Determined to find the truth behind Samantha Moore’s disappearance, he’d set out to follow in her footsteps. That morning, he’d risen before the sun to read and reread everything he could find on how she went missing. It was a baffling, disturbing case. He made notes, then he made calls—to Moore’s family and friends, and to the Vermont State Police, to set up an interview with Detective Rod Noble, the lead investigator.

Wyatt also reached out to his old cop sources. “Yeah, I’m back, like a bad habit,” he told them as he sought confidential help and any inside information on the case. Wyatt found that in police circles, somebody knew somebody who knew something about a case. Tony DeCastilla was among the half dozen investigators he’d called.

Wyatt even sent a message to FBI Agent Jill McDade.

Jill McDade.

They’d met a few times after the Starving Wolf case, just to talk, get to know each other. Jill opened up about losing her husband; he told her about losing his son and his wife. McDade even brought her 10-year-old daughter, Alison, out to his house in Queens a few times, to play with Molly. It was sweet.

At one point, he confided to McDade his belief that Danny was still alive, and that he was searching for him. She took a moment, then said she understood. She was a good listener.

But Wyatt hadn’t seen her in nearly a month, when they’d met in Columbus Park for coffee. He kind of missed her and Alison.

It would be nice to hear from Jill.

Between breakfast, showering, and taking Molly for a walk, Wyatt sent a message to the tourists in Naples who’d provided the video. Again, he urged them to contact their friends to pinpoint the exact time, date, and location of the recording, so he could dig a little deeper to try to identify the boy who resembled his son.

It's a long shot, but I can’t give up. I need to know.

Now, he was standing before Samantha Moore’s house. Wyatt’s ringing the doorbell and knocking went unanswered. He wanted to talk to the new owners, to get a sense of the place. He checked the time, then noticed a man and woman leaving the house two doors down. They looked like they were in their early 60s and about to get into their car, a silver sedan.

“Excuse me.” Wyatt walked over to them. “Could you help me? I’m a reporter for True Signal News. Do you know the Moore family?”

The couple exchanged looks before Wyatt produced his new press photo ID.

“Did they find Sam?” the woman asked. “Has something new happened?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

“Why’re you here?” the man asked. “We thought you press guys gave up when they stopped coming around here a few weeks after it happened.”