“Can I help you?” he asked as he placed the pot down and let the water filter through. Tara held out her badge. “We were hoping we could just ask you a couple questions.”

The man looked startled as he shifted in his foldout chair, now fully facing them.

“What about?” he asked.

“A woman camped in the lot next to you three nights ago. We just wanted to see if you happened to talk to her.”

The man shook his head with a look of concern.

“I just got here last night,” he said. “Did something happen to her?”

Tara looked at Warren briefly. “We’re just trying to piece together her timeline.” She said. “Where do you happen to be hiking from?”

“Pennsylvania,” he said. “I hiked here from Bordnersville.”

It was very unlikely that he came in contact with the victim on the trail, especially since they were hiking in opposite directions. But, to be certain, Tara pulled out the victim’s photograph.

“Does she happen to look familiar to you at all? Maybe you saw her on the trail?”

The man leaned in closer and then sighed. “Sorry, I can’t say she does.”

Tara thanked him, but she still had hope as her eyes scanned the other lots where numerous other campers lurked.

But as they moved from one lot to the next, the results were the same—they never met her, or they just arrived, or both—and each time, the fear of not finding answers grew larger in Tara’s gut. But just as they walked away from another camper without answers, Tara heard a burst of laughter echo through the air, followed by sparks of chatter. Tara turned her head sharply to see four women preparing their daypacks. Warren followed her gaze until his eyes fell upon them as well, and they both walked toward them.

The chatter died down as they approached and the group of women looked toward each other in confusion as Tara flashed her badge.

“Have you guys been staying here a few nights?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah, why?” a tall, slender woman in the group replied before placing her pack down on the ground.

Tara held out the victim’s picture and the woman took a step closer. She peered at the image and Tara watched familiarity wash over her and then drain all the color from her face. Her eyes moved from the image to Tara, her face suddenly stark white.

“Is she okay?” the woman asked.

The rest of the group stepped closer, peering at the image, until their faces transformed as well.

Tara felt her heart flutter against her chest. There were answers here, she could feel it. “Do you know her?” she asked.

The woman’s eyes drifted toward where the victim camped days earlier.

“Yeah,” she started. “We met her a few days ago. She came over and had a couple beers with us.” She paused briefly. “Well, is she okay?” she asked again.

Tara sighed. “I’m sorry to inform you, but her body was found a few miles from here.”