Just a quick note, all emails referenced in this episode have been altered slightly

to maintain anonymity and for clarity.

As a general rule, small towns don't usually keep big secrets for very long.

Arches in Deanna, though, might be the exception.

This is episode 17, a secret confession.

During our year-long reporting on Darling's case, we spent our fair share of time in Marshall County.

We ate at local restaurants, stayed at local hotels,

chatted up locals in small, smoke-filled bars,

and even had hushed conversations with local people in libraries, coffee shops, and on street corners.

We thought we'd heard it all.

But on March 13, 2023, four days after we dropped the Deck Investigate series,

we got to tip via email from someone with a story that we'd never heard before.

For reasons you'll soon come to understand our tips are wanted to remain anonymous,

but here's what I can share.

I know for certain people involved in the information wouldn't want to be spoken to

or included in any investigation.

I also wouldn't wish to be identified or spoken to by police or anything like that.

I'm not looking for enemies or trouble of any kind,

and I just don't want to be involved in any of this on the record.

It's why I've held on to his name, but I was hesitant to do anything with it.

Now that you're acquainted with how Marshall County law enforcement operates,

I hope you understand they weren't going to do anything with the information anyway.

...