He eased off the gas and waved across a woman dragging a red wagon in one hand and a wriggling kid in the other, then parked in a shaded spot where he could see everything: the entry to the lot and the library and every minivan fighting for the spot nearest the entrance.The whole scene served as another reminder that this wasn’t his usual assignment.
Then again, he hadn’t worked here long enough to have a usual assignment.
He called the control room at headquarters.
Dean picked up on the first ring.“You there already?”
“Yeah.Learn anything else that might help?”
“Grace was surprisingly good at staying out of sight.I’ve been sifting through her previous clients and found a nearby residential address where she sometimes transmitted work from.The homeowner works at the library.”
“That sounds like more than a coincidence.”Callum rubbed his chin.“So we’re moving in the right direction.”
“Affirmative, though we can’t find a connection between her and the owner, a woman named Alicia Jackson.But here’s the kicker: other than time at the library and at this woman’s house, we don’t have a single connection between Grace and this area.No lease.No bills.Not even a gas station fill-up.”Dean grumbled.“I called the library to confirm Alicia’s employment, but whoever answered the phone was unsure.”
“This place doesn’t look that big.You’d know your coworkers.”
“That’s what I thought, too.Let me know if you get anything.”
“Roger that.”Callum ended the call and headed inside.
The double doors whooshed open and wrapped him inside with a cold burst of air.Bright signs directed him to the children’s section, periodicals, and the circulation desk in front of the adult section.There was more noise than he had expected, though he hadn’t been in a library for longer than he wanted to admit.
His casual clothes hid his purpose, but he couldn’t help but feel out of place.Callum bypassed a teenager with a volunteer badge at the returns desk and headed toward the computer stations, which occupied two large tables.He swept the terminals for Grace.
Most stations were in use.Lady Luck would have been on his side if Grace had been sitting at one of the computers.But no, that would have been far too easy.He eyed the study desks that lined the walls.Again, no Grace, and wandering through the small space, he stopped at the circulation desk.
The librarian, a tall woman with umber skin and loose coiled hair, offered a welcoming smile as she nudged her glasses up her nose.“Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for a friend.”Callum pulled up Grace’s picture on his phone.“Have you seen her in the last few days?”
Her smile faltered.“No, I’m sorry.”
“Are you sure?It’s important.”
Her lips pursed as she pointedly lookedhim—not the picture—over.“I haven’t seen her.Anything else I can help you with?”
His gaze narrowed on her.Callum tried to get a read.Protective?Cautious?No, something more.Perhaps worried.This was a woman who was protecting another woman, or maybe even a friend watching out for a friend.“You sure?”
She squared her shoulders.“Positive.”
“Her name is Grace Willoughby.Maybe you’ve heard of her?”
“Never.”
“She sometimes uses other names.”He lifted Grace’s picture again, only to be ignored.Callum double-checked the woman for a name tag and found none.“Do you know someone who works here named Alicia Jackson?”
Her eyebrows arched.“She works here?”
This wasn’t working.Callum ran his hand through his hair.Schmoozing people wasn’t his forte.He should have partnered with someone else on his team for this.Viv could’ve sent Wes Wilder, the charmer, or even Eli Landry, who was laid back unless someone looked too closely.Callum’s patience didn’t lend itself to the softness that was required to pull information out of people.“Like I said, it’s important.”
“Are you the police?”
“No.I swear.”He smiled, but that did nothing except add a hint of mistrust in her eyes.
“Either way.”She shrugged.“I haven’t seen her.”
“She might be in trouble.”
