“Amelia doesn’t take her to school?” I asked.
“No, and before you think it, that doesn’t mean she’s a bad mother. She’s not. She loves Pet, we all do, it’s just more convenient for Johnny or Robin to take her, depending on the day. Amelia gets her up and ready, and Robin feeds her, and then Johnny takes her to school. Believe it or not, her schedule runs like a well-oiled machine.”
I stopped and crossed my arms over my chest. “Whose responsibility is it to take her to the park?”
“Amelia does sometimes, but not all the time. She uses the time to gossip with the other mothers. Pet loves playing, and it’s healthy for her to have plenty of social and physical interaction.”
The door opened and a woman walked into the room. Max rose and held out his hand. “Principal Potts, thank you for taking time to see us.”
The woman’s brown hair was in a bun, her gaze sharp. “Mr. Pierce.”
She nodded and gestured to a brunette woman who followed her into the room. “I believe you’ve already met Petunia’s teacher, Edna Sinclair.”
“Yes, and I’d like to introduce you both to Gwen Bennett. She’ll be handling the family’s security detail for the foreseeable future.”
A look of relief crossed Ms. Sinclair’s face, one that might have been missed by Max, but not by me.
“Of course, it’s nice to meet you,” Edna said, holding out her hand for me to shake.
Edna Sinclair wasn’t like the other teachers at the school thatwe’d passed. Where the other teachers adhered to a strict dress code of grays and browns and blues, Edna Sinclair didn’t, although I believe she tried. The other teachers were older, and more refined. Edna’s name didn’t match her age or her clothes. She looked about twenty-three and fresh out of college. Her buttoned up jacket almost hid the bright pink polka-dot shirt beneath. Was she a rule breaker in other aspects of her life?
I shook the woman’s hand. “Ms. Sinclair, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sure you’re wondering why we’re here.”
“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting anyone from your family to show up. Considering the wedding is right around the corner and Petunia is signed out for the week.”
“Yes, well, we wanted to tellyou that her old security guard, Johnny McIntire, is no longer employed with us.”
“That’s good news. I was never convinced Mr. McIntire was the right man for the job. He was prone to flirt with the other mothers, the teachers, and anyone who wearsa skirt. His interest was never where it should be, on Petunia.”
Interesting. The teacher was much more observant than I would have guessed. “If you saw that as a problem, why didn’t you inform any of the Pierce family?”
Heat crept up into Edna’s cheeks. “I’ve only been at this facility for three months. I didn’t want to start any trouble before I even have my first review.”
I shared a look with Max; it was almost as if he could read my mind.
“Feel free to speak honestly, Ms. Sinclair. Is there anything else that you’ve noticed?”
“I’ve noticed a lot of things. Can you be more specific, Mr. Pierce?”
“Have you noticed anyone showingmore interest in Petunia? Or possibly anyone that doesn’t belong at the school watching her? Has she mentioned anything about her friends on the playground?”
“Petunia is a veryfriendly little girl. She’ll talk to anybody who will listen. As far as anything being out of the ordinary, I don’t feel that I’ve been in the situation long enough to recognize something like that.”
“Have you seen her talking to any other adults besides her teachers?” I asked.
“Not that I’ve noticed.”
That was vague and unhelpful. My gaze darted to Edna’s fidgeting fingers. The soft tapping of her foot could be heard on the linoleum underneath the table. This was a woman that didn’t want to be here. “Ms. Sinclair, have you been teaching long?”
“No.” Her cheeks tinted pink. “I justmoved to town three months ago. I’m still getting the lay of the land.”
“Where did you call home before here?”
“I’m from California,” she answered.
“I can assure you that all of our staff is well vetted with background checks,” the principal interjected. She took a school brochure and handed itto me. Inside was one of her business cards. “The safety of every student, including Petunia’s, is paramount when she is within the school grounds. Our security is airtight, thanks to the parents who entrust us with their children.”
I slowly nodded and rose from my seat with the brochure in hand. “Thank you for your time.”
