Rated: PG-13/R

Summary: Jen investigates the disappearance of Dawson Leery and Joey Potter. Did they have another life away from the one Jen and Pacey and their family all knew?

Classification: Other _____________________________________________________________________

She�s gone.�

Funny now, to think how much her life had changed after he had blurted those two words, two simple words, which carried with them so much hurt and pain and mystery.

Jen had arrived in Capeside on a Saturday morning, it was hot and sticky and she sweated profusely in her elegant New York gear. She was looking forward (Would you believe!) to a peaceful month there, before heading back to finish her last semester at Columbia. She had headed over to Dawson�s house�he was staying there for the summer�and was happy to see Joey sunbaking out front with him, both of them chatting like as they were�old, good friends. It was a sweet picture.

�Oh my god!� Joey had gasped, lifting her head. �Jen!� after a series of hugs, Jen admired Dawson�s tanned and broad shoulders, and Joey�s glowing skin and body, toned from runs on the beach and sunbaking on days similar to this one.

Both of them were in Capeside for the whole summer, Joey living with her boyfriend, Pacey, Dawson in his parents house, though he admitted to Jen no problem that he hardly ever stayed there overnight. There were too many girls to meet�things to do� and he had grinned that sexy grin. Jen was itching to see Pacey, and a maternal Joey told her that he was recovering from a cold.

�There�s going to be a beach party next Saturday.� Joey informed Jen, �A bonfire�you have to come.�

�Of course I will.� Jen stood up. �I�m going to change into my bathing suit and join you guys.�

�You�re too pale.� Dawson agreed.

The next few days were a blur of sunbaking, then visiting Pacey, going to the market, sleeping in�heaven. Everyone was carefree�Dawson constantly smiling, Joey and Pacey affectionate, Jack�who had come to town a few days after Jen, full of stories to tell about San

Francisco. It was an easy, sunny summer, and Jen couldn�t wait until the Beach Party. She spent Saturday before the party reading on the porch and thinking.

Maybe she�d meet some guys�she needed some romantic action, after a torrid break up with a Law Student, Danny. Jen remembered bleakly putting on a video of what she thought was Danny�s twenty-first birthday for her friends, and finding Danny flexing a cane while a prostitute dressed as a schoolgirl lolled on the couch not wearing any panties. She had broken up with Danny the second he walked in the door, not accepting excuses of, �I have psychological sexual problems that need to be expressed! I didn�t think you�d mind!�

Jen considered Dawson for a moment. Very good looking, normal and easy-going with a nice cock (She had seen it by accident once) but he was more like a close friend, brother type. And Jen had the feeling he was crushing on someone. Which older woman was it this time�? Jen grinned mischievously and flipped a page in her Penny Vincenzi novel.

The Party that night had been fabulous�just chilling, drinking, dancing, and then she had met a handsome blond called Arthur who was in town visiting his father, and had been invited by a random girl he had ditched in order to cosy up to Jen. Before she knew it their bellies were introducing themselves underneath the neon light of his bedroom alarm clock. He was okay. Small dick, though he made up for it, Jen liked them big.

She left early�4 am in the morning and walked the entire way home, humming. She then slept until 6pm, awakening to a cross Grams who demanded she come downstairs and eat dinner with guests. After polite conversation and garlic bread, Jen, still tired, went back to bed. She woke the next morning to find Grams had left for a Church bake sale. Baking in the middle of summer? Figured. It started to rain around midday, and Jen, shivering, put on a sweater over her pyjama bottoms.

The doorbell rang at 3pm, and Jen got up off the couch, stretching, hoping it was someone fun. She opened the door and smiled. �Pacey! What are you doing here?�

But her smile was wiped off her face when she saw Pacey�s expression.

�She�s gone.�

Pacey�s anguish was clear, and Jen was immediately concerned, however she did not understand what he meant at the time.

�Come inside.� She opened the door wider and he walked slowly in, as if waiting for time to stop alongside with him. She ignored the puddles of water on her tiled floor as he shook himself off, and she took his coat.

�What do you mean?� she asked calmly.

�Joey�s gone.�

�Gone?� Jen�s eyebrows shot up. Her stomach flip-flopped. She focused on the clock on the wall for a moment. Three thirty. Gone. Had she left him?

�When did she leave?�

�I don�t know, Jen.� Pacey sat down heavily on the grey couch and his head fell into his hands.

�I haven�t seen her since the Beach Party.�

�Oh my god�� Jen covered her mouth with one hand. She couldn�t believe it! The Beach Party had been two nights ago.

�She left no reason�no note�why she left?� Jen continued breathlessly.

�None.�

�Why didn�t you say something? When the last time you saw her�?�

�The Beach Party. Like I said. She said she�d be home shortly, she had to find her sweater. I started to walk home but she never caught up with me. So I went to bed, and when I woke up�she wasn�t there. I waited all day. Then I went looking for her. This is yesterday. I�I just don�t know what to do.� He spoke slowly, painfully, distraught.

�Oh, shit.� Jen said under her breath. She sat down next to him and hugged him hard.

�Who did she talk too at the party?� Jen asked. �I saw her with you�and a few other people but no one in particular.�

�Just people. But mostly me. And Dawson. But we were all together.�

�Look, did she take any clothes with her?�

�No, she never came to the boat for Christs sake.�

Jen frowned. Something wasn�t right here.

�Look, it might just all be some kind of misunderstanding.� She managed to say weakly, though she knew that line was so bullshit, Pacey could smell it.

�I don�t know. But she�s not here. She�s not anywhere.� Pacey had his face into his hands, but he was still too shocked to cry�to do anything but state facts.

� We have to go the police.� Jen realized, patting his arm. �Okay? If a person is gone more then 24 hours��

�Okay.� He mumbled.

Jen made him swallow two sleeping pills, and then she put him to bed. Her heart felt as heavy as her hands did as she picked up the phone. She started to dial Emergency, but stopped when a thought popped into her head. Dawson!

Someone picked up after six rings, and by then Jen was gnawing nervously at her fingernails.

�Yes?� came Gale�s crisp voice that Jen had come to familiarize with comfort.

�Gale? Is Dawson there? It�s Jen.� Jen rushed, all the while wondering if she should tell Gale�no�why make it worse?

�No honey, he�s not here. He never came home from the Beach Party.� Gale added wryly.

Oh shitJen�s worst fears rose slowly into focus.

�Are you okay Jen?� Gale asked kindly.

�Joey�s gone.� Jen blurted out. �Pacey came to me, totally ruined. She�s been gone for two days too�leaving no notice of her whereabouts.�

Gale took in a sharp intake of breath.

�You don�t think they�ve run off together?� she gasped, and all Jen could do was admit her sixth sense.

�It�s a possibility.�

Jen swallowed hard.

�Without one word to anyone?�

�I don�t know if I should call the police.�

�I think we better.� Gale sounded breathless, in shock, swept along with the romantic and shocking story of it, not considering for once that it might not be that big a deal.

�I don�t know what to do�laugh or cry.�

�Laugh?� Jen�s brow furrowed.

�Of all the things to do! I know, but�the two of them were always so attached�but��

�I better go.� Jen clicked off, and then started to dial the Police. Her hands were shaking, her teeth were grinding together.

****

�Run off? You mean, like, eloped?� Detective David Robertson sat back in his chair, his arms folded over his great gut.

�Yes.� Jen said softly.

Pacey visibly blanched.

�But that�s only a possibility. It might not�be the case.� Pacey dug his nails into the arm of his chair. David sent him a strange look, and then looked down at his notebook and scribbled something.

�Okay�Mrs. Leery, is any of your son�s possessions missing? Suitcase? Wallet? All the necessary things to take when one has run off.� Jen grimaced. She didn�t like the sarcastic tone of this guy�s voice.

