The Last to Vanish

Prior to the start of Chapter 1, details about Landon West’s disappearance are supplied in a fact sheet. Landon went missing on April 2, 2022, four months before the narrative’s opening. His last known location is The Passage Inn in Cutter’s Pass.

The narrative switches to Abby Lovett’s first-person perspective. Abby works as a manager at the Passage Inn. She receives a late, unexpected guest on a particularly rainy evening. Abby knows Celeste, Abby’s aunt and owner of the inn, would disapprove of her accommodating this visitor, especially since he carries no identification. A widow, Celeste hardly handles any of the inn’s business while she enjoys early retirement. Abby believes the rainy conditions are treacherous for hikers and pities those seeking shelter. She lodges the man in one of the Passage Inn’s more homely cabins.

The man lies and identifies himself as Mr. Clarke. Although Abby initially struggles to recognize him, she eventually recalls the man as Trey West, Landon’s brother. Abby reveals her awareness of Trey’s identity immediately. She relates to Trey as an outsider in Cutter’s Pass and feels sympathetic, knowing Trey is desperate to uncover Landon’s whereabouts. Abby reserves Cabin Four for Trey, the same cabin Landon resided in before disappearing. Trey immediately confesses lying about his identity and feels relieved to speak straightforwardly. Abby mentally notes the ease with which she can read Trey. She recalls how Landon proved to be much more deceptive during his stay. Abby and Celeste believed Landon sought quiet while writing a novel; however, he was a journalist working on an exposé about the six disappearances in Cutter’s Pass before vanishing himself.

The appearance of the inn differs from what Trey expected. Abby considers the property's decor; many items at the inn serve no purpose aside from being aesthetically pleasing for an upscale mountain hotel. The lobby’s gas fireplace contains large, fake logs piled on each other, aside a decorative fire poker. Abby feels equally cautious and curious about Trey’s presence and takes the time to escort him to his cabin. Trey never participated in the official search for Landon. Trey looks unsettled and comments about the darkness outside the inn, which Abby attributes to Trey’s perspective as a city dweller. She does not find the evening to be particularly dark. Abby situates Trey in Cabin Four, noticing his unnerved expression upon entering the dwelling.

The town of Cutter’s Pass uses the multiple disappearances to its advantage, subtly naming stores and restaurants and carrying merchandise that alludes to the missing hikers. Aside from hikers and vacationers looking for a cozy mountain retreat, “trauma tourists” are attracted to Cutter’s Pass by the far-reaching rumors and ghost stories about the missing people. The initial group to go missing is referred to as “the Fraternity Four” (15). Theories about the four young missing men evolved their disappearances into multiple far-fetched legends, further fueled by subsequent vanishings of other young people. Alice Kelly went missing in 2012, then Farrah Jordan in 2019, and finally Landon. The missing people are all unrelated. Abby arrived in Cutter’s Pass shortly after Alice’s disappearance. 

Upon returning to the main lobby, Abby meets and speaks with Georgia, another employee at the inn. Georgia informs Abby that the phone lines are down, and Abby updates Georgia about Trey. Abby relates to Georgia, who arrived one year ago, because both women moved to Cutter’s Pass shortly after the death of a parent. Georgia and Abby still feel like outsiders compared to the community members born and raised in the small town. Abby notices Georgia’s unease about the storm, especially when she and Abby acknowledge having no cell phone signal.

Abby and Georgia regret a romantic history with Cory, a charismatic local who runs a walking historical tour focused on myths about the unsolved missing persons cases in Cutter’s Pass. Cory’s parents own the Last Stop Tavern, where Cory’s tours begin and end. Abby finds Cory’s charming personality fake and self-seeking. Abby discovers Cory added the Passage Inn as a stop on his tour to discuss theories about Landon. She sees him approaching with a group of people, and she rushes to intercept the group, not wanting to upset Trey. Cory lies about a flash flood warning and turns the group back toward town.

Abby closes the inn for the evening, noticing the restored landline phone connection. She mentally notes a few flaws throughout the building, including a missing framed photo of the inn’s blueprints. Abby considers the irony behind how much effort goes into orchestrating the inn’s rustic charm. Abby retreats to her apartment on the basement level of the inn next to Georgia’s room. She prefers the view from her windows as she can see whatever is immediately outside her room while still enjoying a mountain view in the distance. Looking out her bedroom window, Abby reflects on the night sky, thinking about how the stars she observes have already disappeared.

