Well hello there! As usual I start off by apologising for my lateness in posting. I haven't forgotten Lily either, but RL is kicking my ass at the moment it's all gone wrong!! Anyway, I've had a huge number of hits on this story (finally figured out how to use my stats!) and I'm grateful to everyone who read and reviewed.

Xomgitslexie: I've been keeping up with your fic, I will review ASAP! Angell's secret will be revealed soon I promise.

BEG75: RL commitments are a pain in my behind right now, but I'm getting back on track! I am keeping up with Brooklyn too, I will review soon I swear!

Hope4sall: Angell is a bit of an enigma, isn't she. She's terribly hard to read. I watched 'DOA for a Day' last night, it was only aired in Ireland now and she's a tough one to figure out! But I still like her. She's cool!

Elizabeth Rankley: She's tough as a rule, but she's got something on her mind. Keep reading to find out!

Chapter 28. The Eyes Don't Lie.

Flack pulled Angell aside outside Interrogation and took her arm. "Jess, in here." When she looked at him, puzzled, he simply hauled her inside the room adjacent to them and looked at her quizzically. "Ok, spill. What's getting to you?"

Angell stiffened. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Her face was carefully blank. "If you're talking about Violet Stenson," she jerked a hand at the glass separating them from the glass window separating them from their suspect, "then you're wrong. I didn't know it was a crime to disagree with your little girlfriend."

Flack's jaw hardened. "Ok, Angell. Play it your way. I was just going to ask if you were ok. But I'm tired of trying to figure out what's wrong with you. I want you to go to Sinclair and ask him to take you off this case."

Angell's jaw dropped. "That's not your call." Her eyes were flashing with fury and something else, something Flack couldn't quite identify. "You have no right to – "

"I have every right," Flack interrupted calmly. "You're not doing your job, Angell. You're distracted and that makes you a liability."

"Go to hell, Flack," Angell said bitterly, wrenching her arm free of his grasp and yanking the door open with such force it shook the glass in the top panels. She stalked from the room, snarling at Scagnetti when he got in her way.

Flack sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair in frustration. He'd seen hints of tears in Angell's eyes, something nobody had ever seen, he was pretty sure. Whatever was eating her, it was big. And it was affecting her job. Angell never let anything get between her and the job. It was one of the things he'd found attractive about her when they'd dated the year before. She had that same single minded focus as he did, the same dedication to her work and the same thirst for justice he had.

He looked in and saw Kate tapping a finger against the table, clearly waiting for him to come in so she could begin her interrogation of the nervous teenager in front of her. He straightened up his tie with another sigh. Females. They would surely be the death of him.

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"Violet, can you describe your relationship with Clara and Sarah Taylor?" Kate said, controlling the urge to yell at the sullen girl in front of her. "Were you friends with both of them?"

"They were both my friends," Violet told her quietly. "I loved them equally."

Don't think I'm falling for that, Kate thought, because I'm so not.

"Miss Stenson, can you tell us more about the shooting?" Flack asked, keeping his face blank. His eyes bored into Violet's face. The girl met his eyes for a moment, but looked away.

Gotcha, Kate thought triumphantly. I just knew you'd melt under those eyes. She kept her urge to smile in check, knowing that even if Violet wasn't the shooter, she certainly knew who was.

"Miss Stenson," Flack prompted. "Please answer the question."

"I was friends with Clara, I guess, more so than Sarah," Violet admitted, twisting her hands together nervously. "We had all the same classes."

"Did it ever bother you that the girls were so wrapped up in each other," Kate asked, remembering several girls from her own middle school that had called her and Tara freaks because they didn't seem to need anyone else aside from each other.

"They were identical twins," Violet stated flatly. "They were more like one person sometimes than two separate people."

"But did that bother you?" Kate persisted.

"No." Violet sat back in the chair and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "I think that my father should be here for anything else you have to ask me."

"That's your right," Kate smiled pleasantly. "We'll get in contact with him right away."

"Angell, wait!" Kate hurried after Angell, who fixed her with a hard glare and kept walking. "We didn't get anything out of Violet Stenson. Her father swept in like a damn white knight and took her home."

"Figures," Angell said bitterly. "They always get away."

"Jess, stop." Kate clamped a hand on Angell's arm and looked up at the taller woman. "What's going on?"

