Page 29 (1/2)

When he aze, his eyes were soulful, concerned, and uncertain The bruises on his cheeks had faded to yellow, and the stitches on his jaere no longer puffy and Frankenstein-monster-like He had a cast on his arlanced at the Nike lacrosse T-shirt, feeling an ache He’d worn it the day she’d returned from Iceland, the first day they’d sort of talked Did he re it today on purpose?

"Are you" Noel started

"Have you" Aria said at the same time She stopped "You first"

"No" Noel sed "You"

She stared at the basket-weave brick pattern on the porch floor All at once, she had no idea what to say "Congratulations," she finallyto the cap

"Thanks" Noel set it down and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans A hawk screamed loudly in the sky overhead "I don’t believe it, you know," he said quietly "I don’t knohat happened, and you don’t have to tell ht?"

Aria nodded, her insides twisting "That’s why I need your help"

Noel’s brow furrowed "Me?"

"You were her friend Are you sure you don’t knohere she could be?"

Noel shook his head vehehed Above theether The sun ca slanted stripes across the vast front lawn "Okay, then," she said, turning "I guess I’ll go"

"Wait" Noel’s voice was like an oar cutting through water Aria turned, and there was a strange, tortured look on his face "There was no e-mail or phone at The Preserve, so we used to have a secret code for when she needed to talk"

Aria sucked in her stomach "Have you used this code recently?"

"Of course not Even if I did know she survived the fire, I would have done everything in my power to hurt her, not help her"

Aria walked back to the porch "Could you use it now?"

Noel glanced around the front yard, as though he thought Ali ht not fall for it"

Aria wrapped her hands around the railing that surrounded the porch "We’ve been getting A notes--fro at straws Believe me, I didn’t want to ask you, but you’re our last hope We don’t want to go to Jaainst one of the Adirondack chairs "I don’t want you to go to Jamaica"

"Then help us"

The door opened behind hioing"

Noel glanced at his mother, annoyed "One sec, okay?"

Mrs Kahn reluctantly shut the door again, though Aria could tell by the light through thethat she was hovering close by Noel pulled out his cell phone, then called up an electronics website on his browser Aria watched as he ordered a single package of AA batteries On the order page, he listed his name as Maxine Preptwill and that his address was the Rosewood Public Library In the special instructions section, all he wrote was: 9 PM tonight

"Who’s Maxine Preptwill?" Aria whispered

Noel shrugged "I don’t know Ali suggested it" He gestured to his phone "It’s a duets to her" He slipped his phone back into his pocket "It’s done We’re ht at nine at the Rosewood Public Library"

Aria’s heart thudded fast She was at Byron’s tonight It would be easier to sneak out "Will you be able to get away fro out"

Aria nodded "Okay We’ll be hiding nearby, waiting"

Noel looked alaruys? Shouldn’t you call the police, too?"

Aria shook her head "She’ll never come if a bunch of cop cars are there We’ll all ambush her Jump on her Throw her in my car And then we’ll take her to the police station"

An uncertain look clouded Noel’s face "That sounds so dangerous And violent"

Aria sed hard, hating that she’d beco another person into the back of her car "I know," she adht save us"

"Okay I’m in" Noel nodded, then turned for the door His ht"