She's Still Alive - Episode 1
by Calla Gordon
I need your advice.
What’s up?
Camden issues again?
No…
For once this isn’t about my lying, cheating, loser of an ex-boyfriend.
It’s worse.
SO MUCH WORSE.
Okay, I’m listening.
You know how my computer died?
Yeah…
Well money’s been tight ever since I kicked Camden out…
For all his faults, he did always help with rent.
Nina, you had to beg him for his half of the rent every month!
And you know he only has a job because he works at his dad’s company.
Too true. Anyway…
I went down to EZ Pawn to check out their used computers.
I got a great deal on a like-new Macbook Pro.
Let me guess…you took it home and it’s a piece of junk?
No, it works great…
It’s what I found on the computer that’s the problem.
There was a file on there…
With some pretty scary pictures.
Scary how?
There are a bunch of photos of a girl…
It looks like she’s being followed and doesn’t know it.
Except in the last one.
In the last one, she’s in a small, empty room.
She’s looking right at the camera.
And Eden…
She looks terrified.
Okay, that’s really disturbing.
It gets worse…
I think I recognize the girl.
WHAT?!
You know that college student who went missing at a music festival last month?
Jessica Something or Other?
Jessica Simmons.
I can’t be sure…
But the girl kind of looks like her.
Show me a picture.
Nina sends Eden a picture of her computer screen.
WHOA!
You think it’s her?
I KNOW it’s her.
How can you be sure?
Look at her left shoulder, Nina.
There’s a birthmark.
It’s the same birthmark that’s in her missing person picture!
I hadn’t noticed that before…
But you’re right.
It’s the same!
And Nina! Look at the date on the picture!
January 17th. So what?
That’s 4 days ago!
Do you understand what this means?
Jessica Simmons could still be alive!
OMG, you’re right!
I’m calling the police right now.
5 minutes later…
I’m so upset.
What happened?
I called the police…
But they didn’t take me seriously at all!
The cop said, and I quote:
“All our detectives are busy with a pressing matter.”
Then he said he’d send someone by my house “at some point” to take my statement.
AT SOME POINT.
That’s infuriating!
I know!
So I’m going down to the pawnshop.
WHAT?!
I’m going to see if I can get info on the previous owner of this Macbook.
That’s a very bad idea, Nina!
Why?
What if the owner of that computer finds out you’re snooping around?
What might he do to shut you up?
You should leave the investigation to the cops.
I think you’re being a bit paranoid…
Besides, Jessica might be running out of time!
She’s in danger NOW.
OK. Just be careful, Nina…
Nina drives to EZ Pawn.
And luck is on her side…
The same man who sold her the computer is working again today.
She approaches the counter.
Hi, Matt? You probably don’t remember me.
Nina, right? You bought the Macbook Pro.
Is there a problem?
No. I mean, the computer works great.
But there is an issue…
I found some files that I’m sure the previous owner didn’t mean to give away.
I want to send them back to him or her.
Do you have their contact info?
I’m sorry.
We don’t take that kind of information from sellers.
Do you remember his name?
Matt thinks for a minute, then shakes his head and sighs.
I’m sorry, I don’t.
It’s been a very busy week in here.
Do you have security cameras?
Maybe I can figure out who he is that way?
No, our cameras haven’t been working for years.
Besides, even if they did work…
I wouldn’t turn them over to you.
No offense or anything, but that’s just bad business.
People wouldn’t shop here if they thought I might give their info to buyers.
No one wants to be contacted from a stranger about a T.V. they sold.
Ok, I wasn’t going to do this…
But I can see I have no choice.
Nina takes the laptop out of her bag.
She opens the file…
Then turns the screen for Matt to see.
Matt’s eyes pop wide.
Nina tells Matt all about her suspicions about Jessica Simmons.
Whoever sold this computer is keeping her hostage somewhere!
Wow, that’s. Wow.
I wish I could help.
But I really don’t know the seller’s name.
Frustrated, Nina heads home.
But somewhere on the drive…
She notices a car following her.
She knows she’s probably being paranoid…
But after what Eden said, she isn’t taking any chances.
When a light turns yellow, she lays on the gas…
Sailing through an intersection at the last possible moment.
The car following her is forced to stall at the red light.
Nina speeds away, going straight home.
When she gets there, she checks her phone.
No missed calls from the police.
Frustrated, she opens the computer again and brings up the pictures.
There HAS to be a clue in here somewhere.
Something she can use to figure out where Jessica is being held.
Or who tied her up.
She analyzes the pictures.
The only possible clue seems to be a rumpled T-shirt on the floor.
There’s something written on it…
But only the letters “Ma” are visible.
That could be anything.
Nina sighs.
If only Matt had known the seller’s name.
Nina gasps at a sudden realization.
Matt had said the pawnshop had been too busy for him to remember the seller’s name…
But he’d remembered Nina’s name.
AND what she’d bought.
Plus, the shop had been dead both times she’d been in.
Then a worse realization strikes.
Someone had followed her home from the pawnshop.
Could it have been him?
Someone knocks on her door.
Nina’s heart shoots into her throat.
She goes to the door and peers through the peephole…
She breathes a sigh of relief.
It’s only her loser ex.
Nina opens the door.
What do you want?
Nice to see you too.
I thought I told you I’m done with you.
I know.
But then I saw you driving and couldn’t stop thinking about you.
Driving? When?
Around 9th and Main not too long ago.
I tried to get your attention but you blew a red light and I lost you.
Wait a minute…
That was you in the black SUV?
Yeah, that’s my new ride. Like it?
How could you afford that?
Or do I even want to know…
Relax, it’s all above board.
I sold a bunch of my stuff to make money.
Nina’s heart lurches.
All of sudden, her eyes drop to Camden’s T-shirt.
Manitouwadge Shipping Co.
His family’s business.
Did…did you sell your stuff to EZ Pawn?
Yeah, how did you know?
Just then, Camden looks over her shoulder.
His eyes lock on the computer and his jaw hardens.
He walks toward it.
Oh, that’s just my new computer.
I was doing a paper for class.
She jumps up to beat him there.
Then quickly closes the computer and shoves it in her bag…
Actually, I’m running late…
So I have to run.
She sprints for the door.
Without a word, Camden moves in front of her…
Blocking the exit.
Give me the computer, Nina.
I’m going to be late.
I don’t have time for your games, Cam.
She tries to move around him, but he blocks her again…
Then dives for her bag.
She tries to dodge him, but he tackles her to the ground.
She screams…
But his hand quickly muffles the sound.
I realized I’d left those files on the computer…
So I went back to the pawnshop.
But the guy working there said someone had already bought it.
What a coincidence…
You always were poking your head where it didn’t belong!
Just then, the door bursts open.
A plainclothes police officer enters the room, drawing his gun.
Everyone put your hands up!
Camden immediately steps away from her…
Raising his hands.
Nina raises hers, too.
And sighs with relief.
When the police said they’d send an officer to take her statement “at some point”…
She never imagined he’d come at just the right time.
10 hours later…
Nina and Eden watch the news…
Which has been playing on a loop for hours.
They just can’t believe what happened.
The police found Jessica Simmons inside a shipping container on the Manitouwadge property.
Alive.
Camden is in custody on a whole slew of charges.
I knew he was a liar and a cheater, but this?
Do you wish you’d never dated him?
Nina thinks for a minute.
No, actually.
What?!
If I hadn’t dated him, I wouldn’t have figured out who had Jessica.
And then maybe she might never have been freed.
It was a bad relationship, but at least you’re okay.
And now…
Jessica will be, too.
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