Dove jolted awake to the sound of loud, insistent pounding on the front door. She blinked in confusion, her mind groggy as she tried to shake the fog of sleep. For a moment, everything felt disoriented. She looked around the dimly lit living room, the memories of the previous night slowly coming back to her.

Chrissy.

Her heart leapt into her throat as panic set in. She had fallen asleep waiting for Chrissy, and worse—Chrissy never showed up.

The pounding on the door came again, harder this time, more urgent. Dove scrambled off the couch, her pulse racing as dread curled in the pit of her stomach. She rushed to the front door, her mind swirling with a thousand possibilities, none of them good.

Dove yanked the door open, and standing there were two police officers, their expressions serious, their eyes hard.

"Can I help you?" Dove asked, her voice shaky with uncertainty.

One of the officers, a tall man with a stern look, glanced down at her, his eyes narrowing. "Are you Dove Henderson?"

Dove nodded, her confusion deepening. "Yeah, that's me. What's going on?"

The other officer, a woman with short-cropped hair, took a step forward, her tone firm. "We need you to come with us."

Dove blinked, her mind struggling to catch up. "Come with you? For what?" She took a step back, her heart pounding now.

The male officer shook his head. "We just need you to come down to the station for questioning."

Dove's confusion quickly morphed into panic. "Questioning? What is this about?"

The officers exchanged a look, but neither of them offered any further explanation. "We need to take you in," the woman repeated, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Dove's mind raced, panic clawing at her chest as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"I don't understand," Dove said, her voice trembling. "Why are you—what's going on?"

The officers didn't answer, but the man motioned for her to step outside. "We need you to cooperate, Miss Henderson."

Dove hesitated, her heart pounding so loudly she could hear it in her ears. She knew something was terribly wrong, but without any answers, she had no choice but to go with them. With a sinking feeling in her chest, Dove grabbed her jacket and stepped outside, locking the door behind her.

As she followed the officers to their car, dread washed over her in waves. Something was very, very wrong, and Dove had a terrible feeling that whatever was going on—it was only the beginning.

The interrogation room was exactly like what Dove had expected. It was small, cramped even, with gray cinderblock walls that made the space feel cold and impersonal. A single metal table sat in the center, its surface scratched and worn from years of use. Two uncomfortable-looking metal chairs faced each other, the kind of chairs designed to make people uneasy. A lone lightbulb flickered faintly above, casting harsh shadows on the walls. The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant, sharp and clinical, as if trying to cover up the scent of something darker.

Dove sat in one of the chairs, her legs nervously bouncing up and down. Her eyes flicked to the mirrored window on one side of the room. She couldn't see who was behind it, but she felt the weight of unseen eyes on her. Her stomach churned with anxiety, her thoughts racing.

It felt like hours had passed. The ticking of the clock on the wall only made the wait more unbearable. She wanted to scream, demand answers, but all she could do was sit there and wait.

Finally, the door creaked open, and two men stepped in. One was older, with a bald head and a calm, steady presence—Chief Powell, Dove recognized him from around town. The other, a younger officer with a soft, almost impatient look, introduced himself as Officer Callahan.

"Miss Henderson," Chief Powell began, offering a polite nod. "Thank you for your patience. I know this must be confusing for you."

Dove swallowed hard, her throat dry. "Can you please just tell me what's going on?"

Chief Powell sat down across from her, folding his hands neatly on the table. "We want to assure you, you're not in any kind of trouble. We just need to ask you a few questions, all right?"

Dove nodded, though the tension in her chest didn't ease. "Okay."

"We understand you're friends with Christine Cunningham," Powell continued, his tone gentle. "When was the last time you saw her?"

Dove blinked, her heart sinking. "Last night. We were at the basketball game. I—I was supposed to meet her afterward, but she never showed up."

"Did she say anything to you? Did she seem upset?" Officer Callahan chimed in, his tone less gentle, more direct.

Dove hesitated, thinking back to Chrissy in the locker room, how shaken she'd been. "Yeah, she, uh, she told me she'd been having nightmares, anxiety. She said she'd been taking something to help."

The two officers exchanged a look, and Dove's stomach flipped. Chief Powell leaned in slightly. "Do you know who she was buying these drugs from?"

Dove hesitated again, her mind flashing back to the conversation she'd had with Chrissy in the bathroom. She had told Dove that she was buying them from Eddie.

"I—she didn't say," Dove admitted, her voice was uncertain with the lie.

Officer Callahan scribbled something down in his notebook before speaking. "And Edward Munson. He's a friend of yours, right?"

Dove nodded.

Before she could say anything, Powell cut in, his voice soft but serious. "Dove, we need you to know something." He paused, glancing at Callahan before continuing. "Chrissy's body was found this morning."

The words hit Dove like a physical blow. Her entire body went cold, the room spinning around her as her brain struggled to process what she'd just heard.

"What?" Dove whispered, her voice barely audible. "No.. no, that can't.."

Chief Powell sighed, his expression full of sympathy. "I'm sorry. We know this is hard to hear. But we need your help. Eddie Munson is our prime suspect."

