Page 40 of Fatal Fame
"My father sent me to?—"
"No, he didn't." Callie's tone was firm but not unkind. "Nice try, though. I just got off the phone with Noah twenty minutes ago, and he made it very clear that if you showed up here, I was supposed to keep you away from this investigation."
Mia felt her carefully constructed plan crumble, but she pushed forward anyway. "C’mon, Callie, I know these people. I've already been working with Pierce, helping him understand local dynamics and family connections. Maybe I could?—"
"Get yourself killed by whoever took Pierce." Callie pulled Mia to one side, lowering her voice so the other deputy couldn't overhear. "Look, I admire your gumption, I really do. I had the same kind at your age. Takes guts to walk in here and try to talk your way past law enforcement. But there is absolutely no way I'm letting you anywhere near Pierce's team right now."
"Why not? What aren't you telling me?"
"I'm not telling you anything because you’re not a police officer, and your father specifically instructed me not to. Mia, this is an active investigation into a possible homicide, not a learning opportunity for aspiring investigators." Callie said.
“But…”
"Rules are rules, Mia. Even for Sutherlands."
Mia felt the frustration of being treated like a child when she knew she had information and insights that could help the investigation. But she also recognized the steel in Callie's voice that suggested further argument would be futile.
"Fine," she said, stepping back toward the elevator. "But if Pierce turns up dead because someone missed something that I could have spotted, don't say I didn't try to help."
"If Pierce turns up dead, it'll be because someone with significant resources and planning wanted him eliminated. Not because we failed to consult an eighteen-year-old with good intentions."
The words stung, but Mia recognized the truth behind them. Whatever had happened to Pierce was beyond the scope of amateur investigation, no matter how well-intentioned or locally connected.
She rode the elevator back to the lobby in silence, nodding politely to the desk clerk as she headed for the exit. Outside, she sat in her car for several minutes, watching deputies and investigators move in and out of the hotel while she contemplated her next move.
Her father had blocked her from the crime scene. Callie had blocked her from the Cold Trail team. But her father’s authority didn't extend beyond law enforcement channels, and there were other people connected to this investigation who might be more willing to share information.
Mia pulled out her phone and did a quick search for "Evelyn Cross forensic criminologist Saranac Lake." Pierce had mentioned her in the first episode of the Cold Trail season, describing her as someone with extensive knowledge of the Hale case and access to information that hadn't been made public. If Pierce had been working with her, she might have insights into what he'd been investigating in his final days.
The journeyto Evelyn’s home in Saranac Lake was peaceful.
She parked in the gravel driveway beside a black Range Rover that had seen better years and took a moment to gather her courage.
Mia knocked and waited, hearing footsteps inside and the sound of a deadbolt being turned.
The woman who answered the door wore dark jeans and a button-down shirt that suggested someone who dressed for function rather than fashion.
"Can I help you?" Evelyn asked, though her tone suggested she already had a good idea who Mia was.
"Mia Sutherland. I'm?—"
"I know who you are." A smile crossed Evelyn's face, transforming her expression from professional wariness to something approaching warmth. "Noah's daughter. You look just like your mother."
The reference to her mother caught Mia off guard, creating an immediate connection that she hadn't expected. “Sorry to bother you, I was just hoping to speak with you regarding the Hale case and Pierce Landry's recent disappearance."
Evelyn glanced beyond Mia, her gaze scanning the road.
"Your father not with you?"
"Why would he be?"
Evelyn's smile widened, and Mia caught a glimpse of amusement that suggested the older woman understood exactly why an eighteen-year-old might be conducting her own investigation rather than waiting for parental approval.
“Well, I guess you should come in,” Evelyn said, stepping aside to allow Mia into a house that felt like stepping back into a more gracious era. "Do you drink coffee?" Evelyn asked, gesturing toward a thermal carafe on a side table.
"Yeah. Thank you." Mia accepted a mug gratefully, wrapping her hands around the warm ceramic while she gathered her thoughts.
"So," Evelyn said, settling into a chair across from her, "Pierce Landry. I heard about what happened at the cabin this morning. Any word on his whereabouts?"
