Chapter 1
Now
"Well, well," Camila Ortiz called out from behind her MacBook, not bothering to look up from the true crime forum she was scrolling through. "Look who decided to grace us with his presence."
"Traffic was murder on Sunset," Pierce said, running a hand through his carefully disheveled brown hair.
At twenty-six, he'd cultivated the look of someone who'd stumbled into success—beard trimmed just shy of hipster, vintage Levi's that cost more than most people's rent, and the kind of confidence that came from having two million podcast subscribers hanging on your every word.
Theo Vance didn't look up from his bank of audio equipment, noise-canceling headphones clamped over his ears as he fine-tuned something that would probably win them another podcast award.
The tech wizard of the group, Theo preferred the company of mixing boards to people, which made him perfect for managing Cold Trail's technical needs and terrible for everything else.
Sienna Locke sat cross-legged on a vintage leather couch, tablet in her lap, furiously typing responses to comments on their latest Instagram post. Social media management for a true crime podcast meant walking a tightrope between engaging fans and not appearing to exploit tragedy.
Sienna had turned that balance into an art form, growing their following from thousands to millions with carefully curated content that made murder feel approachable.
"Okay, team meeting," Pierce announced, settling into his usual spot at the head of the table.
The wall behind him displayed framed articles from Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, and Vanity Fair—all featuring Cold Trail and Pierce's photogenic face.
"I know we've been spinning our wheels looking for the next case, but I think I found it. "
"Please tell me it's not another missing college girl," Marcus said, setting down his phone. "The network wants something with more... depth."
"More Emmy potential," Camila added, finally closing her laptop. Her dark eyes held the sharp intelligence that had made her Pierce's first hire, along with an ambition that sometimes made Pierce wonder if she was planning to push him down a flight of stairs and take over the show.
Pierce grinned, the expression that had launched a thousand think pieces about true crime's golden boys.
"Better. Much better." He reached into his bag and pulled out a manila folder, placing it on the table like a dealer revealing his hand.
"The Hale murders. Rebecca and Jacob Hale, High Peaks, New York. Ten years cold."
Sienna looked up from her tablet. "Never heard of it."
"Exactly." Pierce opened the folder, revealing crime scene photos and newspaper clippings. "Mother and teenage son, found dead in their home. No forced entry, no clear motive, investigation went nowhere. Small Adirondack town, the kind of place where secrets fester."
Marcus leaned forward, his producer instincts engaging. "What makes this different from every other cold case? We need something that'll set all of social media on fire."
"Glad you asked." Pierce pulled out a grainy photograph of a black pickup truck.
"This photo was taken the night of the murders by a security camera over at Cascade Ski Center across the road from her home. It was released to the public five days after the murders, but nothing came of it. It hasn’t even been improved.
I got it from a source who thinks the local cops want the case to just go away. "
Camila raised an eyebrow. "Cops covering something up?"
"Gets better. Rebecca Hale was allegedly involved with multiple people." Pierce let that hang in the air, watching his team's expressions shift from skepticism to interest.
Theo finally pulled off his headphones. "Evidence?"
“Still working on it. Here's the problem though - the sheriff who ran the original investigation, Hugh Sutherland, had to retire early because of Alzheimer's. According to my source.”
Marcus' eyes lit up with the gleam of a producer who could smell ratings. "Corrupt small-town cover up?”
"That's the working theory." Pierce spread out more photos—Rebecca Hale, an attractive woman in her late thirties, and her fifteen-year-old son Jacob. Both had been brutally murdered in what police had called a home invasion, despite the lack of evidence supporting that theory.
“And the son?" Sienna asked, zooming in on Jacob's school photo. "Why kill a kid?"
"Wrong place, wrong time. Or maybe he knew something.
" Pierce's voice took on the cadence he used during recordings, building tension with each word.
"The thing is, nobody's ever really dug into this case.
Local paper covered it for a week, then moved on.
