a couple notches. He’s charming and easy on the eyes. I’d say most every straight, female biology major knew who Max was.
MARTINA GREEN: Going back to last fall—the fall of his senior year. Was Max dating anyone?
MICHELLE HEATH: Not that I’m aware of. He was dating this girl Maxine when I was a first-year, which I only remember because they were Max and Maxine. But they broke up a long time ago. I heard rumors about him hooking up with a couple girls that fall, but I don’t really know. I think he was holding out for Zoe.
MARTINA GREEN: Can you clarify for our listeners that the Zoe in question is Zoe Spanos?
MICHELLE HEATH: That’s right. Max had it bad for Zoe, it was pretty obvious. I wasn’t super close with her, but we had a lab together that fall. This one time toward the end of the semester, she was getting all these texts during lab. We were partnered up, and she kept stopping to check her phone. It was annoying. She apologized, saying Max wouldn’t stop texting her.
MARTINA GREEN: And you’re certain the texts were from Max Adler?
MICHELLE HEATH: Completely. She showed me her screen; there was a whole string of texts asking her to meet up with him that night.
MARTINA GREEN: Do you remember when this was specifically?
MICHELLE HEATH: Early December, I think. It was right before winter break.
MARTINA GREEN: Do you know if Zoe did meet up with Max? Did she tell you anything else about the nature of their relationship?
MICHELLE HEATH: No, sorry. Like I said, we were just bio friends. I knew she had a boyfriend from home; probably, Max was trying to get Zoe to break up with him. But I’m just guessing.
MARTINA GREEN: Listeners, while the exact nature of Max Adler’s relationship with Zoe Spanos remains unclear, what we know for sure is this: They knew each other from Brown and were close enough that they had exchanged phone numbers. We know also that the Herron Mills PD found reason to bring Mr. Adler in for questioning this weekend. I hope to bring you further updates on this development next week.
I had planned to conclude this episode with a follow-up conversation with Anna Cicconi, but her legal team is not permitting further interviews while her pretrial motion is pending. I did speak with Anna off the record on Saturday, and she expressed her enthusiasm that Missing Zoe has gained so many listeners since we spoke earlier this month. In fact, Episode Six reached a record sixty thousand downloads, which is all thanks to you.
Please keep listening. I’m Martina Green, and I’ll be back next week with more Missing Zoe.
[CODA TO MISSING ZOE INSTRUMENTAL THEME]
29 THEN
August
Herron Mills, NY
WHEN I WAKE UP, it’s dark. A full moon glows outside the window. I’m not sure how long I’ve been sleeping. On the nightstand are two cold pieces of toast and a glass of orange juice. It looks like I drank half of it, but I don’t remember that. I don’t remember Emilia coming to check on me either, but she must have. Next to the plate is a note:
Sleep as long as you need to. Please call if you need anything. —Emilia.
I force myself to sit up and take a couple wooden bites of toast. I feel hungry, but my stomach clenches, and I push the plate aside, afraid I won’t be able to keep it down. I search my pockets for my phone, then my bag. My legs feel like rubber bands; my mouth tastes like chalk. Finally I find it plugged into the charger in the pool house kitchen. Emilia must have done that too.
I lean heavily against the counter and navigate to the news, dreading what I know I’ll find, but needing to see it anyway.
George Spanos of Herron Mills, NY, was seen entering the town morgue at 3:47 p.m. on Monday. Local officials confirm he was called in to identify the body of a young woman found in Parrish Lake. Earlier this morning, Parks Director Paula Aimes alerted police to the presence of a small motorboat submerged toward the center of the lake, which was discovered by her staff during algae cleanup efforts. When it was raised to the surface, a young woman’s body was found in the bed of the motorboat, enclosed beneath a tarp.
While officials have not yet confirmed the identity of the body, the disappearance of nineteen-year-old Zoe Spanos from Herron Mills last December 31 is at the