Page 64 of Twice Missing
As the ambulance tore away, its sirens cutting through the morning air, Noah turned to survey the scene. Neighbors stood in small groups, their faces a mix of shock, curiosity, and resignation. McKenzie appeared at his side, shaking his head.
"And I thought High Peaks was a circus," he muttered. "It's got nothing on this place."
Noah nodded grimly. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but the picture they formed was darker and more complex than he had ever imagined.
Noah approached Lieutenant Oates, who was engaged in a hushed conversation with another officer by a cruiser. "Lieutenant Oates," he called out, his voice firm but respectful.
Oates turned, his face a mask of irritation. "If you're going to ask me twenty questions, stop right there. I don't have the time to babysit you two."
"You don't need to," Noah replied calmly. "I would like to look at the files and speak with Marcus."
"The files, yes. Marcus, no. That's unrelated," Oates said dismissively.
Noah pressed on. "Not from what I've heard from others."
"Those are rumors," Oates snapped.
"Rumors often contain some truth. I'd like to determine that for myself."
Oates ran a hand over his face, exhaustion and frustration evident in every line. Finally, he relented. "You can have ten minutes with him, but I'm going to be there."
Noah decided to push his luck. "It wouldn't be because he's your cousin, would it?"
Oates' head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. "Who told you that?"
"People talk," Noah replied, his tone neutral.
Oates squared off to Noah, his body tense. "Don't think for a moment that my relationship with my cousin will prevent me from doing my job."
"I never said it would," Noah countered. "However, there are many ways this job can play out." The implication hung in the air between them — dropped charges, overlooked evidence, shifted stories.
"I'll see you back at the station," Noah said, turning to leave.
McKenzie, never one to let a moment pass, pointed at Oates. "You've got mustard on your tie," he said, his Scottish accent thick with amusement.
As they walked away, Noah could feel Oates' glare burning into his back.
The St.Regis Mohawk Tribal Justice building buzzed with activity as Noah and McKenzie settled into a small office, surrounded by case files and a computer. Oates had informed them that he needed to speak with Marcus about "other matters" before they could see him — a delay that Noah suspected might be used to coach Marcus on what to say or not say.
Rather than point fingers, Noah and McKenzie immersed themselves in the reports on the murder of Selena Lightfeather and the disappearance of Kayla Bravebird. The lack of progress in both cases was staggering.
"I've seen cases get thrown by the wayside, but this is nuts," Noah muttered, flipping through Kayla's file. "They've got absolutely nothing. Kayla’s sister was right. There is no record of red-stained jeans being handed in to check for DNA. So either someone made a mistake or…"
"Someone got rid of them," McKenzie added.
Noah nodded. "Then the only information we have is that she attended a party on the night she went missing, and that's it. A couple of people said they saw her leavealone. A few names provided by family — one of which I see here is Marcus Rivers, the other is Jacob Moon, and an unknown male from Massena."
McKenzie's attention was focused on Kayla's aunt, Selena. "Reports of alcohol intoxication, prostitution, drug usage," he read aloud. "No witnesses. Her case was deemed homicide and unsolved. No statements collected after the discovery of her body. A request was made for an update by family but was denied as it was considered an open case."
"So by that, they meant they didn't want to share what they had because they had nothing," Noah translated, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Noah glanced over at the photos of Selena's body, his stomach churning at the gruesome images. She had been dismembered, her parts stuffed into black bags and placed in a suitcase, tossed carelessly by the side of the road. "Geesh," he muttered.
"She was considered missing for several months before her body was found,” McKenzie said.
Turning his attention to Selena’s file, Noah pored over the autopsy report, and something caught his eye. "McKenzie," he said, holding up a photo. "Look at this."
McKenzie leaned in, his eyes widening. "Interesting. The timeline of her body being found certainly matches Emily Carter's timeline. It was found two days after Emily went missing. And..." His voice trailed off as he noticed what Noah was pointing at — an intricately woven bracelet on Selena's wrist, nearly identical to the one found on Emily Carter.
