The Wish
by: MerlinsApprentince
***
Chapter 6
A/N: POOOOOOOOOOOOOOR ALICE.....
Just makes thing all the more interestin' though .....
Enjoy
***
"Alice? Alice...... it's time to eat are you going to come out?" Jo McGuire stood in front of the locked bedroom door, stiff in her formal black dress. The funeral for Annie and Jim was done and over with guests coming and going in silent mourning.
Lizzie stood quietly beside her, starring at the empty response. Ever sine the death Alice had made herself scarce as possible, hidden in the comforting folds of her room. The poor little girl. Let alone the fact her parents, both of them, were gone Alice had learned out how. Lizzie shivered at the terrible memory of that night.
The blood. The bodies. The guun. As the police and ambulance swarmed the scene, late that night, the detective on the case, Detective Roberts, calmly explained the situaition. Annie, sweet, patient Annie, had taken the pistol, shot Jim and then quietly shot the gun in her forehead. A murder and suicide.
"She's not coming out, Mom.... just leave the sandwhich at the door" Lizzie's voice was suprisingly calm, ,despite this morning's events. The burial had been tough. Sitting there in black, watching the gleaming wooden coffins fall to the ground. The foul smell of the piles of wreaths and flowers. And the tears. Those awful tears.
It had brought waves of memories, memories Lizzie would rather have locked in a box and the key thrown away forever. Of the dreadful heartwrenching past. No.
No, she couldn't think about that right now. Right now they had a mourning seven year old to deal with. "If she doesn't eat anything soon, she'll get ill" Jo clucked watching in apprehension as they headed down the steps. They had the small after party at Alice's Uncle's house , a bright and cheery mansion about half 10 times the size of the McGuire household.
They couldn't have it at Alice's house for it was still a creme scene for the dectectives and the McGuire's weren't excatly relatives. So Jim's brother, Daniel, givingly gave up his house for the day. God bless the man. He had to be going through torture on his brother's death. Lizzie knew she would be lost, terribly lost if Matt had been murdered carelessly like that. Matt had been a pest but he was her brother. They had bonds. They may be invisible but they were still there....
"Daniel was so nice to let us use his mansion...." Lizzie couldn't help but note to her motherwalkong down the beautiful sprialing staircase. Jo knodded wordlessly. Both were still in a sort of silent shock. It was hard to believe all of this happened days ago. Only days.
"Hey, there. You ok?" Alison appeared with a flute of shimmering champagne in hand, her bright red hair in a french braid, a odd contrast to all the black and gray colors in the room. "I'm holding up. It's Alice. I'm worried about her, truthfully. She hasn't come out of the room since the day she found out" Lizzie sighed taking the extra glass her friend had handed to her.
Jo had bid good bye and hurried to the kitchen at the sight of grray smoke and the cries of her surprised husband, leaving the two alone to wander. "I know, I know. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. This was suppose to be a happy occasion with you know you seeing your family and friends again"
Alison laid down her sympathy slipping Lizzie's limp arm through the crook of her own arm, comfortingly. She could see how stressed and hurt her friend had become by this tragedy. Especially at the funeral. Her skin became a pale milky white and her blue eyes were as wide as tea cup saucers. The poor girl had actually started to tremble .
Ali remembered the last time she was like this, and she sent another shiver of fear through her body. That funeral had disturbed her usually passive friend too easily. Maybe it had something to do when before they met... she was already frightened and scared out of her wits when Ali met her at her work. The missing year of Lizzie Mcguire's life.
"Don't worry, Ali. I'll be fine. Alice won't. Her mom just killed her father and then committed suicide" Lizzie ran a hand through her limp pale blonde locks. Distress and worry squirmed into the pit of her stomach, as she allowed worry for the little girl flood her. She had known Alice for a limited amount of days, but had felt like she had known her forever.
Unexpectedly Alice had wormed her way into her heart. Not excatly the safest place."Of course, she's not fine. She just needs time alone to contemplate this, Lizzie. Think it over, you know? And piece it together. Her parents are gone. The kid has alot to swallow in a short amount of time." Ali smoothed down Lizzie's ruffled mother hen's feathers, patting her arm soothingly. "Give her time. Miranda and Gabe are coming by later so stick around. Gordo hasn't called yet"
Lizzie sighed as they wandered the crowded buffet. Gordo was the only one who could excatly understand the gnawing guilt in her stomach no one could smooth over. Understand her dilemma. Because he was going through the same thing. The same guilt of wondering. If she had gotten there sooner would she have saved Annie and Jim? Would they still be alive? Would she have been safer if Annie hadn't drinken so much last night?
The what-if game. Lizzie hadn't the heart to explain it to anybody. They would throw it asiide with pleas to not worry and don't blame yourself. Throw off her thoughts. She'd rather talk them over, and exorcise them. With someone who understood. With Gorod. But she hadn't seen him since the night of the murder. She'd just have to wait.
But , hopefully, not for long. "Lizzie" Gabe came in looking strikingly handsome in a dark blue tux, his bleach blonde hair slicked back respectfully. "Phone call for you "
***
Gordo looked at the scene of the crime, the small quiant house of death, quietly, images and ideas running through his well developed mind. And questions. Millions and millions of questions, all of them mostly unanswered. "Did you get the test back from the pistol?" Gordo broke his gaze from the body outlines to stare blankly at Detective Roberts, a attractive attentice woman with ragged brown curls and eyes that showed stubborn-ness.
She sighed pulling off the edge of her gloves. This man would not back off. "Yes. Her fingerprints were littered all over it" she said simply scarthing a few notes into a small pad she had in her purse. Gordo sighed sticking his hands thoughtfully into his jean pockets. "It just doesn't sound right. Not one bit. It's all too easy. All to easy"
Roberts stopped scribbling to stare up at the annoyance for a moment. "What are you talking about, kid?" Gordo bit his lip, his eyes lingering over the dry crimson red blood stian. It all brought clips, images of that night that had happened only days ago. It felt like years. The crippled life less bodies. The blood, soft and linting, in the bright light. And the huge blank eyes of the victims. Huge terrified eyes.
"The whole plot. It's just all to simple for these people. Annie and Jim... they were complicated. Who would she kill her husband? And why now, right after a dinner party? In the entrance hall no less. And their eyes, Detective. Their eyes. Her's weren't insane, crazy, angry.They were frightened. Scared" The big pale blue lifeless eyes were plastered to the back of Gordo's eyes.
