She looked at the keypad, then at the front door.
“Show me exactly where you found your daughter.”
I pointed down the hall.
Ellis crouched near the floor without touching anything. She studied the scattered papers, the backpack, the shoe, and the distance between them.
Then she looked back at me.
“Was your daughter expecting anyone today?”
“Not that I knew of.”
“Birthday coming up?”
“Sixteenth birthday.”
She glanced at the card on the floor.
“Did you buy that?”
“Yes.”
“Was she expecting you home?”
“No. I came early as a surprise.”
Ellis stood.
“Then whoever came here wasn’t responding to your arrival. They came before you did.”
“I know.”
She studied my face for a moment.
“Mr. Harper, I need you to tell me something plainly. Is there anyone who might have wanted access to your daughter besides someone looking for valuables?”
The question landed differently from the officer’s robbery theory.
