Race Against Time Read Free Page B

the afternoon amazed him. Sean Connolly had been in Alaska since the day before Christmas, but the lack of daylight for the majority of the day still mesmerized him. What would it be like when it was reversed in the summer? His brain wasn’t quite sure he could fathom it.
    After working his way across the country on foot, he’d reached Canada, then the ALCAN highway. The lone weeks of trudging through the wilderness in freezing temperatures had given him plenty of time to think. And plan.
    For the first time in his life, he was living by his rules.
    He’d left Fairbanks that morning and headed southeast down the highway toward North Pole. Why he chose North Pole, Alaska, as his final destination could only be explained by his desperate need to get as far away as possible from—
    Sean shook his head. No. He wouldn’t let his mind dwell on it. He did the right thing.
    An exit ramp veered off the highway. A Carr’s grocery store and the Hotel North Pole were to his right. Without another thought, his feet took the exit and he headed into the small town he hoped would become his home.
    A sigh left his lips as he walked along the roundabout and headed for the hotel. Interesting. The streetlights were decorated as giant candy canes. Christmas decorations covered each post, sign, and window. The decorations appeared permanent. Giant light posts on the main street were painted red and white. The short posts on either side of a fire hydrant were painted the same. Surely they didn’t repaint after the holiday season. Well, with a name like North Pole, maybe that was the city’s calling card. Christmas year-round in North Pole, Alaska?
    A quirky little town to be sure for this Eastern city boy. His family would’ve looked down their noses at everyone here.
    All the more reason to like the place.
    He dropped his pack in the parking lot and worked the aches out of his muscles. He’d walked more than 6,000 miles the last seven months. Part in anger, part in stubbornness, but mostly to disappear.
    Time to find a place to stay. Soon he’d find a job he loved, learn all about it, and then live his days out in joy and solitude. His past would fade away. He no longer lived under his father’s thumb. At thirty-seven years old, he was finally his own man.
    About time.
    Sean picked up his pack and with a lightness in his heart that he hadn’t felt since he was a child, he headed to the front door of Hotel North Pole.
----
    DETECTIVE SHELDON
    January 2
    North Pole Police Department
    3:34 p.m.
    Detective Dave Sheldon shut the door to the office he shared with the three sergeants and took a deep breath. Who would shoot at a little girl?
    A murderer. That’s who. One who knew that child was a witness.
    He gathered what little information they had so far and scanned his notes. They’d need to interview the teen as soon as the doctor called him. Didn’t give him much time to piece together more than the bare facts: a murder of an alleged homeless man, and the attempted murder of a thirteen-year-old sprint racer.
    A knock at the door brought his attention up.
    “Detective Sheldon, I’m Agent Philips with the FBI.”
    Dave tried not to bristle as he shook the man’s hand. Were the feds stepping in?
    Agent Philips held up a hand. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to take over. But there is some sensitive information you need to be aware of.”
    “Have a seat.”
    “As you know, your office was exemplary in helping the FBI with the Gray case last year.”
    “Thank you. We were happy to assist.”
    “Well, the young girl who witnessed the murder this afternoon is Zoya Naltsiine.”
    Dave looked at his watch and back at the papers in his hand. “How did you find that out so quick?”
    “The Naltsiines are close to Jenna and Andie Tikaani-Gray Maddox.”
    Great. His stress level increased by a hundred percent. “So you think it’s related somehow to the technology Gray invented?”
    “We’re not sure. That’s why I asked to come