THE NIGHT was messy for the lairs; Jason was gone, as had the picture that would have proved that Alison and Wilden were in Cape May the same summer. Following day the four lairs sat in The brew after closing hours, talking without knowing that one of their best friend is being held captive .
"So if the whole N.A.T club is out of town," Hanna mused, twirling a lock of her golden hair around her finger. "Do you think A will retire?"
Spencer, ever the pessimist, frowned at the suggestion. "Or just have more time for us," she murmured darkly. The room fell silent as the gravity of her words sank in.
Emily spoke up, her voice tentative. "Guys Cece lied about Wilden and then we find picture of them with Ali ?"
Aria nodded, her expression a mix of anger and disbelief. "Yeah, and now the picture is gone. Vanished without a trace, like it never existed."
Hanna's eyes widened at the thought. "So is it possible that Cece is, what do we call it?" She paused, searching for the right words. "Red coat?"
Emily shivered, her eyes darting around the room as if expecting the mysterious figure to appear. "I never saw a face," she said quietly, her voice haunting the space between them.
Suddenly,a sharp knock echoed through the room, breaking the tension.They all jumped, their hearts racing in their chests.It was an unexpected interruption in their secretive conversation.
Emily took a deep breath and walked over to the door, her hand shaking slightly as she turned the knob. "We are closed," she called out, trying to sound as calm and collected as possible.
But the door swung open, and there he was—Detective Wilden, his usual smug smirk plastered across his face. "You are here," he said, his eyes scanning the room, taking in the four of them.
"I have the keys " Emily replied, her voice steady.
Hanna added, "Yeah, and drinking coffee is not a crime." She flashed a forced smile, trying to lighten the mood. The tension in the room was thick, like a fog that no one wanted to step through.
Aria stepped forward, her curiosity piqued. "What are you doing here ?"
Wilden's smirk grew wider, his eyes flickering between the four of them. "Looking for you girls"
"Are you following us?" Hanna's voice was incredulous. She set her cup down with a clatter, the sound echoing through the room.
Wilden's smirk grew wider. "Should I be?" He took a step into the room, his eyes glinting with something that was definitely not amusement. "Jason DiLaurentis is saying some nasty things about me"
