by Sarah Sutton
He shifted closer to her on the ground as he reached his arms further around her and pulled her in close.
“I’m so glad we did this,” he said in between kisses.
Maya agreed. It was their first solo adventure as a couple and it had brought them closer than ever before. They were both twenty-four and had been together for only a year now. But there was now no doubt in Maya’s mind—he was the one.
This adventure was something Maya had wanted to do for a long time, ever since she was a teenager, when she would hike and camp with her family. She knew the Appalachian Trail would be an experience like no other. To her, it was the ultimate freedom to step away from the pressures of city life and trek through the woods with only oneself to depend on.
But after meeting Phil, they decided to take on the trail together with Maya’s aunt’s house in Maine as their final destination.
It had been almost a week since they started their hike in New York, and it had been a trying and exhausting one. But they had each other to depend on—and Phil had not let her down.
Maya let out another laugh.
“Phil, we need to get to sleep,” she said as she playfully pushed him off her.
Today was probably their longest hiking day yet and Maya was exhausted. And tomorrow was going to be an exhausting day as well.
Phil reluctantly agreed. He knew she was right, and he lay back down in his sleeping bag while Maya reached for the lantern and turned it off, leaving them in total darkness.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you too,” he said.
She felt his arm reach around her sleeping bag and pull her in closer. He kissed her forehead and then finally settled down.
Maya closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the crickets in the night before finally drifting off into sleep.
***
Maya woke up suddenly to a sound in the distance. She lifted her head up sleepily as she listened carefully, and she could just make out the hum of a motor echoing off the trees. Why would anyone be on the trail this late? she wondered as she reached for her phone to check the time—2 AM.
The sound got closer and Maya reached for a flap on the tent and unzipped it. She couldn’t see anything in the darkness except for headlights. They were moving closer, filtering through the tent and causing the fabric to illuminate in a way that suddenly made her feel exposed.
“Phil,” she said as she turned toward him and gently nudged him awake. “Phil, someone is in the woods.”
He shifted closer to her, half asleep, his eyes barely open, and assured her that it was nothing. But Maya knew what she heard and saw, and she peered out of the tent again to confirm it. The headlights were now even closer, almost near the short pathway they walked earlier that day to set up their tent in the clearing they now sat in. She nudged Phil again.
“Phil, get up!” she whispered loudly.
This time, he opened his eyes and after the haze of sleep cleared in his mind, he sat up, for he heard it too.
“What time is it?” he asked.
“It’s two AM,” Maya whispered, and she watched as Phil’s face morphed into concern.
He moved closer to her, trying to peer out of the tent as well.
They sat in silence, listening, until the four-wheeler shuddered to a halt on the trail, followed by the sound of crushing leaves under footsteps. They could barely see in the darkness, but Maya could just make out a dark shadowed figure, moving amongst the trees—toward them.
Phil could sense Maya’s panic.
“It’s all right,” he said as he slid out of his sleeping bag and reached for his shoes and a flashlight. “I’ll go check it out.”
He reached for the entrance flap and began to unzip it but Maya grabbed his arm.
“It’s fine. I’ll be right back,” he said. He leaned over and kissed her, stepped out of the tent, and zipped it up behind him.
Maya listened intently, staring out the window of the tent. The light of Phil’s flashlight bounced in front of him with each movement as he inched closer to the figure. But, as the light shined upon the figure, the movement stopped, and Tara could just make out the shape of a man. He just stood there a moment and Phil suddenly stopped as well out of caution.
“Can I help you?” Phil’s voice echoed off the trees, but his words were met with no reply.
The man just stood there, silent, until he reached for something on his back.
“Sir, can I help you?” Phil repeated again. “You scared the shit out of us. Why are you out here so late?”
Maya heard the panic in Phil’s voice and terror flooded her body. Again, there was no answer, and Phil repeated the question, this time even louder.
But the man only continued fidgeting with a bag that he had taken off his back. Phil shined the flashlight directly on him, trying to see what he was doing, but the light suddenly caused the man to stand upright.
Phil instinctively took a step back, and Maya began to unzip the tent. She was about to step out, to run to Phil, to do something, but just as she unzipped it, Phil’s head turned sharply toward her.
She could hear the beginnings of her name form from his lips, but then something whizzed through the air, and Phil suddenly fell to the ground.
“Maya, run!” he screamed.
Maya’s mind swirled into a haze. She looked toward the man and she could now clearly see what he held in his hands as he moved toward her—a crossbow.
Maya darted from the tent, weaving in and out of the trees as fast as she could. She had no clue what she was running toward, if it was more forest or a town, and her mind swirled with panic.
But suddenly, something pierced her leg and an excruciating pain spread through her body like a disease. She fell to her knees and tried to crawl, propelling her body forward. But then a fist met her skull, plummeting her vision into blackness.
Chapter Twelve
Tara opened her eyes as she heard a knock on the door of her hotel room, and she squinted as the early morning light shined through the thin curtains. She heard the knock again and she quickly sat up, before scrambling to throw something on.