Gale shrugged. �I haven�t looked�� �I suggest you do, then report back to me. Same goes for you.� He nodded at a tense looking Bessie.

�Can they get arrested for eloping?� Mitch asked suddenly, not even caring about the stupidity of the words he spoke.

Roberts burst into laughter. �No, but people can be arrested for murder.� He replied. All of the five faces sitting behind the desk paled. Jen raised an eyebrow. �Murder? What?�

�If these two are missing�no possessions taken with them, no clue of their whereabouts, no clue why they left, no sight of them alive anywhere in the world�then we can basically suppose they�ve been murdered or kidnapped. This is a possibility. And we can search around where they last were for bodies, clothes, hair��

�Murdered? Bullshit.� Gale snapped, interrupting.

�As I said, it�s a possibility.�

�This is a very safe town, and who would want to kill two of the most beautiful people I know?� Gale continued hotly.

�Look, just go home, and look for clues. For anything. Think about what they were doing the last week you saw them. What did they say, were they acting out of character?� Roberts now looked serious. �For the most part, yes, this town is safe. But I�ve seen some things go on around here�especially around that part of the beach�that makes me want the reason of Dawson and Joey�s disappearance to be that they did run off together.��

He realized he had said too much and coughed, uncomfortable. �Maybe they�re playing a prank on us all. We don�t know yet. For now, just look. Keep your eyes open, and think back real hard.�

****

A missing wallet�missing credit cards�clothes�that�s all Jen wanted, so she knew her friends were okay. But one look at Pacey�s blank face and she wanted to throw up with misery for him. His girlfriend. Gone�either murdered, kidnapped or with another man. He went home to his family, and his mother and sisters put him to bed. Gale and Mitch hurried home. Bessie did as well.

Jen didn�t want to go to Gram�s just yet. She had a nagging feeling pulling at her, and she obeyed it. Pulling her sweater tighter around her, Jen hopped out of the car and slammed the door. Wright Beach was cold, the wind blowing unmercifully, sand stinging eyes and feet, trees wailing as they rocked back and forth, the green ocean was rough and the sun was blinding as it set slowly.

There weren�t many people around that time of day�the late afternoon, and Jen almost forgot her anxieties to feel the peace surround her. She slipped off her shoes and padded barefoot along the sand, staring out along the horizon. Eventually she reached the charred remains of the bonfire of the Party, now a distant memory, three days ago. She stared hard�

�You ought to get your own place, Dawson.� Joey suggested, sipping her beer.

�Nah�no money. Besides, I�m not gonna live here. I�ve decided to take that job in Chicago.� He replied. �Chicago?� Pacey repeated. �That�ll be fun.� �That�s a long way off.� Jen pointed out. �So?� �So�we�ll never see you.� Joey pouted, moving closer to the fire to warm her hands. �I�ll come up for the wedding.� �Wedding?� Joey said dubiously, and Pacey rolled his eyes. �Don�t get too ahead of yourself, Daw.�

Jen blinked. She remembered Joey laughing. The fire reflected on their faces. Dawson throwing sand playfully at Joey� Joey smiling at him, her eyes shining with love�Jen stepped back from the fire, her eyes wide, and her mouth open. They could have been planning this all along. But for how long? A month? Two? Maybe they�re in Chicago right now, Dawson buying Joey all new clothes. A new apartment. The two of them, happy, making love�getting married�starting a new life, without any guilt�would they be guilty? Was Joey guilty she broke Pacey�s heart? Was Dawson guilty he hurt his friend and family? Or were they forgetting everything� it was like in a movie. A horrible, horrible movie.

She walked quickly, her breath coming out short, just walking, walking blindly along the beach. Eventually she stopped and flopped down in the sand. Her face was wet and she wasn�t sure if it was from tears or sweat. She lay back, and closed her eyes. She tried to get comfortable but there was something behind her head, digging bluntly into her neck. She sat up and twisted around. Her throat constricted.

***

Gale held the offending item in her right hand, which was shaking immensely. �It means nothing. Nothing.� She whispered to herself over and over. She would not cry. She would not tear her hair out because it was all a misunderstanding�he would call�laugh��Ha! Tricked you!� her firstborn baby would come back, and so would his best friend.

�His wallet.� Mitch said, coming into the room and feasting his eyes on the leather wallet Gale held tightly.

He took it from her and looked through it. Credit Cards. Cash, Drivers License, ID, two condoms, house key, Dorm key, Bank Card�basically, everything Dawson needed to be operate in the world.

Both of them said nothing, but they were sharing the same thought�why did Dawson leave his wallet behind? How could he do anything without it?

****

The next 24 hours were, if possible, worse then the last. Jen held Pacey�s hand tightly. Pacey didn�t think he could handle any more �surprises�. Gale and Mitch had put in a Missing Persons case�Dawson Leery and Joey Potter, presumed kidnapped, could be dead, who knew? He had to be forced into the Police Department to be questioned and informed on recent events.

Roberts was holding a plastic bag, and in the bag was a red bikini top. A top found by Jen. A bikini top which had happened to belong to Joey. She had been wearingonly the top, because it was a warm night, and a towel strewn around her shoulders the night of the Beach Party. What is was doing off, and left on the beach, was anybody�s guess. Everyone had their own theory, and Roberts went ahead and said all the �possibilities� a word he seemed to like. Why they needed Pacey there neither Pacey or Jen knew. It was just making things worse.

��Rape, assault, a struggle which enabled this garment to come off��

�Joey might have been having sex�did you two�� Roberts raised his eyebrow at Pacey, who shook his head mutely. �I just went straight home.�

�We know that, we just want to know if you and Miss Potter did have sex that evening?�

�No, we didn�t.�

�Did Mr. Leery and Miss Potter disappear any time during the party?�

�No�� Pacey bit down hard on his tongue. But he couldn�t hold it in anymore. With a deep shuddering breath he blurted out, �Dawson could have raped her! He must have! He must have raped her, then killed her, then he ran away because he didn�t want to be caught. He�s hid her somewhere�� Pacey started to cry. Jen and Roberts both stared at him.

�Is this a confession?� Roberts asked. Pacey shook his head, still sobbing.

�No, you idiot.� Jen hissed. �Can�t you see he�s in pain? He�s just expecting the worst.�

�It�s a very, very good possibility Miss Lindley.� Roberts now looked mildly interested.

Jen looked up from Pacey�s shaking body and stared long and hard at Roberts, who stared back. �I have known Dawson Leery for years.� She said tightly. �And I know, he would rather kill himself then rape Joey Potter. Then do anything to harm her.�

�Maybe he did. Maybe he was drunk. You were drinking, you said that in your statement about the night.�

�Yes. But not much��

Roberts shuffled some papers, and then read through one. �You said, �Everyone had about five beers�Dawson and Joey and Pacey spent most of the night together.� This means they did spend some time together, and could have spent more time together after Pacey left.�

�Stop coming to your own conclusions.� Jen blurted out angrily. �I seem to remember a law�no suspects of murder until there�s a body.�

Roberts was quiet after she said that. �You�re right Miss Lindley.� He eventually said gruffly.

�And that is what we�re doing now. There�s a lot of forest around that beach.�

Jen shuddered, and she felt Pacey shudder as well. What a nightmare�she just wanted to wake up, to rewind time and go back to when the sun shone�what the hell had happened to Dawson and Joey?

TO BE CONTINUED

Part two, �Steal the Night.�

Rating: PG-13.

Summary: This is kind of dark--but not to be taken seriously! It�s more of a tongue-in-cheek mystery. Pleeease send feedback, any kind!

_____________________________________________________________________

After the decidedly morose meeting with the police, Jen just wanted to go home and sleep. And so, she did. She didn�t wake till the next morning, and sat up in bed, her head with swimming with glimmers of hope and theories and ideas. Maybe, just maybe�it was just one big misunderstanding! After all, only four days had passed�four measly days.

