0:00

Maxie Miles. It's a production of a typical artists

0:02

and I Heart Radio. Everyone

0:06

settled down now and listen up. Riley

0:10

hasn't been seen since yesterday afternoon

0:13

and his parents don't know where he could

0:15

be. He was last seen at

0:17

City Hall talking to our mayor

0:19

for the school paper, who said he was at

0:21

city Hall until approximately four pm.

0:25

It's unclear where he went after

0:27

that. Now you

0:29

know how this all works. The

0:32

Volunteer Intervention Team will be getting

0:34

together this afternoon to organize search

0:36

parties and pulled together all the information

0:38

we have about Riley's comings and goings.

0:41

So if anyone here knows anything, you come

0:43

talk to me today. I'll be in Principle

0:46

Jennings office for the next few hours. We

0:49

have no reason to think that he's in

0:52

trouble, but obviously his

0:54

family is very concerned. Because we're

0:56

not certain of the nature of the disappearance.

1:00

Will be postponing the Harvest Festival

1:02

and enacting a curfew of a p M for

1:04

all residents under the age of eighteen, and

1:08

your parents will be getting a call informing them

1:10

of that fact. So don't you all try

1:12

to shirk this. Should

1:15

you see anything suspicious or

1:17

feel unsafe at any time, you

1:20

come straight to me or your neighborhood's

1:22

designated watch member. We've

1:25

all got to look out for each other now.

1:29

Thank you From

1:36

a typical Artists and I hurt radio. You're

1:39

listening to Maxie Miles. It's

2:03

this chapter two, The missing Friend.

2:09

Oh my god, Oh my god, where

2:11

do you think he is? Do you think he's

2:13

okay? THEO? Did you know

2:15

about this? Yeah, my dad

2:17

told me this morning. He drove me to school and said,

2:19

I'm not allowed to walk home anymore. So

2:22

he thinks it's a kidnapping. No, we

2:24

don't know that. Ross Well, I

2:26

mean my dad basically said as much. Riley's

2:28

bike is missing and he didn't come home last night.

2:31

Okay, But but if his bike is missing,

2:33

then then maybe he has it. I mean, that would

2:35

be a weird thing for a kidnapper to take. So so maybe

2:37

he just went for a ride somewhere and got lost or

2:39

hurt, or he fell down in a ditch or maybe

2:43

or Maxine,

2:45

he's going to be fine. He has

2:48

to be fine. Whoa Max Do you

2:50

want to slow down? Maybe? Max?

2:53

Where are you going? Sheriff

3:08

Combs? Maxine, did Mr Jennings

3:11

let you in. I believe there's to be an orderly

3:13

line. Principal Jennings ran the other

3:15

way when he saw me coming, and there's no one

3:17

else out there. Trust me, I would have wanted

3:19

to talk to everyone now,

3:22

Maxine, and I know you like to do your own little mystery

3:24

solving, but this is a serious investigation.

3:27

It's not little. Look,

3:30

Hastings hasn't had a missing person's

3:33

case since nineteen sixty two and

3:35

hasn't had a kidnapping on record since nineteen

3:37

fifty four. I

3:40

read remember a lot.

3:42

I know how serious this is, so

3:45

you know that if you've got information that

3:47

might be pertinent, you've got to tell me. Of

3:49

course, I

3:52

talked to Riley yesterday in the town square

3:55

around three fifteen. I

3:57

guess it was right after school. We'd

3:59

both biked over to see the graffiti. Well,

4:01

I mean I biked over to see the graffiti, which

4:03

I'm pretty sure was spray painted by Cody Thompson.

4:06

By the way, I didn't mention it last night

4:08

because well because I didn't have enough

4:10

concrete evidence. But today in home room I noticed

4:12

that he had some red marks on the left sleeve of his jacket.

4:15

So that's not looking great for Cody. Although I'm

4:17

almost certain he had an accomplice. Anyway,

4:19

that's that's not important. I

4:22

was there to see the graffiti, and Riley shot

4:24

up a few moments later on his way to city Hall. So

4:26

yeah, it was around three fift um.

4:29

And and it's

4:32

okay, Maxine, you take all the

4:34

time you need. Now, how did

4:36

he seem? He seemed fine,

4:39

like like Riley

4:41

always is. He's swell liked

4:43

in school, isn't he absolutely?

