The Pledge Page #3

Something went off.

I need more time on this.

You want me to reopen a case

because you got a hunch?

No offense, but you're retired.

You don't work here anymore.

Okay.

I know, Stan.

I know. But could you run it

through the system for me anyway?

You know, just a standard query.

Similar crimes, profile, victims.

Could you?

Say, for...

...the last 10, 12 years.

Could you, Stan?

Please?

This is eight years ago

when this happened.

I'm on the job only six months

when this very big deal goes down.

Talk about baptism by fire.

And to top off everything else...

...it was in the summer season.

"Politics of tourism"

and all that nonsense.

So we all feel the pressure to make

the bogeyman of it all disappear.

The brass were pretty clear

in the presumption...

...that it was one

of those festival-goers...

...which seemed like, you know,

a pretty good bet.

And a good way to diffuse

the kind of panic that you get...

...when they feel that there's

a bogeyman amongst them.

So we all figured...

...and I do feel accurately,

that's why we never did catch him.

The odds were on a perpetrator...

...who'd cleared the county

before the body was ever found.

Yeah.

Look at the slit in that neck.

I don't know, but for me...

...it's like being in a movie.

This stuff just doesn't bother me

like it does some people. You?

Luanne Rotze.

A little 10-year-old girl.

Real little.

I mean, real small for her age.

You know what, though?

As horrible as that

kind of thing is...

...I got an adrenaline rush

being part of it.

I don't know if that's bad,

but, hey, don't hurt me.

That's just the way it hit me.

Nothing like it

ever happened before here.

By the way, nothing like it

ever happened since.

I think that says a lot.

- You mind if I keep this one?

- I couldn't let you do that.

We always like to be of help...

...but, strictly technically,

the case is still open.

Well, then, how about the report?

I'll make you a copy. How's that?

Sure would appreciate it.

But keep it between us.

I'm not sure what the policy is

on this kind of thing. Okay?

My lips are sealed.

Lucy!

A young horse is like a woman.

Can't predict what they'll do.

They're crazy.

Excuse me. Sir?

Sir?

I wonder if you could tell me where

a man named James Olstad might be?

Olstad's not a patient here.

Well, I believe he's

the custodian, sir.

In the building, mopping?

He's not a patient.

- Mopping in the building?

- Not a patient.

James Olstad?

I'm Jerry Black.

I'm a police detective.

I'd just like to talk to you

about your daughter.

What daughter?

You did have a daughter that went

missing three years ago, didn't you?

Did you come here to tell me

that something happened to her?

No, sir. It was-

Did you find her dead or something?

No. No, sir.

We're still trying to find her.

Anything you might tell me about her?

Could you describe her?

She must be-

She must be different now.

She was so pretty.

I miss her so much!

We just used to, like,

hold each other.

I was supposed to take care of her.

She was my little girl, you know?

I just-

I had my little girl.

Where is my baby?

The break is Monash County.

Eight years ago, we got a homicide.

Same M.O.

Exact same victim profile

description as the Ginny Larsen case.

I interviewed a local officer

for the particulars.

Little blonde girl, 10 years old,

sexual assault, throat slit.

The photos show that

she was wearing a red dress.

Detectives out at Morehead covered

this case. The case is still open.

At the time of the murders...

...Toby Wadenah was

in Stillwater Penitentiary...

...doing time on his

own rape conviction.

- He couldn't have done it.

- He shot himself.

- What more-

- You told him what he did.

Let's calm down, see what Jerry's got.

You got something?

And there's more. More.

Here. See here?

This is the Larsen murder. This is

the Monash County girl. And here:

Here, you see this pattern?

Three years ago, I got a girl gone

missing, Cathy Olstad.

Same exact description, a little

blonde girl, 9 years old...

...last seen wearing a red dress.

And?

And?

Don't you see?

I see a description that fits

a number of juvenile murders.

And a victim profile that matches

every other in the state...

...give or take the red dress.

Why didn't you mention her blue eyes

while you're at it? Come on!

I mean, whatever made you think...

...that the Larsen girl

wasn't murdered by Wadenah?

This did.

This convinced me.

Ginny's drawing

of the Porcupine Giant.

I have reason to believe, based on

my conversations and interviews...

...that Ginny Larsen made this drawing

just days before she was murdered.

I have reason to believe

she met with this man...

...seen here as a giant, all dressed

in black, on a regular basis.

This is not an Indian.

This is not an Indian type.

And you see this car here?

This big, black car?

This is not a truck.

This is not a maroon truck

like Wadenah drove.

This is a big, black station wagon.

And these right here,

according to an interview I had...

...with a girl named Beck-

Betsy Fiske...

- ...these are porcupines.

- Okay. Whoa! Hold it.

Porcupines and giants and-

You got to get ahold

of yourself, Jerry.

The case is closed.

I made a promise.

I made a promise to find...

...Ginny Larsen's murderer.

I intend to keep it.

Listen, Jerry.

You gotta start getting on

with your life, you know?

I mean, sometimes when you

go through big changes...

...and retirement's one of them...

...it can cause a lot of added stress.

Sometimes it's a good idea just to...

...talk to someone.

You know, someone...

...professional.

I made a promise, Eric.

You're old enough to remember

when that meant something.

Get a life.

Jerry, got your fresh towels here!

Most don't need them every day.

Please don't get them so dirty

they're not to be white again.

Here's your nice little sunroom.

You can smoke in here.

This is the living room area.

No partying, please, no.

Kitchen, of course.

All the amenities of home.

Bedroom. We just got a new mattress,

so it should be really comfy.

And oh, yeah, trash goes

in the covered dumpster.

Fish guts you gotta wrap and place in

the pail next to the cleaning station.

Rules and regulations

of Sugar Bush up here. Yep.

And no nude sunbathing.

I'll leave these here

and get Rose to make up your bed.

If there's anything else you need,

just let me know. Okey-dokey?

Good morning.

I'll have a pack of lights.

That the owner?

My daddy.

What can I do for you?

I was just having a look around.

How long you had this place?

Thirty years.

Ever think about selling it?

No.

Well, what would it take to get

you to think about selling?

It's not for sale.

I'll tell you what.

I'll give you my number

over where I'm staying...

...at Thompson's Sugar Bush Resort.

I don't mean to be pushy but...

...if you'd think about it....

I'll wait to hear from you over at

Thompson's, if it's all right.

- Been a pleasure.

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