She lay back in bed, staring at the white ceiling. Rays of sunshine filtered into the room, landing on her stomach and narrowly missing her face. Today, the very notion of murder was preposterous. Murders only happened in New York, or on TV shows like The Practice This was all a dream�no, a nightmare. Or was it a dream�a safe, nice, floaty dream where two of her best friends were spirited away into the unknown? ****

�This is just bullshit.� Gale said calmly, her eyes blazing. �Do you take some sort of sick pleasure out of tormenting families like ours?�

�You know that�s not true.� Roberts licked dry lips. He was getting excited and agitated at the same time. �I just need to know a few particular things about your son, Dawson.�

�Apparently, Dawson the rapist to you.� She retorted bitterly.

�I�m not saying that Mrs. Leery. �

�Okay, well in answer to your�your question�no! My son has never shown any aggressive nature towards women.�

�Did he and Joey seem�affectionate at all these last few months?� Roberts asked, starting on a new angle.

�Affectionate? Jeez, I don�t know.� Gale rested her forehead in one hand. Mitch handed her a glass of water.

�Affectionate? Yes�they hugged. They talked a lot. They were cozy�how could they not be? Twenty years best friends, after all. They spent whole days together. But she spent a lot of time with her boyfriend, too.�

�Did Dawson seem upset by this?�

�No�not really. He�s learnt to accept them.�

�Is there a possibility he hasn�t?�

Gale shrugged and said softly, �Yes, I suppose. But Dawson loves Joey. He wouldn�t mention or do anything to hurt her or her decisions��

�He loves her?�

�Yes! They�re best friends. Love. Friendship love.� Gale gestured with her hands wildly, nearly knocking over the glass of water.

�I want to know now, do you think, even if it�s tiny, that there is a probability they did run off together?�

Gale was quiet for a few moments. Then she replied, �I want to believe it so much. I want that to be the case.�

�But do you think this could have happened? To your knowledge and�feeling of their relationship?�

�Dawson and Joey have always been a mystery to me.�

�Mrs. Leery�� Roberts warned.

�I don�t know.� Gale stared out the window, her eyes unfocused. She had a terrible feeling about this�something had happened�she shivered, despite the warm and sultry air. ***

One week later

Jen was sick of sitting around doing nothing. On a sunny Thursday morning, she got out of bed, pulled on jeans and a top, and hurried to Joey�s house�or, what had been Joey�s house? Bessie accepted her as warmly as was able, a thin, anxious smile, and fluttered her hand in the direction of Joey�s bedroom when Jen requested she look for something.

Jen studied Jen despairingly. Bessie looked thin�too thin, and tired. It looked as if she was struggling to stand up.

Joey�s bedroom was miraculously clean. Jen sat on the bed, before reaching for the chest of drawers situated next to the bed. She knew that Joey spent most of her time with Pacey when home for the summer, but she did actually spend nights at home, where she kept most of her luggage.

She opened the first draw slowly, and looked up, suddenly, as if she was being watched. She wasn�t. But she felt uneasy looking through Joey�s stuff�even if this was in the name of an investigation. She found a box of tampons, perfume, a deck of cards�she opened the next drawer and found several pairs of underwear, shirts and jeans.

The third drawer contained nothing but drawer lining. Jen moved to the small closet where three Prom dresses hung, several skirts and dresses and pants. It looks as if nothing had been removed. She knelt and felt around the bottom of the closet. She ended up pulling out some sheets of paper and an address book, which she threw on the bed, and a box of shoes. Nothing�but then, what did she expect? A gun? A note saying, �I ran off with Dawson! So there!� Or a note from a murderer saying, �I killed Joey and Dawson?

Just a clue. Just a something�Just an Anything.

Jen raided Joey�s desk but found only pens, old school books and Calenders.

�Goddammit!� Jen cursed to herself.

She fell back onto the bed, and felt the papers crinkling beneath her. Hmm. After a thought, Jen slid off the bed, and slowly, carefully, braced her weight firmly on the ground as she lifted the mattress.

Bingo. ****

The girl sat across from Roberts looked very nervous, and fiddled with the hem of her skirt. Roberts finished his coffee, and then leaned back in his chair.

�Okay Miss Lane�� He said gruffly, indicating for her to start.

Clare was the girls� name, and she had been itching to tell someone her story for several days. Ever since someone had told her about the disappearance of Dawson Leery and Joey Potter, who had in fact, been old classmates of hers.

�I think I saw something�kind of�um, interesting that night.� She started. She had been rehearsing the words in her head for two days, but the ultra confident, mysterious zing had disappeared from them and they sounded weak and nervous.

�Really?� he looked amused. Oh great. Clare was starting to feel foolish, but she hurried on.

�I think I saw them having sex.�

Roberts didn�t say anything for a moment. Then he said inquisitively, �Excuse me?�

�I mean, I think it was them, I don�t know. It was dark. And I was drunk, but��

�You mean, Dawson Leery and��

�Yes. Maybe. He�s blond. I saw a blond man with a girl. I was walking�I was like, drunk, and I heard noises---and I saw these two people under this bush, and he was on top of her, and when I think about it, it might have been Dawson Leery.�

Roberts leaned forward. His forehead was furrowed as he took this information in.

�Did it look like the man�who may have been Dawson�was forcing this girl into sex?�

�You mean� was he raping her?� Clare said in disbelief. Then she shook her head, embarrassed.

�I don�t think so.�

�What makes you think he wasn�t?�

�Um�the girl was�um, saying stuff.� Clare blushed.

�Oh�what kind of stuff?� Roberts was furiously jotting all of this down.

Clare raised her eyebrows. �You know, stuff.� �I need to know.�

�But it might not have been them.�

Clare was starting to regret coming here and �doing a heroic thing�

�But it might have. We need all the clues we can get�what was the girl saying?� Roberts insisted.

�Fuck me.� Clare said quietly.

�Right�� Roberts wrote this down, and then scratched his jaw.

�Can you think really hard, and remember what she was wearing?�

Clare opened her mouth, and then stopped. Then she spoke: �Well�no, actually. I can�t. I think she was naked. I think.�

�Was he wearing anything?�

�Yes. I think. It may have been a white shirt, or a brown shirt, or a sweater�but then, he might have been naked too.�

�Hmm.� Roberts wanted more useful information out of this little voyeur. But for now, at the state things was going--this was plenty. Even if �it might not have been them.� ****

Jen finally reached the last page of Joey�s diary as the sun lowered in the sky and the alarm clock next to her signalled it was 4pm. Jen closed the book with a sigh.

This thing with Pacey and me�it�s great. I don�t even have words for it. It�s not just the sex stuff, it�s everything else. Dated four months ago.

Dawson�s got a new girlfriend�it�s these brunette�s from the South, they eat it all up�It�s the usual Dawson�-I�m-a-sensitive-guy-I�m-sweet, I listen and I have a big cock.� Dated two and a half months ago. Jen had risen her eyebrows in surprise. She hadn�t thought Joey would talk about Dawson�s anatomy like that.

*Hmm nothing much to say except I love Pacey (lol as usual!)�and I�m not terribly �fond� of Dawson and his egotistical mannerisms of late. Why am I speaking so elegant? Okay, whatever, he�s annoying the crap out of me! We keep fighting�about stupid things like, the remote control, or whether I should be the one to visit him instead of the other way round. But it�s like, why should we anyway? We�re not dating, we�re not like�I don�t know what we are. But it�s irritating! Him and his ggrrrrrrr smug expression! I�m tired.

