Nice sob story, Barnes said. Officer Foster, would you stay here with Mr. Ramsey while I check the place over with Agents Wise and DeMarco?

Foster gave a no-nonsense nod and sat down in a small recliner that was adjacent to the couch. Barnes gave Ramsey another distrustful glance before he headed for the door. Kate and DeMarco stepped out with him, walking back out into the early morning. They walked to the east side of the house, the large backyard giving way to the forests beyond.

If Todd Ramsey was indeed keeping Mercy Fuller, Kate saw no immediate areas he could be hiding her. There were no sheds, no garage, no barn, no suspicious trailers or other structures on the property.

You know this guy at all? DeMarco asked Barnes.

Not well, no. Hardly at all, really. Just in a passing sort of way.

So you have no real reason to suspect that he would take Mercy?

Other than the fact that he has her credit card, you mean?

Kate nodded, understanding that Barnes was starting to take the case rather personally. He just wanted it wrapped so the people in his town could sleep easierso the news crews would finally just get the hell out of his town.

With that in mind, Kate dutifully assisted as they looked around Ramseys property. They checked the tree line around the forest, they scouted his house, looked through the basement and even, after much debate and arguing with Ramsey, looked at his car and old pickup truck. The entire process took about half an hour. Kate knew within about ten minutes that Mercy Fuller was nowhere on Todd Ramseys property. It just didnt add up; it didnt make sense.

Ramseys car was the last place they checked. Barnes closed the trunk and leaned against the back of the car. The look he gave the agents was a helpless onea man asking for help without using any words.

So what do we do now? he asked.

We have Mr. Ramsey take us out to this Blood Gulch Road, Kate said. Make him show us where he found the credit card.

Even as she said it, Kate could feel that it was a thin lead at best. But the fact remained that they now had in their possession something that likely was on Mercy Fullers person on the day she went missingdiscovered randomly by Todd Ramsey. Weak lead or not, she felt that they were at least still moving forward.

And as long as they had momentum on their side, Kate knew there was hope.

CHAPTER TWELVE