| WHO IS LADY A? |

Chapter 19 | Annie's outburst

Meanwhile, Lily was running after Annie, who was determinedly walking away. Annie felt steam come out of her ears.

The bossy Janet Mills

The mayor's daughter

The popular girl

You wanted to be just that, said the nasty voice inside her head.

"Wait...Annie...WAIT!" Lily begged. She finally caught up with her friend and Annie spun around. "What?" she asked. "Please...we came this far together. All of us. Don't you want to punch Lady A in the face? Didn't you say that?" she asked. "If this is your way of trying to cheer me up, it isn't working" Annie replied coldly. "Just tell me what's wrong-" Lily asked.

"WHAT'S WRONG? Fine. What's wrong is that Eliza Mills could be Lady A! Janet must've known but you all are too thick and naïve to figure it out. She kept sending us to the wrong places, SHE WAS THE ONE WHO FOUND THE FIRST CLUE AND STARTED THIS ENTIRE THING!" Annie shouted.

"When that woman started to write those horrible stories about my family, Noah didn't let that bother him. When I asked him, he said he wasn't going to believe those lies. I hate how the situation went out of control. Just a few months ago, Janet was yelling at everyone to get the lines right and ranting about how her coffee was cold, and now we're all solving a mystery because we're sick and tired of all these rumours and lies. She was the popular kid, in other words, we DID NOT LIKE her AT ALL! So why are you defending her?"

Annie paused and took a breath while Lily stared at her with wide eyes. She had been so riled up with the mystery, she didn't exactly take the other's feelings to account. Lady A was all that Dan and I would talk about, Lily thought guiltily. They had discussed who could have been the spies and how cool it would be when they finally unmasked Lady A.

"I'm glad you got it all out of your chest"

Lily jumped in shock. Annie went red. Janet Mills was staring at them. She continued with a sad smile on her face, "I always wanted to be a part of your group. You always had so much fun. No matter how many times I tried to make friends with you lot or anyone else, it always goes wrong. I told you all the truth, I found the clue in my mother's office. I saw it on her desk and saw that note. The first thing that came to my mind was you guys. I couldn't show it to anyone else, my so-called friends would blab it to everyone. You have noble intentions about this. Believe it or not, my friends actually liked the gossip. I don't. I want Lady A gone as much as you do"

Annie stared at her with mixed emotions. Lily noticed that Janet's eyes looked red. "What happened?" she asked, concerned. Janet looked close to crying again. "I looked into the book in the footage we watched. It was full of the newest editions of Lady A. I took a couple photos in case I needed to persuade you". Annie flushed at the last sentence. She had just kept criticizing Janet all this time. Lily gave Annie The Look. Annie held her hand out to Janet. "I'm..." she looked at Lily again, with a face that read do I have to? Lily nodded and Annie muttered, "I'm sorry...I was wrong" Instead of saying anything, Janet suddenly went pale. "Oh come on what else do you want me to say? This is like a scene from a cheesy high school best friend movie! I confessed how I hated you and then you give your true reasons...in the middle of the street" asked Annie gruffly.

"You kids shouldn't be here alone". It was Josh. The three stared at him, terrified. How much had he heard?

"Josh?" asked a confused voice.

"You! I thought I told you to wait by the Blanc house till I cleared things up!" said Janet furiously. "A grown man took orders from a teenager?" asked Annie, amused. "He broke into my mom's office, blabbing about helping a friend and hoping to find a clue. His name is- Lily are you alright?" Janet told them. Lily and Josh however, stared at the confused man.

"Luke?"