Jovanic yelled from downstairs, where he had been making coffee. “Come down here. Hurry.” Claudia came out of the bathroom and onto the landing wearing only a long T-shirt, a mascara brush in her hand. “What did you say?” “Sorensen Academy—something’s happened. It’s on the news.” Something in his voice sent her running downstairs without asking for details. He stood in front of the television dressed in dark slacks, a light blue dress shirt, and darker blue tie, ready to leave for his shift. She planted herself beside him and stared at the words Breaking News on the television screen. The crawl across the bottom of the screen identified the reporter who was speaking as Michelle Gillette. Claudia struggled to pick up the thread of the report. Gillette was saying, “. . . this year’s Laci Peterson case?” The camera pulled back and the shot widened to include the Sorensen Academy’s front lawn. The life-size Santa in his reindeer-drawn sleigh looked slightly ludicrous in the California sunshine.
