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An idea crystallized in Emily’s mind She composed a text to Spencer, Aria, and Hanna I’, she wrote, using the code name they’d come up with for Ali I’m back on the hunt Are you in or out?

She sent the text off and waited, taking steady, even breaths All she could do noait She hoped and prayed they would say yes

24

A NEW PLAN

That sa room of a lawyer’s office Well, sort of a lawyer’s office--she’d never known a lawyer to set up his business in a strip mall between a Five Below and a Curves, but whatever Mike sat next to her, staring at a pa suit "Hey," he whispered "Have you ever taken Celebrex? Prozac?"

"No," Aria mumbled

"Do you have mesothelioma?" Mike asked

"I don’t even knohat that is"

"Damn" Mike set down the pa settle how Mike could be upbeat She was also beginning to second-guess thisthrough the walls This , Mike had knocked on her door and said, "Get up We’re talking to Dese at ten AM We’ll sneak" "Who’s that?" Aria had asked, and Mike had explained it was a laho’d called the house yesterday volunteering to take Aria’s case Aria had tried to tell hied "It’s always good to get a second opinion Besides, we don’t even have to pay this new guy unless in"

Now, a door flung open, and a tall, skinny ummy smile and hair so slicked with poomery and friend!" he boomed "Come in, come in!"

Aria looked nervously at Mike, but he just pulled her to her feet and led her into the office "It’ll be fine," he e down the hall "You have a good case He’ll present the truth to the judge--how can it go wrong?"

Aria hoped he was right She entered the lawyer’s office, which was decorated with bobbleheads, signed Eagles jerseys, and a whole lot of empty Arby’s wrappers There was also a diploan on the wall, whichwith us," she said as she sat down

"Of course, of course!" Sturbridge’s eyes glea case And I have some ideas to keep you out of Jaly Aria pulled a notebook out of her bag and slid it across the desk "We don’t have too n that’s happened so you can look it over at your leisure" Inside the notebook were also drawings she’d started for Asher Trethewey Not that she’d need thee waved his hand "That won’t be necessary I think I’ve got all I need"

Aria and Mike exchanged a look "But you haven’t got anything," Aria said "Don’t you want to knohat really happened that night?"

"Lord, no" Sturbridge looked abashed "Miss Montgomery, this is a tricky case There are eyewitnesses, there’s a video of you on the sceneit doesn’t look very good The way I see it, there’s really only one way to play this case so you come out a winner"

"What’s that?" Mike asked

"We plead insanity"

He looked pleased with hiravity Aria blinked hard "But I’ that Alison DiLaurentis is alive? Sending bullying notes to yourself?"

"Those notes weren’t froe smiled sadly "The police say they are"

Mike’s shoulders drooped "You’re using information you read about my sister online, stuff the cops came up with That isn’t her in the video"

Sturbridge frowned "It certainly looks like her"

"It’s not," Aria said "I didn’t do it"

Sturbridge forers "Don’t want to hear it!" he singsonged Then he passed a stapled set of papers across the desk "If you want to stay out of a Jaet you a stay and a psychiatric evaluation It’s not so bad Chances are, you’ll end up in one of those cushy mental hospitals around here, all expenses paid by the state"

"Like the Preserve at Addison-Stevens?" Aria challenged

Sturbridge’s eyes lit up "Exactly! I hear the food is a there"

Aria shut her eyes and forced herself to take cal the papers back at Sturbridge "Thanks for your tirabbed the notebook from the lawyer and took Aria’s are called out as they fled down the hall

"Sorry," Mike said, pushing the door open He looked o for, I would have never put you through that"

"It’s okay," Aria regating in front of Curves So much for the lawyer route

She felt her phone buzz in her pocket She grabbed it and looked at the e I’m back on the hunt, Emily had written Are you in or out? In the same thread, Hanna had responded to count her in A minute later, Spencer had said yes, too

"What’s that?" Mike asked, leaning over Aria was about to cover the screen, but Mike had already seen the text His face brightened "Yes You’re going after Ali again?"

"You’re not getting involved," Aria said quickly

Mike slu I can help You have nothing to lose"

Aria shut her eyes "I’m sorry," she said "I just can’t let you help"

Mike’s face fell "In the iret it"