Chapter 13
Dawn crept over the Adirondack wilderness with reluctant light that seemed to acknowledge the violence that had stained the night.
Noah had been at the scene for hours, watching crime scene technicians process evidence while the darkness gradually gave way to gray morning.
The smell of smoke and accelerant wafted in the cool air, a reminder of the deliberate destruction that had claimed both Landry's vehicle and any hope of finding him unharmed.
What daylight revealed was worse than what they'd discovered in the darkness.
Beyond the twisted metal skeleton of Pierce's rental van lay the complete ruins of what had once been a cabin.
Only the brick chimney rose intact from the devastation, pointing toward the overcast sky like an accusing finger.
The stone fireplace stood among the ashes, its hearth cold and blackened, surrounded by the charred remains of what had been someone's retreat from the world.
"Jesus," McKenzie muttered, approaching with a fresh cup of coffee that steamed in the morning chill. "Whoever did this wanted to make sure nothing survived."
Noah studied the expanded crime scene, noting how the cabin's destruction changed the entire scope of their investigation. This wasn't just about Pierce's disappearance, someone had eliminated an entire location, removing any evidence of what might have happened inside those walls.
"Indeed," Noah said, pulling out his phone. "We need to know who owned the cabin and why it became a target."
Fire Marshal Davidson emerged from the ruins, his gear even more soot-stained than it had been during the night. "Got that confirmation from our dogs. Both fires were definitely arson," he reported. "Same accelerant pattern, same methodology."
"Any connection between the cabin and Pierce's van?"
"The timing suggests coordination. Both fires started within minutes of each other, which means either one person working very efficiently or multiple people working together.
There is no burn trace between the vehicle and home which suggests whoever did this, doused the cabin and then the vehicle or the other way around.
A neighbor says the place was owned by Ralph Eriks. "
“That’s one of our officers,” McKenzie said.
“You got a number for him?” Noah asked.
Noah felt his investigative instincts engage as he processed the implications. Coordinated arson suggested planning and resources that went beyond simple intimidation. Someone had wanted to eliminate Pierce and destroy any evidence of where he'd been taken.
A moment later he dialed, knowing that identifying the connection was crucial.
"Eriks," the reply came on the other end.
"Ralph, it's Noah Sutherland with BCI. Sorry to call so early, but…"
There was a pause that lasted long enough for Noah to wonder if the call had dropped.
"What’s the problem?"
"On Cascade Trail Road. A remote property, about three miles into the forest. Brick chimney, stone fireplace. That yours?"
"Why?”
“It was burned down.”
“Shit. Um. Well… That’s my place. I mean it was my place," Ralph said with genuine shock or fear. "When did this happen?"
"A few hours ago. A van belonging to podcaster Pierce Landry was there. It too was on fire." Noah walked closer to the cabin ruins, noting details that might become important later. "When was the last time you were here?"
"Months ago. I already moved into my new place. Damn, Noah, I had no idea. The real estate agent said everything was secure."
"Real estate agent?"
"Yeah, old friend of mine, Mike Torres. There should be a for sale sign still there. Property's been on the market for six months. We’ve had a hard time selling it. A few people have swung by and looked, but no bites yet. The place was empty and locked up tight."
Noah squinted into the darkness. He’d seen a realtor sign on the way in but it was too dark to make out the details.
Noah felt the pieces of a puzzle beginning to form a pattern he didn't like. "Who else knew the cabin was vacant?"
"A lot of people. The real estate agent. Hell, anyone who could bring up the sales listing. Maybe a few people at the department who knew I was selling." Ralph paused. "Noah, you don't think someone was using my place for something illegal, do you?"
"I think someone chose your property very carefully because they knew it would be empty and isolated or…” He trailed off, thinking if someone had called Mike Torres.
“I'm going to need a complete list of everyone who had access to the keys, lockbox codes, anyone who might have known about the vacancy. "
"Of course. Whatever you need. Shit. I hope this isn't going to come back on me legally. I mean, if someone was using my place without permission..."
"Right now, you're a victim, not a suspect. But I need complete honesty about who had access to the property."
As Noah ended the call, crime scene technicians approached with evidence that could prove crucial to the investigation. In the ashes of Pierce's van, they'd discovered the partially melted housing of what appeared to be a dashboard camera.
"Dashcam SD card might still be recoverable," the technician reported, holding up an evidence bag containing the warped plastic housing. "Card's damaged but not completely destroyed. If anyone might be able to extract data from it, it's Rishi."