Unshakeable, they were. It was something Gordo would probably never forget. Nor that balmy feeling that something just wasn't right about this situation. It was all too familiar and haunting in some way. Roberts raised her eyebrows in thought, but shook it off. "Maybe she was insane, but it was then frightened of what she had done. The choices are limitless, kid. Limitless"
"Hey Gordo, pretty little blonde outside waitin' for you. Won't come in though. Frightened out of her wits, she is" Peter O'Malley, one of the many cops Gordo had got accquianted with, came forward a cheeky grin on his handsome irish face. Obviously he had thought it was a very pretty blonde. Gordo looked up a bit shaken. He had been thrown back in time, to stare at the lifeless bodies in hopes for clues but it was time to come back into reality.
"Oh, thanks" he mummured in reply tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He had time enough to think about this. "Thanks, Detective. Sorry for the annoyance. I just have that itch that won't leave me alone about thise case. Something isn't right. Good afternoon and good luck" he pioletely waved good-bye to Peter and Roberts his mind whirling as he headed to the front door.
He stepped down the porch to the fresh after noon noting the amount of police cars. Lizzie stood on the lawn, great apprehension in her blue eyes. You could see she was determined to not step back into the house that held so many surprises. "Hey, Lizzie. Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you eaten? It's almost lunchtime. Let's head down to The Cup" The long greeting seemed bland and forced as he gripped her arm.
Lizzie frowned wrapping her other arm around her. Despite his wide awake and twinkling eyes, bags underneath sag deep and obvious. He musn't had a week of sleep since she last saw him. "Gordo, you ok? You look exhausted" she let worry cave over before curiousity, allowing the huge curly haired man to leard her to his slick car. "Except for my stomach, I'm pretty good. How 'bout you? Holding up?" he said going to the front seat concern in his voice evident.
Lizzie hiestatingly knodded as she went into the passenger seat. She wasn't excatly fine now, but she would be. Later. After it slowly sunk in. She knew this from experiance. It only took time. "Yeah... you weren't at the funeral today. " picking at the beads of her simple embroidered black dress, Lizzie gave a sigh. Weariness was starting to take over her senses. Gordo felt it too, but only slightly. His brain was on overdrive.
The ache behind his eyes told him sleep would be needed soon. If only his overly active mind would allow it. The thoughts and guesses and ideas just kept coming. It wouldn't stop. "I was there. Only for a bit though. I've been busy" he took a turn into town, running his hand over his sleep deprived eyes. "And Alice? How is she?"
Lizzie had a certain sense that Gordo was putting off the reason why he had called her down for a quiet moment. He said he had something he needed to explain to someone and he needed her to listen. And obediantly Lizzie had come with hiestation. It's what they did so long before. He would talk ,explain, and she would listen. Or she would complian or irriatate and he would listen. Ethier way the pieces fit.
Today it happened to be her day as a listener. "I wouldn't know. I haven't seen her for 3 days. She's locked herself in her bedroom and won't come out" Lizzie ran her hand through her short fluffy hair. A habit that had irriatated her friends so. To Gordo it had almost brought a smile to his face. The habit was as much Lizzie as were her taste in clothes and wild likings to pop rock music. "The poor girl. Not handling it well, it sounds. No fuss or fights at least" he pulled up to a quiant resturant coming quietly out of the car door, Lizzie following.
"I'd rather have fights then the nerve racking silent treartment she's giving us" the spicy aromas of the tiny side shop, sent her tummy rumbling. She hadn't had the time or energy to eat anything in awhile. Now just the thought of a chocolate chip banana muffin, or a tangy orange raisin scone that The Cup were famous for brought her mouth watering. "Hmm, yeah, I suppose" Gordo skillfully lead her through the crowd, thick and heavy and somehow successfully found a empty small table.
"Gordo... do you mind now telling me why you called me down for brunch? We are, I'm afriad, running out of light talk" As soon as the waitress, who as if by magic appeared out of no where to drop a huge pot of tea and cups brimming with spicy tea and collect orders, left she adressed this plainly towards him. Gordo gave a soft laugh, the first one in awhile. "No, lets not add anymore small talk" he insisted taking a sip of the warm delicious fluid.
Their tea was what made The Cup quite famous in Hillridge. Rare and delicious it was flicked with uunknown herbs and sweets no one knew about. "Lizzie, I want to talk about that night... I just need to get it out to someone who understands, but if you don't want to get into it, I understand" Lizzie took her own sip, shaking her head. "No, No, I want to hear this. I want to talk about that day too"
He knew she would uunderstand. He knew Lizzie had been exploding with thoughts to talk about, but she knew no one else really would listen. "Ok, look, this may be a bit odd but I have a thought." Gordo declared slowly sipping another steaming turn of tea, the teacup huge and creative in his hands. Lizzie leaned back for a long dictionary definition and reasonable thoughts but what he said was barely reasonable.
"I think.... I think somone killed both Johanseens and faked the suicide."
Lizzie fought back the urge to spit her tea into his face. "What?" she hissed leaning forward in unbelieveablity. Annie had a gun clasped to her hand for heavensakes! That had to be proof enough. "Look before you go into hysterics listen please?" Gordo hardly looked shocked by her reaction, his hands shoved into his big windbreaker jackey and his glittering eyes shimmering with ideas and excitement. She hadn't liked that look one bit.
"It's just to easy.... and way to familiar. To planned. Here's what I think. Whoever it was that killed them, maybe, shotting the gun at Jim and then at Annie in the head. They they dropped the gun in the palm of her head and quietly got what they needed. That's how it seems so familiar to me. As if I had heard this plan before..."
"Ok, look, Gordo, I appreciate your imagination, I really do, but I think your going a bit overboard on this. The gun had Annie's prints all over them! And what stuff of importance would they have worth such value as two people's lives?" Lizzie challeneged in a whispered hiss. As if someone might be spuing them in the crowded wild resturant. And actually listen to Gordo's crazy idea.
It sounded like a plot to one of his old films in high school. Not some thing that'll happen in real life. "Ok, I have answers to both so listen" he leaned forward his long lean shoulders tight against the back of his windbreaker. "Gloves. I took the decency to check the prints out myself and saw that it was just a palm print. They think they see fingerprints but there isn't any truth that she had grasped that handle, Lizzie"
"The whole idea is not one bit stable. It could be what it seems or it could be something entirely different."
