What If...

Last Friday, I took a detour on the drive home from work to scout out the San Dieguito River Park trails and gorge area, looking to see if there was a pedestrian-safe route from the footbridge crossing in the Santa Fe Valley trails area eastward pass the dam to Lake Dr.

I was frustrated to find no other route between the dam to the north shore of Lake Hodges other than along Del Dios Hwy itself.  I stopped at a car park across from Hernandez's Hideaway and asked a security guard at the entrance to the water projects construction site if there was any public access through the area, to which he said "no."

That morning, I had seen flyers posted in 4S Ranch Commons about Chelsea King, but I wasn't yet aware of the circumstances or the nature of the search.  I had no idea that this had happened in, literally, my back yard, in community park areas that I run in.

We learned early this morning that a suspect in Chelsea's disappearance was taken into custody yesterday, as authorities tracked him down to that very spot in front of Hernandez's Hideaway where I was on Friday.  It's not a foregone conclusion and the investigation continues, as well as the search for Chelsea; but it sure feels like they've got strong links to this guy that ties him to Chelsea somehow, though they understandably aren't releasing that information to the public.  I'm a natural skeptic and not one to jump to mob-like conclusions, but I just have a strong, innate feeling that they've got the right person in custody and now it's a matter of solving what has happened to Chelsea.

It boils my blood.  And it bothers me I could be so close to this and be so helpless.  I run these streets and these trails.  This is MY neighborhood.  Chelsea should've been safe from this kind of predator.

My innocence is gone.  I'm going to be much more alert and on guard than I've been.