Let's rewind earlier that same day. The three of us girls went to find our puzzle pieces and Dustin and Carson had to find theirs. Carson was a little giddy and eager to be with Dustin. Today, having just arrived at Dustin's house, he realized he couldn't look Dustin straight in the eye without feeling his stomach churn. He couldn't help but smile more than usual and blush if he spoke to him. The fact that he would be walking around alone with Dustin for hours today made him nervous but also very elated. It felt like a date and while he wouldn't be able to focus on the current mission at hand, this is the first time he's had real feelings for someone and won't let them go. The only thing bothering him was a strange discomfort with his watch.

1:15 p.m
   After lunch, the two were immediately motivated to address Carson's pressing inquiry. "How did the tapes get back in the box inside his house if DeeJay was killed while he was out in the storm?" DeeJay returning to his home after making those records would be the only plausible excuse. In order to find the right response, they visited DeeJay's residence and spoke with his mother about the situation.

   When they got to his house, they trailed along the damp, rocky pathway and paused below the front door, where they met his mother. She had a mug of steaming hot lemon tea nestled in her palms as she sat on the stairs. Her eye bags were lower than the teabag in her cup, and she was covered in thick blankets. She was still a little disoriented and first had no idea that the two were standing right in front of her. She needed to be gently shaken by her shoulder by Dustin to snap out of it.

"Oh hi. Are you the boys who are supposed to cut the grass today?"

"No, Mrs. Disso. This is Carson and Dustin. Your son's friends from school you spoke to the last time" Dustin replied.

"Ah, yes! What brings you two by?"

"We just wanted to see how you were doing"

"I'm... okay. Yeah, I'm okay. Just barely getting there"

"Glad to know that you're doing better even if it may be a little bit, ma'am!"

"Thank you! Lovely of you two to stop by and check up on me. I see your parents raised you right!"

They both shook their heads in agreement.

"But... we also wanted to ask you another question"

"What is it child?"

"This is gonna sound weird and might trigger your emotions but... By any chance, do you think DeeJay might've came back into the house after he left then left again?"

"Oh.." she felt a bit dizzy as the day came circling back in her head and now all she could see was DeeJay coming back from school with his backpack hoisted onto his back and him making his way up the pathway. She longed to see him do that just one more time. Just one more time. She wanted to hear how he trudged into the house with his heavy feet and threw his backpack next to the stove to unwind. All she could do was smile as she clung to the memories and her blanket.

"You were saying?" Dustin said pulling her back into the conversation.

"Oh um... I don't know if he did. But, after he left I was in the backyard filling drums and barrels with water just incase the water didn't come back soon after the storm. I was outside for like two to three hours so anyone could've came into the house and I wouldn't know. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason!" Dustin said cheerily because the question had been answered and they could finally leave, seeing as being near the house brought him back to the days when he would sneak in to have a little fun with DeeJay.

And as the two boys walked away, DeeJay's mother stared with a faint smile on her face. The two's silhouettes being outlined by the beaming sun reminded her of when DeeJay's father use to walk him to the bus stop on a morning for school. This visit from Carson and Dustin had definitely placed some hydrogen peroxide on her open wounds.

2:20 p.m
"Okay, I just got off a call with Toy. She said Josh's story checks out" Dustin said to Carson.

   The two were enjoying beverages inside "Rituals" at the time. Carson was feeling frivolous, so he suggested they come to a halt so he could grab them both drinks. This gesture was likewise intended to impress Dustin. Dustin chose to have a caramel chiller with extra whipped cream, while Carson selected to get a big green tea with two sugars. The clean hardwood flooring, smells of coffee, tasty pastries, and hardwood furniture created a welcoming atmosphere when they chose their seats.

   After receiving their drinks, they sat down near to the door at one of the wide oak tables to enjoy them. Carson didn't mind that Dustin spent the majority of that time on his phone. Additionally, while he was scrolling through his apps, he got to glance at him without him realizing it. Dustin was watching humorous clips on his phone and would frequently hand over his phone to Carson so that he could see them and laugh along with him. His laugh often sounded like TicTacs being tossed around in its packaging. Carson admired his silly laugh and everything he did. The way he drank from his straw, how he smiled, how soft and supple his palms were and even how he also always wore shorts just like him.

    But he was soon snapped from his daze when Dustin finished his drink and put his phone down.

"Ok, how the fuck are we gonna get to know where Cole was that night? It's not like we can just walk up into his territory and ask a literal gang member shit like that!"

"You can't... but I can" Carson said as he guzzled the last bit of his tea.

"What do you mean?"

"Where did you think I was getting my drugs from?" he whispered into Dustin's ear. There wasn't anyone else inside the place so no one would hear what he told Dustin if he said it out loud but Carson just wanted to be in close proximity to him so he took the opportunity and whispered into his ear.

2:59 p.m
   They both were aware of how audacious and crazy this was as they walked up to Cole's door. They were set to enter the home of a man who's been looked at by the police for a long time and ask him where he was the night their friend, whom he had previously threatened, was killed. It's even more bizarre now that I've put it in writing...

