Chapter 5

Winslow Covington agonizes over kissing Griffin Eden again and over the department’s frosty reception to her leadership. Determined to focus, she reviews six months of case files and the seven Quincy suicides, unsettled by Lily Green’s lack of a note, the car left miles from Indigo Ridge, and missing shoes.

Seeking perspective, Winslow calls her Bozeman mentor, Cole Goodman. She outlines Lily’s case and the broader pattern: seven suicides in ten years, mostly women in their twenties, with varied methods and only one recent male victim. Cole encourages her to trust her instincts, keep talking to people, and accept ruffling feathers until her gut settles.

Back at the station, Winslow formalizes stricter reporting standards and schedules one-on-one meetings with each officer, anticipating more resistance. She recalls canvassing Indigo Ridge again over the weekend, finding no new evidence to explain Lily’s missing note, transport, or shoes.

That evening, Winslow visits Pops for burgers. After a warm greeting from neighbor Frank, Pops and Winslow discuss the suicides, community counseling efforts, and the newspaper’s critical article about her hire. Pops insists prior deaths were investigated, noting most included notes, and suggests Lily’s might still be found. He warns Winslow to be careful with Griffin after hearing small-town chatter.

Winslow leaves with renewed resolve to keep looking for answers for Melina Green. When she arrives home, she sees two familiar trucks and finds two men—one dusty, one in a suit—waiting on her porch. She confronts them with, “What are you doing here?”