Free Lizzy Gardner #2_Dead Weight by T.R. Ragan Page A

that stupid online support group.”
    For some reason Lori Mulcher thought Diane had abandoned her and she was pissed off. “What support group are you talking about?”
    “I never thought Diane would leave like this. She really cared for these kids. They need her. I need her.”
    Lori shook her head and when she stopped her monstrous silver hoop earrings kept going. She still hadn’t answered Lizzy’s question.
    “At least a half dozen students,” Lori said, “stop by the of ice every single day to see when she’s coming back.”
    “Was this Diane’s office?”
    Lori nodded. “Still is.”
    “Mind if I have a look at her computer?”
    “Go ahead; everyone else has.” Lori stood and headed for the door.
    “It’s up and running. Ten minutes is all I can give you though.”
    “Thanks.”
    “And one m-more thing—”
    Lizzy looked her way. “What’s that?”
    “Sorry about the nose.”
    Lizzy smiled. “Not a problem.”
    The second Lori left the room, Lizzy began to search through the files on Diane’s computer. She would love to take the computer with her but it was obviously school property. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the Oyen Digital 1TB portable hard drive, described by customer reviews as “fast, reliable, and sexy,” and plugged in the USB
    cable. The software came loaded on the mini hard drive so it could operate automatically, saving the iles to the drive while she looked around.
    Her ten minutes were up and the lady sitting behind Lori’s desk looked through the open door at her.
    Lizzy waved. “Almost done.”
    The woman stood and reached into her drawer, pulling out a bag lunch. She came to the door. “My name’s Arlene Ruiz, but most people call me Lena. I overheard part of your conversation with Lori and I think you should know that Diane was de initely obsessed with losing weight. Like most of us, the harder she tried to lose weight, the more she gained. I tried to help her, even got my friend who owns a gym downtown to allow Diane free access. She would go for a week or two and then that would be it until next time.” Lena Ruiz shook her head and said, “Poor girl.”
    “Do you think Diane was depressed?”
    “Only when it came to her weight.”
    “If it was so important to her, why do you think she couldn’t control it?”
    “Beats me, but I can tell you this—” Lena looked around to make sure no one was within earshot, “—her sister didn’t help matters much.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “How can you forget you’re fat if someone keeps reminding you that you are?”
    “That’s a good question. Did Andrea tell her sister she was fat?”
    “Not straight out, but yes, in her own little condescending way she did. That woman would come by all of the time. Andrea Kramer treated us all as if we were beneath her, always making sure to point out her fancy car and expensive clothes. She thought she was all that.
    She would come in here three times a week just to see what Diane had brought for lunch. On her way here, Andrea would stop by the gym I just mentioned, and she would already know whether or not Diane had been a no-show that morning.”
    “Sounds a little controlling.”
    “A lot controlling. I would have run away too.”
    “So you think Diane ran away?”
    Lena iddled with the beads on her necklace as she thought about the question. “I did at irst. But after a month passed by, and another, and Diane hadn’t called to see how her kids were doing, I knew something very bad had happened.”
    “Do you know anything about the online group Lori talked about?”
    She nodded. “Diane talked about the group all of the time. .even tried to get me to join.” Lena Ruiz turned about and went back to her desk where she shuf led through her rolodex. By the time she returned, Lizzy had safely removed the mini hard drive and tucked it inside her purse.
    “Here you go,” Lena said. “The group was called the Weight Watcher Warriors.”
    “You look