With Blake’s reluctant permission, Baxter had searched the whole condo for any clues or insights. In the bathroom, he found a high dosage of anti-depression medications in Corin’s name, but little else. She was clearly the dominant personality, but Baxter had the sense that she established her dominance passively, possibly through manipulation. The drawers in the bedroom were each labeled with his or her initials, and there was a small chalkboard on the bedroom wall beside the light switch. At the top, it said, “Blake’s List.” It then contained a chalk run-down of all their activities over the next few days and a task list for Blake on each. The dates were nearly two weeks past.
The only room left to check was the spare bedroom. He wandered through it with a trained eye. The devil was always in the details, and the details often went overlooked.
Finding nothing, he moved to the closet. As he parted the bi-fold doors, a dark shape shot toward him. He deflected the attack with a forearm and muttered a curse under his breath.
Looking down at the object that had fallen on him, he said, “You always keep your ironing board in the closet of the spare bedroom?”
“No, that is strange. Corin has a spot for it in the hall closet. She likes to iron while I watch TV.”
“She doesn’t watch with you?”
“Corin prefers books. If she picks out what we watch, it’s usually a boring documentary.”
Baxter asked, “So did you or the police move the ironing board into here?”
Blake shook his head. “I don’t use it, and the cops didn’t move anything. Corin must have stuck it in there.”
“Seems rather peculiar, the way it fell out at us like that.”
“I guess. She was probably in a hurry.”
“When does she usually do her ironing?”
“Like I said, while we watch TV.”
“But does she ever use the ironing board in the morning before school, or does she press your Italian suit before you head to the club.”
“No, I have it dry cleaned and pressed. And Corin always has everything ready and laid out for the next day. She seldom irons anything in the morning.”
“So when was the last time she used it?”
Blake paused to consider that. “Probably the night before she went missing.”
“Probably?”
Another pause. “Definitely. I watched the 49ers game, and she ironed a couple of outfits and then worked on homework.”
“And what did she do with the board afterward?”
“I can’t say for sure, but I think I remember her putting it away in the hall closet. Where are you going with this?”
Baxter shrugged. “Could be nothing, but it makes me wonder if the site of Corin’s abduction was actually here in the condo.”
“You mean that the person who took her moved the ironing board? Why would anyone do that?”
“I don’t know, but the real question to ask is: Does her being abducted from here change things?” He checked the time and said, “I have another appointment, but I’ll be back in touch soon. Probably later this evening. You be around?”
Tears forming in his eyes, Blake replied, “Anything you need. If there’s even a chance it could lead to Corin, I’ll do it. Whatever it is. I just need her back.”