Page 17 of Silent Neighbor

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Twenty minutes later, they pulled up outside the Vertical Limit. The building was an old converted warehouse, its industrial exterior now adorned with colorful murals depicting mountainous landscapes and climbers in action. Through the large windows, Sheila could see climbers scaling the towering walls inside, their movements a graceful dance against gravity.

Before getting out of the car, Sheila checked her phone, re-reading the messages from Star, mentally speculating about what Star might want to discuss. Then, with a deliberate effort, she shoved such questions to the back of her mind and climbed out of the vehicle.

As Sheila and Finn entered the gym, the sound of rock music hit them, mixed with the chatter of climbers and the occasional shout of encouragement. The air was thick with the scent of chalk and sweat. Climbers of all ages moved about, some strapping on harnesses, others chalking their hands in preparation for their next ascent.

Sheila scanned the room, looking for an employee. Her eyes landed on a young woman at the front desk, her attention divided between a computer screen and a line of waiting customers.

"Excuse me," Sheila said as they approached, flashing her badge. "I'm Deputy Stone, and this is Deputy Mercer. We need to speak with someone about Jake Pearson."

The young woman shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, but as you can see, we're swamped right now. Is there any way you could come back later?"

Finn stepped forward, his voice low and urgent. "Ma'am, we're investigating Jake's death. Any information you have could be crucial."

A shadow crossed the woman's face. "His death? I had no idea…" She trailed off, glancing worriedly at the growing line of impatient customers. Then, after a moment, she cleared her throat and called over her shoulder, "Zack! Can you cover the desk for a few minutes?"

A lanky teenager with a mop of curly hair appeared, looking slightly overwhelmed as he took in the line. The woman turned back to Sheila and Finn. "I'm Alexis," she said. "Let's talk in the office."

She led them to a small room off the main climbing area, closing the door behind them to muffle the noise from outside. Alexis perched on the edge of a cluttered desk, her expression grave. The young woman's arms were toned and muscular, her hands calloused—clearly an experienced climber herself.

"What happened to Jake?" she asked.

"His body was found in the Valley of the Gods this morning," Sheila said, deliberately avoiding any insinuation that he may have been murdered.

Alexis shook her head sadly. "That's terrible. Still, occupational hazards and all…"

"How well did you know him?" Sheila asked.

Alexis shrugged. "He was a regular here. Always pushing himself, always looking for the next big challenge…" She trailed off again, clearly distracted by the news about Jake's death.

"Did Jake have any enemies here?" Finn asked. "Anyone who might have had a grudge against him?"

"Enemies?" Alexis looked troubled. "Why is that relevant? Do you think someone killed him?"

Sheila and Finn said nothing. Alexis shook her head in disbelief.

"This is… incredible," she said. "Insane. Who would want to harm him?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Sheila said. "Any information you can give us would be helpful."

Alexis bit her lip, hesitating. Sheila could see she was wrestling with something. The young woman's eyes darted to the door, then back to the deputies.

"I'm not really comfortable talking about other climbers," she said, her voice tight. "We're like a family here. It doesn't feel right to gossip, especially now."

Sheila leaned forward. "Alexis, I understand your loyalty to your community. That's admirable. But this isn't gossip—this is a murder investigation. If Jake was part of your climbing family, doesn't that give you extra motivation to get justice for him?"

Alexis shifted uncomfortably. "Of course it does, but—"

"Look," Sheila interrupted, her tone softening. "We're not here to cause trouble for anyone. We just want to understand what happened to Jake. Anything you know, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem, could help us find who did this to him."

Alexis still looked uncertain. Sheila decided to try a different approach.

"Think about Jake's family, Alexis. His loved ones. They're suffering right now, trying to make sense of this tragedy. You have the power to help them find closure. Wouldn't you want someone to do the same for you if you were in their shoes?"

This seemed to strike a chord with Alexis. Her resolve visibly wavered.

"We're not asking you to accuse anyone," Finn added. "We just need to know if there were any conflicts, any tensions that might help us understand what led to this."

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