This town’s a wreck. There was a murder right near one of the most popular restaurant and theaters in town, and the police department is confounded as to who did it- as far as I know. The local news has short segments asking the public for any information on the case, and I sure hope they get it because I don’t like the idea of a killer on the loose.

I imagine a time when cameras with facial and plate recognition are so pervasive that there would be no doubt or delay with naming a suspect. I can also envisage these cameras being as small as stickers and virtually undetectable.

Speaking of crime, I have a gut feeling that a friend -at least that’s what I called him at one time- may be involved in something. I don’t have rock-solid evidence, but I sure as hell hope I’m wrong with my gut feeling. There was a bizarre disappearance in an area called Meadow Lakes near Wasilla. A snowmobile was found between two trees with the driver nowhere in site – but a lone glove was left by the machine. A little O.J.-esque, if you ask me. A few weeks later a body was recovered that was determined to be the missing snowmobiler, but I’m assuming that since it took so long to find the corpse it must have been moved or the snowmobile was moved from the scene- most likely both. I know all this because it was in the paper.

The reason this is concerning to me is that a few months ago, back in August or September of last year, the guy I had called my friend had said something along the lines of doing something that would be the saddest song that he knew – Between Two Trees. This was said in Meadow Lakes, where his dad’s place is. I was there for a BBQ. I was drinking heavily and I think that’s why he said this to me because he figured I wouldn’t remember. The only reason I remember this conversation was because of how bizarre and out of character it was. I told him that I had never heard that song, but I’ve heard of Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, and then I looked it up on his phone because he had never seen it. He told me that he would have an alibi, and that whatever was going to happen wouldn’t be him, though snowmobilers are never good guys.

I know all this seems crazy. Believe me, it does to me too. I talked to the guy a few nights ago to see if I could get any information about it, and he had mentioned getting and carrying a shotgun for bear protection on one of his long bike excursions. I know he has a criminal history, and he can’t legally carry weapons or even legally drive. I don’t know if there was a weapon involved with the snowmobiler, but a shotgun is one possibility. Now, if and whenever I get real-solid evidence, I will go straight to the authorities. As of right now, my suspicion is very little merit with a strong foundation of proof. It would be too little to act on for authorities, and it would make me seem like a paranoid individual if I went to the troopers right now.

The thing is though, I don’t even know if he was in the area during the time of the disappearance. He was in Portland in the latter half of the year, and now he’s in Seward at AVTEC. If he was in Meadow Lakes during December, then that puts him in proximity to the crime. If he wasn’t there, then my assumption is that he knew something was going to go down months in advance, but may not have had direct involvement. The questions in my head about all this are too great. Like I said, if I had something solid, I’d know what to do.

I hate putting real names on the internet. If he didn’t have any involvement, then I would surely hate myself for implicating him in all this. If he did have involvement and finds out that it was me that said something, then I’d be worried for my safety.