4:46

I mean he's only a freshman, right,

4:48

and he's not I mean, he's not Cody

4:51

Thompson. He's not star athlete,

4:53

homecoming king, popular, but everybody

4:55

loves him. I'm sure THEO

4:58

told you as much when you ask him about

5:00

Riley this morning. You're sharp,

5:03

but I'm not giving you information about

5:05

any other conversations I may or may not have had

5:07

about this particular topic. Fine,

5:11

Riley is kind to everyone. No

5:14

one's ever bullied him. He's never

5:16

picked on anyone. Even the

5:18

teachers like him.

5:20

Although yes he

5:23

was talking about wanting to get out

5:25

of Hastings or not

5:28

wanting to get out, he was talking about

5:30

family and how it was more than just

5:32

being related to someone, and

5:34

he said he was tired of Hastings Earth sick

5:37

of Hastings. I can't remember

5:40

the exact wording. Why can't I remember

5:42

the exact wording? Max,

5:46

It's okay, you're doing

5:48

great, not good enough? If

5:51

Riley said something yesterday that could be helpful,

5:53

I need to remember it exactly. Oh

5:57

oh, he gave me a tip

5:59

about the graffiti, that it had to

6:01

have been after one am, or that

6:03

it wasn't there at one You

6:06

think Riley was involved with the vandalism?

6:08

What? No, no way, you said

6:10

he was acting down on Hastings. No, Riley

6:12

wouldn't do that. How well did

6:15

you know him? How well do

6:17

I know him? You mean, yes?

6:19

Apologies? How well do you know?

6:22

We're locker buddies? What

6:25

our lockers are right next to each other? It

6:28

goes Riley Stevens me Ross

6:30

Teller. It's been that way since the sixth grade.

6:32

I see him every single day, multiple

6:34

times a day. So the two of you

6:37

hang out outside of school? Well,

6:40

no, but I don't. I

6:44

don't really hang out with anyone

6:47

after school between homework

6:49

and extracurriculars. I

6:52

understand, But

6:55

I know Riley. He wouldn't

6:57

cause trouble and he wouldn't run away, not

6:59

with telling someone first. Do

7:01

you know anything about what he's been

7:04

doing after school this week? Um,

7:07

other than talking to the mayor yesterday.

7:10

I assume he's been working on the next issue

7:12

of the paper. He's really passionate

7:14

about the school paper. Do you know anything about

7:17

the nature of the article he was writing? He said

7:19

it was just about the town, about

7:22

the festival. Miss Honeywell, Honeywell,

7:25

Allana Honeywell. She's the new owner

7:27

of the maple thorpe Mm hmm. Did

7:30

Riley mention when he was supposed to be speaking

7:32

with her? I'm not even sure he had an interview

7:34

set up. He didn't talk about

7:36

her specifically, just mentioned

7:39

the inn. Maybe it's some kind

7:41

of new Hastings piece, what

7:44

with the fiftie festival, the new mining

7:46

project. You mentioned the mining project?

7:49

Anything in particular about it? No, but

7:51

it's Hastings. When's the last

7:54

time you had a conversation for more than five

7:56

minutes that didn't turn to mining? Fair

7:58

point? Okay, I'll talk to the

8:01

other kids on the school paper see if there's

8:03

anything there. Do you think something might have happened

8:05

to him because of what he was writing about like

8:07

someone was trying to silence him. Now,

8:10

let's not get carried away, Maxine. The

8:12

Hastings High Gazette isn't the Washington Post,

8:14

and Riley Stevens isn't Bob Woodward. But

8:18

if he was going around town talking

8:20

to folks for an article, we might

8:22

get a better indication of his whereabouts. I

8:25

don't want you going around school talking to folks

8:28

about this now. We don't need the

8:30

rumor mill or adolescent

8:32

imaginings mutting this business up. You

8:34

hear me, I hear you

8:37

good? Anything else

8:40

not that I can think of, But if

8:42

I remember anything else, I promise I'll

8:44

come right. You'll find me. I know

8:48

you're a good kid, Maxine. Thanks

8:53

Mr Combs Sheriff.

8:58

You'll find him right,

9:01

We'll find him.