"Look." Angell whirled on her, furious. "Can you and your boyfriend just leave me alone? I told him already this morning. Now I'm telling you. I don't want your help. Or need it. So just leave me alone."

Kate was left gaping after her, cheeks burning as she realised that everyone in the corridor had heard what Angell said. Bosco and Davis stood watching the scene with interest. Seeing Kate's red face, Davis headed towards her.

"So," he said casually, falling into step beside her. "Tara's getting out today, huh?"

Kate looked up at him, and something clicked inside her addled brain. "In here." She grabbed Davis by the arm and yanked him towards an empty Interrogation room.

"Um, Kate, people will talk," Davis said mildly, leaning against the wall. "Especially since Detective Angell just announced to the entire house that you and Flack are dating!"

"Oh please," Kate scoffed. "Like they haven't been talking for months now!" She fixed him with a steely glare. "What are your intentions towards my sister?"

Davis did a double take. "Excuse me?"

"Ty," Kate hissed. "Answer the question!"

"Kate, what in hell are you talking about?"

"Ty Davis, Junior." Kate advanced on him with a warning glare. "I'm asking you now, as her sister. And as your friend." She pointed a finger at him. "I've seen how you look at her."

Davis merely raised his eyebrows at her and remained silent.

"Oh for God's sake!" Kate threw her hands up and sat down on the chair. "Davis, I'm not going to eat you. You're too big." That earned her a smile. "There, I knew you could do it. I'm just asking."

"I don't know," Davis admitted. "I know she's been through a terrible time. I don't want to push her."

"But," Kate prompted. "I can sense a but in there."

"But," Davis continued, rolling his eyes at her. "Just…but."

Kate stared at him, disgusted. "But? Just but? That's all you've got?"

"I don't want to hurt her," Davis said quietly. "And I could."

"She could hurt you too," Kate felt compelled to point out. "Ty, I asked her about you. I think she's just confused right now. She was attacked, hurt, beaten…" She broke off with a shudder. "She could have been killed."

"I know," Davis interrupted. "And she told me about that Gary guy."

"Gary," Kate said calmly, "is a horse's ass."

"Agreed."

"Good." She flashed him a grin. "Now, back to your problem. Are you interested in my sister?"

"Yes," Davis admitted. "But I'm not saying another word until I talk to her."

"Fair enough," Kate conceded. "But I swear, if you hurt her…"

"I like my face the way it is," Davis said, backing towards the door. "Can I go now?"

"Dismissed, Officer," Kate teased. "Go on. And Ty?"

"Yeah?"

"Come by anytime. You make her smile. That's something even I can't do lately." She crossed the room to him and pulled his head down so she could kiss his cheek, making him blush.

"I'm not telling Flack about this," Davis informed her as they left the room. "He's mean when he's rattled!"

"You could take him," Kate teased, hooking an arm through his as they strolled towards the main doors. "I've got to go, Ty. The Kellerman High school shooting is taking us all for a ride."

"I thought the sister did it." Davis said with a frown. He caught Kate's incredulous look and shrugged. "We hear things in the house too, you know. It's not you lab rats that get all the gossip!"

"She didn't shoot her," Kate said firmly. "There's no way she's our shooter."

"If you say so," Davis sounded doubtful. "I just think that people have a constant way of surprising you."

"Well, it's not that way this time," Kate snapped. "Clara Taylor didn't shoot her sister. Or any of those other people."

"There's a connection somewhere," Davis said sensibly. "You'll find it. Just keep looking for the links."

Kate stopped to stare up at him. "Ty, have you ever thought about working in Homicide? As in becoming a Detective?"

He grinned and shook his head. "Not a chance. Anti Crime's where I'm headed. I want my own division and I want to stop them before they happen, not find them when they're done."

"Admirable," Kate mused. "Just don't do it too well, or we'll be unemployed!" She laughed at his expression. "See you later!"

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"Why were you and Davis hiding in one of the Interrogation rooms across the road?" Lindsay demanded, barrelling into the computer lab where Kate was hunched over a monitor, comparing results of various DNA samples. "Bosco said that Davis was getting some twin action!"

"Bosco is a jerk," Kate declared without taking her eyes off the screen. "And I have a boyfriend."

"Boyfriend, huh?" Lindsay said with a smile. "Nice."

