Mystery Noir

Mawaska Part 11

The next day, once my brain was rested enough to manage a little bit of work, I spoke with a couple of the supposedly missing people. Not all of them, mind you, and I even spoke to others who had left their homes in similar circumstances before the wards had dropped and remained forgotten long enough that no one was looking for them.

They were well adjusted, answering in a variety of ways and personalities, giving me no indication of brainwashing or radicalization. I could come to no other conclusion that Mawaska was a sanctuary for the sake of helping people who needed it.

Walking around town, I tried to shake the uncomfortable feeling of everyone's fear and distrust. I was an outsider who knew their secrets. I know that it wouldn't have gone around to many people that I was being offered an exorbitant amount of money to expose them, but they knew enough about me to know I was still capable of bringing this world crashing down around them.

If I had been in their place, I wouldn't have trusted me either. I understood it, and the fact that I had not given any indication about what I was going to do probably did nothing to reassure them. The fact that no one was trying to kill me to protect the secret said enough about how decent the people were and how much they needed to be protected.

I still did not like the feeling I got, the judgement, as if I was the bad guy. It was ostracizing and shaming despite the fact that I had not done anything to them. I was innocent! I didn't intend to endanger or hurt any of them!

Sitting in front of my laptop, I rubbed my forehead and willed my brain to stay functioning for just a bit longer, all while mentally prepping myself. I had never lied to a client before. I had terminated an unethical contract or refused to continue to work for them, but one did not get very far by lying to people who were paying you for the truth.

Integrity can be fostered by telling the truth, no matter how hard. But it can also be about standing up for what is right, no matter what the cost. Be it a cool million or possibility of having my name dragged through the mud.

With a sigh, I opened the computer and logged in through the security protocols. I had a few inquiries about jobs waiting in my inbox, but I merely opened up the email I had left unanswered till now. The dilemma beyond the ethical question was, how to shut down the contract without appearing suspicious.

With all due respect,

I was willing to look past my normal requirement of my customers being completely up front about their motivations and identities, for the sake of these allegedly missing persons. However, I cannot, in good conscious continue to do so.

There is no indication that any of the people were in Mawaska. There is no indication that the town is anything more than a small town off the highway. I have searched extensively and believe that you have sent me searching on a wild goose chase. Keep in mind that the next camera after the Mawaska turn off is a hundred miles away and the video footage is remarkably unreliable, thus inconclusive.

I believe that if police are looking for clues as to where these people have disappeared to, they should begin with in-depth investigations into the people closest to them. And, unfortunately, time is against them. If the people are missing, it is unlikely that they will be found after such a long period of time. If they have chosen to leave, they will choose when to return, or not. All of them are adults and there is no indication of foul play.

I will be ending this contract with you, and there is no requirement for any further financial billing.

N. Westin, B.A., M.S., PhD.

Westin Investigations

I did not look forward to the response, so I merely closed my computer and told myself that I could look at the emails about another job in the morning. I did not know if I had done a good job of closing off suspicion or curiosity. And it was quite possible that they would just hire someone with less scruples than me to pick up where I had left off.