Murder in Winter

Snow Day

I woke up to a bright beam of light streaming through the gap in the curtains; a ton more snow had fallen. Turned out school was cancelled-but not due to bad weather. Because not enough staff could get to school. What's wrong with schools nowadays? I thought to myself. If you need to close due to snow, what's wrong with just admitting it? As I sat eating breakfast, I unlocked my phone and texted the others, curious if they were doing much.
By the time I got upstairs, I'd had several messages; Alex said no, Lia said no, Danny said no, Summer said yes-unfortunately, Melody said no, but she can't get anywhere because Hartness has her extended maths class and their mother is taking the car to get there; April and May hadn't replied. I texted back: do those who can want to meet up at the park later?
They all replied some variation of "sure".
Like, twelve o' clock?
Ok.
So I told my parents I was cycling down and they reminded me to stick to gritted roads, and walk up and down hills, and wear a coat et cetera. "I know," I moaned as I rolled my eyes and packed my things into my basket and checked the time.
11:35; it only takes ten minutes to cycle down usually, but since I'd have to go slowly down the hill, I'll leave another five minutes early or so.
I went into the kitchen and dug out our large flask; I filled it with a batch of steaming hot chocolate. Then I grabbed some cups and added them to the basket.
11:45.
"Bye!" I called up to the others as I wrapped my coat around me and exited the house, getting my bike out of the shed. Next I attached my basket to the front and set off.
Twisting down the icy roads, I got the feeling that my mind wanted me to remember something, but I kept swaying in and out of thought. I must keep my thoughts on the road!
I finally turned off onto the car park of the park, and cycled onto the field that's usually a luscious green but was now a bright white. As I leaned my bike up against the fence, a voice screamed "BOO!" from right behind me, making me jump.
"ALEX!" I yelled, slapping him while he was crying with laughter. "That was not funny!"
"Yes it was!"
I continued protesting until Lia showed up, in her black leggings and sheepskin beige coat. "Hiya!" I waved. "How are you?"
"Good, you?"
"Cold."
"Really? I never would've guessed!"
Then Alex butted in. "Hi Lia."
"Hi. Alex, right?"
"Yep," he answered, popping the 'p'.
We sauntered across the snow to the benches, where I wiped off the snow from the table and covered it with my picnic blanket.
"Look at little miss organised over there!" Alex teased. And I punched him for it.
"You guys are so cute!" Lia laughed, raising her gloved hand to her mouth.
I rolled my eyes at her when I spotted another car pull up and two people step out: May and April. So they decided to come after all! I thought as I waved them over.
"Hi!" they said simultaneously as May wrapped me in a bear hug.
"Hi!" May released me from her grasp. "I didn't think you were coming!"
"Yeah, well we got the messages not too long ago and my mum was willing to bring us both. I hope you don't mind," April explained, pulling a tin of home-baked brownies from her bag and laying them on the table alongside my flask.
"Since you brought some of your mum's delicious triple chocolate brownies, I think we can let it slide," Alex joked. We all took a seat round the table and I told them that it was only Danny left to arrive. Something happened then. Lia's face just... I don't know. Just for a second it... I sighed and struck up conversation.
"So...crazy two days, huh?" Everyone nodded, looking down.
Then Lia laughed lightly, which startled me. Why is she laughing? I wondered.
"You know it's odd," she began. "You guys just seem to attract murder, like a magnet." I shrugged. I guess so.
"Are you implying that's a good thing? Or that we've got something to do with them?" April questioned in a strangled voice.
"Nothing of the sort!" Lia shook her head. "It's just that I only ever imagined that happening in books! And now I'm part of it! Naturally you're looking into it, you know playing detectives. I've always dreamed of doing that. I'll happily help in anyway I can!" Then she stopped; footsteps could be heard from the gate. I turned to see Danny, but he didn't look like himself.
"Hi!" I said, cheerily, beckoning him over to have a seat next to me. His hair was a mess and he had dark circles under his eyes. It was clear he was distraught over the loss of his girlfriend. "How you holdin' up?"
"Fine, I suppose," he muttered and I poured him a drink and handed him a brownie, which he accepted with slight thanks.
"We were talking about Ivy," I half-whispered.
"Do you know that the police are still examining her body, and that her burial has had to be postponed until Saturday?" he cried. I placed my arm round his shoulder and lightly hugged him.
Then April stood up and with great enthusiasm asked: "who's up for a game of Tag?"
"Why not?" I questioned, standing up.
"Okay," agreed Alexander, joining us.
"I'm fine here," Danny mumbled, slouching across the wooden table top.
"Okay, I'll be on first. You've got ten seconds to run," April announced to the rest of us, as we scattered. "Ten, nine-"
I leapt onto the climbing frame and climbed up as quickly as possible to the platform that is attached to the slide and rock wall. April was about to come, so I reached out my hand to assist Lia, who was trying to get up. As she reached up, her sleeve slipped and...
I saw it.
She got up, and upon clearly seeing my shocked expression, understood that I'd seen it.
"Don't ask," she said, her voice pleading and desperate.
"Don't tell," I replied, my imagination frightening me.