Noah felt a surge of hope. Pierce Landry had been a media professional who documented everything—if the dashboard camera had been recording when he drove to this location, it might provide crucial evidence about who he'd met or what had happened before the fire.
"Get that to Rishi immediately. Priority processing. And I want the blood evidence fast-tracked for DNA analysis."
"Already in progress. We've also collected tire impressions from the area where McKenzie found the blood trail. It does look like at least two different vehicles were here last night."
The confirmation of multiple vehicles supported Noah's growing theory that Pierce's disappearance had been carefully planned rather than spontaneous violence. Someone had lured or forced Pierce to this isolated location, then eliminated any evidence of what had transpired.
McKenzie approached with information from the expanded search that had been ongoing since first light. "K9 teams have been working the blood trail, laddie. Scent leads into the woods for about a quarter mile, then disappears at a logging road that connects to the main highway."
"They lost the scent?"
"Aye. Dogs are good, but whoever moved Pierce must have transferred him to a vehicle. Still, the team is checking for a scent on the other side of the road. They are still out there searching."
“Looks like it’s going to be a long day.”
Noah studied the forest that surrounded the crime scene, thinking about the logistics of moving someone through dense wilderness in the middle of the night. The operation required local knowledge, multiple vehicles, and careful timing.
His phone rang with a call from Thorne. "Noah, I'm at the hotel with Pierce's team. They're getting agitated about being confined, and they're asking questions I can't answer."
"What's their story?"
"They claim Pierce left the hotel around 7 PM, said he was going for a drive to clear his head after receiving another threatening phone call. He’d mentioned wanting to lure Mike Torres, Rachel’s ex, out of the woodwork.
None of them saw Pierce return—they were all in their respective rooms. But there's definitely tension between them. "
Noah made notes while processing the implications. "What kind of tension?"
"Disagreements over whether to continue the investigation after the town hall incident and Keith Dwyer's suicide. The producer, Marcus, seems particularly agitated. Keeps asking about Pierce's equipment, whether we found his recording devices."
The detail about equipment caught his attention. Media professionals who were more concerned about gear than missing colleagues suggested either callous indifference or guilty knowledge about what had happened.
"Keep them separated until we can conduct formal interviews this afternoon. I want individual statements, not coordinated stories."
"Roger that. Noah... there's something else. When I mentioned that we'd found evidence of violence at the scene, the team exchanged looks that weren't exactly surprise. More like... confirmation of something they were already expecting."
If Pierce's own team had been anticipating violence, it suggested either they'd received threats he hadn't shared with police, or they knew more about his final hours than they were admitting.
“Document everything."
As crime scene processing continued, Noah coordinated the multiple aspects of an investigation that was growing more complex by the hour.
The discovery of the burned cabin had transformed a missing person case into something that resembled organized crime: the deliberate elimination of evidence, the careful planning, and the resources required to pull off such an operation.
His phone buzzed with a text from Mia: Dad, I just heard about Pierce on the police scanner. Is it true? I want to help. Can I come down there?
Noah felt his stomach drop. His daughter's involvement with Pierce's investigation had been a source of constant worry, and now that involvement might make her a target for the same people who had apparently eliminated the podcaster.
He called her immediately, knowing that keeping Mia away from the scene was crucial for her safety.
"Mia, stay home."
“But Dad, I could help—"
"You could get yourself killed." The words came out harsher than Noah intended, but the fear behind them was genuine. "We have evidence of violence at this scene. We don't know what happened to Pierce, and we don't know if whoever took him is still in the area."
"Someone took him?”
“You aren’t to mention that.”
“But if he's hurt, or if he's out in the woods somewhere—"
"We will find him. Professional search teams are handling it.
K9 units, helicopters, trained personnel who know how to process a crime scene without compromising evidence.
" Noah softened his tone slightly. "Mia, I know you are eager, but I need you to trust me on this.
Stay home, stay safe, and let me do my job. "
"Do you think Pierce is dead?"
The question hit Noah harder than he'd expected. His professional assessment of the evidence pointed toward exactly that conclusion, but saying it out loud would make it real in ways that might devastate his daughter.
"I think Pierce is in serious trouble, and I think the people responsible are dangerous enough to eliminate anyone who gets in their way. That includes you if you start asking the wrong questions about the wrong people."