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As she typed, Sheila felt a flicker of hope ignite within her—a hope that they were finally getting closer to solving this case.But she also knew that with each passing minute, the stakes grew higher; the murderer could be watching them even now, waiting for an opportunity to strike again.
Esther's fingers paused above her keyboard, her eyes scanning the screen for any relevant information.Sheila leaned in closer, her heart pounding in anticipation.The office was small and cramped, the hum of the air conditioner doing little to dispel the rising tension.
"Nobody was scheduled to fumigate the Hubbards' house," Esther finally said."It's possible someone went there to provide a quote but forgot to make a note of it, though."
Sheila clenched her fists, frustration bubbling inside her."How many employees work in that part of town?"she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Three," Esther replied, her expression somber.
"Tell me about them."
"Okay, well...Mr.Isaacson has been in Hawaii for the last week on vacation," Esther said, glancing back at her computer screen."So I think we can rule him out.If you're talking about last night, I can personally vouch for Mr.Tremblay—he was here at the office late last night.He was helping me with the company's taxes."
"Who's the third employee?"Finn asked.
"Mr.Dempster," Esther murmured, her fingers hovering over the keys as if hesitant to provide further information."Dell is his first name."
Sheila could feel a cold shiver run down her spine at the mention of the name."Where can we find him?"she asked.
Esther hesitated, her fingers laced together in front of her."I don't think I'm allowed to give out that kind of information," she replied uneasily.
Sheila could sense the fear and conflict within Esther, and she knew she had to find a way to break through it."Listen, Esther," she said, "people's lives are at stake.We need to find him before he hurts anyone else.If he's innocent, he has nothing to worry about."
Esther bit her lip, her eyes flicking between Finn and Sheila."Alright," she conceded quietly."Dell was recently suspended for suspected theft.A few customers reported items missing."She paused, lowering her voice."And since he already has a criminal record for shoplifting..."She shrugged."The owner, Mr.Kyeshiro, wanted to give Dell a second chance, but when he learned that Dell might have slipped back into his old ways...he had no choice but to suspend him."
"Where can we find Dell?"Sheila asked, her mind racing with the implications of this new information.An exterminator with a criminal past, possibly connected to the Hubbards' murder—it was enough to send a chill down her spine.
"His favorite bar," Esther said, her voice still low as she glanced nervously around the small office."The Rusty Anchor.He's probably there right now, drowning his sorrows.He always goes there when things go wrong, no matter how early it is."
"Thank you, Esther," Finn said, nodding at her with gratitude."You might have just saved someone's life today."
Sheila and Finn turned away.Sheila's hand was on the door handle, ready to leave the small office and head to the Rusty Anchor, when Esther called out to them."Wait," she said, her voice wavering with concern."Before you go, I need to warn you about something."
Sheila turned back to face Esther, her eyes narrowing as she braced for whatever information she had to offer.
"Be careful around Dell," Esther cautioned."When he found out he was suspended, he...well, he didn't take it well.He got very angry—broke some things, nearly hurt someone in the process."She swallowed hard, her gaze flitting between Finn and Sheila."If he's drinking, which he probably is, he'll be even more dangerous—and unpredictable."
CHAPTER NINE
The sun cast a glaring light onto the rundown bar as Sheila and Finn pulled up in their unmarked car.
"We don't even know what he looks like," Sheila said."How are we going to recognize him?"
The bar in front of them was a squat, brick building with faded paint and a neon sign that flickered like a dying firefly.The parking lot consisted of cracked asphalt and weeds poking through the crevices, mostly empty due to the early afternoon hour.Sheila scanned the few vehicles parked there – a rusted pickup truck, a motorcycle, and an older sedan – wondering which one belonged to Dell.
"Here you go," Finn said, turning his phone to show Sheila a picture of Dell Dempster.The man had a scruffy beard, sunken eyes, and a thin-lipped smirk that made Sheila's skin crawl.His greasy hair hung limply against his forehead, and she couldn't help but think that this was a face she wouldn't forget.
"Found it on social media," Finn explained, still focused on the picture."It's the most recent one I could find."He seemed restless, his fingers tapping rapidly on the phone screen.
"Alright, got it," Sheila said, committing Dell's features to memory.She glanced at Finn, who continued to fidget with his phone even after putting it away.His jaw was clenched, and he kept stealing glances at the entrance of the bar.
"Something wrong?"she asked, concerned.
Finn shook his head, forcing himself to look relaxed."No, everything's fine."
Sheila wasn't convinced but decided not to push him.Instead, she turned her attention back to the task at hand.Whatever was bothering Finn, they needed to find Dell Dempster first.
With Dell's face etched into her mind, they exited the car and approached the bar.Inside, they would question the suspect and hopefully find a lead in the Hubbard family murder case.