The waitress, a tired ignorant teenager, dropped off the orange raisin scones, wishing them a very false good day. Lizzie plastered on her own smile and as soon as the waitress left, she turned her heated gaze on her friend. "I think you've been watching and directing way to many TV shows, Gordo. And that it's time for a nice log nap" she took a hard bite on the tangy afternoon snack.
Even the delicious flavor of the unique scone could get her to see the reason in Gordo's theory. He was making more out of a devasting yet simple situation, then there was wasn't he? Gordo sighed taking his own pastry and devouring it in a heartbeat. Looks like a lack of sleep and a lack of food. Megan should feed him more often, Lizzie noted, watching how big the windbreaker on him was. Just skin and bones. No wonder he was going insane.
"Look, Liz, I know it sounds weird, complicated, and even just a bit disturbing.... but I just have one of those nudges. You know? Those gut feelings that tell you your not excatly wrong in the situation.. I can't back down.. but I'm going to need your help, and Miranda's help. Please help me on this Lizzie" he leaned forward hoping she would get this situation. How he could never be normal unless he was absolutely and positively sure that this case was nothing more then a screwed up marriage, now that it had caught him.
Lizzie saw the stubborn glaze in his eyes, knowing no matter how many times she threw this aside, called his theory crap or called him crazy he would still be on this 'idea' like a dog to a t-bone. Until it lost interest. And she had a distinct feeling that would take a long, long while.
Taking another sip of the tea, she starred a moment and then took a huge bite of another pastry again. "Fine" she grumbled through a mouth full, unhappy that she had given in so easily, especially to something she had so easily decided was crazy and insane. "I'll help, but it's only limited to when I feel like it and whenever I want" at least she would get to lay down the rules and standards and not follow him like a freackin detective assistant.
Gordo grinned, resisting the urge to jump across the table and hug her tightly. He knew he interested her in some way, shape, or form that had gotten her to say yes to this. Some idea in his theory had caught her into it as well. Or she would have said no. But she didn't. Perfect. She was right next door to the house, this was going to make things so much easier if Lizzie was on his side and showed some sort-- even if it was very small--- interest.
Lizzie felt disgusted to know how easily she went in for this, and knew that his words weren't as insane as she wished.They did hold some logical truth. Sadly, they did. And caught her interest. Swallowing the large chew of the scone she squinted at him, who had easily developed his hunger back and was scraffing down whatever he could get his hands on. Damn you, David Gordon.
He could do just about anything and not worry about it, like she was now. Her mind was swirling and she had him to thank for. Damn him. Grr.
***
Lizzie pushed her sunglasses atop her head starring blankly at the huge walkways that lead to the mall and decided to go into a small shop called Lickericous, a cute shoe store with the oddest unique shoes she had ever seen. Hillridge had defaintely taken a turn and it was a good one too. 'Specially for the shoppers of the century.
Problems had been getting to her these last few days. Alice had slowly came out of her room, skin and bones and looking worse for wear. And had decided to become a mute. She didn't speak to anyone, except for Anya, her new best friend, so basicly they had to correspond through Miranda's daughter to speak to Alice. For now, she was staying with her Aunt for 2 weeks before she came to stay at the McGuire's for awhile. Alice was always on her worries.
And then living next to a crime scene didn't excatly unravel her nerves ethier. Police cars, cops, yellow tape, reporters everywhere. If she was asked one more time what she thought of the Johanseens and why Annie was crazy she would scream and tear every piece of her sun bleached blonde hair out of her skull. Night and day they were, and never gave up until they had gotten what they wanted. It was actually creepy in a way.
And then Gordo. He was more likely going to drive her crazy rather then those stupid reporters. At night she'll end up helping him sneak into the house next door, or let him hack away on his computer for information on his little 'theory'. So far she was proud to say he hasn't found anything, and could only hope his idea was jack squat and he would forget about it and move on. Lizzie knew Megan thought the same way. Her angered phone calls on asking where her fiancee was pretty much explained it all.
Everything had just come together today, and when Gordo had called to ask about using her room to sneak onto the roof of the house and get into the attic, she had blown up. This was the last thing she wanted right now, especially now of all times when she had just finally gotten back home. She hated this. So Lizzie got up picked up her purse and did what she did best.
And that was shop.
She had already spent a good amount of cash on about 12 shirts and a few pants and a adorable little hat that matched with her pink and orange skirt, all hanging in bags off her arms. And now it was time for shoes. She roamed the tiny store eyeing the odd shoes with happiness when she noticed a deep rumbling in her stomach. Lizzie was hunger and her stomach didn't heistate to tell her.
She should go find some food before she went and spent all her money on clothes and have nothing left for lunch. Peering around the plaza crowded immensely on a Saturday she frowned wrinkling her nose. Except for the whole crowd thing. Hillridge had defaintely gotten more crowded then she last remembered.
She swam through the swarms of people clutching to her bags and purse in hops to see a small resturant or the entrance to the food court anywhere. Anywhere right now would be great, whether the food sucked or not. She had eaten so much in the few little days just to fill that gapping hole in her heart from recent events that she hadn't really thought of what she had eaten since the funeral.
"Oooooh" she suddenley stopped in the middle of a river of people and sniffed. The delicious smell of spaghetti noodles floating in some sort of exotic sauce made her stomach roar with anticipation. Food. Good smelling food. And nearby too. How convienant. Hungry stomachs do come in handy sometimes....
Turning a corner, she found the small italian resturant small and perfect with a few customers and a small outside part for special guests. "Oooooh, smells good, good, good" she said happily as she went through the people and stepped past the few tables the placed inside to get to the entrance of the quiant resturant.
"Lizzie?" a voice cut her off from her mission for sweet smelling spaghetti, as Lizzie had just about opened the door to go into her haven. Gah, bad timing. The food was so close, yet so far. "Yes?" she turned around to peer at where the voice came from and suddenley stopped when a meatbeal hoagie bearing Ethan Crafte came up to hug her tightly.
"It is you!!!! I thought it was, but the short hair threw me off about a mile" the tall towering old high school friend teased squeezing her small frame in a bear hug a saucey grin on his well chiseled face.
