A/N: Wow, eight chapters already. There's much more to come, however, and lots more twists and turns on the way. In fact there's a twist coming up in the next few chapters. And no, I'm not going say what it is. Where would the fun be in that? ;)

Thanks goes to Lizzle09, glistening moon, and milady dragon for reviewing. Much appreciated.


Stuck in the Middle with Clue

Chapter 8 Speculation

The Doctor's expression was solemn as the news that Pete was dead sunk in.

"Who had the gun?" Sarah-Jane asked, looking at each of the other guests in turn.

The Doctor stood up his expression one of blankness."I did."

Donna looked sure of herself as she stated,"Then you shot him!" The Doctor looked appalled.

"I didn't. I don't even like handling guns, let alone use one on someone I know." The Doctor then realized what he had just said.

"Erm, strike that last part."

Donna looked puzzled."Well, you had the gun. If you didn't shoot him then who did?"

They turned Mr. Boddy over, leading to another case of confusion for the Doctor."Nobody! look, there's no gunshot wound. Somebody bumped into me in the dark and took the gun." The Doctor looked around the room, his eyes finally setting on the mantel."Look! The bullet broke that vase on the mantel." Everyone rushed to the mantel to examine the bullet hole for themselves.

"He's absolutely right. Look, there's a bullet hole here in the wall. See that?" Mickey said, pointing to the spot on the wall. Jack then grabbed the Doctor by the lapels, taking him by surprise.

"How did he die?"

The Doctor looked pointedly at Jack."I don't know, I don't have all the answers! Wow, I never thought I'd hear myself say that." The Doctor stated, his tone going from angry to happily surprised in nothing flat. He then pushed Jack away.

"Well one of us must have killed him!" Sarah-Jane shouted, clearly agitated.

"Well I didn't do it!" Jack said with a touch of nervousness in his voice.

Donna looked like she had had enough as she shouted,"Oh, I need a drink!" She walked towards the door, picked up Mr. Boddy's glass, and took a long drink from it. A grim thought dawned on the Doctor.

"Maybe he was poisoned!" Donna dropped the glass immediately, then started to scream. Jack quickly led her over the the sofa, offering words of comfort as he did so. Donna readily sat down, but continued to wail. Jack, eventually seeing no alternative, slapped Donna. Jack looked around, noticing the odd looks he was getting.

"I had to stop her from screaming." He explained as he pushed his glasses up.

The Doctor made eye-contact with Jack as he queried,"Was the brandy poisoned."

Jack shrugged slightly."I don't know."

Rose walked over to where the glass had dropped and picked it up. She looked at the glass in her hand, then looked at the stain that was quickly setting in, and stood up.

"Looks like we'll never know."

The expression on Jack's face was one of grimness."Unless...Unless she dies too." Everyone then rushed over to the sofa and started staring intently at Donna, who was looking really uncomfortable.

A scream rang out a few moments later, the focus shifting from Donna to where the scream originated. Several of the guests gasped. The Doctor wasn't surprised, however, remembering what had happened in the movie. He reminded himself that he'd have to thank Rose for forcing him to sit through it as he and the others ran from the study to the billiard room. The group came to a stop at the door to the billiard room, Jack walking up to test the door.

"It's locked, I can't get it open!" Jack said as Wadsworth came to stand next to him.

"Open up!" Wadsworth shouted.

"It must be the murderer." The Doctor suggested.

Jack frowned."Why would he scream?"

"He must have a victim in there." Sarah-Jane said, before adding with a look of panic on her face,"Oh, my god, Yvette!'

"Oh, my god!" Jack echoed shortly before the door opened.

The guests quickly poured in through the now open door, several looking around frantically. Wadsworth's gaze fell on Martha, who was standing in front of the billiard table, looking like she was on the brink of tears.

"You're alive!" Martha's expression changed to a glare.

"No thanks to you." Wadsworth looked confused at this.

"What do you mean?"

"You locked me up with the murderer you idiot!" Sarah-Jane came to the fore of the small crowd that the guests had formed.

"The murderer is in this room?" She questioned, before looking around the room again.

"Yes, of course." Martha replied, a touch of fear still present in her voice.

Jack frowned."But where?"

"Where? Here!" Jack's response was to check behind the door.

"We are all looking at him, or her. It's what Mrs. White said in the study-one of you is the killer!"

The Doctor frowned."How did you know we said that?"

"I was listening!"

Sarah-Jane looked like she was deep in thought before asking,"But why were you screaming in here all by yourself?"

Martha looked to be on the brink of tears again as she replied,"Because I am frightened. I also drink cognac." She paused as she started to sob."My god, I can't stay in here by myself!" Rose walked over to Martha, Mickey in tow.

"Come back to the study with us." Rose said, placing a comforting hand on Martha's shoulder.

"With the murderer!" Martha said, panic completely filling her voice.

"There are safety in numbers..." Mickey stopped in mid-sentence, realizing he was shaking the wrench he had in his hand."...my dear." he finished, holding the wrench out of Martha's line of vision.

The guests and Martha then filed out of the billiard room, heading back to the study. Wadsworth didn't leave right away however. He walked over to the tape recorder and took the tape off the spools. Wadsworth then exited the room, intending to make a stop before heading to the study.