   Dustin hesitantly gave the door two knocks, and Carson tightened his hold on his knuckles. The two briefly exchanged terrified glances while still attempting to project macho demeanor around one another. Dustin secretly prayed Cole wouldn't respond so they could go and try to convince the rest of us to join them later. However, his request was not fulfilled.

"Who dis?!" A call from Cole came through the door.

"Um.." Carson exhaled deeply "It's Carson! Just wanted to stop by!" Carson hung his head down and hoped for the best.

    A minute later the door opened and almost fell off it's hinges. As they looked, they saw Cole standing in the doorway in his boxers with a white tee on.

"Wassgood? And who dis lil nigga?"

"This is Dustin. He's a friend of mine from school!"

"Ight, come in!" They walked in behind him "Let me go put some pants on, you two can sit on the couch or whatever still" and with that, he disappeared into his room.

    The two thought about how many murders could've happened on that couch and decided it was better and less incriminating to stand up. On the broken center table was weed, empty beer bottles and a gun and that spooked Dustin a lot more. That and how many mosquitoes were flying about.

"You seriously came here to get drugs? What the fuck?!" He whispered into Carson's ear.

    But before Carson could answer Cole piled out of his room with sweatpants on. He asked them once more if they would like to sit and Carson lied and said that they had to go soon because his mother is getting off of work soon. So whilst Dustin stood there fidgeting, Cole sat down and began rolling together weed so he could smoke.

"So wassup? Why you here? See you looking better, you took my advice and went off them drugs huh?"

"Yeah... yes I did!" Carson responded.

    Dustin raised his eyebrows a bit mad that he didn't get his recognition in that moment but then put them down once he realized Carson was just trying to butter Cole up to get the question out easier.

"... thanks for the pep talk by the way! You were a really big help!"

"Anytime my nigga"

"So how has everything been with you?"

"Boy... life is life!"

"Yeah... you heard about my friend that passed?"

"Yeah, I see they searched your house and all typa shit! Fuck is going on?!"

"I'm not sure what is going on, me and my friends are just as confused as you!"

"Good thing they ain't tried to put this shit on me. I slept through the entire storm! Imagine, I fell asleep two hours before it even started and woke up the next morning when it ended!"

    Carson and Dustin looked at each other with both disappointed and suspicious looks.

"Was anyone here with you to testify to that? Because... you know, in court they would dismiss your argument without a witness" Carson giggled a bit.

"My lil bitch came over a couple hours before, I slept between her legs after I hit it!"

    Dustin and Carson looked at each other once more. They didn't quite believe his story and wanted more hard proof than just his word to confidently cross him off the list. But their minds went blank upon thinking about how they were going to get that information out of him.

"You gonna just give them your word? They need solid evidence!" Carson said as he chuckled once more.

    Cole raised his eyebrow as he relit his blunt and peered at Carson "Why you care? Ain't you gotta worry about getting your own solid proof? After all, I'm not the one they're looking into right now"

"Well, I just was asking bec-" before Carson could finish, Cole began loading his gun with bullets slowly as he released smoke from his nose.

    Carson and Dustin went completely still. Carson's cheeks turned hot, and his senses became more acute for some reason. They were so good at the time that he could hear Dustin's heart palpitating as he fought to remain calm. Carson could feel his knees weakening gradually and tears welling up in his eyes like children building a gigantic snowman. Dustin's heart rate was accelerating, and he started looking around to determine how long it would take to grab Carson and rush out the door before a bullet hit either of them. The small size of the space would offer them a chance, but regrettably, neither of them was faster than a bullet. He saw Carson start to speak under his breath while praying to God and noticed sweat start to run down his face and neck. And as soon as he began to bring his hand towards Carson's to grab him to escape, Cole placed the gun back down.

"What were you saying Carson?" He said as he put out his blunt on his weed snuff that was in the shape of a woman's butt.

"Um..." Dustin kicked Carson secretly and that brought him back to reality. "I was just asking because you know how... um... how much harder police come down on people in lesser fortunate areas especially gang members"

"Ain't nun to worry about, I'll be ight! And I'm not a gang member I'm an opportunist!"

But before Carson could catch his breath and try to continue the conversation, someone opened the door and walked in. Carson and Dustin both stood there like they had seen a ghostly figure as the hairs on their arms spiked upwards. They both looked at each other then looked at the person again to make sure the description matched them and ding ding ding, it did. It was no other than Jigsaw.

Didn't the tape say that Jigsaw was shot by Cole? Why is he standing there untouched and as healthy as ever? Did DeeJay get it confused? No, that couldn't be!

   There were a lot of questions that needed to be answered, but they would have to wait for now because the two were dizzy and scared and needed to leave right away. So Carson told Cole that his mom was on her way and the two almost sprinted out the door like they were escaping a burning building, with nothing but "what the fuck?" lingering in their minds.

They checked behind themselves and around them as they proceeded out of the decrepit neighborhood to make sure nobody was following them or snooping on them. At the moment, the eeriness and tension the environment they were already overstimulating and Carson felt a sharp pain stabbing from his watch like the back was broken. So, in a hurry, he took it off his wrist carelessly, letting it fall and shatter on the cracking asphalt so it wouldn't cut too deep.