Dated One and a half months ago. That was the second last entry�the last was a hurried, I�m soo busy! I�ll bet you know why ;-)*

Jen flipped back and forth several times, but found no other incriminating evidence or clues or anything. �I love Pacey�� �This is fun.� �Dawson�s got a big head.� �My roommate is really nice.� Was basically the context of the writing in the heavy diary, expanding two years. Jen thought Joey was more�well, emotional. She flicked on the lamp, and sat back against the pillows, deep in thought.

Her roommate. Her roommate was Anna, a �really cool person�. Maybe Anna knew something�or had observed Joey�s behaviour�Jen couldn�t pinpoint her exact reasons for wanting to contact Anna, but like she said before, maybe Anna knew something.

She found Anna�s phone number in the address book. She decided to take the address book with her, and the diary, just in case. �Thanks Bessie.� Jen kissed Bessie on the cheek, and then she left, Bessie staring after her. ****

�Hello, this is Anna.� Anna had a soft Southern accent which, had this been any other circumstance, would have relaxed Jen.

�Yes, hi.� Jen hesitated. She had spoken to Anna�s mother beforehand, saying she was a friend.

�I�m a friend of Joey Potter.�

�Yes?�

Jen suddenly realized Anna might not know.

�Has any�developments occurred?� Anna then asked, and Jen was relieved.

�You know?�

�Yes. They contacted me.�

�I see�what did they ask you?�

�Just the usual.�

Jen chewed on her lip for a second. How was she going to ask? What would she say?

�Joey wasn�t acting that weirdly.� Anna said, as if reading her mind.

�She was fine.�

�Oh.�

�But��

Jen�s senses picked up the hesitation in Anna�s voice.

�But?� Jen urged her on.

�She was always at the library. Like, even on Saturday Nights.�

Jen sighed inwardly. �Really�� So what?

�Thing is, I�d go looking for her and she wouldn�t be there.�

Jen nodded sleepily. �Hmmm�well��

�She got a lot of late night calls�she�d talk for hours to some guy with this funny name.� Jen froze.

�What would she, um what would�talk I mean, what would she talk about?� Jen stuttered.

�I don�t know�I didn�t eavesdrop�but�that�s a little weird, though, and she always talked about this Pacey in Capeside�then she�d talk for hours with another guy. But then he could have been Pacey��

�Was the guy�s funny name Dawson?�

�Umm�I don�t think so.� Anna sighed, and Jen could see her shrugging.

�I can�t remember, but that�s all I can think of. He�d call her, too. He�d call at like midnight�always waking me up, and then Joey would go to the corner and sit there and talk. For privacy. But I don�t blame her. You know�it might have been Pacey, but I remember another guy�s name��

�Yeah�� Jen murmured, processing the information.

Now that Jen had gotten Anna speaking, she was on a roll.

�Sometimes, Joey would come in really late�around one. Or not at all.�

�Not at all?� Jen furrowed her brow.

�Look�I gotta go.� Anna suddenly said, regretfully. �Keep me posted, okay? I�m so worried.� Anna didn�t sound worried�maybe it was her accent.

�Okay. Thankyou. Goodnight.� Jen resisted the urge to shout, �Stay! God dammit!�

Jen replaced the phone and stared at it for a second, her lips pursed. This was weird. But Jen could feel that something was linking up. ****

Bessie was sitting on Joey�s bed, reading the sheets of paper Jen had left behind. She had went in there after Jen left, and had laid on the bed, crying for her baby sister. Where the fuck was she? Why had she left? The papers had crumpled annoyingly underneath her, and she had grabbed them and smoothed them out. What were they?

Hey�You know I love you, these fights are stupid. Meet me tonight, okay? My place. I want to get you all alone�

It was written in a slant, messy scrawl and Bessie could barely read it. It looked like someone had written it in haste, on their knee or something. Pacey? It wasn�t signed. Dawson? Could it be? Bessie felt breathless�it didn�t sound like Dawson. Or maybe it was another person, another man, another lover? Bessie didn�t know what to do. She�d give it to Jen, Jen might know. Bessie hugged the letter to her, as if it was hope. Hope her sister and Dawson were still out there�alive. ****

�Detectives in the area have reported many probabilities on the disappearance of Dawson Leery and Joey Potter, both aged twenty-one, who went missing last Saturday the sixth of June. They were last seen around midnight, near the South end of Wright Beach, Capeside. One report from local police and detectives claim they went swimming then swam out too far, and a shark attack or a drowning could have occurred. Both were intoxicated that evening.�

Monday morning, two weeks after Joey and Dawson disappeared, the story broke all over the state. People, newspapers, reporters, magazines�they were all fascinated with the case, which had somehow leaked to the public. �LOVERS STAGE OWN DEATHS� one article in a newspaper�s headline had screamed. People at the Beach Party claimed they were witnesses to kidnappings and strange men hanging around the area, clairvoyants claimed they had visions of Dawson and Joey�s demise. Clare�s story made it into most of these stories, many people convinced it was Dawson and Joey Clare had seen.

The Police department was swamped with could-be witnesses, people called from all over�some with information like, �Dawson and Joey dated in high school you know...�

Some, �I saw Dawson wipe a droplet of Beer from Joey�s mouth that night�� some, �I saw Dawson in Providence, buying beer from a corner shop.� (This info wasn�t backed up all that well�the witness was a runaway from a Mental Institution) To, �I�m Joey! Save me! Giant green men have kidnapped me! They whip me every day with an eggbeater! It kind of turns me on!�

Roberts started to get more and more disconcerted. Then he received a phone call, which made him sit up straight with shock. ****

Pacey had come over at eight, looking like hell. Jen herded him up to her room and they sat on the bed, quiet, Jen occasionally muttering comforting nothings.

She decided against telling Pacey about the late night calls and Joey�s nights out. It would be useless.

�Half of me wants Joey and Dawson to have run off�for that to be the reason they�re gone,� he said bluntly. �But the other half�the other half wants them to be dead.� He finished bitterly. �I don�t know what I�d do if�they had�� Pacey groaned and smacked the side of his head in frustration. �I�m not serious though, Jen, you know.� He continued. His normally sunny features were dark and tense with despair.

Jen�s heart ached for him.

The front doorbell rang, and Jen slowly stood up. �Stay here.� She said quietly.

She opened the door hesitantly. �What? Yes?�

Roberts stood by the door, his mouth set in a straight line.

�Jen�can I come in?� Jen started to feel light headed. She stepped back inside without a word and he followed.

�Sit down.�

�No.� Jen stood where she was and crossed her arms.

Roberts cleared his throat.

�I�ve just been to the Leery�s and Potters.� He started slowly.

�Just�what is it?� Jen said impatiently, her heart beating furiously.

Roberts leaned forward, �Jen�� he started gently. �We�ve found a body at Wright Beach��

Black spots seem to overcrowd her eyes, and Jen felt her knees tremble. She felt her lunch climb up her throat. �NO�� she gasped for air.

Neither of them saw Pacey standing at the base of the stairs, standing very still.

�They found a body in a grassy bit north of Wright Beach. Female, we can�t tell now exactly *who* it is, but we must prepare for the worst, however there is a chance it might not be Joey��

Jen, not listening anymore, keeled over and Roberts caught her before she hit the ground.

TO BE CONTIUNED

Part Three, �Eye of the Beholder.�

Note: Pleeeeease tell me what you think, even if you hate it.

_____________________________________________________________________

*�You know�I sometimes regret it.� Jen had looked up, startled out of her daydreams by Joey�s soft voice.

�Regret what?� Jen shifted, to make room for Joey on the lounge chair. They were seated on the front porch of Jen�s house, watching the sun sink slowly behind the clouds.

