Page 108 of Snowbound Threat

Shane gave a sad smile. “He was a bit more nervous because he’d been threatened by my dealer’s men, but you know Tyler—always cracking a joke. Never serious.”

Charlie hadn’t thought much about Tyler back then. All the attention had been on finding Abby. She remembered the one suspect they hadn’t spoken about yet. “What about Junior?”

Shane frowned. “Hawthorne’s grandson. What about him?”

Charlie couldn’t dismiss the initials found in Abby’s diary. “He didn’t hang out with you. Maybe he was a customer?”

Shane shook his head. “No, I’d remember if he was. Junior wasn’t part of our group, and he certainly didn’t buy drugs from me.” Shane glanced around the table. “Sorry to disappoint you.” He seemed to sense Junior had been on their radar.

“No, it’s okay.” Boone put down his pen. “I’ll have Will give you a ride back to the church. If you think of anything else that might be helpful, reach out.”

Shane nodded and rose. “I will.” He paused at the door. “I hope you find out what happened to Abby. No one deserves to be missing that long.” With those words, he stepped from the room.

“We need to speak to Jason again,” Ryan said once it was just the three of them.

“We can try but I’ve no doubt he’ll lawyer up.” Boone tapped his pen against the pad before he stood. “But we’ll never know if we don’t try.”

Charlie scrambled to her feet. She and Ryan followed the sheriff from the station and out to his patrol. He hesitated. “As much as I hate having you out in public like this, I think maybe Jason might see you and feel guilty if he was the one who actually did something to Abby.” He opened the back door of the cruiser allowing Charlie to hop in. Ryan got into the passenger seat.

When they were on their way, Charlie voiced her shock about Tyler. “I can’t believe he was involved in drugs.”

Ryan glanced back at her. “Me, either. But Shane was quick to point out that he never saw Tyler use. I wonder if Lila could shed some light on how her brother was acting during that time.”

“I’d like to call her.”

“Sure.” Ryan punched in Lila’s number on his phone and handed it to her. The call went straight to voicemail. Charlie frowned. Lila always answered her phone.

She told Ryan.

“That’s strange. Maybe she’s busy at the café. Give her a bit and try again. If she doesn’t answer, call the café’s main number.”

Charlie sat back in her seat clutching the phone as they drove through town and toward the ski resort five miles away. Her mind tumbled over the things they’d learned. She had no doubt Abby had seen something that had probably gotten her killed. The only question was what? Was it all about a drug deal gone wrong or something worse?

Boone pulled into the Pine Haven Ski Resort Village. There were houses here that started at several million dollars and those were the less expensive ones.

Charlie hadn’t been to the ski resort since the time she and Ryan went a few months before she left Pine Haven. As they drove past the resort the parking area was packed with cars. The enormous Christmas tree that had been a tradition since forever was lit up in front of the main resort villa.

Memories of the years she spent here came flooding back. First with her parents and then later with Ryan and her uncle. Tears were close. She hadn’t fully mourned her parents or her uncle or Abby. She’d run from emotions because they were just too painful.

Boone turned the cruiser up to the part of the resort where the billion-dollar homes were perched along the mountain. Many had the capability to ski right up to their homes.

At the end of the cul-de-sac was the final house belonging to the Owens family. An intercom system and a gate prevented anyone from just driving in.

“Here goes nothing.” Boone rolled his window down and punched the button.

Would the Owens patriarch allow them entrance or would they have to resort to other means to find out Jason’s involvement?

The buzzer sounded. Boone identified himself.

“One moment please.” Seconds ticked by and then the gate swung open.

“We’ll I’ll be.” Boone pushed out the words before driving through as if he expected the person speaking to change their mind.

He pulled the cruiser around to the front of the house. All three got out.

Ryan stayed close to Charlie as they started for the front door.

Grant Owens stood in the threshold waiting for them. “What’s this about, sheriff? I thought we covered everything when you were here last?” But he stepped aside to let them inside.