De sleutel moest / kon (wel) (eens) in de la liggen .
the key NEC.PST.3SG / POS.PST.3SG (PTCL) (PTCL) in the drawer lie-INF
The key {had to be}/{might have been} in the drawer.’ [Past TP, Present TO] (Rullmann & Matthewson 2018: 289–290)