�Regret hurting Dawson so much.�

Jen smiled crookedly, �He�s over it. And besides, it happened like, a zillion years ago.� �I know. But sometimes�� Joey bit her lip. �Sometimes when I�m talking to him, his eyes would glaze over and he�d deliberately not look at me�or he�d avoid having to be alone with me.� �That�s ridiculous.� Jen said caustically. �You think?� �Yes. You�re best friends for Christs� sake. When someone says, �Joey� I automatically put the �Dawson� at the end of it.� Joey giggled, � Jen�That�s kind of scary�� �I know.�

�I guess I regret a lot of things,� Joey continued wistfully.

�But I think life is basically just making choices with the situations given to you.�

�Your situation is simple.� Jen played along with Joey�s whimsical aphorisms. �The sweet, tomboy who fell in love with her best friend�s best friend�alleged soul mate to Director extraordinaire.�

�It almost sounds like a saga�a legend�� Joey tipped her head to one side. �We were practically born together�we might die together, too��

�NO!� Jen gasped, and she shot up out of her bed, breathing fast. The floorboards were cold on her bare feet, and she was shivering, despite feeling hot in her nightshirt.

That hadn�t just been a dream. It had actually happened. D�j� vu�? Jen�s heart was beating at a million miles per second. It was still dark outside, but a full moon cast a silvery shadow over the lawn. Crickets were chirping contentedly, creepily, and somewhere, someplace, she could hear water running.

Behind her, floorboards creaked.

The hairs on the back of Jen�s neck stood up, and she stood up straighter, but didn�t dare turn around.

�Who�s there?� she almost didn�t recognize her voice, so shrill, so scared did it sound that she wondered for a moment if it had really been her.

There was silence. Then a dog barked, and Jen jumped and whirled around. All she could see was the dark wood of her firmly closed door. Jen took several, deep breaths, and climbed back into bed. She closed her eyes tightly and willed sleep to come and take her away, even if just for a few hours.

The room was silent for a few moments and she felt like she was slipping into the comforting warmth of sleep�

�Jen�that�s kind of scary,� a husky voice whispered into her ear.

Jen�s eyes snapped open and she froze.

Joey�s face loomed in the darkness above her, her green eyes glazing, her lips in a concentrated sneer.

�Joey�� Jen croaked, her blood freezing in her veins.

�You like it when I behave like a slut, don�t you?� Joey demanded. Jen could feel the weight of Joey�s body pressing against hers, and for the second time ever she felt the icy needles of fear grip her heart. She was staring straight into Joey�s eyes. Once a vivid green, they were now black and still�as if she was lifeless.

�Please�� Jen whispered, tears pricking at her eyes. �Go away!�

�Don�t be ridiculous.� Joey hissed, and Jen screamed, piercing and shrill, into the night. She sat up again, gasping for air.

Oh god. Oh god. Another dream? Pushing her hair away with both hands, she whispered to herself, over and over, �It�s not real, it�s not real�� she needed a drink. She needed TV. Lights. Life. Hastily she scrambled out of bed, but paused to stare, dumbfounded.

Her door was open, and lapping gently back and forth in the cool breeze. Hadn�t it been closed before? Was she losing her mind?

Her grandmother then came running in, her eyes wide with concern and fright. �Jennifer! Oh dear!�

She hugged her frozen granddaughter.

****

�The woman was not Joey Potter.�

Jen didn�t think she had ever heard four more relieving words in her life. Robertson had called her personally, and Jen had been too relieved to say anything. Then again, relieved was a too weak of a word.

Afterwards, she sat down heavily on the couch and chewed her thumbnail nervously. She was in a horrible situation. She wasn�t sure if she should be relieved, or scared or worried or anything. She didn�t know what to think about Dawson and Joey possibly being murdered. If they had been, she would be devastated.

On the other hand, what if they had run off together? She�d be devastated for Pacey�s sake, and more then a little shocked. At Dawson and Joey�s behaviour�Had Dawson killed Joey or vice versa? Why was she even considering that possibility? It was preposterous! In fact, it was beyond preposterous. And how had Joey�s bikini top come off? was Joey running around topless? It was crazy. But so was everything to do with this baffling case. Would she ever know?

The autopsy examination of the body of the woman found in Wright Beach had taken place a few days ago, and test results had showed that indeed, the woman was not Joey. The DNA hadn�t matched-- The girl was six inches shorter, ten pounds heavier and had ginger/brown hair. The only problem was; no one knew who this woman was yet. No one else in the area had reported a girl with the body�s description. The cause of death was horrific---several stab wounds, badly beaten and strangled. How any living, breathing human could do this to another�well, it was sordid.

The disappearance of two and the untimely death of one brought a sense of uneasiness around town. People locked doors at night, some refused to walk alone past 5pm and schools were issuing danger warnings. The Police, whose work normally didn�t extend beyond breaking up a few Senior Party rages and drug busts, were now puzzled down with an actual murder case.

The weirdest thing was, the time of death for the woman had been the night Dawson and Joey disappeared. Yet no one at the beach party could remember seeing a woman of her description. No one could report seeing anyone strolling off for a� midnight murder,� or a friend who had disappeared. In fact, no one had reported a 130 pound, five foot five woman with ginger hued hair to be missing. No tearful mother or father or sister or brother had turned up to study the body and then cry out, �Oh no�yes, that�s her!�

�The party was kind of small.� Chris Wolfe told Police. �Just old Capeside High people. About thirty. I remember seeing Dawson and Joey, but they were there most of the night�until the end. I knew most of the people, and I don�t remember seeing that girl.�

It was as if the body just appeared out of nowhere.

****

�Pacey!� Jen called, waving from the dock. He stopped rigging up rope and turned. �Oh�Jen. Hi.� He said flatly, trying but not succeeding to look pleased at her appearance.

�Are you�going somewhere?� Jen asked, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and gesturing towards his boat.

�Yeah.� He nodded, managing a small grimace.

�I need to get out.�

Jen nodded, gently, understanding. She scuffed the toe of her sneaker on the wood of the marina and looked out to sea. The sea always instilled a sense of calmness in her. But not this time. This time, she just felt like screaming and tearing her hair out.

�How long will you be gone?� she asked tentatively.

�I have no idea.� Pacey shrugged. �Okay.� She nodded, and laid a hand gently on his shoulder. �I�ll miss you.�

To her chagrin, Pacey shook her hand off roughly.

�Pacey�� Jen started to speak but he interrupted, �I�m fine, okay?�

Jen was silent. What could she say? She knew he wasn�t fine at all, but she couldn�t say so.

�Call me eventually, okay? I should be here for�� Jen paused, uncertain. How long would she be here? The summer was nearly over.

�I�ll call you.� His face momentarily softened, and Jen smiled weakly.

�If you hear anything�� he trailed off, and Jen nodded briskly.

�I�m so sorry.� She whispered.

Pacey closed his eyes. He looked ten years older then usual. �I just want to wake up from this crazy nightmare.�

The sun was setting over the ocean, and Jen wondered how many more sunsets she could handle without knowing the truth. �I�m not going tonight�the weather�s not that good out there. Maybe in a few days.�

Pacey turned away from her, and Jen shaded her eyes from the blinding orange sunset. In the distance, on one of the jetties, Joey strolled casually, her arm looped around her friend Dawson�s shoulder. They shared a joke, and Joey threw her head back, laughing. Jen smiled, and debated whether to run over to them and join in, or leave them in their private moment. She closed her eyes, still smiling.

�Jen?�

Jen�s eyes snapped open. Pacey was peering warily at her. The sun was dipping into the ocean and there was no Joey or Dawson in the distance. Just a painful emptiness.

***

That night, Jen managed to sneak into Dawson�s bedroom via the ladder. It was exactly the way it had been for about five years-- reasonably neat, bright and familiar. As soon as she stepped into the room, Jen was brought back to the times of Tenth Grade making out sessions, Joey�s bitching, pillow fights, analysing, teasing, (�Spielberg fan?�) and basically the warmth, vitality, faults, love and comfort which were Dawson�and to a certain extent, his best friend Joey. Now they were both gone-- vanished into thin air. Would she ever hear Dawson laughing, Joey sighing again? Would she ever hear their voices, raising with each verbal argument they shared?

