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“Rylan talked to the employees that were still there, they confirmed what you said. Thea talked to the other two librarians at two-thirty and said she was leaving. Neither saw her re-enter the building.”
Then where is Thea?
My hands twitch, needing the familiar keyboard beneath them. Doing something to find her. Hacking a security camera, searching records—something.
Looking at Leo, I ask, “Security cameras? Aren’t there supposed to be ones installed outside the library? Thea said they were approved.”
His features crease, brows drawing down. “Not until next week. So they’d be ready in time for the library to re-open.”
My molars nearly crack as I grit out, “That doesn’t help Thea.”
Leo looks at me, apology in his gaze. “I know. But we’re going to keep looking. We’ll find something.” He slides a laptop down the table to me. “Use this. We’ll both search.”
Panic is beating at me, frantic wings flapping inside my chest. But there’s no time for panic or breaking down. Not when Thea is missing. So I gather myself and give Leo a quick nod. “Can you take the CCTV cameras in the area while I search the traffic light footage?”
“Of course.” Ducking his head, he starts tapping rapidly at the keyboard.
“I’m going to make some calls,” Cole adds. “Get in touch with all the local police departments. Some of my other contacts, as well. We’ll get everyone looking for Thea.”
Thea.
Where is she?
The question keeps ricocheting around in my head. Where is she?
She doesn’t have her purse. Her car. Her phone. Not even her keys. She left the library and then—nothing. It doesn’t make sense. Stella is in jail.
Why didn’t she put on the earrings?
But why would she think she had to?
Shit. I’m so damn terrified, it’s hard to breathe past it.
My hands are flying across the keys, I’m clicking madly; two parts of my brain working separately. One part panicked and scared, the other relying on logic and data to keep focus.
“I understand.” Leo glances away from his screen for a second. “When Georgia was missing, I almost lost it. But then I told myself, I have the skills to find her. And I did.” He pauses. “So do you.”
Before today, I was cocky. I thought I could solve anything if it involved my computer. But it never meant this much. And now I’m petrified of failing.
Time passes, I’m not sure how much.
I just know it’s too much time not knowing where Thea is.
Rylan comes back, Thea’s purse in hand, and I almost cry at the sight of it.
Cole is on the phone, explaining the situation over and over again.
Leo is scowling at his laptop.
Bile is burning the back of my throat. Where is she?
Then I find something. A traffic camera capture. A black SUV.
And a woman slumped in the front seat, curly hair nearly covering her face. Hair the exact color of Thea’s. Wearing the same blue shirt.
“I found her.” Heart pounding, I save the image and zoom in on it. “I know it’s her. Look.”
Cole and Rylan gather around me. “It sure looks like her,” Cole agrees.
