"We're going to do everything we can," Miles said, and meant it.
They asked a few more questions about Amanda's routine, her friends, and her typical schedule.Linda and Robert answered as best they could, their responses punctuated by long pauses and visible effort to maintain composure.Jessica stayed quiet, occasionally wiping her eyes but mostly staring at the floor.
When it became clear that the family had no information about threats or unusual behavior in the days before Amanda's death, Miles knew it was time to leave.They had learned what they could, and staying longer would only prolong the family's pain.He already felt like he had overstayed their welcome.
"Thank you for speaking with us," Miles said as they stood to leave."If you think of anything else, anything at all that seemed unusual or out of place, please call us."He handed Linda his card and she took it with trembling fingers.
"Do you really think you can find them?"she asked.
"We have resources and experience with cases like this," Vic said."We won't stop until we have answers."
Linda walked them to the door, her movements slow and heavy.As they stepped outside, Miles heard Jessica begin to cry again, the sound raw and broken.Linda closed the door quickly, as if trying to contain the grief inside.
They walked back to the car in silence.Miles waited until they were both inside with the doors closed before speaking.
"She's barely holding on," he said.“All of them…”
Vic started the engine and pulled away from the curb."Losing a sibling is devastating.And the way Amanda died, the violence of it, that makes it even harder to process."
Miles thought about Jessica's question.Do you think you can find who did this to her?He wanted to believe they could, wanted to have Vic's certainty.But two victims were already dead, and they still had no clear leads beyond the connection to Kane's philosophy.
"We need to identify the second victim," Miles said."If we can find a connection between them and Amanda, we might be able to figure out how the killer is selecting targets."
“Well, that’s not really up to us, though.Forensics is working it and I’m assuming they don’t really have much to work from based on the terrible crime scene photos.”
"So…what now?Maybe we should go talk to Clyde Newsome?The astronomer who saw the victim fall."
“Yeah, that would be my move,” Vic agreed.“HIs information is in the case files somewhere if you want to pull it up.”
Miles did just that and found Newsome’s address and phone number.“Got it,” he said.“I’ll give him a call, see if he’s at home or at work.”As he made the call, Miles stared out the window at the passing streets, at the normal people going about their normal lives, completely unaware that the long-stretching shadow of the Elementalist has fallen on Los Angeles.
CHAPTER NINE
As it turned out, Clyde Newsome was at work, so that’s where they went.The KTLA television station occupied a building in Hollywood, where Clyde worked in the meteorology department on the third floor.Miles and Vic found him in a small room filled with computer monitors displaying weather data, satellite imagery, and atmospheric pressure readings.The space smelled faintly of coffee and had the organized chaos of a workplace where multiple people shared equipment and desk space.
Newsome was a thin man in his late twenties with wire-rimmed glasses and a nervous energy that manifested in constant small movements.When Miles and Vic introduced themselves, he seemed relieved to see them.He’d seemed almost excited to speak to Miles when he’d called to ask for an interview.
"We appreciate you taking the time," Miles said as they settled into Newsome’s workspace."Can you start by telling us about your job here?"
Newsome adjusted his glasses as he nodded."I'm a meteorological technician.Basically, I assist the on-air meteorologists with data collection and equipment maintenance.I launch weather balloons when needed, usually just to measure atmospheric conditions, calibrate instruments, and process incoming data from NOAA and other sources.It's technical work that keeps the weather forecasts accurate."
"And do you launch weather balloons regularly?"Vic asked.
"I’d say maybe one or two a week," Newsome confirmed."It really just depends on when they need me.”
“Can you explain the importance of the balloons in the day-to-day operations of the newscast?”Vic asked.
“Sure.The weather balloons are necessary…and pretty much standard practice for stations that do their own atmospheric monitoring.The balloons carry radiosondes that measure temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed as they ascend.The data transmits back to us in real time."
"How high do these balloons typically go?"Miles asked.
"That all depends on the balloon size and the weight of the instrument package.But most of ours reach about 100,000 feet before they burst.The radiosonde parachutes back down and we try to recover them when possible."
"So you're familiar with how weather balloons behave," Vic said."How they ascend, how they're affected by wind, that kind of thing."
"I've launched probably a hundred or so of them over the past five years," Newsome said."And I’m always working with people who do it quite regularly.”
Miles leaned forward slightly, ready to turn the conversation elsewhere."When you witnessed the body falling last night, you said you knew without much trouble that the body was suspended by weather balloons.Can you describe that in more detail?"
