“One of the phones that connected to one tower in the area for a brief one-minute window was a burner cell and yep, it matches the model that opened the email,” Alex said. “Phone was sold in Charlotte last year.” He looked around Shane to Ashley. “See if you can find out any information on who might have bought the phone.”

“Send me the details,” Ashley said, grabbing a coffee on her way across the room. “Where exactly is Limon?”

He and Alex leaned over a map and Shane felt a tingle of anticipation that suggested they were onto something. They were close to that area.

“It looks like our guy but where’s he going? And why drive out all this way in January?” Ashley mused.

“Oh god.”

He turned. Yael was staring at the map and at Alex with huge eyes, a growing look of horror on her face.

“You don’t think…”

“Think what?” Ashley prompted harshly. “This is not the time for guessing games.”

Yael flinched at the sharpness of the other woman’s tone and Shane had to batten down his protective urges. Professional, remember?

Professional sucked.

Yael tipped up her chin and leaned closer to the screen, zooming out on the map a little. “My family has a personal association with a town near Colorado Springs. A dark one.” Her shoulders slumped and she seemed to shrink in front of him. “I mean, it could have nothing to do with his intentions.”

“Or it could be everything,” Alex said quietly.

“What association?” Shane asked.

“My brother was responsible for a school shooting there.” She swallowed repeatedly. “He also murdered our parents.”

Ah, shit.

Shane’s heart broke for her. So this was her big secret. Her big shame. It was a hell of a burden for anyone to carry.

Ashley didn’t look surprised. Looked as if the other agent had already figured it out. And Alex knew. Shane’s feeling of frustration grew. Not because this was about him, but because he wanted Yael to know he was here for her. And maybe he just had to prove it to her by supporting her now that the truth was out.

“Aside from the fact he fixated on you in Quantico, why do you think he would risk traveling all this way?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know.” Yael sounded angry, which was good. “To twist the knife? To hurt me because hurting people is what gets him off?”

“Would he risk going to the school?” Shane asked. “Or your old home?”

“The house was torn down by a developer a few years ago.” Yael shook her head. “I don’t know about the school.”