9:11

You didn't have to pick me up, you know. I

9:13

could have just biked home like usual. But

9:16

when we all got the call that they were cutting the school

9:18

day and have to focus on Riley.

9:22

God, it's just terrible. His poor

9:24

parents. Yeah.

9:27

I know it's silly to think that one day of driving you home

9:29

is going to keep you safe, but I'm

9:33

just glad is on top of it, and

9:35

that curfew that's a great idea. Sheriff

9:38

Colmes has never worked on a missing person's

9:40

case before, Joe, no one in Hastings

9:43

has. He is way out of his depth.

9:45

Wall is a trained investigator.

9:48

Just because he hasn't had a chance to exercise

9:50

those skills yet doesn't mean he doesn't have them.

9:54

And I know that Mr Colmes is going to do his best.

9:56

But I'm just it's

9:59

okay to be scared for Riley, you know. No,

10:01

I'm not. That isn't It's

10:04

just that they should already be conducting a town

10:06

wide search, especially in the woods and

10:08

at the quarry, even the old mines.

10:10

He could have been biking somewhere and gotten hurt. And

10:13

asking everybody in town if they've seen him

10:15

recently isn't going to solve that. Maxine

10:17

promised me, you aren't going to go out into those woods

10:19

looking for Riley. Of course

10:22

not. I'm not stupid. But don't

10:24

think I'm going to sit out volunteering

10:26

for the search party they're putting together. When Mrs

10:28

Slotsky's dog went missing, they let

10:30

everyone over the age of fourteen join. We'll

10:33

see, Joe, I'm not taking it

10:35

off the table, Okay, we'll see. But

10:38

until then, no off roading into the woods

10:40

or the mines. Of course, I'm not

10:42

going to go to the mines. I don't have a death

10:44

wish. Yeah, they are pretty creepy.

10:48

Hey, on the plus side, we won't have to worry

10:50

about them for long. Mm hmm.

10:54

I thought you would have been over the moon about that, kiddo. No

10:56

mining is good for the environment, right, except

10:59

it's not no mining. Them

11:01

blowing up the underground mind so they can focus

11:03

on making an enormous pit mine is just

11:05

as bad. No mining would be

11:07

good for the environment, but that's not what they're doing.

11:10

You know, this town was built on the back of

11:12

that quarry. You wouldn't be sitting where

11:14

you're sitting if people didn't mind. That's

11:16

a pretty crappy justification for

11:18

destroying the planet. Not to me,

11:20

it's not a happy to be very glad you're here. You

11:23

know. That's not what I mean. I know, but

11:26

I also know you love this town

11:29

as much as you complain about parts of

11:31

it. I do love this town.

11:34

I just wish sometimes that Hastings would be more

11:36

okay with moving into the century.

11:38

We're not there yet, Max, don't go rushing ahead

11:43

all right, kiddo, this is you. You're not

11:45

coming in. It's not even neon. I gotta

11:47

go back to work. You stay

11:49

home, okay. I really think

11:51

that you're overreacting. Max.

11:56

Yeah, yeah, I'll stay home.

12:09

And I told him Riley, I've

12:12

been mayor of Hastings for thirty five

12:14

years, and I'm telling you this is going to be

12:16

the greatest harvest festival we've

12:18

ever seen. You can take that

12:21

straight to the bank. He

12:23

seemed very excited about that. I

12:26

know how much Riley loves the festival.

12:28

That's really all he was asking about the

12:31

harvest festival. Oh

12:33

you bet. He made it

12:35

sound like the piece was about the town more generally,

12:39

like about the history or the town's future.

12:42

Well, it is a fiftieth festival,

12:44

young lady. That's pretty historic.

12:47

But he didn't ask you about anything else specific.

12:51

Well, no, not

12:53

that I can remember. I

12:56

have many meetings throughout the day, you understand,

12:59

and not the mayor

13:01

I used to be. Of course.

13:03

It's just well, the school paper doesn't

13:05

have any of his notes or even any record

13:08

of what his assignment was, so I'm

13:10

just trying to piece it together. Maybe

13:12

he was going rogue reporter cooking

13:15

up something special to surprise

13:17

his schoolmates with him, maybe

13:22

um mayor how

13:25

yes, my dear, you don't

13:27

seem all that worried about

13:29

the fact that Riley is missing. Well,

13:35

we're not completely sure

13:38

what is going on with young Mr Stevens.

