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“No, it couldn’t have been him,” Josh confirmed. “As for who did do it, that’s a question that Bryan and I are going to try to figure out together.”

“You and Bryan together?” Rosa asked dubiously. “Just yesterday you were sworn enemies. Now you’re an investigative team?”

Josh shrugged. “We have a common cause.”

Rosa still seemed unsure about Josh’s new comrade, but they didn’t have long to ponder it. Just a few minutes later the bell rang, ending the class. Josh realized that they had scarcely gotten further in their lab work than turning on the Bunsen burner. Getting a low lab grade seemed trivial in comparison to a possible murderer on the loose, so he didn’t worry about it for long. Instead, he kissed Rosa’s cheek, and promised to call her if he wasn’t able to get out of the house. After all, he was grounded.

Josh’s next class ticked by with devastating slowness. His mind was whirling with whodunit scenarios, and he couldn’t concentrate on schoolwork at all. When the period was finally over, Josh dashed through the crowded hallway to the yearbook room to meet Bryan. He unlocked the door and sat down at his editor’s desk in front of the computer monitor. Bryan wasn’t there yet, so he pulled his digital camera out of his backpack and plugged it into the computer. He had never downloaded the photos he had taken of the cheerleaders. Instead of wasting time, he figured he might as well get some work done while he waited.

“You like taking pictures, huh?”

Bryan stood tensely in the doorway, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He ran his hands nervously over his buzzed hair. He scanned the rows of old yearbooks on the bookshelves in the corner, some of which dated back to the seventies, instead of making eye contact. Josh was just as uneasy, and started to shuffle around the piles of photos that were spread around his work area, pretending to put them into some kind of order.

“Yeah,” Josh responded flatly. “It’s always been a passion for me. I want to be a photo journalist.”

Bryan nodded, but he was through with small talk, and they fell into an awkward silence. There was still some tension between them. They had been enemies. Now they were trying to be friends. More than that, they were trying to be partners. It wasn’t easy to accomplish such a dramatic shift in roles, especially when teenage testosterone was a factor. 

Instead of looking at each other, they both stared at the full frontal shot of Elena that had popped up on the computer screen. Her pompoms were prominently displayed along with an insincere smile. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and silver butterfly earrings sparkled against her salon tanned skin. It was a perfect shot of the captain of the squad.

“You believe me, don’t you? About Lily?” Bryan asked suddenly. “Somehow I knew you would.”

“Yes, I believe you,” Josh said. “But I still don’t understand why you would trust me with such a big secret. I thought you hated me.”

Bryan sat down in the chair beside Josh. “I did hate you. It wasn’t just because of Lily either. I’ve always been a little jealous of you. You’re one of those guys that seems to have it all, you know? You’re captain of the wrestling team. You’ve got a flashy car, tons of money. But I really hated that you were with Elena. I . . . I kind of have a thing for her.”

“You have a thing for Elena?” Josh had to chuckle. Bryan was hardly Elena’s type. He didn’t have a car at all, let alone an expensive one.

“Yeah, I know. It’s completely hopeless,” Bryan said with a sad laugh. “Why would she want to go out with me when there are guys like you around? And I know she’s . . . well, she’s your typical snooty rich girl, but she has a good side. Last year when I had my appendix out, she was really nice to me. Did you know she was a candy striper?”

“I found out this weekend when I was in the hospital,” Josh told him. “It was definitely a surprise. I never imagined her as the bed pan changing type.”

“Wait a minute,” Bryan said. “Back up for a second. You were in the hospital this weekend? Why?”

It was a good chance for Josh to tell him about the rat poison and the notes, so Josh dove in. Bryan’s face turned a disturbing shade of green as the story unfolded, and Josh was glad he was sitting down. When he got to the part about his visit to the detective, the peaked look changed to one of absolute disgust and anger.

“I could have told you how the police would react,” Bryan said scornfully. “They’re just looking for the easy way out. They’re nothing but a bunch of lazy bums, especially that Detective Gibula. He sits on his fat ass all day dunking his donuts in his coffee.”

