“I see. What is it that you do for a living, Ms. Bracken?” Rena asked.

“I transcribe medical records. From my home.”

“You always work from home? Never go into an office?” Rena asked.

“Never. It’s part of my deal. I don’t like to go out but I’m a very good transcriptionist. With electronic medical records, many physicians input their own data but there are still some that refuse to do that. They want their transcription turned around quickly. I’m nocturnal. I work at night and sleep during the day, so that allows me to have whatever they’ve left in their queue by 10:00 at night back to them by 6:00 in the morning. They like that.” She glanced at the clock. “These are my sleeping hours. I was just drifting off when you came to the door.”

“Sorry about that,” A.L. said easily in a tone that told Rena he didn’t mean it. “Where were you this past Wednesday around 7:30 in the morning?”

Rena felt some satisfaction. She was now not the only one creeped out by the woman. A.L. was done tiptoeing around.

“I finished work early on Wednesday, probably by 6:00. So I guess I was getting ready for bed,” she said.

“Could anyone verify that?” A.L.

The first hint of a smile crossed her lips. Just a hint. “No.”

“Do you own a vehicle, Ms. Bracken?” Rena asked.

“I do. A 1982 Buick Regal. Green. License plate RB 5050.”

A car that old wasn’t going to have GPS.

A.L. stood. “Thank you for your time. Can we have your cell number in the event that we need to contact you?”

“No cell. Just a home number.” She rattled it off and A.L. wrote it down in his notebook.

Rena had her hand on the doorknob when Rosemary Bracken spoke again. “I hope you find your little girl. I really do.”

Rena managed a tight smile and walked out the door. She could hear A.L. on her heels. Then he stopped. She turned to see what was holding him up.

He’d taken three steps back toward Rosemary Bracken, who stood in her door, watching them. “Had you ever met Corrine Antler?”

“No.”

“Did you know her parents? Had you ever met them?”

Rosemary shook her head. “I didn’t and I still don’t.”

A.L. nodded. “Thank you for your time.” He turned and easily caught up with Rena. Once they were back in his vehicle, she let out a loud breath. “That is one odd woman.”

“Odd doesn’t equate to kidnapper of young children,” A.L. said.

“No GPS in vehicle or cell phone. Limits our ability to track her movements. ‘I’m nocturnal.’” Rena said it in the same flat tone that Rosemary Bracken had used. “How about ‘I’m a weirdo and it’s better if I just hide in my little hole.’”