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Ali chuckled "But haven’t you been looking for ht you’d get" She covered her mouth with her hand "But you didn’t findfor you?" Spencer demanded

Ali rolled her eyes "I know about everything He tellsHe’s my lifeline"

"Noel, you ainst a tree trunk "We know everything, too We know Noel’s been working with you"

A proud smile spread across Ali’s lips "Spencer, you’re so cute Such a little Sherlock Holht?" Spencer demanded

"Sorry" Ali shook her head "If I told you, I’d have to kill you Actually, that’s a good idea anyway"

She lunged for Spencer and covered her like a net Spencer screa into Spencer’s flesh She touched her shoulder with her charred hand "Open your eyes," she demanded in Spencer’s ear "Open your eyes so you can see what I’asp Suddenly, she wasn’t in the woods any on the floor of her den E the exact spot on Spencer’s shoulder where Ali’s hand had been ed "You’re having a dream"

Spencer sat up and tried to catch her breath E about Ali?" she asked

"Yeah," Spencer whispered

"I could tell," Eled out of their sleeping bags The clock on the cable box read 7:46 AM Their prom dresses lay in a pile in the corner, shed haphazardly when they’d arrived here late last night after rescuing Aria Shoes and bags were in a jued for her phone and winced when she saw the screen "No ht, she’d called Mrs Kahn to ask her to call her if Noel showed up at ho it sound like a drunken evening instead of a scary aled her knees "I guess thatto cover for hi"

"We need to tell the cops, guys," Eraveyard before running off They should know he’s dangerous"

"And risk Noel retaliating by telling on us?" Spencer said "Or worse--the truth? Aria’s still got that painting at her houseand Fuji knows about it And we’re still connected to Tabitha It’s too risky"

Aria raked her fingers through her messy, hair-spray-sticky hair "So you think it was Noel who told Fuji about the painting?"

Emily pulled a quilt around her shoulders "I think so"

"Why wouldn’t he just adh? Why would he say it was one of usand make Fuji threaten to search all our houses?"

"Because he’s A," Spencer said "It’s just another way to torture us"

"This whole thing feels like a ticking time bomb," Hanna said in a hushed voice "After he left the ceize with Ali about what to do Maybe the best thing to do is to go to Fuji and coets to her first Or what if he and Ali plan to hurt us? That note said ere next"

"I say we nail Noel to the wall this h proof, from what Aria told us and fro to do with all of Ali’s diabolical sche to bring him in on"

Hanna nodded "The cops can do the rest of the forensic work to link hiree--we need to end this"

There was a pained sound to her left Aria covered her eyes with her hands The girls exchanged a sympathetic look

"Aria," E over to her

Hanna slung her arm around Aria’s shoulders "It sucks, doesn’t it? It happened to me, too, remember? With Mona?"

"I just don’t want it to be true," Aria sobbed "I keep thinking he’s going to turn up and explain all of this to us in a way that makes sense"

"I didn’t want to believe it was Mona, either," Hanna said softly "But Noel adand he never said a word You shouldn’t feel sorry for hiry"

Aria nodded "I know I should, but" She gazed around at theive it a day? If I can’t track down Noel by then, we’ll tell Fuji everything"

Spencer shut her eyes "What if Fuji decides to search your house? Then what?"

"I’ to take that chance," Aria said shakily

Spencer leaned back on her palazed nervously out the

"How about six hours?" Spencer said "So by"--she checked her watch--"two PM, if we don’t hear fro"

Aria’s jaw trembled "That’s no time at all!"

"If he’s innocent, he’ll reach out, don’t you think?" Spencer said

"But" Aria looked back and forth Then she shan "Okay," she said "Six hours"

The girls stood and gathered up their belongings After soels, they headed out the door Just as Hanna, Aria, and Emily pulled away, a black Jeep stopped at the curb Spencer peered out the , surprised sonize