Page 27 of Vanished in the Mist
“Aimlessly searching through the woods for Tanya wouldn’t be the best use of our time, either. As much as I loathe the idea of causing the Jerichos any more pain, I feel we should talk to them. Maybe they can shed some light on whether there could potentially be any link from Tanya to Tristan or the other popular kids.”
Kaden cocked his head, considering. “If Tanya had no friends because she was shy, socially awkward, but was desperate for company, what might she do?”
Shanna shrugged. “Crash a party? That’s the best way to meet a lot of other kids in one location outside of school. But that doesn’t really work in this case since she disappeared a few weeks after school was over, after graduation.”
“When do people plan all those post-graduation parties? While school is still in session. She could have overheard someone in the hallway talking about parties happening in the weeks after school was out and decided to show up at one uninvited. But someone didn’t like that she was there.”
“And they killed her because of it? That seems weak.”
“Because you’re assuming they did it on purpose. Maybe it was an accident. The police theory was that she went to that picnic area we were at this morning and ended up going down to the lake, maybe fell in and drowned. What if there was a party out there and she was pushed in, instead of falling in? The area is remote enough that it’s unlikely anyone would have seen it happen.”
She slowly shook her head. “Where did you come up with that idea? There’s nothing to base it on.”
“It’s based on the belief that she was in that area, the picnic grounds, before she disappeared, which is based on interviews with her parents. Add to that we both know it could be the perfect party spot for a bunch of high schoolers. They could even light a bonfire out there without getting much attention. Think about it. Tristan was found in the lake right there. And we feel that Tanya could be there, too. If she never associated with this so-called clique, but one of them and her are found in the same area, an end-of-the-year bash and her crashing it fits.”
“Okay, yes, it could fit. But it’s still completely speculation.”
“True, but there is one other thing that makes it sound plausible, or at least something to further explore. Stella told us the group that formed the most popular clique at that school quit seeing each other for the most part after graduation. Peytontold you that graduation night was the last time she’s pretty much seen the others. If something bad happened out by the lake, it makes sense why they’d all take a vow of silence, or whatever, then stay away from each other in the hopes that none of them would talk.”
She shot a look at the corner table. “Maybe we should ask Sam and Jack about any end-of-the-year parties, or at least, whether they frequented that area where Tristan’s remains were found. I’d rather get more information from them before I bother the Jerichos.”
They both stood and gathered their notes.
French doors off the side of the restaurant burst open and an older man hobbled inside, eyes wide, face pale. “Somebody help! There’s a woman lying in the ditch. I can’t pull her out.” He headed back outside, leaving the doors open behind him.
Shanna exchanged a startled glance with Kaden. Then they were both running outside as she used her cell phone to dial 911. It seemed as if the entire restaurant was emptying behind them as they raced across the grassy side yard toward where the much slower white-haired man was pointing.
Kaden was the first to reach the ditch and saw the nude body of a young woman half in and half out of the water. Her fingers clutched the green grass as if she was trying to pull herself up onto the bank. But the rest of her, from her hips down, was still beneath the water. Her eyes were closed.
He slid down the incline and pressed his fingers against the side of her neck, which he noted had two burn marks. A Taser? Stun gun? He couldn’t find a pulse, and she was cold. He quickly pulled her out of the water. Then he put her on his shoulder and climbed up to the level grassy area.
After gently laying her down, he swiped her long dark hair back from her face.
“No-o-o-o!” The scream resonated through the crowd.
He jerked his head up to see Peyton Holloway framed in the French doors of the restaurant, her mouth now covered with her hands.
Shanna dropped down beside Kaden as he began chest compressions on the young woman.
“Police are on the way,” she said. “They don’t have an ambulance or hospital around here. They’re sending a medevac chopper from the local marina. Apparently, the owner doubles as a chopper pilot and Stella rides with him to take patients to the hospital in Chattanooga. I asked one of the patrons to get Stella. I’m surprised she’s not here already with all the commotion going on.”
He nodded, silently keeping count of compressions. Once he hit thirty, he pinched the woman’s nose closed and blew a quick deep breath into her mouth, watching to ensure that her chest rose. After a second breath, he felt her carotid again. Still no pulse. He started compressions again.
“Out of the way, people. Move.” Stella suddenly burst through the crowd, her knees popping as Shanna helped her down across from Kaden. She was carrying a red box with the picture of a heart on it and a jagged electrical line going down the middle—an automated external defibrillator.
Stella glanced at the woman’s face, then gasped. “It’s Jessica DeWalt.” She shook her head in sympathy as she quickly affixed two patches on the woman’s chest, one below and one to the side of where Kaden was doing compressions.
“Okay,” she said. “Kaden, stop. Shanna, back up. Make sure neither of you are touching her.”
Kaden grabbed Shanna around her waist and scooted her back several feet.
She smiled her thanks, tears in her eyes as she looked at DeWalt, the young cheerleader with her entire future ahead of her.
A light on the AED went green. Stella pressed it, sending electricity sizzling through the leads to the pads on DeWalt’s chest. Her body jumped, but her eyes remained closed. Her chest was still, no breaths filling her lungs.
Stella pressed a stethoscope against the woman’s chest. “She’s cold.”
“Hypothermia?” Kaden asked.
