Once Upon A Holiday Page #3

accredited

with the local

law enforcement agencies.

Now that gives us a free hand

to move around the city

as much as we need to.

If anyone can find

Katherine quietly,

Simon can.

Does Katie know about this?

Of course she knows.

She just doesn't

especially like it.

You know,

I don't think she's that far.

Her mother used to do this

all the time...

just stayed

within a few-block radius.

Find her, Simon.

We will.

Oh...

Hi, hi.

To the Shelton on the Park

Hotel, please.

$40 to go to the Shelton.

Plus tip.

Okay, well, I can pay you

when I get there.

Are you se... really?

Okay.

Well, that's great.

I guess I will just walk...

then.

Merry Christmas.

All I'm saying is,

you could have warned me

that he was going to be here.

If I had,

you wouldn't have come.

Sure, I would've.

Probably.

Maybe.

Come on, Jack...

Ross is not a bad guy,

once you get to know him.

He's your boyfriend.

Why do I need to get to know

my sister's boyfriend?

He likes you.

He wants to hang out...

you know, be friends.

Oh, what

we're in eighth grade now?

I'm like...

I'm one of the cool kids?

You are one of the cool kids.

You always were.

Yeah, when my

skinny little sister

wasn't following me

around... Hey, do not!

Careful.

Hey... go on.

Jack,

it's almost Christmas.

Just talk to him.

Please?

Jack! It's on!

Grr...

all right, fine.

I'll talk to him.

Go, go...

I'll take care of dinner.

Come on, sit down.

I'm Ross Hargrave,

with another Christmas

stocking stuffer

from WVBC Channel 6 News.

Wally Simpter.

Tell me, Wally,

you've been dancing

in front of this barbershop

every Christmas

for over 40 years.

What makes this barbershop

so special, Wally?

And why only at Christmas?

Oh...

Wally Simpter.

Singer.

Dancer.

Christmas enigma.

This is Ross Hargrave

reporting.

Back to you, Stan.

So, Jack?

Tell me the truth.

What did you think?

It was, uh...

it was heart-warming.

Yeah! Yes!

That's what

I was going for.

You know,

between you and me,

this is just

a means to an end...

Sure.

Get my TV cue up,

some good exposure...

and I'm ready

to, you know, break out.

I just need

that one big story,

get my ticket punched

for a network gig, my friend.

Oh, yeah.

I mean,

that's what it's all about.

Mm-hmm.

You guys hungry?

Oh, starving!

Yeah.

You sure

I can't help you?

I'll take care of this.

You go relax, talk to Ross.

Yeah, I think I'm going

to take off.

How come?

I told Harry

I'd drop by.

Hmm...

thought maybe

you had a hot date.

Right.

So...

are you dating anyone?

Why is everyone so suddenly

interested in my personal life?

Because you're a nice guy...

and you shouldn't be

alone at Christmas.

You kidding me?

Look at me...

I'm doing great.

I'm dancing!

Jack, I'm serious.

All you do is work

and take care of everyone else.

You need to get out

and have some fun.

It's been a year

since you and Gretchen...

Thanks for dinner, Sis.

Aw, don't leave...

he's going to think

you're avoiding him.

I'll call you tomorrow.

Hey, Jack? Jack?

Where'd he go?

Hey!

Oh!

We meet again!

Yes, we do!

What're you doing

way over here?

Oh, I'm just...

taking in the sights.

In the dark?

I like Christmas lights,

and it's more...

Christmas-y at nighttime.

Ah.

Yeah... are you lost?

- No.

- Oh.

The weather's

just lovely,

so I thought

I would take the scenic route.

- Back to your hotel.

- Exactly...

which is actually

where I'm headed now,

so I'm going to...

I'm going to go to my hotel...

which is...

this way...

but it was really nice

to see you. It was.

You too.

Uh, any word on your purse?

Yes!

Actu... um, no.

Well, kind of...

I mean...

the cops, you know,

they're all over it.

They said they were going

to crack this case wide open,

so that's good.

Yeah, you told them

you have a witness?

- Mm-hmm.

- Okay.

Yeah, and they were like...

"Pfft, we got this."

So you're good...

but thank you.

So...

are those your friends inside?

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, it seems like

you're missing all the fun,

so you should go back inside.

No, no...

they look forward to this

all year.

It's kind of

a Christmas tradition...

and the night is young.

They will make the most of it.

Well, seems like

they already are.

Yep.

Do you... want to come in?

Uh, no, no, no.

I don't want to intrude.

Oh, no, it's a potluck.

There's always

way too much food,

and it's warm.

Oh, really?

Yeah, but, I mean,

if you have somewhere to be...

Well, I could come in

for a minute...

Oh, really?

Oh, okay.

And here's

this cute little kid,

sharp as a tack.

He's going down his list.

Me, I'm just trying

to keep up.

"Ho ho...

"Your friends are going

to be so jealous.

Oh, ho ho ho!"

Hey, Jack!

You made it!

I'm a man of my word.

Oh!

Oh, Dixie...

Mwah!

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

And lookit,

he brought a friend.

Well, Jack?

Aren't you going

to introduce your friend?

Of, of course, yeah...

uh, this is...

um...

Katie.

Um...

Katie Holiday.

Katie Holiday!

It's a pleasure to meet you...

and Merry Christmas.

I'm Harry Ballentine,

the Great Matriando.

Yes, this is you

on the poster?

Are you really

a magician?

Well, I dabble.

Why, thank you,

Mr. Santa Claus.

Jack, you can

bring her by any time.

Hi, honey, I'm Dixie.

I was Harry's assistant

for almost 40 years.

And still as beautiful

as the day I hired her.

Oh, quite

the charmer here.

You look hungry.

Starving.

Let's get you a plate.

Ah...

All right, just...

So, how long

have you known Jack?

Mm... who?

Jack?

Oh, Jack.

Not long.

He has never

brought anybody before.

Well, I guess it was

kind of one of those

spur of the moment type things.

But he seems really nice.

He's a sweetie.

So what's going on here?

Why is everybody dressed up

like Santa Claus?

Because they are Santa Claus.

What do you mean?

Retired police officer.

Accountant.

Dentist.

History professor...

but when this time of year

rolls around,

all they want to do is make

those children smile.

It's a Christmas tradition.

It's wonderful.

Just don't get them started

on their stories, honey.

We'll be here all night.

We checked

all the hospitals.

We monitored

all the police activity.

There's no one in the system

who matches

the princess' description,

and...

we found her phone.

She ditched it in the basement.

Why would she get rid

of her phone?

Well, her phone has RFID

with GPS.

I can track this phone

almost anywhere.

I just didn't think

she knew about it.

Heh...

She's a smart girl.

Simon, my niece is alone

in a strange city at night.

We have to find her.

Yes, ma'am, I understand.

We will find her.

It's almost impossible

to disappear these days.

Between

all the surveillance cameras

and the computers out there,

there's no place

left to hide.

And then

we have another problem.

Her schedule?

She has so many important

commitments tomorrow.

She can't just not show up.

George, I hate to ask,

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