He thought about calling but since Alice Quest had so nicely provided the names of the parents’ employers and their telephone numbers if she had them, he saw the Shana Federer was employed by Baywood Bank. That made him think of Steven Hanzel. And made him think that it might be worth his time to visit in person. He knew the bank was open from eight to noon on Saturday mornings.

At eight thirty, A.L. arrived at the Baywood Bank. He asked the security guard at the door if he knew Shana Federer and the man pointed at the fourth teller window. A.L. waited in line, grateful that nobody came up behind him. Five minutes later, after some high school kid with a jar of change was helped, he put his badge on the counter and slid it so she could easily see it. “I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes.”

She didn’t ask why. Everybody knew what the police were working on. “I’ll need to ask my supervisor,” she said.

Four minutes later, she led him down a hallway to an empty break room. There were vending machines on one side, a microwave, refrigerator and sink on the other side of the room. A round table with six chairs in the middle. She pulled one back and he did the same. Before she sat, she removed her cell phone from her back pocket and put it on the table.

He showed her the sign-in sheet. “Can you describe your general drop-off process at the day care?”

“I guess,” she said. “We’ve got a routine. Mia has been going there for over a year.”

“I understand,” he said. “Just walk me through it.”

“We live just down the street from the day care. On the days that I start work later, Mia and I walk. On earlier days, I drive. That’s what it was on Wednesday. I drove, parked and we walked inside. I usually glance in the office to say good morning to Alice. I started to do that but the office was empty. I assumed she was in one of the classrooms.”

“Was there anybody else in the lobby?”

“There was a dad leaving as we walked in. I don’t know his name but his son is in Mia’s class. His name is Wyatt. They’re pretty new at the day care.”

“Okay. Then what?”

“I...” She closed her eyes. “I walked Mia to her classroom. Went inside as far as the cubbies and hung up her backpack. That’s when I saw Alice Quest and I realized she was covering for Olivia Blow. Anyway, I waved to Alice, then I hugged Mia and I left.”

“You signed the sheet?” he clarified.

“Yes,” she said. “I did. That’s just habit. I always do that immediately after I hang up Mia’s backpack.”

“And how did you know what time it was?”