Tell me what you can do for me that you havent done for another boy, he said. He sounded angry now, making her assume that the loud noise had been him striking the side of the door.

Please, she said, still crying. Just tell me about my parents.

Youre not playing nice, he said. Its important that we know one another first.

Please…

Is that really what you want, pet?

Yes, she sobbed.

There was a moments pause and then his answer. He spoke slowly and deliberately, as if savoring each word. Your parents are dead. I killed them. Your father first and then your mother. I would be having this conversation with your delicious-looking mother but I knew you were there, too. And I had to have you.

No…

Yes. I killed them both. Your mother begged me to spare you. But before the light went out of her eyes, I promised her Id care for you. That Id take care of you and

He said more, but Mercy tuned it out. She went into some ethereal void within her head where nothing existed…nothing other than the image of dancing with her mother like two goofballs to Blank Space by Taylor Swift.

And even beyond that, there was obliviona darkness beyond the darkness of her prison that she slowly and deliberately sank into as her abductors voice droned on and on as if on some other world.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The state police arrived at the Deton police department at 11:05 in the morning. DeMarco had not yet managed to tap into Edgar Lees laptop and Lee himself had not yet started talkingnot even so much as asking for a lawyer. With the arrival of what Barnes kept referring to as the Staties, the place seemed to go into a tailspin. News crews clambered for the best position, only to get a string of no comment from the state police, Barnes, and Kate. The bullpen at the station became a madhouse as the state police started coordinating with officers like Foster and Barnes, while also being filled in on the inner workings of the case by Kate and DeMarco.

Kate started to feel the start of a headache brewing behind her eyes as she and DeMarco sat down with Barnes and the state trooper in charge of the trio of officers that had showed up. His name was Dale Murphy, a rotund African-American man who had the look of an officer of the law who had seen way too much shit in his time.

Canine units are already on the way to the scene you indicated to us on the phone, Murphy told Barnes. He then looked to Kate and DeMarco and added: As for the laptop, we cant help there. Thats going to probably be something that would be faster handled on your end.