Dove's head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Eddie?" she breathed, her voice shaking. "No.. no, Eddie wouldn't do this. He couldn't."

Callahan leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "We know that Chrissy was with Eddie last night. We just need to know what you know. Anything that could help us find him."

Dove's heart pounded in her chest, her hands trembling. None of this made sense. Chrissy dead? And Eddie? There was no way he had anything to do with this.

"I don't.. I don't know where he is," Dove stammered, her voice cracking. "But he didn't do this. I know him. Eddie wouldn't hurt Chrissy."

Chief Powell sighed again, standing up from the table. "We hope you're right, Miss Henderson. But right now, Eddie's the only lead we have. If you hear from him, you need to let us know. We just want to bring him in safely."

Dove nodded, though her mind was still spinning, her heart pounding with fear and confusion. The room felt colder now, the weight of the news crashing over her like a wave she couldn't escape. Chrissy was gone. And Eddie was in trouble.

And she didn't know what to do next.

As Dove was led out of the interrogation room, her mind raced with everything that had just been thrown at her. She could barely keep up, her head spinning with confusion and disbelief.

Officer Callahan, gave her a pointed look as they approached the exit. "Just so you know, Miss Henderson," he said, his voice firm and not nearly as polite as before, "if you attempt to hide Eddie or help him in any way, you'll be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive."

Dove swallowed hard, her throat tightening as a wave of dread washed over her. She said nothing, nodding quickly as the officers opened the door to the waiting room.

To her surprise, she saw Jason and a few of the guys from the basketball team sitting in the chairs, their faces tense and serious. Jason stood the moment he saw her, rushing over.

"Dove," he said, his voice filled with concern as he placed a hand on her arm. "Are you okay?"

Dove blinked, taken aback by his presence. "Jason? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice shaky with confusion.

Jason's expression was grim, his usual cocky demeanor replaced by something darker. "We know," he said quietly, glancing around the room before leading her toward the exit. "We know about Eddie. The police are saying he murdered Chrissy."

Dove stopped in her tracks, her heart pounding in her chest. "Jason, no," she said, her voice firm but filled with emotion. "Eddie didn't—he wouldn't—he wouldn't do something like that."

Jason's jaw clenched, and his eyes hardened in a way that sent a chill down Dove's spine. "The guy's a freak," he said, his voice cold. "He runs that satanic cult, Hellfire."

Dove's stomach twisted in knots, but before she could protest, Jason continued, his voice lowering. "But don't worry. We're going to stop him. Me and the guys—we're going to make sure he pays for what he did to Chrissy and we're gonna make sure he never hurts anyone else."

"Jason," Dove started, panic rising in her chest. "You're not thinking straight. Eddie didn't hurt Chrissy. You have to believe me."

But Jason's expression was unreadable, his eyes distant, like something had snapped inside him. He couldn't be reasoned with, not now. "You don't have to worry about it, Dove," he said, his voice eerily calm. "We've got this."

Dove stared at him, her heart sinking. She could see it now—the Jason standing in front of her wasn't the same guy she knew. Something had changed, and whatever it was, it scared her.

Jason's tone softened, his concern returning as he asked, "Do you want me to take you home?"

Dove shook her head, stepping back from him. "No, I'm fine," she said quickly, her voice tight. "I'll get home on my own."

Jason frowned but didn't push. "Alright," he said slowly. "But if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." He turned and walked back to the group of basketball players, his demeanor already shifting into something colder, more determined.

Dove stood there for a moment before rushing down the street, her mind racing with the terrifying realization that Jason and the others were out for blood. She couldn't let them hurt Eddie. Panic clawed at her chest as she hurried in the opposite direction, trying to clear her thoughts and figure out what to do next.

As she passed Family Video, something caught her eye. Through the glass windows, she saw Dustin behind the counter, talking animatedly on the phone. She stopped short, her breath catching in her throat. Without a second thought, she pushed the door open and rushed inside.

The bell above the door jingled, and as soon as Steve saw her, his face paled. Without hesitation, he jumped over the counter, pulling her into a tight hug. Dove stood there for a second, stunned, but then wrapped her arms around him, grateful for the comfort even if her mind was still spinning.

"I thought it was you," Steve murmured, his voice filled with relief as he pulled back just enough to look at her face. "When I saw the news.. about a dead Hawkins High student at the trailer park, I thought it was you."

Dove pulled away slightly, shaking her head. "I'm okay, Steve. I'm fine." She paused, trying to keep her voice steady. "It wasn't me, it was Chrissy."

Steve stared at her, his eyes searching her face for any sign of injury. He let out a long breath. "Yeah, Dustin and Max told us. They're trying to find Eddie."

"So are the cops." Dove stated.

Just then, Dustin slammed the phone down with frustration, running a hand through his hair. "No luck," he muttered to Max before noticing Dove. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern, though his focus was still split between the chaos.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Dove said, her voice a little shaky. "I just came from the police station," she added, and Steve's eyes widened in shock. "They think that Eddie killed Chrissy."

"He didn't," Dustin stated firmly, his voice steady and sure. "There's no way, Dove. You know that."

