Page 55 of 2nd Strike

Horns blare again, a noise I’m becoming way too comfortable with on this ride from hell.

“Mom! That was close.”

I open my eyes just as Susie clears the intersection. Behind me the squeal of brakes sounds, then the crunch of metal. I spin, see two mangled cars in the intersection, airbags deployed.

“You better hope those people are all right,” I say. “Or you’re going to jail for that alone.”

Never mind the other crimes she’s committed. At this point, she’ll be lucky to get out of prison before she dies of old age.

“Shut up,” she tells me again.

As if that worked the first time. Not a chance. Obviously, I’m irritating her. Which, may or may not be a good thing right now. All I know is I have to help Jon.

“Pull over. Let Jon out and I’ll shut up. Then you and I take off. Don’t be stupid. If you love him, you’ll let him go. Don’t make him die in this car.”

“If I do, so does he.”

A car makes a right on red, zipping in front of us.

“Mom! Watch it!”

Susie cuts the wheel left, darting into the other lane and punching the gas again making a straightaway out of the main thoroughfare.

“Jon, stop that yelling. I can’t think.”

“Mom,” he says, his voice unsteady and tight. “Please, let me out. I’m…scared.”

Oh, this kid. He’s destroying me.

In the distance, I hear sirens. Whether they’re for us, I don’t know, but I swivel my head back and forth, sweeping my gaze along the road where fast food restaurants and mom-and-pop stores line both sides.

We shoot by a corner gas station and I glance down the intersecting road. Police car. Couple blocks down.

The cavalry is on the way.

I just have to hope we don’t get killed before they reach us.

25

Charlie

We speed by a gas station, hair salon, and dentist. “Can we cut her off before she reaches the highway?" I yell at JJ.

He's gritting his teeth, hands white-knuckling the wheel. “No. All we can do is follow."

My phone rings.

"Yeah. A little busy here, Taylor.”

“We’re on our way. Do not engage, Charlie. Let us handle this."

I want to, I do, but there's no way Taylor will get to Susie before we do. “She’s got Meg."

"I know, but this is a federal investigation you're messing in."

“And you're still a dozen blocks from her house. I'm right on her tail. If you're going to catch her before I do, you'll have to hurry."

I end the conversation and JJ shakes his head. "Are you trying to piss off the one person in your corner besides me and Meg?"