Daisies || Max Mayfield

59: Fred

When we got there, Nancy was talking to an officer in the middle of the road. They had everything blocked off, a white sheet covering a broken shape in the middle of the road. A ton of emergency vehicles were blocking the road, with officers and firemen walking around.

We climbed out, staring at her. Max was in the middle, between me and Dustin.

Nancy wiped her eyes, crossing her arms and lifting one hand to wave.

Steve copied, staring at the scene.

Steve ran over, hopping the caution tape. He tried talking to the officers a bit, but they were too far away to hear.

"Is that another body?" Dustin asked.

I glanced at Max, who nodded. She was pale again.

"Oh shit," I muttered. 

Max brushed her hand against mine, holding it there. I bumped it with mine, smiling a tiny bit.

"Why are you guys smiling, there's a dead body over there," Dustin said.

She yanked her hand back, stuffing it in her pocket. "I'm not smiling Dustin."

He scoffed, peering over the car. "Who is it?"

"Look." Robin pointed to a man in his pajamas talking to the officers. He had a large bald spot on the back of his head, and a tissue in his hand. "Isn't that Fred Benson's dad?"

"Who's Fred Benson?" I asked.

"Holy shit..." Dustin muttered.  "He worked with Nancy on the school paper."

"Oh god-" Robin groaned.

Max grabbed my hand, no warning this time. I didn't smile this time, though I felt the warm shocks travel up my arm. Her hand was warm, probably from her pocket.

"We need to go," Steve explained, running back. 

I watched Nancy hug Fred's dad and leave. Max pulled me back into the car, still stuck in the middle.

"Is it Fred?" Dustin asked.

He nodded, slowly pulling around the caution tape. "We're meeting Nancy at the trailer park."

The officers were all gone when we got there, probably all working on the new case. Nancy showed up just a minute after us, speeding and parking badly in the lot next to us.

I'd run into our trailer and grabbed a sweater as it got colder in the day. I replaced my flannel with a dull, multi-colored grandpa sweater and kept my jacket on top.

I returned to find everyone at the picnic table, just a little bit away from the trailer.

"It's only a theory." Dustin was saying as I walked up.

Max scooched over, and I sat on the end of the bench next to her. 

"No, Fred and Chrissy don't make sense," Nancy said. "I mean, why them?"

I found Max's hand under the table, which she squeezed.

"Maybe they were just in the wrong place?" Dustin asked. "They were both at the game."

"And near the trailer park," Max added.

"We're at the trailer park," Steve said. "Uhh... should we maybe not be here?"

I frowned. "I'm sure we're fine." 

Despite my previous statement, I scanned my surroundings again, like everyone else was doing.

"There is something about this place." Nancy continued, glancing at Steve. "Fred started acting weird the second we got here."

"Acting weird as in..." Robin questioned.