Fiona Frost: Order of the Black Moon

by Dr. Bon Blossman

  Already have two tardies in next period, don’t want a ticket to see Dinges. See ya after school, and you can pay up on our deal.

  At lunch, I gushed to Maddie about the deal I made with Wolfe. She warned me about how crazy I went over the whole Camber thing and how I felt when we didn’t talk. She was happy for me, but as a friend, she counseled about becoming more than friends and how it would be if we stopped speaking again. She had a valid point, but it was becoming entirely too difficult to hide my attraction for him. She admitted she wanted to make it official with Carden, so she was in a similar conundrum to Wolfe and me—since we were not allowed to engage in a relationship with other members of the team. Taking her advice, I decided to tell Wolfe I’d see him on Thursday. I needed to take the time to think about what I genuinely wanted to happen.

  When I got home, I was greeted by Janice holding a warm plate of cookies decorated with vampire teeth on them. Wearing her favorite red velvet dress, she had returned to full health, her cheeks flushed their normal pink hue and her eyes were brilliant as sapphires.

  “In honor of your case, Fiona,” Janice giggled as she nudged the cookies into my hands. I laughed as I took the plate and strolled towards my bedroom.

  As I opened the door, I gasped for air at the sight. Everything from my dresser, shelves, and the nightstand was on the floor, scattered as if somebody had raked it clean with one careless, fluid motion of their arms. My case study corkboard was broken in half, and the evidence notes were spread among the clutter, pushpins sprinkled perilously among the mishmash on the floor. There was a Herculean rip in my pink down comforter as well as in many of my pink furry pillows, feathers scattered aimlessly around my room. Luminal’s bed was shredded, the foam in a minced pile—the outline of his body no longer recognizable. My favorite chair was shredded to pieces, the pieces scattered about the room as if it exploded.

  “Janice!” I screamed.

  15 COPYCAT

  “Fiona! Are you alright, honey?” Janice shrieked, her footsteps thundered down the hallway towards me.

  I couldn’t respond, my voice became nonexistent. I feverishly studied the chaos inside of my bedroom as a boulder grew in my stomach, weighing me down, making it impossible for me to move a muscle. I dropped the plate of cookies as my hands weakened. The plate crashed against the wooden floor, the stoneware splitting into a hundred pieces amongst the broken cookies. My limbs grew lifeless, and I leaned against my doorjamb to steady myself, as I slid to the floor. I held onto my consciousness by a thread, blinking my eyes repeatedly, rolling them inside of their sockets to prevent focusing on anything for too long. Janice halted abruptly at the threshold of my bedroom, gasping.

  “Oh my. What happened here? I’ve been here all day!” she shouted, stepping over the broken plate of cookies to enter the room, surveying the damage with her eyes widened. I found my voice.

  “Haley. It must have been Haley,” my voice cracked as I cradled my head in my hands.

  Janice bent down to pick up a piece of paper in the middle of the clutter pile on my floor. She read the writing on the paper and stared at me with a solemn expression before approaching.

  “You must be right. This appears to be Haley’s handwriting,” Janice uttered, holding out a sheet of paper that read in a childish scrawl—payback.

  A ball of fury gathered in my throat as I clenched my teeth as hard as they would smash together. Anger turned nuclear inside of me, radiating towards my fingers; I tightened my fists. Tensing every muscle in my body, I found new strength and stood to my feet, leaning against the wall momentarily before standing on my own. I squared my shoulders down the hallway towards her room, trying to restrain myself, yet at the same time, building momentum for a pending fit of rage I subconsciously planned to unleash on her bedroom.

  Janice caught up to me, rubbing my shoulder gently, sending calming shockwaves through me. She hesitated for a short second; I turned to gaze at her.

  “Don’t you think about getting even, Fiona. Two wrongs don’t make a right, dear,” she lectured, patting me on the shoulder. “I will let your mom and dad know immediately what she has done. Honey, go grab the other plate of cookies in the kitchen, watch television in the living room, and I’ll clean up in here.”

  If I retaliated, Janice would be the one to pick up the pieces, not Haley. Haley must have expected my revenge and probably hid anything she truly cared about—she was a troublemaker but wasn’t stupid.

