Missing Christchurch women Yanfei Bao called one of her friends 45 minutes after her last reported sighting.
Bao was last seen in Wigram at about 10.30am on Wednesday.
Police revealed on Friday that her cellphone was located near the Southern Motorway.
Her friend Jin Tian wrote on Facebook that they last spoke to each other at 11:16am on WeChat,On Wednesday.
“She mentioned about a potential client who wants to transfer money to NZ and checked if about the rate and channel.
“Then she said she was going to call the person to see how he/she wanted and would call me back. And she did not. I think whoever this potential client is, might be the one she last spoke to.
Jin Tian said she wasn’t sure were Bao was calling from when she called.
Last known photo captured on Bao’s CCTV camera at her house in Avonhead
Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves said Bao’s disappearance is still unexplained and a missing person investigation remains ongoing.
She was last seen conducting her business as a real estate agent on Vickerys Road in Wigram at 10:30am.
Since then, she failed to pick up her daughter from after school care and her car, a silver Nissan Dualis, has been located nearby the area she was last seen on Iroquois Place.
Reeves said police have searched a number of areas and located one of of her cell phones on the Southern Motorway, but she remains missing.
Police officers search Harvard Park in Wigram
Reeves said police have found other items while searching for Bao, but were unsure of their relevance to the case.
“We’re not at the point of discussing whether we have subjects or persons of interest because we very much want the focus on Ms Bao.
“We are now interested to hear from any members of the public who might have been travelling on the motorway on Wednesday, and notice anything out of the ordinary.
A close friend of Bao said “she’s one of the happiest people I have ever met. She was always looking forward to learning and trying new things
“She was rising through the ranks fast at Harcourts and was doing really well.
“The situation is very strange, as she doesn’t like leaving her daughter at all. She cares for her a lot.
Every time I go to her house, and watch her play with her daughter, you can tell straight away she means everything to her. I don’t think she just took off somewhere”
