Arrested Development
Spencer’s heart sinks as Toby herds them back into the DiLaurentis backyard, as she sees Lorenzo handcuffing Alison’s left wrist to Emily’s right. The two of them stand close together, holding hands as well as the metal bracelets will allow. Emily’s expression is worried, Ali’s defiant.
“We’re missing one,” Lorenzo observes, as they shuffle towards him. “Where’s Hanna Marin?”
“The hospital,” Alison says, lying as smoothly and effortlessly as ever. “Visiting Lucas.”
Spencer has to admire her choice of alibi, knowing the cops won’t want to question Lucas too thoroughly - or at all - for fear of his police induced gunshot wounds coming back to haunt them.
“She’s lying,” Toby says. “She probably ran off in the opposite direction.” He swipes furiously at the bushes, as if expecting Hanna to pop out at any moment.
“Doesn’t matter,” Lorenzo shrugs. “We have these four. She won’t be far behind.” He takes a pair of plastic zip ties and binds Aria’s hands. Then he straightens up and looks at Wren.
“Dr. Kingston, you’re free to go.” A warning bell sounds in the back of Spencer’s mind.
“Sorry, could you repeat that?” Wren asks, surprised. “It sounded as if you said I’m free to go.”
“Don’t make me say it again,” Lorenzo cautions him. “Believe me, we’ve all gotten caught up with these ladies. It’s what they do. Better men than you have found themselves in compromising positions as a result of their wiles.”
“Our wiles?!” Spencer says, her voice dripping with disdain.
“Take it from me,” Lorenzo continues. “Get in your car and drive as far away from here as you can get. Go back to jolly old England.”
Wren hesitates, looking warily at the zip ties that Toby has pulled from his belt.
“This is no time to be a gentleman,” Toby tells him. “Chivalry never kept anyone out of prison.”
“Did you kill him?” Lorenzo asks, pointedly.
“No,” Wren insists, “but-”
“But you’re a doctor,” he continues. “And I bet we’d find your prints on the body, wouldn’t we?”
Wren looks baffled by this turn of events, this entire line of conversation. “I suppose -”
“I suppose you have ten seconds to take advantage of my generosity. A free pass. From one member of the brotherhood of ex-boyfriends to another.”
“I see,” Wren nods. “Good man.” he says, clapping Lorenzo on the shoulder. “If I have only ten seconds left, I’d best use them wisely.” He turns to Spencer and leans in to kiss her quickly. He’s taking full advantage of the situation, his lips sliding against hers eagerly. She opens her mouth to protest and feels his tongue dart against hers. She puts her cuffed hands against his chest as if to push him off, the kiss is so dramatic it verges on goofy, until she feels him wedge something in her balled fist. Something that feels like a pocket knife.
“I’ll call your father,” he whispers, his lips against her ear. “We’ll meet you at the station.”
Without another backward glance, he saunters off into the darkness. Toby glares until he’s completely out of sight.
“Get the rest of them in the van,” Lorenzo orders. “We’ve wasted enough time.”
Toby shoves them into a rough line, ignoring the pleading looks Emily is shooting his way.
“No funny business,” he cautions, gesturing for Aria to lead them back towards the house. They straggle along, the sound of his boot clomping loudly behind them. Emily looks toward the house, wondering if Hanna might burst out the door with a frying pan, hit Toby over the head and help them all escape.
----------
Hanna and Mona are hiding in the kitchen closet, Mona using some kind of audio enhancing app on her phone to listen in on what’s happening in the yard.
“Why are they letting Wren go?” Hanna hisses. “And why aren’t they searching for us?”
“I don’t know,” Mona frowns. “Something feels off.”
“We need to go out there and rescue them,” Hanna insists. “Two cops, and one of them is Toby. We can take them.”
“They have guns,” Mona says. “We have an old pepper shaker and some kitchen knives.”
“We have to help them.”
“We will,” Mona promises, taking her hand.
“Waiting makes me feel sick,” Hanna complains.
“I know, baby,” Mona says, pulling Hanna close. “But we’ve got to be smart about this.” She kisses Hanna fiercely. “I just got you,” she murmurs. “I’m not going to lose you now.”
----------
“They’re probably making out,” Alison mutters, noting where Emily’s gaze is directed as they approach the house.
There’s a clatter from the side of the house, the rumble roll of trash cans being knocked over. Aria startles and jumps backwards, against Spencer.
Barry Maple appears in front of them, mopping his brow and sweating.
“Charlotte DiLaurentis,” he cries. “I saw her! She ran right in front of my cruiser!”
“Are you drunk?” Lorenzo asks, scornfully. “Charlotte DiLaurentis is dead.”
“I know what I saw,” Maple insists. “She came from this direction. You didn’t see her?”
“No,” Toby replies. “And neither did you. No one saw her. Not since her funeral.”
“It was probably Hanna Marin,” Lorenzo scoffs. “They all look alike, you know?”
“I should have chased her,” Maple says. “I hopped out of the car and saw your flashers. Came to make sure you boys hadn’t run into trouble.”
“Nothing we can’t handle,” Toby assures him.
“Is Tanner here?” Maple asks, taking in the sight of the Liars in handcuffs. “Dispatch sent me over to pick up Dr. Rollins on Gross Sexual Imposition. Guess his former employee turned a bunch of files over to the DA this afternoon.”
“Rollins is dead,” Lorenzo informs him. “We’re booking his lovely wife and her friends here.”
“Dead?” Maple says, his mouth opening in shock. “But - Charlotte could be the one who killed him! I saw her fleeing the scene!”
“You didn’t,” Lorenzo says, shortly. “Now stop arguing and secure the scene.”
“Secure the -” Maple’s face changes, his hand drifts slightly towards his gun belt. “What brought you boys out here? I didn’t hear a radio call.”
“Neighbors heard an argument,” Toby says, his eyes tracking Barry’s hand movements carefully.
“What neighbors?” Maple asks. “The Hastings? Called the cops on their own kid the same week the Iron Lady has a major scandal go down?”
Alison and Emily exchange a look. There hadn’t even been shouting for anyone to hear.
“Rich people, right? Who knows why they do anything,” Lorenzo says, his tone placating. “We were as shocked as you. Especially when we found the body.”
Maple’s posture relaxes a bit. “You call it in?” he asks. “Get an evidence team out here?”
“Just about to,” Lorenzo assures him. “Toby, you get the girls secured for transport and put it out on the radio. Barry, come with me - we’ll need you to stay with the body till they get here.”
Maple nods and heads off after him, while Toby hurriedly loads them into the back of the police van and slams the door. He starts the engine and thirty seconds later, Lorenzo hops in on the passenger side.
“All good?” Toby asks.
“All good,” Lorenzo confirms.
They drive off, as the wind whips up again, blowing leaves off the windshield that float back over the roof of the house and down to the bottom of the yard, dancing over the open grave where the uniformed body of Barry Maple is flung over the corpse of Dr. Rollins.