“You think she took them?” I asked. That sigh again. “Maybe. Jerome can be very persuasive. He almost talked me into believing that phone call wasn’t important.” My eyes flew to hers. “Which phone call?” “The night Maureen disappeared, the phone rang around midnight. Our ring, I’m sure of it, but it stopped almost immediately. I didn’t think much of it at the time. Fell right back to sleep. It wasn’t one of you kids, was it?” I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. Claude or Brenda wouldn’t have called that late, and I sure didn’t.”