  I despised every cell of her body and was unsure of what I would do to her when I saw her. I hoped I could confront her at home first so I could minimize the repercussions I would endure.

  “Thanks, Janice. I don’t feel like cookies anymore, but I thank you for making them,” I sulked into the living room, threw myself on the couch, grabbing a velour blanket draped over the back cushion.

  The doorbell rang.

  “I got it, Janice!” I shouted, jumping up with a blanket in hand, carefully peering through the windows.

  I noticed a familiar face, and I swung open the door hastily to see the prominent, copper cheeks belonging to Madison. She was smiling brightly and hopped into the foyer, and spun around like a top towards the living room with outstretched arms.

  “He likes me, he likes me, he likes me!”

  A smile spread across my face at my best friend’s excellent mood. No matter what this was, it was what I needed— a sharp dose of positivity.

  “What are you talking about,” I brooded in a pseudo-happy tone, sitting back down on the couch, unable to hide my foul mood.

  “What is wrong with you? Somebody steal your cookies? I know she’s home now, so share,” she laughed as she searched around the room for a plate of Janice’s cookies.

  A heavy mist of sadness washed over me, causing me to close my eyes without my consent.

  “Haley trashed my room. She destroyed my evidence board I worked on for probably about four hours.”

  I fought a meltdown as I opened my eyes, surveying Maddie’s face for her friend fury—the unspoken rule that best friends must share the same emotions towards everybody.

  “Are you kidding me? That ungrateful brat trashed your room? Why? Wait, she trashed your evidence board? She needs to be taught a serious lesson, Fiona.”

  To my pleasure, the friend fury rule was intact.

  “Haley was angry at me for telling Carden I thought he was going out with her. You know, when I tried to kick him out of the club for dating her, but then found out she was really dating his older brother Duncan? Well somehow, within that time, Carden must have gone straight to his brother Duncan, who in turn got angry, thinking Haley was trying to go out with Carden,” I crumpled my head into my lap, “or something like that. It’s all stupid!”

  Maddie shook her head in bewilderment, patting me on the back as I let out a huge sigh of frustration.

  “Sounds like it. Sounds very confusing with all that he said, she said stuff. How bad is your bedroom?”

  I lifted my head from my lap, leaning back on the arm of the sofa.

  “Pretty bad. She obliterated everything that wasn’t nailed down or over two hundred pounds.”

  Maddie’s expression turned more hesitant.

  “Clothes?”

  I hadn’t thought of that. I felt a lump beginning to develop in the back of my throat.

  “Didn’t check my closet. Don’t know if I can handle it if she touched anything in there.”

  “That’s pretty messed up. I don’t know how you can stand to live with somebody like that. She’s a loose cannon,” she said, rushing towards the kitchen. “Hold on, Fiona!”

  After a few quick seconds, she returned with a plate of Janice’s cookies, laughing hysterically at the vampire teeth décor on them.

  “Gotta love Janice. Seriously, I love that woman!”

  I forced a fake smile on my pouty face, remembering how happy Maddie was when she arrived at my house.

  “So, who likes you? I can only guess it’s Carden. I’ve seen how he
stares at you with that crazy smile, especially in the conference room—you guys were so obvious!” I said, holding my head low, realizing I hadn’t been a great friend. “Sorry I didn’t take your excited bait when you first got here, I just have trouble dealing—”

  “No worries!” she interrupted excitedly. “Carden said he wants to make it official with me, but he wants to see how we get along on a couple of dates first. I mean, what if we hate how each other eats or sits in a movie theater seat?”

  I found my best friend’s fit of bliss to be a ray of sunshine; true happiness invaded my face.

  “Sounds like important things to know before committing to a high school relationship,” I said, my lips curving upward in an authentic smile for the first time since discovering my destroyed bedroom of mayhem.

  “I just love his blonde hair, his deep brown eyes, his tan, his muscular shoulders,” she gushed. “Oh and I can’t wait to see him ride at the rodeo! Did you know he and his brother rope calves and stuff at the rodeo? How cute will he look in rodeo clothes? Oh my gosh, Fiona!”

