The Night Is Deep (A Liam Dempsey Thriller Book 2) by Joe Hart Page B

an industrial jackhammer and that would pinpoint the location Valerie’s being held at.” Perring gave Owen a long look, which he read correctly.
    “If you figure out where she is you want to go in and get her, am I right?” Owen asked.
    “Yes,” Perring said.
    “And you need me to okay it since she’s my wife.”
    “Yes.”
    Owen sighed and rubbed the side of his face before leaning back against the counter. To Liam he looked like he’d aged ten years since that morning. “It’s going to be dangerous for her.” Owen said.
    “It’s dangerous for her now,” Perring returned. Owen gazed at her, then at Liam. Liam nodded.
    “We should move forward with this if it pans out,” Liam said. There seemed to be a wavering inside Owen that Liam could see, as if a guttering candle flame was nearly extinguished.
    “Okay. But I want to be there.”
    Perring chewed her gum harder. “You can be in a squad car out of sight.” Owen began to protest but she shook her head. “That’s the best you’re going to get. Sanders wouldn’t even agree to that most likely.”
    The mustached officer named Mills entered the room and handed Perring a sheet of paper. “Got ahold of the city administrator. She said there are three locations in the city undergoing street repair but only one that was utilizing a backhoe with a jackhammer in the last three days. It’s over on West Seventh Street, south of the second intersection.”
    “You’re sure?” Perring said, studying the note.
    “Positive. Bigger city it would’ve been a nightmare to narrow down, but Duluth is small enough there weren’t any other options.”
    “Good. Get SWAT’s collective ass in gear. I want three teams of four ready to roll in the next forty-five minutes. Tell them I’ll be in touch before then. Send them all the information we have so far as a briefing.”
    Mills moved out of the room, calling out to someone as he went. There was a bustle of movement from the dining room and Liam couldn’t help the rusty feeling stretching its legs in the base of his stomach. The thrill of the chase still lived and breathed after its long hibernation.
    “You’ll be with Sanders and I if that works for you, Liam?” Perring said.
    “That’s fine.”
    “I’d like to be in the same car with you also,” Owen said after a moment. “I need to be there when it happens. No matter—” He took a deep breath. “No matter what the outcome.”
    Perring flicked her eyes from Owen to Liam, then back again. “Okay, but you both do exactly as I say, no argument.” Both men nodded. “Good. Let’s get organized, it’ll be dark soon.”

CHAPTER 7
    Liam moved down the sidewalk, head hunched low, the wind even sharper than it had been that afternoon.
    He glanced up the street, the sodium halos of light pouring from the street lamps like dirty water. A row of run-down houses lined the north side of the road while the opposite held homes in considerably better repair. Wrong side of the tracks, he thought, trudging onward. Almost out of sight he spotted the blinking lights mounted to the tops of several sawhorses marking the beginning of the construction area across the intersection he was approaching. He neared a bus stop and ducked inside the glass alcove, glad to be out of the wind’s direct fury. He pulled out a brand new pack of cigarettes along with a Bic lighter and blazed the end of the cancer stick with a flick of his thumb. He drew a small amount of smoke into his mouth and then blew it back out before looking around.
    Many of the houses on the north side of the street were missing siding. A few had garbage strewn in the front yard, but all of them were occupied. Lights blazed in each of the windows and voices clamored from the third house down where the bass of loud rap music flowed out like a speeding heartbeat. Liam gazed at each home, examining the garages, the vehicles in the driveways, the signs of life. As he took another fake pull from the cigarette, the