I will explain my take on the gun theft story, keeping in mind that RC didn't tell Cobra every little bit of what happened--we have to pick that up from Chelsea & Misty saying they searched for the gun. Here goes:
The first time RC meets JO, they are drinking beer and he shows off some of his guns. Either that night or sometime shortly after that, RC discovers the Beretta missing. He doesn't outright accuse JO, but that is his main suspect. He tells Hank Sr and they hint around at it--saying things in front of JO like "I wouldn't kill them, I'd just smash their hand with a tire iron so they couldn't steal anything ever again." Joe denies taking it. During this time, Hank decides he wants JO staying with him so he can keep an eye on him. He had been staying with Tommy up until then. So, once JO is moved out of Tommy's house, RC decides to have the girls search Tommy's property, since Hank has already checked everything he brought with him. After looking all over, the girls end up by the culvert and RC says-look there. Bingo--there's the gun. Maybe RC says leave it there and I'll come get it.
So RC gets the gun back, cleans it and THEN HIDES IT somewhere else. So, as far as Joe knows, the gun is still where he left it in the culvert. It was there because he didn't want to get Tommy in trouble if it was found--the driveway culvert area is considered easement area in most communities. And I don't think it even crossed his mind that a child might find it there--after all, Joe has no kids of his own & wouldn't worry about them.
Hank has his car accident and ends up in the hospital so JO is moved again to Timmy's place. The night Haleigh disappears, after everyone is in bed and sleeping, JO takes the van and heads to Tommy's to retrieve the gun since he's leaving in the morning. It's gone. What happened after that and to Haleigh, I don't know.
The police come to RC's and he turns the Beretta over to the officers after threatening to kill the kidnapper. He has had it hidden somewhere since they found it in the culvert.
Tents were set up that morning (10th) since the MH was a crime scene. There had been statements that there is no way RC could see Tommy's culvert from the MH and that is true. However, being in a tent right across the street from Tommy's he could
very easily see the girlfriend on the 10th when she came to get JO and observe her looking in the culvert for something. So I am stating that I believe the comment RC made to Cobra happened on Feb. 10th. I hope this is halfway clear lol.