In sweltering heat at the fire tower, Sheriff Ed Jackson sends Dr. Vern Murphy to inform Chase Andrews’s family and bring the ambulance, warning the two boys—one named Benji—to stay put and keep quiet. Deputy Joe Purdue arrives, and together they confirm there are no footprints near the body and no signs of prints being brushed away.

They document the scene with photos and measurements. An experienced ambulance driver helps Ed and Joe carefully load Chase’s body, still muddy, into the vehicle. With the boys dismissed, Ed and Joe climb the tower to examine the platform.

At the top, they find one floor grate standing open directly above where Chase fell. Looking down, they see the outline of his body in the mud and a splintered support beam consistent with a head strike. They decide to collect splinters, hair, and fibers, and to fingerprint the open grate, the stair grate, railings, and banisters; Ed spots Joe with a rope as Joe gathers samples.

After hours of work, Ed remains cautious about drawing conclusions, but the open grate and lack of footprints suggest staged circumstances. Joe argues Chase’s serial womanizing could have bred resentment and suspects, including jealous husbands; Ed also considers an unknown debtor. They note a killer would need strength to push Chase. The investigation pivots from accident toward potential foul play.