Jen wandered over to his VCR, and brushed her fingers over a few tapes stacked neatly on top. The Labels read, �Home video�shit scenery etc,� � Jen and Jack, � and �ET.� Jen smiled and turned the TV on. She kneeled down and slipped �Jen and Jack,� in. It was footage of just that�herself and Jack, horsing around at the beach and in the front yard. Dawson laughs, and Jen covers the camera screen. �Tell me about you two.� Dawson says. �Welll�� Jack starts.

Jen smiled and sat down, ready to get comfortable. But her eye caught another tape, wedged between the VCR and the desk. The label read simply, �Joey.�

Picking it up, Jen studied it, before ejecting �Jack and Jen,� and pushing �Joey� into the VCR.

Joey�s beautiful face appeared on screen. She was lying down on the bed, and it looked as though the camera was facing her from above. �Don�t.� Joey said sternly, but her expression dissolved into a smile. The screen then went black for a few moments, before another scene flipped on.

Jen�s mouth suddenly went very dry, and the blood pumped too loudly in her ears.

�This is the �Beach Party�. Oh my god, this is so Californian.� Dawson said, and the camera zoomed in on Pacey and Joey, seated by the fire. It was dark, and the flames lit up their faces. Joey waved, and Pacey rolled his eyes and barked, �Don�t.� the screen zoomed in to Joey, while Pacey continued to talk, �Dawson�get the camera off my face.� Joey was looking at Pacey, smiling smugly.

�It�s not on your face, asshole.� Dawson exclaimed.

�Hey!� came Pacey�s indignant yell.

Then the screen went black.

Jen didn�t move. Everything was suddenly all foggy� How could the tape be here�if it had been taped the night of the party�? Had someone put it here? Had Dawson? Had he come home? Then what? Where was the camera? Jen shot up, and mechanically, started to search for it. She looked under the bed, in the closet, in the desk�within a few minutes the room was a mess.

No camera-- just a tape she had somehow managed to find. Had Dawson come home that evening? Where had he gone? TO BE CONTIUNED

Part Four, �Strange Fits of Passion.� By Anne Gooding

Summary: Jen stumbles across a secret and a clue�

I have a new website! (Not as good as my chickpages one but chickpages decided to go and eat it up, so� www.gurlpages.com/sweetkisses118)

**********

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Capeside locals Dawson Leery and Joey Potter, both aged twenty-three, has as of yet, been left unsolved. Leery and Potter have been missing since the sixth of June of this year. Police detectives David Roberts and Susan Moore who have been assigned the case state, �We have no leads, and no true understanding of what might have happened. The possibilities are endless.� They have asked that anyone knowing anything about the case come forward.

�Just one phone call about who they saw and at what time can change a cases progress.� Roberts says. Potter and Leery were last seen at Wright beach, the same place BU Junior Stephanie Morgan was found, battered and stabbed only a few days later. Stephanie was believed to have been murdered the night Potter and Leery disappeared. ~~~~

�Jennifer, this is looking�well�more and more bizarre by the day.� Detective Roberts heaved a sigh and tapped his coffee mug, as if in deep thought. Jen had gone to the station to show them the tape.

Roberts and his attractive woman partner, Susan, had viewed the tape three times. �This just gets weirder�� Roberts had mumbled.

�Hmm.� Susan agreed.

She was new on case, and Jen thought she hadn�t been doing much at all except pout and primp and look pretty.

�Of course it�s bizarre. But it�s not unsolvable.� Jen stressed. �We now know Dawson must have come home that night from the beach�what that means, well, we don�t know yet.�

�What if he came back to get a weapon of some kind?� Roberts put in seriously, and Jen scowled, �Why do you guys always go for the sick possibilities?�

�It�s all about the �sick possibilities� in this job, Jennifer.�

�Do you honestly believe Dawson killed Joey?� Jen sneered, and Roberts replied simply, �I didn�t know Dawson or Joey. But judging from the information gathered about this case, especially this new information�well, that option is a good possibility.�

Jen thought if she heard the words �option� or �possibility� one more time�her frustration was apparent as she glared out the window and dug her nails into the arm of the leather bound chair.

Roberts� secretary came in with a lukewarm cup of coffee for Jen, and she took it thankfully. Roberts let her take a few sips before he fired a question at her.

�Look, Jen�Did either of them�have some type of a shady past? Umm, Drugs, violence, a lot of anger?�

Jen racked her brain even though straight off, she was sure she knew the answer�no. Dawson and Joey were almost squeaky clean.

�Dawson did punch Pacey a few times.� She managed a smile, and Roberts raise a brow.

�But drugs? A shady past?� Jen snorted. �Yeah. Right. No. No drugs, no violence, just two normal, maybe a little dramatic and wordy kids...�

Roberts nodded slowly, and pursed his lips. �You know Jennifer�sometimes, we don�t all know people as much as we think we do.�

His voice seemed to echo through the room and for once Jen didn�t come back with a biting retort or exclamation.

Roberts leaned forward, tapping his pen against his linoleum desk. �Pacey, Joey and Dawson were involved in some sort of�love triangle, right?�

Before Jen could answer Susan charged in and sat herself down on the desk, straightening her cream skirt and patting her sleep strawberry blonde bob. �I�m calling a search on Joey�s residence, and Mr. Witter�s boat.� She informed them crisply, and Jen had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes.

�Why?� Jen asked.

Susan fixed Jen with a blank stare. �We always do this procedure on missing persons. We check their homes and their partners homes.� �

Hm.� Jen pretended to look interested in her cuticles.

�As you were about to say, Jen?� Roberts inquired.

�Oh. Yes. They were. I think I�ve told you this? It was such a pain in the ass�Dawson�s all depressed, Joey being all, �look at me, all the guys choose me��� Jen stopped when she saw Susan�s amused expression.

�Well, you know.� She added hastily. �But Joey �chose� Pacey funnily enough��

�At anytime did Dawson and Joey�get closer then friends? Did Dawson ever try and win Joey�s affections?�

Jen frowned thoughtfully. Had he? Well�maybe, but she hadn�t witnessed or heard about it. But really, Jen knew that Dawson was a mature guy, and wouldn�t do anything to harm Joey or Pacey. As for Dawson and Joey getting close�

�I suspect at the end of senior year they got�closer. Actually Dawson admitted to me he had kissed her. And Pacey had dumped Joey by then, so it makes sense��

�He broke up with her?� Susan re-stated incredulously.

�Yeah.� Jen sighed, �Something about being angry with her. He said she didn�t like him and he made her feel like nothing�Dawson told me he had yelled at her at Prom. But then a year later�they get back together.�

�Was Dawson�affected by this?� Roberts asked.

�I don�t think so. He loves�loved---loves.� Jen closed her eyes for a few moments.

�He loves her, and he wants her to be happy and all that shit, and by then he had a ton of girlfriends so he was occupied well enough.�

Jen felt a shudder pass through her. It was strange to be talking so intimately about them like this.

�Did Dawson and Joey ever engage in�anything�sexual�?� Roberts trailed off, and Jen frowned again. �I actually don�t know. Dawson never told me about anything, so�probably not.�

�It sounds like you were close to Dawson.� Susan commented smoothly, and Jen nodded, �I was, yes. I knew him pretty well.�

�Were you ever attracted to him?� Susan asked archly. She sounded so smug, so�Jen grit her teeth and mentally told herself to get a grip.

�Yes. In high school. We dated.�

�You did?� both Susan and Roberts now looked very interested.