Lizzie laughed for the first time in awhile, her eyes roaming over the new and improved Ethan Crafte. He stood in a pair of plain white shirt, crinkled and dirty, and old jeans but still looked as sexy as ever. He over-towered her, in a tan muscular body. His blonde hair was fashioned alot like Gabe's except a bit longer behind the neck, like during middle school.
"Wow Ethan Crafte.... look at you!!!" she acknowledged standing back to still stare... well ok she could admit she was drooling.... over him. He was still as adorable as ever, tall and masculine. Ethan grinned his own pale blue eyes skimming over the girl he once knew. She wasn't excatly a girl anymore. She was a women. And an extremely beautiful looking women. Her hair was short and wavy held in two pigtails, in a small jean skirt and a pink shirt, resorting back to some teenage style she use to wear.
Not bad, not bad at all.
"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie... you look... great" he said for lack of words, to describe how much she had changed. Sure, she looked great in school, but compared to Kate Sanders at the time... well truth be told there was no comparison. Kate was the way to go. But Lizzie... she had changed way for the better. "I haven't seen you in awhile.. when did you come back ?"
Lizzie grinned. "A couple days ago, actually. My brother, Matt, is getting married, so I came down for awhile." she shurgged holding her purse in two hands. "Gosh, its been so long... what are you up too?" Ethan sensed a long conversation come along and grinned. A perfect way to detour around this. "Hey, we should catch up. Why don't you join me for lunch? This hoagie's just done, and I was planning to order some spaghetti" he pointed to the empty seat near his table with his menu a friendly grin plastered on his face scarfing down the last of his sandwhich.
Lizzie starred at her wristwatch. She was sure Gordo wouldn't have mind if she took a small little lunch break. I mean, it was Ethan Crafte all grown up! Miranda would certainly approve of this lunch date. Lizzie broke into a half smirk. "Alright, sure" she shurgged as she pulled over the chair sitting across with a unbearable grin. She couldn't help it. He was ... amazing.
"So, tell me everything. What happened since high school?" she questioned eagerly as Ethan peered through the menu items. He looked up a long blonde tendril in his tan lean face.She fought the urge to put it behind his ear. Lizzie though contained herself. Hands in lap at all times. Ethan flashed her a grin. She was defaintly cute when she was happy. She was someone he wouldn't mind getting close to. Good thing he and Briana broke up earlier...
"Oh well, believe it or not I graduated" he said with a slight tease, breaking into a cocky half smirk. Lizzie felt herself flush brightly at the thought of high school. Ethan well... lets just leave it at he wasn't the smartest person in school. As Gordo stated many times, he had the attention span of a five year old. "No... you weren't... I mean..."
Ethan chuckled gladly noting the flush on her cheeks. "Don't worry" he stated holding up a hand. "I was stupid. Really I was" he insisted. It was true. He ... it was even a surprise to his parents that he had graduated. But when he found he actually did ... and it wasn't because of the fact he did something. He did the teachers a favor. A big favor. He sighed remembering that. That was what changed his mind.
He brought a small smile back on his pleasent hard-to-resist face. "After that, I decided to use my brain to us. Went to college. Insisted on working as a lawyer" Lizzie tried to mask her amazement. Ethan a lawyer... She imagined him dressed up in a tux, his long silky hair slicked back, talking furiously to a shocked jury. It was a pretty good picture. "A lawyer .... you've done good Ethan" she stated as he handed her the menu for her turn.
He laughed again. Lizzie felt herself grin despite herself. He had such a contagious laugh. So pleasent and friendly and open. It would make even strangers want to become friends with him. Especially female strangers. "And how about you?" he asked her leaning back against the comfortable round metallic chairs. "How's my favorite girl in Hillridge High doing?"
"Don't you mean the best lab partner in Hillridge High ever?" Lizzie shot back playfully, remembering in their senior year how many times he had needed to borrow her homework for many different reasons, one of them not being to check over to make sure they had both gotten the same answers. "I'm actually doing pretty good. I'm a archeologist and I was just off stationed in a dig in Ireland.... I'm getting pretty much the well deserved break I needed for awhile.... and after my mom called about Matt's wedding I couldn't help myself but come on over and visit..."
"Yeah.... we were all worried about you, Liz. It's defainately nice to have you back" Ethan gave her a crooked grin sadly remembering the circumstances and the shock a few years ago hearing how she had left abruptly in the middle of the night for Florida or whatever was the case and not making any contact at all to her parents. He himself had even been a bit protrubed at the thought. Lizzie Mcguire had always been the cool, the calm, and the collected.....
But once you thought about it Ethan probably would have gone ballistic too, after that harsh week.
"It's nice to be back... I can't believe how much this place changed only in a course of a few years... amazing...." suddenley Lizzie felt her purse ring violently and she cursed whoever it was dialing her cellphone. "Aaaah... excuse me" she said hurriedly as Ethan checked his own cellphone, the case of one not being sure who's who. Digging she picked up the tiny Nokia phone plane and normal but well loved and picked up. "Hello, Lizzie speaking"
"Liz, honey, where are you? I need you to come and help me get the attic cleaned up for Alice...Sorry about the short notice, but your father just left to go help Matt with something, and I was expecting him to help me... can you come?" Lizzie heard the bossiness in her mother's voice, still use to having her children listen to her and not giving them a choice or a desicion. She grinned at it shaking her head. She just wasn't going to let them grow up...
"Yeah, sure, Mom. I'll come down in a little bit alright?" Lizzie replied as the phone fuzzed back a reply and she shut it off giving Ethan a apologetic smile. "Sorry... we're going to have to cancel lunch" she said more sorry then he was probably at the fact of not spending a nice day with drop dead gorgeous old accquiantance. She wasn't that far off though. Ethan was actually finding himself looking forward to having a nice lunch with Lizzie too.
Which was why he suddenley found himself inviting her for dinner 2 days from now. "That would be nice.... I've barely seen anybody except Miranda and Gordo...." Lizzie grinned hoping to the gods that the resturant he took her too was a fancy one. Seeing him a tux would probably make her day. Ethan grinned watching her leave with a small smile. He wouldn't mind all that much seeing her in a slinky dress ethier. "It would be nice, indeed"
They hugged, two good friends happy to see one another from a long time difference. But before Lizzie rounded the corner she had to give herself a last peek at Ethan Crafter the LAWYER.
And awfully adorable good friend he was.
***
Took me long enough dontcha think???
