Chapters (95)
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Video #1
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Video #2
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Video #3
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- The Final Video
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Cover
Daniel pauses for a moment. He seems like an actor, drawing out a scene for dramatic effect. “That’s kind of why I brought you here. It will all be explained. See, tonight at the vigil, I couldn’t really say anything to help you or stop the camera. You know? I have to get the story down objectively.”
“What story?” I ask, and something starts to dawn on me. “Are you talking about—”
“This story,” he says, jabbing his finger toward the laptop. “My movie. That’s what I was starting to say earlier. What’s the hottest genre right now? Movies, podcasts, everything?”
It’s like he’s giving me a pop quiz. “I don’t know. Horror? It sure as fuck feels like I’m in a horror movie.”
“No,” Daniel says with a little impatience in his voice. “True crime. It’s everywhere. Everywhere. And do you know how lucky I am to have this story fall right in my lap? Most filmmakers have to go out and find a story. They have to move somewhere and track it for years. This one is happening right here in Bentley, in our backyard. Do you see what I’m saying?”
And I do. I clearly do, but he says it anyway.
“I’m making a true crime documentary, Hunter. About Chloe’s disappearance. This is the big break I’ve been waiting for, and I want you to see it.” He points at the laptop again. “Or at least see what I’ve got so far.”
His words stun me into silence. This is what Daniel wanted to show me. The floor shifts beneath my feet, like we’re having an earthquake.
“You’re making a movie about Chloe?” I ask. “That’s wrong. You can’t just make a movie about people. Are you serious?”
Daniel nods, his head bobbing like an enthusiastic puppy. “I’m very serious.”
“No. No, no, no. That’s a fucking terrible idea. You can’t put me in it. And you can’t put Chloe in it, either. You can’t put that stuff you filmed earlier. I didn’t give you permission—”
“Hunter, Hunter. Wait.” He holds his arms out, pleading with me. “Will you just wait and listen to me?”
He seems sincere so I stop and listen. I owe that to someone who used to be my best friend.
“I want you to see this,” Daniel says. “I haven’t showed it to anybody else. You’re the guy I always made movies with and now I’m making this one, and it’s the first time it feels like I’m doing something adult. Something important. Not just…goofy kid stuff. Will you please watch? It’s really rough. Really, really rough. But I think you’ll appreciate what I’m doing and where I’m heading. I really do.”