Page 81 of Twice Missing
“Who knows.”
McKenzie turned to Noah, his expression thoughtful. "But you think one of them is behind Kayla’s disappearance?"
Noah's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "If Abigail is right and those were her pants found near his place, it's possible. He was one of the last people she spoke to, along with Abel. Then we have the communication between Marcus and Selena that goes way beyond his family knowing her. What prompted so many calls?"
"They did say she was taking drugs," McKenzie offered.
"Yeah, they did. But was that all?" Noah's voice was heavy with implication.
"What do you mean?"
Noah's eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, his voice low and serious. "Is it possible that Selena was involved in smuggling drugs and people over the border?"
McKenzie's eyebrows shot up. "C’mon, Noah. That's quite an accusation."
Noah leaned back in his seat, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "I know. If I had to put my hand on a Bible, Mac, I couldn't swear to it. But I'm spit-balling here." He took a deep breath before continuing. "What do we know forsure? We've got Selena in a confirmed relationship with Abel. We have video footage of a Sunrise Power Systems truck being used on a weekend to deliver women to a location in Upper Saranac Lake — the same area where Emily Carter's body and truck were found. We see Nathan on video leading these women into the resort, and then the men return to the truck alone. We have a slew of communication between Selena and Marcus. We have Kayla connected to both Marcus and Abel. I would say Kayla was connecting the dots."
McKenzie nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. “And Nathan?”
"I think Nathan was transporting them to another location," Noah continued. "It feeds into the theory that this resort might be a temporary holding place for these girls. You said yourself that people are brought over the border and then head to New York City. How do they get there? Who's helping them? And where do they stay while waiting for a ride? Back when Roberts was sheriff, they searched Nathan's motels. There were no women there. So I don't think the motels were used beyond one night."
"So what you're suggesting is the connection between Abel and Selena wasn't a romantic relationship at all," McKenzie said, realization dawning in his eyes.
Noah nodded grimly. "What if it was a business relationship? One where she brought women to the facility for the men, and in return, he transferred them south to make an exchange with the Carters?"
"The Mexican theory," McKenzie murmured.
"Exactly. You heard what Nathan said in that video.There were supposed to be twelve delivered, and only ten arrived. You saw how furious he got. What if that had happened before, ten years ago? What if the cartel had paid for twelve and only ten were delivered? They might have thought he was screwing them over."
McKenzie's eyes widened. "And in retaliation, they kill his wife and Selena? That's a large leap, Noah."
"Is it?" Noah countered. "Greed can drive folks to do all manner of things, betrayal even more so. It would explain why Emily was found in Upper Saranac Lake a stone’s throw away from the resort. Maybe when she was alive, Nathan had her collect women and bring them back to the motel. Maybe back then, Selena went with one of the Sunrise drivers, and that's where the connection between her and Emily was made. A bond formed out of both of them being coerced into doing something they didn't want to do."
McKenzie breathed in deeply, processing the information. "Then they are transferred to New York City."
"That or transported on the same night to one of his motels," Noah confirmed.
"And the drugs?"
Noah shrugged. "Maybe extra. Clearly the ongoing communication between Selena and Marcus indicates some relationship. I hardly think she was dating the guy and there are only so many times you can call your dealer. Was Selena bringing across drugs to get tribal police to look the other way? With Marcus' cousin being a detective, it would be a win-win situation. Marcus ends up withdrugs, those drugs are sold, and Oates gets a cut. In turn, Oates turns a blind eye to Selena's operation."
"But, Noah, she protested against human trafficking," McKenzie argued.
"No, McKenzie. Kayla was the protester," Noah corrected. "And you said it yourself — human and drug smuggling across the border into New York has ticked upward in the last few years. I found an article dated back to March 2024 about a case where six foreign nationals and two infants drowned in a human smuggling incident on the St. Lawrence River near Tsi Snaihne. There was another case of a Native who escaped being trafficked to New York who said she was originally groomed by one of her own people. That same woman who groomed her had been trafficked herself but had worked her way up the chain and become a recruiter." Noah paused, his voice growing softer. "At the bare minimum, maybe Selena was coerced into smuggling people and drugs to avoid a drug charge, or she was doing it for extra money. Maybe she decided to get out but couldn't and lost her life in the process. I don't know, but what I do know is that Sunrise Systems is involved somehow, the connection between Selena and Marcus was much more, and multiple people are at the center of this, including the Carter family."
"And Kayla?" McKenzie asked.
"I think Kayla found out what her aunt was involved in and was planning on exposing it," Noah replied, his voice heavy with the weight of his theory. “If she went to the police and Oates was involved, he's going to lose hisrevenue stream. If she went to Marcus or Abel and confronted them, well, it's obvious what would happen."
McKenzie blew out his cheeks. "Even if you're right, Noah, that's a lot of dots to connect, even more so to prove. We might get some of those involved, but I doubt we'll take them all down."
Noah's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Like pulling up a root, I guess we'll have to see," he said, pressing his foot to the accelerator.
33
"Nothing?" McKenzie asked Detective Oates, disbelief and frustration lacing his tone. Noah and McKenzie exchanged a knowing glance; copying the data from the phone earlier had only reinforced Noah's suspicions. It was no surprise. By the time they returned to the station, Oates had reportedly obtained a warrant from the judge — unusually quick — and searched the phones, finding nothing of value.
"Of course, there were the usual photos and contacts, but nothing incriminating," Oates said, his voice self-assured.
