Virtual Reality (Sue Thomas FBEye / Murdoch Mysteries)

Virtual Reality - Chapter Ten

Jack had just returned from picking up the pizza in the lobby when Bobby and Myles entered the bullpen.

"I knew it smelled good in here." Bobby grabbed a slice from the closest box.

Jack had expected his colleagues to be back shortly, and he'd take it into consideration when he'd ordered, but he couldn't let Bobby get away with it so easily.

"If I had known you'd join us, I'd have ordered more, crash."

Standing in front of the whiteboard, Myles rubbed her neck. "You've been busy. What's with the 902-wed-ding number? Planning to elope in Nova Scotia?"

Jack caught the blush rushing to Sue's cheeks and Tara's giggles.

"No eloping, Myles. My wedding's scheduled for Saturday," though it'd been his plan B if they had to wait any longer.

Myles rolled his eyes, accentuating the girls' reaction, while Bobby's quizzical gaze glanced back and forth between him and Sue.

"Something you'd like to share, mate?"

A raspy sound cleared Myles' throat. "Some things never change around here. Did someone bother checking that phone number?"

Breaking up the news to Myles would be fun, but he'd wait after the case is over. "902-933-3464 doesn't exist, and any permutation Tara tried yielded no success."

Myles' piercing blue eyes narrowed down. "All the cell phones have the same New York area code, namely 917. How about 917-wed-ding?"

"Come on, mate. The bomber isn't stupid enough to give us the next cell number."

"Why not?" Myles shrugged. "He's obviously stupid enough to give us the targets."

While he secretly agreed with Bobby, Jack couldn't dismiss the possibility. "Tara, can you—"

"On it, Jack. 917-933-3464 is..." Tara's eyes widened in astonishment. "A disposable phone."

"You're kidding, right?" Slice of pizza forgotten on his desk, Bobby approached Tara. "If this is the phone that will blow the next bomb, is there a way to deactivate it?

"I..." Tara clenched her teeth. "Like the others, I can't get a signal, but... I may just be able to intercept the calls it makes."

"Intercept?" Myles walked to her desk, opposite to Bobby. "Like in stop that cell from calling the cell that blew up the White Spot?"

"Yes, but it'd give us only a few minutes to stop him or her before he or she uses a different phone to activate the bomb... assuming this is the cell phone we're looking for." As she spoke, Tara entered codes on her computer. "I'll be able to trace it as soon a he or she uses it. I'll intercept all the calls and redirect the ones not made to the deadly cell— in case he or she contacts his or her accomplice— which would give us the location of both cronies."

With any luck, Jenna and Custer would get chatty before the bombing, but Jack wasn't holding his breath.

"Jack?"

Sue waved at him with her left hand— her bare left hand. He needed to add a ring on his shopping list.

"I think I may have the target, but it's in Pennsylvania."

"Isn't that a bit outside their current territory, luv?"

"We're in an economic recession, and Bonnie and Clyde are expending their activities." Myles grimaced. "You've got to love free enterprise."

Ignoring Bobby and Myles' banter, Jack invited her to elaborate. "Does Pennsylvania bear any significance?"

"Not sure, Jack, but a special anniversary service is being held at 9pm tonight at St. Margaret Catholic Church in Reading."