬But yeah,‭ ‬you’re right.‭ ‬She said she thinks Millie Nowak’s still alive,‭ ‬and to meet her tomorrow at Shivers around one.‭”

“PM‭?”

“Uhh,‭ ‬I hope so.‭”

“You never know with Heather Edwards.‭”

“Point,‭ ‬I’ll make sure.‭” ‬Kora paused,‭ ‬sending a quick text back,‭ ‬then waiting.‭ ‬The phone vibrated an instant later.‭ “‬Yeah,‭ ‬PM.‭”

“Good.‭ ‬I don’t wanna get arrested for loitering outside Shivers after-hours.‭”

“Saaaaame.‭”

The pact sealed,‭ ‬the two went inside.‭ ‬Tacos were had,‭ ‬and they returned to Piper’s house,‭ ‬playing video games together until the eyes of both were bleary and bloodshot.‭ ‬They had a big day ahead of them tomorrow.‭ ‬Nobody was summoned by Heather Edwards unless they had a big day ahead of them.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Shivers was an ice cream parlor on the south side of town.‭ ‬Originally,‭ ‬it was meant to be called‭ ‘‬Shakes,‭’ ‬on account of the fact that they had milkshakes,‭ ‬and that the milkshakes in question were...‭ ‬well,‭ ‬cold,‭ ‬sufficiently so to make one shake.‭ ‬It was eventually decided that this was a rare combination of both being too on-the-nose,‭ ‬and too difficult to explain,‭ ‬and the name was changed to Shivers.‭ ‬It consisted of a single large kiosk with a pink roof and peeling white paint,‭ ‬surrounded by uncomfortable plastic benches,‭ ‬those in turn shielded from the elements with pink-and-yellow striped awnings.‭ ‬Parking was dreadfully limited,‭ ‬forcing most people to walk from a block or more away.

It was there to which Piper and Kora walked now,‭ ‬Piper’s car parked on the side of the street about a block away.‭ ‬How Heather Edwards had arrived,‭ ‬if she had,‭ ‬remained unknown,‭ ‬but as the two made their way up to the little shop,‭ ‬they saw her,‭ ‬sitting placidly at one of the benches,‭ ‬twiddling a plastic spoon back and forth into the middle of a plain white shake.‭ ‬Heather Fucking Edwards.

She was lean like a sword,‭ ‬taller than average if not quite Piper’s height.‭ ‬Light skin was contrasted by black hair,‭ ‬cut short and styled into a lazy upward spike in the front.‭ ‬Her eye color was unknown‭ ‬--‭ ‬she was never seen without a pair of round,‭ ‬Lennon-esque sunglasses,‭ ‬only streaks of dark eye-makeup visible beneath them.‭ ‬Converse,‭ ‬black jeans,‭ ‬and a long-sleeved,‭ ‬logo-less,‭ ‬navy-blue shirt rounded out an almost effortless aesthetic.‭ ‬Heather Edwards didn’t need to look‭ ‬good.‭ ‬She only needed to look‭ ‬cool.

She was part of no clubs,‭ ‬played no sports,‭ ‬was barely social with anyone.‭ ‬Her grades were so bad she’d been held back a year.‭ ‬Ate by herself.‭ ‬But when Heather Edwards ate by herself,‭ ‬she made it clear that it was only because no one else was badass enough to sit with her.

‭“‬Hey‭!” ‬Kora called out as the two friends approached,‭ ‬holding one hand up in an awkward wave.‭ “‬Heather Edwards‭!”

“Mrh,‭” ‬came the grunted response,‭ ‬saving her breath until the pair approached fully,‭ ‬taking seats at the other side of the table she’d been previously dominating.

‭“‬You called us,‭ ‬right‭?” ‬Piper tilted her head slightly sideways,‭ ‬then fell silent,‭ ‬not wanting to press.‭ ‬A long moment passed as Heather Edwards stared at the two through the hollow black abysses of her sunglasses,‭ ‬lips pursed in mild disapproval as her spoon slowly stirred around and around the center of her milkshake.

‭“‬So,‭ ‬two little birds come to perch on my windowsill.‭ ‬Two peanuts in a husk,‭ ‬yet to hit the hot oil.‭” ‬Heather Edwards‭’ ‬lips twitched,‭ ‬something that could almost be considered a smile.‭ ‬It was gone before it appeared,‭ ‬something for an alternate reality to enjoy.‭ ‬A ghost.‭ “‬I did summon you,‭ ‬didn’t I‭? ‬Seems so long ago,‭ ‬now.‭” ‬Her voice was low,‭ ‬husky,‭ ‬intense yet somehow effortlessly so.