"Of course I do," Dove replied quickly, though her voice trembled slightly. "But Jason's out for blood. He's rounding up the whole basketball team. They're treating it like a witch hunt."

Robin stared at her, panic beginning to rise in her chest. "Then we need to find Eddie before Jason does. We can't let him take the fall for this."

"That's the plan," Dustin said, his voice sharp with determination. "We're going to keep calling until we figure out where he is."

Without a word, Dove slipped behind the counter, her eyes scanning the lists of names and numbers, her hand already reaching for the phone.

Steve stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern. "Dove, youjustfound out that your friend died. Maybe you should go home. Get some rest."

Dove froze for a moment, turning her gaze toward him. Her eyes hardened, jaw clenching. "Steve, is there even an ounce of you that thinks I would ever do that?"

Steve's mouth pressed into a thin line, the concern in his expression giving way to reluctant acceptance. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "No," he admitted.

Before Dove had a chance to dial a number, Max hung up the phone, turning around to face them. "Hey, guys, I might have a lead," she said, her voice cutting through the tense air like a lifeline.

Dustin immediately perked up, his head snapping in Max's direction. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Max replied, her voice steady but laced with urgency. "Apparently, Eddie gets his drugs from some guy named Reefer Rick, and sometimes Eddie crashes there."

"Sounds promising," Robin chimed in, folding her arms. "Where does this Reefer Rick guy live?"

Max shrugged slightly, a hint of frustration in her voice. "See, that's the thing. No one really knows. He's more of a legend than someone people actually know."

"I know him," Dove said, her voice quiet but resolute, causing everyone to turn and look at her. "I met him once, at a party at Eddie's place. Older guy, scruffy beard, smelled like weed.. would not shut up about Cheech and Chong."

"What about a last name?" Dustin asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Dove shook her head, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall. "He never said."

"The cops would know," Steve said from across the store, catching everyone's attention.

"What?" Max asked, her tone skeptical, as they all turned to face him.

Steve had been restocking the bargain bin but looked up as if surprised by the sudden focus on him. "If this Reefer Rick guy is actually dealing drugs," Steve started, making his way over to the group and leaning against the counter, "I guarantee you he's been busted at some point. That means he's in the system. Maybe it's time to fill the cops in on what we know."

Dove's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her chest, her jaw tightening. "Did you not hear me when I said I was just at the police station? If we give them Eddie's location, they're just going to arrest him. No questions asked." Steve met her gaze, his expression conflicted and Dove's eyes flashed with anger. "You think he did it, don't you?"

Steve hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding her glare for a moment. "I believe in innocent until proven guilty, all that constitutional shit, okay? But I just don't think we can completely rule him out."

Max cut in, her voice sharp as she shot Steve a pointed look. "That'sexactlywhat we're trying to do, Steve."

"And maybe we'd have a little more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend and more time helping us find Eddie," Dustin added, his frustration seeping through every word.

Steve looked genuinely offended, gesturing wildly around the store. "Hey! Somebody has to attend to the customers!"

"Especially if they're babes, right?" Robin teased, winking at him, a playful grin tugging at the corner of her lips.

Steve pointed at her dramatically, his voice indignant. "Hey, not fair. I attend toallcustomers equally, babes and non-babes alike. It's my job. We've got a big selection here! It can besuperoverwhelming for people."

Dove glanced around at the 'big selection,' which in reality consisted of a few scattered shelves. She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Robin said, her eyes lighting up with sudden inspiration. "It can be."

Without another word, Robin rushed to the computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard with an infectious energy. The rest of the group crowded around her, curiosity piqued, as they tried to get a glimpse of whatever Robin was working on. Dove leaned in, her heart racing again, desperate for any lead that would get them closer to finding Eddie.

"What are you doing?" Max asked.

"Maybe we don't need a last name," Robin replied, hitting the enter key with a flourish. The screen lit up with a list of entries, all with the first name Rick. "Twelve Ricks have accounts here."

"Lot of Ricks," Max noted with a skeptical glance.

"So, let's narrow it down," Robin said, her fingers already hovering over the mouse. She clicked on the first entry. "Rick Alderman. His latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo.What are the chances our drug dealer has a family?"

"Not likely," Max replied with a smirk, earning a few nods from the others.

Robin moved quickly through the remaining Ricks, her eyes narrowing in focus as she went through entry after entry, their hope starting to dwindle until she landed on one that seemed promising. "Rick Lipton," she announced. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Cheech & Chong's Next Movie, Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams, Cheech & Chong'sUp in Smoke."

Dove's eyes lit up. "That's gotta be him," she said, her voice filled with certainty. "Is there an address?"

Robin grinned, giving a triumphant nod. "2121 Holland Road."

"That's out by Lovers Lake," Dustin said, his eyebrows raised in recognition.

"Middle of nowhere," Max added.

"The perfect place to hide," Robin said, her voice dripping with confidence.

"Eddiehasto be there," Dove said, determination surging through her. Without another word, she turned and started walking toward the door, fully expecting everyone to follow. But when she glanced back, she realized they were all still standing there, not moving.

"Let's go!" Dove insisted, her voice sharp with urgency. The others exchanged glances before rushing to follow her lead.