“They killed her instead?” I rub my head trying to make sense.

“I wanted to go to the police, but they are the police. Who were they going to believe?”

I’m realizing it’s not just us who are skeptical of going against the sheriff’s family. Mandy is, too.

“My grabbing her things was a last-ditch effort to look for something to prove it. I had nothing. Especially after the newsroom got trashed. Her small purse she always carried was never found, either.” Her lower lip trembles. “Then after the party, Chris, Scott, and Justin stuck around asking if I knew about the gun. I kept denying it, but they threatened me until they believed I knew nothing.” Mandy looks away.

“What?” I ask.

“By the way they were acting, they weren’t being friendly with each other. They were arguing, like it was only the gun drawing them together.”

“Wait.” I put my hands on my head. “The gun is still missing?”

“I searched everywhere. Her house. Car. Locker. School. The Susan Touric Show studio. It’s nowhere.”

“Did she say where she’d been hiding it?”

“She was bringing it with her to the Pike. She figured the closer she got to their circle, the more information she could have for her story. Giving back the gun was supposed to prove she was on their side. I think she was going to work with you to get the truth into ‘Tracy’s Corner.’ ”

Mandy looks down at her watch. “I’m sorry. I gotta go. If I knew anything more, I’d tell you.”

“Mandy.” I pause. “Be careful.”

Mandy looks over her shoulder, nods, and then returns to the coffee shop. I text Jamal’s new burner, the one I provided in the backpack full of supplies I took to him after Mama left this morning.

Then I call Quincy; he picks up on the first ring. I don’t wait for him to ask. Jump into everything Mandy told me.

“We’ve got to find that gun,” I say.

“How’s a gun supposed to help us?” A car door slams. I know Quincy’s already getting in his car. He knows me too well. I’m not gonna sit back and wait for answers.

I think about that box of things that Mr. Evans pulled out after the cross burning at the house. Quincy said people like to keep memorabilia. It’s also evidence. And the gun might be evidence of something Richard is hiding.

“What if that gun was used to shoot the girl’s car the night of the rally? If the gun is found and ties Richard to it, that’s not good for his hate group, and the larger organization he represents, Liberty Heritage.”

“Maybe,” Quincy says. “Or it’s even deeper than that.”

I swallow hard. The same thought crosses my mind. Maybe the gun isn’t about Jamal but about Daddy.