. gaaaaaaah
Thank You and Have a Nice Day
~MerlinsApprentince
by: MerlinsApprentince
***
Chapter 6
A/N: POOOOOOOOOOOOOOR ALICE.....
Just makes thing all the more interestin' though .....
Enjoy
***
"Alice? Alice...... it's time to eat are you going to come out?" Jo McGuire stood in front of the locked bedroom door, stiff in her formal black dress. The funeral for Annie and Jim was done and over with guests coming and going in silent mourning.
Lizzie stood quietly beside her, starring at the empty response. Ever sine the death Alice had made herself scarce as possible, hidden in the comforting folds of her room. The poor little girl. Let alone the fact her parents, both of them, were gone Alice had learned out how. Lizzie shivered at the terrible memory of that night.
The blood. The bodies. The guun. As the police and ambulance swarmed the scene, late that night, the detective on the case, Detective Roberts, calmly explained the situaition. Annie, sweet, patient Annie, had taken the pistol, shot Jim and then quietly shot the gun in her forehead. A murder and suicide.
"She's not coming out, Mom.... just leave the sandwhich at the door" Lizzie's voice was suprisingly calm, ,despite this morning's events. The burial had been tough. Sitting there in black, watching the gleaming wooden coffins fall to the ground. The foul smell of the piles of wreaths and flowers. And the tears. Those awful tears.
It had brought waves of memories, memories Lizzie would rather have locked in a box and the key thrown away forever. Of the dreadful heartwrenching past. No.
No, she couldn't think about that right now. Right now they had a mourning seven year old to deal with. "If she doesn't eat anything soon, she'll get ill" Jo clucked watching in apprehension as they headed down the steps. They had the small after party at Alice's Uncle's house , a bright and cheery mansion about half 10 times the size of the McGuire household.
They couldn't have it at Alice's house for it was still a creme scene for the dectectives and the McGuire's weren't excatly relatives. So Jim's brother, Daniel, givingly gave up his house for the day. God bless the man. He had to be going through torture on his brother's death. Lizzie knew she would be lost, terribly lost if Matt had been murdered carelessly like that. Matt had been a pest but he was her brother. They had bonds. They may be invisible but they were still there....
"Daniel was so nice to let us use his mansion...." Lizzie couldn't help but note to her motherwalkong down the beautiful sprialing staircase. Jo knodded wordlessly. Both were still in a sort of silent shock. It was hard to believe all of this happened days ago. Only days.
"Hey, there. You ok?" Alison appeared with a flute of shimmering champagne in hand, her bright red hair in a french braid, a odd contrast to all the black and gray colors in the room. "I'm holding up. It's Alice. I'm worried about her, truthfully. She hasn't come out of the room since the day she found out" Lizzie sighed taking the extra glass her friend had handed to her.
Jo had bid good bye and hurried to the kitchen at the sight of grray smoke and the cries of her surprised husband, leaving the two alone to wander. "I know, I know. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. This was suppose to be a happy occasion with you know you seeing your family and friends again"
Alison laid down her sympathy slipping Lizzie's limp arm through the crook of her own arm, comfortingly. She could see how stressed and hurt her friend had become by this tragedy. Especially at the funeral. Her skin became a pale milky white and her blue eyes were as wide as tea cup saucers. The poor girl had actually started to tremble .
Ali remembered the last time she was like this, and she sent another shiver of fear through her body. That funeral had disturbed her usually passive friend too easily. Maybe it had something to do when before they met... she was already frightened and scared out of her wits when Ali met her at her work. The missing year of Lizzie Mcguire's life.
"Don't worry, Ali. I'll be fine. Alice won't. Her mom just killed her father and then committed suicide" Lizzie ran a hand through her limp pale blonde locks. Distress and worry squirmed into the pit of her stomach, as she allowed worry for the little girl flood her. She had known Alice for a limited amount of days, but had felt like she had known her forever.
Unexpectedly Alice had wormed her way into her heart. Not excatly the safest place."Of course, she's not fine. She just needs time alone to contemplate this, Lizzie. Think it over, you know? And piece it together. Her parents are gone. The kid has alot to swallow in a short amount of time." Ali smoothed down Lizzie's ruffled mother hen's feathers, patting her arm soothingly. "Give her time. Miranda and Gabe are coming by later so stick around. Gordo hasn't called yet"
Lizzie sighed as they wandered the crowded buffet. Gordo was the only one who could excatly understand the gnawing guilt in her stomach no one could smooth over. Understand her dilemma. Because he was going through the same thing. The same guilt of wondering. If she had gotten there sooner would she have saved Annie and Jim? Would they still be alive? Would she have been safer if Annie hadn't drinken so much last night?
The what-if game. Lizzie hadn't the heart to explain it to anybody. They would throw it asiide with pleas to not worry and don't blame yourself. Throw off her thoughts. She'd rather talk them over, and exorcise them. With someone who understood. With Gorod. But she hadn't seen him since the night of the murder. She'd just have to wait.
But , hopefully, not for long. "Lizzie" Gabe came in looking strikingly handsome in a dark blue tux, his bleach blonde hair slicked back respectfully. "Phone call for you "
***
Gordo looked at the scene of the crime, the small quiant house of death, quietly, images and ideas running through his well developed mind. And questions. Millions and millions of questions, all of them mostly unanswered. "Did you get the test back from the pistol?" Gordo broke his gaze from the body outlines to stare blankly at Detective Roberts, a attractive attentice woman with ragged brown curls and eyes that showed stubborn-ness.
She sighed pulling off the edge of her gloves. This man would not back off. "Yes. Her fingerprints were littered all over it" she said simply scarthing a few notes into a small pad she had in her purse. Gordo sighed sticking his hands thoughtfully into his jean pockets. "It just doesn't sound right. Not one bit. It's all too easy. All to easy"
Roberts stopped scribbling to stare up at the annoyance for a moment. "What are you talking about, kid?" Gordo bit his lip, his eyes lingering over the dry crimson red blood stian. It all brought clips, images of that night that had happened only days ago. It felt like years. The crippled life less bodies. The blood, soft and linting, in the bright light. And the huge blank eyes of the victims. Huge terrified eyes.
"The whole plot. It's just all to simple for these people. Annie and Jim... they were complicated. Who would she kill her husband? And why now, right after a dinner party? In the entrance hall no less. And their eyes, Detective. Their eyes. Her's weren't insane, crazy, angry.They were frightened. Scared" The big pale blue lifeless eyes were plastered to the back of Gordo's eyes.