  “Yes, I was aware they’re rodeo boys. And yes, he is entirely cute, and I’m so happy for you. I knew this was coming, by the way. You always get what you want! Hey, didn’t you guys watch movies together last Friday?” I laughed.

  “No, we never did. I had to help my parents paint the guest room. He’s going to my soccer game, though, and maybe we’ll get to hang out after that. Well, I was actually coming by to tell you I did receive your text message, and I did not see Damien today at school, but I did see Miss Pink Hair, Victoria. She was alone.”

  “Alright, well, let’s keep our eyes out. We need to get surveillance of those two together. We’re looking for any signs they are in a romantic relationship.”

  Maddie raised her hand in a stop motion, face twisted into a mask of curiosity.

  “I thought they were in a serious relationship, like for years?”

  “Well, if Victoria is writing Gerald love letters in prison, we’re trying to figure out her motive. If she is in a relationship with Damien, maybe she is working Gerald over to get him to do something for her. If she is not in a relationship with Damien anymore, maybe she is really in love with Gerald. Either way, we’re just gathering evidence that may or may not mean anything,” I responded, putting my feet on my antique coffee table.

  “You girls need anything? Can I get you a milkshake or maybe a smoothie?” Janice sang from the kitchen.

  I paused to survey Maddie’s face and she shook her head no, smiling, pointing to the tray of cookies.

  “No ma’am, Miss Janice,” I shouted lovingly.

  Maddie continued, picking up a cookie, “Got it. And how gross is it for a seventeen-year-old to be interested in a forty something. Nasty!”

  “Uh, yes, disgusting!”

  “Detective Chase uses all resources, doesn’t he?” Maddie smiled, taking an enormous bite out of her cookie. “Well, you aren’t having a lab meeting tomorrow, right?”

  “I was going to, but now I don’t have my evidence board, I need time to get everything back to where it was before so I can make updated case reports for the meeting. I will probably wait until Saturday, why?”

  Maddie took another bite of a cookie, chewing hastily, followed by a long drink of milk.

  “I can’t miss soccer practice tomorrow morning. We have a game on Friday night—the one Carden’s coming to!”

  Changing my mind, I grabbed a cookie off the plate and nibbled on the edge of it.

  “Got it. Well, I’m going to get to work on my history project. I have to do a stupid mural about the Industrial Age. Totally doesn’t make sense to me why we are studying it and what making a mural will do for me, but whatever. It’s all dumb busy work. I’m thrilled you’re happy about Carden. But remember, it’s like dating a co-worker—Detective Chase won’t like it; keep it quiet.”

  Maddie’s eyes narrowed and she curled a side of her lip at me in a good-natured snarl.

  “Better than dating your employee. Coworkers hook up all the time, and it’s just looked down upon. A boss to an employee…uh hmm, you and Wolfe…well, that’s another level,” Maddie said, skipping to the front door. “Plus, Carden doesn’t actually work in the field with us. I mean, it’s not as if we’d start mugging down at a crime scene or anything while we’re supposed to be collecting evidence.” She put her hands on her hips and stared at me in silence with widened eyes. “Sound familiar?”

  “I didn’t mug down with anybody, whatever that means, Maddie! And Wolfe and I are just friends, you freak!”

  We both laughed, and I waved her off with a flick of a hand, turning to fold the blanket on the arm of the couch. My mood had lightened tremendously. It was time to immerse my brain in schoolwork.

  “See you tomorrow at lunch!” I mumbled, shaking my head.

  I snatched my phone off the coffee table and sent a text message to Wolfe.

  My crazy cousin totally trashed my bedroom. I’m so angry right now; I’m just going to do my project for school and try not to think about it. I’ll talk to you later.

  Eventually, Janice reported she had most of my room put back together, minus the damaged items. She said she would hit the stores in the morning to purchase a new comforter, corkboard, pillows, and chair. She asked me if I still preferred pink, as everything in my room had always been pink. I couldn’t imagine sleeping or sitting on another color in the pink palace. I couldn’t look at my room without getting upset, so I slept on the living room couch for the night. After completing my project and eating dinner with my family, sans Haley, I drifted off to sleep earlier than usual, missing a call from Wolfe.

