I take another look at the neat handwriting, even though I know there’s no point. I don’t know anyone who writes like that.

Who would do this? He’s giving me an hour to tell them everything, but where should I begin?

There is one loud knock at the door, and I immediately sit up.

Room Service. This time I’m going to catch him if it’s the last thing I do. I leap off the bed and sprint to the door, banging my shin against the coffee table, but that doesn’t stop me. I swing the door open—and I find myself looking into Lucas’s surprised face.

“You okay?”

“Was that you?” I look past him and down the long hallway. “Did you just knock?”

“Yes, you’ve got the key.”

I look down the hallway again. “Did you see anyone on your way to the room?”

Lucas frowns. “What’s going on?”

“Just tell me!”

“No…No, I didn’t see anyone. Dude, what is it? You look kind of freaked out.”

I rub my throbbing shin. How much time do I have left? At least five minutes have already gone by.

“Is Fender here?” Kate peeks around the door. “Oh, there you are. Everything all right?”

“That’s what I was just asking.” Lucas gives me a worried look.

“Have you been taking pills or something?”

“Of course not.”

“Where’s Linnea?” asks Kate. “I thought she was with you.”

Linnea. So they haven’t spoken to her yet. I still have a little time, but if they see her it’s over. My thumbprints are on her throat like a signature.

Lucas narrows his eyes and looks at me. “You’re acting so weird.”

Everything is spinning—just as if I had actually been taking pills.

“We’re about to go to the restaurant,” says Kate. “Dad’s booked a table for us at six. Are you guys going to get changed?”

Food? How am I supposed to eat? I can’t exactly tell them about the letter when we’re in the restaurant, can I?

Lucas points at his bright-green T-shirt. “What’s wrong with this?”

“What do you think?”

“What about the yellow one, then? The one with the palm trees and the letters on it?”

Kate sighs. “Fender, can Lucas borrow a shirt?”

I take a deep breath. “I want…”

“Don’t be awkward.” Kate sighs. “It’s just for one night. I’m going to go see if Linnea is in our room. See you soon!”

Before I can say anything else, she’s headed down the hallway. I turn to look at Lucas, who is pulling one of my shirts out of my backpack. He squeezes his muscular arms into the sleeves and looks at me expectantly.

“How does it look?”

At that moment, there’s an ear-piercing scream from the hallway, which penetrates every fiber of my body.

Kate.