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During the fall and winter of 1991, police searched all over New England for a woman who had

disappeared from her home in Maine.

Police were not sure whether she had run away or had met with foul play.

One year later, investigators found a clue, a clue that had been right under their noses

from the very beginning.

Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state, and at one time, it's capital.

It's a deep water port on Casco Bay, and inlet to the Atlantic Ocean, which explains

its role as a major fishing center.

Pearl Smith worked as a fish packer.

Every day, she boxed crates of fish for shipment around the country.

It was hard work with little pay.

After work, she was a frequent customer at a bar near the docks, as was Bill Bruns, a man

13 years her senior.

Bruns was a trucker.

His job was hauling fish from Maine to Montreal.

The two had a lot in common.

They liked to drink, and they were unlucky in love.

Pearl had been divorced five times, and Bill's third marriage had just ended.

...