�Yeah�but he fell in love with Joey, who was in love with him for ages�� Jen sighed, �But that�s got nothing to do with anything�in fact, this is all pointless�?�

�No, this is good.� Susan encouraged her, �Background knowledge. Clues. Feelings�tell me, were you and Pacey ever involved?�

Jen flinched and nodded, and Susan and Roberts eyes widened. �It was just about sex, though. And actually�� Jen stopped. They didn�t need to know details.

�Was Joey involved with anyone else other then Pacey or Dawson?� Roberts asked.

�Yes.� Jen nodded. �Jack McPhee�� Jack. Jen bolted upright. �Jack�s in London�I suppose he knows about this�I haven�t thought about him much since it happened�� she stopped talking to herself, momentarily distracted.

�Was Jack serious?�

Jen laughed, �No�he�s gay, only he didn�t know it at the time.� She laughed again at Susan and Roberts� expressions.

�Anyone else?�

Jen shrugged, she felt a headache coming on. �Not really. Not much else to tell regarding the love triangle or whatever you want to call it.�

Roberts and Susan exchanged a harried glance. It was quick but Jen could read into it�Jesus

�Okay, Jen, tomorrow, go over to Joey�s residence and stick around while we do some searching.� Roberts said briskly. �Talk to Bessie, try and come up with some more background. You may not think it, but you�re a helping hand to this case.�

Jen snorted. What else had she been doing?

�I want to solve this.� Roberts said firmly, clenching a fist, and Jen and Susan both looked at him in surprise. Roberts had never seemed particularly�passionate.

�This is probably one of the most peculiar cases I�ve come across. This and the other one�Stephanie Morgan.� He shook his head.

�Have they solved that one yet?� Jen�s ears were pricked in interest.

�No.� Roberts leaned back in his chair. �It�s just as puzzling as the other one. It�s kind of a coincidence or something�happening in the same evening. Some people are calling it �The night of the long knives.�

Jen was only half listening. Stephanie Morgan�Stephanie Morgan�somehow, that name struck a tiny chord in her. How? Why? Jen grit her teeth, there was no way that name was familiar. Maybe, because of the strange occurrence of Stephanie�s death, the name made her uneasy or something.

****

�How are you, Bessie?� Jen asked attentively, rubbing the tip of her thumb up and down the warm coffee mug Bessie had handed her.

�Hmm okay.� Bessie managed a weak smile, but it came across as more a grimace.

�Truthfully�not too well.� Bessie took a sip of her coffee. �When mom died, she asked me to look after my little sister. I didn�t do a very good job.� She added bitterly.

Jen stroked Bessie�s arm. �Don�t you dare blame this on yourself.� She said softly. �We�ll get to the bottom of this, I promise.�

Bessie nodded sadly. Roberts strolled into the kitchen, holding a notebook in one hand and Joey�s journal in the other. �I�m going to look at Miss Potter�s journal.� He informed them reverently. Bessie nodded. Her eyes then widened a little. �I�found something. A few weeks ago, actually.�

Roberts and Jen�s hearts both jumped as Bessie got up and retrieved a note out of her handbag. She handed it to Jen, even though Roberts had his hand outstretched.

�Hey�You know I love you, these fights are stupid. Meet me tonight, okay? My place. I want to get you all alone� � Jen whispered.

�I don�t know if it�s Pacey or Dawson or what.� Bessie shrugged.

�We�ll look at the handwriting.� Roberts took it off Jen, and then he disappeared into the bedroom. Bessie glared after him. �I don�t like him.�

Jen laughed, �He�s actually okay. You should see his partner. She�s really interested in the whole Dawson, Joey and Pacey saga.� Jen didn�t know why she was laughing�was she still numb about the whole thing?

Bessie was quiet. Then she spoke.

�I�ve never told anyone this, Jen.�

It was the tone of voice that made Jen lean forward on her chair. �Told anyone what?�

�Remember the Christmas Eve party at the Leery�s last year?�

�Yes.� Jen nodded.

�I saw Dawson and Joey arguing. Outside. And I might have just forgotten it, moved on, you know�if she hadn�t�well, if she hadn�t slapped him.�

Jen was speechless. Joey slapping Dawson? What for?

�And then what surprised me most of all�Dawson grabbed Joey roughly by the shoulders and shook her. He�shook her.� Bessie demonstrated by shaking her hands in the air. She then bit her lip. �I was shocked. And I�ve never forgotten it. Just�something about it just didn�t seem right. I mean, it wasn�t rough. It was�as if he was trying to shake some sense into her. But�it didn�t seem right. I�ve always wanted to know what they were arguing about. It just didn�t seem right.�

Jen agreed. It didn�t seem right at all. ****

TO BE CONTINUED

Part five, �Don�t let it bring you down.�

By Anne Gooding

_____________________________________________________________________

Gale had been cleaning out Dawson�s jeep when she found it. Stained with blood yet so small, so inconspicuous. She had failed to breathe for a few seconds as her eyes took in what was, obviously, the metallic smell of decaying, dried blood, several drops of it, splattered on the crusty silver.

****

�I don�t know why I was cleaning his car. It�s not like he�s�well�going to use it anytime soon, and I�d never drive it. But I just felt�in case he came back, I�d want things to be clean.� Gale explained heavily, tapping her frosted nails on the Detectives desk. She looked around his office, which had become so familiar to her in the last few months---- especially to Jen who had insisted on accompanying her. Roberts and his co-worker Susan had seemed a bit annoyed to see Jen yet again, though Gale thought they would be a bit more supportive.

�And you found the�nail file under the drivers seat?� Roberts asked.

�Yes�where is it?�

�I�ve sent it to the lab to get the details on the �blood� and to get a fingerprint match.�

�Oh. Of course.�

Gale turned to Jen, who was nervously biting her fingernails. �What do you think this means?� she asked shakily.

Roberts looked Jen in the eye. �That nail file could have been a murder weapon�and the nail file is Joey�s, is it not?�

�Yes.� Jen whispered. She remembered when Joey would file her nails, laughingly, gliding the big green tip over her small oval hands.

***

Jesus Christ�she�d been in Capeside for four months. She�d never stayed in Capeside for that long after going to college�there was just no way she could stand hanging around the little town. Nothing ever happened here, anyway. She was strolling along main street, not relaxed by any means, however she had pushed all the crap to the back of her mind. Men and women sat on the sidewalks at tables, sharing coffees, talking animatedly about their day, and Jen had a passing thought about how she�d do that with her friends back in New York after classes. They�d gossip about the professors, whine about their workloads, discuss the future and check out the hot bodies moving pass them. Jen was standing still, just watching them all, lost in the memory of how carefree she once was, when Dawson and Joey�s lives weren�t pressing on her shoulders.

***

When Roberts got the fingerprint match, he had immediately called Susan, both excited and weary, and then he had chatted with a few more detectives to see what the possibilities were and what the state would allow. He then rang Miss Lindley.

�Pacey Witter�s fingertips were on the file�only his.�

�He could have held it for a few seconds, played with it or something once.� Jen debated. �I highly doubt even you think he did it�and with a nail file? Please�how could it kill someone?�

�I�ve seen four incidents were a nail file has poked an eye out and been stabbed in the neck. If it can�t kill, it can seriously injure.�

Jen snorted and shook her head, at a loss for words. It was just too�stupid!

�Are you gonna arrest him?� she asked disdainfully, her ears not even bothering to get ready for a reply.

�We�re going to question him. Very seriously. Keep an eye on him. We�re still getting a check on the blood. If it turns out to be Joey�s�this could turn serious.�

***

She immediately went to warn Pacey. �There�s no way.� He was angry, indignant. �I was her boyfriend�� his voice trailed off and his brow furrowed. �And the boyfriend is always the biggest suspect. Of course.�

�Pacey�we don�t even know if she�s�dead.� Jen whispered the last word.