  I was dreaming about working in the lab on a burglary case as I stirred in the early morning. It was the most vivid dream I had ever remembered. Dreams are supposed to be fantasy, fun and intriguing—not work. I felt cheated.

  My phone rang, snapping me out of a sleepy haze.

  “Hello,” my voice cracked; there was no hiding the call had woken me up.

  “Fiona, there’s been another murder. We received an anonymous call from a witness who says she saw the murder take place, but doesn’t want to come forth because she is scared for her life. It seems like we might have a serial killer, but it’s too early to say. We are at the same place, Dracul’s Den in the Arles Cave—if you want to come with your group.”

  “Be there shortly, Detective.”

  Heart pounding, I jumped off the couch and rushed into my room, sending a mass text message to my team to meet me at the cave. Within seconds, I received a text message response.

  I’m jumping on my longboard, be there in a minute. Wait for me.

  I texted him back saying I would pick him up and rushed to my bedroom to get ready, peering out my window to see if Maddie’s Mini Cooper was there. Remembering she had early morning soccer practice, I realized she was already on her way to school or at practice.

  Seeing my bedroom bare and drastically altered gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. I instantly regretted that Janice had to clean such a massive disaster. I was so upset that I didn’t think about helping her clean up the mess; I felt horrible. Sometimes, I wished I was a better person and always did the right thing, but silly human emotions clouded my judgment at times. I vowed to work on it.

  My case corkboard was on my bare mattress, the evidence notes stacked next to a pile of pushpins. Janice could do many things, but putting a case back together wasn’t in the scope of her abilities. I walked towards Haley’s room, and as I approached, I couldn’t stop myself from hastily opening her door. I’m not sure what I would have done if I saw her, but at a minimum, she was going to have a very rude awakening. I was not surprised when I saw her bed was made. Obviously, she hadn’t come home, and this gave me a feeling of satisfaction—at least she knew she was in big trouble.

  Checking my text messages as I reached the threshold of my front door, I didn’t see a response from Lauren, Willow or Maddie, so it was going to be Wolfe and me going
to the crime scene to meet with Detective Chase. I was fine with that.

  I dashed outside onto the moonlit circle driveway and discovered an agent with his head back on his headrest, sleeping in his Town Car. It wasn’t Agent Bronson, but I figured he had the day shift that hadn’t started yet. I looked at my phone and his shift wouldn’t have started for forty-five minutes. I jogged back inside, left a note on the kitchen counter and fumbled in the drawer for my keys to my car, figuring I was picking up Wolfe, and he’d be all the protection I’d need.

  From Nickale Street, I sped down Warren Way, turning onto Aragon Avenue. I passed by Willow Walker’s house and couldn’t help but snarl as I drove by the house of Wolfe’s new confidante—Camber Johnson. Further down the street, I pulled in front of Wolfe’s house and sent a text message that I was waiting in front. I was exhilarated I would spend time alone on the way to the crime scene. We hadn’t worked unaccompanied before—there were always other members of the team with us.

  Through the darkness of the morning, I pulled up to Wolfe’s Mediterranean-style house. The front door opened and a tall, bulky silhouette exited, causing a wicked smile to invade my face. Opening the door and surveying the legroom, he partially climbed into the passenger’s side, reaching for the lever to push the seat back to give his massive legs enough room. A stimulating blend of citrus and woody aromatics filled the car. I inhaled slowly to cherish the moment before my senses became immune to the exquisite scent.

  “I’ve never sat in the front of the Fiona Beetle. Such an honor,” he chuckled with a mischievous smirk.

  “I know, you’re in Maddie’s seat. Well, good morning! Ready?” I said, grinning.

  “Let’s go. Picking up anybody else?” he inquired serenely, his eyes holding mine.

  I lost my train of thought for a moment, utterly distracted.

  “No, haven’t heard back from anybody and Maddie’s at soccer practice. I suppose Lauren and Willow are sleeping and haven’t seen the text message,” I pointed out, biting my lip to hide a smile.