Unshakeable, they were. It was something Gordo would probably never forget. Nor that balmy feeling that something just wasn't right about this situation. It was all too familiar and haunting in some way. Roberts raised her eyebrows in thought, but shook it off. "Maybe she was insane, but it was then frightened of what she had done. The choices are limitless, kid. Limitless"
"Hey Gordo, pretty little blonde outside waitin' for you. Won't come in though. Frightened out of her wits, she is" Peter O'Malley, one of the many cops Gordo had got accquianted with, came forward a cheeky grin on his handsome irish face. Obviously he had thought it was a very pretty blonde. Gordo looked up a bit shaken. He had been thrown back in time, to stare at the lifeless bodies in hopes for clues but it was time to come back into reality.
"Oh, thanks" he mummured in reply tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He had time enough to think about this. "Thanks, Detective. Sorry for the annoyance. I just have that itch that won't leave me alone about thise case. Something isn't right. Good afternoon and good luck" he pioletely waved good-bye to Peter and Roberts his mind whirling as he headed to the front door.
He stepped down the porch to the fresh after noon noting the amount of police cars. Lizzie stood on the lawn, great apprehension in her blue eyes. You could see she was determined to not step back into the house that held so many surprises. "Hey, Lizzie. Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you eaten? It's almost lunchtime. Let's head down to The Cup" The long greeting seemed bland and forced as he gripped her arm.
Lizzie frowned wrapping her other arm around her. Despite his wide awake and twinkling eyes, bags underneath sag deep and obvious. He musn't had a week of sleep since she last saw him. "Gordo, you ok? You look exhausted" she let worry cave over before curiousity, allowing the huge curly haired man to leard her to his slick car. "Except for my stomach, I'm pretty good. How 'bout you? Holding up?" he said going to the front seat concern in his voice evident.
Lizzie hiestatingly knodded as she went into the passenger seat. She wasn't excatly fine now, but she would be. Later. After it slowly sunk in. She knew this from experiance. It only took time. "Yeah... you weren't at the funeral today. " picking at the beads of her simple embroidered black dress, Lizzie gave a sigh. Weariness was starting to take over her senses. Gordo felt it too, but only slightly. His brain was on overdrive.
The ache behind his eyes told him sleep would be needed soon. If only his overly active mind would allow it. The thoughts and guesses and ideas just kept coming. It wouldn't stop. "I was there. Only for a bit though. I've been busy" he took a turn into town, running his hand over his sleep deprived eyes. "And Alice? How is she?"
Lizzie had a certain sense that Gordo was putting off the reason why he had called her down for a quiet moment. He said he had something he needed to explain to someone and he needed her to listen. And obediantly Lizzie had come with hiestation. It's what they did so long before. He would talk ,explain, and she would listen. Or she would complian or irriatate and he would listen. Ethier way the pieces fit.
Today it happened to be her day as a listener. "I wouldn't know. I haven't seen her for 3 days. She's locked herself in her bedroom and won't come out" Lizzie ran her hand through her short fluffy hair. A habit that had irriatated her friends so. To Gordo it had almost brought a smile to his face. The habit was as much Lizzie as were her taste in clothes and wild likings to pop rock music. "The poor girl. Not handling it well, it sounds. No fuss or fights at least" he pulled up to a quiant resturant coming quietly out of the car door, Lizzie following.
"I'd rather have fights then the nerve racking silent treartment she's giving us" the spicy aromas of the tiny side shop, sent her tummy rumbling. She hadn't had the time or energy to eat anything in awhile. Now just the thought of a chocolate chip banana muffin, or a tangy orange raisin scone that The Cup were famous for brought her mouth watering. "Hmm, yeah, I suppose" Gordo skillfully lead her through the crowd, thick and heavy and somehow successfully found a empty small table.
"Gordo... do you mind now telling me why you called me down for brunch? We are, I'm afriad, running out of light talk" As soon as the waitress, who as if by magic appeared out of no where to drop a huge pot of tea and cups brimming with spicy tea and collect orders, left she adressed this plainly towards him. Gordo gave a soft laugh, the first one in awhile. "No, lets not add anymore small talk" he insisted taking a sip of the warm delicious fluid.
Their tea was what made The Cup quite famous in Hillridge. Rare and delicious it was flicked with uunknown herbs and sweets no one knew about. "Lizzie, I want to talk about that night... I just need to get it out to someone who understands, but if you don't want to get into it, I understand" Lizzie took her own sip, shaking her head. "No, No, I want to hear this. I want to talk about that day too"
He knew she would uunderstand. He knew Lizzie had been exploding with thoughts to talk about, but she knew no one else really would listen. "Ok, look, this may be a bit odd but I have a thought." Gordo declared slowly sipping another steaming turn of tea, the teacup huge and creative in his hands. Lizzie leaned back for a long dictionary definition and reasonable thoughts but what he said was barely reasonable.
"I think.... I think somone killed both Johanseens and faked the suicide."
Lizzie fought back the urge to spit her tea into his face. "What?" she hissed leaning forward in unbelieveablity. Annie had a gun clasped to her hand for heavensakes! That had to be proof enough. "Look before you go into hysterics listen please?" Gordo hardly looked shocked by her reaction, his hands shoved into his big windbreaker jackey and his glittering eyes shimmering with ideas and excitement. She hadn't liked that look one bit.
"It's just to easy.... and way to familiar. To planned. Here's what I think. Whoever it was that killed them, maybe, shotting the gun at Jim and then at Annie in the head. They they dropped the gun in the palm of her head and quietly got what they needed. That's how it seems so familiar to me. As if I had heard this plan before..."
"Ok, look, Gordo, I appreciate your imagination, I really do, but I think your going a bit overboard on this. The gun had Annie's prints all over them! And what stuff of importance would they have worth such value as two people's lives?" Lizzie challeneged in a whispered hiss. As if someone might be spuing them in the crowded wild resturant. And actually listen to Gordo's crazy idea.
It sounded like a plot to one of his old films in high school. Not some thing that'll happen in real life. "Ok, I have answers to both so listen" he leaned forward his long lean shoulders tight against the back of his windbreaker. "Gloves. I took the decency to check the prints out myself and saw that it was just a palm print. They think they see fingerprints but there isn't any truth that she had grasped that handle, Lizzie"
"The whole idea is not one bit stable. It could be what it seems or it could be something entirely different."
