Unraveling Secrets: Benjamin Hale on the Mysterious Disappearance That Haunts the Ozarks
As to who to trust? Even in Haley’s story, which happened twenty-five years ago, people’s memories were fuzzy, and some people remembered things in ways that directly contradicted others’ accounts. That effect was ten times as pronounced for the part of the story that happened in 1978. As to who to trust, I admitted that I couldn’t fully trust anyone, generally went with my gut, and noted the irreconcilable factual disagreements that arose (there are many).
LL: I’m definitely intrigued by Haley’s imaginary friend, whom she described as a 4-year-old little girl with dark pigtails, white shoes, and a flashlight. The imaginary friend played pat-a-cake with her, helped her find shelter, and more. Haley was even able to draw a picture of her. Some believed the imaginary friend was a paranormal being, a ghost, an angel, something along those lines. But you dismissed that. Later, in the book, you talk with a party from the 1978 case, who pointedly asked, “Why write a story you don’t believe?” I think this speaks to story in general. It’s not up to us, the writer, to believe it, but to convince the reader that it happened. Is that not what a good storyteller does?