13:40

What do you mean? Well, now, listen,

13:43

I already told this to Walton, to Riley's

13:45

parents, but I don't want you spreading

13:47

any rumors around all right. Of

13:50

course, whatever you tell me is strictly

13:52

between us Scouts, honor. Look,

13:55

I don't know anyone's business. I'm always

13:58

here for the people of this town, but it's

14:01

not my job to be everyone's nosy neighbor.

14:04

But before Riley left

14:07

he asked me about bus routes,

14:09

bus roots. Well. He wanted to know

14:12

the fastest way to get to Berlin, and

14:14

I told him he could get the bus from Gorham,

14:16

but he'd probably have to have

14:18

his parents drive him to Gorham, so they might

14:21

as well just drive him all the way Berlin.

14:24

What would Riley want to go to Berlin for? Like

14:28

I said, it's none of my business. But

14:30

when I told what that will, you

14:33

seem to find it quite interesting? He

14:36

thinks he thinks Riley

14:38

ran away. I don't want to go

14:40

speculating on what anyone does or does

14:42

not think. But I'm sure

14:44

wherever Riley is he's very

14:47

safe. Must

14:52

Berlin, must Berwin.

14:54

What what did you want in Berlin? Okay?

14:58

I need to get the bus schedule from Gorham.

15:00

Talked to Riley's parents. Hey,

15:04

watch it. Oh gosh,

15:06

I'm so sorry. I oh

15:09

it's you. What am I not

15:11

allowed to buy gum?

15:13

Sorry? I just I didn't see

15:15

you. I noticed Hastings

15:20

High Gazette, Gorham

15:22

bust schedule the Stevens.

15:25

What is this? It's none of your

15:27

business. You think you're going to

15:29

find Riley before the sheriff and Community

15:31

Watch does well? If they let everyone

15:34

join Community Watch, then it wouldn't be a question

15:36

of who figures it out first. Look.

15:39

In four years you can graduate and

15:41

become an investigator and solve

15:43

all the missing cat and vandalism

15:45

cases that Hastings has to offer. Aren't

15:47

you worried, Jenna, Riley

15:50

our friend is missing, like

15:52

actually missing missing? Yes,

15:55

I know, Max, of

15:57

course I'm worried. But you know

15:59

what's not going to make it better trying

16:02

to track Riley down to Berlin and

16:04

becoming hasting second missing person

16:06

in like a hundred years.

16:09

I'm not stupid, Jenna, I know that. Wait,

16:13

how did you know that Riley wanted to go to Berlin?

16:16

I he mentioned

16:19

something to me last week. I go

16:21

there every two weeks for skate practice at the big rink

16:23

they have, and

16:26

and Riley was wondering

16:28

if he could hitch a ride with me. I

16:30

told him, sure, I knew, may Or how was

16:32

wrong? What are you talking about? I

16:35

think he's just assuming that Riley ran

16:37

away like some teenage

16:39

rebellion or something. But you

16:41

don't make carpool plans with someone and then

16:43

just run away on your own. Yeah,

16:46

except Max.

16:50

He was supposed to come with me this past

16:52

weekend. He bailed

16:55

at the last second. Something

16:57

about family drama. What

17:00

kind of family drama? I don't know. I

17:02

didn't pry. What about Berlin?

17:05

Why did Riley want to go? I don't know. Okay,

17:08

I'm not always in everyone's business

17:10

like me. You mean you said it?

17:13

I wonder what's going on? Do

17:15

you think he fought with his parents? I have no

17:17

idea. I thought he really got along

17:20

with them. Whenever we used to hang out

17:22

there, they were always so I

17:24

don't know, like picture

17:26

perfect yeah, Well a

17:28

lot of things were different in middle school.

17:30

Max. Things change,

17:33

Yeah, they do. I don't

17:35

know if he really was

17:38

fighting with his parents. Maybe

17:41

he's blowing off steam somewhere. It's

17:44

only been a day. Maybe he'll

17:46

just come back. Yeah,

17:51

maybe,

18:04

good morning. I

18:06

care to explain this? What

18:09

were you looking through my room?

