It was in the newspaper the next morning, but by then I already knew the whole story. Officer Firelli had called. The body they found in the woods was Eileen Miller, Robert Miller’s missing wife. My pictures showed that Miller knew where she was all along. She had been shot with the same gun that Miller had used to shoot at me downtown. The police also found the bullet that he had shot at me in the alley. It was embedded in a door frame.
“It all ties back to Miller. He’s going to stand trial for murder, a couple of counts of attempted murder, and kidnapping— unless he gets smart and pleads guilty,” Officer Firelli said. “He must have had a good look at you that day in the woods, Ethan. He used to work in your old neighborhood. He picked you up a few times when you were underage—once for shoplifting and once for attempted purse-snatch. You remember?”
I nodded. That explained why I’d had the feeling that I’d seen him before.
“I didn’t recognize him,” I said.
“Well, he recognized you. We found a copy of your police record at his house. He knew where you were living. He must have followed you when he mugged you in that alley. Then he broke into the house to look for the camera and to check to see if you had backed up your photos on the Ashdales’ computer.”
“I didn’t.”
“He figured that out. He also knew about your involvement with the Nine-Eights. One of the guys we arrested said that someone tipped them off that you were downtown. They went there looking for you. Miller took advantage of that. He shot at you.”
Shot and missed.
“He also knew about the program you’re in at the youth center. It was in your file. And he knew you ran in the ravine every Sunday. A girl at the youth center told him.” He meant Sara.
“He must have decided to grab you when he found out that you always had your camera with you but that you never backed up your pictures. He decided he wasn’t going to take any chances. He was going to get rid of you and the camera. He must have thought that would put him in the clear. And he was right. We never would have found his wife if you hadn’t taken those pictures. He would have gotten away with it. I know how scared you must have been, Ethan, but your photos helped us catch a killer.”
A week later, the Picture This program ended with a special showing of our projects. Mine took first prize. The Ashdales were there with Alan and Tricia. So was Officer Firelli. He congratulated me on my work. Sara was there too. She took second prize. She didn’t seem to mind that I had beaten her. She held my hand the whole time. I’d decided that you never know what’s going to happen, so you shouldn’t waste time. I’d asked her out right after Miller was arrested. She’d said yes right away. For once, things were going right for me.