And the image of a bright orange backpack abandoned in overgrown weeds was seared into Jonathan’s mind. He replayed the moment of first spotting it over and over. If only he had brought his drone here sooner, maybe things would be different…
Over the next few days, more of Charmouth’s residents joined the expanding search for Mia. Teams trudged through sucking mud and tangled underbrush, voices growing raw from ceaseless shouts of Mia’s name. But as hour after agonizing hour passed without any sign of the girl, nerves began to fray. Shock and worry curdled into suspicion and accusation.