State Police took over, but the file's been sealed. "
Camila was already shaking her head. "So we're going to, what, parachute into Small Town USA and start asking uncomfortable questions? You know how well that usually goes."
"That's exactly what we're going to do." Pierce's grin widened. "Think about it—quaint mountain town, dark secrets, law enforcement cover-up. It's got everything. Plus, it's visual. Those Adirondack mountains, the lake, the small-town atmosphere. Perfect for the documentary component."
The room fell silent except for the hum of Theo's equipment and the distant sound of LA traffic. Pierce could see the wheels turning in each of their heads, weighing the potential against the risks.
Marcus spoke first. "Access will be a nightmare. Small towns don't like outsiders, especially outsiders with microphones."
"We'll start online," Pierce said. "WebSleuths, Reddit, the usual suspects. See what bubbles up. I guarantee there are people in that town who remember things differently than the official story."
"Legal issues?" Camila asked.
"We're not accusing anyone of anything. We're just asking questions." Pierce's tone suggested he'd had this conversation with lawyers before. "And if someone gets uncomfortable with those questions... well, that tells us something, doesn't it?"
Sienna was already typing on her tablet. "The town has decent internet coverage. Social media presence is minimal but present. Could definitely stir up some engagement."
"Timeline?" Marcus asked.
"I want the first episode out within the week. We’ll start with some preliminary interviews, get a feel for the local temperature.
" Pierce gathered the photos back into the folder.
"Camila, I need you to start background research.
Find everything you can on the original investigation, the players involved, any subsequent incidents that might be connected. "
"What about the corruption angle?" Theo asked. "If these cops really did cover something up, they're not going to be happy to see us."
Pierce's smile turned predatory. "Then we'll know we're on the right track."
The meeting continued for another hour, hammering out logistics and assignments.
As his team dispersed back to their workstations, Pierce moved to his desk, a standing setup near the windows overlooking the chaos of West Hollywood.
He opened his laptop and navigated to WebSleuths, one of the internet's largest amateur detective forums.
The site's design hadn't changed much in years, but the user base had exploded along with America's obsession with true crime.
Pierce had cultivated relationships with several of the more prominent users, people who spent their days diving into cold cases with an enthusiasm that bordered on obsession.
He began crafting his post carefully:
Looking for information on a cold case from upstate New York.
Rebecca and Jacob Hale, murdered in High Peaks ten years ago.
Local police investigation went nowhere, but I've come across some evidence that suggests there might be more to the story.
Specifically interested in this vehicle (photo attached) seen in the area the night of the murders.
Anyone familiar with this case or have theories about what really happened? What are they hiding?
Pierce uploaded the black truck photo and hit submit. Within minutes, the responses started flowing:
Never heard of this case, but that truck looks familiar...
High Peaks? My cousin lives near there. Says everyone knows the family but no one talks about what happened.
Police cover-up for sure. You can tell by how fast they sealed the files.
RIP Rebecca and Jacob. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Pierce watched the thread explode with activity, theories flying like sparks from a bonfire.
Some responses were thoughtful analysis, others wild speculation, but all of it generated engagement.
More importantly, it would reach people in and around High Peaks, people who remembered that night ten years ago.
One response caught his attention, posted by a user named ADKLawGirl:
I remember this case. There were always rumors about Rebecca seeing someone she shouldn't have been. Local law enforcement angle might be worth exploring, but be careful. This town protects its own.
Pierce smiled. The handle suggested someone with legal knowledge, possibly local. He clicked on the profile—not much public information, but the post history showed someone who clearly knew the area and had been following regional cases for years.
Three thousand miles away, Mia Sutherland sat cross-legged on her bed in High Peaks, laptop warm against her thighs, heart racing as she read Pierce Landry's post. She'd been following Cold Trail since their first season, had listened to every episode multiple times, analyzed their methods, dreamed of someday working for the FBI and handling cases like the ones Pierce investigated.
But this was different. This was her town. An old case.