18:11

I was bringing the laundry up this morning and I found

18:14

this? This? What is this? Max?

18:17

It's nothing? Research note,

18:19

it's nothing. Where were you

18:22

yesterday? I told you to stay home?

18:24

And Mr Beatty said he saw you leave and come

18:26

back hours later. Why do you have Mr

18:29

Beatie checking up on me? Because the tellers

18:31

get home the same time I do, and you know that Mrs

18:33

Hannaman is usually half asleep by two. Someone

18:36

in this neighborhood needs to be looking out

18:38

for you. So where were you?

18:41

I I had to go to the library.

18:43

I needed to check out some books. Oh

18:45

yeah, where are they in my

18:48

back? You're a terrible liar,

18:50

Max. You always have been fine.

18:54

I was at city Hall, okay. I was totally

18:57

safe and home well before the curfew, So

18:59

it's nice. What were you doing at

19:01

city Hall talking to mayor

19:03

how it's a school project thing?

19:06

Why were you going through my stuff? I thought you trusted

19:09

me. I do, maccine. That's

19:11

the deal we made, right. We trust each other

19:13

because we're all we've got. But that only works

19:15

when you talk to me. I do talk

19:18

to you, not about this. These

19:20

are these are notes about Riley, about the sheriff.

19:23

It seems like you interviewed every

19:25

person on the school paper, and I bet that's what you were

19:28

at. How's about too, I don't see what the

19:30

big deal is. I'm just asking some questions.

19:33

The big deal is that you're asking questions

19:35

that could get you into a lot of trouble. In trouble,

19:37

how I'm not spying on people.

19:40

If they don't want to talk to me, they don't have to. Did

19:43

you know that a boy Riley's age

19:45

died about thirty five years ago? What

19:49

in in Hastings? M

19:51

hm? Did you? Did

19:53

you know him? No? I

19:56

was barely walking when it happened. But your dad

19:58

was in elementary school and it was a

20:01

very big thing at the time, one

20:03

of those things we were all told about

20:05

all the time growing up. What happened?

20:09

They found him in the woods. Why

20:11

have I never heard about this? How

20:14

did he head wound? It?

20:16

Was designated as an accident. He

20:18

was out exploring and slipped

20:22

and hit his head on a rock. That's

20:24

probably why it never showed up in any of your true

20:27

crime reading. But you don't think it

20:29

was an accident. That's not what I said.

20:33

But it scared everyone. Those

20:36

woods are dangerous and there are there

20:38

are dangerous people everywhere.

20:41

What are you talking about. You've lived a very

20:43

sheltered life, magazine, don't give

20:45

me that joke. You know that's not true.

20:47

Your parents did a really good job protecting

20:49

you from all the ugly stuff. Yeah, but they're

20:52

not here anymore, are they? I

20:54

know, But I've

20:56

been doing my best. I

20:59

know. I know. That's not what I'm saying.

21:01

I just mean I'm not

21:04

stupid. I know that the world

21:06

isn't all good all the time I've lived

21:08

it. Okay, you're right,

21:11

But I also know Hastings and

21:13

I know Riley. He wouldn't go

21:16

wandering into the woods. He's not reckless

21:18

like that, and I don't think he would

21:20

run away like

21:23

you might feel like you know Riley, Max.

21:25

But people are always who we expect them

21:27

to be. And as much as I care about

21:30

Riley too, and I do, my

21:32

first priority is always going

21:34

to be you, kiddo. Yeah,

21:36

I know. So

21:39

if you want to keep notes, keep

21:41

notes, okay, write down everything

21:43

and anything that you think of, and make sure

21:45

to tell Walt if there's

21:47

anything you think of that could help,

21:50

obviously, but believe it at that all

21:52

right, whether Riley

21:54

got lost or ran off or or

21:57

something else, you don't

22:00

go following him. Understood,

22:03

understood. Thank

22:20

you all for taking the time out

22:22

of your busy work days and extra

22:25

curriculars and all of the rest

22:28

to help us out the

22:30

assistance of our crisis volunteers.