Josh nodded. At least they agreed on something. It was a start.

“But we don’t need them,” Bryan continued. “We’ll figure this out on our own. But where do we start?”

“We should probably start wherever they found . . . wherever Lily. . . .” Josh wasn’t sure how to end the sentence, especially when he saw Bryan grimace.

“I found her,” Bryan revealed, after he took a moment to collect himself. “In the garage. I haven’t been in there since that day, but I think I can handle it if I’m not alone. We can do it today, after practice. In the meantime, I think we need to make a list of suspects.” Bryan was thoughtful for a minute. “Let’s start with the other girls you broke up with. There’s Elena, that new girl Nadine, and what’s the name of that girl in Williamstown?”

“Jasmine.” Josh told him. “But I really don’t think any of them are capable of murdering someone.”

“They all had a motive,” Bryan told him seriously. “The same motive that was implied in those notes you got. It’s all about anger and jealousy, and who else meets those criteria better than these girls?”

“Okay, okay. You’re right.” Josh relented with a sigh. “They’re suspects. But who else?”

“Now, don’t get angry,” Bryan said, and gave Josh a nervous glance. “But I think your new girlfriend is a suspect too.”

“Rosa?” Josh exploded. “Are you crazy?”   

Bryan had to be desperate for someone to blame. There was no way Rosa could be guilty.  Not after the way she had taken care of him when he was sick. If she had been the one to poison him, why would she have bothered? 

Unless she thought it would throw me off track.

As soon as he thought it, Josh hated himself. How could he have even a moment’s doubt about Rosa after all she had done for him? He didn’t verbalize his thoughts to Bryan, who slammed the door of the yearbook room closed when Josh had raised his voice.

“Would you try to keep it down?” Bryan hissed. “Listen, I know how you feel, okay? I feel the same way about Elena. Rosa probably didn’t do it, but just in case, I don’t think you should mention any of this to her.”

“Too late,” Josh told him. “I already told her. And to be honest, I think we need to tell the other girls too. After all, they might be in danger.”

Bryan was unconvinced. “But if we tell them, we’ll lose an important advantage!”

“If we don’t warn them and one of them turns up dead, we’ll be just as guilty as the killer,” Josh argued.

“Dammit, you’re right,” Bryan relented. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. But I don’t want anything to interfere with the investigation either. I want justice for Lily!”

“I understand, Bryan, but keeping the other girls safe has to be our first priority.”

It seemed like he wanted to say more, but they didn’t have time to take the conversation any further. Lunch period was just about over and they had to head to class. Josh flipped off the computer screen and watched Elena’s cheerful face fade away. When they emerged from the yearbook room together, they received more than one surprised look. Everyone at school had heard about the scene in the parking lot. Now Josh and Bryan were hanging out like they were old friends. If only their classmates knew the reason for their bizarre comradeship. Maybe then the whispers and stares would transform from curiosity to fear. After all, someone was out for blood.

“Elena! Elena, wait!”

Josh was on his way to wrestling practice when he noticed Elena on the other side of the hallway. He figured it was as good a time as any to tell her what was happening. When Elena glanced over her shoulder and saw who was calling her, she accelerated her pace. Josh wasn’t so easily dissuaded. He jogged after her, knowing it wasn’t going to be an easy conversation. He tapped her on the shoulder and hoped that she wouldn’t make a scene.

“Elena, I have to talk to you!” Josh insisted when she tried to shrug his hand off her shoulder. “It’s important!”

Elena stopped and turned to him with a tight-lipped frown. “What do you want, Josh?”

“We can’t talk here.” Josh looked around for a quiet spot where they wouldn’t be disturbed. He noticed that the janitor’s closet was right across the hall. “Follow me.”

Elena stared at him in disbelief. “I know what you’re up to, Joshua, and I am not standing around in the broom closet with you!”

Josh shook his head. “Elena, it’s not what you think! I just want to talk to you for a minute.”

