Brandon shrugged. “I’m not a lawyer, but they have joint custody or something.”

“So when was the last time you talked to him?”

“I don’t know. A few days before he left.”

“You haven’t spoken to him since?”

“No.”

“No text or e-mail, nothing?”

“A text, I think,” Brandon said. “Maybe an e-mail.”

“No good-bye?”

Brandon seemed to get it now. “No,” he said. “No real good-bye.”

“And you don’t find that odd? You guys were friends from childhood. He moves away and never says good-bye?”

Still seated, Brandon looked up at me. “What are you getting at, Mickey?”

“The timing,” I said.

Brandon said nothing.

“Look,” I said, “I’ve only known Buck a short time. He’s been nothing but this horrible bully. That’s all I know of him. But I want to show you something.”

“What?”

I started down the row of lockers into the hallway. Every high school has that sports trophy display case. I brought him over there and pointed to the photograph of last year’s team on a plaque as county champions. I pointed at Buck.

“What?” Brandon said.

“You don’t see it?”

“No. What is it?”

“Maybe because you saw him every day. I didn’t. But take a good look at him.”

“I am,” Brandon said. He was very tall, so he bent down for a closer look. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

“This picture was taken a year ago. It barely looks like the same Buck I know. This guy has to be thirty pounds smaller.”

Brandon stayed hunched over and studied the photo. “So? Lots of guys grow between junior and senior year.”

“That much?”

“Sure.” But I could hear the doubt in his own voice. “Come to think of it . . .”

“What?”

“Buck had a great baseball season. The extra strength really made a difference in his slugging percentage . . .” Brandon’s voice drifted off. Then he gave me a sharp look.

“What?” I said.

“You’re supposed to be helping Troy.”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

“It sounds more like you’re trying to make a case against Buck.”

“I’m not making a case for or against anyone. I’m trying to find out the truth. But suppose there’s a connection between what happened to Buck and what happened to Troy.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know yet. But suppose Buck got a positive drug test too. Wouldn’t that maybe explain why he suddenly changed schools and doesn’t communicate with anyone?”

Brandon looked off, considering it.

“What?” I said.

“It was always hard for Buck,” Brandon said.

“How so?”