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Jack madeit back to the front of the hall at the same time Holly did, and she shook her head to let him know she hadn’t found her either. He bit back a curse, then his eyes locked on Andrew Thompson’s. He jerked his head to signal he needed to speak with him, and the mayor tapped his father on the shoulder and brought him over.
“What’s going on?” Andrew asked.
“That case I told you about,” Jack began, pausing when the men in front of him exchanged a glance. “Are you up to speed on it too, sir?” he asked the former police chief.
“I am. Andrew told me about it because I was in charge around here when CJ was in his heyday. Gone by the time poor Officer McBride was killed, but I still remember what CJ Snitker was like when he was a teenager, and I’m not surprised to hear of his involvement.”
“Were you surprised to hear ofHolden’spotential involvement?” Jack asked in a low voice.
“Now, that, my boy, shocked the boots off me. I never would’ve thought Holden would do something like that. In fact, I’m not convinced he did.”
Jack held back his list of reasons why Holden was undoubtedly involved, lifting a hand. “Either way, Robin isn’t here, and I have reason to believe CJ came back to Snow Hill to make sure Matthew’s case doesn’t get solved. If he came here…” Jack trailed off, needing a second to find his voice before he continued. “If he came here and took her, do you know where he might go? Where did he live before he moved to Philly?”
Mayor Thompson turned to his dad to supply the answer. Andrew had already informed Jack that he’d left Snow Hill for college, gotten into politics in Harrisburg, and hadn’t returned until shortly before he became the mayor. His father, on the other hand, would only know of teenage haunts, so Jack wasn’t sure how much help he’d be.
“His mother’s house was torn down and rebuilt by the new owners after she died, so I doubt he’d go there,” Holly said. She shrugged when Jack jumped, having totally forgotten she’d lingered for this conversation.
Man, he was really screwing up in the situational awareness department tonight. What was wrong with him?
“How do you know? You weren’t even here when this happened,” Jack said.
“Holden told me once when the police had to come to the inn to investigate a theft reported between two guests. It was just chitchat, but it stuck out because I remembered feeling sorry for him that his mom had died.”
“Okay, so he wouldn’t be there. Would he go to Holden’s place? Do any of you know where he lives? Or maybe he went back to Robin’s?” Jack’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he almost collapsed with relief when he saw the name on the message. “It’s Robin.”
He felt like a fool for getting all worked up over nothing, but before he could fully embrace that preferable feeling, his blood ran cold as he read the message she’d sent.
Robin: Skate park.
He turned the screen to show the former police chief. “Did CJ hang out at the skate park back in the day?”
The senior Mr. Thompson nodded grimly. “Sure did. Caused all kinds of trouble up there with his friends.”
Jack bolted from the group without another word, then stopped and spun around, racing back to Holly. “Can you please keep an eye on Abby? I mean it, Holls. Don’t let her out of your sight and act natural since Holden doesn’t seem to be aware of any of this.”
The second she nodded, Jack was out the door. He had to run two blocks in the frigid December air to reach his house since he, Robin, and Abby had chosen to walk to the hall rather than drive such a short distance.
His lungs burned by the time he reached his car, but it was worth every icy inhalation. There was no way he’d let anything happen to Robin. Not on Christmas Eve, when that would likely ruin the holiday for her Christmas-loving daughter, and notever.
Ten minutes later, he made it to the skate park on the outskirts of town and jumped out of the car without even bothering to turn it off. With his personal weapon in hand, he ran toward the chain-link fence that surrounded the cement playground for skaters and bikers, his eyes never leaving the glimmer of emerald green that sparkled in the moonlight.
“Robin?” he asked as he approached, his gun drawn but pointed low.
He couldn’t see CJ in the dim light, but he knew he was there. She wouldn’t be sitting alone in this darkened skate park unless she’d been dragged here, and he’d seen a lone truck on his way into the lot that matched the description Tommy had given him.
“I’m here,” she replied. She didn’t rise to go to him, which confirmed that not only was CJ close by, but he was likely armed.
“So, you’re the fresh meat at Snow Hill PD, huh? Having fun sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong?”
Jack heard the voice before he saw the man, but as he stepped out of the shadows, it was clear by his resemblance to Holden that it was CJ Snitker. Well, that and the fact that Jack had poured over his social media accounts enough times that he could probably recognize the guy from a hundred feet away.
“CJ,” Jack said, keeping both hands on his weapon, though it was pointed toward the ground and slightly away from Robin. “Nobody wants any trouble. Just let us leave.”
“I’ll let you leave on one condition. No, two.”
Jack grunted, then bowed his head. “What are they?”