�If that�s Joey�s blood�if it�s Dawson�s�it means someone killed them with a nailfile.� He spoke such horrible words but said them so mechanically, as if he was reading the label off a packet of food. He went to sit down on the sidewalk bench and Jen decided to join him.

�I�m leaving, then. I�ll take my boat and get the fuck out of here�out of this mess. I was going to do it before�now I can actually do it.�

�They might think you have something to hide and pursue you even more.� Jen reminded him soulfully.

�Fuck.� He hid his face in his arms.

�Fuck, fuck, fuck.�

Jen stroked his hair. �It�s okay. It�s okay�look, just stick around. Answer their questions. It�s�your fingerprints, they reckon, but��

�Coz I held it once, or moved it or something. I didn�t stab it into anyone�s neck.� He spat. �Fucking police�or maybe Dawson and Joey planted it to frame me�maybe they�re the ones doing the fucking.�

�They would never be that selfish. It�s not like them.� Jen took several deep breaths.

�All the evidence points towards Joey an Dawson having an affair�something to do with them. I don�t want to believe it, but�� Pacey�s voice caught.

�Get some sleep.� Jen passed him a helpful little pill of hers�a sleeping pill, one of a small bottle she kept in her purse.

�Yeah whatever.� He mumbled. He squeezed her hand then, quickly, and smiled at her briefly. �You too, Jen. Sleep.�

But Jen didn�t sleep when she went home. She got a phone call, from Joey�s roommate, Anna.

�Stephanie Morgan.� Anna was saying triumphantly. �She was the girl Joey would talk about with this guy.�

Jen froze. �Talk about?�

�Yeah. I remembered, coz I was going through her old books, and she had written her name about five times in her English lit book�and then I remembered Joey saying her name a few times over the phone, and�I thought it might be of some importance?�

�It is. Thank you��

Jen put the phone down just as Anna went on to say something else. Jen could only sit still and stare out the window. Why would Joey and Dawson talk about the victim? Countered she died the night they disappeared� they couldn�t possibly�no� Dawson and Joey, murdering a girl then skipping town? Preposterous. And what about Joey�s bikini top? Why had it come off? Was it sexual? And the nail file�had they used it�

Several thoughts rippled through Jen�s mind. And none of them were good. It was all getting too much.

****

Jen sat at the JFK airport arrival lounge, staring off into space, as she had done the previous day. Her grams had insisted. After Jen had broken down, screaming, crying that evening, her grandmother had called her parents to inform them their daughter was coming home for a break. They had agreed to pick her up at 3 in the afternoon, so Jen was waiting quietly, soberly, toying with a packet of peanuts and idly keeping one eye on the TV, which screened a weepy family reunion special on Ricki Lake.

The airport was very busy, people bustling back and forth between gates and ticket areas, suitcases scattered everywhere, and happy people greeting arrivals or sad people waving people off. A little girl went to sit down next to Jen, playing with a little bouncy ball. Her mother rushed up behind her and looking nervous, spoke. �Dear�would you mind looking after Tara for a few seconds? I�ve lost her brother, and you look nice. Tara, DON�T LEAVE. Even if the lady leaves.�

�Sure I�ll look�� the woman had gone, and Jen stared after her. She�d never leave her daughter with a stranger. Some people�

Tara was cute, and quiet, and just kept bouncing the ball. �Where you from?� Jen asked.

�Bust...� her voice trailed off shyly.

�Boston?�

�Yep.�

She threw the ball in the air a few times, then she knocked it sideways and it bounced away, down the floor and across the waiting room.

�No!� Tara squealed, but didn�t move to get it back.

�Good girl. Stay there.� Jen sighed wearily, and got up to chase after it.

She picked the pink ball up, and slowly levered back up. Her eyes flickered up and she contracted as her eyes passed on a familiar pointy face, wading past her. �Joey!� she found herself yelling. Several people looked at her, but she ignored them and ran in the direction of the brunette woman, hurriedly walking towards the escalators. The face, several feet away, looked back and alarm registered on her features. It had to be.

�Joey!� Jen screamed, desperate, angry, relieved, shocked�the woman kept going, and Jen could only see her hair, swishing in a crowd of people, who were looking at her curiously as she chased after the woman.

�Come back!�

The ball dropped down the stairs and Jen increased her pace. But she suddenly realized the brunette had disappeared�Jen turned, maybe there was another way�maybe�she was panicking. And before Jen could do anything, she realized she was about to fall headfirst down the escalator.

****

�You saw someone who looked like her. And the woman panicked and ran, and you ran after her.� Her father was on one side of her, Jack on the other. Jack had come for a special visit to Capeside, and was now in a New York hospital with Jen, comforting his scared, distraught friend. He knew everyone had been hit hard with Dawson and Joey�s disappearance�but Jen looked the worst, trying her hardest to find them�then seeing what looked like Joey and cracking her head open.

�It was Joey.� Jen placated. �I swear.� She felt slightly drowsy and the bandages on her head weighed her neck down and stung. She had a headache and Mr. Lindley gave her another cup of water.

�She�s alive�� despite her pain, Jen felt happier then she had for days. �She�s alive�they both are, I just know it.�

Her father and Jack swapped quick glances. �Maybe.� Jack murmured, rubbing Jen�s arm. If they were alive�why had they run away? It had been months now. Months. Nearly a year. Jen looked so hopeful, her small face bright and eager under the heavy bandages, stained with blood.

�I�m going to find out. I�m going to investigate the airlines�see if Joey did�I�ll call Roberts��

�Jen.� Jack placed his hand over Jen�s, which was hovering over the side table phone.

�You nearly killed yourself running after this�person. Chill, okay?�

�C�mon. Lets get some lunch. Want anything?� her father stood up and yawned. �No thanks.� she lay back down.

The two men walked outside, silent, still puzzled themselves.

Jen waited until they had rounded the corner, then she dialled in Robert�s mobile number, which she knew off by heart. �Yeah?�

�It�s Jen.�

�Jen�� Robert�s voice which had been gruff took on a sympathetic note. �I heard about your accident��

�I saw Joey.�

�That�s what I�m told. So, I rang American Airlines�and no Joey Potter or Dawson Leery were scheduled to fly today or any day.�

Jen sighed, �What about under another name?�

Roberts sighed also. �Well that�s a possibility, but it would be difficult for them to register under another name.�

�Right.� Jen was angry. Why wouldn�t anyone believe her?

�Jen.�

The tone of his voice caused chills to god own Jen�s spine. She�d heard that tone before�

�What?�

�It�s Stephanie Morgan�s blood.�

Jen coughed, �What?� confused.

�On the nail file. It�s Stephanie Morgan�s blood�Pacey�s fingerprints and two people gone. We�ve got Mr. Witter in for questioning.�

Jen was shocked into silence. Stephanie Morgan�connected to Pacey, Dawson and Joey?

�Look, rest, okay? This is up to us now sweets.� And then he hung up. Jen jumped out of bed, ignoring the pounding in her head, and she padded down the hallway, to where Jack and her father might have gone.

She stopped at a bubbler, nearly crying with pain and thirst, and drunk until she felt quite full. She then lifted her head and saw an image, which on first sight wouldn�t have struck much of a chord�just a beautiful, tired looking woman holding a tiny wrinkled baby, and a caption that read, �July 2006 baby�Ella Potter Leery. Thanks Annie and Steph! We�ll always remember you.�

The photo was next to many other little thank-you photos on a long corkboard. Jen�s vision blurred and for a moment she forgot where she was. Then it all became too clear, and Jen realized the woman holding the baby was Joey. Ella Potter Leery

�Jack!� she screamed. �Jack! Dad!�

TO BE CONTINUED.