"Nice," Kate said smugly, "is what you call old ladies. Don is…"

"Hot?" Lindsay suggested, making Kate gape at her. "What? I'm pregnant, not blind! And besides, you'd have to be dead a week to not notice those eyes!"

"Ok, crazy hormonal pregnant lady," Kate laughed. "Back off!" She tore her eyes away from the screen to look at Lindsay and smiled at the other woman.

Pregnancy suited her. Her brown hair was shiny, her eyes were bright and clear. And, Kate thought enviously, her skin was in great condition. She'd started to show a little over the top of her pants, and Kate had noticed that she was prone to patting her belly without noticing she was doing it.

"What?" Lindsay demanded, putting her hands to her hair. "Am I all messed?" She was running her hands over her curls as she spoke. "Do I have ink on my clothes again?" She checked the front of her red t-shirt.

"No," Kate told her. "I was just thinking that you're looking a lot better today than you did last week."

"I was only sick once this morning, "Lindsay proclaimed proudly. "Danny thought I needed to be checked out just in case I was really sick!"

"Danny is going to be a wreck by the time this baby appears," Kate predicted. She sighed loudly and slumped backwards in her chair. "This case is driving me nuts."

"Didn't Stella and Mac call it?" Lindsay asked, frowning. "I thought that we decided the shooter was one of the twins."

"Clara isn't the shooter," Kate ground out. "She just isn't."

"Kate, maybe you need to take yourself off this one," Lindsay suggested cautiously. "You seem to be in way too deep." When Kate only looked at her, she sighed. "Ok, ok. Sorry. Can I help?"

Kate quickly outlined her reasons for suspecting Violet Stenson and Lindsay nodded. "Ok. GSR. She could have washed her hands."

"She did. I swabbed them. No trace."

"She probably washed her clothes, too." Lindsay tapped a finger on her chin. "So there's no real point in testing those."

"She did." Kate shrugged when Lindsay's eyebrows shot up. "I asked her already for them."

"Ok, so let's see. She washed her hands, her clothes. Where would GSR get that she wouldn't wash?"

"Her jewellry?" Flack suggested, coming into the room in time to hear Lindsay's question. When both women gawked at him, he winked. "I am a man of many talents, ladies."

Kate blushed at the train her thoughts were taking. "Yeah, whatever. Why are you here?"

Flack did his best to look wounded. "Can't a guy come and see his favourite lab rats?" He yelped as Lindsay cuffed the back of his head. "Ow! Damn, Montana, being pregnant is making you scary!"

"I was always scary, Flack," Lindsay said, grinning at Kate. "You just never saw it."

Kate watched as she left, giggling to herself. She found herself being tugged forward until she was sitting in Flack's lap. "Don!" Her voice was a squeak. "I can't be like this! Not here! I work here! Mac could see me!"

Flack laughed and released her reluctantly. "Ok, ok." He watched as she settled in her chair again, absently twirling a strand of hair around her fingers. "What's up?"

"Well, it's the Kellerman High case." Her green eyes locked on his. "I think we need to test Violet Stenson again for GSR."

"Kate." Flack sighed and shifted over so he could look in her eyes. "I think you're right, you know I do. I trust your instincts. But I can't haul in a teenager with nothing else to go on other than your gut."

Kate nodded miserably. "I've gone over and over everything I can, Don. I can't think of anything else to do. I just…I just know she didn't do this."

"What is it Mac says when you're stuck on something?" Flack tapped a finger on her nose gently. "He'd say tp-"

"Take it apart and start again," Mac's voice stated. "So that's what we'll do."

Kate turned her chair around and gaped. Mac, Hawkes, Stella, Danny and Lindsay stood next to him. They were all garbed in white lab coats and carried files and folders marked with the victim's names. "What's going on?"

"Looks like you've got help," Flack said softly. He was looking at her with a smile. "Go get your suspect, Irish. I'll be waiting for the call." He kissed her, cutting of her squeak, and exited with a wink at Mac.

"You guys," Kate began, looking at them. "Thank you."

She looked on as Hawkes claimed the chair nearest to hers, spreading the photographs of the victims over the table. Lindsay and Danny took the DNA results, putting their heads together and examining them silently. Stella and Mac took the victim's clothing from various sealed bags and began to go over them with their flashlights and magnifying glasses.

