According to the database, the file on Alvin Fuller had last been accessed just eight days ago.

Is there any way to find out who accessed it? Kate asked.

Sure there is, Rothbridge said. He leaned in and clicked around a bit, finally coming to the information he needed. The screen told them that an Officer Smith was the one who had accessed the Fuller file, at 3:07 p.m. eight days ago.

Smith, Rothbridge asked. I wonder why. Hold on, would you?

He left the little office, closing the door behind him. Kate and DeMarco shared a confused look. Though, really, Kate was beginning to feel a stirring of excitement. If shed felt that she had been pushed as theyd entered the police station, she now felt that they were being catapulted toward some grand revelation.

That timing…it cant be a coincidence, Kate said.

Yeah, doubtful, DeMarco agreed.

Something is really off here, Kate thought. Given the nature of the news they had discovered on Wendy Fuller, it opened up entire new realms of possibilities regarding Mercy. Was Mercy not even their biological child? Based on the new timelines they were looking at now, based on discovering Wendys infertility, it certainly didnt seem like it.

Maybe they moved away from Waynesboro because they were running from something, Kate thought. And maybe that something heavily involves Mercy.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Rothbridge came back into the room. There was another officer with him, a thirty-something guy who looked very nervous. The name patch on his chest read SMITH.

Officer Smith, Rothbridge said. These two ladies are agents with the FBI. Theyre in town trying to drum up some information on Alvin and Wendy Fullerboth previous residents of Waynesboro. We looked them up in the database and saw that you had accessed their records eight days ago. Of course, thats perfectly fine. But wed like to know why. Given that they were killed four days ago and their daughter is currently missing, its interesting that you pulled up records on them prior to their murdersespecially since they havent lived in town in sixteen years.

Smith looked like he might pass out from a panic attack for a moment but then a flood of relief showed on his face. Someone came in last week asking if wed know how to locate a family that she thought lived here in Waynesboro, Smith said. She said she was related. Seemed really distressed, like she had been crying. She gave me the names and I told her to wait. I came back to look it up and found out that they were apparently no longer residents.

And how did you know that based on just these records? DeMarco asked.

The address is listed as Sparrow Road, Smith said.

No one has lived on that road in over five years, Rothbridge explained to the agents.

Officer Smith, did you get this womans name?