Mortal Faults

43

Tess was finishing off the recitation of her misdeeds, and enjoying it considerably less than her last visit to confession, when Michaelson’s secretary interrupted to say that Hauser was on the line. Michaelson took the call on the speakerphone.

“We’ve got a problem,” Hauser said. “One of my surveillance agents just called. Lowry has broken out of containment.” Michaelson uttered an expletive, which Hauser ignored. “She couldn’t have done it alone,” he went on. “She had to have help.”

Michaelson shot Tess a cold glance. “Your friend again?”

Tess frowned. “Stop calling her my friend.”

Michaelson asked Hauser where he was now. “At Sinclair’s condo in Westwood. She’s not here. Her Mazda Miata’s not in its assigned space.”

“She’s hooked up with Lowry,” Michaelson said. “For all we know, the two of them could be conspiring to kill Reynolds together. Or maybe Sinclair’s working with Reynolds to get Lowry.”

“Abby wouldn’t do anything like that,” Tess protested.

“How the hell do you know? She’s already killed Garrick. Now she’s pulled Lowry away from surveillance. The goddamned situation is out of control.”

Hauser’s voice crackled over the speaker. “McCallum, you’ve been in contact with her. You know her cell phone number?”

Tess recited it from memory.

“We can track her by her cell,” Hauser said. “She doesn’t even need to be using it. As long as the phone is turned on, it’ll send out periodic transmissions to check for signal availability.”

“We’ll need the cooperation of her cellular provider,” Michaelson said.

“Those outfits usually offer assistance to law enforcement voluntarily. We can use her number to find out which provider she subscribes to. Hopefully we can obtain whatever real-time info they’re getting.”

“How accurately can we track her?”

“Depends on the phone and the carrier. Mainly the phone. Most cell phones have GPS chips built in. With GPS we can pinpoint her to within five feet.”

“And if her phone doesn’t have a chip?”

“Then its position can be triangulated from the signals received by the three nearest cell towers. It’s just as fast, but not as precise. We can narrow down her location to a city block, maybe.”

Michaelson nodded at the speakerphone as if he were addressing Hauser face to face. “All right, get going on this.” The call ended, and Michaelson turned to Tess. “Looks like we’re done for now. You can go.”

“I want to stay. I want to be part of the takedown.”

“You have to be joking.”

“I know Abby. I can be helpful.”

“Yes, you’ve been nothing but helpful so far. Get lost, McCallum.”

“Richard, you can have me shitcanned later. Right now the only priority is to get Abby in lockup.”

“And how is keeping her best friend on the case going to facilitate that outcome?”

Tess stood. “God damn it. I’m not her best friend. If I were, would I be here now? I’m trying to fix things.”

“Too late.”

“I’m the only one who has any experience in dealing with Abby. I’ve already supplied her cell phone number, which you can bet is unlisted. You may need my help again.”

“The day I need your help, McCallum, is the day I give up my post. Now get out.”

Tess bit back a reply. She was moving for the door when Michaelson got another call from Hauser, again on speakerphone.

“We’ve ID’d her provider. They’re cooperating. Bad news is, her cell isn’t GPS-equipped. Good news is, they’ve got a signal, and they’re feeding us her location on a real-time basis.”

“Where is she?” Michaelson snapped.

“The 101 Freeway. Moving southeast out of the Valley into downtown