22:32

We have completed our search of the town and most

22:35

of our preliminary interviews. Riley

22:38

Steven's awareabouts are still UNKNOWNE so

22:41

we'll be expanding our search into

22:43

the state park at this time. Grab

22:47

a flashlight, the vest, and the

22:49

body. Then follow your group leader

22:51

into your assigned sector. I've

22:53

already spoken to the folks who would have property

22:55

overlapping with the park, and we're fine

22:58

to go on their land, but everyone be

23:00

sure to be respectful about the park.

23:02

And you

23:06

got an assigned sector yet, tell

23:08

her what are you doing here my

23:11

civic duty? You hate town stuff.

23:14

I don't know if you noticed, but This isn't some

23:16

kind of hockey town clean up effort, Miles, this is

23:18

actually important. Yes,

23:20

thank you. I did notice that the

23:23

litteral clean up is important. M

23:28

all right, Alf, what

23:32

are you going to be my buddy?

23:34

I don't see anyone else volunteering. I

23:37

was going to ask THEO Never

23:41

mind, right, he's

23:45

up there with his dad anyway, speaking.

23:47

Oh, I'm surprised, Joe. Let you come out. Joe

23:50

doesn't know I'm here. I

23:53

knew you'd be here, Max, And I'm sure Joe will figure

23:55

it out, and I'm sure he'll be thrilled. I'm

23:58

allowed to be here. Everyone over

24:00

the age of fourteen is allowed. Maybe

24:02

allowed by the sheriff, but your uncle would

24:04

probably have a different perspective. Your

24:06

parents don't mind you're here, I'm guessing I'm

24:09

not sure they really notice where I am at any given

24:11

moment. They've got a lot on their plates.

24:21

Do you know where we're supposed to be going? Yep?

24:24

Northeast sector three, meaning

24:28

that way right.

24:33

We're supposed to sweep the sector a mile in

24:36

half a mile wide and then come back again.

24:40

And how on earth are we going to know when we've done that. I've

24:42

spent most of the past six hours studying

24:45

maps of hastings in the surrounding area. Max,

24:47

We've had school all day. What's

24:49

your point? Why

24:52

do you care about this so much? What

24:55

do you mean? I mean, you're acting

24:57

like this is entirely your problem to fix. It's

24:59

not even in a problem you can fix.

25:02

You don't know that what you think

25:04

you're going to actually find Riley before the actual

25:07

investigator Sheriff Holmes has

25:09

never worked worked a missing person's case. I

25:11

know, I know, but neither

25:13

have you. It doesn't mean I can't

25:16

try. You can't actually

25:18

wish things into existence. Max.

25:20

Are you not seeing me do exactly

25:23

the opposite of that right now? Ross, I'm

25:25

not the one who sits at home waiting for the world to

25:27

get better around me. What's that supposed

25:30

to mean? Why are you here?

25:32

Ross? Oh?

25:34

What was that? Hello?

25:40

Max? It's probably

25:43

just an animal. Max. Stop it

25:45

could be a dangerous animal. Well, we

25:47

won't know for sure if we don't check it out,

25:51

So let go of me, Maxim

25:56

I really think we should turn around. You

25:58

don't go back and find what

26:00

find a grown up? Come on, Lass?

26:03

Max? Wait

26:09

Riley? Max? Riley?

26:17

Oh? Maxie

26:21

Miles was created by Lauren Shipman and his Production

26:23

of A Typical Artists and I Heart Radio. This

26:26

episode was written and directed by Lauren Shippen, Dialogue

26:29

editing and sound designed by Marrissy Eewing of Hemlock Creek

26:31

Productions was editing assistance Fromlaurien Davis.

26:34

It featured Jordan Cobb as Maxine Miles, Maxa

26:37

Follow as Ross teller A, Shanny Cannon Car

26:39

as Jenna Ambrose, Morgan el Garton sco

26:41

Combs, Michael Smallwood as Uncle Joe,

26:44

Sean Jayne as Sheriff Combs, and Josh

26:46

you Bino as Mayor how Original artwork

26:48

by Shane McMullan. For more information about

26:50

the show, Who's visit Maxie Miles dot

26:52

com and follow A Typical Artists on Twitter

26:55

and Instagram. Maxie Miles is executive

26:57

produced by Lauren Shippen and I Heart Radio and

26:59

for more podcast us from my Heart Radio, visit me I

27:01

Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

27:03

you listen to your favorite shows. Thank you for listening

27:06

and keep curious