"What?"

"Let me see now.... Yes, that's right. I guess that's everything."

"What's the matter?"

"You might be interested to know that we have recently installed a brand-new, very expensive security system, young lady. Shoplifting isn't going to be so easy from now on."

"Shoplifting?"

"Yes. The shoplifter who has been working this mall-and my shop, in particular-had better watch out. In fact, that lovely scarf I saw you staring at has a twin. But it was one of the items that was taken."

"Yes ma'am," Elizabeth heard herself saying as her mind began whirling.

"Who is the person whom you said has a scarf like ours?"

"Oh," said Elizabeth, backing away. "I can't remember her name."

Moments later, she walked out of the mall, headed toward the Fiat Spider. It's probably nothing, she kept telling herself. It must be a different scarf. But the nagging feeling that someone was not telling a frightening truth kept returning.

Terrified of her own thoughts, she started the car.

Seven.

The next morning Elizabeth was tired. She had been awake much of the night, unable to forget her suspicions. Should she confront Jessica about the gifts from Lila? Were they really gifts? If not, how had Jessica gotten them?

Go in there right now and ask her, she told herself. Ask her what? "Are you a shoplifter, Jess?" Elizabeth's worst fears were starting to take over. Jessica had done some pretty sneaky things, but she wouldn't steal-would she? Would Lila, when she had enough money to buy anything her heart desired?

Try the casual approach. "Hey, Jess, pick anything up at the Valley Mall lately that you forgot to pay for?" "What a dumb idea," Elizabeth muttered to herself. Maybe I should tell Mom? After all, aren't parents supposed to handle things like this? Sure. Great. "Mom, I think Jessica may be shoplifting at the mall. Have a nice day!" That wasn't a dumb idea. That was a totally idiotic idea.

"Lizzie, what do you think?" Jessica burst into Elizabeth's room without bothering to knock. Jessica never considered privacy important-except her own.

"I think I don't know whether I want to be my brother's keeper," Elizabeth answered.

"You know what I think? I think you're strange. Steve doesn't need a keeper."

"Steve?"

"You remember him: tall, two years older than we are, comes home from college once in a while. Why in the world would he need your help?" Jessica drawled sarcastically.

Elizabeth stared at her sister in momentary confusion. "Steve? Oh, for heaven's sake, Jess. When I said brother, I didn't mean our brother. I was speaking about-I was just speaking philosophically," she finished hurriedly.

"Don't get weird on me, Liz. I only came in to ask you if my new scarf goes with this sweater. I don't need a philosophy lecture."

Elizabeth stared at Jessica's sapphire scarf and heaved a tense sigh. "About that scarf-" she began, then faltered. "Actually, Jess"-a germ of an idea suddenly formed-"the scarf isn't really right for you. It makes your skin look sort of yellowish!"

"Yellowish?" Jessica squeaked and spun around to look in the mirror. She ripped the offending scarf off and dropped it on Elizabeth's dresser. "You might have had the decency to tell me about this before, instead of letting me walk around with a yellow face!"

Thoroughly annoyed, Jessica was almost out the door when her sister's question abruptly stopped her.

"By the way, Jess, what time is the PBA meeting tonight?"

"Meeting-tonight?"

"Jessica, I know tonight is vote night."

"Vote?"

Give me strength, Elizabeth pleaded to whatever forces might be listening.

"I know that Robin and the two other pledges will be voted on tonight, Jess. Where and what time?"

"I don't know how you found out about it. Eight o'clock-Cara Walker's house!"

"What do you mean you don't know how? It's my right to vote! You couldn't call it a final count without me!"

"Oh, I was going to do you the favor of voting for you," Jessica answered sweetly. "I know how you dislike going to the meetings."

Elizabeth shook her head in disgust at her sister. Well, at least the Robin Wilson problem would be resolved, she thought. "When will you induct Robin into PBA?"

"Induct? Haven't you forgotten something, Liz? The vote comes first."

"Jessica, she got through the pledging with flying colors. The vote should be automatic," Elizabeth reminded her.

"Maybe," Jessica returned. "Gee, look at the time. We'll be late if we don't get a move on." She practically flew down the stairs.

"Jessica!" Elizabeth shouted. "You'd better not be planning anything."

"Who me?" an indignant voice floated up to the second floor.

Elizabeth folded the scarf neatly and put it in her drawer before going downstairs. It seemed a good idea to hide it, though she wasn't sure what good it would do her in the end.

"Elizabeth, what is the significance of the Dred Scott case?" asked Mr. Fellows, her history teacher.

"What do I dread? What-what did you say?" Elizabeth stammered, to the merriment of the class.

"When you return to earth, let me know," said Mr. Fellows. He then directed the same question to Todd Wilkins.

After class, a concerned Todd caught up with Elizabeth. "You really look spaced out," he said.

"Oh, Todd! Things are in such a mess."

"What happened?"

"Well-I just know it's not true."

"What's not true?"

"But I know it is."

"Huh?"

"I'll see you later," she said and hurried off, leaving Todd standing alone, shaking his head.

