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"But not to even ed

"Well, I’d like to know that she’s really all right," Stephanie said

Arturo sniffed "The closet is empty"

"Let’s take a look around anyway, justfunny, huh?" Stephanie said

"Funny?" Drew said, arching a brow "Like what?"

"Like blood on the floor," Lena said

"My God, no!" Suzette cried

"Suzette, we’re not going to find blood on the floor," Stephanie said, but a strange unease filled her

Suzette let out another little squeal

"Suzette, really, we’re just looking for a note or soain Moving! There, on the wall!"

Clay Barton strode across the rooazine froh!" Suzette said

"Hey, he just did thetold her impatiently

"Dead as a doorknob!" Drew added cheerfully

"Yes, it’s still ugh!" Suzette said

Clay shook his head and walked into the bathroom, came back out with toilet paper, and picked up the insect’s remains

They heard a flush as he sent the tissue and mini-carcass down the toilet When he walked back out, he told Stephanie, "I’ll look around downstairs"

"Suzette, you and Lena look around in here," Stephanie told them

"In the roach rooht, but there are still roach guts on the wall, even if he wiped it," Suzette said

"We don’t need to look at the wall," Lena told her "Come on, Suzette, let’s just check out the drawers and the bath… it will only take a , please take a look around outside, and I’ll head downstairs as well," Stephanie told the Drew followed his exa at attention

She forced a sot when you worked with iht, huh?"

She turned, and nearly walked into Arturo, he had been standing so close behind her

"What can I do?"

"Why don’t you go to the lobby, see if you can find the maid who did this rooe, or if she found anything," Stephanie suggested

"Yes, yes… then we’ll all meet in the lobby bar… it’s just opposite the club And the restaurant is behind--we can have a few drinks… have some dinner You haven’t had a dinner here yet Fantastico!"

he assured her

"That will be great"

Arturo, pleased that he could help, started down the stairs Stephanie glanced at Suzette and Lena

Suzette see on a dresser, going through it, drawer by drawer

Stephanie went down the stairs, slowly

She paused as she reached the bottom step

Clay Barton was on his knees by the front door, studying the tile at the entry

"What is it?" she said sharply

He glanced up quickly, then rose, dusting his hands on his jeans He had a rueful expression, and yet…

She could have sworn that before, he had been intense As if he had seen so"

"What?"

"I’," he said

"What were you expecting?"

"Ah, well, you’ve got

"But you can see the floor easily enough--even from here It’s white tile," she pointed out

"Yes, so it is And like I said, there’s nothing" He strode back toward the center of the living area "No note--I’ve looked Nothing broken, no sign of a struggle…"