Page 58 of Twice Missing
Oates' eyes narrowed. "The reservation is small. People have eyes. They talk."
"So I've been told," Noah said. "If you don't mind," he added, gesturing towards the EMT van.
"Well, that's the thing, I do," Oates replied, his tone hardening. "If it's related to the case you're investigating, he's not going to be of much use to you. You'd be better off asking me."
Noah smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "I tried that," he said, before walking away. He could hear McKenzie engaging Oates in conversation, buying him time to speak with Jacob.
As Noah approached the EMT van, he spotted a young man sitting on the back bumper. Jacob Moon cut a striking figure despite his disheveled state. His very dark hair was pulled back, partially hidden by a beanie. He wore jeans and had a blanket draped around his shoulders to ward off the cold. A cigarette dangled from his lips, his eyes distant as he stared at the smoldering remains of his home.
"Jacob Moon?" Noah asked, keeping his voice gentle.
The young man's eyes flicked up to meet Noah's. "Yeah?"
"What happened?"
Jacob's laugh was bitter. "What's it look like?"
Noah pressed on, keeping his tone neutral. "How did it start?"
"How the hell would I know?" Jacob snapped. "I wasn't here last night. I came back this morning after someone called to say my place was on fire. I was supposed to be here last night but ended up filling in a shift for someone who went ill down at the convenience store." His eyes hardened. "My guess is it's that asshole Marcus. He's beenon my ass since I accused him of having something to do with Kayla’s disappearance and…" He cut himself off abruptly, as if realizing he'd said too much. "Who are you, anyway?"
Noah introduced himself, explaining his connection to the Emily Carter case and its potential link to Kayla. Jacob's posture stiffened at the mention of his ex-girlfriend's name.
"That was eight months ago," he said, his voice tight.
"Still, I was hoping we could talk," Noah pressed.
Before Jacob could respond, Oates' voice rang out. "Excuse me. Hey!"
Noah glanced over his shoulder to see the detective pushing past McKenzie, his face thunderous. Acting quickly, Noah turned back to Jacob, pressing his card into the young man's hand. "You're not in trouble," he said urgently. "But if you cared about Kayla and you want her found, give me a call."
Oates reached them, his voice sharp. "I told you, you can't be here in this capacity. Now, do I need to call your department?"
Noah held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No, we were just leaving." As he turned to go, a thought struck him. "Oh, Detective Oates, one last thing before I go. I got word that the Bravebird family handed in some clothing they believe belonged to Kayla. Now, I'm familiar with the timeline for DNA testing. Eight months. I'd say you should have news for the family by now. Care to give an update?"
Oates squared up to him, not a hint of intimidation in his stance. "Unless you have news related to the case fromoutside the reservation, that information is confidential. It's an open case."
Noah's smile was razor-sharp. "Well, I'm glad to hear you called it open and not active. You might give people here the impression you're actually doing something," he said before walking away.
As they returned to the cruiser, Noah could feel the frustration building. They were hitting walls in every direction, each potential lead or witness blocked by jurisdictional red tape or the tight-lipped nature of the reservation's residents.
McKenzie fell into step beside him. "Any luck?"
"The kid thinks Marcus is behind the arson," Noah replied, his mind already racing ahead to their next move.
"You want to pay him another visit? He might be home now."
Noah shook his head. "Maybe later. First, I need to call in a favor to an old buddy of mine."
McKenzie's eyebrows rose. "Do I know him?"
"Her," Noah corrected.
"Okay. Tell me more. Who is this female?"
Noah's response was succinct. "FBI."
McKenzie groaned as he climbed into the passenger seat. "The feds, oh great."
