Long narrative, packed with many details:
Just then her phone rings. It is someone from one of the volunteer organizations out looking for [the child]. They have stopped a van that tipsters had identified as [the suspect]’s means of transportation.
Caterina covers the phone staring at me. “Oh my god, they have [the suspect]. What do I tell them to do?”
I am furious. “What should they do? What should I tell them?” asks Caterina. “Well, do they have a tracking device? If they are experienced in surveillance they must have to have a tracking device,” I say.
They did not. Ugh. The problem with running a rogue operation without the police is that only law enforcement has the authority to stop and search a vehicle. These guys have no authority to detain [the suspect]. Now I fear [the child] will be driven further underground. Now there’s a high likelihood, the van and that location are blown, which makes the odds of finding [the child] more difficult.
“Does anyone have any kind of tracking device they can throw into the van? A phone or ANYTHING?” I ask Caterina.
Caterina had given one of the searchers [the child]’s favorite jacket, which had an Apple tracking device sewn into it.
As the searchers talked to [the suspect], I told one of them to try and place the jacket with the tracking device in the van without causing suspicion. “Give them the jacket and play it cool.”