A Trail Gone Colder

The sheriff’s office was quiet, the kind of quiet that only came late at night when the weight of unsolved cases pressed down on the walls. Jessica and Leanna stepped inside, met by the steady tick of a wall clock and the distant hum of a police scanner.

Sheriff Thomas Wilkes sat behind a worn oak desk, his chair creaking slightly as he leaned back, scrutinizing them. He was older, mid-fifties, the kind of man whose face had been hardened by years of dealing with things people weren’t meant to see. He gestured to the two chairs opposite him.

“I was wondering when you’d show up,” Wilkes said, lacing his fingers together. “Word is, you’ve been asking questions.”

Leanna didn’t sit. Jessica did, leaning back like she had all the time in the world. “You ran the investigation on Jason Carter’s remains. We’re just trying to understand what happened.”

Wilkes exhaled sharply. “You and me both. That case has been a mess since the day it landed on my desk. And now I got government types sniffing around, asking about things they shouldn’t know about.”

Jessica felt her pulse steady. “What kind of government types?”

Wilkes studied her. “The kind that don’t wear badges and don’t give names. They were real interested in the forensic reports. Made sure they got copies of everything.”

Leanna’s expression darkened. “Did they take anything?”

Wilkes hesitated. “Not officially. But I wouldn’t be surprised if some files walked out of here. The ME said some test results went missing before they could be logged.”

Jessica tapped her fingers on the desk. “And you didn’t think that was worth mentioning?”

Wilkes leaned forward. “I don’t make it a habit of pissing off people who can disappear a whole case with a phone call. But now you two come along, and I figure you’re either just as bad as them, or you’re the only ones who actually want the truth.”

Jessica held his gaze. “We’re not here to bury this.”

The sheriff studied her for a long moment, then nodded. “Then you should know, Jason Carter wasn’t just found. He was placed. Someone wanted us to find him. Someone wanted to make sure we saw what was done to him.”

Leanna frowned. “You think they were sending a message?”

Wilkes shrugged. “Could be. But if they were, it wasn’t for me. Whoever left him in that field wanted the right people to notice.”

Jessica felt the cold certainty settle in her chest. “And now, we’re the ones who noticed.”

The sheriff slid a file across the desk. “There’s not much left. But take a look.”

Jessica flipped it open. The initial crime scene photos, pathology reports, time-of-death estimates. But one note stood out, a forensic anomaly flagged in the report. Synthetic degradation in the cell structure. Something that looked like preservation beyond natural means.

Leanna exhaled sharply. “Someone didn’t just freeze him. They made sure he didn’t rot.”

Wilkes nodded. “Which means he wasn’t just dumped. He was kept. For years.”

Jessica closed the file. “One last question, where exactly was he found?”

Wilkes met her gaze. “Outside town. Near the old Carter family property. But here’s the thing, there wasn’t any dirt under his nails. No signs he ever crawled out of a grave.”

Leanna frowned. “You’re saying he wasn’t buried there?”

Wilkes shook his head. “I’m saying someone put him there, but wherever he’s really been for the last ten years? That’s still a mystery.”

Jessica stood, taking the file. “Not for long.”

Leanna crossed her arms. “What about Langford?”

Wilkes exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face. “Figured you’d ask. The official story? Suicide. Found hanging in his cell not long after his arrest. Looks just like a clean wrap-up, right?”

Jessica arched an eyebrow. “Except you don’t believe that.”

Wilkes shook his head. “Hell no. The man was talking when he got brought in. Nervous, sure, but not suicidal. Even asked for extra security. Then, next thing you know, he’s dead before his lawyer even files for bail.”

Leanna’s voice was steady, but her eyes were sharp. “And no one saw anything?”

Wilkes gave them a knowing look. “Cameras malfunctioned. Guards on duty were ‘distracted.’ And before anyone could dig deeper, the Feds swooped in, shut everything down. Wrapped it up with a bow.”

Jessica glanced at Leanna. They had both seen this pattern before. Langford hadn’t killed himself. Someone had made sure he never talked.

Wilkes drummed his fingers on the desk. “So, you tell me… if a man like Langford had secrets worth killing over, what exactly was he trying to hide?”

Jessica pocketed the file. “That’s what we intend to find out.”