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Back The Short Drop Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. CONTENTS
  5. START READING
  6. PART ONE
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. PART TWO
  23. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  24. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  25. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  26. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  49. PART THREE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  57. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY
  59. EPILOGUE
  60. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  61. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

It reminded him of the photo with Suzanne and the frog. Which in turn brought to mind something that had bothered him before . . . The hat—something about that Philadelphia Phillies baseball cap. What’s the big deal? he asked himself. She’d needed a cap to hide her face and bought a Phillies one. Settle down, Sherlock.

Still it nagged at him.

Keep your mind on the task at hand, he told himself: the layout of the library. It appeared to have three ways in and out: the main entrance, a loading dock on one side, and a side door that opened onto the park. It stood apart from its neighboring buildings, offering little excuse to loiter. That plus the size of the town meant anyone who didn’t belong would quickly stand out. WR8TH would make them long before they made him.

Gibson used his cell phone to check what he already knew—the library Wi-Fi was not password protected. He walked half a block away before he completely lost the signal. Tomorrow, he’d come back with a range-tester and map out the perimeter of the Wi-Fi’s signal. Already, though, it was painfully clear that WR8TH could log in to the library Wi-Fi without stepping foot in the building—practically without coming within eyeshot of it. Their job had just gotten trickier. Not impossible but much more complicated.

Well, there wasn’t anything he could do about it now. He put his earbuds back in and began the run back to the motel to call Ellie before dinner.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

It was wall to wall at the Summit Diner, a claustrophobic little place with a blunt, utilitarian feel. Immovable black steel stools hooked out of the base of the square-topped counter. Booths crammed around the exterior wall, everyone on top of everyone else. Jenn didn’t see the appeal, but Vaughn treated the place with the reverential awe that most people reserve for museums. The diner belonged in one, that was for sure. What was it with him and diners?

“Can you believe this place?” Gibson asked.

“No,” Jenn said. “What the hell is a pretzel melt?” It was listed on the specials board.

Gibson grinned. “Kind of like a calzone but with a pretzel. You’ll love it.”

Jenn stared at him. “This is for me not letting you in the car, isn’t it?”

“You’ll thank me later.”

“Don’t wait up.”