The mixer was only the start. Unfortunately for not every member of the class, those who were even attending, would be there. It would only be for those who lived in town, and those who arrived early. There would still be the few who either couldn't arrive early and would be there for the dinner party that would serve as the reunion on Saturday night.

The night of the mixer Derek found himself glued to the bar. It was difficult since the booze was cheap and free; meaning he would be drunk very, very fast. Being inheberated was exactly the state he was going to need to be in if he was going to survive the night. He had only arrived an hour ago and that hour he had been hit on by three divorcee, two mean girls that turned into two fat girls (karma, their outside finally reflected their inside), and one freshly out of the closet ex-lacrosse player. Mind you that Derek didn't have any problems with gay men or women, but when he junk was grabbed and a hotel key slipped into his jacket pocket it became a bit much. That was to say nothing of being told that he was the star in all of said classmates wet dreams.

"Well you don't look like you are having any fun." There standing off to the left of Derek was Emma Spencer in all her glory; camera included.

"Ms. Spencer it's a pleasure to see you again so soon." Derek allowed his eyes to room over her body for a moment. She was very attractive in her red floor length strapless dress.

"Nuhuh." Spence waved her finger in front of Derek's face. "It's not Emma, or Ms. Spncer remember. It is simply Spence."

"So tell me what brings you here Spence?" Derek asked while he downed his latest drink. "I'm sure you have much better things to do on a Friday night."

"The reunion remember? Ah being here's not so bad. Free booze." To emphaize her point she held up her drink. "Hey Mikey why don't you pour my friend and I a real drink of the good stuff, and make his a double." Spence looked at Derek from the corner of her eye. "He looks like he is gonna need it."

"You got it Spence." Mikey, the bartender, left to head in the back to get an expensive bottle.

"Mikey, huh?" Derek said with a raised eyebrow. His eyebrow was more telling then his words. What he was really asking was how well Spence knew Mikey.

"Yup, bartenders, bouncers, waiters, hostess basically every person that you and the rest of your friends see right through. They are trediously awesome source because no one pays attention to them and they see all."

"No the really reason you came to this dull, closed minded town." What Derek was a lawyer; he was able to see through people.

"Ah that reason." Spence shimmed around playfully. "Erica Reyes." That last part was said in deadly serious tone. One that did not fit Spence's typically playful nature.

That caught Derek's attention. He was wondering when someone was going to bring that name up tonight. As it were it was like people were going out of their way to avoid mentioning her. "Oh I see you are going to solve that great unsolveable."

"Something like that. Tell me Mr. Hale, what brings you back to town? I mean it's not for the reunion, you skipped both your five year and your tenth, and it's not for family because you haven't stepped one toe in this town since you graduated from high school. So what is your reason Mr. Hale?"

"Derek, may I steal you for a moment?" Scott came up upon the two luckily for Derek.

"Sorry, but it seems as thought I am going to have to cut this short."

"Oh, and things were just starting to get good." Spence gave Derek as little wave as Derek looked back at her.

"Hi, having fun?" Derek looked at Scott unsure how to answer that question. Scott's playful expression was betraying his sarcastic tone. "Because while your over here playing grab as with the help the rest of us are sticking to the plan. So step up. Look the only person we haven't been able to get to yet is Boyd. He's over by the in memorandum display. Go chat him up."

Derek was rather surprised that Erica was even being mentioned, let alone having a formal remembrance. It was truly beautiful remembrance. Sitting on its on table was a blown up picture of Erica. A picture of her before the make-up and clothes got out of control. On either side was a vase of lilies. What made it especially nice was that there was a write bored where people could leave messages. It seemed like time matured a lot of her old classmates because they were leaving some very nice sentimates.

"I didn't think you or your friends would have the balls to come over here." Boyd didn't even spare Derek a glance as he stood next to him.

"I am sorry for what happened to her. Its such a tragedy, and a waist." That part was true. Erica was a bright girl; much smart then most gave her credit for. It was very sad that she didn't believe in herself and her abilities more; maybe things would have turned out differently.

"She deserved better then what she got. She was a good person. A lot better then what people thought she was. Please don't I know what people said about her, and especially after she went missing." The town was not kind to Erica, and they claws came out once she was no longer around. Names like easy, slut, and whore were thrown around, and most people were under the idea that she somehow got what she deserved; they weren't shy about voicing that. It was not surprise that Erica's family, mother, moved away the following year.

"I am truly sorry for your lost Boyd. I know that they two of your were friends." That was an understatement. They were each other's only friend.

"She was family. I loved her. She was the only who truly gave a damn. The only one who treated me normal after Val." Val was Boyd's sister; he's little sister that died after she was hit by a drunk driver. It tore his family. His mother picked up drinking, and his father eventually divorced taking Boyd and moving him to Beacon Hills.

"I didn't know that you two know each other that far back?" Derek just assumed that the two of them became friends once they started high school.

"I've known Erica since the third grade. There wasn't anything she didn't know about me or anything that I didn't know about her."

"What do think happen to her Boyd?" Derek came flat out and asked.

"What do you think happened to her? Someone killed her. And that asshole is still walking around getting away with it." Boyd downed the drink that was in his hand before walking away from Derek. "Whatever. I can't be here and watch them all with their fake sympathy. But I guess money talks and the rest of us are just trash that can be thrown away"

"What does that mean." Derek called after him.

Boyd waisted not time in getting back in Derek's face. "It means I know where she was that night and what she planned to do. Yeah Derek I knew that she was meeting you and your friends. I also knew that you were the one she was after. The great unattainable Hale heir. She saw you as her way out of this hell hole; your families money at least. She wasn't foolish enough to believe that they would actually allow the two of you to be together. She figured she'd get knocked and they would off her a nice little pay off. I guess money really can buy anything ; a person's life in one way or another."

Boyd just became suspect one.