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“Don’t sit. I’ll make it quick.”

Sheriff Bob Ellerd was unsmiling after waving Garth Reeger and Luke into his office at the start of their shift.

“Got a call from the lawyer for the provider on our cell tower warrant.” He glanced at his deputies. “She says we should receive all responsive records within a couple days, ahead of the judge’s deadline.”

Luke nodded.

“And,” Ellerd continued, “I also got a call from a lawyer for the contractor. He wanted to know the status of the investigation, seein’ how it’s been months now.”

Ellerd shot a look at Reeger, who gave off an uneasy vibe while adjusting his stance.

“I told him we’re working on it and we’re hopeful for new leads.” Ellerd’s chair creaked when he sat. “Let’s hope this cell phone warrant shakes out something.” Ellerd released a long breath. “That’s it. Get out there and get to it.”

Garth gave Luke a cold stare.

Seeing them leaving Ellerd’s office, Clay Smith tried to read their faces for any indication if the news was good, bad or worse. Reeger said nothing and left. Luke acknowledged Clay with a nod, watching him enter Ellerd’s office and shut the door, catching the beginnings of their conversation.

“So, Clayton, you needed to talk before you go to Louisiana…”

Luke went to his car. Calls were stacking up in all zones. It turned out to be one of those days, with Luke taking call after call. A silent alarm; a traffic hazard; assisting deputies in the neighboring county.

For a quick lunch, Luke went to the Sonic Drive-In and got a burger and fries, which he ate in his car before handling new calls. He resumed work with checking on a disturbance, then the welfare of an elderly woman.

Ellerd’s update on the cell phone records had left Luke anxious. On one hand, those records might provide an answer. On the other hand, it could lead to the disaster he feared— that the woman is dead . Luke had used every chance he had to look through databases for the rainstorm woman, but his search was futile. Even with Derek’s expert help using the technology, Luke was beginning to believe it was a long shot.

Two new calls came his way: a theft complaint, which turned out to be a misunderstanding; then another suspicious vehicle, which turned out to be a courier.

Later, Luke was northbound on the highway when a blue SUV shot past him well over the speed limit. Activating his radar, he hit his lights and siren, pursuing the vehicle until it pulled over.

The driver, a woman, was alone. She lowered her window.

He held his focus on her for a moment. She was white, in her midtwenties, with longish dark hair and high cheekbones, giving him pause.

Could she be…?

She appeared upset.

“Did I do something wrong?” Her voiced quivered.

“I got you at thirty over the limit.”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry.”

After passing Luke her license and registration, she told him, through tears, that her aunt had died and she was driving to her uncle’s place in Dallas.

He nodded politely and stepped away.

Running her name, he learned she lived in Galveston and had run a red light in Houston a year ago. Otherwise, no issues.

I don’t think it could be her.

He returned her license and registration along with a $265 speeding ticket—he’d seen many young women try to cry their way out of an offense. On hearing about the ticket, her jaw dropped. Her tears gone, she snapped the documents from him.

“Please drive safely.”

“Yeah, right.”

She drove off.

Luke’s lights were still flashing when he returned to his patrol car and got behind the wheel. Before pulling back onto the highway, his burner phone vibrated.

It was Derek.

We’ve got her!

Luke’s screen split with the photo of the face Derek had extracted from the video, and a sharp new photo of the face of the same woman. Luke’s stomach lifted.

Definitely the same woman—God, it’s her!

Derek’s follow-up message said: Joyce-Anne Gemsen, age 28, from Oklahoma.

Luke studied the two photos, marveling at Derek’s work when he received another message.

Reported missing out of Oklahoma City.