Page 108 of The Devoted Game

Ryan rushed to Talley’s station. Every government office and private business known to utilize exterior surveillance devices had been canvassed. No sign of Grace’s SUV on any of their systems. They had reviewed that initial feed over and over and had come up with nothing.

As the images began to move again, Ryan’s heart, the same damned one he’d thought had turned to stone, shattered like glass. He hoped this was live and that she was safe. But time was running out. He didn’t want to be standing here watching when that final minute came.

Nameless or whoever the hell he was had his hands and the side of his face pressed against the wall. His mouth appeared to be moving as if he were speaking.

Grace was pacing. Every few seconds she glared at one wall and said something. Shouted something, judging by the furious expression on her face.

“The rooms are next to each other,” Ryan said, mostly to himself. His mind immediately started ticking off the possible scenarios.

“What’s she doing?” Pierce shouldered in closer between Ryan and Pratt.

Grace went to the wall farthest from the camera and bent down. She appeared to be pulling on something.

“There isn’t a door there,” Talley noted.

“Maybe there is,” Ryan argued. “Can you lighten that at all?”

“I can try,” Talley said. “I’ll freeze a frame to memory and then try lightening that frame.”

“Do it,” Pierce ordered.

Talley reduced the live screen and opened another to which he copied the frame. He clicked a few keys then said, “That’s the best I can do.”

Ryan leaned closer. “Is that a track?” He pointed to one side of the wall where Grace appeared to be pulling at something. “And over here?” He pointed to the other side.

“A garage door?” Pierce suggested.

“An overhead door,” Ryan agreed, anticipation igniting inside him. “But not a garage. Look at the size of the room in both screens.” Talley maximized the live views. “Same size. It’s as if he’s talking to her through an adjoining wall.”

“Public storage,” Pierce said as if the epiphany had just dawned.

“We need a list of every public storage facility in this town,” Ryan said to Schaffer. “Start with the ones closest to our location and work your way out.”

Ryan’s gaze returned to the screen, where Grace had given up on the door and started pacing again. “Hang on, Grace,” he murmured. “We’re going to find you.”

“Here we go,” Schaffer called to him from a computer station. “I’m sending the first dozen locations to the printer now.”

Ryan headed for the printer. “Pierce, we’re going to need Birmingham PD for this.” There would be far too many for them to hope to cover in ninety minutes.

“Done.” Pierce was on the phone as he said the word.

The cell in Ryan’s pocket vibrated. He pulled it out, didn’t recognize the number. “McBride.”

“Ah ... sir, this is Aldridge.”

That the agent sounded hesitant ratcheted up Ryan’s tension level. “Yeah, Aldridge, what’ve you got?”

“I don’t know if this means anything, and I almost ignored her considering what happened, but she says it’s urgent that she speak with you.”

“Who?” Ryan’s instincts went on point.

“Nadine Goodman. She says she has information about Agent Grace, but she won’t talk to anyone but you.”

“What’s her number?” Instinct revved up the tension a little higher. Ryan grabbed the closest pen and wrote the number on his hand. He thanked Aldridge and ended the call, then quickly entered Goodman’s number. As soon as she answered, he said, “What do you want?”

“McBride?”

“Don’t waste my time, lady,” he snapped. If she hadn’t dug up that story on Grace, this might not be happening. He started looking through the map printouts of the nearest storage facilities even as the anticipation of what Goodman might have pumped up.