AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As Rachel pulled into the nearly empty gravel parking lot, she noticed the other car tucked away near the rear of the diner, its license plate matching the one she’d been chasing. A jolt of adrenaline surged through her, and she clenched her fists in anticipation.
As she sat in her car, the rain pounding against the roof like a relentless drumbeat, Rachel wrestled with her decision.
Wait for backup?
Ethan would be tracking her GPS. He’d be on the way.
But… who knew how long that would take?
The rain intensified, each droplet pelting the windshield like a barrage of tiny bullets. The torrential downpour transformed the parking lot into a shallow lake, the surface marred by countless ripples and splashes. Rachel’s nose tingled with the sharp scent of damp earth as it permeated the car’s interior.
As she scanned the diner for any signs of movement, a flash of lightning illuminated the scene, casting eerie shadows across the wet pavement. Rachel’s eyes flickered back to the parked car, her breath catching in her throat as she noticed the faint glint of metal near the driver’s side door.
She hesitated for only a moment before making up her mind. Rachel unbuckled her seatbelt and slid out of the car, her shoes sinking into the waterlogged gravel. She moved stealthily, her body low and her senses heightened, as she approached the suspect’s vehicle.
As she drew closer, her heart raced at the thought of finally apprehending the killer. The weight of her gun, secure in her hand, offered her a small comfort.
Her eyes narrowed, her resolve strengthening like treated iron.
She approached the car, gun rising slowly, aiming at the door.
As she cautiously approached the driver’s side door. The rain soaked her to the bone, but she barely noticed, her focus solely on the car. She gripped the handle and yanked the door open.
She froze.
Only one figure sat in the car.
The lawyer.
The woman, sitting in the back seat, had her hand up, clutching at her neck, her eyes wide. The self-assured, confident, and cutthroat professional from the interrogation room was gone.
Only fear remained.
“Help me,” the lawyer gasped, her hand clamped tightly around her neck, desperation clouding her eyes.
She was bleeding.
Rivulets seeped around her fingers, down her hand.
Blood poured down her neck from where she’d been cut.
Rachel’s mind moved rapidly. “Keep pressure applied!” she directed.
And at the same time, she peered into the front seat. The keys were in the ignition.
But the driver was gone. He must have spotted her.
As she returned her attention to the lawyer and opened her mouth to speak, she heard a sudden flutter of movement.
Thumping footsteps.
She half turned.
Too late.
Suddenly, a searing pain exploded at the back of her head, and Rachel’s vision went dark. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she crashed to the ground, the cold rainwater soaking through her clothes. The last thing she heard before losing consciousness was the thud of her head hitting the pavement.
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
