Josh was laying in bed after school the day after Tyler skipped school with him, texting Brendon when he saw a car pull up in front of his house.

A police car.

"Shit!" He leapt up and hurried into Ashley and Abbie's room. Jordan was staying after school to retake some test or something Josh didn't really know.

He entered his sisters' room so abruptly that Ashley almost jumped off her bed. "Fuck!" She gasped, putting her hand over her heart.

"The cops are here," Josh whispered, his eyes wide.

Abbie was sitting on her bed, coloring, when she looked up. "Why?"

"I don' know," Josh looked back at Ashley whose eyes were just as big. "What about Mom?"

"We gotta make sure she didn' leave any shit around," Ashley sprang up off her bed and the two hurried downstairs.

Luckily, there wasn't anything around except for beer cans which the two teens quickly dumped in the sink before throwing them into the garbage. Their mom was sleeping in her room so that made things easier too.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Josh turned to his sister. "Go back to your room. Don' come down until they leave."

Ashley nodded and hurried up the steps. Josh ran a hand through his hair. He just had to act calm. Everything would be fine.

He walked over to the door and opened it, putting a (hopefully what looked like) convincing smile on his face. "Good afternoon, officers. What can I help ya with?"

"Is Laura Dun here?" The one on the right asked, raising an eyebrow at Josh.

"She's layin' down right now. She hasn' been feelin' too hot," he explained, hoping they bought the lie. "She's my ma though. Is there anythin' I can help ya with?"

The two officers glanced at one another, seemingly having a silent conversation. They looked back at Josh and nodded. "I'm Officer Joseph 'nd this is Officer Ross," the one from before explained. "Can we come in 'nd ask ya a few questions?"

"Pertainin'...?" Josh was the one to raise his eyebrow now. If this was about him and his friends he was fucked. He was trying to play it cool.

"Bill Dun," Officer Ross spoke up. "He's your father, correct?"

Josh nodded. "Yeah."

"So can we come in?" Officer Joseph repeated. Josh stared at him for a moment, wondering why he seemed so familiar.

Disregarding it, he thought about something else for a moment. If he allowed them to come in, he might be able to throw them off. If he doesn't, they might think he's suspicious.

"Alright," Josh shrugged. 

He opened the door wider and the two officers stepped in. "Thank ya," Officer Joseph nodded in Josh's direction.

"Ya guys can sit on the couch," he pointed to the worn down and stained brown sofa. They sat down and Josh took his own seat in the matching arm chair that was in the same condition.

"Do we have your consent to record this conversation?" Officer Ross asked, pulling out a tape recorder.

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "What did ya wanna ask me?"

"First I name your full name and age," Officer Joseph told him, pulling out a notepad.

"Joshua William Dun. June 18th, 2001."

"Where were ya the night of September 20th?" He asked.

"At home with my family."

"Your whole family?"

"No, sir," Josh replied, attempting to turn on any amount of charm he might possess. "My momma and dad got inta an argument when I came home from school and my dad said he was leavin'. He slapped my momma and my lil' brother tried steppin' in but he went to hurt 'im too. I took my brother 'nd kept him upstairs until he left," he explained, telling the partial truth.

"What happened with your mom?" Officer Joseph continued.

"He apparently left right after I took my brother upstairs. We haven' heard from 'im since."

"Was your dad a violent man?"

Josh thought for a moment. This could lead the path of how this investigation went. He had seen the reports on the TV. He knew they were suspecting foul play. "Yeah," Josh replied, forcing tears into his eyes. "He hurt my momma and us kids as often as he could. When he said he was leavin' ta move in with his girlfriend I couldn' have been happier," he sniffled, his bottom lip wobbling. "I jus' wanted ta feel safe again."

A look of sympathy overtook Officer Ross's face but Officer Joseph stayer stoic. "Ya said he told ya he was movin' in with his girlfriend?"

Josh just nodded this time. "My momma was so hurt but I think she was relieved that he left so he couldn' hurt us anymore," he made himself sob for added effect. "I wish I wouldn' have let him leave cause now some poor girl is missin' and he probably had somethin' ta do with it."

"Joshua," Officer Joseph began, bending forward and looking the pink haired directly in the eye. "Do ya think your father could have murdered this young woman?"

Josh stared right back, pulling the most convincing face he could muster. "Yes," he spoke, tears rolling down his face.

Officer Joseph pressed the button on the tape recorder to stop it. "Thank ya," he picked it up and motioned for Officer Ross to stand up.

"We're done?" He questioned, confusion seeping through his voice.

"I believe the kid," Officer Joseph explained before walking towards the door. "We'll be in touch, Joshua."

Josh stood up to let them out and he watched them enter their car before shutting the door. He wiped the tears on his face.

"Ya okay?"

He turned around to see Ashley standing there, worry on her face.

Josh walked past her, patting her shoulder on the way. "'M always fine," he told her before heading back upstairs.

The pink haired couldn't help but smile to himself. He had pointed him in the wrong direction. He was saving everyone's asses and he couldn't help but think about how that meant he could stick around Tyler longer.