Chapter 3

As the weeks dragged on Iris hoped against hope that Esty would show up to work, or even Olive Garden, alive. Iris saw that this hope was dimming as weeks passed into months and months into years.

Iris met up with Esty's sister, Dainella, in hopes they could cheer each other up. Iris was equipped with the diary in her purse, wondering if she would get the chance to show Dainella. Before Iris could even knock on the door it was flung open and Dainella had her arms wrapped around Iris.

"Oh I've been waiting for you!" Dainella weeped.

"I know, it's been rough for all of us." Iris patted her head. "Well, most of us."

"Before I even ask, come in, come in." Dainella helped Iris into the house and sat her at the table. "Now, what did you mean by that last statement?"

"I've been to her house, Alex has a new girl moved in and all her stuff is in the garage." Iris said slowly.

"It's been months, most husbands would have moved on and lost hope already too." Dainella said solemnly, patting Iris's hand.

"I stopped by one week after her disappearance." Iris said, the news visibly shocked Dainella.

"Surely you're kidding." Dainella said, her eyes wide.

"Here, read this." Iris pulled the diary out of her bag and hesitantly handed it to her.

"This can't be Esty's diary." Dainella said, opening the cover.

Iris played with her hands as she watched Dainella flip pages and gasp at certain entries. By the time she had read enough her hands were shaking, she set the book down and took a slow, deep breath.

"He didn't." She said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I believe he did." Iris said, not meeting Dainellas eyes.

"How are you wanting to go about this information? Are we telling the cops?" Dainella asked.

"Already tried the cops, I saw her car in the garage and a box of bloody clothes and sharp objects." Iris said, slowing her breathing. "They didn't believe me because once they got there he had it cleared out."

"That monster!" Dainella cried. "Are we taking matters into our own hands?"

"Most definitely." Iris said, a grim smile gracing her features.

Iris attended work and continued the traditional Tuesday night dinners Esty used to accompany her to. She acted as if she wasn't planning on taking the matters of Alex's life and crime into her own hands. Iris was not alone on her nights at Olive Garden, Dainella accompanied her in order for them to catch up about their week and what they would do to get justice for Esty.

"I keep going through the diary like it's going to tell me where Esty is." Iris said with a defeated sigh.

"Sometimes we do things in grief that we cannot explain." Dainella said, patting Iris's hand gently.

"Still, she's gotta be somewhere. Somewhere only Alex and Esty knew about." Iris said, taking a gulp of her wine.

"Like a secret place?" Dainella asked.

"Exactly like a secret place." Iris repeated.

"Well, they would sometimes meet out by this quarry a few miles from our childhood home." Dainella said. "But he knows Esty told me and our parents about that place so it can't be there."

"Does anyone know where Esty and Alex first met? Or the place Alex proposed?" Iris asked. "There has got to be something with meaning to them that no one knows about."

"Our family was there when he proposed, and Esty told her friends where she met Alex." Dainella said, giving a defeated sigh. "This was before you came into the picture, of course."

"Something has to slip," Iris said. "Something has to give."

"It doesn't seem like it wants to." Dainella said.

"I know and that's the frustrating part." Iris said. "Ready for the check?"

"Yes, we'll talk about this more over the phone." Dainella replied, waving for the waitress.