Researching a true crime book is never easy. You are seeing the crime through the eyes of investigators, of witnesses and the victims. You are also seeing the brutality inflicted by people. You are peering into the dark side of life - and death.

Soon after wrapping up Child Last Seen, I resumed research on a book I was putting off for years. I did some preliminary work - interviewing some witnesses, reading some news articles - but delving into the case was difficult. It is a dark case that touches on the inhumanity of some individuals. It is a case that shook a community and shattered hearts. It is a story that needs to be told.

In the upcoming months, I will be reading more about fingerprints, tire tracks and the law. I will be interviewing more people. I won't be reminding people of their pain or resurrecting difficult memories. Those never go away. They are always just below the surface.

When this book is done, I hope people remember the victim, remember evil is where you least expect and sometimes justice takes the long road.