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ChapterTwenty-Two
Ariana set her fork down, surprised she was able to eat anything at all. She, Damon, Lia, and Charles were discussing theories about where Rita could be over lunch. Ariana was careful to leave out all details about Boone’s alibi, though she was itching to tell them everything.
She watched everyone from employees to customers to two different delivery guys who came and went.
But she couldn’t stop thinking about the exterminator. He was more suspicious than everyone here at the bar and grill combined. He was acting more like he was casing the house than searching for bugs. And besides that, there was something off about him that she couldn’t put her finger on.
At least she’d gotten pictures. They weren’t the best, but she had them.
Although, with as much attention as Rita’s disappearance was getting, it made sense that people would be curious. But not just anyone could get into the neighborhood. The exterminator had been here before or was with a legit company.
“Where should we start?” Lia asked, pulling Ariana from her thoughts. “Check her locker again? The office?”
Ariana perked at that. “Did any of you check the office before? I didn’t.”
“I had a look around,” Charles said. “But there was a lot I couldn’t get into. There’s a safe in there, and most of the drawers in the desk are locked.”
“Do you know if the police looked through those?” Damon asked.
“I don’t.”
“I’m going to look there,” Ariana said. “Other people likely have access, but then again, she might not have let them.”
“And I’m going with you,” Lia said.
The guys decided to hand out fliers.
Ariana asked the shift manager about Rita’s office.
“I have a key,” she said. “Only the managers do.”
“Is it hard running the restaurant with Rita gone?” Lia asked.
“It isn’t the same, that’s for sure. But she took a lot of time off, and the management team is perfectly capable of running things.”
“How much time off did she take?” Ari asked.
The manager shrugged. “A few weeks a year — nothing out of the ordinary. But she was taking more days off leading up to her disappearance. Before this year, it was rare for her to take a day off outside of her vacations. Now, it’s almost expected that she’ll take an evening or two a week.”
Ariana exchanged a surprised glance with Lia. “She’s been taking evenings off every week?”
“Pretty much.” The manager stopped at the office and unlocked it. “I hope you find something useful.”
“Did the police look in here already?” Lia asked.
“I think so, but I wasn’t here the day they looked.”
“Thanks.” Ariana walked into the office.
It smelled of Rita’s favorite floral perfume. Her desk faced them in the middle of the room. Most of the walls were lined with shelves full of books. The other ones were decorated with paintings of relaxing seashores. Rita collected one every time she went on vacation. The same style of art filled several rooms in her house.
“Where should we start?” Lia asked.
“I want to try her safe.”
“Really?”
“Chances are, the police couldn’t get into it,” Ari said. “And where else would she hide important information?”
