A.L. said nothing. He’d had the very same thoughts. He quite clearly remembered Traci at that age. She’d been able to follow directions and certainly knew about stranger-danger.

“There’s a lot of people out there,” Olivia said. “Searching. Maybe that gives the Whitmans some comfort. Knowing that people care.”

The people of Baywood were very caring. Midwest nice. None of that helped explain a missing five-year-old. “Thanks again,” he said.

She walked out and he made a few quick calls on his cell. When he was assured that there was an officer who could take care of searching both the car and the apartment, he went to find Rena. She was still sitting in the classroom.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“I don’t think we’re going to find anything in her apartment or car. Because there’s nothing there. We’re barking up the wrong tree,” Rena added.

“So, she simply had the bad luck to have a case of the ill-timed shits.”

Rena closed her eyes and leaned her head back. “Better her than us.”

“Indeed. Look, I’m going to request criminal background checks on all four teachers, Alice, the cook, Leah and Troy Whitman, and Elaine Broadstreet.”

“They’re the main players,” Rena said. “Who do you want to talk to next?”

“Let’s get contact information from Alice on all staff and all parents. Right now I’m interested in talking to the six parents who signed into Kara Wiese’s room between 6:30 and 7:30. I want to make sure that her story that she was in the room checks out.”

When they made their request, Alice said it would take her about fifteen minutes to pull the information. She said she’d have first and last names and cell numbers and home phones, if different. She might also have places of employment if they’d provided that. However, the integrity of her data depended on whether the parents had kept their information up to date.

While they were waiting, Rena’s cell phone buzzed. She glanced at it. “We have confirmation that Elaine Broadstreet’s vehicle was on Paradise, then Main, then Second Street just as she said. There’s no cameras on the corner of Second Street and Oak Avenue so we lost her there. But they pick her up again when she’s back on Second Street. Child who matches Emma’s description in a rear car seat on the way, and seat is empty when she’s back on Second Street.”

“Seems as if she might be telling the truth,” A.L. said.

“At least about getting her to the building.”

“Can I see the front office sign-in sheet again?”

Rena handed him the plastic evidence bag. “I estimated Alice’s arrival time as somewhere between 7:16 and 7:20. First signature on this form is 7:52 and second is 10:50.”