Slowing down, she looked at the sidewalk in front of the wreath but didn’t see any familiar faces. She could only stay there for a few moments before the cars behind her got impatient, and a couple of beeps from horns made her move along. Rather than driving back around the other side of the building, she turned into one of the aisles of the parking lot.
She took out her phone and sent a message.
I’m here. I looked at the wreath, but I didn’t see you. Did you already go inside?
She drove up and down the aisles looking for an empty parking spot for a few moments before getting a response.
Got stuck in a little bit of traffic. Be there in a minute.
It seemed odd, considering she had no traffic at all, but he was probably coming from a different direction and must have hit a snag. Holiday traffic could be rough, she told herself. She didn’t want to let herself think that he was doing this on purpose. Not tonight. Not for this.
Knowing she had a little bit of time on her hands, Julia could no longer resist the urge. She opened a search engine on her phone and typed in the details that Lynn gave her about her friend’s death. She hadn’t told her much, but Julia typed in what she knew.
It took a little bit of searching, but she found it. The article was brief and gave very little information Lynn hadn’t already told her. What it did offer was the name of the street where Samantha’s body was found in the abandoned store. Julia took note of it, then plugged it into a Maps app.
It took only a few seconds to trace the route. An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach, but she couldn’t dwell on it. Closing all the windows on her phone, she pushed it into her bag and got out of the car. She didn’t want to leave them waiting.
Chapter Thirty-Nine Now
“Oh, hey, honey,” I say, coming into the living room just as Sam is walking through the front door. “I didn’t realize you were coming home so early. I thought you said you were going to be late because you had to do those trainings with the new officers. I was just throwing together some pasta for dinner. Do you want some?”
“No. I’m fine,” he says. “I have to get back.”
“I’m really glad you’re here. I think I figured a couple of things out,” I say. “You want to hear it?”
“Emma, I only came by for a minute. I need to talk to you,” he says.
“Okay but give me just a second. I need to jot something down. It popped into my head while I was in the kitchen, and I just don’t want to forget it. I think I made a connection between Angeline and another case that was going on around the same time.”
“Emma,” he repeats more forcefully. “I need you to listen to me.”
I lower myself down onto the couch, looking over at him as I set my cup down on the side table.
“Go ahead,” I say. “Is something wrong?”
“Have you watched the news at all today?” he asks.
“No,” I say. “I haven’t even turned the TV on.”
“Turn it on.”
I don’t like the tone of his voice. It’s not angry, there’s something else in it that’s even more unsettling. I just don’t know what word to use to describe it.
I pick up the remote and turn on the TV, switching channels to the local news. It’s on a commercial, but Sam holds up his hand like he wants me to be patient. Two more commercials later, the news returns. A stern-faced woman stares down the camera as she presents the story.
“Details continue to come in on a young woman apparently abducted from the Larsonville area. Nineteen-year-old Rebecca Parrish was last seen in the vicinity of the Old Dominion Christmas Tree Farm this afternoon. She was with her family and separated from them to make a phone call. When she didn’t return, her father and brother searched the area for her. Several pieces of fabric were found along the side of a nearby access road. Her family said they appeared to be from the sweater Rebecca was wearing. Other evidence in the area has police saying this case is very reminiscent of another missing persons case in the state. Angeline Courtney went missing fourteen years ago today, also from a Christmas tree farm. Pieces of her coat and a receipt with her name on it were found in the snow. The case remains open. Police are now considering whether these two might be linked.”
“Oh my God,” I gasp. “This can’t be happening.”
“Emma, the news isn’t reporting all the details. They want to keep some things back from the public to protect the case... “
“There was a snow angel,” I say without looking at him.
My eyes are still frozen on the TV screen in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him nod.
“I got in touch with the Larsonville department. One of the detectives is an old buddy of mine and he gave me some extra information as a professional courtesy. Clearly this is off the record, but…”
“Just tell me, Sam.”
“There was a piece of coal left next to the shreds of her sweater.”
It feels like the wind has gotten knocked out of me. For a second, there is no air in my lungs.
“Shit,” I say. “It’s the anniversary of her disappearance. That’s what the first note meant. Don’t take too long. I wouldn’t want them to get coal.”
I jump up and Sam steps forward to try to take hold of my arms.
“Emma, calm down. Just take a breath for a second,” he says.
“I can’t calm down,
