“We pinged Ava’s phone,” Noah said, brushing rain from his jacket. “It was at County Line Road. There’s an old facility registered under a shellcorporation that used to do business with Hale’s institute.”
Vivian gasped, her hand tightening around the strap of her purse.
“But the phone’s off now,” Noah added. “It stopped transmitting right before we walked in.”
Vivian let out a shaky breath and gripped the back of a chair. “No. No. That means they took it. They did something to her.”
Delaney placed a steadying hand on her arm. “It means we need to be smart. Ava is alive. She reached out. She wants to be found. But we have to be careful or we risk walking into something worse.”
Something that could not only get Vivian killed but also Ava. And anyone else who went with her. Because despite what Ava had said in that text, Vivian couldn’t go in there alone.
“That facility is isolated,” the sheriff explained. “If someone is waiting, they’ll see headlights long before we’re close.”
Vivian looked from Delaney to Noah, her face pale and stricken. “You think it’s Hale?”
“We’re not ruling him out,” Noah said.
Sheriff Chase made a sound of agreement. “It obviously points to Hale. That was his facility once, but someone could have chosen that location to set him up.”
“Someone like Lawrence,” Delaney said.
The sheriff nodded. “But I’m not ready to rule out Wade either.”
Delaney met the sheriff’s gaze. “You think Wade might have had this planned in case he got caught?”
“Or he was working with someone else,” Chase spelled out. “Someone who’s tying up loose ends. He could have passed instructions along to lure Vivian into a trap. Maybe this is his way of covering his own tracks. And the tracks of whoever hired him.”
Vivian pressed her fingers to her lips, her voice trembling. “He wants me dead?”
Delaney shook her head. “We don’t know that. But we’re treating this as a worst-case scenario.”
“We’re wasting time,” Vivian spat out. Her voice cracked as she looked at each of them. “Ava’s out there, and if I don’t go, they’ll kill her.”
Delaney stepped closer, steady and calm. “We’re going. But we’re going smart.”
Noah had already pulled up the aerial view of the old facility on his phone. He turned it toward them. “Vivian will drive solo, just like the text asked. Eli and Delaney will follow about two car lengths behind her.”
“We’ll turn our lights off as she gets close to the building,” Eli added.
Noah nodded and pointed at the screen. “You’ll park here. There’s a stretch of trees you can use for cover just off the gravel path. Sheriff Chase and I will be one vehicle back. We’ll circle and come in through this service trail behind the building.”
Sheriff Chase tapped the screen, marking thetrail with her finger. “If this is a trap, they’ll be watching the main road. We’ll try to come in unnoticed.”
“And what if they see I’m not alone?” Vivian asked as she blinked back tears that threatened to spill.
“They won’t,” Delaney said. “You’ll drive in, and we’ll hang back until we get eyes on Ava.”
The sheriff opened the door and motioned for her deputy to come in. “Griffin, you stay here with Olivia. Keep her safe and alert the hospital staff in case anything changes.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the deputy said.
Everyone moved quickly after that. They geared up, checked weapons and radios, and headed for their vehicles. Delaney kept close to Vivian, watching her pale features and trembling hands as they walked to the SUV. She was holding it together, but barely.
Before they loaded into the vehicles, Noah stepped over to his van and unlocked one of the rear compartments. He pulled out a lightweight Kevlar vest and carried it over to Vivian.
“Put this on,” he said, holding it out to her. “We don’t know what’s waiting out there, and I’m not taking any chances with your safety.”
The worry and fear notched up in Vivian’s eyes, but she took the vest. The rain was steady now, cold droplets sliding down her face as she pulled off her coat. Delaney moved in to help her with the vest, tightening the side straps until it fitsnug against her torso.
