Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
Sandra had worked crisis incidents like today’s before, including a prison riot that had the inmates assuming control.
That one lasted for thirty-six hours, and she and other negotiators were brought in on rotating shifts.
Today’s situation wouldn’t be allowed to go on that long, not with so many innocent lives on the line.
ERT would find justification and develop a strategy to breach.
But, so far, their best lead came from Eric.
Before his call, Neal had heard from officers who had visited the medical companies belonging to the CEOs on the hospital board. No one flagged.
“I think we’ve caught a break.” Gibson’s declaration had everyone in the vehicle turning in his direction. “One of these last vehicle registrations matches the photo we have of the HT from the second floor. Meet Carmen Feeney, thirty-seven. Single, no record.”
She noticed Gibson had stepped in to help with the registrations after the officer dropped off the last batch. He still had an ear out and the radio scanner running in the background, but there hadn’t been any activity.
“Can we connect her to Radcliffe, or is there any apparent motive?” Neal asked.
Gibson returned to his computer, and Brice started tapping on his laptop. Sandra watched as windows opened and layered over each other.
“Her credit score is bad,” Brice said a moment later.
“I can’t see a clear connection to Radcliffe,” Gibson said.
Monica was busy on her computer too. “I’ve found Feeney’s Facebook profile.
It is rather inactive with the last post from nine months ago about some Pilates class she took.
The pictures in her media library don’t include any of the other HTs we know about.
There is nothing noted for her relationship status. ”
Neal huffed in frustration. “Right, so assuming she’s not some criminal mastermind who has skirted the law all this time, what makes a thirty-seven-year-old, who has been a law-abiding citizen all these years, take these drastic measures?”
His question was clearly rhetorical, but for one generalized thing. “Whatever she hopes to accomplish with this move today, it means more to her than her freedom.”
“Same could well apply to the rest,” Neal said. “If we can find out how they are connected and how they communicate, we might get our motive along with their identities.”
Something occurred to Sandra while Neal was speaking.
“Maybe it’s not exactly one inciting incident, but an experience they all share?
Something that hit close to home on a personal and emotional level could explain such a severe response.
The last time I spoke to Mickey he made it clear he was a grown-ass man, making his own decisions. ”
“It’s entirely possible,” Neal said. “But we need more than that. I’ll get Detective Birch to Feeney’s house with a search warrant the second he’s finished up with Radcliffe and Celeste.
We need access to Feeney’s call history in case Feeney spoke with her cohorts.
Are we sure she’s the only one who matches vehicle registrations? ” He leveled this question at Gibson.
“Hers was the last one I had to run,” Gibson said.
“And we’ve finished with ours,” Brice said, after glancing at Monica’s workstation.
“I’ll get on her phone records, requesting a fast turnaround,” Gibson said.
Neal nodded. “That would be great.”
“I’ll need Feeney’s number, Gibson.” When Sandra tried the nurses’ station on the second floor, Feeney never answered. Receiving a call on her personal cell phone might make her more likely to pick up.
“Yes, ma’am.” He tapped on the keyboard for a few seconds, then rattled it off while she grabbed a pen and notepad and scribbled it down.
“I’m going to give it a try,” she announced, and everyone got ready to listen in.
The call was sent to voicemail after the second ring. Feeney had rejected it. Undeterred, Sandra tried again. This time, the call was answered, but Feeney didn’t say a word.
“Carmen, this is Sandra with the FBI.”
There were a few moments of silence, followed by a tentative, “FBI?”
“Yes, and I want to help you.”
“How do you know my name?”
Sandra took some victory in having one of their hostage takers identified. It was certainly a move in the right direction. “We have our ways of finding things out, Carmen. What we can’t wrap our minds around is what brought you here today. Could you tell us?”
Silence.
“Maybe what brought your friends here?”
There was a pause before she responded. “We’re in this together.”
“In this together with whom, Carmen?”
She ended the call.
Sandra tried her back but went straight to voicemail. “She’s turned her phone off.”
“‘In this together.’ Clearly, they have a shared goal, but I didn’t get the feeling Carmen’s friends with these people,” Brice said. “So now we’re left trying to figure out what brought these people together.”
“And we will. It’s just a matter of time.” And we’re closer than we’ve ever been… That’s how Sandra had to think anyhow.