‭“‬...It was yesterday evening...‭” ‬Kora frowned.

‭“‬Perhaps it was,‭” ‬Heather Edwards drew in a slow,‭ ‬deep breath,‭ ‬finally slipping the long,‭ ‬red plastic spoon from the frozen vortex of her milkshake,‭ ‬and gently licking it clean.‭ ‬Suggestive,‭ ‬though,‭ ‬the gesture was not whatsoever‭ ‬--‭ ‬unless one considered it suggestive when the flat of a panther’s barbed tongue scraped the last vestiges of flesh from an otherwise cleaned bone.‭ “‬Something’s happening at MacMaster.‭ ‬Happening in this town.‭ ‬Something silent yet reeking,‭ ‬like the corpse of a deer on the side of the road.‭ ‬It looks pristine until you poke it with a stick,‭ ‬and then the hiss of gas and stench of death from within lets you know in no uncertain terms what’s happened.‭ ‬The disappearance of Millie Nowak is the corpse,‭ ‬unfortunate but innocuous,‭ ‬clean-cut,‭ ‬irreversible,‭ ‬obvious.‭ ‬Try to investigate,‭ ‬and all you find it more and more rot‭ ‬--‭ ‬more maggots,‭ ‬more stink.‭ ‬Something horrible’s happened.‭”

“That’s,‭ ‬um...‭ ‬o-okay,‭” ‬Piper stammered,‭ ‬caught somewhat off-guard by the sudden diatribe.

Kora chimed in.‭ “‬But wait,‭ ‬didn’t you say she‭ ‬wasn’t dead,‭ ‬in the text‭?”

“She isn’t.‭ ‬At least,‭ ‬I don’t think she is,‭” ‬Heather Edwards took another bite from her milkshake,‭ ‬gathering her thoughts for a moment.‭ “‬Murders tend to either be abrupt‭ ‬--‭ ‬sudden twists of fate leading to death,‭ ‬or earned‭ ‬--‭ ‬a series of events where someone places themselves in direct danger.‭ ‬Some illicit affair‭ (‬maybe an‭ ‬actual affair‭) ‬that draws the wrong kind of attention from the wrong person.‭”

“How do you know all this...‭?” ‬Kora frowned,‭ ‬but was talked over.

‭“‬Nowak fits neither.‭ ‬The more I look into what happened,‭ ‬the more I find something strange happening.‭ ‬Reports of odd behavior.‭ ‬She visited the MacMaster library more times in the month before her disappearance than her entire time in high school.‭ ‬One-hundred and twenty-three times.‭  ‬Nowak was a swim jock,‭ ‬a C student,‭ ‬used to have nerds do her homework for her in exchange for quick handjobs,‭ ‬otherwise undeserved,‭” ‬Heather Edwards chewed at the edge of her lips a moment,‭ ‬another thoughtful pause in between strands of rapid-fire theorization.‭ “‬But going to the library isn’t something someone gets killed for.‭ ‬It isn’t normal,‭ ‬but it isn’t wicked either.‭”

“If you don’t mind my asking,‭” ‬Kora took the ensuing instant of silence to interject,‭ ‬her own mind attempting to click the pieces of this puzzle together,‭ ‬but it was like trying to fit a seven-pointed star block into a square hole half the size.‭ “‬Why...‭ ‬are you telling us this‭? ‬Like,‭ ‬why‭ ‬us,‭ ‬of all people‭? ‬We didn’t even know her.‭”

“Someone has to know.‭ ‬A story without a listener becomes no more than an errant thought,‭ ‬insignificant.‭ ‬I tell the jocks,‭ ‬they’ll blow it off.‭ ‬An adult,‭ ‬they’ll think I’m crazy.‭ ‬Cops could be in on it.‭ ‬Nerds lack the balls to take action.‭ ‬So the merry-go-‭’‬round brings me to the two of you‭ ‬--‭ ‬no stakes,‭ ‬big imaginations,‭ ‬maybe just enough spunk.‭ ‬Take it as a compliment.‭”‬ Heather Edwards paused again,‭ ‬looking up at the hazy halo of light coming through the awning,‭ ‬marking where sun would be,‭ ‬just above.‭ “‬I didn’t know Nowak well.‭ ‬She seemed like an okay kid.‭ ‬She didn’t deserve to die...‭ ‬and if she is still alive,‭ ‬she probably won’t be for long.‭”

“This is...‭ ‬crazy,‭” ‬Piper shook her head,‭ “‬we’re not detectives,‭ ‬or police,‭ ‬or PIs or anything like that.‭ ‬We’re just nerds,‭ ‬we’re not cut out for something this big,‭ ‬even if it isn’t as big as you seem to think it is.‭”

