She’d never imagined this. He took one chair in front of her desk and Rena took the other. “We have a few more questions,” he said.

“It’s really just a nightmare,” Alice said.

Crazy. Terrifying. Now a nightmare. The descriptors were mounting up. He badly wanted somebody to walk in the front door, saying words like miracle or maybe even dream come true. Yeah, that would be good. He’d even be happy if it was one of the FBI guys crowing that it was a dream come true to have Emma back safe and sound.

But until that happened, he was going to work the damn case. “I wanted to ask you about the teacher who was absent today.” In the ten minutes that he and Rena had strategized before knocking on Alice’s door, they’d agreed that talking to that teacher had to be a priority.

“Olivia Blow,” Alice said.

“She miss a lot of work?” Rena asked.

Alice shook her head. “None of my staff misses much work, which is a testament to their dedication. Kids come to day care with all kinds of bugs and teachers do catch some of them. But mostly they manage to power through it.”

“But Olivia didn’t power through today. What was wrong with her?” A.L. asked.

“I don’t know. I didn’t actually get a chance to talk to her. She sent a text late last night, around midnight. Said she wouldn’t be in.”

“So she knew last night?” Rena said. “That she’d be sick this morning.”

“I do think that’s how it works sometimes,” Alice said.

She might be right, A.L. thought. But then again. “When’s the last time Olivia Blow missed a day of work?”

Alice turned her chair so that she could open the cabinet behind her desk. She pulled out a manila folder. Turned the cover back. Ran her finger down and across what appeared to be a spreadsheet. “Actually, this is the first day that she’s missed.”

“How long has she worked here?” Rena asked.

“For over two years,” Alice said.

“What’s her home address?” A.L. asked.

Now Alice tapped on the keyboard on her desk. Then she picked up a pen and scribbled something on a notepad. Tore off the sheet. “Here. But you won’t find her there.”

“Why not?” A.L. asked.

“Because she called me less than ten minutes ago. Said she was going to come join the search.”

“She’s suddenly feeling better?” A.L. asked.

Alice shrugged. “I didn’t grill her on her health.”

Alice already sounded tired. And discouraged. A.L. thought she should buck up. Things could get much worse before they got better. “Would you call her on her cell?” he asked. “Tell her to come inside the building.”