I lie on my bed gazing up at the sticky residue of the glow-in-the-dark stars that used illuminate my ceiling. I toss over the book in my hands, throwing it up and catching it. "Lucy's Demise", "Lucy's Demise", "Lucy's Demise".

Did Aster ever mention 'Lucy' before? I scour the depths of my mind. Neither of us knew anyone called Lucy. Well, I didn't at least. But did Aster? We shared everything, how could she keep this a secret?

Before she disappeared, she was obsessed with this book. I remember having coffee with her at Rosie's, the local cafe. She just wouldn't shut up about that book!

I catch it in midair, and tear open the first page. It smells slightly musty, and the pages are yellowed; second hand. I can smell musk, though, too; Aster's go-to perfume.

I skip past the imprint page, dedication and foreword to chapter one.

It was a lovely Spring day, some time in May when Lucy first felt strange. She was walking down the path, feeling eyes burn into the back of her spring dress. It was a lovely frock, pale blue linen printed with tiny blue flowers. It was her favorite dress and she wore it almost every day in Spring. She loved the way it felt, soft against her skin, and the way it twirled and spun so nicely. Her Auntie Irene had made it for her one Spring when she came to stay.

Lucy's head whipped around, as quick as lightening. "Who's there?" she called into the empty street, but was greeted with no reply. She shook it off. She could be oh-so paranoid sometimes. Instead she focused on the way her skirt twirled and billowed in the breeze.

This was some kind of 50's murder mystery. Why on Earth would Aster read this? She was never into this kind of thing! But more importantly, what was Aster Rosemary Evans doing in the exact same dress?

I glance at the time. It's late, and my eyelids are drooping. Exhausted, I curl up and drift off to sleep.

***

"I think it's time," says  Midnight, smiling; a mischievous glint in her eyes, "this afternoon."

I roll my eyes, "This afternoon? I'm going to break into the police station, this afternoon?"

Midnight nods, "You have the excuse that Saturday was Aster's commemoration, that was only two days ago; you have that emotion to play with. The recent disappearance of Aster, brought up by Saturday's commemoration, and there you go; the urge to visit your Dad."

I frown, "I'm not just playing with my emotions, Midnight. They are real. I don't just fake how I feel!"

Fox nods, "Of course not, but Midnight does have a point. It's an opportune moment."

I sigh, as the bell rings for first period. "Okay, I'll meet you here after school?"

School drones, and I can't focus. All I can think about is this afternoon. The last bells rings, piercing through my eyes and I'm snapped awake, as if out of a coma.

I rush to The East office, to be greeted by Midnight. She places a hand on my shoulder. "Now, remember, when no-one's looking have a look through the filing cabinet. It'll be under "Aster Evans" or "Drew Casterwyre" or even "Sally Lane"." she looks into my eyes, which are nervous, trembling and shaking.

"It's okay, Kitty, you'll be fine," she smiles.

***

The walk to police station features me and my out-of-control thoughts. I'm about to break the law, and using my dead Dad as an excuse? But I remind myself about Aster. Her strange floral dress just like Lucy's. The blood in the woods. Is it her blood? That's what I need to find out. And this was the only way, I kept reminding myself. The only way to find out if Aster was out there, and perhaps to save her if she was. I was doing this for Aster, I reminded myself.

I round the corner, entering the police station car park, and memories from last week flood my thoughts. The dark gloomy day and mistaking Drew Casterwyre for my dead Dad.

I wipe the thoughts away, and concentrate on the task ahead. Detective Lane is in the car park, unloading something out of her car. She turns to me, "Oh, Katherine. How are you going?"

I stop, awkwardly and stammer. "Oh, uh...Detective Lane. Well, thank you."

She looks me up and down, "So, what are you doing here? Do you have new leads on Aster's case?"

I think about the book, "Lucy's Demise" but decide against telling her. I shake my head. "No, sorry. After the commemoration on Saturday I was in a really bad head space. Coming here last week reminded me how much I miss my Dad, Sergeant Roseavelt; he worked here before he died last year," I explain, remembering she's a new intern. Does she know about my Dad?

"Of course," she says, "I completely understand. Do you want to come and see his office? We've kind of turned into a shrine," she laughs.

I nod, "That would be wonderful!"

I feel guilty. Detective Lane is being nice; kind, supportive, I'm deceiving her with an emotional facade.

We walk into the building together, and she leads me to his office. It's dark and musty, scattered with dust, but when I flick the switch on I'm swarmed with color. Rainbow bunches of crepe paper flowers and photos of him all around the room. 

Detective Lane closes the door behind me, smiling. "I'll leave you to it."

I try to take it all in. These past few months I've suppressed my feelings, just burying the fact that he's gone deep inside me. Getting on with my life, as the usual, happy cheery Kitty. But with Aster gone it made me realise I never got over it. And I don't think I ever will. Losing a parent is a big thing, and I can't just ignore that. It's okay for me to grieve.

I sit for a while at his desk, lost in my own thoughts. There's even photos of me here. And Sam. And Mom. The people he cared about the most. And I never even knew. Why hadn't I come here before? Why hadn't I faced this?

There's a knock on the door, and Detective Lane appears around the corner. "Katherine? Is it okay if while you're here I continue your interview? We still need more info."

I nod, and she smiles. "Okay, I'll call you in twenty minutes, I'm just finishing off another interview with one of your classmates."

This is it. This is my opportunity.

Once she's gone, I creep out of his office and tip-toe around the long, old halls of the building. Most rooms have windows in them, and I can see police officers with cups of steaming tea chatting around tables through them. None of them seem to take any notice of me.

I come to a thick, wooden door with word "FILES" printed across it. Perfect. The hallway is empty, and I sneak in. 

The room is dark and musty, and as far as I can see, empty. I flick a switch, I can hear my heart beating loud and uncontrollably. A soft yellow glow flickers and crackles then fills the room.

I tip-toe around the filing cabinets, all lined up in rows, like a maze. Finally I find a draw labelled "ASTER EVANS".

I open the draw, I rifle through, my fingers hurriedly and anxiously fumbling around, catching titles. MAY 2, MAY 15, PARTY AT DERAMAINES', SUSPECTS. Until I find it. BLOOD EVIDENCE.

My heart pounding like a judge's gavel, I scan the documents in the file. There was blood found in the North of the woods. I flip through the pages, looking desperately for a report. Whose blood is this?

I keep looking but I reach the end of the file, and it's not there. Either they haven't even tested the sample or someone's taken it. Neither sound good.

Defeated, I'm about to back out of there and return to Dad's office when I hear Detective Lane's voice echo through the halls. "Katherine? Katherine? Where are you? Katherine?"