Kate smiled at them before going back to her perusal of witness statements. "Thanks, guys."

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"I think I have something," Stella announced an hour later, holding up a pink top stained with blood. "Here, in this blood. Look."

Kate reached out her gloved hands and took the stained item from Stella. "What's that?"

"It's a pattern of some sort," Stella said, pointing to the loops and swirls. "It's small, and faint, but it's not part of the material. It was from something that pressed against it."

Kate peered closer. "It's from some sort of object, like a watch or bracelet. Maybe a ring." Her head snapped up and she grabbed a set of photographs from Hawkes. "Look. It's a match to that watch strap from Violet Stenson. The leather has a design etched into it." She was waving the photo triumphantly at Mac, who smiled at her enthusiasm. "We've got her!"

Stella pulled out her phone. "Hey, Flack. It's Stell. Yup!" She grinned and gave Kate the thumbs up. "Go get her. I'll send Kate down to you now." Hanging up her phone, she looked over at Kate. "Go get em!"

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"Hello, Violet," Kate said evenly, facing the girl. "Hello, Mr Stenson."

"Why have you brought Violet in here again?" Mr Stenson was livid. His eyes were hot with anger as he faced Kate. Flack and Angell flanked her, both expressionless.

"Because we believe she had something to do with the deaths of those teenagers," Kate stated flatly. "And their parents and families deserve to know the truth."

"My daughter didn't do anything," Allen Stenson said angrily. "I know what you people are like. Press and parents are baying for blood, so you'll give them a name and let them hang them out to dry."

"It's better than letting a killer go free," Angell interrupted, her face pale with anger. "How would you like if someone you loved was gunned down in cold blood and you never found the person who did it?"

Kate looked at Flack, eyebrows raised. Angell leaned down into Allen Stenson's face and continued, her face twisted with loathing. "Your daughter is a murderer, Mr Stenson. And Susan Taylor deserves to know that her daughter isn't one."

"Detective Angell," Flack spoke quietly. "Can I see you outside?"

"No need, " Angell declared. Her voice was void of emotion now, her eyes empty. "I'm going." At the door, she turned to a shocked Violet. "You killed your friends, Violet. It's their good luck and your bad that Detective Kennedy here is a damn good CSI, or you'd be getting away with it and Susan Taylor's life would be ruined." With that last comment, she turned on her heel and walked out.

Flack turned back to Kate, who didn't miss a beat. She turned back to Violet and smiled politely. "May I see your watch please?"

"Why?" Violet's eyes darted to her father and back to Kate again. "What do you need it for?"

"Miss Stenson, your watch," Flack said, taking a step forward and daring Allen to interfere with one look. When Violet shook her head, Flack turned his gaze to her. "We can do this the easy way, Miss Stenson, or the hard way."

"You can't hurt me," Violet said fearfully, turning tearful eyes to her father. "Daddy?"

"Violet, "Allen whispered, "Do as they ask."

Tears trailing down her cheeks, she took off her watch and handed it to Kate. "I didn't mean it."

Kate pulled on her gloves and quickly swabbed the strap twice. Flack watched as she tested them both, almost crowing with satisfaction when one Q-tip turned pink and one turned blue.

He liked a colourful life.

"These swabs test positive for blood and gunshot residue," Kate told Violet, who began to weep. "I'd say you have some explaining to do."

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"That was some day's work," Danny told Kate as she was coming out of the locker room. "I heard you got her to crack in less than fifteen minutes!"

Kate smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "There's no victory in this one, Danny. Susan Taylor still has to bury her daughters."

Danny swept his gaze over her black skirt and dark grey shirt, the neat twist in her hair and the black high heels. "That's where you're going now, isn't it? To the house?"

Kate simply nodded. "I feel like I should. She's burying her daughters tomorrow. And she shouldn't have to do that thinking that people feel like one of them is a murderer."

Danny nodded his agreement before squeezing her shoulder and going to find his wife.

Kate went outside and across the road to the five-five, waving to Faith and Bosco as she did so. They were clearly finished their shift and heading off to Sullivan's pub. She politely declined their invitation to join them, instead going inside to where Flack was sitting at his desk, finishing off the paperwork he'd abandoned to help Kate in her pursuit of Violet Stenson's confession.

