Yeah, I heard. She went missing. Her parents were killed, right?

Right. Mr. Branch, can we please come in and talk for a moment?

Well, its not my place. It belongs to my brother. And I dont know if he…

I dont know if you know how this works or not, Kate said. Wed like to come in and chat. We can do it here or, based on what weve heard about you, we can do it at the police station over in Deton. Its your choice.

Oh, he said. The kid looked absolutely cornered, like a threatened animal looking for a way out. Well, then, I guess I can

He then interrupted himself by slamming the door in their faces. After the thunderous slam and a quick jerk back from the unexpected action, Kate could hear quick footfalls in the house.

Hes on the run, Kate said.

But before she could open the door again, DeMarco was already leaping down from the porch and heading to the back of the trailer. Kate drew her sidearm, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

She heard just a few more footsteps from further in the trailer and then the sound of another door opening. A back door, Kate thought. Hopefully DeMarco will cut him off.

Kate raced through the house, finding that her assumptions were right. There was a very faint aroma of pot, mixed with the smell of spilled beer. As she ran through the kitchen, she entered a hallway that led back toward two bedrooms. There, at the end of the hall, a back door was still wobbling in its frame from someone having just run out of it. She sprinted to the door and pushed it open, ready to attack if necessary. But she had seen the fear in Jeremys eyes. He was not going to attack at all; he had every intention of outrunning them. And if he made it to the woods no more than fifteen feet away from the back door, he might very well be able to do it.

She saw him, streaking toward the tree line, but then she also saw DeMarco. She was closing in from the left side of the house. She wasnt bothering to draw her weapon or to scream for Jeremy to stop. Kate was astounded by just how fast her partner was, barreling after Jeremy at a speed that easily bested the teenagers.

She caught up to him just as Jeremy had reached the first line of trees that led into the forest. DeMarco reached out, grabbed his shoulder, and spun him around to face her. In doing so, Jeremy ended up spinning like a top, making an entire three-hundred-sixty-degree spin before losing his balance and falling to the ground.

Kate hurried down a shaky set of back steps and joined DeMarco, helping her to handcuff Jeremy Branch.