"Shit!" He said as he bent over to pick up the parts and Dustin did the same.

"Wait..." Carson said as he peered at the dial of the watch. "This... this isn't mine!"

"What do you mean? It literally just fell off your wrist? Wait... what's this?" Dustin said pointing to something that had slid it's way into a crack in the asphalt right next to the rummage of the watch.

It was a key. It was gold, tiny and had the number fifty two on it. This immediately made a bulb pop over Carson's head.

"That must've been in the watch!"

"What do you mean? What are you talking about Carson?"

"Listen, I don't know why but my memory hasn't been very good lately. But I forgot to tell you guys earlier that I found this watch near DeeJay's crime scene. I put it on so I can show you... it has his initials on it!"

"Wait... so that key could actually be a clue!"

"Bingo!"

5:15 p.m
    Carson and Dustin made their way to the clothing boutique in which we told them to meet us next to. But what they didn't know was that we were inside looking at clothes and seeing what we would be coming back to get. They were outside waiting for ten minutes before we came outside. They thought that we had told them we were there already when we were further away and was a bit angry.

We all revealed what we had discovered as we made our way down the walkway. The boys were pleased that they had discovered two tasty clues while we had not. And I could see they weren't going to let us forget about it. Though the reasoning behind the search was sad, we were all starting to enjoy gathering clues and trying to piece together this mystery.

   However, the view from where we were currently strolling didn't help stimulate our minds much. Many automobiles were beeping in traffic, and the drivers were yelling at one another. There were homeless individuals everywhere on the walkways, and some of them were even walking through the traffic while begging for money and some even had protest signs or signs with goody phrases or doodles about the prime minster. A few of the homeless people were even acting out, spitting on the street, puffed up their chests, and agitated themselves in an attempt to frighten or scare others passing by. There was a blend of smells from food chain franchises, garbage and the usual stink that stamped itself in Castries. Nothing could beat the smell of Castries, not even the stench of all the homeless people combined.

But nonetheless we still made fairly educated guesses as we wondered around for a while because we had no idea what door or object the key was supposed to open. But then, a thought struck me. A key maker who had a shop not far from here was a longtime friend of my mother's. He was very knowledgeable and skilled with keys. Therefore, I firmly believed that he could either reveal what it unlocks or guide us in the proper route.

When we came to his shop we waited for him to be done with a customer then approached the wooden counter. Well, everyone except me. I didn't want him accidentally spilling to my mother that he saw me dressed extremely feminine so I stood from a far and looked at the rest of them enter. It was a ten by ten wooden box painted in red and white stripes with keys hanging from the walls behind the counter. I remembered as sometimes I would pass by the shop with my mom and she would have lengthy conversations with the owner and his friends and smiled at how irritated I would become when their conversations seemed to never end.

"Good afternoon" Mandy said to the owner.

"Hi! How can I help you little Pickneys today?"

The owner was of average height, light-skinned, round with a shaggy beard and a short haircut. He wore grey shorts with a black stripe down the legs and an oversized striped black and white T-shirt. His voice was soothing and made you feel comfortable to come to him at anytime.

"Do you by any chance know what this key unlocks?" Mandy said as she pointed to Carson alerting him to hold up the key.

The owner looked at it closely then looked around at the other keys and made a match.

"I did this one! It's for the storage area a couple streets down!"

Dustin, Carson, Beth and Mandy all smiled at each other and then jolted out after saying "thank you".

The storage facility was located across the street from Beth's bus stop. It was a sizable warehouse that houses huge containers inside it. The security guy questioned us about our "business" prior to entry. So Mandy lied and said that her mother had a container of stuff for her shop shipped down and she was too busy today so she sent us to check up on it. And after a long skeptical look, he allowed us to enter.

Carson stepped in a little water puddle that was created by a small hole in the ceiling as we headed down the hallway in search of the door marked with the same number on the key. It was still rather dark although we observed that there were lightbulbs giving off light as they hung from their cords. The place echoed as the keys jiggled on Carson's fingers and ants gathered around the corpse of an animal to gather it for their picnic later that evening.

After finding the container, we unlocked it carefully and took all of us together to open the doors. We entered, and left the cargo door ajar. The only light illuminating the room emanated from a hanging bulb from the ceiling. A table was placed next to a green couch that was stationed against the wall. Carson and Mandy approached the table to spot a passport and more than ten thousand dollars in cash were piled on the table. The passport had no name or other information printed on it, nor did it include a photo. They called the rest of us over to see and we all became uneasy because this scene and setting had shaken us. We hurriedly took images of the scene with our phones before leaving in a rush after locking the container. But as we made our way out we bumped into the security guard yet again.

"Is everything alright with the stuff?" The security asked as he twirled his mustache.

"Oh, yes, thank you very much!" Mandy replied.

And with that we all skedaddled out of there.

Although we shared goosebumps we couldn't yet but get more intrigued. What the hell did this clue even mean? Where is it going to lead us? Is it going to be yet another wall? Find out on the next episode of "BerkVille"! Or would another clue be ripped from the palms of our hands?...