Sorenson stood in front of the large map of the East Side. “The Tyson plant is at Sixth and Harrison,” she said as she tugged on a bulletproof vest.
“And before that, at First and Hancock,” Caleb said, moving to stand beside her. He tapped an intersection an inch further north and east from Sorenson’s. “Tyson moved operations in the nineties before they shut down. If they’re deep in the alleys, Eve’s not going to know exactly where she is. She’s got a shit sense of direction.”
Matt moved the phone to a safer location and searched for his size in the pile of gear on the table. Hawthorn and Sorenson were suiting up. McCormick and the other uniform were already in bulletproof vests, but McCormick was checking his equipment, patting his extra clip, turning down the volume on his radio.
“What’s he doing down there?” Sorenson asked under her breath. “It’s not near the projects.”
Caleb surveyed this ratcheting up of firepower. “Isn’t this the kind of situation for the SWAT team?”
“They’re serving a warrant on a violent offender in north Lancaster,” Hawthorn said.
McCormick woke up Hawthorn’s laptop. “Is her phone GPS enabled?”
“Yes,” Caleb said, still staring at Hawthorn. “You’ve only got one SWAT team?” he asked disbelievingly.
“Yes,” Hawthorn said tersely, tuning his radio and staking claim to a channel. “A city this size barely justifies one team, and they all have other duties.”
“What’s her phone number?” McCormick asked.
Matt and Caleb rattled it off in unison. Caleb’s eyes locked with his. “I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re not,” Hawthorn said.
“The hell I’m not. That’s my sister,” Caleb said, pointing at Matt’s phone.
“I’ve got her,” McCormick said, his gaze focused on the computer screen. “She’s at First and Hancock.”
“How accurate is the read?” Caleb asked.
“Depending on her phone and service, could be accurate to within inches, or it could be pinging off the nearest tower,” Matt said.
“So she just as easily could be at Sixth and Harrison. That’s a lot of territory in blind alleys. I grew up running those alleys. I know them better than anyone in this room,” Caleb said.
“Regardless, you are not coming with us,” Hawthorn said imperturbably.
Matt could see Caleb assessing his chances. There were six police officers in the room, and adrenaline was running high. “This won’t help Eve,” Matt said.
“She’s my sister,” he said again, helplessness twisting his features.
Sorenson looked over her shoulder. “How would you characterize your relationship with Murphy?” she asked.
Caleb blew out a deep breath and gave her a searing look. “What do you think, Detective? He hates my guts.”
“Then you need to stay here,” she said quietly. “Best-case scenario we resolve this quickly and without injury. Worst-case scenario, you can’t help us deal with Murphy. Stay here. Please.” And she turned back to the map.
“Which warehouse would Eve mean by ‘the old Tyson plant’?” Matt asked Caleb.
He shook his head. “Either one.”
Eve’s voice rang out. “Where‘s Lyle, Travis?”
“Two targets,” Hawthorn said, making eye contact with each of the officers to make sure they knew this. “Travis Jenkins and Lyle Murphy. Assume someone else was waiting for them at the warehouse, to make sure it was empty.”
Caleb stared at the phone. “Travis’s not answering. That’s not good,” he said. “He’s an obsequious little suck and he’d lick Eve’s boots if she’d let him. If he’s gone silent, she doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Look, I don’t know where I am, and I don’t know where Lyle went. This is freaking me out a little.” Matt could hear panic in Eve’s voice. Keep it together, he thought, as much to himself as her. You’ve got this. “Is that the Tribune’s old production plant?”
“Sixth and Harrison,” McCormick said. Two more uniformed officers had been rounded up after a trip to the city jail, briefed in low tones, and now focused intently on Matt’s cell phone.
Still nothing from Travis.
Hawthorn and Caleb joined Matt and Sorenson in front of the map. “These are the old warehouses from the days when shipping along the river was as important as railroad, right?” Sorenson asked.
“Yes. They’re all two-story warehouses,” Caleb added, obviously desperate to help. “Big. Lots of open space on the ground floor, maybe an office upstairs along one wall. They’ve been empty for years. If the redevelopment plan passes, they’re all razed for the business park.”
Matt tapped the corner of First and Hancock with his index finger. “I’m betting on this one,” he said. “The river.”