Maybe we should get one last meeting in before the day ends. Get Foster back in here and go over what we know.

Good idea. And while were doing that, maybe some more truths will come tumbling out of Jeremy Branch.

But really, she thought Jeremy had been as truthful as he could be. While he showed no real remorse for the disappearance of the underage girl he was sleeping with, the fear shed seen in his eyes made her believe hed given them everything he had. And at the end of the day, it hadnt been all that much.

***

At 6:15, a very small meeting was held in the conference room. It consisted of Kate, DeMarco, Barnes, and Foster. Barnes had considered bringing one more officer in on it but decided not to. The Deton police force consisted of six active-duty cops and, as Barnes had explained, Foster was the only one Barnes trusted not to blab about the case all over town.

So you went out to Floyds place? Foster asked.

We did, Kate said. Thats where we found the phone.

I assume Floyd did absolutely nothing about the fact that his youngest son was spending time at the station?

Hardly, Barnes said. Ive already explained to the agents the type of stand-up father Floyd Branch is. He wont be a factor in whatever happens to Jeremy.

Thats what we need to figure out, Kate said. I dont think Jeremy is guilty. Not of Mercys disappearance and not the murders. If he had something to do with her disappearance, I dont see him so casually answering the door for us the way he did this morning. And if he killed the Fullers, theres no way he would stick around town.

Maybe thats exactly what hed want you to think, Foster said.

Ive considered that.

Frankly, DeMarco said, based on what weve seen and been told about Jeremy and his family, I simply dont see him being motivated enough to kill anyone. Theres also the fact that he really had no real reason to commit the murders.

Well, he is having sex with their fifteen-year-old daughter. And, as you said, by his own admission, she was taking drugs with him.

Lets not forget, though, Kate said, that we dont have a single shred of evidence that points to him. Just a sexual relationship with Mercy Fuller.

Barnes let out a deep sigh and massaged his temples. This is a damned mess. Im hearing out on the streets that people are assuming Mercy Fuller killed her parents and just ran away. Why people would assume that before they assumed that some killer did away with her parents and then took her as some sort of a prize is beyond me.

Can you think of anyone local who might be capable of such a thing? Kate asked.