Adventures in Funeral Crashing (17 page)

And, then to my astonishment, Ethan punched
Troy in the face. Troy was surprised by it too because he didn’t
even try to protect himself from the hit. Besides, Troy was way
more muscular than Ethan and I was pretty sure he could hold his
own in a fight. Troy staggered backwards, but almost immediately
bounced back, his gaze on Ethan. They eyed each other.

“What is going on?” Ariel was standing in the
doorway, hands on her hips, super annoyed.

I was just standing there with my mouth open,
shocked. Troy’s eye was swelling up, but he didn’t seem to notice
as he glared at Ethan.

“What’s going on man?” Troy backed further
away from Ethan. “I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Stay away from her,” Ethan said quietly.

They stared at each other for a moment. The
tension was building. Ariel and I watched.

Troy turned to look at me, where I was still
leaning against the Ms. Pac Man console, in shock. “Your friend
obviously has some kind of issue. Why don’t you call me when you
get it sorted out?”

I nodded. With that, Troy walked past Ariel
and out of the restaurant. Ethan watched him, still shielding me.
Ariel seemed at a loss for what to do. I stood frozen by the game
console.

“I’m leaving too,” Ariel decided and then she
threw a final jab at Ethan, “Ethan Ripley, you’re a fucking lousy
date.”

And, Ariel turned and walked away. Ethan and
I were left alone in the arcade.

“I guess we’re stuck with the check,” I
volunteered, giggling nervously. I think I was in shock.

Ethan didn’t laugh. “We’re leaving.”

I suddenly felt like some older brother I
didn’t even have had caught me making out with some guy, except
that I hadn’t even made out with Troy. Ethan took my hand as if he
was afraid that I was going to leave him too. It wasn’t as romantic
this time since I could tell Ethan was pretty mad at me. He was
probably afraid I’d go after Troy and I actually might have if I
thought I could get away from Ethan.

Ethan dragged us both back to our booth,
flagged down the waitress and paid the check, while I watched him
in dumbfounded silence. Ethan Ripley, most popular guy in school,
had punched another guy trying to protect my honor…kind of. We
walked back to the car in silence.

The silence didn’t last too long, though,
because as soon as Ethan slammed his car door shut, Ethan turned to
me, “I thought we talked about going off alone with Troy! What did
you think you were doing?”

“Ethan, we were in the middle of The Burger.
It’s not like he was going to do anything to me,” I started.

“Except kiss you!” Ethan yelled back.

“So?” I dared him.

Ethan looked furious, “Do you want to end up
dead like those other girls? Have a funeral of your own?”

I sucked in a breath and tried to remain
calm. “No. I don’t have a death wish. I was trying to get Troy to
talk to me.”

“By making out with you?” Ethan asked
sarcastically.

“And like you punching him was the best idea
in the world,” I retorted.

“It was better than your great idea,” Ethan
snapped back.

“Yeah, hit a serial killer,” I said, my words
dripping with sarcasm. “Smaaaart.”

“I hope the kiss was worth it when he shoots
you up with heroin,” Ethan angrily fired back.

“For your information, he did not kiss me!” I
yelled. “And, I did get information out of him.”

Ethan was stubbornly silent for a moment. I
tried to calm down. I understood why he was all freaked out, but I
could take care of myself and it was worth it. I did find out
something. Something important, I was sure, if I could just figure
it out.

“Like what?” Ethan’s curiosity got the better
of him.

I told Ethan what Troy had told me, without
the whole inching forward, trying to make out with me stuff mixed
in. Ethan didn’t need to know any more than he already did about
that. He had probably seen enough of it to get the gist anyway,
right before he punched Troy out.

“And, he said he dated Jenna, not Vanessa. He
said he didn’t even know Vanessa,” I added. “Maybe I could have
gotten more out of him too, if someone hadn’t come barging in. Like
why it had ended badly between him and Jenna.”

Ethan laughed bitterly, “And, how was he
going to talk to you with his tongue in your mouth?”

“Maybe I was trying to butter him up!” I
offered.

“He could be lying,” Ethan wanted to dismiss
it.

“I don’t think so,” I retorted. “It’s weird.
Like, you can’t make this up weird. He said he dated Jenna. She
told us that he dated her sister. So?”

