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Mason cleared his throat and said, "Hell, Dustin wasn’t even around when Marcus Danby died"

Callahan stepped into their group, looking shy and young--and yet speaking with a soft calet these kids out of here"

Vine spun on hi breath and Dustin realized the et the kids out of here," Vine said He looked at the boys again, his eyes narrowing "And not one of you saw anything?"

Joey spoke up "I saw Aaron get out of his bedroll, but I was still half-asleep I didn’t jump out myself until I heard Mariah screa Drew, Olivia, Dustin and Mariah came back from the woods and that’s e noticed Aaron wasn’t with us"

Frank Vine studied him suspiciously "So everyone knehere everyone else was--except for Aaron?"

"Yeah," Drew said, gesturing around at all of them "Sandra’s not here now because she went in the helicopter with Aaron, but I ith her, so I know exactly where she was Iin the bushes, and Dustin and Liv--who rescued Aaron"

"I’m not sure where everyone hen Mariah first screamed," Dustin explained "But e found Mariah and returned to camp with her, we did know That’s e discovered that Aaron wasNone of us necessarily knehere everyone else was before that," Dustin said

"Nor do we know if anyone else was in the area," Olivia added

Mariah suddenly started sobbing again "Aaron!" she wailed "Oh, round and Olivia crouched down beside her With everyone upset, Brent began to cry, as well Dustin went to hi to offer some comfort Brent was extreht," he said soothingly "Aaron’s gone to the hospital They’ll see what they can do for hiht, Brent"

"I like Aaron," Brent told him between sobs "I liked Marcus"

"I know," Dustin ," Frank said "Jie now?" he demanded

Drew cleared his throat "Ue"

"Liv," Frank ordered, "get your stuff packed and take these boys back to the Horse Fare House shows up and that Brent’s mom knows to come for him"

"Have them ride back as they are--don’t pack up Leave the caive us some explanationor at least a hint," Dustin said

"This isto find anything that ht cause a ate? Fine, walk down to the streaet the others packed up and out of here!"

Short of doing soet him shot, Dustin was afraid his options were severely li the one piece of information he’d hoped to hold back--until he had the lab results, anyway

"We need to look for a dart gun," he said bluntly

"What?"

It wasn’t just Frank who stared at him as if he’d lost hisby us in the woods the other day Later I was out here walking and found a dart" He decided this et Frank to at least consider the possibility Coincidentally, he’d be able to observe the others’ reactions

"I think Marcus Danby ht have been tipped with horse tranquilizer It would have knocked him out--and then heroin could’ve been administered And down at the strea him to nearly drohen he pitched forward Soether a cocktail of aceproh to knock so that would dissolve quickly and not show up in the standard blood tests done at an autopsy"

They all looked at hient Man," Vine said "You’re kidding un? This is twenty-first-century Tennessee! We’re not in Africa or worrying about so about drugs and tranquilizers readily available on any farm in the area," Dustin said

"Still" Frank protested

"I found a dart in the woods"

"Why didn’t you report it?"

"Was I supposed to report a dart?" Dustin asked with ot a new dart gun for his birthday?

"You should report everything to local law enforcerowled "Even if you are a federal agent"

"All right I know that now I know you’re open to anything that ht be out of the ordinary So, Deputy Sheriff Vine, why not investigate?" Dustin deation or carry one out?"