“You gonna let that stop you‭?” ‬The dark,‭ ‬round pools of Heather Edwards‭’ ‬sunglasses bored into Piper as if the other teen was staring into her soul,‭ ‬piercing her with a look.‭ “‬I told my handler about this,‭ ‬what was happening,‭ ‬what I’d found out.‭ ‬It was like she was watching me on mute,‭ ‬like I was speaking another language.‭ Sh‬e just went quiet,‭ ‬stared at me,‭ ‬looked confused,‭ ‬then asked me if I’d seen any good movies lately.‭ Sh‬e wouldn’t even‭ ‬talk about it.‭ ‬I don’t know what’s happening,‭ ‬not yet.‭ ‬If it’s a conspiracy,‭ ‬or just a bunch of soulless wageslaves with bigger problems than worrying about a dead teenager nobody particularly liked.‭ ‬I don’t know.‭ ‬But I’m willing to keep looking.‭”

Piper remained silent for a long moment,‭ ‬and Kora looked between her and Heather Edwards,‭ ‬drawing in a deep breath and keeping it held for some time.‭ ‬Finally,‭ ‬in a long stream of air,‭ ‬she released it,‭ ‬then shrugged.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬I’m in.‭ ‬Where do we start,‭ ‬Heather‭?”

“Excuse me‭?”

Kora cleared her throat,‭ ‬quickly going red in the face.‭ “‬Heather Edwards.‭”

“That’s Heather Goddamn Edwards to you.‭ ‬You’re on thin ice,‭” ‬Heather Edwards let out a short sigh,‭ ‬then allowed herself to move past the egregious faux pas.‭ “‬Right now,‭ ‬I just need you to listen.‭ ‬Keep your ears to the ground.‭ ‬You’re part of the swim team now,‭ ‬right‭?”

“Yeah‭ ‬--‭ ‬wait,‭ ‬that was last night and you weren’t even there,‭ ‬how do you know that‭?”

Heather Edwards just stared silently at Kora,‭ ‬giving the deafening quiet a solid ten seconds to simmer until Kora relented.

‭“‬Right.‭ ‬Yeah,‭ ‬I am.‭”

Clearing her throat,‭ ‬the girl with the sunglasses continued,‭ “‬You’ll have access to people who knew Nowak,‭ ‬might be able to learn more about her comings and goings.‭ ‬Whatever she was into,‭ ‬it’s been happening over the past month,‭ ‬or just before it.‭”

“Alright,‭ ‬yeah,‭ ‬I’ll keep my ear to the ground and let you know if I come up with anything.‭” ‬Nodding slightly,‭ ‬Kora glanced back at Piper with a worried expression,‭ ‬though one that relaxed after a moment.‭ “‬You with me,‭ ‬Pipe‭?”

Piper sighed,‭ ‬recoiling at first,‭ ‬before her shoulders finally slumped into the posture of resignation.‭ “‬I’ve been with you through everything so far,‭ ‬Kora,‭ ‬just like you’ve been through everything with me.‭ ‬You know you don’t even have to ask.‭ ‬I’ll see what I can dig up.‭”

Standing up,‭ ‬Heather Edwards tossed the rest of her milkshake into a nearby green-wire trashcan,‭ ‬straightening her shades.‭ “‬Radical.‭ ‬My next target’s the library‭; ‬I’ll text if I’ve got anything.‭ ‬Oh,‭ ‬and...‭ ‬don’t tell the wrong people about this.‭ ‬Definitely not teachers,‭ ‬parents,‭ ‬cops.‭ ‬Something wrong with them.‭ ‬Not sure what yet.‭ ‬And don’t tell‭ ‬anybody I’m involved...‭ ‬the more secrecy I can move in,‭ ‬the more I can get done.‭”

Without so much as a‭ ‘‬later,‭ ‬nerds,‭’ ‬Heather Edwards walked away,‭ ‬leaving the two other teens sitting on the bench together,‭ ‬a bombshell dropped into their laps that they still didn’t understand.‭ ‬Was Heather Edwards just crazy,‭ ‬was any of this real‭? ‬Was she trying to fabricate a mystery out of a garden-variety disappearance,‭ ‬and were Kora and Piper now accomplices in some kind of high school conspiracy‭?

“So,‭ ‬uh...‭” ‬Kora chewed the inside of her cheek a moment,‭ ‬then her expression forcibly brightened.‭ “‬You want a milkshake‭? ‬I’ll buy.‭”