When you run, Kate said, it makes us think you have something to hide. And you also just made our choice easier. Well be talking to you down at the station.

Jeremy Branch had nothing to say to this. He panted heavily as DeMarco hauled him to his feet with his hands cuffed behind his back. He looked bewildered and out of sorts as they walked him to their car. And when he looked nervously back toward the trailer, Kate was pretty sure shed find enough suspicious evidence to get Jeremy and his brother in quite a bit of trouble, even aside from the disappearance of Mercy Fuller.

***

The search inside the house did not take long. While DeMarco remained outside, Kate scoured the place and within fifteen minutes, had found more than enough to get the Branch brothers into a lot of trouble.

Half a pound of cocaine had been found in one of the bedrooms, along with half a dozen ecstasy pills. In the other bedroom, there were several plastic baggies of pot, another dozen ecstasy pills, and a few containers of prescription pain medicine. The real kicker had come when Kate had found a small black notebook beneath the bed of the second bedroom. It looked to be a tally book of sorts, recording who owed money and for what.

She also figured out that the first bedroom shed checked was Jeremy Branchs. She knew this because of a rather provocative picture sitting on his bedside, featuring himself and Mercy Fuller, who was mostly undressed. But she could find no journals, no laptop, nothing that might lend clues as to his involvement in her disappearance or the deaths of her parents.

She did find one thing of note, though. Something that answered at least one question. In the small bathroom just off of Jeremys bedroom, Kate found a new travel-sized toothpaste, female deodorant, and a new miniature-sized toothbrush. Apparently, Mercy had bought those things to keep here, trying to cover up any traces of having been physical with a boy before she went home.

She headed back outside, wading through the tall grass for the car. All of the travel-sized stuff is in Jeremys bathroom. Apparently, Mercy was keeping it all here.

Thats…cute, I guess?

Or a bit obsessive, Kate suggested as she got behind the wheel. Also, we now know one of the reasons he ran.

From the back, Jeremy spoke up, his voice panicked and ringed with fear. All of that stuff is my brothers.

So he was just keeping some of it in your room, then?

Yeah, he sells it and…and…

Save your wind for the station, Kate said. Truth be told, the drugs are only secondary right now.

I had nothing to do with Mercy or her parents, he said. I swear.

I hope not, Kate said as she started the car forward. But I guess well just have to wait and see.

CHAPTER FIVE