Lacey parted the strands of netting that hung over the partially obscured doorway and peered into the fort. Jo was there already, sitting in the corner, her blonde head bent over a book. She had on her usual mustard colored cardigan over jeans. Lacey mildly wondered if they ever became real friends again if Jo would let her give her a makeover. "Hi Jo" she called out as she walked all the way in. "I didn't expect you here yet since I'm early."
"I would have come here anyway even if I wasn't meeting you" Jo averted her eyes. "I come here a lot actually."
"Well, its nice that you've kept up the place. Thank you for that. Both Danny and I owe you."
'No big deal" Jo shrugged.
"What are you reading?" Lacey asked, pointing to Jo's book.
"Its called 'Haunting Violet'" Jo responded, showing her the book cover. "Its about a girl in London in the 1800's who sees ghosts."
"Hey, do you remember when we used to be all into those Lemony Snicket books? We would take turns reading them."
"Yeah, Danny got us into them" smiled Jo.
"We would always try to solve the mystery but there were never enough clues to really figure it out."
"And then Danny would rewrite the ending!"
They both laughed at the memory, but they had stopped speaking and the room got quiet.
"I guess you want to talk about the apartment?" Jo interrupted the silence. "I think we should just tell Danny we saw his father's name on the tenant directory."
"I'm not sure if we should do that yet" countered Lacey. "I'm afraid it might get Danny's hopes up if he thinks his father could be alive."
"But isn't it good to have hope?" Jo shot back.
"Not false hope" Lacey said. "What if we find out there's another reason his name was in that directory?"
"Like there just happens to be another Vikram Desai who just happens to be sending mail to Regina?" scoffed Jo.
"I mean maybe it's a place he rented out years ago and his name was still on the register?" posed Lacey.
"Well, then we'll all find out together!" Jo exclaimed.
"But what if it really s Danny's father and it turns out he did do something to Regina?"
"Then Danny's name will be cleared!" Jo had always seen things in black and white, back when they were kids, and that hadn't changed.
Lacey said "But his dad's reputation will be ruined and Danny will be devastated." She shook her head, knowing it would take a while before she and Jo saw eye to eye about this.
"You know, there's just so much about Danny we don't know" Jo mused. "Especially what exactly happened 5 years ago and why he did it. He has so many secrets. Maybe we can keep this one for now.'
Lacey smiled, relieved that Jo had come around. Maybe the two of them could do some investigations on their own. She felt a heavy sense of responsibility to do right by both Regina and Danny. But she also had a desperately growing hunger for the truth.
"Hey girls, lucky me, you're both here!" a voice called out. Lacey and Jo turned around to see Danny entering the clubhouse. His dark eyes twinkled and his smile quirked in his trademark uneven (twisted?) grin.
Lacey felt herself get warm and her pulse quicken. She quickly grabbed her backpack and stood up, avoiding eye contact with Danny. "I have to go… see you guys later" she mumbled as she dashed out of the clubhouse which had felt really crowded with all three of them in there.
That night, Lacey tossed and turned again, in a fitful sleep. She knew she had to find out what had really happened that fateful day when Danny Desai walked over to the swing set with a yellow jump rope clutched in his hand. She clearly remembered it was yellow even though Jo remembered red. The only way she could regain a sense of trust in him and begin mending their friendship, was to get to the truth. Even if that truth was her worst nightmare.