Once she opened the door, she was surprised to see Warren standing there, ready and dressed for the day. He looked her up and down, clearly aware that she had just woken up—her hair probably pointing every which way. Had she overslept? Tara wondered, as a sudden heat rose to her face and she felt an urge to check the time.
But Warren didn’t draw attention to it, and instead spoke only of why he was there.
“The sheriff called,” he said. “Greg Davis’s story checks out.”
She knew he was referring to the convenience store Greg Davis mentioned—where he said he told the victim to go.
“She was seen on the surveillance camera. She just went in, purchased the water jug, and left.”
“You think we should interview the person who rung her up?” Tara asked.
Warren shook his head. “The local cops already did. I don’t think it’s worth interviewing him again.”
But Tara could tell that was not all he came to tell her. His body was tense with urgency.
“The sheriff called to tell me something else too,” he said. “They found a campground where they have a record of the same victim checking in. It’s located between Hanover and where the body was found.”
At the mention of it, Tara knew it was exactly where they could find answers to why her body was found where it was—an area of the trail she already walked through the days prior.
“Why don’t you meet me downstairs in five and we’ll head over,” Warren said.
Tara nodded and agreed. Fueled with adrenaline from the new lead, she began to close the door. But suddenly, Warren’s hand grabbed hold of it. She had almost forgotten that her job was still on the line.
“Oh, and Mills,” Warren said as Tara faced him once again.
She knew right away what he was about to address; she could sense it, as her heart fluttered again
st her chest.
“You know, I thought long and hard last night about the situation you had yesterday,” he said.
Tara nodded and he continued.
“I honestly considered calling Reinhardt and asking him for a different partner.” He paused. “Frankly, maybe I should’ve.” He rolled his eyes at his words. “But I didn’t.”
Tara felt a wave of relief wash over her. She was about to thank him, but he spoke first. “You understand what’s at risk when you freeze like that, right?”
She nodded. She knew very well what was at stake and she knew she was lucky too, for the situation could’ve ended much differently.
“I’m trusting you to have my back. You risk my life too when something like that happens,” Warren added before a brief silence fell around them and Tara knew she needed to speak.
“I know,” she said. “It won’t happen again.”
Warren nodded in return. It was all he expected her to say, and at her words, he looked down at his watch, abruptly shifting back to the case. He didn’t want to waste any more time. He reminded her to meet him downstairs in five minutes, and then he turned and walked down the hall.
Tara closed the door, heaving a sigh of relief. She was still on the case. Warren was trusting her again. But as she got ready, an unsettling feeling swirled within her because she knew deep down, she could barely trust herself.
***
Tara and Warren waited as the man behind the counter carefully searched for the victim’s name in the computer. They had just arrived at the main office of the camping grounds moments earlier and when Warren had mentioned the victim’s name, it immediately confirmed who they were.
“I spoke to police not that long ago. You guys are quick,” he said as he continued to search for the camping lot number that the victim was assigned.
Tara and Warren waited in silence. There was still an awkwardness lingering between them, but Tara knew it mainly stemmed from her. On the ride over, they barely spoke, and when they did, it was a result of Warren sparking the conversation. Each time he spoke, all she could think about was her panic attack, her nightmare, and the overwhelming feeling that it could all happen again; and it left her uncertain of how to act around him. But Tara also knew her hesitation toward anyone on this case would only do her more harm, and as she stood there, she reminded herself that she needed to move forward and focus on the case.
“She camped here only one night,” the man said as he scrolled through some information on the computer. “Three nights ago.”
“Do you remember checking her in?” Tara asked as she slid the image of the victim across the counter.
He looked down at it briefly and then his eyes darted up.
“Yeah, I remember checking her in.”
His confirmation stroked a strand of hope within Tara. “Did she mention anything to you? Maybe someone she met? Where she was going?”
But the man only shook his head as he directed his attention back to the computer.
“She was only in here a couple minutes. I assigned her a lot, she paid, and left. She didn’t mention anything to me.” He shrugged.
A cloud of disappointment swirled in Tara’s mind as the man leaned in a bit closer to the computer.
“Lot Four,” he said. “That’s where she stayed.”
Tara and Warren thanked him and were quickly out the door. It was a small camping ground of only about ten lots, each labeled in numerical order, and it didn’t take long for them to find where the victim stayed.
They quickly scanned the lot. It was a barren patch of dirt with a fire pit, and other than the gray ash and burnt wood, there was nothing to show the victim had stayed there. However, it was early morning and in the other lots, campers were still waking up, preparing breakfast or packing for their departure. She knew there was a chance that someone may have interacted with the victim.
“Let’s ask around,” Tara said as her eyes fell upon a man in the lot directly next to them, sitting next to a fire.
Warren followed her gaze. “We’ll start with him,” he replied as he began to walk toward him.
