Page 47 of Fatal Fame
Another pause, then:Uncovered? Who is it?
Gideon looked at Mia. "What do you want to ask them?"
"Just tell them it’s me. Mia Sutherland. The last time I spoke with them, Pierce had mentioned some video. He said it was surveillance footage that exists that supposedly shows someone approaching the Hale house on the night of the murders."
Gideon typed:Wants to know about some unreleased video evidence.
The response was immediate and detailed:We don’t have it. We were told about it by Rebecca’s sister.State Police apparently have a video from the ski center camera across the street from her home. It shows a black truck in the vicinity but not a clear shot of the driver. It also shows a figure approaching the house via the front door around 9 PM. The family used the front door, strangers used the side. It suggestssomeone familiar with household routine.Also, she told us there was a neighbor who confirmed seeing a black truck in the area, and a kid who got yelled at by the driver as he was nearly run over while on his bike.
"That's more detail than I expected," Gideon said, studying the message.
The conversation continued through Instagram for another twenty minutes, with Sienna providing information about Keith Dwyer's suicide note, the list of suspected conspirators, and Pierce's growing concerns about local law enforcement being involved in the cover-up.
Pierce had plans to meet with the pastor of Rebecca's church the following day,Sienna messaged.Said clergy members sometimes know secrets that don't make it into police reports.
"That's a lead worth following," Gideon said. "Churches are information centers in small communities. People confess things to pastors they'd never tell police."
As their Instagram conversation wound down, Gideon shifted to discussing the investigation into the physical evidence that had been collected and was known to the public but possibly never properly analyzed.
“What about DNA?” Mia asked.
“There was a latex glove found in the house with DNA inside it. DNA under the nails of Jacob. Samples were sent for analysis. State said none of it was found in the database or CODIS. The question is whether or not the DNA under the nails was the same as the DNA from the glove. And why take your glove off inside the house?"
"Yeah, that’s a good point. And if that testing was done ten years ago, has anyone followed up since?" Mia asked.
“Hard to know. State is silent on the issue. That's where your connection to law enforcement might be useful. Someone with access to evidence logs could tell us who signed for that glove,the chain of custody, and where the latex glove and DNA went after collection."
Mia thought about her grandfather who'd helped her before and might be willing to access records that weren't supposed to be public. It was a long shot. She would be pushing her luck but what did she have to lose by asking? "I might know someone who could help with that."
"Just be careful who you trust. The conspiracy that killed Pierce has eyes and ears throughout the community, including places you might not expect."
Their conversation was interrupted by Gideon's phone buzzing with a text message. He glanced at the screen and his expression darkened.
"Speaking of connections. My contact over at the Sheriff’s Office says someone's been asking questions about who's been requesting information on cold cases. Specifically the Hale murders."
"What does that mean?"
“Have you phoned and made enquiries?”
“Sure.”
Gideon pocketed his phone, his earlier humor replaced by genuine concern. "Mia, you need to understand that continuing this investigation could get you killed. Pierce thought he was being careful, and look what happened to him."
“But what about you?”
“My research is mostly done from here.”
"But someone has to find the truth. Pierce can't go missing for nothing."
"Pierce went missing because he underestimated how far certain people would go to protect their secrets. Don't make the same mistake."
As Mia prepared to leave, Gideon provided her with copies of his most important files and contact information for sourceswho might be willing to talk to someone with local connections. But his final advice was sobering.
"There's something else you should know. I've been tracking a pattern of suspicious deaths and disappearances in this region over the past decade. The Hale murders aren't isolated, they're part of something larger and more dangerous than most people realize."
"Like my Uncle Luke?"
He nodded. "Witnesses who die in accidents before they can testify. Investigators who get transferred or demoted when they get too close to the truth. Sources who suddenly recant their statements or disappear entirely," Gideon said. "Someone's been cleaning house for a long time, and they don’t like people asking questions."
