6.

Alice was having trouble concentrating in class. She was excited about her brother arriving that afternoon, and she was thinking about Mark's strange reaction the evening before. Was there something about prank calls which made him nervous? James had added that he had been nervous about leaving his son alone with a "stranger", and Mark had certainly acted that way with the long list of instructions.

"Hey!" Cloe poked her in the ribs. "She's looking at you so at least look as though you're half alive!"

Alice grinned, and tried to concentrate on the rest of the Math class.

Afterwards Cloe asked her "How did the babysitting go?"

"Fine. James really is a good kid." Alice replied.

"And?" Cloe asked, raising an eyebrow. "I can tell there is something else on your mind."

"Lots of things actually." Alice admitted. She told Cloe about the prank call and how it freaked her out a little considering the ones the other night, and Mark's strange reaction to the prank call.

"Maybe he's just a nervous parent. Lots of single parents are." Cloe offered.

"Perhaps." Alice agreed. "Cloe-do you know a girl called Katy Simmons?"

Cloe stopped and stared at her. "What made you ask that?" She demanded.

"Cloe!" Alice said, equally as surprised as her friend. "Do you know her then?"

"I did." Cloe said, brushing her hair back from her face and sighing. "I knew her pretty well actually."

"Knew her?" Alice muttered. "What's with the past tense?"

"She's dead." Cloe said simply, and her friends jaw dropped.

"We were friends up until middle school I guess. I grew up, started thinking about boys, and things, when she still wanted to play dolls. So we sort of went our separate ways. But she was sweet enough. Friendly enough." Cloe said sighing again. "They found her out on the highway, about twenty miles away. She'd been strangled. There were virtually no clues, and the case went unsolved. For awhile we were all pretty scared, and then the police told us they suspected she had been hitchhiking. We didn't think it was the sort of thing she would do, but on the other hand she was so sweet she would have trusted anyone.."

"Geez." Was all Alice could say.

"Why did you ask about her anyway?" Cloe asked. "I mean, how did you know her name?"

"James." Alice replied. "She used to baby-sit him, and then he said she stopped coming, but he didn't know why."

The two girls looked at each other in shock.

"Now tell me that there isn't something strange about Mark?" Alice asked.

Cloe hesitated, and then said "I guess it is kind of creepy, a freaky coincidence, but it doesn't mean anything. Unless you think Mark is a psycho killer?"

Alice shook her head. "No, I don't think I'd go that far!" She said with a weak smile. "But I can't help but feel there is something weird about him."

*****

That afternoon Alice's brother arrived. She threw her arms around him, and they both went into the house to catch up.

"How is Mom?" Chad asked.

"She's good. She's.happy." Alice admitted.

"Still don't like the boyfriend?" Chad asked.

"Wait till you meet him." Alice replied. "How's Dad?"

"He's okay.." Chad said, but Alice wasn't convinced.

"You can't fool me-what's wrong?" She demanded.

"Well he's not himself." Chad admitted. "I think he's been drinking too much, and he takes a lot of time off work. I think the divorce has hit him harder than it has Mom."

"Funny, I would always have thought he would have coped better than she did." Alice mused.

"Maybe if the circumstances were reversed. Mom was the one who decided on the divorce Alice-it wasn't mutual like they told us. And her moving over here wasn't just a career move." Chad said.

Alice stared at him. "What are you saying?"

"Dad told me some things last night. Mom met this Mark character at a conference in New York, and they got on well. So well that they kept emailing each other all the time, and just happened to both attend a conference on environmental mediation." Chad said, shaking his head. "I don't think there was anything between them other than friendship mind you, especially considering Dad knew about it. Then when Mom said she wanted a divorce it was interesting to note that she moved to the home city of Mark."

Alice felt sick. "But he didn't help her get the job did he? I mean, they work in different firms!"

"Oh she probably got that on her merits." Chad admitted. "All I'm saying is that it's interesting, and it's no wonder Dad is having a hard time of it. But the strange thing is that he doesn't blame her-he blames himself for not being a better husband and a better father, for working too long a hours..."

Alice shifted in her seat. "I cant believe I didn't know this!" She finally managed to say. "I hate Mom for this!"

"Don't do that!" Chad said. "Dad would hate it if we hated her. He doesn't hate her! You have to admit Mom and Dad weren't exactly the perfect match!"

Alice had to smile. That much was true! Then she listened carefully. "That's Mom's car. Do we do a "surprise" thing?"

"Right. You stay in here and I'll hide in the lounge room and then just come walking in as though there is nothing strange about me being here." Chad said, hurrying into the lounge room.

Sure enough Alice's Mom came into the kitchen where Alice was sitting.

"Hello sweetie how was your day?" She asked.

"Fine." Alice replied shortly. Despite what Chad had said she was still a little annoyed at her Mom for her reasons in moving so far away. Not for the divorce, but simply for the fact that she'd moved here perhaps because Mark was here and she thought something might happen between the two of them?

Her Mom frowned slightly, but there was no time to question her daughter further.

"Hi Mom. What's for dinner? I am starved!" Chad said, walking into the kitchen.

For a moment their Mom just stared at them, and then she rushed to hug her son. "You sneaks! You didn't tell me!" She admonished them both, her arms still tightly around her son. "Oh Chad it is so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too Mom-and even her!" Chad replied, sticking his tongue out at his sister, who returned the favor. Their Mom looked delighted at their antics.

"You two will never grow up." She said happily. "And how about we go out for tea? To celebrate you being here?"

"Sure Mom." Chad agreed, and Alice nodded her head.

"Okay, let me get changed into something a little more comfy, and then I'll take you both to this Chinese restaurant Mark took me to the other week. It's a well kept secret, but they serve the best meals there!"

Noticing the look on Alice's face Chad said "I better get to meet this man and check him out before I go back home!"

Their Mom laughed. "I'm sure you will. I was thinking of inviting him and his son over for dinner on Sunday anyway, so now I'll make sure I definitely do so you can meet him."

She went to get changed and Alice made a face. "She thinks we're like one big happy family since I babysat for his son twice." Checking to make sure her Mom wasn't coming she gave her brother a quick run down on what had happened with the prank calls, and Mark's weird attitude, and then also the girl who used to babysit for James being killed, and the teacher saying that the marriage hadn't been the happiest.

Chad listened carefully, and then shook his head. "I know it all seems strange, but I don't know that there is something in it all. The guy's wife left him, so no wonder he is nervous about leaving his kid with people-what if they hurt the kid again by leaving? And what if something happens to the kid when he is all he has left? As for the girl dying-well it's a coincidence at best. There is nothing whatsoever to indicate that Mark was involved or something-"

"I didn't say he killed her!" Alice protested. "I don't think he is a killer-at least I don't think so yet!"

"As for the marriage, well sure they want to put on a good front. Doesn't everyone?" Chad continued, ignoring his sister's comment.

"Okay, okay, it might not sound like much to you..just wait till you meet him, and if you don't think he is creepy, or weird, or strange...well then I'll stop bugging you about it!" Alice promised.

"Deal." Chad replied. "Here's Mom, lets get some food!"