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Chapter One

One hundred and thirty.

That was the number of tiles on the ceiling in the meeting room. I was reclined all the way back in the padded leather executives chair. The tiles became obscured by the large bubble that extended from my mouth. I was just about ready to suck it back in when I felt the familiar press of an intruding finger. The sticky chicle (isn't that a great word? chicle!) clung to my face like a second skin. I heard AJ's telltale laugh.

"Pay attention Nizzle."

I sat up peeling the layer away from my face.

"I am paying attention."

"Then what did we just say?"

I glanced over at Howie. It was just like him to give me a quiz.

"Something about a fundraiser?"

Howie tapped his pen against the table.

"What about a fundraiser?"

He got me there. I stared at him blankly. Brian jumped in.

We're going to have to do a Backstreet Trivia night. We'll charge two hundred and fifty dollars per table with teams of five. So it will cost each person fifty dollars. For another fifty they can get a group picture with us after the game's over.

That sounded kind of fun.

"When are we doing this?"

"Saturday, October 30," AJ added.

I really hadn't been paying attention if they had already covered all of this.

"What do the winners get?"

"You really weren't listening were you?" Howie said. I sighed.

"Not at all."

"The winning team will get to do a murder mystery with us on Halloween night," Howie said.

Now that sounded awesome.

"A murder mystery?" I said excitedly.

"We're going to do it like a game of Clue," Brian said.

"Yeah, you know how you had to figure out who killed Mr. Boddy? Well for this game, the people on the winning team have to figure out which one of us killed Lou Pearlman," AJ said with a grin.

I laughed. "Sweet. Can I be the one who did it?"

The guys looked at each other.

"You're going to be playing along with the winners," Howie explained.

My eyes widened. "What? Why?"

"Because you can't keep a secret," Bri explained.

"I can too!"

"Nick, give us one time when you haven't blurted out or Twittered something that we didn't want anyone to know yet."

I opened my mouth. A second later I closed it.

"Well, AJ sucks too," I complained. I folded my arms across my chest. Sure I was thirty years old, but they were being unfair.

AJ snickered. "I'm getting better, thank you. If it helps, you're going to play an important role."

"Uh, do I need to remind you that you told the whole world your wedding date was May 7 before you even had a venue?"

"I was just throwing people off my trail."

I snorted. "Right."

"Do you want to know what you'll be doing?" Howie asked. I propped my chin in my hand.

"Sure."

"For each fan that bumps into you along the way, you're going to give them extra prizes," Brian said.

"So I'm the eye candy?" I asked. I smiled.

Howie rolled his eyes. Bri reached over and felt up my chest.

"Aren't you always?"

I grabbed his hand and kissed it. We both laughed. Howie and AJ didn't say anything. They were immune to our bromance.

"What does the winner get?" I asked.

"An all expenses paid spot on the cruise in December," Howie explained.

I whistled. That was a pretty nice prize.

"So, we've got the three of us as characters," AJ continued. "I think Ro would love to do this."

"Count Leighanne in," Bri said.

"I'm sure I can talk Leigh into it," Howie said. "It's for a good cause."

"Which charity are we donating to?"

"HHC and the Lupus Foundation," Brian said.

I nodded. Leighanne and Leigh were sure to participate.

"Alright, sounds like a fun way to spend Halloween. Where are we doing this?"

Brian smiled. "Well, since you feel so left out, we thought we'd let you find the place."

"Yeah, I mean with as often as you move we figured you wouldn't have a problem finding yet another place."

I rolled my eyes. Lauren and I had just moved. Again. Sure, I moved a lot, but it was just because I was picky.

Plus, I only liked a place as long as it still had that 'new place' smell.

"Here's the criteria we need," Howie said. He handed me a list. I scanned the list. I had to find a place that was spooky and had at least nine rooms including a hall, a lounge, a dining room, kitchen, library, movie room, studio, master bedroom, and a smaller bedroom with a balcony.

"So we'll looking for a house that could do as the one in the Amityville Horror?" I concluded.

"Fuck yeah," AJ said. He rubbed his hands together.

"It's got to be a Halloween house," Howie said.

"We're going to work on the trivia questions and this is your assignment," Bri said.

"Use your vast knowledge as producer to get us a house that will scare the shit out of five girls," AJ added.

I laughed.

Even though I felt a little like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (after all, the guys weren't letting me participate in any of their 'Backstreet Games'), I loved Halloween. No matter what I was going to make sure I found the freakiest house I could.

I didn't say it out loud, but I couldn't help but think that it would be hilarious if I found out whodunnit before the five other contestants.

Because if I did, I was going to have two all expenses paid trips on the SS Backstreet.