9月11日我在自己生活的马里兰州德国镇社区散步的时候拍下了第一张照片，寻人启事中说27岁的妈妈凯瑟琳和两个孩子、3岁的莎拉和2岁的雅各布分别于9月7日和8日失踪，他们最后出现的地点在德国镇和相邻的另一个华盛顿郊区小镇克拉克斯堡。我并没有福尔摩斯或者波洛的基因，作为记者的好奇心也主要放在中国的崛起和中美关系上，所以当时并未有强烈的兴趣追踪这个事件，只是随手拍了张照片。

3天后，我看到一张更新过的寻人启事，妈妈凯瑟琳的照片上印着“已找到”的字样，两个孩子却仍然失联。再过了几天，寻人启事出了第三版，上面只有两个孩子，妈妈的照片彻底消失。这是怎么回事？此刻，无论党中央反腐多么轰轰烈烈，我也需要了解身边的故事。

这出悲剧的起因在于妈妈凯瑟琳，她在家里负责照看两个孩子。9月7日儿子雅各布从家里消失，凯瑟琳给出的答案是送到了朋友家。第二天早上她带着女儿莎拉离家，稍后独自返回，她告诉男友、也是两个孩子父亲的特纳说他们在一家托儿所。当天下午特纳和凯瑟琳去了一家餐馆，她抓住机会不辞而别，直到9月12日被警察找到。她告诉警察说，两个孩子很安全，但拒绝透露所在的地点。接下来蒙哥马利县警察带着猎狗在可能的地点反复探查，社区义工中有经验的野外远足者持续到周围山林开展拉网式搜索，还有志愿者出动自己的小型私人飞机协助。1个多月已经过去，目前还没有任何结果。

蒙哥马利县计划以包括谋杀在内的几项罪名起诉凯瑟琳。她一开始被关押在县监狱，后来转至一家精神病院。凯瑟琳患有妄想型精神分裂症。

两个孩子的亲朋好友仍然没有放弃，但时间一天天流逝，希望一天天减小。蓝草歌手艾莉森·克劳斯(Allison Krauss)演绎过一个不同但有类似之处的悲剧，故事的主角是100多年前在宾夕法尼亚山区走失的两个孩子，不幸的巧合是其中一个就叫雅可布。在《雅各布的梦》(Jacob’s Dream)这首歌中，艾莉森·克劳斯用第一人称唱出的几段尤其具有冲击力，比如"爸爸妈妈，你们为什么听不到我们的哭喊？天色已暗，黑夜将临，我们冷，我们饿，我们的双脚乏力肿胀…”。歌手天使般的声音让这个故事尤其凄惨。

歌曲的链接在此：

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/rv-GkEEfME4/

英文歌词在此：

"Jacob's Dream"

In the spring of 1856 with the snow still on the ground

Two little boys were lost in the mountains above the town

The father went out hunting the boys had stayed behind

While mother tended to her chores they wandered from her side

The two had gone to follow him and lost their way instead

By dusk the boys had not been found and fear had turned to dread

200 men had gathered there to comb the mountain side

The fires were built on the highest peak in hopes they'd see the light

Oh mommy and daddy why can't you hear our cries

The day is almost over, soon it will be night

We're so cold and hungry and our feet are tired and sore

We promise not to stray again from our cabin door

Now Jacob Diverd woke one night from a strange and erie dream

He saw a path between two hills near a dark and swollen stream

He told his wife he saw the boys huddled close beside a log

For two more nights the dream returned this vision sent from God

Oh mommy and daddy why can't you hear our cries

The day is almost over, soon it will be night

We're so cold and hungry and our feet are tired and sore

We promise not to stray again from our cabin door

a thousand men had searched in vain the west side of pop's creek

But Jacob's wife knew of this place and said to travel east

With a guide to take him there, Jacob came upon the scene

And found the boys cold and still beneath the old birch tree

Oh mommy and daddy, look past the tears you cry

We're both up in Heaven now, God is by our side

As you lay us down to rest in the presence of the Lord

Know that we will meet you here at Heaven's door

Oh mommy and daddy, look past the tears you cry

We're both up in Heaven now, God is by our side

And as you lay us down to rest in the presence of the Lord

Know that we will meet you here at Heaven's door