The Murder of Bella Abbott (Friday Barnes)

~1~

~The girl in the newspaper~

Everything seems 100 times louder when you're trying to be quiet.

The door made a loud creak as Friday pushed it open slowly.

There was only one other person in the conference room. She was a short girl with the brightest blonde hair she had ever seen. It was almost as blonde as Ian's.

Friday wasn't entirely sure why she was here.

This was the homicide department of Interpol.

"Miss Barnes, Miss Pelly. Glad to see you've decided to join us in this mandatory meeting." Agent Gillard said as the girls took two of the empty seats.

"As I was explaining, the victim has been missing for almost 3 months now. Arthur, I'm sure you're sick of being pounded by the victims parents to look into the disappearance and so I've assigned agent Barnes, Wainscott and Pelly to help you."

The blonde girl nodded slightly.

Friday frowned. The email had said that she and her friends were needed to assist on a case but it didn't say it was a homicide.

Agent Gillard looked at the blonde girl. "They are from the Art crime department so you will have to train them as you go. Mr And Mrs Abbott have agreed with the police to close the case in 3 weeks. Times ticking."

She left the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

Friday got a good look at Arthur. She looked a bit like a Barbie doll, with minor differences.

She had long blonde hair that was half pulled up, tied off with a black bow. She wore a beige plaid skirt and a white collared shirt. Her whole being screamed rich girl.

Nobody spoke for a moment, then Melanie broke the silence.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm famished. How about we go out for some lunch and get to know each other."

Ian nodded in agreement and they all looked at Arthur.

She smiled, big and bright. The type of smile you would see on the front of a magazine.

"I like that idea," she said.
__________________

They made their way down to a small café at the end of the street.

"Well my full name is Arthur Elizabeth Otto, but everyone calls me Artie." Artie explained as they walked down the street.

"Isn't Arthur a boys name?" Friday asked. It seemed cruel to give such a pretty girl such a boyish name.

Melanie slapped her arm, "Friday! That's rude." She turned to Artie, "don't feel like you need to answer her questions. She has no filter and zero social skills."

Artie laughed, "that's quite alright. Lots of people have told me about Friday and her bad social skills. Plus, I have a brother with the same social abilities as a gorilla."

They made it to the café. It was a small place with lots of plants and a stack of newspapers neatly placed on a table next to the door.

The front page had a photo of a gorgeous girl getting out of the back of a sleek black car. She had the same face shape as Artie and the same button nose.

"Is this you?" Ian asked, picking up the paper and showing it to her. He and obviously noticed the resemblance too.

Artie went slightly pink in the face as she made her way over to him. "Yes, unfortunately. They caught me getting home from school. It isn't even my good side."