"Hey," she said softly, sitting in the chair across from him. "You off soon?"

"Not for another four," Flack answered, checking his watch. He looked closely at her. "You changed. Where are you going?"

"To the Taylor's house," Kate answered softly. "I want to tell Susan Taylor the truth about Clara and Sarah's murder."

Flack nodded briefly and stood up. "I'll come with you."

She looked gratefully at him. "Thanks, Don. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Flack took her hand in his and kissed it. "I know," he declared modestly. "You'd be lost for sure."

Kate was silent the whole way to the Taylor house. When they neared their destination, Flack parked the car and took her hand. "You ready?"

"How can you be ready for something like this?" Kate asked bitterly. "Two girls are dead thanks to another teenager's jealousy and hatred." She shuddered, remembering the blatant hatred she'd seen in Violet Stenson's eyes and the ugly twist it had put into the girl's pretty face.

"They deserved it."

Violet's words echoed in her head along with the sound of her laughter as she was led away by a grim faced Flack. Angell had been nowhere to be found.

"Where is Angell?" Kate asked suddenly. "Have you seen her since we brought Violet Stenson in?"

Flack frowned. "No. I tried to call her, but she didn't pick up."

"We have to tell someone," Kate said worriedly. "We have to – Don?"

"Yeah?"

"Look." Kate pointed at the front door of Susan Taylor's house. "Over there."

Angell stood outside the door, looking at it. She was dressed simply in a black shirt and dark grey pants. Her dark brown hair was neatly tied back in a ponytail and she was visibly trembling. She took a deep breath and knocked on the front door, entering when a woman answered it.

"Let's go," Flack said, tugging on Kate's hand to get her to move. "Come on."

They went to the door, greeted the black-clad woman who told them she was a neighbour, and went inside to where Angell was talking softly to Susan Taylor. The woman's face was pale with grief, but she was nodding. Tears coursed down her cheeks and she put her arms around Angell and hugged her tightly.

She looked over Angell's shoulder and spotted Kate and Flack hovering in the doorway. "Detectives!" She let Angell go with a whispered "Thank you," and made her way across the room to where Kate was studying a photograph of the twins on their last birthday.

"It's a beautiful picture," Flack told her. "They were pretty girls."

"Yes, " Susan agreed. "They were. " She looked at Kate. "Detective Angell told me that you never gave up on them. When the other detectives thought that Clara was to blame, you never believed them."

"I didn't," Kate said simply. "She couldn't have done it."

"How did you know?" Susan asked her.

"I just knew," Kate said. "Looking at them. Anyone would know." She hugged the woman tightly. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Taylor. So sorry."

"Thank you," Susan answered. "It means a lot that you would come here and say that. I can't tell you how much."

"It's all we can do," Flack said simply. "There's nothing we can say to bring them back."

"But you found the person who took them," Susan contradicted, reaching up to hug him too. "That's what counts."

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"Wow," Kate managed when they left the house. "That was hard."

"Yeah." Flack was unusually quiet.

"You ok?"

"Just thinking about Angell, actually," Flack admitted.

"Ok," Kate said slowly, not sure where this was going. "Why were you thinking about Jess?"

"Because something's wrong," Flack said quietly. "Really wrong. We've worked together for years and I've never seen her like this over a case. Not ever."

"Then go find her," Kate suggested. "She could probably use a friend right now."

"Come with me," Flack begged. "I don't know what to say to her."

"Don, you and she dated," Kate said patiently. "You should really know what to say to her."

"That's why I have no clue!" Flack protested. "I - "

"Don," Kate interrupted, pointing to a plain black Toyota Corolla parked down the street. "Isn't that Angell's car?"

Flack was already heading towards it, peering in the window. "Jess? Jess? You ok?"

Angell was sitting in the front seat, slumped over the steering wheel. Flack's jaw dropped when he realised that she was crying. Sobs shook her slim frame, seeming to come from the soles of her feet.

"Oh, Jess." Kate was rounding the hood, climbing into the front seat and pulling the sobbing detective to her. "What is it? What happened?"

"I should have known," Angell cried, beating her fist against her knee hard enough to make Flack wince and reach around from the back seat to take her hand. "I should have known it was her."

"What do you mean?" Kate looked over her shoulder at Flack. "Jess, did something happen?"

