Taken in Death (In Death #37.5)(13)

“I’d put the drive time between five and eight minutes. She’d need the rest of the time to haul the kids inside, secure them.”

Eve nodded at Feeney. “So close, most likely within that mile. How do you find the kid’s signal?”

Feeney rubbed his face, the back of his neck. “We’re going to open up. We’ll pick up a lot of signals from anybody using one of these things, but we’ll filter it out. The problem is, we’ve got the booster, so we can pick up. But the kid’s unit doesn’t have it, so its signal is limited. It’s just a toy, Dallas,” he continued. “Enhancing on this end’s going to help us pick him up, but he’s still just got a toy in his hand.”

She turned her circle, tried to think. And asked herself if she was putting too much time and effort, too much hope into a damn toy. “What if we could trace the exact unit. We find out when and where it was purchased, see if we can get the schematics on the exact unit.”

“They’re all pretty much the same. They’re mass-produced. It is what it is, Dallas.” Feeney pulled a wrinkled bag of candied almonds out of his pocket, popped a couple. “We took this one apart, so we know how it works, how it’s put together. Maybe if we talked to the designer, I don’t know, we’d have a brainstorm, but—”

“Why not? We can try it. Who makes it?”

“It’s Kidware. That’s Roarke’s.” His ginger eyebrows arched. “I figured you knew.”

“How would I know?” She pulled out her ’link, then paused as the door opened. McNab stepped in. And HSO Agent Teasdale and a whip-thin man in a bad black suit came in behind him.

“Tag him,” she snapped to Feeney. “Agent Teasdale.”

“Lieutenant.” In her calm, precise way, Teasdale gestured to the man beside her. “This is Agent Slattery with the FBI. We’ve been fully briefed on the situation, and will be conducting a joint agency investigation.”

Eve kept her tone and gaze even. “Okay.”

“The priority of our part of the investigation will be the kidnapping. I’m sure we agree the safety of the children, and their quick return, is the most vital goal.”

“No argument. Our e-team has boosted the range of the toy—the same toy we believe Henry MacDermit has in his possession—to nearly a mile radius. We’ll attempt to intercept any transmissions or communications he makes, and use that to triangulate his and his sister’s location.”

“That’s excellent, though we can’t know if he still has his unit, or the opportunity and wherewithal to attempt a transmission.”

“He was smart enough to make a recording when he was drugged and being kidnapped, after he saw the nanny who was part of his family dead on the floor. I think he’s smart enough to keep the unit hidden, and to keep trying.”

“To reach the good witch.” Teasdale nodded. “Fully briefed, as I said. He’s just a child, but yes, I agree, a smart one.”

“There’s still been no communication or demand for ransom from the abductor?” Slattery asked.

“None. I have two men with the MacDermits, in a safe house downtown. I . . . Can I have a moment, Agent Teasdale?”

“Of course.”

Eve led the way into the kitchen, paused to assess the woman she’d learned to trust during another investigation. Deceptively slight in built, cool, enigmatic Asian eyes. “Listen, I’m not trying to shut you out.”

“I think we understand each other, and should, given our past collaboration.”

“Good. Is he solid, Slattery?”

“Very, and he has considerably more experience than I with kidnappings, particularly with minors.”

“I don’t know if she’s going to try for ransom, but at some point she has to communicate with her sister. She’d need to gloat, to twist the knife.”

“I agree.”

“I could use my men here, Teasdale, that’s a fact. And another is, I think you and Slattery are better suited to deal with parents, to be on top of it when the sister contacts them. She will. She has to. She may try to lure the sister out.”

Teasdale inclined her head in the slightest nod. “Because she doesn’t just want all of them dead, she needs all of them dead.”

“That’s how I see it, yeah. My men are good, and if you weren’t on tap, I’d trust them to see that end through. But you are, and I think you’d do better. Constant communication, complete open line. My word on it.”

“I don’t doubt your word, and don’t need it. I understand your priorities, and shutting out valuable assistance isn’t one of them. We’ll take the parents, but we’ll move them to one of the federal safe houses, locate them back uptown. I want to be closer, geographically.”

“Good enough.”

“The director is in contact with the Swedish authorities, and Global. It’s obvious the investigation into Maj Borgstrom’s escape, and the murder of Dr. Filip Edquist—the possible foul play in the death of Dr. Dolph Edquist—were badly bungled. We’ll find out why.”

“Even better.”

“She won’t keep them alive long.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Children are . . . work. Even frightened children who may be cowed into obedience take time and effort. She may kill one. It’s how I would handle it.”