Sara Shepard - Killer

“So you told me the other day that you just moved in with your dad and his girlfriend,” Jason called, keeping pace with her. “What’s that about?”

Aria reached for another rock. “My parents separated when I moved back from Iceland,” she started, wondering how to word this. “My dad had an affair with his old student. Now they’re getting married. And she’s pregnant.”

Jason glanced at her. “Whoa.”

“It’s weird. She’s not much older than you.”

Jason made a face. “When did they start seeing each other?”

“When I was in seventh grade,” Aria admitted. She scanned the rocks above her, looking for the best handhold. It was nice that they were talking—it took her mind off how hard climbing was. “I caught them kissing in my dad’s car.” And then, maybe because she’d remembered the time Ali had snapped at Jason so heartlessly about the cat, she added, “Your, um, sister…she was with me. And she wouldn’t let me hear the end of it.”

She peeked at Jason, wondering if she’d overstepped her bounds. He had a neutral expression on his face, one she couldn’t gauge. “I’m sorry,” she called. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No…I get it. My sister was like that. She knew everyone’s precise button to push.”

Aria hung on to the wall, suddenly too tired to move. “You had a button, too?”

“Uh-huh. It was girls.”

“Girls?”

Jason nodded. “Sometimes she used to tease me about girls. I could be…awkward, I guess. She used to needle me about it.”

“She knew all of our weaknesses, all right,” Aria said. She looked up again, radiating with guilt. “I still feel bad talking about her to you.”

Suddenly, Jason pushed off the wall, swinging freely from the tether. “Come down to the ground for a minute,” he called. “Slide down with your harness.”

Aria slid down as he instructed, landing clumsily on the mat. Jason studied her very seriously, and Aria wondered if she’d made a mistake bringing up Ali. But then he said, “Maybe it’s good we’re talking about her. I mean, right now, Alison’s this big elephant in the room that no one will discuss with me. When I’m at home, my parents don’t bring her up. When I’m out with friends, they don’t say a word. I know people are talking about her, but whenever they get around me, they shut up. I know my sister had faults. I know some people didn’t like her. Some people more than…” He mumbled something else and then trailed off, pressing his lips together tightly.

“What was that?” Aria asked, leaning forward.

Jason fluttered his hand, waving away what he’d just said. “I’d like you to talk about Ali with me.”

Aria smiled, comforted. Talking about Ali with Jason would give her a whole new perspective on who Ali really was. She wondered if she should tell Jason about how Ali had spread rumors about him to Jenna Cavanaugh—or how Jenna had spread rumors about Jason to Aria. Or how Ian had reached out on IM, saying someone had forced him to flee. Or how New A had helped Ian escape.

Something else took hold of her. This was why A was trying to seed the idea that Jason was hiding something—A wanted to make Aria paranoid and scare her away. If Aria began dating Jason, it was pretty likely that she’d tell him not just that A was sending them notes, but that A was in on Ian’s evil plan. The cops might not believe that A was real…but Jason probably would. This was his sister’s murder they were talking about.

Aria curled her toes, furious that someone was yet again trying to manipulate her. Ian probably had done it, and now was crafting some elaborate game. She looked at Jason, ready to tell him everything.

“You climbing here?” a junior high–age boy interrupted, making Aria jump. He gestured to the spot on the wall that Aria was leaning against. Aria shook her head and moved out of the way. Then three girls strolled past, gazing suspiciously at Jason and Aria, as if they recognized them from the news. Even the music seemed quieter, as if everyone sensed an important conversation was happening.

Aria shut her mouth. This didn’t seem like the right place to talk about the Ali and Ian stuff. Maybe she could tell Jason about it in the car going home, when they were alone.

Then she remembered the invitation that was wedged into the front pocket of her yak-fur bag, which she’d left with her and Jason’s coats at the side of the wall. Still tethered, she tottered over to her bag and pulled it out. “Do you have plans tomorrow?” she asked Jason.

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“My mom has one of her paintings in the lobby of this new hotel.” She handed him the invitation. “There’s a fancy party tomorrow for the opening. My mom’s going to be there with her new boyfriend, and I don’t really like him. You would be a lovely distraction.” She tilted her head coquettishly.

Jason smiled back. “I haven’t been to a fancy party in quite a while.” He pulled the invitation closer and read it. Then his face clouded. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

“Is something wrong?” Aria asked.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Jason’s voice was hoarse.

Aria blinked. “W-what do you mean?”

“Because it’s not funny,” Jason said, his eyes wide. He didn’t look angry, exactly, more like…scared.

“What’s the matter?” Aria cried. “I don’t understand.”

Jason stared at her for a beat longer. His expression changed, becoming cagey and maybe even a bit disgusted, as if Aria was covered head to toe in leeches. Then, to her horror, he unhooked the ropes from his harness, pulled it off, strode over to their stuff, and put on his coat. “I—I have to go.”

“What?” Aria tried to grab his arm, but she was still awkwardly tethered and couldn’t figure out how to get the harness off. Jason wouldn’t even look at her. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he breezed by the front desk, nearly bumping into a group of teenagers just coming in.

A few moments later, Aria finally managed to wriggle out of her harness. She struggled to put her coat on and then ran outside. There was a group of guys getting out of a Range Rover. A mother was holding a little girl’s hand, helping her inside. Aria looked right, then left. “Jason!” she called out. It was cold enough to see her breath. An SUV made a squealing left turn into the Wawa across the street. Jason was gone.

Aria stood under the lamp at the front of the facility and stared hard at the Radley invitation. It gave the address and time. A man named George Fritz had been the architect on the hotel’s redesign. There was a list of featured artists, Ella’s name among them. What on this invitation had gotten Jason so spooked? What did he mean, Is this some kind of joke? Did he not want to meet her mom? Was he embarrassed to be seen with her?

“Jason!” she called again, more weakly this time. Just then, she heard a peal of laughter. Aria looked around, startled and frightened. She didn’t see anyone, but the laughter continued, like someone was laughing at her and her alone.

That same Friday night, Emily idled at the curb of Isaac’s house, watching nervously as he slipped out the front door and jogged to her car. “Hey!” he cried, then looked up at the sky. “It looks like it might snow. Are you sure you want to go for a drive?”

Emily nodded quickly. Isaac had texted her after school, asking if she’d come over this evening. At first, Emily had thought it was a joke. But when he texted her again, asking why she hadn’t answered him, she wondered if Mrs. Colbert hadn’t told him that she’d confronted Emily at Applebee’s last night—or that she knew they’d slept together. Maybe Isaac was still under the impression that everything was fine.