The Next Step Murder Mystery

The Letter

Unknown POV

Yes! Now I can have the chance to get revenge them all! That's all I could think as I stared at the white piece of paper in front of me. I read through it again, as if the words would change. They didn't.

Dear *******,

By the time you are reading this I will be dead. But of course you already know that, seeing that you will have killed me. I thought you should be the first to know that I have invited most of the old A-troupers and others - including you - to The Next Step Studio. I know you will try to get revenge on them by way of murder, and the reason I have done it is to have them figure out who killed me, instead of me telling them through a letter. They have been sent a letter informing them to come to the studio at 21:15 on Saturday the 11th May and instructing them to bring their letters. There they will see my dead body right where you will have left it, presumably in my office. You may want to look shocked so that you don't look too suspicious. I have sent you a copy of the letter as well so that you do not look suspicious. Now that all of that is out of the way all I have to ask you is why? I was a second mother to you, as well as every other dancer that ever trained at my studio. I used to tell you when you were a child that I'd stick by you whatever happens, through thick and thin, but it seems that you would not do the same for me. I never imagined that you could turn on me like this.
~Miss Kate
PS- The 'others' that I have invited are the Elites and some of the old B-troupe. They are coming as well as the old Next Steppers, as the Elites also trained at this studio as J-troupers before they betrayed me and went to Lucien.

As I read through the letter for the third time, I felt the slightest twinge of guilt. She didn't have to die, I only wanted her to bring together the old A-troupe and Elite. Oh well, this was the only way. If I'd have done it everyone would ask why I brought them together and I didn't feel like making up one huge lie. Bit of a weird reason to kill, but I had to. I needed revenge and I knew who was first on my list.

James' POV

"Hey babe," I said as I casually strolled into mine and Riley's house. Before you start asking, yes, Riley and I got married and moved in together. It was the best day of my life.
"Don't call me babe!" she snapped, "Come over here"
"Alright, alright" I mumbled and made my way over to the study where I found her sitting with a frown on her face and staring at two envolopes. One said Riley and the other said James.

"What do you think they are," she asked me, fear laced into her voice.
I took one look at her worried face and silently laughed. She gets so worked up over nothing.
"Don't even worry about it Riles," I told her in my usual laid back tone, "They're probably just from some crazy fangirl or something, you know how they can get."

Yes, the band I was part of a whole seven years ago is still intact and strong as ever. We've done a couple of tours across America and Canada, but we were preparing for our biggest one yet - our worldwide tour. We became extremely famous after I left The Next Step.

Riley, however is now on a hit broadway show and has the main part. I'm so proud if her, and I know her parents, Emily, and her brother Matt are too.

"No James this feels different, like - like there's something wrong," she said worriedly.
"Babe--" I started
"Don't call me babe!" she told me, stress then took over her voice at the end of her sentence so that it cracked on the word babe. She started to cry and I pulled her into hug.
"Okay, then," I said, still calm despite the circumstances, "Shall we open them?"

She nodded and wiped her eyes, furiously.

"Sorry babe," she said "I just can't help it."

It's true, Riley has panic attacks sometimes. It's mostly because she gets worked up over little things. Whenever she does it's my job to calm her down as I am one of the only two people in the world that can, the other being Emily.

I sat down in the seat next to her and we opened our letters.

Riley's POV

I gasped as I read it.

Dear Riley,

First of all I'd like to conragulate you and James on your marriage. You truly are the perfect couple. If you are reading this then you will never be seeing me again, and I'm sorry to say that it is not my choice. This letter is an invitation. An invitation to come to The Next Step Studio and see a few old friends. Come at 21:15 on Saturday the 11th of May. You will make a shocking discovery here and I hope that you are ready for it, though I doubt you are. I will miss you dearly. I was there for your first steps, I approved of your first boyfriend, I let you use my studio for your first date and I was in the front row at your wedding which was reserved for family, as all of your friends were your bridesmaids and Emily your maid of honour. I was so proud of you and James in that moment, and I will be looking down on you. I was always your second mother, and I always will be, no matter what.
~ Love, Miss Kate
PS: Bring this letter with you, or else it may cause a few problems.

"What does it mean?," I asked James in a whisper, who had pretty much the same letter as me, only with different memories.
"I don't know Riles," he said in a tone I didn't recognise, "I really don't know."

My jaw dropped as I realised what tone of voice he had said his last sentence in. It was a tone I has never -  in all 24 years of my life -  heard him use.

Fear.

He was afraid.