UNSTEADY 🅰️ LUCAS GOTTESMAN [book one]

WHAT LIES BENEATH

...

AFTER Ashley had discovered the broken plant on their back porch, she'd soon ordered a replacement leaving Hanna and Haley to clean it up. But when they moved the old pot, they'd discovered a letter.

"Emily I'm so sorry for everything. I know we've had a disconnect lately. I hope you'll give me a chance to explain. I have to show you something. Don't call my cell. Someone stole it. Meet me at..." Hanna trailed off, eyebrow's furrowing as she stared down at the water damaged letter.

"Meet me?" Aria repeated, looking between the other girls as they listened, having been summoned to the Marin household "Where?"

Hanna sighed "I don't know, I can't tell."

Haley took ahold of it, examining it carefully "Looks like it's been washed out by the rain."

"Are you sure that this is from Maya?" Spencer confirmed, looking to Emily.

"Positive." She nodded "It's her handwriting."

Spencer blinked "I wonder what she wanted to show you."

"I mean the police have said all along that she probably found something that proved Garrett killed Ali." Aria mused.

"Which is why she was killed." Hanna added.

Spencer looked between them "Okay you guys we need to slow down. Because we have no idea when Maya wrote that note. And it could've been anytime after Emily moved in here with you."

"Except we do." Haley turned it to face them "There's a date in the corner."

Emily got off her old bed in Hanna's room, taking the note from Haley's outstretched hand as her eyes raked over the date "Oh my god, Maya wrote this the day she died."
...

SITTING in front of her laptop, Haley ignored the going's on in The Brew, her tired eyes set firmly on Maya's website. Emily let out a sigh as she brought her another cappuccino "I'm cutting you off after this."

"I need fuel if I'm gonna go through Maya's website again." Haley defended, taking a deep sip before sighing in relief as the caffeine filled her.

Emily shook her head "We've done nothing but go through it."

"There has to be something here, Em." Haley persisted "Mona would haven't given it to us otherwise."

At the sound of the bell jingling, Emily turned to see a crowd enter the coffee shop and sighed "I should go help Jeff, he's new."