“She didn’t listen to me. If something happens to her …”

“It won’t.”

“How can you be so sure?

Elizabeth was silent, and I waited, giving her the time to craft her response. Why couldn’t I be calm and measured like Elizabeth? Instead I kept making stupid mistakes, not seeing the danger when I’d lived next door to it, then rushing to warn a total bitch who hadn’t believed me anyway. I wanted to scream, right there on that quiet street. Why did Aimee make me so crazy?

You know what, it was the principle. Bad people shouldn’t be able to lie and cheat and be rewarded. And if you tried to help a person, they shouldn’t be an ass about it.

Then Elizabeth said, “I got a postcard today. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away. The police said not to tell anyone, but I didn’t want you to worry that Lena was there when I think she might be down here.”

“What postcard? What did it say?” My breath was shallow.

“I’ll show you.”

After a few excruciating seconds, I got two photos of a postcard. On one side, an old-fashioned Model T hearse, and on the other, written in Lena’s distinctive hand, See you soon. xoxo. And, I noticed grimly, there was no stamp and no postmark. Another hand delivery.

Working on another surprise. My own arrogance twisted in my stomach. I’d assumed Lena would go after Aimee because I hated her. I never imagined she’d go after my friends. “When did this come?”

“This morning. It’s from the funeral museum downtown,” Elizabeth said. “When I went to check the mail, it was sitting in the middle of the doormat. I took the pictures and called the police. The neighborhood constable’s parked outside now.”

“They should put you somewhere safe. You should leave—”

“I’m not the only one. Alondra told me that at least two other people have received postcards. She won’t tell me who. She says she shouldn’t have told me at all.”

Then the real truth hit me. “Lena’s in Texas. So I just …” I had just made a fool of myself for no reason. The people I needed to protect were over a thousand miles away.

“You just did the right thing.”

“But Lena’s nowhere near here. You’re in more danger than Aimee is.” Immediately I wished I could take it back. Lena had been a little jealous of my other friendships. Michael was in protective custody, but Elizabeth … “Seriously, maybe you should stay someplace else for a few days.”

“If everyone who had anything to do with Brady or Lena moved into a hotel, the whole neighborhood would be empty.” Elizabeth’s tone was light, but I could hear how serious she was. More than serious. Brave.