“Sadly, some guys don’t exactly remember the
names of all the girls they date, either,” Ethan smirked at me.
“And, it’s not like he’d really want to talk about it in front of a
girl he’s trying to get with.”

“Whatever,” I was feeling annoyed with Ethan.
What was his problem? Why did he care if Troy wanted to make out
with me? I just wanted to go home at this point.

Ethan shook his head, “How can I get it
through your thick skull that someone who could commit four
murders, might also be a good liar?”

“But what if he did date Jenna and not
Vanessa?” I asked. “Don’t you think that’s weird? Why would Jenna
lie? Maybe she has something to do with the murders.”

“Maybe they switched. They were twins,” Ethan
offered.

That was true. It was a possibility, but it
still made things weird. I nodded, “Maybe.”

Ethan shook his head, “Even if Jenna did date
Troy, maybe she was afraid to say so. Maybe she knows he’s the
serial killer. Maybe he killed the wrong sister and she doesn’t
want him to come after her.”

I felt my eyes narrow. It was possible Jenna
Martin was scared for her life. I had to admit it, but I wasn’t so
sure of Jenna’s complete innocence like Ethan was. There was
definitely some kind of chemistry between Ethan and Jenna if he
could just dismiss her being a suspect like that. It was weird. Any
casual observer would have to put her on the list of suspects now.
Jenna was involved somehow. I knew it. I was not going to be giving
her a free pass like Ethan seemed to want to.

Ethan continued his tirade, “I think it’s
weird that you are so all about Troy when he’s probably a serial
killer.”

He finally started the car. I couldn’t wait
to get home. I rolled my eyes and shook my head feeling
exasperated. Ethan concentrated on his driving. I ignored him and
stared out the window as he drove, thinking. Ethan just wanted to
think badly of Troy. I was more convinced than ever that Troy
hadn’t committed any murders. It was a gut instinct. Then again,
Ethan would probably just say that was chemistry between Troy and
me. Maybe it was. I admit it. Troy wouldn’t ever be completely in
the clear until I found the real murderer though.

So, I was very interested in Jenna, now. What
did Jenna and Vanessa have to do with all of this and Troy? There
was most definitely something there and even if Ethan didn’t, I
wanted to look into the suddenly conflicting story between Jenna
and Troy. Did he date Vanessa or Jenna? Was it important? And,
really, why would Jenna lie about it? Or if Troy was the one lying,
why would he? Answers just seemed to bring on more questions.

Ethan dropped
me off at my house without saying a word. I got out of the car and
slammed the door. Ethan pealed away in a rush. It was only a little
after nine o’clock, but it felt late. It had been a long night and
I was exhausted. I stared after Ethan for a moment, wondering if we
would get past this latest quarrel. I didn’t even care if he talked
to me at school tomorrow, I was so mad at him. I felt the energy
drain out of me. I just wanted to go to sleep. Thinking about Ethan
only seemed to drive me crazy.

I was about to turn and walk up the driveway
to my house and my oh-so-comfy bed, when I felt my skin start to
prickle. I live in a decently nice suburb and I don’t think the
crime rate is very high or anything, but nonetheless, I started
getting the creeps. I looked around. My particular subdivision
didn’t have many street lamps. There were a few, but they were so
far apart that there were plenty of dark shadows to hide in.

As I scanned the area, I started digging in
my purse for my house keys. They always get buried in my purse, no
matter how small it is. My skin was really crawling now. I wanted
to bolt inside the house. I couldn’t see anyone lurking, but it
didn’t mean that there wasn’t anybody there. I felt my hand close
around my key chain – a small stuffed cat that I thought looked
like Scarlett. I ran for my front door. Somehow, I didn’t even
fumble the keys as I turned them in the lock, pulled the door open,
and slammed it behind me.

The house was dark. My dad still wasn’t home
from his friend’s house. I turned on all the lights. I knew that if
someone wanted to get in, they still could, but a houseful of
lights at least made me feel safer. I wished we had an alarm
system. That would make me feel even better. Or even a dog. As I
thought that, my cat Scarlett came out from under the couch in the
living room and I scooped her up and carried her to my room. At
least she could keep me company, even if she wasn’t going to scare
away any stalkers.

I wondered if I should call someone. Ethan
was probably only a mile away. Should I call him? I wondered if
he’d even answer. Should I call my dad? I listened for any sounds
of someone breaking in. Was I just spooked because of the whole
serial killer on the loose thing or was there really someone out
there watching me? I didn’t want to look like a scared kid. Maybe
this whole murder investigation was just getting to me.

