Chapter Four: Interview with an old Housekeeper...

I tapped my pencil to my notebook, staring blankly at my handwriting. Maybe listing clues with Ella would be better than doing this by myself. Shaking my head, I circled F's home address... at least the return address on the letter that he had sent to my parents years ago. "First place to look... then maybe the scene of the crime." I jotted down a few more notes to myself.

"Star...why are you still awake..?"

I paused, glancing over at my sister, who was just stirring in her own bed. "Oh nothing much. Reporter stuff." That technically wasn't a lie. I wasn't looking at this case the same way a detective will look at it, I was looking at it like a reporter looking for a story.

"Oh...okay. Don't forget we have school in the morning." Ella passed out again.

I sighed, before picking up my tablet and binder full of old newspaper clippings. It only took me a few seconds to find what I needed, every single piece of news coverage on my parents death. There's got to be something that we were missing...

"I told you to go to sleep at a reasonable hour!" Ella scolded me as we walked to school, concern flashing in her eyes as she glanced at my own exhausted eyes.

I merely shrugged, too tired really to protest her mothering me just this once. "I told you. I was doing reporter stuff, reporter stuff you might find interesting."

"Oh? Like what? Setting up an interview with someone that knew our parents back then?" Ella sarcastically asked.

I blinked, before turning to face her. "Actually now that you mentioned it... I did manage to make an appointment to interview with a Ms. Salon... and she did know our parents before their deaths. In fact she was our housekeeper."

"Really? Wow... I was being sarcastic."

"I know, and I'm not being sarcastic." I rolled my eyes skyward, before noticing him. Brandon Constellation, football star, track star, soccer star, any sport really. He played it. He also had an average of A+ for his grades. Oh did I mention that my powers appear to make him think that acknowledging me as if we're old buddies is normal. Biting back a groan, I turned to my locker, quickly opening it. Maybe if I acted like I didn't see him, Brandon will take his varsity letter jacket elsewhere?

"Hey Star! I was wondering..."

Never mind. I snapped my locker shut, turning to face him. "Look, I'm not in charge of that article any more. It's Jackie you want to talk to." Scooping up my backpack, I quickly left for class.

~Ella's POV~

I flinched as Star left us, having already guessed what it was that Brandon was going to say... and it had nothing to do with some article on the school newspaper. "Would you like some advice?" I really hope that I know what I'm doing!

Brandon smiled, shifting his weight ever so slightly. "Advice from Star's older twin sister? I... might actually need some."

I smiled at that, shifting the weight of my backpack so that it settled better on my shoulder. "Well, first piece of advice is this. Be patient. From what I can tell, Star doesn't trust anyone's emotions around here. I do though since, well, you know." I smiled nervously, even as Brandon nodded slowly.

"That's right, you can read emotions." Brandon smiled at me, only to jump when the bell rang. "I, uh, best get to class." With that he left, leaving me alone once more.

~Star's POV~

I clicked on a few more websites, scribbling down notes about the competition that the school's marching band was headed towards soon. I was just placed in charge of interviewing the drama club members, individually if possible, about the upcoming contest. By the time the bell had rang, I had ten pages of questions and notes about technical terms and their definitions. Flexing my fingers, I hurriedly left the room, making a beeline for my next class.

Looks like my running a background check on Ms. Salon will have to be during my study hall.

"Ms. Newton? Can I burrow a computer?" I shifted slightly, posed to leave at a moments notice.

"Sure thing... go right ahead Star." Ms. Newton waved her hand over to the one empty computer.

Maybe I should learn how to control my powers better... I most definitely didn't mean to make her give in to my request. Slipping into the chair in front of the computer, I began typing quickly, diving into my research. Reporters were always prepared before an interview...

"Why are you doing this again?" Ella grumped as we walked down the muddy sidewalk, it had rained during school, heading towards a small suburban home.

I sighed, wondering vaguely why I even bothered with bringing her with. "I told you. I'm the one that writes the weekly article about what's going on outside of school. I need an interview that won't put people to sleep and I think interviewing someone that used to work for a famous actress would be right on the epic side. You know? The not so glamourous side of things. She'll be able to proof that Mom was just another person."

Ella eyed me for the longest time, before sighing loudly, stopping in front of the house. "Fine. I can't go back to the Bounty because you already told Pixal that we would be here after school instead."

I felt guilt stab at me that I was dragging my sister down with me... but I just had a few questions was all. I quickly rang the doorbell before I lost my nerve. We didn't have long to wait before an elderly lady opened the door. She appeared to be the average, stereotypical elderly lady. Bent over with a walker to help with balance, lavender dress, dark purple shawl, blue slippers, white hair, spectacles... too old to be of much help for anything but an interview for a school newspaper.

"Hello?" Her voice was raspy, hard too hear.

Clearing my throat loudly, I spoke clearly and as loud as I could without being considered rude. "We talked on the phone the just last night. I want to do an interview for my school newspaper...?"

"Ah yes! I remember you now! Please please, come on in!" She shuffled out of the way, gesturing with one trembling hand for us to enter.

I made a beeline for an old sofa that most definitely had seen better days. It looked like she had picked it up at the dump. Plopping down on it, at least it was comfortable, I pulled out my notebook, opening it to the questions I wanted to ask her. "Okay for my first question, I was wondering if you could tell us what it was like to work for M... Ms. Annaliese Gemma Hawthorn? I hear that she was quite the actor years ago."

"Yes...a pity that she died really." Ms. Salon slowly sank into an armchair that matched the couch. "Now those were the days!"

I smiled politely as I continued to write stuff down.

A/N: Trying this new thing out where I respond to reviews from the last chapter...only no one reviewed the last chapter so I'll end it here.