Breaking the Lock

Five

Dante handed Nathan's phone back to him the minute he walked back into the station. "The techs pulled everything off it they could." Nathan nodded and shoved the phone into his pocket after checking for any missed messages. Nothing. Not even from Maxie. That was okay though. He had told her not to call his cell.

"Did Maxie call?"

                "Nope. I talked to Lulu though. She said Maxie was off on some errands." Dante gave him a searching gaze. "You find your mother?"

                "Yeah, I did. She couldn't give me any information about Britt's last known whereabouts." He sat at his desk and picked up the folder from the tech department.  He flipped it open and scanned the contents. "Sick. Whoever has her took these photos with her own phone?"

                Dante nodded. "Sheffield was trying to figure out the location the text was sent from but he has to wait until we get a warrant. Phone company won't comply without one."

                "Unless we can find someone who can work around it," Nathan replied tapping his phone in thought.

                "Only one person I can think of."

                "Spinelli," they said together. Nathan made the call explaining the situation to Spinelli who was sympathetic and agreed to help. While he waited for Spinelli to call back, Nathan spent his time studying the photos and making notes about Britt's surroundings and injuries. As far as he could tell, she was being kept in a cramped space possibly a basement of some sort. Her injuries looked minor enough. It was the glazed look in her eyes that bothered him. Liesl was right about Britt. She was strong and likely fought hard. Whoever had taken her had probably drugged her to keep her under control.

                "I know you may not have thought about this yet," Dante said interrupting him. "But have you thought about why you were the one to get that picture?"

                Nathan shook his head. "I'm not sure I follow. Britt's my sister. Obviously someone wanted me to know they had her."

                "Sure. I think that much is obvious. Almost too obvious. Know what I mean? Sending it to you makes complete sense. But why you? Why not your mother? She has more power and connections than you. Why not send it to her? What does this person have to gain by sending it to you?"

                "You think whoever did this did it because of me?" Nathan asked catching on to Dante's train of thought.

                "You got any enemies you haven't told me about?"

                "Me?" Before Dante could continue, Nathan's phone rang. He held up a hand to pause Dante and hit speaker on the phone. "Spinelli? I've got you on speaker and Dante is with me. Can you tell us anything?"

                "I can and it isn't good."

                "Just spit it out Spinelli," Dante urged.

                "That picture was sent from right there in Port Charles." Nathan and Dante exchanged glances. "In fact, the last time Dr. Westbourne's phone was used was accessed it was located at 114 Clover Avenue."

                If Spinelli said anything else, Nathan didn't hear it. The only thing he could hear in his head was one thing. Maxie.