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And a small brass key.

Sheriff Tate reached for the property sheet.

His eyes moved down the faded lines.

“This was logged the night Emily disappeared.”

“What was it?” Carson asked.

Tate read aloud.

“One cassette tape.”

“One handwritten letter.”

“One brass key.”

Everyone stared at the empty envelope.

Doris looked toward the upstairs shelves.

“The cassette and letter were never in evidence.”

“No,” Judy said.

“Emily hid those herself.”

She lifted the property sheet.

“Which means someone created this record after the investigation began.”

Carson frowned.

“But why list evidence that wasn’t here?”

“To make anyone reviewing the file believe it had already been collected.”

Judy’s eyes hardened.

“And possibly lost.”

Wolf crossed his arms.

“So somebody inside the department covered his tracks.”

Sheriff Tate’s jaw tightened.

“Or helped someone else do it.”

The deputy looked sick.

“I’m sorry, Sheriff.”

“This isn’t your fault.”

Tate stared at the broken seal.

“It’s mine.”