That day Elizabeth made a firm decision to tell everything to Mr. Collins. Then she decided just as firmly not to. She would simply forget about it all. Then she realized that was impossible. She had to find out the truth.

The battle in her head concerning Jessica's involvement with the stolen goods gave Elizabeth such a headache that it was a relief to go to the sorority meeting that night at Cara Walker's house on the hill. At least this problem will finally be resolved, she assured herself as she walked in a few minutes later.

The little red lacquered wooden box was already being passed around the room, and Elizabeth hurriedly grabbed a handful of marbles and took her seat. It was so quiet the girls could all hear the sharp clack of the marbles as they were dropped into the hole in the lid, one by one.

"Suzanne Hanlon," Jessica said for Elizabeth's benefit as she watched Cara hand the lacquered box to Lila Fowler.

Lila dropped her marble in, and the little box moved on, from one pair of hands to the next, until it completed a circle and was once again in Jessica's hands.

Jessica opened the box and poured out the marbles. They were all white.

"Suzanne Hanlon is in," said Jessica, and everyone applauded.

"She's totally acceptable," Lila whispered to Elizabeth. "And you know her father has a Rolls-Royce."

Jessica had already closed the lid of the red box and was about to send it on another round.

"Robin Wilson," she said, and Elizabeth detected a sarcastic note. Jessica avoided Elizabeth's eyes, dropped her marble in, and sent the box along.

Elizabeth carefully separated the white and the black marbles in her hands, then dropped a white one in when the box came to her. She handed it on to the next girl and breathed a sigh of relief when the box had completed its rounds.

Jessica opened the box. "Uh-oh," she said.

"What's the matter?" Lila asked, with Cara echoing her question.

Jessica reached into the box and brought out a marble between her thumb and forefinger. She held it up. "Blackball!" she said.

Astonished looks flashed across the faces of the Pi Betas as they looked around at each other.

"Robin Wilson has been blackballed!" Jessica announced. "She can't be a member of PBA."

A hushed and embarrassed silence followed her pronouncement. Jessica and her sister had wanted Robin Wilson in, and now somebody had blackballed her. Sure, Robin was a loser. But who would dare to cross Jessica this way?

"Who could it be?" the girls whispered among themselves, silently considering each other's possible motives.

A stunned Elizabeth sat perfectly still, consumed with anger. There was only one person who would have the nerve to keep Robin out. Jessica!

The other girls were now crowding around Jessica, voicing their sympathy over her friend Robin's exclusion from the sorority. And Jessica, it seemed to Elizabeth, was taking it very well. Wonderfully well.

"Who could have done such a thing?" Elizabeth hissed sarcastically at Jessica when no one else was listening.

Jessica smiled. "I can't imagine. But it's a secret vote-and nobody can challenge a blackball. It's just one of those unfortunate things."

Already the whisper was circulating. How would Robin take the bad news? By now everyone knew that her whole existence depended on making PBA. There could be a really awful scene if she found out at the next general meeting, when membership announcements were usually made.

The expression on Jessica's lovely face was that of a martyr facing the lions in the Roman Colosseum. "I'll tell her personally," she said oh-so-bravely. "She's my friend. It's my responsibility."

"I'll go with you," volunteered Elizabeth quickly. "Somebody had better be there to pick up the pieces."

Robin hurried eagerly into Casey's Place in the Valley Mall that evening to keep the date with Jessica. "I'll come right away," she had gushed when Jessica called.

Robin headed for their booth as soon as she came in. "I ran right out the door," she bubbled, her face flushed with excitement. "I just couldn't wait to get here."

It was only when Robin sat down that she noticed that Jessica was not smiling, although she certainly wasn't grim. She was composed.

"Robin, I want you to know first of all that we will always be friends," Jessica said.

Robin's face began to change. "What-?"

"We will still be the best of friends. If I need somebody to keep me company while I run errands, I'll still ask you first."

"Jessica, what are you saying?"

"Robin, you were blackballed," said Jessica, in a tone that reminded Elizabeth of the purr of a satisfied cat.

Robin was as white as chalk. As Jessica's message sank in, her eyes widened into a stare filled with pain, and long-suppressed anger.

"But they can't!" she screamed, tears of frustration falling from her eyes.

"I know you feel it leaves you out of everything worth having at Sweet Valley High," said Jessica sweetly, "but I'll still be your best friend."

Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. "Oh, Jess, shut up!"

"What? Shut up?" Jessica cried plaintively.

"It can't be happening," Robin cried. "I did what you asked. I don't deserve this!"

"Some things were just not meant to be," Jessica said with such mock sweetness that Elizabeth thought she was going to be sick.

Elizabeth reached over the table, trying to find some words of comfort for Robin, but Robin pulled away, threw herself against the back of the booth, and glared at them wild-eyed.

"Don't touch me! I can't stand it!" She slid out of the booth, stood up, lurched against a chair, and looked back at the twins. Her face was contorted with suffering and fury.

"There isn't any reason for me to go on," she said hoarsely, and then she rushed out, knocking over a chair.