“Yes. It’s from A. From Kelsey.”
Spencer told Hanna how Kelsey had marched up to her and asked if she’d received her text—this text. “She knows what we did,” she said. “She knows everything. She came after me, and I tried to protect myself, but people pulled me off her saying I attacked her. And then, when it was all over, Kelsey looked at me one more time and mouthed You’re dead.”
Hanna gasped. “Are you sure?”
Spencer nodded. “We have to find her and stop her before she does something terrible. But I have no idea where she’s gone. I can’t find her anywhere.”
An engine sputtered on the road, reminding Hanna of the car that had almost sideswiped her moments before. Suddenly, synapses connected in her brain. She gasped. “I think I just saw Kelsey. But I didn’t realize it was her.”
“Where?” Aria shrieked.
Hanna swallowed hard and gestured to the restaurant’s exit. “In her car. Leaving. And, guys, she wasn’t alone.”
Spencer widened her eyes. “She was with Emily, wasn’t she?”
Aria reached into her bag for her car keys. “We have to find them. Now.”
She started across the parking lot, and Hanna followed. But after a few paces, Hanna turned and noticed that Spencer had remained on the sidewalk, shifting from one foot to the other. “What is it?” Hanna asked.
Spencer chewed on her bottom lip. “I . . . I had a fight with Emily in the restaurant. I said some pretty horrible stuff to her. She might not want to see me.”
“Yes, she will.” Hanna grabbed Spencer’s arm. “It’s Emily—and she’s in danger. We’re all in this together, right?”
Spencer nodded, zipped up her coat, and stepped off the curb toward Aria’s car. Aria hit the UNLOCK button on her keychain, and they all climbed in. Just as Aria was revving the engine, Hanna pointed to a piece of paper skewered through the antenna on the hood. “What’s that?”
Spencer jumped out of the car and ripped the paper free. She climbed back inside and spread it out on her lap. Everyone gathered around to look. Collectively, they let out a long, nervous gasp.
Hurry, girls! Before it’s too late! —A
Chapter 33
A FALLEN IDOL
Emily and Kelsey sped past the quaint shops on the main drive, the Hollis clock tower, the covered bridge, the upscale hair salon where Their Ali had taken Emily and her friends to get eyebrow waxes for seventh-grade graduation. Ali had tried to talk Emily into getting a bikini wax, too, but Emily had refused.
Kelsey didn’t say a word, just drove, staring straight ahead. Every so often, her whole body shivered and spasmed, like Emily’s body did when she was waking from a bad dream.
“Is everything okay?” Emily asked tentatively.
“Everything’s fine,” Kelsey answered. “Never better! On top of the world! Why do you ask?”
Whoa. She’d said all that in the span of about two seconds. Emily eased back in her seat, feeling the seat belt cut against her chest. “You confronted Spencer about what happened, right? How did that go? Are you upset?”
Kelsey took her hands off the wheel, leaned over, and started to stroke Emily’s shoulder. “You’re so cute. Do you always get this worried about people, or am I special?”
“Uh, can you watch the road?” Emily warned as the car drifted over the dotted yellow line. A car speeding toward them honked and swerved.
“I hope I’m special to you.” Kelsey faced front again. “Because you’re special to me.”
“Good,” Emily answered, but she still felt a little unnerved. She stared out the window at the dark telephone poles rushing past. Where were they, anyway? This was a part of Rosewood she rarely visited.
Just after an old, ramshackle Quaker church came into view, Kelsey wrenched the wheel, sending the car onto a hidden turnoff. A sign swept past, written in crooked capital letters. FLOATING MAN QUARRY.
“W-why are we going here?” Emily stammered.
“Have you ever been to this place?” Kelsey gunned up the steep hill. “It’s awesome. I haven’t been here in ages. Not since before I went to juvie.”
Emily peeked out the window. She hadn’t been here in a while, either: The last time was when she and the others had discovered Mona Vanderwaal was the original A. Mona had been about to push Spencer over the cliff into the jagged rocks below, but Mona had slipped to her death instead.
“There are cooler places than this, you know,” Emily said shakily. “There’s a spot near the train tracks where you can see the whole Main Line.”
“Nah, I like it here.” Kelsey pulled into the empty parking lot next to a big trash barrel. “Come on!” She ran over to Emily’s side and pulled her out. “You’ve got to see this view!”