JULIA

The day had been strangely uneventful for Julia. Besides being pulled out of math to perform the song with Nathan, she had followed a normal routine. It had been a bit strange that Stewart had been absent in math and that Amanda had arrived halfway through English, but that didn't seem completely out of the ordinary. They probably just had other things to do.

So Julia's day had been normal so far. But the mansion had a way of changing things.

Kathryn had been quiet all day. In math and social studies, she had barely spoken three words to Julia. But as soon as the bell rang for the end of the last class of their day, she came alive and pulled Julia out of the classroom. When she had checked that the hallway was clear, she whispered urgently to Julia. "I had an open period during the third hour today," she said in a hiss.

"Yeah," Julia muttered. "You always do."

Kathryn didn't stop. "I was walking down the hall. I saw someone go upstairs."

"So?" Julia asked, not understanding Kathryn's intensity. "They probably just wanted something to eat."

"Not that upstairs," Kathryn whispered. "The upstairs upstairs."

Julia's breath caught in her throat. "Are you sure?" she said, lowering her voice to whisper as well.

"I'm positive," Kathryn said. "I heard a noise, I followed it, and I saw someone go up the stairs. I wanted to see where they were going, so I followed them to the second level. But they didn't stop."

"Did you see who it was?" Julia questioned.

Kathryn shook her head. "No. I was following far behind so they wouldn't notice me. And it was a little dark."

Julia looked down the hall to the right and the left. No one was there. "What should we do?" she whispered.

A dangerous look came across Kathryn's face. "We need to find out what they were doing up there," she said.

Julia could tell by Kathryn's tone that she wouldn't change her mind. "Why do we have to do it? Can't we just tell a maid?"

Kathryn shook her head. "Julia, we need to go up there. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Well, I have a bad feeling about going up there," Julia countered. "We can't. We'll get in trouble."

Kathryn was unshaken. "Julia," she said simply.

It was enough. "Fine," Julia said. She was reluctant, but she didn't feel like she could argue. "Let's go."

The two of them made their way to the staircase, careful not to attract any unwanted attention from anybody who might pass by. They climbed to the second floor without trouble. Then they began the ascent to the third level.

Every noise made Julia jump. She had been scared enough climbing the stairs when she had been invited; now that she wasn't, she was ten times more terrified. Her stomach curled into a thousand knots that settled uncomfortably in her gut.

Kathryn was almost calm, her resolve keeping her from being afraid. The only thing that she was nervous about was what they might find, and she told this to Julia many times. Julia hoped they would find nothing, but she also couldn't help but worry along with Kathryn.

The stairs ended and were and replaced by red carpets and long hallways. They ventured down each possible path, one at a time, with Kathryn leading the way. They found empty halls, quiet rooms, and dusty furniture. No people, nothing out of the ordinary. After searching four rooms, Julia was ready to give up.

"Let's go," she whispered as Kathryn examined the fireplace of a small room. "I don't think we're going to find anything."

"I agree," Kathryn said. Julia sighed with relief and turned to exit. But Kathryn wasn't finished. "Not where we're looking."

Julia stopped. "What do you mean?" she asked, dreading the answer.

Kathryn set down a porcelain heart she had picked up. "I mean that we're not going to find anything, searching random rooms."

Here it comes, Julia thought, swallowing nervously.

"We need to see the office."

Julia had been expecting it. But the words escaping Kathryn's mouth still nearly knocked her off her feet. She let loose the argument she had been preparing mentally. "No. We can't. J. Q. King's probably in there. We'll get in trouble...."

"What can he do, Julia? Kick us out of PITY?" Apparently Kathryn had been preparing an argument as well. "Sure, that's a little bad. But what if something even worse is going on? Are you okay with not doing anything about it?"

Julia gulped again. She didn't like it. She wanted to go home right then and there. But she shook her head anyway.

"Good," Kathryn said. She walked to the door. "Then follow me."

Julia did as she was told and let Kathryn lead her back through the halls. Her stomach twisted itself into a fresh set of knots. She breathed shakily and moved with a tremble, but she didn't stop walking until they reached their destination. The doors of J. Q. King's office loomed before them.

Julia let out something like a squeak. Her stomach suddenly seized up and jumped right into her throat.

Kathryn's face looked whiter than usual in the lamplight. When she spoke, a small tremor filled her voice. "Come on," she said. She placed her hand on the doorknob and pushed. The door swung open.

Kathryn froze.

Julia screamed.

Julia was right. J. Q. King was in his office. But he wasn't in his chair. He was lying on the floor, white as a ghost and completely still.

"Oh my...." Kathryn started. But she couldn't finish. Her eyes were wide, barely blinking.

The mansion owner's white shirt was stained red. A long knife lay at his side. Its blade was red, too. Blood.

"He's...he's...," Kathryn stammered.

Julia finally broke out of her shocked silence. "He's dead!" she screamed, her voice shrill. She sank to her knees, turned, and threw up into a wastebasket.

Kathryn stepped forward and leaned over the still body. She felt over his nose and pressed her fingers against his neck. She stepped back, her face turning almost as white as his. "He's dead," she agreed.

Julia lifted her face out of the bin and wiped her mouth with a clammy hand. "Who...?" she flung her head back in and emptied her stomach for another second. She cleaned her mouth again. "Who did this?" she finished softly.

Kathryn shook her head. She didn't have a clue. But something caught her eye.

Julia looked over at Kathryn, confused. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Kathryn bent over J. Q. King, reaching into his suit's breast pocket. Without answering, she drew out a small, rectangular object.

"What's that?" Julia asked, squinting from her place by the door.

Kathryn held it up. It was a playing card.

A joker.