Steve Fishman, Narrator

On January 8th, 1990, Collier Landry Boyle sat down with Lieutenant Dave Messmore in an elementary school classroom. The kind with those small chairs. Dave is six feet tall, but he figured it'd be good to be on the same level as Collier. It'd make him comfortable.

On January 8th, 1990, Collier Landry Boyle sat down with Lieutenant Dave Messmore in an elementary school classroom. The kind with those small chairs. Dave is six feet tall, but he figured it'd be good to be on the same level as Collier. It'd make him comfortable.

A little more than a week earlier, December 30th, Collier and his mother were sitting at a table having chili for dinner.

A little more than a week earlier, December 30th, Collier and his mother were sitting at a table having chili for dinner.

Then Collier headed upstairs to his bedroom. He may have struck people as a miniature adult, but his bedroom was definitely that of a child.

Then Collier headed upstairs to his bedroom. He may have struck people as a miniature adult, but his bedroom was definitely that of a child.

So safe in his bedroom with his Batman clock and his Garfield dolls, Collier fell asleep. And then in the middle of the night, something woke him.

So safe in his bedroom with his Batman clock and his Garfield dolls, Collier fell asleep. And then in the middle of the night, something woke him.

It's the night of Noreen Boyle's disappearance, and Collier is in bed. He's heard strange noises, strange voices, strange footsteps. But when everything goes quiet, he manages to fall back to sleep. The next morning when he wakes up, the first thing he does is run to his mother's bedroom. She isn't there. She always makes her bed first thing in the morning, but this time the sheets are a mess.

It's the night of Noreen Boyle's disappearance, and Collier is in bed. He's heard strange noises, strange voices, strange footsteps. But when everything goes quiet, he manages to fall back to sleep. The next morning when he wakes up, the first thing he does is run to his mother's bedroom. She isn't there. She always makes her bed first thing in the morning, but this time the sheets are a mess.

Collier did hear what his father said, but he'd actually been preparing for a moment just like this. He knew his parents were going through a divorce. There was screaming in the house, tempers flaring, and Collier, like his hero Batman, was always ready for action.

Collier did hear what his father said, but he'd actually been preparing for a moment just like this. He knew his parents were going through a divorce. There was screaming in the house, tempers flaring, and Collier, like his hero Batman, was always ready for action.

Noreen's friends did call the police. And that's how word of her disappearance made its way to the Mansfield Police Department and to Dave Messmore's desk. And now, sitting in the classroom, there was one more thing Collier wanted to make sure Dave understood. He wanted their meeting kept confidential.

Noreen's friends did call the police. And that's how word of her disappearance made its way to the Mansfield Police Department and to Dave Messmore's desk. And now, sitting in the classroom, there was one more thing Collier wanted to make sure Dave understood. He wanted their meeting kept confidential.

For his part, as Dave interviewed Collier that day, he thought, this kid just might be on to something.

For his part, as Dave interviewed Collier that day, he thought, this kid just might be on to something.

The interview ended. Kaya went back to class, then home. He knew Dave would be stopping by that night, and he was on edge.

The interview ended. Kaya went back to class, then home. He knew Dave would be stopping by that night, and he was on edge.

And so Collier and Dave are now a dynamic duo. The precocious preteen and the mild-mannered middle-aged detective. It's like something out of a comic book. Did you think of Batman? I did think of Batman. What did you think?

And so Collier and Dave are now a dynamic duo. The precocious preteen and the mild-mannered middle-aged detective. It's like something out of a comic book. Did you think of Batman? I did think of Batman. What did you think?