“Was the light on?” Mercer asked.
“It went off when the door shut.”
“Could you reach the switch?”
“I couldn’t find it.”
“How long were you inside?”
“I don’t know.”
Emma’s eyes filled again.
“I counted to a thousand twice, but I think I skipped numbers.”
I put my arm around her.
“You did nothing wrong.”
She leaned against me, and for a moment she looked much younger than eight.
Mercer finally opened her notebook.
“Emma, did anyone come near the door while you were inside?”
Emma thought carefully.
“Mr. Lewis did.”
“The custodian?”
“I heard his keys. He tried the handle, but Mrs. Gable told him I was taking a test and nobody could interrupt.”
My mind returned to the custodian’s nod in the hallway.
“Did you call out?” I asked.
“I was scared she would get angrier.”
Mercer wrote something down.
After the interview, she asked permission to photograph the faint red marks on Emma’s upper arm. Emma agreed only after I explained exactly what would happen.
When we returned to the corridor, Officer Diaz was speaking with the custodian.
