Nora’s House:
Hardcastle pulls his car up in front of Nora’s place. He notices another car was parked in front of the house as well. He looks at Chris and could tell she was a little curious as to why they were in front of her teacher’s house.

“Why are we in front of Mrs. Midnight’s place?” Chris looks at Hardcastle for an answer.

“Because she has some information, she wants to share with me about your situation.”

“Is it really bad?” Chris wonders what Mrs. Midnight found out.

“I don’t know yet. She wants to talk with us about the information.”

“I wonder what she found out.” Chris opens her car door and gets out.

“Me too, Kiddo. Me too.” Hardcastle opens his car door and gets out as well.

Hardcastle and Chris walks up the well-trimmed and manicured walk wall. Hardcastle looks at the flowers and lights that decorated the path. He wonders how long it takes Nora to maintain the yard and sidewalk. They stop at the front door and presses the doorbell.

Kelly had just walked into the house from the patio into the kitchen. When she hears the doorbell ring. She walks up to the door and looks through the peephole. A smile appears on her face when she sees who it was.

Kelly opens the front door “Detective Hardcastle, it’s so nice to see you again.”

Chris watches as the front door opens and standing on the other side of the door was a middle-aged woman with black shoulder length hair. She was wearing a nice light color tunic patchwork summer dress. She also had on minimum make-up.

“Kelly, it has been a while since I’ve seen you. Let me introduce you to Chris, here.” Hardcastle steps aside to let Chris come forward.

Kelly smiles at Chris “my wife has told me so much about you.”

Chris was surprised at Kelly saying that Mrs. Midnight was married to this woman. She had heard rumors in school that Mrs. Midnight was a lesbian, but she didn’t believe it. She knew Mrs. Midnight had two children that went to the same high school as her.

“I hope it wasn’t all bad, ma’am.” Chris was curious about what Mrs. Midnight said about her.

“It was all nice. Please come inside.” Kelly steps aside to let Chris and Detective Hardcastle enter.

Chris steps inside the house first, followed by Detective Hardcastle. They wait for Kelly to close the front door behind them.

“So, where’s Nora?” Detective Hardcastle was curious.

“She’s out back tending to the ribs. Here, let me show you to her.” Kelly escorts Chris and Detective Hardcastle towards the patio doors.

Chris looks around and saw that Mrs. Midnight had a nice place. She also saw pictures of Mrs. Midnight's children. There were pictures of Nora’s children dressed in Halloween costumes and of Kelly as well.

Hardcastle noticed Chris looking at the pictures on display of Nora’s children and wife. He knew she kept the pictures of herself in the DSS in her home office.

“Nora is all about family, Chris. There’s nothing she won’t do for her family and friends.”

“I wish I had a mother like that.” Chris felt a tear starting to slide down her cheek.

“I think things are about to change for you, Chris.” Kelly heard Chris's statement.

Kelly opens the patio door and steps outside. She saw Tiffany still in the pool with her daughter. Nora’s friend Brenda was sitting at the table enjoying a virgin Pina colada.

“Would you like something cold to drink, Detective?”

“A beer if you have any.”

“I think I can find something. How about you, Chris?” Kelly looks at Chris.

“A soda would be fine.” She noticed the teenage girl out in the pool with a baby.

“I know we have plenty of them. Just have a seat at the table and I’ll bring them to you.”

“Okay.” Hardcastle walks over to the table.

He noticed an older woman in her late forties, early fifties sitting at the table. From the way she was dressed, he figures she worked for the government. Detective Hardcastle walks over to the table “Hi, I’m Detective Hardcastle and this is Chris Winter.”

Brenda looks at the older man and teenage girl in front of her. Nora had already given her some background on Chris Winter when she arrived.

“It’s nice meeting you, detective and Mrs. Winter. I’m Brenda Doxon.” Brenda extends her hand to Detective Hardcastle to shake.

Detective Hardcastle shakes Brenda’s extended hand. After Detective Hardcastle lets go of Brenda’s hand. Chris shakes Brenda’s hand.

Nora watches as Hardcastle, Chris and Brenda interact with each other. She hopes that the information she is about to share with the three of them. Helps protect Chris and put Chris’s stepmother and brother in jail.

“Tiffany, lunch is ready.” Nora looks over towards Tiffany in the pool.

“Okay, mom.” Tiffany gets out of the pool, along with little Marie, and heads towards Nora.

Kelly takes the drinks for Hardcastle and Chris to them. She grabbed an extra one for Tiffany “Tiffany, I have a drink for you.”

“Thanks, momma Kelly.” Tiffany accepts the soda.

Nora walks over to the table with the side items on it with a serving tray loaded with ribs and barbeque chicken. She looks at her friends and daughter “I hope you guys are hungry because I have a lot here.”

“I think we can help make some of that disappear.” Hardcastle could smell the ribs.

“Well, come and serve yourself. We have Amish potato salad, homemade macaroni and cheese, baked beans, Southern string beans, and chef salad as well.”

“You didn’t need to make all of this food.” Brenda looks at Nora.

“She didn’t, I did.” Kelly had a smirk on her face.

“I helped as well.” Tiffany walks over with a plate.

“Yes, you did sweetie and I appreciate it.” Nora looks at Tiffany with a proud look on her face.

Chris knew Mrs. Midnight was a nice person and just watching her with her daughter. She wishes her stepmother was like Mrs. Midnight. She walks over to the table with the food to hide how she felt.

Tiffany looks at Chris and could tell she was upset. She knew a little bit of what was going on, but not everything. She puts her hand on Chris’s “everything will get better.”

Chris looks at Tiffany “thanks.”

Once everyone has gotten their food and was sitting around the picnic table. Nora looks at everyone “I have some information I need to share with you. Chris, this is going to be hard for you to hear.”

Chris wonders what Mrs. Midnight has uncovered. She watches as Nora pulls out a slim black Chromebook. She brings the file up and plays it for Brenda and Detective Hardcastle.