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Aria’s throat went dry "W-what do youAria reached for her phone, her heart sinking One new e, it said, followed by a jumble of letters and nuet it dry-cleaned --A

6

SPENCER GOES DOWNTOWN

At the sa five easy miles on the Marwyn Trail, an old train line turned nature walk As she walked back to her car, pulling her hair up into a high ponytail, the wind stopped The trail was clear of runners and bikers, but she swore she could see a human shape in the bushes Ali?

A wos appeared around the corner A Rollerblader skated past, and a squirrel eed from the bushes Spencer pinched the inside of her palm Ali isn’t everywhere Only, did she really believe that anymore?

She climbed into the car, drained a bottle of coconut water, and switched on the radio The first thing she heard was Noel Kahn’s naher

"Though Mr Kahn survived his attack, he is a with socialite Gayle Riggs, as murdered in the driveway of her new Rosewood home, and Kyla Kennedy, a burn patient as found dead behind the hospital," a deep baritone voice said "New questions are swirling about a serial cri a possible tie-in to the boo--students fro schools were on board"

Spencer shifted jerkily into reverse, nearly taking out a goose If only they could hand over their texts fro in no ti in the late spring splendor Tons of flowers had bloomed, and cherry blossoms floated down from the sky But when she saw the news vans in front of her house, she hit the brakes She was about to back out of the street and drive somewhere else--anywhere else--when the reporters descended on the car

"Ms Hastings, please!" The reporters banged on her"Just a few questions! What led you to Noel Kahn’s body?"

"Is it all just tooabout killing yourselves?"

Spencer ducked her head and pulled into the driveway The reporters had the good sense not to follow her, but they kept shouting Mr Pennythistle’s Range Rover loomed in front of her That was odd: It was just past four, and usually Mr Pennythistle didn’t get back from work until after six And there was Mr Pennythistle hi at Spencer as she drove in Spencer’s th khaki shorts and an old polo shirt from the Four Seasons Hotel in St Barts, stood next to hirave Spencer’s quasi stepsister, Anes school vest and plaid skirt--she was the only girl Spencer kneore her uniform after dismissal There was a satisfied slanced at all three of the was up "Uh, hi?" she asked cautiously as she walked up

Mrs Hastings guided her toward the door "Good, you’re horitted teeth

Spencer’s heart did a sos pulled her into the house The fareet the reallyShe looked at her fiancé "You tell her"

Mr Pennythistle, still in his business suit, sighed deeply and showed Spencer a picture on his phone It was of a trashed living roonized the heavy, copper-colored curtains and the marble-topped coffee table "Your model home?" she squeaked The model home had the panic room where she and her friends talked about A

"A neighbor called last night," Mr Pennythistle said gravely "They walked by with their dog and saw slass on the floors And A the model’s keys from my office last week Did you do this?"

Spencer shot a look at Alee Narc "Of course not I mean--yes I went into the ht I was holy at all of them, but then she realized--she’d been the only one hoone to Amelia’s orchestra performance

Mr Pennythistle cleared his throat, then flipped to the next photo In this one, a tall blond girl stood in the corner of the living rooaze on the front door It was Spencer

"This is impossible," Spencer squeaked "Someone Photoshopped me in"

Mr Pennythistle cocked his head "Who would have done that?"

"The real person who did it, I guess" Spencer sank onto the otto room And that, of course, was Ali or Helper A But why? To send a irls were talking about in the panic rooain of the presence she felt at the housing coated Maybe Ali had known they were there

She handed the phone back to Mr Pennythistle "I knohat this looks like But it wasn’t me Honest Call the police Have them dust for prints on all the stuff that was trashed"

"That won’t be necessary," Mr Pennythistle said gruffly