Shane watched from the doorway as Echo team stacked up at the door. They’d used radar, fiber optics, and a drone to surveil the inside of the room. Everything looked empty and undisturbed.

Ford Cadell held Hugo who looked focused and ready to work even though it was doubtful there was anyone to apprehend inside. Shane tensed as they let Griffin unlock the door with the hotel keycard. This was a good real-life training opportunity. The team moved in fast as soon as Griffin opened the door.

They were back outside the room again in under ten seconds. Shane strode down the corridor with Novak to meet Cowboy. He was aware of Yael following quietly behind them, clearly worried about her friend.

Ryan shook his head. “Room’s empty.”

Yael put her hand across her mouth. Alex Parker sucked in a deep breath.

Shane knew they’d mentally prepared themselves to find Laura’s mutilated body inside the bathroom. “Did it look as if there’d been a struggle?” Shane wanted in to see for himself but knew it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Evidence techs were going in first. Sloan’s orders.

Cowboy shook his head. “Bed’s made up. Room looks unoccupied.”

Chances were the bastard had taken her with him from the bar and, if Shane was a betting man, he’d say Laura Bay was odds on favorite to be EG’s next online victim, unless the FBI found her first.

“Laura definitely checked in.” Shane impatiently scratched the skin under his cast. He was tempted to cut the plaster off but Novak would only send him back to the hospital for a new one which would cost him time.

Cowboy nodded. “No indication she ever made it to her room though.”

They wandered back to the suite while Evidence Techs took over. Shane figured it was a waste of time considering the amount of DNA that must pass through there on a weekly basis. It was another avalanche of evidence to bury the details that might actually nail the suspect.

“Have they located her car?” Yael asked.

Ashley Chen looked up from where she was typing on a laptop. They’d put out a BOLO earlier. “Nothing. Yet.”

Yael looked like she wanted to say something.

“What?” Shane urged. She had such good instincts. He wanted her to believe in herself more.

“You said her vehicle wasn’t at the bar. I think she would definitely have left it here along with her luggage. She drove here last night after she dropped Tim off at his hotel down the road.”

Tim Theriault was watching for any new crypto activity on a laptop near the window. The young man seemed traumatized.