“Oh no. That’s all been verified. She’s clean. Healthy. Eager to do this.”
“But you still don’t like it?”
“No. But Gabe thinks I’m being ridiculous. He knows her. He trusts her. And it makes him mad that all that isn’t enough for me.”
“Stressful situation,” A.L. said. “You both probably need to cut each other some slack.”
“We’re running out of time. This happens in less than three weeks.”
“So that gives you a little time to get your head around it,” A.L. said.
“I hope so. Because if I back out of this now, after everything we’ve gone through, I don’t think Gabe will forgive me.” She pushed her chair away from her desk. “Let’s go. We need to figure out where the hell Emma is.”
* * *
They found Claire Potter at her apartment. She was up and dressed in yoga pants and a T-shirt. She was an attractive black woman in her late thirties who straightened her shoulder-length hair and wore an excessive amount of bracelets that clinked together whenever she moved her arms. She was also almost six feet tall. All that told Rena that even though their names sounded a bit alike, it wasn’t likely that Elaine had gotten Claire and Kara mixed up.
“Can you tell us about your day yesterday?” A.L. asked.
They were sitting in Claire’s small living room. She’d offered them herbal tea but they’d both turned her down. She sat across from them, her long legs folded under her body, a cup in her hands. “It was a good day. Like most days. The kids are great. For the most part,” she said with a smile. “I’m worried about what the parents are doing for day care today. Of course, I understand that we couldn’t open. Hard to do that with police tape around the building.”
“How long have you worked there?” A.L. asked.
“Almost two years. That’s when I moved to Baywood. My son was starting high school and I wanted him to go to a better school.”
“Are you married, Claire?” Rena asked.
“Divorced. Six years.”
“Then it’s just you and your son who live in this apartment.”
“Me, my son and two very ugly turtles.”
Rena smiled. “What’s your relationship with Kara Wiese?”
“Good. She was already at the day care when I started but we’ve been teaching together since day one. She’s really good with the kids. I tower over her so I suspect we look ridiculous when we’re together but it’s always been a good match. I’m pretty sure that’s what she would say, too.”
Rena leaned forward. “Elaine Broadstreet, Emma’s grandmother, says that she dropped Emma off at the day care yesterday into Kara Wiese’s care. Kara is denying that. Would you have any reason to think that she would be lying about that?”
“Of course not. Why would she? If that had happened, she would have brought Emma back to our classroom.”
“Have you and Kara had any conversation about this?” A.L. asked.
“We saw each other last night. Both of us volunteered to search. But she didn’t tell me what to say, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”
“Not suggesting anything,” A.L. said, holding up his hand. “Just trying to get an understanding of the situation. Would you say that you and Kara are friends?”
“Yes. We’re coworkers. We’re friends. We both like California rolls and chocolate cake. I’m really not sure what else I can tell you except that we’re all just sick about this.”
A.L. stood. “We are, too. Can you tell me what time you got to work yesterday morning?”
“I start at 7:30.”
“I know that’s your start time. But were you early yesterday? On time? Late?”
“I’m not generally late. Not generally much early, either,” she added with a quick smile. “I usually arrive about 7:25. I park and walk into the classroom, ready to work.”
“No stopping in the break room for a cup of coffee? Or to put away your lunch?” Rena asked.
Claire shook her head. “Don’t drink coffee and the cook at the day care is really good. I eat lunch there.”
“So you’re confident that you were in your classroom by 7:30?” A.L. followed up.
“Yes.”
“Was Kara in the room?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“Do you remember how many kids?”
Claire’s bracelets clinked as she used her fingers to silently count. “Six or seven, I think. That’s pretty normal.”
“Did you see Emma Whitman?” Rena asked.
“No.”
“Did Kara leave the classroom at any time in the morning?” Rena asked.
“I’m sure she did. She probably used the restroom. There’s one in the classroom for the kids but we don’t generally use that one. There’s one for staff in the hallway.”
Rena had seen that when they’d searched the building. “Do you recall when she might have used the restroom?”
Claire shook her head.
“When she leaves for the restroom, does somebody come in to cover her absence?” A.L. asked. “So that you maintain the right teacher-to-student ratio.”
Claire looked uncomfortable. “It’s what we’re supposed to do,” she said. “But really, it’s just such a short absence. We just...do it. I mean, Alice must know but she never says anything.”
“You’re not aware of any other reason why Kara might leave the room other than these short bathroom breaks?” Rena asked.
“Well, she might have if she needed to make a personal call. Kids can be magpies and you don’t necessarily want them repeating parts of your personal business when they go home at the end of the day.”
“Does she have lots of personal calls to make?” A.L. asked.
“No. People text mostly now.”
“But sometimes she would step out to make a call?” Rena asked.
“To make or take. Like all of us.”
Take, as in incoming. “Do you happen to know who called Kara?” Rena followed up.
“I don’t really know. I mean, I think she was about to close on a new house so she was talking to her Realtor or maybe her banker a lot.”
“Very good. Thank you again,” A.L. said.
He and Rena left the apartment building. When they were back in the car, A.L. turned to her. “New houses cost a lot of money.”