Therapist's therapy

Give up?

Before Arianna could turn and tell Travis this bus stop was out of commission, he was gone beyond sight. She cursed herself for making him so pumped. As cars zoomed past Arianna became more worried. This search had a time limit and she was wasting more and more of it standing under this scorching sun. She decided to walk, it was a fool's journey but standing and thinking could make her run insane. The next bus stop was still distance away and Arianna was already sweating buckets. On the verge of giving up, a car came to a stop right beside her. She could recognize it anywhere but was the last thing she expected. She was too late she thought. The tinted glasses of Julianna's jeep rolled down. Instead of the sovereign smirk of Julianna which Arianna expected, kind old eyes peered back at her.
"Therapist girl, long time no see, what are you doing walking under this scorching sun?" It's was Julianna's driver. He had driven Julianna from the hospital the day she was released.
"The bus station was out of commission" Arianna gasped.
"That's awful. Well I took this car for some repairs and am on my way back. Need a ride?" Arianna thanked the universe and hoped into the seat beside him. The drive was silent except for the ancient tune he was humming. Arianna was calculating and hoping beyond doubt that she hadn't overlooked anything. This plan was impulse of course, even Arianna could read minds she wouldn't have seen this considering Arianna hadn't seen it either.
"Hope you are well recovered? It was quite the accident" Arianna jerked back to reality. For a moment she had forgotten where she was.
"Yeah I'm alright, thanks to Julianna's efforts." He let out an old sniffle chuckle. And took a turn down the well groomed lawn that laces the road to Julianna's
"Julianna is a good girl. I've known her for years, so clever and kind" clever Arianna knew but kind? All children are kind.
"Yeah she is." Arianna thought of the fire explosion "she is always so kind to me" they arrived at the house soon enough. He dropped Arianna off at the front door while he drove behind the house.
The house seemed bigger and menacing for some reason. Arianna strolled to the door wary of every step as though a trap will spring up at any wrong move. Matilda pulled the door open as Arianna hit the last step.
"Arianna? What are you doing here?" Matilda asked worry laced in her wrinkles. She looked older for some reason, Arianna guessed it was due to living under Julianna with a secret.
"I'm.. well.." Arianna didn't want to involve Matilda's more than she already was. It was too risky "running some errands for Julianna. I just need to pick something I'll be right out" Arianna pushed past her towards Julianna's room. Based on her memory it was at the opposite end of the hall from Travis'. Matilda cut across and stopped her before she could get to the door.
"I didn't get any message from Julianna so I can't let you in" her expression gave Arianna the right message 'you can't be here it's too dangerous for you and for me' Arianna wasn't selfish but at this point she didn't care. If she wasn't able to find anything today it would be a disaster. Not that it wasn't already.
Arianna moved ungracefully around Matilda and gave her a small tap on her neck before whispering into her ears "pretend I knocked you out. There are cameras aren't there? This way you are safe" Arianna got her answer when Matilda slumped to the floor unconscious. The door to Julianna's room was surprisingly unlocked, giving Arianna the impression that there was even tougher security than keys. Her lock picking training was all for nought.
The room was devoid of any artificial light except the few rays that creeped through the window. The room was squared and spacious. It contained a bed in the far left corner few steps from the door, it was smaller in size than Arianna had imagined. In front of her was a coffee table setting facing a plasma screen on the opposite wall and after that was an office desk and chair. Arianna dashed for it. The table was empty so were the drawers clearly no work was done here, Ariana wondered why it was even here to begin with. She scanned the room for any hint of a safe but none surfaced. Frustrated and running out is time, she dashed out. Matilda still lay by the door cupped up in a comfortable position, she seemed to have fallen asleep. Arianna scanned the house unsure of what she was looking for exactly. She made for the the back door towards the pool. Muffled noises attracted her like a wild animal, they seemed to be coming from a door at the end of the yard. Arianna pulled it open exposing a large garage, the noises were coming from the kind old man who gave her a ride. She had forgotten his name. He was bent over the bonnet of the car while playing some old song Arianna didn't recognize. He noticed her even though she didn't make any sound to announce her presence.
"Leaving already?" He asked wiping his perfectly clean hand on a stained towel.
"Yeah I didn't find the documents she sent me to retrieve in her room" Arianna lied
"Documents in her room? No, Julianna doesn't keep stuffs in there she says she can't bare the scent of paper or something. She keeps them in her private office in the attic" he chatted. Arianna was thrilled he had fallen for it.
"She didn't tell me that probably because she was in a hurry. Thanks for letting me know at least my journey here won't be in vain" this time it wasn't a lie.
"Glad to help. Matilda should be able to show you the way"
No she can't, she is knocked out cold you see. Arianna thought.
"Yeah thanks" Arianna retraced her steps back to the house. It took a while to find the way to the attic without Matilda's help but Arianna had raided many houses before it was easier by process of elimination. Arianna pulled the pin for the drop staircase but it wouldn't budge.Of course there was a trick to it, Arianna didn't mind though this meant she was on the right track. Pulling, Pushing, Arianna tried everything she could think of but the door wouldn't budge. Maybe this was bad match up she should have sent Travis here instead. Holding that thought, she yanked her phone out of her pocket and dialed his number. He picked on the last ring.
"I can't really talk right now" he panted
"I know,it's urgent. How do I get the attic door open?"
"Oh umm I never actually been up there but I've seen Juliana go up she just pushed at the door like twice and it budges I think I'm not really sure" Arianna heard the clicking of heels at the other end of the line " I gotta go" he disconnected the call before Arianna could even reply. She stuffed the phone back into her pocket and directed her attention back to door. Travis' memory must be playing tricks on his because the whole idea was the get the door down so the stairs can descend and she can go up not the other way around. Arianna remembered this was Julianna's house and resigned to her fate. Standing on her tip toes her pushed at the door twice and heard a click, the door pulled backward like a slide. Great the door was opened but how does she get in? Arianna lamented. As if on cue, there was some mechanical noise and a ladder descended. Arianna eyed the ladder suspiciously as though it wasn't the solution she needed before climbing. The attic looked like every other attic except instead of dust covered piles of junk, this one contained rows of cabinets all the same. Lining the left and the right none looking more important or secretive than the other.
Arianna was about to begin her search but then she heard voices downstairs.
Her time was up.