3. first look

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Cassidy was hardly out the door when Aldana and Tanya hurried down the stairs

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Cassidy was hardly out the door when Aldana and Tanya hurried down the stairs.

"What was that, Reg?" asked Aldana, as the girl brought her computer back to the table.

"The reason why I wasn't sure whether to drag you gals into this," Gillian replied, eyes still on the front door.

"You said you wanted to clear the story about Irene's baby and why they lied about her. What the hell's going on here?"

"I don't know, Al, but I'm gonna find out. And looks like it's gonna make some noise. You're still in time to get out."

"Make some noise?" repeated Tanya from the table. "How's that song Hank likes to hum when you say something like that? Oh, yeah. That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh..." She glanced up at Gillian with a casual smile. "And if they kick us out, maybe we can open a PI office, like Jessica Jones."

"You need some super power to join that universe," said Aldana.

"I can swear a lot," said Gillian. "Does it count?"

"Don't think so. But your skill to cross your bosses could do."

"Hey, that's cold."

"Winter's coming. Where's the coffee, Reg?"

Gillian smiled. It felt good, doing this with them, feeling their support no matter how serious all of this promised to be. She missed the other four, but keeping them clean and safe would make it up for their absence. She fixed two more coffees as she tried to relax after Cassidy's hostile irruption. His attitude hurt more than she was willing to admit. Maybe later she'd take the time to feel let down and betrayed. Not now. Now was time to get the dig started.

Just to prove they were on the same page, Aldana set the board as she asked, "Okay, what d'you want us to do?"

Gillian replied as she brought their mugs from the kitchen. "I told you about her alternate virtual self, Sybil Dorsett. Sybil's Instagram covers Irene's last year. I'm sure I missed a lot of useful information when I checked it, 'cause I was only looking for anything that may lead us to her baby."

"I'll check it," said Aldana, grabbing her tablet.

"T, Connor found Irene's alternate accounts on three or four mainstream social networks. Find out what else she did online under that name. I'm gonna try to put up a timeline, starting with her death and going backwards."

"We still don't know where she delivered, and who paid for it," said Tanya.

"Maybe I can find something in her pictures with the baby," said Aldana. "Anything to help us identify the hospital."

"That'd be good."


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