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As Erika and Jason went downstairs, I caught my employer's eye and she stayed behind.

"You realize," I said quietly, "that this is going to take many hours, depending on how much junk they have in the attic."

"Just do a general search." she whispered. "There's really only one thing I'm looking for."

"The missing dog?" I asked.

She smiled, knowing what I meant. "No, of course not."

She told me what I was really looking for, and I nodded, trying to conceal how puzzled I was. I had a good idea who was responsible for Ryan's death, and how that person had got out of the room. But if I was right, there was no sense at all in making the search she had described.

Unless that was the point, of course, to confuse me and throw me off the trail. It wouldn't have been the first time.

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