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“I have no idea if it is or not. Like I told you the other day, Damon and I aren’t even talking about trying yet. You two are the ones trying.”
“It’s early. She’d have only been two weeks late, assuming she has normal cycles. Did she ever mention that?”
“Not that I remember.” Ariana handed her the second image and pulled out a small pile of receipts. They were all from doctors and pharmacies. “Was she trying to get pregnant?”
“Let me see those.” Lia took them and flipped through them. “I don’t recognize any of the names. Looks like she went out of town for these. We’re going to have to look online to find out what kind of doctors they are.”
“Or we could call the numbers on here and pretend to be Rita.”
“I like the way you think, but they probably all know she’s missing. We’ve spread the word far and wide, especially with your TV interview.”
That felt like weeks ago. “The right thing to do would be to give this to the detective. She’ll know what to do.”
“Let’s at least try the safe again. Maybe it has something to do with the baby. The conception date, or the due date. Maybe the date she had the ultrasound.”
“But would she have changed the code that recently?” Ariana asked.
“I overheard Rita and Boone arguing about it, and she told him she changes it weekly.”
“Really? It could be anything.”
Lia waved the paper around. “This was taken last week. The chances of it being one of those dates is high.”
“Maybe.”
“If you won’t try it, I will.”
“Let me. Damon and I have the same kind of safe.”
“Hurry.”
Ariana grabbed one of the images and got to work. She subtracted six weeks from the date of the scan.
Nothing.
Then she tried the date of the ultrasound.
Again, nothing.
Lia might be onto something with the due date.
Ariana entered that.
Click.
She and Lia exchanged wide-eye glances.
Ariana turned the handle and pulled open the heavy door. It even creaked exactly like hers.
They dug into the contents, pulling everything out.
A current calendar showed notes over the last two weeks. Physical symptoms, including fatigue and aches and pains. She must’ve suspected the pregnancy, but the notes didn’t indicate whether it was intentional or accidental.
“Look,” said Lia. “A bunch of pictures of this hot guy. This has to be her boyfriend. He’s smokin’.”
Ariana glanced at the photos. Her stomach dropped through the floor.
“Do you know him?” Lia asked. “You look like you saw a ghost.”