I debated. After thinking about it, I decided
to wait. I didn’t need Detective Dixon coming to my house and
giving me a lecture about calling the police for no reason if they
couldn’t find anyone. I definitely didn’t want it to look like I
was freaking out or anything. It would damage our case to the
police when we were ready to present it and it would give proof to
Ethan that he was right. I didn’t want to prove him right.

Still, I put my cell phone on my desk within
easy reach, just in case. I would call the police if someone broke
in or if I had any concrete evidence someone was trying to kill me,
in a heartbeat. I put Scarlett on my lap as I turned on my
computer. I wanted to email Jenna and ask her about what Troy had
said, but as soon as I logged onto my Facebook, I saw that there
was another message. It was from Jane Austen, as in the writer of
Pride and Prejudice
. Yet, my name was the subject. Weird. I
clicked on it and felt myself start to shake as I read the message:
Troy is my boyfriend.

I stared at that message for a long time
without moving or thinking. It was just one sentence, but it was
terrifying. My rational brain was reminding me that this was a big
break in the case. We were obviously getting to someone – even if
that someone just thought that Troy and I were actually dating.
Despite this big break, though, at that very moment I was paralyzed
by fear. Someone was threatening me. The email was only one
sentence, but the sentiment was definitely clear. And, it must be
just like the email Liz had received. Hers was from Mary Shelley,
the author of
Frankenstein,
but still. They were both from
dead writers. I wondered if any of the other girls had received
this kind of email.

Who was it? All of Troy’s girlfriends were
dead. At least, the ones we knew about. I knew I didn’t want to be
next. Who else was there? Unless…and she was the only one I could
think of, Jenna was involved with Troy. Was this email from Jenna?
Was she the murderer? Was she capable of killing her sister and all
the other girls?

Jenna had already made my list of suspects
after Troy’s confusion about knowing her, Jenna, and not knowing
Vanessa Martin. I thought about it. I had only spoken to Jenna for
about fifteen minutes that night in the diner where Ethan and I had
questioned her about her sister’s death. She had seemed normal
enough and forthcoming. I tried to analyze her now, in retrospect,
but I just didn’t know. Was she a crazy person underneath that
normal exterior? I had never exactly liked her, but I wasn’t sure
that just wasn’t jealousy over Ethan.

I wasn’t sure what to do. Unless Troy was
trying to throw me off his scent, this email implicated a girl and
the only girl I knew to implicate was Jenna. The question was -
what did I do about it?

I made a decision. I jumped on Facebook and
emailed Jenna like I had originally planned. I would have called
her, but Ethan was the one with her number and I wasn’t completely
sure he’d give it to me if I asked him for it. Besides, I wasn’t
sure I could act the part I wanted to play for Jenna on the phone.
Email was easier. She couldn’t hear me say it, which would totally
give me away. Anyway, I wasn’t going to call Ethan first. I had
nothing to apologize for. I had done what I had to do in regards to
Troy.

I thought for a moment before I started
typing. I had to play it right. Scarlett tried to get my attention
by pawing at the keyboard. I pushed her paw away, stroked her head,
and managed to write a quick email:

Jenna,

I have a question for you. I went on a
dinner date with Troy Matthews tonight. It went great. He’s a great
kisser, actually, and we’re supposed to go out again. Anyway, he
said something that was kind of weird. He said that he dated you,
not Vanessa. Want to tell me about that?

Kait

I reread it as Scarlett finally settled down
on my lap, purring. I debated being even more confrontational, but
settled on clueless. Jenna would get the hint. If Jenna had dated
Troy and was a jealous psycho murderer ex-girlfriend then my
gushing about going out with him and kissing him would send her
over the edge. I knew she was aware that my date with Troy was a
setup from the call between her and Ethan earlier, but I was hoping
my admission that we were going on another date would set off the
crazy in crazy ex-girlfriend anyway if that is what she was. If
not, hopefully Jenna would answer my question and tell me why she
had lied or if she hadn’t. I’d give her a shot to tell me that she
was scared that Troy would kill her too or that she was totally
innocent. I sent it before I thought more about it. Someone was
lying and the key was definitely the Martin sisters.