Melissa Jeltsen

It sounded really weird. Making her whipped coffee in Minnesota just seized Nicole's plea for help. And her immediate response is bullshit.

It sounded really weird. Making her whipped coffee in Minnesota just seized Nicole's plea for help. And her immediate response is bullshit.

Nicole had turned to the internet for help looking for her missing friend, and now she was being accused of lying, or worse, being involved in Talena's disappearance herself.

Nicole had turned to the internet for help looking for her missing friend, and now she was being accused of lying, or worse, being involved in Talena's disappearance herself.

Nicole is taken aback by Jess's aggressive messages. But instead of just ignoring this internet stranger, she engages. She offers to connect Jess on a call with some of Talena's friends in Oklahoma who can verify Nicole's story. And Jess, she backs down pretty quick.

Nicole is taken aback by Jess's aggressive messages. But instead of just ignoring this internet stranger, she engages. She offers to connect Jess on a call with some of Talena's friends in Oklahoma who can verify Nicole's story. And Jess, she backs down pretty quick.

Nicole accepts her apology. And almost immediately, their hostile encounter transforms into the start of a real friendship.

Nicole accepts her apology. And almost immediately, their hostile encounter transforms into the start of a real friendship.

Nicole sees a tenacity in Jess that could be helpful in finding Talena, and the two of them start working together that day.

Nicole sees a tenacity in Jess that could be helpful in finding Talena, and the two of them start working together that day.

Jess is not the only internet stranger activated by Nicole's post about her missing friend. It gets hundreds of comments from people all over the US. Most of them are just there to stir the pot, instigate fights, entertain themselves. But some of them seem to actually want to find out the truth. Jess corrals a select few into a private group.

Jess is not the only internet stranger activated by Nicole's post about her missing friend. It gets hundreds of comments from people all over the US. Most of them are just there to stir the pot, instigate fights, entertain themselves. But some of them seem to actually want to find out the truth. Jess corrals a select few into a private group.

There's Rosie, who, like Jess, is also a mom in her mid-30s. She and her husband own a welding business in Ohio.

There's Rosie, who, like Jess, is also a mom in her mid-30s. She and her husband own a welding business in Ohio.

And I was like, this is crazy. This is Brittany. Younger than the others, she's in her early 20s and works at a bank in Arkansas. Brittany's eager to jump in and help because she too feels drawn to Talena's story.

And I was like, this is crazy. This is Brittany. Younger than the others, she's in her early 20s and works at a bank in Arkansas. Brittany's eager to jump in and help because she too feels drawn to Talena's story.

And so, organically, cosmically, this group of online sleuths comes together and forms a new Facebook page called Find Talena Zarr. Nicole in Tennessee, Jess in Minnesota, Rosie in Ohio, Brittany in Arkansas, and more joining by the hour. These women are strangers, thrust together by their desire to solve the mystery of what happened to Talena. Here's Jess, the ringleader.

And so, organically, cosmically, this group of online sleuths comes together and forms a new Facebook page called Find Talena Zarr. Nicole in Tennessee, Jess in Minnesota, Rosie in Ohio, Brittany in Arkansas, and more joining by the hour. These women are strangers, thrust together by their desire to solve the mystery of what happened to Talena. Here's Jess, the ringleader.

The online sleuths, even from that first night, are exhilarated. They're energized for the first time since the pandemic slowed the world down and made their lives very small. Suddenly, they have a distraction and a purpose.

The online sleuths, even from that first night, are exhilarated. They're energized for the first time since the pandemic slowed the world down and made their lives very small. Suddenly, they have a distraction and a purpose.