Page 30 of Silent Road

Something clicked in Sheila's mind."Wait.Pull up Bradley Greenwald's social media history again."

They found the very thing she'd been looking for: a heated exchange between Greenwald and Morton from six months ago.Greenwald had posted about staging photos for maximum impact, and Morton had responded with a lengthy rant about the death of true photography.

"And here's Sarah," Tommy said, finding another connection."She filed a complaint about Morton following her around the slopes, criticizing her snowboarding photos for being 'performative' rather than authentic."

Sheila felt her pulse quicken."Both victims took his classes.Both had conflicts with him about their social media presence."

"There's more."Tommy opened Morton's termination letter."Look at his final email to resort management: 'You'll see.Someone needs to preserve real moments, not these artificial constructs designed for likes and shares.I'll show you all what authentic really means.'"

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The morning sun glinted off fresh snow as Sheila turned onto Pine Ridge Road.Small wooden cabins dotted the mountainside, most of them vacation rentals or seasonal homes.Cedar smoke drifted from stone chimneys, and icicles hung like crystal daggers from the eaves.

"Number 147," Tommy said, reading from his phone."Should be at the end."

They found James Morton loading camera equipment into an old Subaru Outback.His movements were meticulous, each lens and tripod placed exactly so.His graying hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail, and wire-rimmed glasses gave him a scholarly air.

"Mr.Morton?"Sheila called as she stepped out of the patrol car.

He turned, pushing his glasses up his nose."Yes?"

"Sheriff Stone, Coldwater County.This is Officer Forster.We'd like to ask you some questions."

Morton closed his trunk with deliberate care."I'm actually heading to Salt Lake.I have a meeting with the Sierra Club about documenting wildlife corridors."

"This won't take long," Sheila said, moving to block his path to the driver's door."We're investigating the deaths of Bradley Greenwald and Sarah Winters."

Morton went very still.His face, already pale, seemed to lose what little color it had."I don't know anything about that."

"Really?"Tommy asked."Because we have records of you confronting both of them about their social media presence."

"That was months ago."Morton's voice was carefully controlled."Ancient history."

Sheila studied his face."You were fired from the resort's photography program after an incident involving a student's phone."

"If you're referring to my justified criticism of how social media has corrupted true photography—"

"We're referring to you throwing a student's phone across the room," Tommy cut in.

Morton's jaw tightened."That phone was a distraction.The student was more interested in getting likes than learning proper composition."

"You followed Sarah Winters around the slopes," Sheila said."Criticizing her snowboarding photos."

"I was trying to teach her about authentic moments."His voice took on a passionate edge."She had real talent, but she was wasting it on staged stunts for her followers."

"And Bradley Greenwald?"Tommy asked."Was he wasting his talent, too?"

Morton's expression darkened."Greenwald was a hack.He wouldn't know an authentic moment if it hit him in the face."

"That bothered you, didn't it?"Sheila pressed."Enough to confront him publicly?"

"I expressed my professional opinion."Morton adjusted his glasses again."This is ridiculous.Unless you're planning on charging me, I have a meeting to attend."

"The Sierra Club," Sheila said, nodding."Interesting timing, leaving town right after Sarah's body was found."

He waved his hand dismissively."I've had this meeting scheduled for weeks.Check with them if you don't believe me."His calm facade was cracking slightly."I'm not discussing this further without my lawyer."

"Mr.Morton," Sheila said, "it would be in your best interest to clear this up now."

---