Nothing but a sticky residue left behind by the tape. Thomas doesn’t think that Tess would have moved the key. She never misplaced her set, always putting them in the exact same place. That left Jordyn. She kept her key on a lanyard in her book bag but rarely had to use it because Thomas or Tess was almost always home.

Thomas had carefully gone through Jordyn’s book bag and didn’t remember seeing the key there. Had Jordyn taken the lanyard with her on her overnight at Cora’s? Yes, he had reminded Jordyn to take it with her because he had planned to run into Grayling on Monday morning and wasn’t sure if he’d be home when Jordyn returned from Cora’s house. Had Jordyn used the extra key to let herself in the house early Monday morning? And if so, what happened to her own key?

Thomas knocks on the front door, embarrassed that one of the officers has to let him inside his own home. “I just did laundry. I can get you those clothes,” Thomas says as if this was the plan all along. He tells himself to show no hesitation.

As if inconvenienced, he stomps up the steps trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his knees as the officers trail close behind. He goes into Jordyn’s room to find the dresser drawers are open and her clothing is strewn around in untidy piles.

“In here,” Thomas says, opening the closet. He scans the hangers. “I think these are the ones that she wore the other night.” Thomas removes a hanger from the closet and holds it out to the officers.

“Mr. Petit,” Officer Porter says, “please just point us in the right direction and we’ll take care of it.” He holds up his gloved hands to remind Thomas that his granddaughter’s clothing has become evidence.

“Oh, right,” Thomas says, appropriately contrite. “She wore that T-shirt hanging right there.” He points to a long-sleeved white T-shirt that looks like half a dozen others that Jordyn wears. Deputy Porter pulls it off the hanger and tucks it into a plastic bag. “Now—” Thomas turns toward the half-open drawers with Jordyn’s socks and underwear trailing out of them like entrails “—I have no idea which of those Jordyn wore. I think you’re going to have to take them all.”

Deputy Porter slides his eyes to the sheriff’s deputy who was assigned to assist with the collection. “What about the jacket?” the deputy asks.

“Jacket?” Thomas asks.

“Yes,” Officer Porter says with exaggerated patience. “The jacket she was wearing in the photo. It was light blue…”

“I haven’t seen it,” Thomas says. “Maybe she left it in her book bag.”

“And where might that be?” Thomas senses that Officer Porter is losing patience.