Tara tailed behind and as they moved closer, she could see the man, with a scruffy beard, pouring a pot of boiling water into a coffee drip over his cup. When done, he looked up in surprise.
“Can I help you?” he asked as he placed the pot down and let the water filter through. Tara held out her badge. “We were hoping we could just ask you a couple questions.”
The man looked startled as he shifted in his foldout chair, now fully facing them.
“What about?” he asked.
“A woman camped in the lot next to you three nights ago. We just wanted to see if you happened to talk to her.”
The man shook his head with a look of concern.
“I just got here last night,” he said. “Did something happen to her?”
Tara looked at Warren briefly. “We’re just trying to piece together her timeline.” She said. “Where do you happen to be hiking from?”
“Pennsylvania,” he said. “I hiked here from Bordnersville.”
It was very unlikely that he came in contact with the victim on the trail, especially since they were hiking in opposite directions. But, to be certain, Tara pulled out the victim’s photograph.
“Does she happen to look familiar to you at all? Maybe you saw her on the trail?”
The man leaned in closer and then sighed. “Sorry, I can’t say she does.”
Tara thanked him, but she still had hope as her eyes scanned the other lots where numerous other campers lurked.
But as they moved from one lot to the next, the results were the same—they never met her, or they just arrived, or both—and each time, the fear of not finding answers grew larger in Tara’s gut. But just as they walked away from another camper without answers, Tara heard a burst of laughter echo through the air, followed by sparks of chatter. Tara turned her head sharply to see four women preparing their daypacks. Warren followed her gaze until his eyes fell upon them as well, and they both walked toward them.
The chatter died down as they approached and the group of women looked toward each other in confusion as Tara flashed her badge.
“Have you guys been staying here a few nights?” she asked.
“Uh, yeah, why?” a tall, slender woman in the group replied before placing her pack down on the ground.
Tara held out the victim’s picture and the woman took a step closer. She peered at the image and Tara watched familiarity wash over her and then drain all the color from her face. Her eyes moved from the image to Tara, her face suddenly stark white.
“Is she okay?” the woman asked.
The rest of the group stepped closer, peering at the image, until their faces transformed as well.
Tara felt her heart flutter against her chest. There were answers here, she could feel it. “Do you know her?” she asked.
The woman’s eyes drifted toward where the victim camped days earlier.
“Yeah,” she started. “We met her a few days ago. She came over and had a couple beers with us.” She paused briefly. “Well, is she okay?” she asked again.
Tara sighed. “I’m sorry to inform you, but her body was found a few miles from here.”
One of the women gasped. The others glanced at each other with a shared disbelief, confirming in Tara’s mind that they weren’t suspects.
“Did she mention anything to you? Where she was going? Who she met, maybe?”
The tall, slender woman shook her head. “She didn’t mention if she met anyone, did she?” she asked as she looked at her friends.
They all shook their heads.
“She mentioned Hanover,” another woman with jet-black hair added. “She was heading there.”
“Did she say where she might stop?” Tara asked, already partially knowing the answer, but fishing for anything more.
The woman stared off at the empty lot, in deep thought, as if trying to picture the conversation.
&nbs
p; “She mentioned she needed a water jug,” she started, and Tara nodded, already expecting that answer. “She said she was also looking forward to getting something to eat.”
“Did she mention any places to eat? Or did you guys suggest any?” Tara asked, feeling on the brink of getting somewhere, but the woman just shook her head in response.
A brief pause lingered between them.
“Did she mention heading back up north at all?” Tara asked. “Her body was found a bit north of here.”
They all shared a quick glance again and then the dark-haired woman who spoke moments earlier spoke again.
“That’s strange,” she began. “I did mention a waterfall a couple miles north up the trail. She didn’t sound interested, but maybe she decided to check it out after all?”
It was a new bit of information and Tara thanked them all before she and Warren turned and headed to the car. They both knew they had exhausted their efforts, and Tara mulled over the conversation in her head.
If the victim went to the waterfall, it would explain why her body was found where it was, but it didn’t make sense why she would head there after Hanover.
They knew she stopped in Hanover, that much was certain, but it seemed unlikely to Tara that the victim would stop there first, since it was south of the camping site, only to leave and travel north and go past it. It seemed more plausible that she would stop at the waterfall first before Hanover; otherwise, it would be a waste of time.
“You think it’s worth checking out the waterfall?” Tara asked Warren as they approached the car.
He pulled out the keys from his pocket.
“It’s possible she was heading there, but I think it’s unlikely,” he said over the hood of the car as he reached for the door handle. Tara knew he thought the same way she did, that it didn’t make logical sense.
“But I don’t think we’re done with Hanover yet,” he added, and Tara agreed.
Chapter Thirteen
Warren turned onto the main street in Hanover, New Hampshire, and Tara sat in the passenger’s seat, watching people pass by on the sidewalk. On the way over, they had decided that they would go into some stores to see if any of the victims stopped anywhere that they didn’t yet know of.