The waitress, a tired ignorant teenager, dropped off the orange raisin scones, wishing them a very false good day. Lizzie plastered on her own smile and as soon as the waitress left, she turned her heated gaze on her friend. "I think you've been watching and directing way to many TV shows, Gordo. And that it's time for a nice log nap" she took a hard bite on the tangy afternoon snack.
Even the delicious flavor of the unique scone could get her to see the reason in Gordo's theory. He was making more out of a devasting yet simple situation, then there was wasn't he? Gordo sighed taking his own pastry and devouring it in a heartbeat. Looks like a lack of sleep and a lack of food. Megan should feed him more often, Lizzie noted, watching how big the windbreaker on him was. Just skin and bones. No wonder he was going insane.
"Look, Liz, I know it sounds weird, complicated, and even just a bit disturbing.... but I just have one of those nudges. You know? Those gut feelings that tell you your not excatly wrong in the situation.. I can't back down.. but I'm going to need your help, and Miranda's help. Please help me on this Lizzie" he leaned forward hoping she would get this situation. How he could never be normal unless he was absolutely and positively sure that this case was nothing more then a screwed up marriage, now that it had caught him.
Lizzie saw the stubborn glaze in his eyes, knowing no matter how many times she threw this aside, called his theory crap or called him crazy he would still be on this 'idea' like a dog to a t-bone. Until it lost interest. And she had a distinct feeling that would take a long, long while.
Taking another sip of the tea, she starred a moment and then took a huge bite of another pastry again. "Fine" she grumbled through a mouth full, unhappy that she had given in so easily, especially to something she had so easily decided was crazy and insane. "I'll help, but it's only limited to when I feel like it and whenever I want" at least she would get to lay down the rules and standards and not follow him like a freackin detective assistant.
Gordo grinned, resisting the urge to jump across the table and hug her tightly. He knew he interested her in some way, shape, or form that had gotten her to say yes to this. Some idea in his theory had caught her into it as well. Or she would have said no. But she didn't. Perfect. She was right next door to the house, this was going to make things so much easier if Lizzie was on his side and showed some sort-- even if it was very small--- interest.
Lizzie felt disgusted to know how easily she went in for this, and knew that his words weren't as insane as she wished.They did hold some logical truth. Sadly, they did. And caught her interest. Swallowing the large chew of the scone she squinted at him, who had easily developed his hunger back and was scraffing down whatever he could get his hands on. Damn you, David Gordon.
He could do just about anything and not worry about it, like she was now. Her mind was swirling and she had him to thank for. Damn him. Grr.
***
Lizzie pushed her sunglasses atop her head starring blankly at the huge walkways that lead to the mall and decided to go into a small shop called Lickericous, a cute shoe store with the oddest unique shoes she had ever seen. Hillridge had defaintely taken a turn and it was a good one too. 'Specially for the shoppers of the century.
Problems had been getting to her these last few days. Alice had slowly came out of her room, skin and bones and looking worse for wear. And had decided to become a mute. She didn't speak to anyone, except for Anya, her new best friend, so basicly they had to correspond through Miranda's daughter to speak to Alice. For now, she was staying with her Aunt for 2 weeks before she came to stay at the McGuire's for awhile. Alice was always on her worries.
And then living next to a crime scene didn't excatly unravel her nerves ethier. Police cars, cops, yellow tape, reporters everywhere. If she was asked one more time what she thought of the Johanseens and why Annie was crazy she would scream and tear every piece of her sun bleached blonde hair out of her skull. Night and day they were, and never gave up until they had gotten what they wanted. It was actually creepy in a way.
And then Gordo. He was more likely going to drive her crazy rather then those stupid reporters. At night she'll end up helping him sneak into the house next door, or let him hack away on his computer for information on his little 'theory'. So far she was proud to say he hasn't found anything, and could only hope his idea was jack squat and he would forget about it and move on. Lizzie knew Megan thought the same way. Her angered phone calls on asking where her fiancee was pretty much explained it all.
Everything had just come together today, and when Gordo had called to ask about using her room to sneak onto the roof of the house and get into the attic, she had blown up. This was the last thing she wanted right now, especially now of all times when she had just finally gotten back home. She hated this. So Lizzie got up picked up her purse and did what she did best.
And that was shop.
She had already spent a good amount of cash on about 12 shirts and a few pants and a adorable little hat that matched with her pink and orange skirt, all hanging in bags off her arms. And now it was time for shoes. She roamed the tiny store eyeing the odd shoes with happiness when she noticed a deep rumbling in her stomach. Lizzie was hunger and her stomach didn't heistate to tell her.
She should go find some food before she went and spent all her money on clothes and have nothing left for lunch. Peering around the plaza crowded immensely on a Saturday she frowned wrinkling her nose. Except for the whole crowd thing. Hillridge had defaintely gotten more crowded then she last remembered.
She swam through the swarms of people clutching to her bags and purse in hops to see a small resturant or the entrance to the food court anywhere. Anywhere right now would be great, whether the food sucked or not. She had eaten so much in the few little days just to fill that gapping hole in her heart from recent events that she hadn't really thought of what she had eaten since the funeral.
"Oooooh" she suddenley stopped in the middle of a river of people and sniffed. The delicious smell of spaghetti noodles floating in some sort of exotic sauce made her stomach roar with anticipation. Food. Good smelling food. And nearby too. How convienant. Hungry stomachs do come in handy sometimes....
Turning a corner, she found the small italian resturant small and perfect with a few customers and a small outside part for special guests. "Oooooh, smells good, good, good" she said happily as she went through the people and stepped past the few tables the placed inside to get to the entrance of the quiant resturant.
"Lizzie?" a voice cut her off from her mission for sweet smelling spaghetti, as Lizzie had just about opened the door to go into her haven. Gah, bad timing. The food was so close, yet so far. "Yes?" she turned around to peer at where the voice came from and suddenley stopped when a meatbeal hoagie bearing Ethan Crafte came up to hug her tightly.
"It is you!!!! I thought it was, but the short hair threw me off about a mile" the tall towering old high school friend teased squeezing her small frame in a bear hug a saucey grin on his well chiseled face.
