One Last Step by Sarah Sutton (free e books to read TXT) 📗

have a daughter too, you know. She’s much older, but the thought of her going missing is heart-wrenching.” She then lowered her voice into an audible whisper as if the parents would somehow overhear. “But I would’ve never let my daughter go camping after all that’s been happening on that trail, even if it wasn’t closed down by us.”

Tara was already starting to dislike this woman and she was sure the victims’ parents probably felt the same. She was nosy, and most likely had opinions about everything her neighbors did. But Tara also knew that a nosy neighbor might also benefit her.

“Anyway, I’m sure you’re not here for my parenting opinions,” the woman continued. “What can I help you with?”

“We were just wondering if you’ve seen any strange activity around here recently. I know there’s often people parking on your street to hike. Has anyone seemed off to you?” Tara asked.

The woman bit her lower lip as she thought. “No, not really,” she said. “I see a lot of hikers on this street, but no one that’s concerned me. This has always been a really safe area.”

Tara continued to prod her, asking if she interacted recently with any hikers, if she’d seen anyone enter the trail late at night, but Tara couldn’t quite get a lead out of her.

“Do you ever see anyone here often that isn’t a hiker?” Tara questioned.

The woman thought for another moment and then looked around her as if checking to make sure no one else was around listening.

“Well,” she whispered. “I always have my morning coffee on the porch, and I’ve been seeing a state park truck out by the entrance a lot lately.” She paused as a thought struck her. “In fact, it was parked there yesterday morning and I saw the girls enter the trail soon after.”

“Do you know when it left?”

The woman shook her head. She had gone to her daughter’s house that night. She was staying over to babysit her granddaughter, and when she arrived back this morning, it was gone, and then soon after the flurry of police activity began.

“And you said you’ve seen it parked there a few times?” Tara asked.

“Mmhm.” She nodded. “Which isn’t all that odd. I’ve spoken to the driver before. He isn’t much of a talker, but he said he just comes to groom the trails. He was a bit strange.”

“Why’s that?” Tara could feel she was on the brink of something and that it was only a few questions away.

“He was just always very anxious,” she replied before a pause. “In fact, I’m not too sure he always told me the truth. I saw him speaking with someone on the phone one day. I take it that it was his boss, but I overheard him saying where he was, and it was not the truth.”

“Did he ever have a four-wheeler with him?” Tara asked.

The woman looked at her in confusion, before Tara realized that she didn’t quite understand what a four-wheeler was. But after explaining to the woman what it looked like, she replied.

“Oh, yes. He’s brought it in the bed of his truck a few times. He said it helped with grooming the trail.”

Tara glanced at Warren. They both knew where they needed to head next and Tara quickly got the man’s name—James—from the woman and a location of the hiking information center he told her he worked at. They then hurried to the car.

***

Tara and Warren stepped out in the unpaved parking lot, and the fresh smell of the forest that surrounded them filled Tara’s lungs. The lot was almost empty except for one lonely car, which Tara assumed belonged to the person managing the information center, which sat between the parking lot and the thick of trees. She didn’t know what she would find—if the man they were looking for would even be here—but she hoped they would at least find answers. If the man was not a suspect, she was hoping he would at least have seen something along the trail.

Tara and Warren quickly walked toward the information center until they opened the heavy wooden door and entered. Hiking gear lined the walls on shelves and hangers, but not one customer was seen throughout the center. Only a young woman stood behind the counter with a phone to her ear.

“Yes, it’s still closed,” she said into the phone. “Yes, unfortunately—I’m not sure yet. I can give you a list of other trails you can hike—yes, I understand.”

At her last words she looked up and noticed Tara and Warren for the first time. She placed the palm of her hand over the phone.

“I’ll be with you in just a moment,” she whispered before directing her attention back to the person on the other end. “Yes, I’m still here—just keep checking our website, or you can call. I’m sorry, I don’t have any more information for you at this time.”

There was a brief pause before she said her goodbyes and then hung up. She placed the phone down on the counter in front of her and heaved a big sigh before looking up at Tara and Warren.

“Can I help you two?” she asked.

Tara flashed her badge.

“Are you two investigating the Appalachian Trail disappearances?” the woman asked, intrigued.

“Yes, we are,” Tara affirmed.

“Everyone keeps calling about it—asking when the trail’s going to be reopened.” The woman reached for a packet of gum on the counter, took a strip out, and popped it into her mouth. “What do you need to ask me?”

“Do you work with someone by the name of James?” Tara asked.

The woman stopped chewing. “Yes, why?”

“We just wanted to talk to him. Is he around?”

The woman shook her head. “He actually didn’t show up for work this morning.”

Tara’s suspicion suddenly heightened. “Has he ever not showed up for work before?”

The woman nodded as she rolled her eyes. “He’s really annoying. I was supposed to have off today but he never came so I had to come in.” She paused. “He’s