After school, I sit with Mrs. Brooks in her office for a long time. We both have a feeling something's not right about the IT guy's arrest. We re-examine the meeting schedule and the time Mrs. Brooks received the email. We triple-check everything and still conclude that he really couldn't have had time to process the email and the information and commit the theft.
So we decide to reexamine everything: who had access, their motive, and whether they might match the descriptions of the shadows I noticed in the hallway. We also have new information. Ms. Brooks has discovered what the stolen documents are about: the financial statements and budget statements from recent years.
As we go through the facts, we both quickly notice that Mrs. Van Dalen, the assistant director, appears frequently: she handles all the finances, she has all the keys, and I also remember shadows dressed in dark clothes. Mrs. Van Dalen was wearing a black skirt and a dark blue top on the day of the crime, if I'm not mistaken. But is this enough to give the police? A shadow could have been almost anyone, and besides, we can't prove that Van Dalen actually wore that dark outfit on the day of the theft.
Ms. Brooks looks at Ms. Van Dalen's schedule and notes that she was supposed to be audited by an external accountant next week. Since the documents contain the financial statements, we don't think this is a coincidence. At that point, I say what's been on my mind for a while now: "Van Dalen has been incredibly quiet these past few days, especially as the new employees are increasingly being questioned. She's also been very active in pushing the IT guy forward as a suspect."
We look at each other, both knowing we have to do something. We briefly consider going through the police, but we decide to devise a plan ourselves. If that doesn't work, we can always call the police.