One of the other discussions I wanted to open in reading everyone's great comments relates to probabilities.
I keep asking myself a few questions.
2. If the person intended to abduct Mollie or convince her to leave with him (lesser possibility: her), what is more likely in your minds? That the person would choose to confront her A. on the roadside as she jogged, where cars could potentially pass by or that the person would B. confront her at her boyfriend's house--at the end of a long driveway, where only one house is close enough to possibly hear? I'm a little bit split on this myself, but because of my previous post about small town atmosphere,
OK for #2 - My opinion, at the moment - I initially thought she had been hit by a car or truck. I honestly thought it might have been an accident and the person panicked. However, as more time as passed if she was struck it seems more reasonable to me now - only because they have not come forward- that it was intentional.
Since we don't have a map with three separate highlighted routes so we can talk more specifics I opened google maps and of course her run began when she left the house. Which way did she run? There are three options - run toward town immediately past the Electrical Coop bldg, run past her neighbor's across the street along the gravel road leading to Historic Hwy 6 and then turn left there and run back toward town, or run out the front or back door and take off along that gravel road 170 that leads to HWY 6. I see two different neighbors (not sure if anyone lives along those corn fields - over the hill closer to Hwy 6 is a particular curiosity) on that route she would pass right. Mainly there are corn fields with ditches on either side of that road and the road has a definite rise (hill which might be something she wanted to include in her run) so she would not be able to see a car parked on the other side as she ran, first as she ran toward Hwy 6 and then again when she turned around and ran toward Dalton's house. If someone had been watching her, he could have simply waited for this creature of habit to come over that rise.
Here is something else I have mulled over in my mind - who should have been on that street and would Mollie have any reason to be concerned or relaxed about an unknown car/truck close to Dalton's home? She did get there after 5 PM.
When I looked at the map google video mapped the street as concrete was being poured for a drive next to their property. I initially thought it was foundation work. Wondered if perhaps a garage or storage bldg went up blocking Mollie's view. But it appears to be a drive of some sort. As we have talked it seems this may be the drive for folks to drop off their payments or it is a drive where folks may think they should use to pay their bill. And the Co-Op has a drop so folks can show up at any hour of the day or night. So it makes perfect sense if Mollie saw any vehicle she could simply think it was someone who got off of work and was dropping off their payment! And since this area was known to her, she would not be on alert if a car or vehicle showed up at any hour most likely. The thing that struck me was the CO OP is on the same side of the street so it draws increased traffic to this road - relevant to the tiny population of the area of course, and more importantly close to Dalton's home. That biz has drives or parking places on either side. So someone could actually park on one side, even along the street itself and possibly walk a payment to the drop box.
We have a weird drop box for water bills here. It is on the front of a building next to the main doors. The normal hours of operation are limited and one has to get out and walk to reach the box. However the parking lot is behind the building. There is a way to park along the street too which is closer but you still have to get out of your car to reach the box. I can't tell you the number of times I have seen folks who park behind the building realize the box is not there and walk around the whole building to get to the drop box! We have a portico they could use but there also is a side entrance which helps to confuse. So on foot they go. They usually sneak through the portico/breezeway to get back to their car. In Brooklyn, the Co-op appears to be a solid building so folks may park and then have to walk around from either side, depending on where the box is, and then walk back to reach their vehicle. It would be so much easier to put drop boxes along the street like they did generations ago but sadly there are thieves who might just grab the drop box. So again, what we live with not so much designed with public safety in the foreground or apparently part of zoning regulations.
Also W DesMoines Street is a way for folks to get to Historic 6 or by turning up 170 to Hwy 6. So for me HWY 6 may be relevant - which one? Not sure.
Right now the public is stuck - on the run route, at the house - how about a combination?
I think the focal point is element of SURPRISE. That is what criminals use to gain the upper hand in my opinion.
That could come from being hit, confronted face to face, or at any point after making initial contact with someone she allowed close to her.
We often read or hear about conversational space - that point where we feel it is OK to safely interact with others. The more familiar we are with someone the shorter the distance. When it comes to safety I recall a class we all had to take during HS before we left for college. That distance had never been on my mind until that class. Then for the first time I learned why inches may matter. I believe that class helped to save my life.
I wonder if Mollie's school required such a class before she headed off to college?
Just my thoughts...