Although Abby is not due to begin working until the afternoon, she dresses in her uniform and inspects the inn’s grounds. Abby takes a picture of the mountain, intending to send it to her closest friend, Sloane. Typically a river tour guide in Cutter’s Pass, Sloane is establishing a new business in Virginia. The friends regularly send “proof-of-life” photos to each other as an inside joke (33).

Abby runs into Celeste, who knows about Trey’s presence at the inn. Celeste assertively instructs Abby to find out what Trey wants and how long he intends to stay. The Passage Inn received bad press after Landon’s disappearance, and Celeste wants to avoid trouble. Abby reassures Celeste while remembering how unnerved Celeste and Georgia felt while clearing Landon’s possessions from Cabin Four.

Abby heads into Cutter’s Pass to speak with Sheriff Patrick Stamer about any updates in Landon’s case. Abby spots Jack Olivier, Cory’s friend who works at The Edge, the town’s outfitting store, and Rochelle, who works in the sheriff’s office. Abby sees Patrick seated in the tavern with his coffee and newspaper. Marina, Cory’s mother and one of the tavern’s owners, tells Abby that she and Ray (her husband and Cory’s father) have been trying to contact her. Abby explains the downed phone line, and Marina suggests that Harris, the local repair technician, examine it. Ray apologizes on Cory’s behalf, knowing Cory’s inclusion of Landon in his ghost tour is insensitive to the inn’s employees. Ray and Patrick are childhood friends from Cutter’s Pass. Both men fulfilled family legacies with their careers in town, and they take the disappearances more seriously, having been present and active in the searches for the missing people. Harris, Cory, Rochelle, and Jack grew up together in Cutter’s Pass.

Abby informs Patrick that Trey is staying at the Passage Inn. Patrick provides Abby with no new information, and Abby regrets coming to the tavern, knowing she achieved nothing and fueled gossip in the process. She considers how quickly the overly opinionated community members spread rumors. Abby concludes that no one in town could be responsible for the missing people because secrets do not exist in small towns. She feels that the town’s transparency makes Cutter’s Pass an incredibly safe community.

Abby returns to the inn and calls Trey’s room to inquire about his departure. Trey confesses he impulsively drove to Cutter’s Pass and is unsure how long he intends to stay. Abby invites Trey to happy hour in the main lobby, during which she hopes to uncover more about Trey’s plans while in Cutter’s Pass.

Abby chats with two guests returning from their hike to Shallow Falls, the suspected location for most disappearances. She notes their safe return and dwells on her and Georgia’s higher awareness of the hikers staying at the Passage Inn since Landon’s disappearance. Marina arrives with Abby’s appetizer order from the Last Stop Tavern, and Abby realizes Marina intends to stay for happy hour to spy on Trey. Abby and Marina hypothesize about Trey’s intentions in town, and Abby realizes how little she knows about Trey.

Trey arrives at happy hour looking disheveled. Abby reconsiders her decision to lodge Trey in Landon’s former cabin. Trey inquires about the trail to Shallow Falls, referring to it as “the Vanishing Trail” (57). He accepts Abby’s offer for a guided tour the following morning. To Abby’s surprise, Patrick and Celeste also attend happy hour; Abby suspects Marina, Patrick, and Celeste orchestrated a joint effort to corner Trey. Abby cleans up the happy hour food and drinks, noticing two bottles of wine and one walking stick missing. She suspects Trey stole the items and worries he impulsively decided to search Shallow Falls at night. Abby rushes to Cabin Four in search of Trey.

Trey appears intoxicated when he opens the door to Cabin Four, revealing a disordered room. The furniture is out of place, some taken apart, and an open air vent indicates Trey’s thorough search of the room. Abby confronts Trey, asking him about the mess. Trey admits feeling guilty for not contributing more to the search for Landon. The brothers did not share a close relationship, and Trey experienced denial upon learning of his brother’s disappearance. He initially believed Landon wanted to go off the grid while investigating a story. However, now Trey wants to find Landon’s cell phone and notebook, as well as any additional clues that might provide answers about Landon.

During their conversation, Abby alternates between feeling scared of Trey and sympathetic to his grief. She asks Trey to assist her in returning the furniture to its rightful location in the cabin. In doing so, both characters realize that the decorative oval tops of the four-post bed are loose. Trey finds a flash drive inside one of them, belonging to Landon.

Abby and Trey use the computer in the inn’s main lobby to inspect the flash drive. Although it is password protected, Trey knows Landon’s most used code, which grants them access. The drive contains one document titled “FARRAH,” which is the first name of one of the missing people from Cutter’s Pass. Abby recognizes Trey’s hopeful expression; she’s certain Trey believes he can find Landon.