P Is for Peril

interest was the narrow metal lockbox hidden between the mattress and box spring. I shook it but heard only the softest of sounds in response. Probably her dope stash. I didn't have time enough to pick the lock. I returned the box to its hiding place. I felt better for having searched, though the foraging netted me nothing.
    Returning to the kitchen, I paused at the planning center to study the family calendar for November, which sat open on the desk. The calendar showed one full month for each page, which was also illustrated with a series of photographs of dogs dressed in children's clothing. November was a cocker spaniel in a navy blue sailor suit. The dog had big brown eyes and appeared to be embarrassed half to death.
    Each day was given its own block, an inch-and-a-half square. I could see that three different people had added notes about social events and other activities. Judging from handwriting and the nature of the events posted, I was guessing that Leila's was the oversized printing-angled T's, puffy I's. Crystal's was the elegant cursive in red ink. And Rand's was the scrawl written with a blue ballpoint pen. The personal reminders ranged from meetings to tennis lessons, dental and doctor appointments, to a weekly play group for Griff. The Audi was serviced early in the month. Various telephone numbers had been written in the margins. Notes on alternate weekends indicated Leila's return from school. She apparently wasn't scheduled for this weekend, perhaps because she'd been with Crystal the previous one.
    Behind me, Crystal and Nica were busy berating Leila in absentia. I leafed back three months to July and August, noting a fourth handwriting: bold block letters in black. This (I surmised) was Dr. Purcell, whose presence was visible up until Monday, September 8, four days before he vanished. He'd jotted in notes about two board meetings, a medical symposium at UCLA, and a golf date at the country club. None of the entries seemed significant and I assumed the police had followed up.
    "I've had it with her," Crystal was saying. "I don't know why I even bother to get upset. That's exactly what she wants."
    Nica said, "She's probably on her way to Lloyd's. It'd be like her to make a beeline straight for him."
    "Great. Let him deal with her. I'm sick of it. If she doesn't show up soon, I'm calling the cops. All I have to do is declare her an out-of-control minor and she's screwed for sure."
    "What good is that going to do?" Anica said. "I know you're mad, but you turn her over to the courts and you'll regret it."
    "She's the one who'll have regrets. This is about Paulie. I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts."
    Anica said, "Quit with the Paulie stuff. It's pointless."
    I picked up the calendar and moved over to the island where I claimed my coffee cup. "Mind if I ask about this?"
    Crystal glanced over at me, distracted. "What do you need?"
    I placed the calendar on the counter and tapped at the page. "I gather Leila doesn't come home every weekend."
    "For the most part, she does. Lloyd and I usually alternate visits, but things do come up."
    "Like what?"
    Crystal glanced at the page, pointing to the second weekend in July. "This was the weekend she had an invitation to go home with her friend, Sherry, in Malibu Colony. Her father's in the movie business and he takes the girls to all the big premieres."
    I pointed to the weekend of September 12, when Dow Purcell disappeared. "And this?"
    "Same thing, different friend. Emily's family owns horses. They have a ranch at Point Dume. Leila loves to ride. Actually that weekend was canceled-I think Emily got sick-and Leila ended up over at Lloyd's. Why do you ask?"
    I shrugged, checking back through the months. Leila's schedule seemed to vary, but it looked like she went off with her school friends on an average of once a month. "I'm thinking she might have left campus with one of her classmates from Fitch."
    "I guess it's possible, but I doubt it. Most of her friends are college prep. They'd never risk expulsion." She turned to Nica. "What do you think?"
    "It wouldn't hurt to check. It crossed my mind as well, so I brought along the school roster in case we needed to phone any of the other parents." She reached down into the large navy bag near her feet and removed a spiral-bound directory with the school logo on the front. "You want me to go through these and see what I come up with?"
    Crystal said, "Hold on a second and let me try Lloyd again." She crossed to the