What Happened That Summer

Chapter Three

"You're kidding me." Darcy choked out, still sitting down. She didn't try to stand up, her knees felt too weak.

"Nope," Devorah replied, as her phone dinged. She took one look at the notification and decided to ignore it.

"Why?" Darcy asked, her voice close to tears, but this was her dinner and she wouldn't cry here.

"Why?" Devorah repeated, "Leukemia. Truly a bitch."

"Oh my god. I am so-"

"If you say 'sorry', I'm actually going to slap you. That's all anyone ever says to me anymore. All the doctors said, all my parents said. I really hate that word right now. Plus, I'm sure many people would be happy. The queen bitch would be gone."

"No one is ever happy about death, even if it's someone they hate," Darcy said softly.

Devorah shrugged, "Can I have that chocolate cake now?"

"What kind, gluten-free or gluten-full?" Darcy asked, standing up, her knees feeling stronger.

"Gluten full." Devorah smiled, almost guiltily as she smiled, though still sincere. "I'm gonna eat whatever I want from now on."

"I'm on it."

"Wait, before you go, could you help me real quick?" Devorah inquired, grabbing Darcy's forearm.

"Sure, what do you need?" Darcy answered.

"Can you help me make a bucket list of all the things I need to do before I die?" Devorah asked. Darcy blinked her eyes cloudy as she pursed her lips and nodded.

"Sure I can."

***

"Do you know why we've called you here today, ladies and gentlemen?" Chief of Police Greg Strummer questioned, his deep voice booming in the silent room.

"I mean, we just got here and why would we?" Ares Ceresio accused, his voice annoyed and tense.

"Watch it, Ares." Kace Colben hissed, his annoyance palpable in the office air.

"I am watching it, but this is absurd." Ares hissed back. "We've done nothing wrong.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Ares," Kace whispered. "Whoever you're fucking tonight might not like it if you spent all your energy on-"

"I'm going to pretend that you never said anything, and I would advise taking me up on that offer." Ares purred smoothly. Kace grumbled, but didn't say anything else.

Darcy stayed quiet, picking at her nails, a habit she had picked up over the years. This was not how she planned to spend her Saturday evening. She winced as she accidentally drew blood.

"If you would shut up a second and let the kind gentleman speak, I'm sure that we would then be quickly informed of the situation." Kyana Colben purred. She sat on the other side of the room, mostly because she'd just been riding one of her many award horses and smelled like it too. Her once-ash blonde hair had lightened to the identical shade of her brothers, honey blonde, and it framed her face. The face that was almost a perfect replica of her brothers.

"Thank you, Kyana." Mariella Sanchez praised, her posture rigid and unforgiving. The Latina beauty tipped her head, showing off a serpent tattoo that coiled around the base of her neck. "You boys sure haven't changed at all. Too much testosterone, I think."

Tori sat by Darcy, annoyance, and anger written all over her face. "Chief, can you just tell us why we're here?"

"The case," The Chief said, slowly. "For the disappearance of Ethel Moore is being reopened. As a murder investigation."