“Times change and you’ve been gone from the job too long. Most times now the suspects keep the pictures on their phones so they can access them wherever they are.” Colin had only been out of the agent game for about a year, and his disgusted tone said what he thought about the creeps he’d investigated. “As a bonus for them, if they have to bail, they don’t leave evidence behind.”
Reid hated to hear that. “Maybe I shouldn’t be so sad over leaving the Bureau.”
“Sad?” Colin eyed him. “You want back in?”
“Somedays, yeah,” Reid admitted. “When the survivalists I’m training are out in left field. Or I have to juggle training schedules for all of you guys because the weather’s not cooperating. Yeah, I do. But I know I’m where I’m supposed to be for now.”
“Well, if you want back in, don’t wait too long or you’ll age out.”
Reid was fully aware of the FBI’s age rules for new agents and also the age at which all agents had to retire. Reid was in no danger of exceeding the retirement age of fifty-seven, but the new agent max age of thirty-seven could pose a problem in a few years. But then, would he really be considered a new agent? He didn’t know and hadn’t asked as there was no point in it. At least not yet.
For now, Reid would return the focus to their job at hand. “Maybe we can find materials that will implicate Fowler in the smoke bomb.”
Colin raised an eyebrow at the subject change but handed a pair of disposable gloves to Reid and slipped his hands into another. “I’ll check out the kitchenette.”
Reid put on the gloves and went to a trash can that he dumped onto the bed to paw through. A few take-out receipts and one for a PJ’s Bar location on the other side of town. Reid picked it up. “Cash receipt for PJ’s for the time of their visit. Not that it helps us find his friend.”
“Agreed.” Colin opened a cabinet in the kitchenette.
Reid jerked out a table drawer and dumped it onto the sofa. Basic motel items tumbled out. TV remote, notepad, pen, and a Bible. Nothing to implicate Fowler in any crime. Frustrated, Reid tossed the drawer onto the cushion. It landed bottom side up, revealing a key taped to the underside.
“No sign of bomb-making supplies in here,” Colin called out.
“I’ve got something interesting.” Reid ripped the key free and held it up for Colin. “Was taped to the bottom of the drawer. Probably for a padlock. Maybe we’re not finding anything because he’s keeping things hidden in a storage unit.”
Colin joined Reid. “Like those bomb-making supplies.”
“Exactly.” Reid’s heart rate tripped higher as he stared at the key. “Now all we need to do is figure out if we’re right and locate the storage facility.”
11
Reid held his phone to his ear the next morning, waiting for Russ to answer, and he glanced out the hospital lounge window at the light dusting of snow drifting from above. He only hoped it didn’t pick up and make Fowler hunker down wherever he was and not return for that key.
Reid was certain Fowler would return for the key at some point, and he wanted someone in place for when that happened, so he’d left Colin behind. But Reid wasn’t going to sit around and wait. Hence his call to Russ.
“Yo, bro,” Russ said. “You do know I still have a real job to do, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t bother you if it wasn’t important.”
“Then make it quick.”
“We searched Fowler’s motel room last night. Was mostly a bust but we found a hidden key. Looks like it’s for a padlock. We didn’t find anything in the room, so I figure it’s for a storage unit he’s renting.”
“And let me guess. You want me to get Gleason on a warrant for these places to find the location of Fowler’s unit.”
“Actually, no. We didn’t exactly come by the key during a legal search, so we can’t tell Gleason about it.”
Russ blew a long breath into the phone. Reid really shouldn’t be admitting to illegally searching the room to a sheriff who should act on the information. He only hoped right now that the brother card trumped the sheriff’s duty.
“Did you take the key?” Russ asked, not sounding pleased.
“No. I left it there so when Gleason gets a warrant for the room, he should find it.”
“Unless Fowler comes back to claim it.”
“I actually hope he does. Colin is still staking the place out.”
“Okay, so what do you want me to do?”
