“This is a very difficult time, I know,” said A.L. “But unfortunately, when we have a missing child, we need to make sure that we’ve done everything we can to find her. And everything includes the police taking a look at your house and your vehicles. I’d like your permission to do both.”

Now the Whitmans looked at each other. Leah spoke first. “You don’t think we had anything to do with this.” Her tone was incredulous.

“Of course not,” Rena said.

It was the right response, regardless of whether they did or didn’t. And right now, A.L. had no opinion. He’d hold on to that as long as he could. A good cop had instincts and he followed them. A really good cop did the same but he didn’t let his mind settle on one path and discount other options that needed to be examined.

But there was no sense in alienating the parents or adding unnecessary angst to their lives by making them feel as if they were already on trial. Always better if everyone was cooperating.

“I think the time would be better spent looking for my daughter,” Troy said.

“We’re going to do that, too,” A.L. assured him. He looked at his watch. “Right about now, an Amber Alert and some other social media are going to hit. Is there anybody that you need to contact first before they hear the news?” He looked at Troy. He’d already talked to his brother.

“I’d better call my parents,” Troy said.

“Where do they live?” Rena asked.

“Milwaukee,” he said.

That’s where his brother lived. Maybe not in the same place, thought A.L. It still seemed odd that the brother hadn’t taken care of letting the grandparents know. But family dynamics were always weird. He watched Troy again step away to the corner of the room.

“Anybody else?” Rena asked gently, looking at Leah.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk to anybody right now.”

That was understandable. But once word got out, people were going to want to reach out to her. Many in comfort. Some in curiosity. Maybe even a couple assholes who were salivating to get a first-person account of someone else’s tragedy.

Anything to make their own day better.

“Do you have a home phone or just your mobile phones?” A.L. asked.

“We both just have cell phones,” Leah said. “But maybe I’ll just turn mine off.”

“No. We don’t want you to do that. We need to be able to reach you. Can I see your phone?”