"It's just like Carrie," Angell whispered, raising heartbroken eyes to Kate's face. "Just like Carrie."

"Who's Carrie?" Flack asked her, rubbing her shoulder gently. "Jessie, who's Carrie?"

"My sister." Angell's voice was muffled against Kate's shoulder. "My sister, Carrie. She was murdered twelve years ago."

Kate was horrified. "Oh my God, Jessie, I'm so sorry." She rocked Angell slightly as the other woman shook with sobs. "I didn't know. You never said...I knew you had all those brothers, but a sister?"

"What happened?" Flack cut in, knowing that if Angell didn't talk about it she'd break apart. "Tell us what happened."

"She was in a college class," Angell began, pulling back slightly and scrubbing her hands over her face. "She was eighteen. I was sixteen. It was a Tuesday morning." Her voice was flat. "She went to class, as usual, and then somebody came in and shot her in the head. Twice."

"Did they catch the person who killed her?" Kate asked, keeping her voice low.

"They got him," Angell replied grimly. "It was Morgan Alden, her best friend." Bitterness laced her voice. "He claimed he loved her, but he killed her and took her from us. My mother was never the same."

"How could you have known it was him?" Kate asked. "Jess, you were sixteen years old. Sixteen. That's a child. "

"She told me that she was worried about him," Angell shot back. "I should have known."

"You can't blame yourself for some guy killing your sister," Flack said bluntly. "You're better than that."

"It's why I became a cop," Angell told them, fresh tears coursing down her cheeks. "To catch them and to get justice." She let out a short, sharp laugh. "How much of a cliche is that?"

"Justice is why we all do it," Kate said softly. "Jess, let Don drive you home. Ok? We'll take you home."

Angell allowed herself to be led to the car. "I'm tired," she whispered, looking so sad Kate's heart ached for her. "I'm so tired."

"Go to sleep," Kate soothed, closing the door of the back seat and looking at Flack. He came around the car and took her into his arms, holding tightly.

"I never knew." His voice was muffled against her hair. "Four years of working with her. None of us ever knew."

"Don," Kate soothed, her voice hitching a little. "You couldn't have known. Nobody could. But she's going to be ok." She was rubbing his back as she talked, trying to soothe him. "Don, don't torture yourself. Jess is fine. She just needs some rest and some leave. Ok?"

He kissed her softly, inhaling the smell of her perfume. "Ok."

"Now," Kate ordered, getting into the passenger seat. "Let's get her home."

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"I'm home," Kate called to the apartment as she pushed the door in.

Tara came into the hall, a smile on her face. "Welcome home," she replied. "Dee told me what happened. Are you ok?"

"I am now," Kate said, accepting the hug her twin gave her gratefully. "What's Dee cooking?"

Tara grinned. "Lasagne. Brian and Ty are coming over for dinner. Want some?"

"Do I!" Kate squeezed her sister's hand. "I'm just going to change." She headed for her bedroom, kicking off her shoes as she entered. Her eye fell on a picture of her and Tara, taken on their twenty fifth birthday. They were smiling at each other, poised to blow out the candles on the big yellow and white cake.

Tears rose to her eyes and she dropped down onto the bed with a sob. Arms came around her and she clung to her sister. "There, there," Tara crooned to her. "It's ok. You're ok."

"She was so sad," Kate sobbed. "And I kept thinking that it could have been Mom and Dad, or I could have been without you."

"I knew you weren't ok," Tara accused with a smile for her sister. "You can't lie."

"How did you know?" Kate asked. "Aside from the tears."

"How did you know that Clara didn't kill her sister?" Tara asked her.

"It was her eyes," Kate said. "I just knew it. The same way I knew when I looked at Violet Stenson that she was the one who did it."

"Exactly," Tara declared. "The eyes don't lie, Katie." She hugged her sister again. "Go on, get changed. Dee's waiting for us in the kitchen. She's got hot chocolate."

"You can't have that before dinner."

"I can't drink," Tara pointed out. "So that's the nearest I'll get to indulging myself for a few weeks." She grinned at Kate. "Besides, it's never the wrong time for chocolate."

I am going to see Mamma Mia tonight in the cinema. That's all I've time for! I've got some work done on Lily's story too so expect an update soon!