Page 57 of Her Final Hours
“I did. But who knows, right?”
He lifted his eyes and locked gazes with Noah, a hint of empathy in his expression. “It must be difficult, especially with Payton Scott being your friend. I saw the news and read thenewspapers at the time. Now that you are an investigator, returning to the case must be bittersweet. You must be biting at the bit to get closure.”
“More than you know,” he replied. Noah maintained a neutral façade, concealing his emotions. “In what way was Payton a troublemaker?” Noah had to ask as in all the years he had known her, she never struck him as that kind of person. She would avoid confrontation and keep her mouth closed in a group rather than speak up. It seemed out of character.
Lucas shook his head. “I couldn’t tell you. Twenty-five years is a long time. However, I know that Payton was a special girl.” He took another breath. “Understand, detective. We’re an open book. Feel free to talk to anyone here. If you like, I can provide you with the numbers and names of parents and kids we’ve had here over the past fifteen years. They’ll all tell you the same thing — they love coming here.”
Noah got up and glanced around the room. He went over to the wall with photos of the staff and kids. His eyes landed on framed prints capturing moments of joy and achievement. Among them, his eyes settled on a familiar face. “Huh,” he muttered, then turned. “Your staff, are they all employed full-time?”
Lucas nodded in confirmation. “Yes, the majority of our staff are full-time.”
Noah’s gaze narrowed, and he pressed on. “Except for your medical staff, right?”
Luca’s face contorted slightly, displaying a hint of confusion. “That’s correct. It’s a particular skill set and not one that is required constantly. So, we have part-time medical staff available on-call or based on their availability.”
Noah took a moment to drop the bombshell. “So, someone like Joseph Collins?” He turned and pointed to a photo. Lucaslooked over. “He’s a nurse out of Elizabethtown. Or I should say, was. His body was found a day ago.”
He looked back at Lucas. The news had not yet reached the public, and Noah was curious to see how he would react. Lucas leaned back in his seat, his face pale as his eyes widened. “He’s dead?” He lowered his chin, visibly affected by the revelation. “He was one of a few nurses we had on hand. As you can understand, that will leave a gaping hole here. Everyone knew him.”
“Everyone?”
Lucas looked at him, and he could tell Noah was trying to make a connection to the missing girls. Instead of answering, he got up, moved to a small fridge, and retrieved a water bottle. He offered them water, but they declined. He quickly drank from the bottle, his action betraying a sense of unease. It was as if he was trying to douse a fire within himself.
Taking another breath, Lucas composed himself and continued. “Yes, Joseph Collins worked here from time to time.”
Just as the weight of the situation settled, Lucas’ phone rang, interrupting the tense atmosphere. He reached for it and answered the call, nodding several times during the conversation. “I will be there,” he said into the phone, his tone changing to concern. He promptly ended the call and turned back to Noah and Callie. “I’m afraid duty calls. I have a personal matter to deal with. I’m sorry we can’t continue this. I hope I’ve been useful. I would see you out, but I need to leave now.”
Lucas exited the office without further ado, leaving them with several unanswered questions and growing suspicions. Callie couldn’t contain her curiosity as they made their way out of the camp facility. “Do you believe he’s hiding something?”
Noah glanced over his shoulder at the camp, his expression hardened by years of suspects playing games. “It doesn’t matter what we believe. We’re paid to find the truth. I’m only interested in the facts and details.”
20
Wednesday, March 21, 9:20 p.m.
Later that evening, Mia sat in her bedroom, surrounded by a scene shrouded in darkness. The waterfront property stood in solitude, only faintly illuminated by the soft glow of distant streetlights. The moon was partially veiled by wispy clouds casting a gentle light, lending an otherworldly ambiance to an area transformed into a winter wonderland, blanketed in a delicate layer of falling snow. Flakes danced gracefully in the air, swirling and twirling like ethereal ballerinas.
The room was dimly lit, her desk cluttered with books and papers, as she pretended to do her homework. Her eyes kept glancing at the clock as she anxiously waited for it to strike eight. The restrictions imposed by her father had become suffocating, and her longing to be free had intensified.
Though she had been stripped of her phone, she hadmanaged to sneak a call to her boyfriend on the landline. He had begged her to go out with him that evening.
At first, she refused, knowing it would only lead to even more problems at home, and she’d dug herself a grave already.
But he was very convincing. He won’t know, he’d argued.
There was a chance she could get away with it. She knew her father wouldn’t be around as much because he was working a new case. Gretchen had already taken over in the evenings, and as long as she played it cool, she wouldn’t have a clue.
Hours later, as tiny pebbles struck her window, Mia’s heart raced. She hurried to the window and looked down, spotting him waiting under the glow of the backlights. He waved her down. With a sense of rebellion, she made up her mind and decided to seize the moment. Opening the window, she called down in a whisper, “Give me a minute. I’m coming.”
She snatched up a thin coat. Her thick one was downstairs. She couldn’t risk getting into a conversation with Gretchen.
Mia climbed out without hesitation; her nimble movement ensured a swift descent. She landed gracefully on the ground, her adrenaline pumping. The snow-covered tree line beckoned her, and she darted through it, feeling the thrill of each step.
“You didn’t tell anyone, did you?”
“No, Teddy, I told everyone.”
“What?”
