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“Roger, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He panted, then sucked in a deep breath. “My mom says that he has a visitor sometimes, but it’s usually when I’m not home, so I never saw him. Guy’s about five-ten, one-fifty. Brown hair, kind of scruffy. That’s my mom’s description. She said Archie called the guy Dominic.”
Connor got out of the car, and they shared a glance over its roof. I knew Stanza was lying.
“The teaching assistant,” Connor said. “Who said he hadn’t seen Archie since Friday and didn’t hang out with him anymore.”
“The very same,” Kit said grimly. “Roger, did your mom remember the last time she saw Dominic with Archie?”
“Sunday night. I’d left for work at seven and Mom always goes to bed by ten, so it was sometime between those times. Do you need to talk to her?”
“We probably will at some point,” Connor said. “Thanks, Roger.”
“Yes, Roger, we appreciate it,” Kit added. “Please thank your mom for us. And call 911 if you see anything that alarms you. And then call either one of us.”
“I will. Thank you.” Roger ran back into the building, and Kit and Connor returned to the car. “So which way do we go, Lieutenant?” she asked Navarro. “Revisit Mrs. Adler or Dominic Stanza the teaching assistant?”
“The TA. I’ll pull Marshall and his partner off their case to execute the warrant on Mrs. Adler’s house and have the mother brought in. Between the two of them, maybe we can get a straight answer as to where Adler was going.”
“I’ve got Stanza’s home address,” Kit said. “He was heading out of his office at the college when we saw him, so hopefully he’s at home. Head for University City.”
Connor stepped on the gas. “You got it.”
Chapter Twelve
Shady Oaks Retirement Village
Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California
Tuesday, November 8, 7:30 p.m.
“Siggy!” Miss Eloise opened her arms and, tail wagging, Siggy ran into the common room for pats and love. The Lab mix was a frequent visitor to Shady Oaks and even had his own ID badge. It was studded with rhinestones, so Sam figured Eloise had made it.
Eloise and Georgia sat at one of the card tables, looking sad despite Siggy’s grand entrance. Sam understood. This was where they’d played cards with Benny and Frankie for years.
“You’re back,” Georgia said, relief evident in both her voice and her posture.
Sam kissed them on the cheek, first Eloise, then Georgia. “I told you I was coming back. I’ll sleep on your couch tonight, Georgia. But first, we’re going to have a movie night.”
Eloise smiled, but it was forced. “That sounds lovely, Sammy. You’re such a good boy.”
Sam joined them at the table, putting the bag of groceries he’d brought on the floor. “I try. I brought ten different movies. I figured you could pick which one you like. Fair warning: I raided my parents’ DVD cabinet, so I had to pick from what they had there. I always stream movies to my computer.”
Georgia sniffed. “So do we. We are not Luddites, Sam.”
He grinned. “Excellent. I didn’t want to watch Steel Magnolias again.”
“That one always makes me cry,” Eloise complained.
“And it’s got death in it,” Georgia added, her lips thinning in disapproval.
“I know,” Sam said, putting his hands up in surrender. “But my mom said I should bring it anyway. Blame her.”
“I shall,” Georgia said, then looked at the bag of groceries. “Did you bring snacks?”
“I sure did. All your favorites. Lots of chocolate.”
Eloise whispered, “Don’t say that too loudly. Everyone will show up in our room and we’ll have to share.”
