Page 44 of (Not So) Mad About You

“Maybe,” he allowed. “I might be able to take it on myself. You’ve got your group therapy to handle.”

“Right.” Bea reached out and took his hand, squeezing it. “We’ll figure it out. I need this job. We’ll have to.”

“You’re not the only one,” Josh said. “But thanks, I appreciate your help. Phone working alright?”

She frowned and then remembered just in time. “Yes, just fine.” Which made her think of something else.

Alli had her phone. Was it a coincidence that she was planning on leaving at the same time as Daria disappeared? God, she hoped Alli hadn’t done anything stupid. Maybe she’d taken Dariahostage or something.

“You alright there?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, fine, totally fine,” said Bea. “But if you don’t get out of here, you’re going to get a free show.”

He held his hands up. “I’m going, I’m going.”

“So flattering,” Bea grinned.

“Nothing personal, love,” he said, getting up. “Wouldn’t know what to do with it if I saw it.”

“Again, not incredibly flattering.”

He was laughing as he left.

She waited for the door to close and then sprang out of bed. She needed to check on Alli, see if she was really gone. And if she was… Well, Bea thought she might have some explaining to do. She couldn’t think of a single earthly reason why Alli would have taken Daria with her, but she couldn’t stay silent on the matter, not if something bad might have happened.

???

“I. Will. Fucking. Kill. Her.” Alli threw open another door to another empty room. Not here either.

In her heart of hearts, she knew that the search was futile. Daria was gone. Gone to god knows where and taking Alli’s money with her. It had been a scam and Alli had fallen for it. She hated herself for that. Hated herself for being so desperate that she hadn’t even considered that Daria might be lying to her.

She slammed the door and went to the next one on the corridor. The entire third floor of the building was very clearly empty, but she wasn’t going to fall for any other cunning plans. She was going to search each and every room on the off chance that Daria was hiding out in one of them.

Maybe slamming all these doors would make her less likely to put her hands around the neck of the next person she saw. That was a big maybe though. Anger was seething inside her, roiling and rolling around her stomach, making her grit her teeth andbreathe through her nose.

She didn’t know what she was going to do. She wanted to hunt the woman down, make her pay for all of this. But first she had to find her.

???

Bea pasted a smile on her face and walked into the dining room. The normal buffet was laid out and her stomach grumbled. She didn’t have time for food though. Izzy was eating a hard-boiled egg at the table, and Charles was reading a newspaper.

“Good morning,” Bea said brightly.

“Morning,” Izzy said.

“Morning,” said Charles.

“Um, any sign of Alli?” asked Bea.

“Why?” Izzy said, scooping up a spoonful of egg.

“Um… no real reason. Just… something about group therapy.” Jesus, if she was going to start lying she was going to have to forward plan a bit better.

“We were supposed to have breakfast,” Izzy said, seeming to accept Bea’s excuse. “But she didn’t show up.”

Bea’s stomach sank. “Oh well, I’ll, um, I’ll check upstairs for her.”

“You can,” said Izzy. “But I don’t think she’s there. I knocked and she didn’t answer.”

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