Filling in where Zane was lost, Ellie explained that Mina was a rumored top tier college grad turned laborer. She had been blacklisted by the Arden family and thus could not keep steady employment. Without giving away too much information, she told Zane that the girl had gone missing a few weeks ago but no one reported her disappearance.
Ellie had even gone to Mina's apartment and posed as a relative. The landlady cared deeply for Mina and she would often hire Mina to do odd jobs around the building to help her cover her monthly rent. She had not seen Mina in a long time, and the rent was due, but she could not bear to evict the girl, so she planned to hold the apartment for a few more weeks. Ellie paid the woman two months' rent upfront and asked the woman to keep Mina's belongings safe. At the time, she thought she may need to come back to the place if she hit a dead end.
