I moved my eyes back up to her, and she was singing to us. No, she wasn’t looking at me. She was looking straight at him. I swore I detected a pleased smile as she took note of his deep enjoyment. Or could it have been because she thought he was proud of her?
Was it something else . . . a coy jab toward me?
I could never tell. I could never tell what Marlow wanted with me.
CHAPTER 39
THE INTERVIEW
2021
[Studio]
JODI LEE: The one other person who was there that night . . . are you referring to your father, Patrick Baek?
MARLOW FIN: Yes. Thank you.
JODI LEE: Your father was also brought in for questioning the following afternoon. He was located at his home in Henley and brought in for questioning. Not as a suspect, but as a person of interest.
[Roll package, footage of Patrick Baek leaving police station]
JODI LEE: Patrick Baek, the father of Marlow and Isla, was the only other member of the family present that Labor Day weekend. Earlier in the day he drove himself and Isla up to their lake cabin when they came across Marlow waiting for them. He described Marlow as acting strange. According to him, there were some verbal arguments in the evening. He left both women and decided to drive back home that night.
[Police video recording of Patrick Baek questioning]
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: Now Patrick, I know this is difficult. Isla is missing and I can understand you are a bit in shock.
PATRICK BAEK: That would be an understatement.
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: But can you tell me a little bit more about what happened right before you decided to leave?
PATRICK BAEK: Marlow had drunk a little too much after dinner. There was some arguing between her and Isla. I tried to step in and handle it. You know, do the dad thing and get them to calm down. But for some reason that made them get angry with me. So I knew we weren’t going to get anywhere. I decided it was best for me to leave.
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: Was anyone else present at the cabin? Earlier throughout the day or in the evening?
PATRICK BAEK: No. It was just me and my two daughters.
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: But what about Isla? Weren’t you her ride to the cabin?
PATRICK BAEK: I made sure she was okay with me leaving. That she could drive them down in Marlow’s car in the morning. She was completely coherent. She was fine and reassured me . . . she . . .
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: Do you need a minute, Patrick?
PATRICK BAEK: No. No. Let’s get this over with. I need to be with my wife.
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: Do you know what they were arguing about?
PATRICK BAEK: Sister stuff. Trivial stuff that really doesn’t seem to matter now.
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: What time did you leave the cabin?
PATRICK BAEK: It was around midnight.
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: Did you stop anywhere on the drive back? Talk to anyone?
PATRICK BAEK: I stopped at a gas station in Pine City. It’s a little over halfway back to the Twin Cities area. There’s a Holiday Station there I frequent whenever I make trips to the cabin. I got gas, went inside to pay. I bought a coffee. The store clerk didn’t say much, just thank you and have a good night.
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: And what time was this, would you say?
PATRICK BAEK: A little after three in the morning.
[Voice-over]
JODI LEE: The police were able to corroborate Patrick Baek’s account of what happened after he left the cabin on the night of September 7, 2020. The credit card statement confirmed he did, in fact, stop at the Holiday Gas Station in Pine City, Minnesota. Security footage at the gas station was time-stamped, showing he was in the store at 3:23 a.m.
[Police video recording of Patrick Baek questioning]
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: Do you have anything to do with your daughter Isla’s disappearance?
PATRICK BAEK: No. Absolutely not. I have nothing to do with the disappearance of my daughter. But why are we already calling it that, Vince? It hasn’t been that long. What aren’t you telling me?
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: I’ll get to that, Patrick. I promise. But you haven’t heard from her since last night? Had any contact with her?
PATRICK BAEK: No. Nothing. I’ve called her phone a million times. So has Stella. You have to tell me now, Vince. No one has told us. [Voice shaking] What did you find?
SHERIFF VANDENBERG: There was . . . there was some blood in the shed. That’s all I can tell you at this time. But we will have it—
PATRICK BAEK: Oh Jesus . . . oh God. [Gasps, starts to cry]
