The first was recorded by the dashcam in the pickup Moore and Kevin Tatum, her boyfriend, had used. It was taken north of Spiritsburg, on the dirt road that cut through Lucifer’s Notch. It showed the headlights of the vehicle that appeared to be stalking Moore’s disabled pickup.

“Our investigation leads us to believe that based on the light configurations, the suspect vehicle here is a light truck or pickup, no older than five years,” Noble said. “We’re still working on a suspect pool, using state databases, starting with registrations nearest the motel and fanning out.”

The next video, recorded by the retired professor’s bird cam, showed the Green Rolling Hills Inn in Spiritsburg. It had captured Moore and Tatum’s arrival, then Moore’s disappearance into a breezeway and out of the frame. A short time later, at the edge of the frame, a vehicle, possibly a camper truck, emerges from the motel’s rear parking lot, and disappears into the night.

As she took notes, McDade paused to process seeing what may have been Samantha Moore’s last moments alive, and an ominous dark outline of a vehicle that may belong to the Hydra.

“We believe this vehicle to be involved in Moore’s disappearance,” Noble said.

He went on to detail how investigators were searching the area, examining state driving and registration records, running tire impressions, looking at traffic violation tickets issued for pickups, light trucks, and camper trucks in and around the time Moore disappeared, reviewing rental agency, leasing, and sales records, and checking auto repair shops.

“We’re going all out trying to determine the make of the vehicle and ownership,” Noble said.

All investigators were helping with reinterviewing people and recanvassing the area, he added. Evidence would be reeaxamined. Any collected fingerprints would be resubmitted to databases, and original statements were being reviewed.

Noble nodded and went on to detail how investigators had followed up on tips that had come into VSP, including sightings of females fitting Moore’s description. One was a woman seen at a mall in Hartford, Connecticut. Another was a girl spotted at a restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire. In both cases, the subjects’ identities were confirmed. They were not Moore. One was older, the other younger.

Before the meeting ended, McDade spotted a business card for Ray Wyatt in Noble’s binder.

“Excuse me. Is he here on this story?” McDade indicated the card.

Noble nodded.

McDade bit down hard on her bottom lip.

Oh my God! I should’ve clued in! Wyatt’s here! Working! Why didn’t he tell me he was on this story? Wait, he never said what story. He never said the Hydra. Why? After all we’ve been through, he would’ve asked me—wouldn’t he? But what does he know?

McDade cursed to herself, worried that any mention in the press that the Hydra had surfaced could tip the killer off.