“You wanted to talk to me,” Elaine said. She’d settled on one leather couch. He and Rena had taken ends on the other.

“How was today?” Rena asked, her tone caring. It reminded him of something she’d said once—that he had very little time or tolerance for small talk. Or something like that. It was true. And it was a fault. Because right now, Rena was spot-on. Elaine Broadstreet’s culpability was yet to be determined. But what they did know was that her grandchild was missing. And for that reason alone, she deserved great consideration.

“Difficult,” Elaine said. “We all jump every time Leah’s cell phone rings.” She paused. “People have been wonderful. So caring. One of Troy’s friends started a fund-raising page and donations poured in today. Just poured in.”

A fund-raising site. A.L. supposed it was to be expected. It was easy enough to do and it left people, those who started it and those who contributed, feeling good. It was a relatively easy way for a person to let the Whitmans know that they cared. “What do Troy and Leah think about that?” A.L. asked.

“I think Leah was a little embarrassed. I guess it seems a little bit like charity. But Steven told them that it only made sense, that they might have a need for it. Like to offer a reward,” Elaine explained.

Or to pay for private searchers once the initial frenzy dies down, A.L. added silently. He hoped like hell it didn’t come to that. “Who is Steven?”

“Steven Hanzel. He’s Troy’s best friend and he’s the one who started the fund-raising site. He works at the bank. I think he’s a loan officer.”

A.L. wrote the name down in his notebook. It was time to get down to business. “We have a few more questions about the day you dropped Emma off.”

Elaine nodded. “I suppose that teacher is still saying that she never saw me.”

“Let’s just say that the two of you have different recollections of the morning,” A.L. said. “Have you had any second thoughts about what you told us?”

“No.”

Rena leaned forward. “Is it possible that you walked Emma into the day care but didn’t hand her off to anybody? I mean, Emma sounds like she was pretty mature. Maybe she knew where her room was? Maybe she said I’ve got this and you kissed her goodbye and left without actually seeing her go into a room?”

Elaine said nothing.

“I totally get how that could happen,” Rena said.

“Do you have children, Detective?”

“No,” Rena said, her tone level.

“Then I’m not sure you’re qualified to get anything. But in any event, that’s not what happened.”