Mortal Ties

THIRTY-SIX

“BUT what the hell’s LT230?” Scott said.

“I don’t know.” Rule scrubbed his face with both hands. “Maybe that isn’t all of it. She was fading in and out—more out than in, I think.”

Everyone was gathered around the table, looking at a map of the city. Rule had called Cullen to let him know: Lily was somewhere east of the hotel, and she wasn’t near water. She was possibly in a stucco building. He needed to call Tony, tell him to concentrate on the east side of the city, but they’d hoped to narrow it even further with that mysterious number.

“If that’s only part of it,” Jasper said slowly, “maybe it’s from a license plate. California plates are usually a number, three letters, then three numbers.”

“Maybe.” Rule stared at the letters and numbers he’d scribbled down as if the scrap of paper could yield some certainty. “I’ll call it in as a possibility.” He reached for his phone. Ruben first, to get the ball rolling on what might be a partial license plate. Or might not. Then he’d call Tony.