You want to tell him or should we? DeMarco asked. She gave Jeremy a few seconds and when he did not start talking, she brought Barnes up to speed. He was sleeping with Mercy Fuller…as recently as last week. He was just telling us how he found it strange that Mercy would speak so negatively about her parents. How she hated them.

Sleeping with her? Barnes asked. Damn, son…how old are you?

Seventeen. I dont turn eighteen for another month.

Go on, Kate said, redirecting him back toward the point. Tell us what kind of stuff Mercy would say about her parents.

Just how they never let her do anything. How they didnt trust her. I think she had some really bad beef with her mother because I know there were at least two or three times where she said something like I just want to kill that bitch. She hated her mom.

Did she ever talk about the relationship between her parents? Kate asked.

No. She rarely talked about them. Shed vent for a while, get sort of mad, and then thats usually when wed have sex. I just…I dont know. I never thought shed actually do it.

Do what? Barnes asked.

Jeremy then looked up at them as if they had missed the entire point. Seriously? Look…like I said. She seems sort of innocent, aside from being sort of a nympho, but if youre looking for her parents killer…find her. I guarantee you Mercy killed her parents and then just split town.

CHAPTER SIX

So far, no one had actually taken the seat on the opposite side of the desk; Kate, DeMarco, and Barnes were all still standing. But when Jeremy made such a bold statement, Sheriff Barnes walked slowly to the chair and sat down directly across from the teenager. There was a mixture of sadness and fury in his eyes as he pointed an accusatory finger in Jeremys face.

Ive been sheriff in this town for sixteen years. I knew Wendy and Alvin Fuller quite well. And as far as I know, Mercy Fuller was a stand-up young woman. Certainly not a trouble-making piece of shit like you. So if youre going to sit here and make such an accusation, I suggest you have a damn good story to back it up.

Jeremy nodded, clearly very scared now. I do.

Barnes folded his arms, leaned back in the chair, and sneered at Jeremy. As Jeremy started to talk, his eyes never left Barnes. If Kate had to venture a guess, he was probably concerned that Barnes might launch himself across the table at any moment to strangle him.