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Opening her other eye, she knew why. Forrest’s hand was on the steering wheel between hers.
“Good job, doll,” he said. “You can drive my getaway car anytime.”
Stomping her foot hard against the gas pedal once more, she admitted, “I’m thinking we might not want to do this again.”
“You wanted more adventure than a kissing booth.”
She grinned, enjoying his teasing despite the fact they were being chased by gangsters. “Yeah, well, this might be a bit more than I wanted.”
He chuckled. “You’re doing great, Twyla.”
“They’re still back there, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, they are.”
Just then a fresh bout of gunfire started up. “They have more bullets,” she shouted. “What are we going to do?”
Forrest was silent for a moment, but then asked, “You still know how to swim, don’t you?”
“Like a fish,” she said. “You taught me.”
“Good, because we’re about to go swimming, doll.”
Twyla held her breath as if she’d just jumped in the water. No one had to tell her a fast-moving car and swimming didn’t go hand in hand.
“There’s going to be a sharp corner to the left about a mile up the road,” Forrest said. “A very sharp corner.”
“All right.”
“You aren’t going to take it.”
“I’m not?”
“No. You’re going to drive over the bank.”
“Bank, as in water below?”
“Yes.”
Twyla let the idea settle and pushed harder on the gas, even though the pedal was flush against the floor.
“I’ve seen it a dozen times from the air,” Forrest said. “The water’s deep there. As soon as the car goes airborne, you have to open your door and dive. Dive as far away as you can. You don’t want to get sucked in by the car sinking.”
For a split second her nerves got the better of her. They may have overwhelmed her, if not for Forrest’s hand rubbing the back of her neck.
“Did you hear me, Twyla?”
“Yes,” she said. “Airborne, door open, dive.”
“You can do it, Twyla,” he said. “I know you can.”
“I know I can, too,” she answered. “I’m just worried if you can.”
“I’ll be right beside you, doll,” he said. “Right beside you.”
She believed that as strongly as she knew the sun would rise tomorrow, whether she and Forrest were alive to see it or not. That thought brought tears to her eyes.
“You can do this, Twyla,” he said. “We can do this.”
The corner was straight ahead, and she knew no amount of pumping the brakes would slow the car down enough to make the turn. She chanced taking her eyes off the road for a split second, just long enough to glance at Forrest and shout, “Here we go!”
After a brief moment of jostling when they hit the tall grass, the car launched off the ground. Twyla let go of the wheel and grabbed the door handle with both hands.
“Dive, Twyla! Dive!” Forrest shouted.
His voice faded as she fought to push open the door. The force of the car nose-diving downward made the door heavy and awkward. Finally, she had enough room, but not enough time to get in position for a dive. She leaped, but the car hit the water about the same time and she instantly found herself fighting the undertow Forrest spoke of.
For the first time since this whole escapade had started, real terror she could die overtook her. The dark and murky water blinded her, and no matter how hard she kicked and paddled with her arms, she was tugged backward instead of moving forward.
Something snagged her arm and she flailed against it, but when the hold tightened, an inner calm told her it was Forrest. A profound strength appeared inside her, too. Whether it was him pulling her on, or her will to live, Twyla wasn’t sure, but the force tugging her backward disappeared and she surged forward.
Her lungs were on fire when her head finally broke the surface. Gulping for air, she saw Forrest before her. Her heart pounded so hard in her ears, she couldn’t hear him, but instinctively knew he’d told her to dive again.
This time she went down like a fish, just as Forrest had taught her all those summers ago. Gliding through the water at full speed, she sensed him beside her, challenging her to swim faster, stay under longer. Letting the air out of her lungs slowly little by little to utilize every last bit, she kept swimming, and swimming.
It was his tug on her waist that brought her to the surface again, and this time they both spun around, treading water and keeping their heads as low as possible to prevent being seen.
The thugs were no longer looking for them, or firing their guns. All four were standing on the hill, their car’s front tires hanging treacherously over the edge. She and Forrest watched as two of the men jumped in the lake. Forrest nodded then, and in unison, they dove under the water once more.
