Page 48 of Operation: Valiant Angel

“Did anyone other than her mother ever pick her up from school?”

“No, but she did have two emergency contacts for pickup as that’s required for all our students,” Reina pointed out.

“Yeah, we looked into them. They’re bogus.”

“So, had Lilly’s mom not shown up one day we never would have reached someone?”

“Yes, that’s the gist of it,” Wilson confirmed.

“How irresponsible of Ashley!” Reina exploded. “To put her daughter in that position.”

Wilson was impressed that Rae was such an advocate for the little girl, but given her childhood, it didn’t surprise him. “Did Ashley Carona always pick her daughter up driving the same vehicle?”

“Yes, of course she did. Jimmy, she was a single mom with only one vehicle.”

“Did the little girl ever talk about anyone else, her father, an aunt or uncle, a friend of her mom’s, anyone?”

“No, she never did. I got the impression it was just her and her mom.”

“Did she always come from work dressed in scrubs?” Wilson asked.

“Yes, no wait, there was one day the week before they suddenly disappeared that she was dressed in street clothes at pick up, jeans and a black sweater with a different coat on, a nice leather jacket. When she came from work, she wore her scrubs and a parka.”

“Which day was that? Can you remember?” Wilson pressed.

“I don’t know,” Reina said. “But it was definitely that last week.”

“Is there anything else you can think of that either the little girl or Ashley Carona said that at the time you didn’t find odd but now do?” he asked.

Reina thought about that for a minute. “I honestly can’t. Ashley Carona was not one of the parents that are chatty and friendly when picking their kid up. Other moms talk with us. They talk amongst themselves, planning playdates for their kids outside of school. But not Ashley Carona. She pretty much came at the last moment, or late, and she didn’t talk with anyone.”

“Was there any kid that the little girl was especially close to, played with most days, maybe told secrets to?”

“There are a couple of kids in the class that Lilly was closer to, played with more often than the others.”

“Rae, this is important. Is there any way you could quietly ask them if Lilly told them any secrets or if Lilly mentioned anyone besides her mom, anyplace she goes, or that she was going to move?”

“Oh, Jimmy, I hate to do that. These kids are only four years old. I’m not sure if anything they say is reliable, plus to use them,” she began, a list of other objections primed in her thoughts.

“Rae, your answers will be helpful, but one of those kids might know something, something that will help us find her.”

“Jimmy, what’s going on?” Reina asked. She had such a bad feeling. She’d been worried about Lilly, but this new feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach was something different. The worry had turned to fear. It made her feel nauseous.

“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you. Please trust that your concerns have been taken seriously and we’re looking for the little girl and her mom.”

“Okay, I’ll ask a few of the kids Lilly played with regularly.”

“Call me after work and let me know if you find out anything,” Wilson said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye,” she said. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, and then she returned to the classroom.

***

Reina took advantage of every opportunity that Kay, the classroom teacher, was out of earshot to talk with the three children Lilly played with most often. Her friends missed her. That was all Reina learned. None remembered Lilly ever mentioning another person besides her mom. As Reina expected, their four-year-old attention spans and their limited conversation skills didn’t provide any help.

As soon as she turned her car over after work, she dialed Jimmy. He answered on the second ring. “Hi Jimmy, is this a good time?”

“Yes, I have a few minutes,” he replied, his gaze still on suspected stash house number two across the street. He was parked in the parking lot of a bar from which the house Lambchop and Mother had identified earlier could be seen. “But I may have to go suddenly. If so, I’ll call you back when I can.”

---