Lizzie laughed for the first time in awhile, her eyes roaming over the new and improved Ethan Crafte. He stood in a pair of plain white shirt, crinkled and dirty, and old jeans but still looked as sexy as ever. He over-towered her, in a tan muscular body. His blonde hair was fashioned alot like Gabe's except a bit longer behind the neck, like during middle school.
"Wow Ethan Crafte.... look at you!!!" she acknowledged standing back to still stare... well ok she could admit she was drooling.... over him. He was still as adorable as ever, tall and masculine. Ethan grinned his own pale blue eyes skimming over the girl he once knew. She wasn't excatly a girl anymore. She was a women. And an extremely beautiful looking women. Her hair was short and wavy held in two pigtails, in a small jean skirt and a pink shirt, resorting back to some teenage style she use to wear.
Not bad, not bad at all.
"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie... you look... great" he said for lack of words, to describe how much she had changed. Sure, she looked great in school, but compared to Kate Sanders at the time... well truth be told there was no comparison. Kate was the way to go. But Lizzie... she had changed way for the better. "I haven't seen you in awhile.. when did you come back ?"
Lizzie grinned. "A couple days ago, actually. My brother, Matt, is getting married, so I came down for awhile." she shurgged holding her purse in two hands. "Gosh, its been so long... what are you up too?" Ethan sensed a long conversation come along and grinned. A perfect way to detour around this. "Hey, we should catch up. Why don't you join me for lunch? This hoagie's just done, and I was planning to order some spaghetti" he pointed to the empty seat near his table with his menu a friendly grin plastered on his face scarfing down the last of his sandwhich.
Lizzie starred at her wristwatch. She was sure Gordo wouldn't have mind if she took a small little lunch break. I mean, it was Ethan Crafte all grown up! Miranda would certainly approve of this lunch date. Lizzie broke into a half smirk. "Alright, sure" she shurgged as she pulled over the chair sitting across with a unbearable grin. She couldn't help it. He was ... amazing.
"So, tell me everything. What happened since high school?" she questioned eagerly as Ethan peered through the menu items. He looked up a long blonde tendril in his tan lean face.She fought the urge to put it behind his ear. Lizzie though contained herself. Hands in lap at all times. Ethan flashed her a grin. She was defaintly cute when she was happy. She was someone he wouldn't mind getting close to. Good thing he and Briana broke up earlier...
"Oh well, believe it or not I graduated" he said with a slight tease, breaking into a cocky half smirk. Lizzie felt herself flush brightly at the thought of high school. Ethan well... lets just leave it at he wasn't the smartest person in school. As Gordo stated many times, he had the attention span of a five year old. "No... you weren't... I mean..."
Ethan chuckled gladly noting the flush on her cheeks. "Don't worry" he stated holding up a hand. "I was stupid. Really I was" he insisted. It was true. He ... it was even a surprise to his parents that he had graduated. But when he found he actually did ... and it wasn't because of the fact he did something. He did the teachers a favor. A big favor. He sighed remembering that. That was what changed his mind.
He brought a small smile back on his pleasent hard-to-resist face. "After that, I decided to use my brain to us. Went to college. Insisted on working as a lawyer" Lizzie tried to mask her amazement. Ethan a lawyer... She imagined him dressed up in a tux, his long silky hair slicked back, talking furiously to a shocked jury. It was a pretty good picture. "A lawyer .... you've done good Ethan" she stated as he handed her the menu for her turn.
He laughed again. Lizzie felt herself grin despite herself. He had such a contagious laugh. So pleasent and friendly and open. It would make even strangers want to become friends with him. Especially female strangers. "And how about you?" he asked her leaning back against the comfortable round metallic chairs. "How's my favorite girl in Hillridge High doing?"
"Don't you mean the best lab partner in Hillridge High ever?" Lizzie shot back playfully, remembering in their senior year how many times he had needed to borrow her homework for many different reasons, one of them not being to check over to make sure they had both gotten the same answers. "I'm actually doing pretty good. I'm a archeologist and I was just off stationed in a dig in Ireland.... I'm getting pretty much the well deserved break I needed for awhile.... and after my mom called about Matt's wedding I couldn't help myself but come on over and visit..."
"Yeah.... we were all worried about you, Liz. It's defainately nice to have you back" Ethan gave her a crooked grin sadly remembering the circumstances and the shock a few years ago hearing how she had left abruptly in the middle of the night for Florida or whatever was the case and not making any contact at all to her parents. He himself had even been a bit protrubed at the thought. Lizzie Mcguire had always been the cool, the calm, and the collected.....
But once you thought about it Ethan probably would have gone ballistic too, after that harsh week.
"It's nice to be back... I can't believe how much this place changed only in a course of a few years... amazing...." suddenley Lizzie felt her purse ring violently and she cursed whoever it was dialing her cellphone. "Aaaah... excuse me" she said hurriedly as Ethan checked his own cellphone, the case of one not being sure who's who. Digging she picked up the tiny Nokia phone plane and normal but well loved and picked up. "Hello, Lizzie speaking"
"Liz, honey, where are you? I need you to come and help me get the attic cleaned up for Alice...Sorry about the short notice, but your father just left to go help Matt with something, and I was expecting him to help me... can you come?" Lizzie heard the bossiness in her mother's voice, still use to having her children listen to her and not giving them a choice or a desicion. She grinned at it shaking her head. She just wasn't going to let them grow up...
"Yeah, sure, Mom. I'll come down in a little bit alright?" Lizzie replied as the phone fuzzed back a reply and she shut it off giving Ethan a apologetic smile. "Sorry... we're going to have to cancel lunch" she said more sorry then he was probably at the fact of not spending a nice day with drop dead gorgeous old accquiantance. She wasn't that far off though. Ethan was actually finding himself looking forward to having a nice lunch with Lizzie too.
Which was why he suddenley found himself inviting her for dinner 2 days from now. "That would be nice.... I've barely seen anybody except Miranda and Gordo...." Lizzie grinned hoping to the gods that the resturant he took her too was a fancy one. Seeing him a tux would probably make her day. Ethan grinned watching her leave with a small smile. He wouldn't mind all that much seeing her in a slinky dress ethier. "It would be nice, indeed"
They hugged, two good friends happy to see one another from a long time difference. But before Lizzie rounded the corner she had to give herself a last peek at Ethan Crafter the LAWYER.
And awfully adorable good friend he was.
***
Took me long enough dontcha think???
. gaaaaaaah
Thank You and Have a Nice Day
~MerlinsApprentince