“Oh, I understand perfectly,” Elena insisted. “Do you think I’m a complete idiot? Do you think a guy has never tried to take advantage of me before? I guess now that Jazz broke up with you, you think you can just snap your fingers and get me back! Well, you guessed wrong!” Elena’s voice was rising to a shrill shriek. Avoiding a scene was becoming impossible. People were already staring at them. “Elena Huber will not be used twice! Elena Huber is no fool! Elena Huber is. . . .”

“If Elena Huber would just shut the hell up for a minute,” Josh interrupted in a sharp whisper. “I might get a chance to tell her why I dragged her over here. Please, Elena, just give me five minutes? That’s all I’m asking.”

Maybe it was the desperation in his voice. Maybe it was the fact that he gripped her shoulder with the urgency of true fear. Whatever it was, Elena finally relented. She even led the way to the janitor’s supply room and shut the door behind them.

“Five minutes,” she agreed reluctantly. “That’s all. So you better talk fast.”

“Right,” Josh agreed, but he found himself flustered. He wasn’t sure how to begin without sounding paranoid or delusional. Plus, there were no windows in the cramped room which was stuffy and smelled like bleach. “Have you heard about Lily Cavalier? The girl from St. Mary’s who died?”

“You mean the girl who committed suicide.” Elena corrected. “Yeah, I know all about it. She was Bryan Grant’s sister, one of the girls you cheated on me with. You didn’t bring me here to cry on my shoulder about your ex-girlfriend, did you? You won’t get any sympathy from me.”

Elena put her hands her hips and waited expectantly for Josh to continue. He was slightly shocked by her coldness. She sounded so bitter and angry. She didn’t seem to care at all that someone had just died. Josh couldn’t find the candy striper that Bryan was so smitten with anywhere in this girl’s face.

“Tick tock, tick tock,” Elena prompted, and looked at her watch. “Time is running out.”

“Lily was murdered!”

Josh blurted out the words before he even took the time to consider it. Elena’s mouth fell open, and for a minute she was actually struck dumb. Josh took that brief interlude to study her face. He looked for some sign of guilt, some speck of fear that might give her away as the killer.  All he saw was surprise and cold indifference. Then her surprise turned to suspicion.

“I don’t know what game you’re trying to play here, but that girl committed suicide. Everyone knows it. Why would you say she was murdered?”

“Because it’s the truth,” Josh told her. “Bryan and I both know it.”

Elena snorted. “Bryan is a drunk, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you are too.” Josh must have looked horrified by her callous attitude because she softened her tone just a little. “Look, I know you probably think that sounded harsh. I didn’t mean it to be. I’m sure this whole situation is awful for him. But Bryan does have a drinking problem. He’s been in trouble for it more than once. You know that just as well as I do. How can you take anything he says seriously?”

“I have my own reasons for believing Lily was murdered, and they have nothing to do with Bryan.” Josh wasn’t about to list those reasons. He couldn’t give away the few clues he had to a possible suspect. “I can’t explain it right now, but I had to warn you. Elena, you might be in danger.”

“In danger? Why on earth would I be in danger?”

“Because the person who killed Lily went after her because of me,” Josh explained. “And I think they might try again.”

Josh wanted to sound serious. If they had been in a movie, spooky music would have started playing behind them, verifying the possibility of a threat. But Josh had no backup, and he didn’t sound anything like the would-be hero of a thriller. He sounded like a crazy adolescent spinning wild tales to his ex-girlfriend. He sounded like he was trying to get attention, just like his father kept saying. He wasn’t surprised when Elena snorted for the second time.

“And what is the motive of this supposed murderer?”

“Well, I guess it would have to be jealousy,” Josh told her, ignoring her sarcastic tone.

“Jealousy? Of what? You?” Elena’s disbelief turned to amusement, and she couldn’t hold back a small chuckle. “And people say I’m conceited!”

“I know how this must sound—”

“No,” Elena said, finally losing her patience. “That’s enough. I’m not listening to another word of this. Your five minutes are more than up. I’m out of here.”