Chapter 23: Eye of the Beholder

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Avery's at a cupcake shop with her friends and she walks over with a cup of coffee, and she says, "Well, he recognized the coat but when he saw it first, he thought it was Alison... Vivian." Emily says, "When we noticed you didn't come back, he was gone." Hanna says, "He was cute from the back." Avery says, "And so was his front. Under different circumstances. He's been in Florida for, like, a year." Spencer says, "What did you tell him, exactly?" Avery says, "Uh, I told him that I was a friend of Vivian's and that I hadn't seen her since she gave me the coat." Spencer says, "Can I see that number again?" Avery says, "Yeah." Avery hands the note to Spencer and she says, "Thanks." Spencer looks at the note and says, "Duncan Albert?" Emily says, "He said he met her in Brookhaven?" Avery says, "Yeah, in a bookstore. Couple places down from that creepy doll hospital." Spencer says, "Well, whoever Duncan is, he's connected to Alison and what she wanted in Brookhaven." Emily says, "How do we know that he wasn't just some guy she flirted with in a bookstore?" Spencer says, "I don't think Alison wasted Vivian on flirting. When she put that wig on, she wanted something." Hanna says, "She was looking for 'A'?" Emily says, "Duncan was part of that trial." Avery says, "I'll call him." Spencer says, "Avery, you don't have to." Emily says, "Any one of us could've been wearing that coat." Avery says, "But it was me." Avery sees Spencer staring at something and she follows her gaze to see Jenna getting out of a car and Hanna and Emily also look and then they see Toby helping her and he looks there way. Hanna says, "She had the operation."

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The next day, Avery's with her friends at school where Mona gives Hanna an old phone and Mona says, "It's really old, like six months

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The next day, Avery's with her friends at school where Mona gives Hanna an old phone and Mona says, "It's really old, like six months. But it works pretty good for an antique. The number bills to my account. So, your mom never has to know." Hanna says, "Oh. Mona, you are a lifesaver." Mona says, "Well, what's the point in doing something for someone if it doesn't make you look good? I'm already number one on the speed dial. Ciao!" Mona walks away and Spencer says, "If only we could harness Mona's sense of entitlement, we could light the Eastern seaboard." Mona says, "Yeah, well, I don't care, I got a new phone, and I didn't have to go through Caleb. He's safe in Montecito." Emily looks at Avery and says, "Did you get through to Duncan yet?" Avery says, "Yeah, he's coming after school. I'm gonna meet him in the courtyard." Spencer says, "That sounds safe." Avery softly says, "Yeah." The bell rings and Spencer says, "Later." The girls all part ways and Avery looks at Emily and says, "Bye." Avery walks to class. Later, Avery's in the courtyard with Duncan and she says, "So, were you looking for Vivian in Brookhaven?" Duncan says, "Can I ask you a question first?" Avery says, "Sure." Duncan says, "Is Avery your real name?" Avery says, "What? Yes. Of course it is. Why would you ask that?" Duncan says, "Because Vivian's real name wasn't Vivan. And if you're her friend, you'll know her real name." Avery says, "Alison." Duncan says, "We have a winner. So, where is she?" Avery says, "Duncan... Alison's dead. I'm sorry. She disappeared Labor Day weekend, year before last." Duncan says, "Disappeared? What happened?" Avery says, "She was killed and... they didn't find her body for a year." Duncan stands up and turns around and he says, "Do they know who did it?" Avery says, "No." Duncan turns to look at her and says, "The cops must have some ideas." Avery says, "Yeah, we... don't really trust the cops." Duncan says, "Who's 'we?'" Avery says, "Me and some of Alison's friends." Duncan says, "You're the one who kept the journals. The writer. She talked about you. There are four of you, right?" Avery says, "She talked about us?" Duncan says, "Yes. She talked about guys a lot." Avery says, "Did she ever... talk about anyone else? Someone that she might've been afraid of?" Duncan says, "Look, maybe we shouldn't be talking about this here." Avery says, "Did you only meet her in that bookstore?" Duncan says, "No. No, we spent a lot of time together that summer." Avery says, "In Brookhaven?" Duncan says, "Near Brookhaven." Avery says, "Well, I-I could meet you there." Duncan says, "I'll call you." As Duncan goes to walk away, he stops and looks at Avery and says, "The weekend you said she disappeared... I saw her that weekend." Duncan walks away. Later, Avery's with the girls walking on the sidewalk and she tells them about what Duncan said. Spencer says, "Duncan saw Ali that weekend?" Hanna says, "Are we sure we believe him?" Avery says, "He was all torn up when I told him she was dead. He couldn't have been faking that." Hanna looks back at Emily and says, "Em, you okay?" Emily says, "Sure." They hear an engine running and they see Garrett leaving the Cavanagh's house. Spencer says, "Why is Garrett in such a hurry?" All of their phone's beep and Emily says, "'Where there's smoke, there's payback.' -A." They hear a door open, and they see Jenna and Toby and Hanna says, "Wait. What's going on?" Spencer says, "I don't know." Avery says, "What are they talking to the fire department about?" Emily says, "They're talking about that night." Spencer says, "The Jenna thing." Hanna says, "Are you serious?" Avery says, "What could Toby be telling them?" Spencer says, "I did such a good job of screwing him up he might say anything Jenna wants him to say." Hanna says, "That we were the ones who blinded Jenna?" Emily and says, "Alison and us."

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