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Connor called into the radio. “We’ve got visual on the vehicle. Requesting all units report in to block the road ahead.”
“Copy that,” came the reply.
Cami’s heart was pounding. This was it. This was the end of the chase. They were about to catch him. She craned her neck, trying to get a closer look at the car. Behind them, the sound of more sirens sounded.
Connor swerved into the fast lane, passing the cars that were already merging onto the slip road.
“We can’t lose him now!” he said. “I’m going to get ahead of him, and then force him to stop, if I can. If I can,” he added in frustration because the lights were changing.
He hit the brakes, hard, and Cami yelled in alarm.
Cars swerved around them, sounding their horns, but Connor kept them on the road, speeding towards the traffic light they were approaching.
The light turned red. Connor, who she hoped had been through enough moments like this to know what he was doing, didn’t slow down.
“We’re going through!” Cami exclaimed, aghast. Horns blared and the siren screamed as they accelerated through the red light. Cami closed her eyes as an oncoming car hit the brakes, slewing to the side.
Then she opened them again because there was no way she could keep them closed. Not when they were catching a suspected killer.
They were through the intersection, miraculously undamaged. And they were speeding toward the car ahead. But Francois Leeming wasn’t slowing down. If anything, he was increasing his speed. He surely had a reason for trying to run? A guilty reason?
Going at least thirty miles over the limit, they sped toward the intersection. Cami was willing the traffic lights to stay green, because she couldn’t take another near-miss experience like the one she’d just had.
Connor sped through the intersection, with a screech of tires, and Cami held her breath, her knuckles gripping the seat, her heart beating in her ears.
They were gaining on the black car ahead of them, but Cami guessed it was going at least a hundred miles an hour, even at this stage, and was showing no sign of slowing.
“Can we force him to stop?” she asked, her voice eager. Surely, they couldn’t let this criminal get away now.
“We will if we can,” he said grimly.
The radio crackled.
“He’s turning off the main road. He’s taking evasive action again.”
Connor swore. “He’s heading into a residential area.That’s the last thing we need, the way he’s driving.”
“Get around. He’s heading for Plumtree Road. That connects with South. If you can get onto South, you can cut him off.”
“Copy,” the voice came back.
Connor swore again, and switched lanes, speeding past cars that were suddenly braking and swerving out of their way.
Taking the side road, he turned off the main road and onto South. Now, Cami’s heart was in her mouth. The BMW was starting to pull away from them, and if backup didn’t close in from the other side, it was going to be all over.
“Looks like he’s turning,” Connor said.
Cami peered forward and saw the black car, with its distinctive license plates, turning off into a residential street.
Connor followed, swerving around the corner, tires screeching. But they were closer now.
And then, ahead, with a rush of triumph, she saw another police car, oncoming, swerving diagonally to block the road so that the BMW hit the brakes, wheels smoking. He was trapped.
Two officers jumped out of the police car and pointed their guns at the driver. With a shock, Cami realized that one of the men was Ethan. She recognized him as they pulled up, slewing into position behind the car, trapping it in between the two police vehicles.
“Stay put. Stay here,” he said, sounding as breathless as she felt. She was only too glad to watch as this armed showdown played out. Now holding his own firearm, Connor got out and approached the car.
“Francois Leeming,” he shouted. “Get out of the vehicle. Hands in the air.”
Cami waited, holding her breath, watching Ethan as he advanced, holding his weapon. His face looked intent, but Cami wondered if Ethan felt scared at these times, as a new agent. He couldn’t have had much experience in a real, live scene like this. She knew it was beyond anything she’d ever imagined.
Would Francois get out willingly? Would he try and fight back?
She felt relieved for her team members as she saw him step out of the car and got her first real-life sight of him—a slim looking, brown-haired man, wearing a dark jacket and shades. He looked about five-ten. His shoulders were broad. She wondered if he fitted the strangler’s description of “average strength.” He looked angry but intimidated.
At least he wasn’t going to shoot them, Cami thought. But as Ethan and Connor stepped forward to handcuff him, Cami knew that this was only one step of the way. Now they needed to question him, look for an alibi, or prove his guilt.
And, as an IT expert, she had the feeling that like his driving, he would have a whole stack of evasive maneuvers ready to unleash.
