In□estiga□o□slea□ne□t□att□egrouphadbeenfri□ndsfory□ars,butrec□ntlythe□ehadbeen□ens□on□mo□g□hem□Ru□orsofdisa□re□mentsa□d□rgum□nt□□uringthe□r□pbegant□sur□ace,□eadingauthori□ie□tos□□c□la□ewhethe□fou□play□□sinvolved.□achm□mberofthegr□up□adadiffer□ntstoryt□t□□l,andtheinc□nsist□nciesinth□iraccount□onlyad□edtothemyster□ofthemissin□nine. In□est□□atorslearnedthatthe□□ouphad□een□riendsfor□ears,butrece□tl□□hereh□dbe□nten□ionam□n□them.Rumorsofdisagree□en□san□a□gumentsd□□□ngthet□ipbegantosur□ac□,□eadin□authorities□ospec□la□ewhetherfoulpl□yw□sinvolved.Ea□hmembe□ofthegrouphadadiffe□□ntst□rytote□l,andtheinconsistenci□sinthei□□□□ountsonlyad□edtothemys□eryofthemissingnine. In□estigat□rslea□nedthatthegroupha□b□enfriend□f□ry□ar□□butr□ce□tlytherehadbeentensi□n□mongthem.Ru□o□s□fdisag□eement□anda□□u□ents□u□ingthe□ripbega□to□urface,leadingaut□oritiestospec□latewhetherfoul□laywasinvolved.Eachmemberofthegrouphad□d□□□□rentsto□ytote□l,andtheincons□st□n□iesinthei□accountsonlyadd□dt□□hemysteryo□them□□singnine. Investigators□earnedt□at□□egr□u□hadb□enfriendsforyears,butrecentlytherehadbeentension□mongthem□□umorsof□isagree□□ntsand□rgume□□sduring□□etripbegantos□rface,lead□ngauthor□tiestospecu□at□whetherfou□pl□yw□□invo□□ed.Eac□memberofthegrou□hadadiffere□tst□rytotell,andtheinc□ns□stenciesinthei□ac□ountson□yad□□dtoth□mysteryo□□hemis□□n□nine.