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I have to.
The Corvette dives over a railroad track, the back bounces so high up in the air that I have visions of it flipping into the air, standing on the grill, and then rolling over. I don’t get that lucky. It falls back to the ground with the big flop, barely missing a step. He’s accelerating on the straight stretch and what little ground I had gained is lost.
Shit.
I reach down and grab my mic, keying it up.
“Dispatch, divert all cars out to the shipyard on Stone Lake. Have them gather around the main dock and block the road. Suspect is headed that way in a white Corvette.”
I toss my mic down, unwilling to give it any attention to put it back in the holder. I need both hands on the wheel.
We go around a steep curve, my wheels screeching so loudly that it’s all I can hear. Rat Boy fishtails but somehow manages to straighten it up. I’ll say this for the bastard, he can apparently drive.
All at once, my worst nightmare comes to fruition. Greg turns down a small side street. There’s a four way stop just ahead, and fear burns in my chest. If the bastard goes straight, it will still leave heading toward the shipyard, where the large barges come in. That’s my best-case scenario. If he turns to the left, he’ll be going to the private sector of Stone Lake and teenagers usually have parties down that way. This bastard would think it was sport to hurt them. If he turns to the right, it will take him out onto the interstate. I can’t let that happen.
I will not lose this fuck-head.
Luck must be on my side, because he just floors it, going through the straight stretch, heading toward the main part of the lake. Lady Luck is a fickle bitch however, because there are cars at the stop sign. They blow their horns as the Vette goes by, but they stay put. Unfortunately, there’s a blue truck that’s getting ready to pull out. I slam my hand down against my horn, trying to get it to stop, but it’s George Banks. He rarely comes off the mountain, and honestly, shouldn’t be driving. He also can’t hear worth shit. He’s not looking my way, and there’s nothing I can do to get his attention.
I have a choice.
I can keep going, while trying to cut around the truck, or I can stop. Stopping would mean that the bastard will get away from me. I can’t let that happen. This has to end right here, right now. I thrust my foot down hard on the accelerator. The car answers immediately, and I barely turn the wheel, trying to go around the track without losing control. George must finally see me through his mirrors, because he tries to cut the opposite way to give me room. The back of his trunk swings out however, and crashes into my car, clipping the passenger side and sending me careening out of control. I hold onto the wheel trying to cut the opposite direction of my spin, but I’m going too fast. I see a tree and my car is heading straight for it. There’s nothing I can do to avoid it. I look one last time, trying to catch a glimpse of Junie’s ex and want to scream because I’m going to lose my opportunity to capture the asshole before he can hurt her again. I can’t see him at all, and it’s much too late. I try to brace myself as my car crashes into the tree. Everything blurs as metal crunches and the force of the impact thunders through my body.
Ben
Idon’t know if I lost consciousness. It all happened so fast. I can remember the impact and how everything went blurry. There were loud noises and pain and then, blackness. So, maybe I did. All I know is that right now the strong fumes of gasoline surround me. The smell of it hits my nostrils, burning my lungs as I breathe.
I can also smell smoke. It’s waffling inside the car with me, through the window and busted windshield. I cough—pain racing through me, and I wince because my fucking head hurts. Shit, my entire body hurts. Even breathing is painful.
I’ve had enough injuries to know that I’ve got some cracked--maybe completely broken—ribs. My arm and shoulder hurt like hell and my right leg and foot feel numb.
“I got you, Sheriff.” I hear the voice over the roaring in my ears, and immediately try to find it. “I know I’m not supposed to move you, but I need to get you out of here before the car catches on fire.”
“Hurry,” I manage to say, my voice sounding strange, almost garbled. Pete, one of my oldest deputies, puts his hands under my arms where my shoulders are and pulls.
Fuck, that hurts.
The world begins to blur, but I beat it back down. I can’t pass out right now. I have to get Greg. I have to get that asshole. I can’t let him get away. Pete pulls me until I’m far enough away from the car that I figure he thinks it safe because he lets go. Every inch was complete agony, and I want to throw up, but I manage not to do that either. I cough again, and damn does thatreallyhurt now.
“Go,” I start, but have to stop, unable to catch my breath. I give it a second and try again. “Go after him. Don’t let him get away.”
“There’s men waiting on him, Sheriff. Let me make sure the ambulance gets here and then I’ll go join them,” Pete says. That’s not good enough, but I couldn’t talk to him to even begin to argue.
That’s when there’s a loud explosion. At first, I think it’s my car, but there’s no intense heat or fallout from the blast. I look around, as best I can. It hurts to move my neck, but I don’t stop until I manage it. Then, to the right, off in the distance and in the direction of the shipyard, I can see it. There’s a giant plume of smoke, and another explosion.
Flames leap up into the sky so bright and intense that I wince even from this distance. Pete’s radio comes on, and that’s when I hear Lodge’s voice.
“Suspect crashed into a barge on the lake. The damn car is obliterated. There’s no way he could survive it. He has to be extra crispy. If heisalive, he won’t be alive much longer. How’s Kingston?”
“He’s alive. Definitely in rough shape, but he seems to be alert. Dispatch says the ambulance is about two minutes out.”
“Good. Tell him I’ll make sure that Rat Boy is dead and then I’ll head over to the hospital. Danny is already en route with Junie.”
“You got it,” Pete says, but I just close my eyes.It’s over.Junie’s ex is dead, and he won’t be able to hurt her anymore.
We got him.
Junie
