Elaine Broadstreet looked at her daughter.

“I don’t think so,” Leah said. “We always talk about going to Grammie’s house but we don’t use the address. We don’t say we’re going to Duncan Avenue.”

“Of course,” Rena said again. “Mrs. Broadstreet, do you live alone?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a Mr. Broadstreet?”

“There was. He’s been dead for many years.”

“Okay. We’re going to want to take a look at your house and your vehicle. Do we have your permission to do that?”

“I guess. Although I think the time might be better spent searching around the day care.”

“We’ll be doing that, too,” Rena assured her. “Just one more question, Mrs. Broadstreet. You’re absolutely sure it was Kara Wiese that you saw in the lobby this morning?”

“I...of course I’m sure. Emma has been in her room for months.”

“And what’s your relationship with Kara?”

“She’s fine. I mean, I think she’s good with the kids.”

“Then you can’t think of any reason why she might not remember this morning’s events exactly the same way as you do?”

Mrs. Broadstreet stared at her. “I’ve told you what happened. I saw her by the office and I left Emma with her. If she’s saying anything else, then she’s a liar.”

Rena found A.L. alone in Emma Whitman’s classroom. “Blithe checked vehicles for Alice Quest, Troy Whitman, Leah Whitman and Elaine Broadstreet. All cleared. Now he’s going to accompany Leah Whitman home. He’ll search the house while he’s there. I’ve got Officer Taylor following Elaine Broadstreet home and he’ll search that property.”

“Tell me about your conversation with Elaine,” he said.

She did.

“We need to check her route, see if we can place her there,” A.L. said.

“Just sent the text asking for someone to check the street cameras. It bothers me that she didn’t say anything initially about signing Emma in on the clipboard. I had to prompt it.”

“Could be something,” he agreed. “Will be less important if we can place her driving here with Emma and then driving away without Emma.”

“Agree. Tell me what Kara Wiese had to say?”

He did and finished up with, “Troy Whitman and Kara Wiese are joining the other volunteers. I imagine Alice Quest is in her office, calling her attorney and insurance carrier. I told our guys that we were going to need Alice and her desktop computer to get some information. They’ve cleared her office and Classroom 1, as well as the hallway bathroom for use. Everything else is off limits for now.”

“Fine. You know she told me she has a granddaughter Emma’s age,” Rena said. “Two granddaughters, in fact. Five and three. I think she’s feeling this on all different levels.”

“Is she married?” A.L. asked.