In 1969, Sheriff Ed parks at the start of the fire tower lane to avoid disturbing potential evidence from the night of the suspected murder. As Sheriff Ed and Deputy Joe walk the sandy track, they note how shifting grains erase forms, offering no clear vehicle or foot impressions.

Near mud holes by the tower, they read a series of wildlife stories: raccoon trails, a snail’s lacework interrupted by a bear, and a turtle’s belly bowl. Joe briefly mistakes a geometric mark for a tire tread, but Sheriff Ed attributes it to layered animal prints, finding nothing man-made.

To check for a water approach, they hike to a small bay. A fan-shaped half circle in the sand looks to Joe like a boat’s bow print, but Sheriff Ed identifies it as wind-driven grass etching the sand. The beach, littered with shell fragments, holds no human traces.

Having searched both land and shoreline access, they conclude there are no discernible human tracks or boat evidence. The marsh’s sand and shells have kept its secrets, leaving the investigation without new leads.