Page 104 of Silent Bones

“I will be when this is over,” Noah said.

McKenzie gave a tight nod and stepped aside as Noah moved past him into the hallway. They walked in silence toward the conference room, each step carrying the weight of five teen bodies, six if they didn’t find Avery in time.

The conference room doors opened to a barrage of camera flashes and rising chatter. At least two dozen media reps packed into the space, elbow to elbow with DEC brass, county officials, and Albany's special liaison, a sharp-dressed man namedWhitaker who looked like he'd never stepped foot in the woods in his life.

Sheriff Rivera stood to the side, arms crossed, visibly irritated at being strong-armed into hosting this circus.

Noah stepped up to the podium. McKenzie took a place just behind him. To his left, Bill Calder sat like stone, barely holding together. Noah had never seen the man look small before. Now he looked crushed under something invisible.

Noah adjusted the mic. “Let’s begin.”

Hands shot up immediately.

“Detective Sutherland, can you confirm the number of victims related to this case?”

“Are these linked to the Sasquatch hoax?”

“Is Avery Calder still alive?”

Noah raised a hand, not to silence, but to steady the room. “We can confirm that we are dealing with multiple homicides in Adirondack County. Four young adults were found dead at a campsite near the Saranac Lake Islands. A fifth victim, Stephen Strudwell, was found deceased later. Two others are locals. We are still trying to establish if they knew the teens. A sixth young adult, Avery Calder, is currently missing. We are treating her case as an active abduction.”

The room erupted again.

“Do you have a suspect?”

“Was the Sasquatch angle part of the hoax or a distraction?”

“Are you saying this was all staged?”

Before Noah could answer, Whitaker stepped forward, his voice smooth and camera-ready. “Let me be clear on behalf of the Governor’s Office. This is now a multi-agency investigation under significant state and federal scrutiny. The public deserves answers. We have been assured by local law enforcement that every available resource is being deployed.”

Noah clenched his jaw but said nothing. Whitaker didn’t look at him, only at the cameras.

“The governor is deeply concerned by what appears to be a pattern of misinformation and possible systemic failure in the region,” Whitaker continued. “We expect swift resolution. We will not tolerate obstruction or delay. So you can be reassured we are doing everything in our power to bring this case to a close.”

The translation of that was, to make this go away before it makes us look worse, Noah thought.

“Sounds like a political move,” someone said.

Noah stepped back to the mic. “We’re not here to score political points. We’re here to find Avery Calder and stop whoever’s behind this.”

Bill Calder looked up at that, just slightly. It was the only thing that Noah cared about.

Another reporter jumped in. “Are you saying the Bigfoot sightings were staged as part of the crime? And was it linked to the meth bust?”

“We’ll speak to that shortly,” McKenzie said, cutting in.

From the back of the room, another voice, “What’s the link to Wallface? There are rumors?—”

Noah’s hand went up again. “That’s enough for now. We’ll be providing a briefing in the next hour with additional findings. Until then, I appreciate your patience, and your respect for the families involved.”

He stepped away from the podium.

The voices kept rising.

Cameras kept flashing.

Whitaker leaned in toward Noah as he passed. “I’d advise you to control the narrative before it controls you.”