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Chase poked his head into the kitchen, which had broken glass on the floors and trash strewn everywhere It smelled like rottenthrough before trashing this place" He cleared his throat "That cop was looking at ht I did it"

"No, he just didn’t want to say anything about Ali," Spencer assured hi it into the trash "They don’t want us to tell anyone else" She paused, peering at hierous"

Chase shrugged "It’s not like you toldI didn’t already know I’ll be fine"

Spencer turned back toward the door to get the cleaning supplies froet this over with, huh?"

"Wait a sec," Chase called fro in theat the ceralass was so shiny

Spencer knelt to pick it up and frowned, holding it up to the light It was a silver keychain, minus the key An Acura emblem was etched into the metal "I can’t believe Gates missed this," she murmured "Do you think it’s Ali’s?"

"Maybe," Chase said "Or maybe it’s her helper’s"

Spencer pulled out her phone Her finger hesitated on Fuji’s number, but she dialed Hanna instead

"Do we know anyone who drives an Acura?" she asked when Hanna answered

Hanna didn’t miss a beat "Scott Chin Mason Byers My hbors That lady who--"

"Whoa," Spencer interrupted "I didn’t realize you knew every Acura driver in Rosewood"

"They’re nice cars," Hanna answered matter-of-factly "Why do you want to know?"

Spencer explained what she’d just found "Could her helper be one of those people? Scott Chin doesn’t ay I’rade, re"

"Spence, weren’t we just at the police station turning over the case to a teaet about it"

Spencer knew Hanna was right, but it was more difficult to relinquish control than she realized At school, when they had to do group projects, Spencer always insisted on doing most of the work The others will just screw it up, she always thought They won’t do it as well as I can

Still, she dutifully stuffed the keychain into her bag,a mental note to call Fuji when she and Chase were finished cleaning Hanna was right She didn’t have to worry about this any

She canvassed the rest of thefluff and shredded newspaper and yards of toilet paper wound around the chandelier, but found no other clues

There was a knock at the door, and Spencer froze again "Yoo-hoo?" Spencer’sroo, Spencer padded toward the front door Her mother, Mr Pennythistle, and Amelia stood in the foyer, all dressed in jeans and T-shirts They were all holding broo supplies fro on?" Spencer asked Had they cos tied her short blond hair back with a stretchy headband "We’re going to help you clean, honey"

"R-really?" Spencer sta the crayon marks on the walls Some of it came off on her skin "It’s not fair for you to have to do it yourself I’ht that you took Nicholas’s keys without his permission, but it was unfair of us to assume that you were the one who did this to the place"

Mr Pennythistle clapped her on the shoulder "You were hoht this place was trashed--I checked the security video in the house I’m sorry I doubted you"

Maybe Spencer should have been more bothered that he didn’t take her at her word, but it felt like too much emotional effort She kind of liked the stern way he was looking at A on you," Aed her

"And the police explained that your drug arrest was a s added as she scrubbed the ith a Mr Clean Magic Eraser "Thank God"

"Oh," Spencer said "Well, good"

"Anyway, let’s get to work!" Mrs Hastings handed Amelia a broom Then she stopped and noticed Chase in the kitchen "Oh Hello"

"This is my friend Chase," Spencer said "Another Chase," she added, realizing that her mom was introduced to Curtis as Chase when he’d picked her up for the pro s trilled, shooting him a kind smile "Well Any friend of Spencer’s is a friend of ours"

Spencer al false bla, and that she didn’t hate her

Mr Pennythistle plugged in the vacuuly picked up the couch cushions and cra back inside Spencer shot Chase a secret slass with the broo felt--well, not perfect, but better than it had in a long time