again.”
I glanced over at the open door. “You want me to just walk out of here?”
“My keys are on the desk,” he said. “My cruiser is parked out front. Take it and go.”
“What about you?” I asked. “They’ll know—”
“They won’t know shit.” He reached down and unclipped the Taser on his belt and handed it to me. “Use this.”
“What?”
“You snuck up on me when I thought you were out cold. You grabbed it and that’s all I remember.” He waved his hand toward the door. “I’ve only been here for two months, and they already the lightheto the out of think I’m a rookie fuckup. They’ll believe it.”
I looked down at the Taser in my hand.
“They’re coming back,” he said. “If you don’t go now, you won’t get another chance.” He pointed to the cell door. “Lock me in when you leave. That’ll buy you some time.”
I nodded.
The deputy stepped closer, pointed at the Taser.
He didn’t have to tell me again.
I did what he asked and closed the cell door behind me, locking him inside. The hallway was bright, and I reached out, bracing myself against the wall as I made my way toward the front of the building.
23
Traffic on the highway was light, and the city skyline glowed in the distance, reflecting bright under a low overhang of clouds. I kept the radio off and the windows down as I drove, and I forced myself to focus on one thing.
Finding Roman Pinnell.
I didn’t think about Anna. I wouldn’t let myself. I knew if I did, if I let my guard down even for a second, emotion would take over and I’d make mistakes. And if I made mistakes, I’d lose her forever.
I was not going to let that happen.
As I drove, I tried to figure out a plan. My thoughts were still heavy and slow, but I had a good idea of where I needed to start.
When I got to my exit, I pulled off the highway and drove through my neighborhood to my house. There was no one on the street, but I pulled around back to the alley just to be safe.
I stopped behind my house and watched the windows for any signs of life. When I was sure it was clear, I shut off theengine and stepped out and walked along the back fence to the gate. I reached over and popped the latch.
The hinges were rusted and loud.
I looked around to see if anyone heard, but nothing had changed. There was only wind and shadow and snow.
I crossed through the yard to my back door.
It was locked.
They’d taken my keys after they’d picked me up, so my options were limited. I tried a couple of windows, but I knew the result would be the same.
That left only one way inside.
I took off my shirt and held it over one of the small window squares on the back door then hit it hard with my elbow. The glass popped out, shattering on the floor.
I reached through and unlocked the door.
The house was warm and silent. I stood in the kitchen and let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Then I walked out to the living room and down the hall toward my bedroom. When I got there, I threw my bloody shirt in the corner and hit the light switch.
Nothing happened, and I remembered the power was out.
I crossed to the nightstand next to the bed, opened the top drawer, and grabbed a red LED flashlight. I pushed the button and the light came on bright.
I turned and opened the closet.
My clothes were hung on the rack, and there were several boxes stacked on the floor and on the top shelf. I grabbed a new shirt then put the flashlight in my mouth and reached up and pushed a few boxes aside until I felt the handle of my gun case.
I pulled it out and set the case on the bed and dialed in the combination. The latches popped, and I opened the lid.My .45 was inside, along with two loaded clips and a full box of ammo.
I slid one of the clips into the gun, loaded a round, and checked the safety. Then I pocketed the other clip and the extra ammo and walked down the hall to the bathroom.
I put the .45 in my belt and set the flashlight on the sink, pointing up, then leaned
I glanced over at the open door. “You want me to just walk out of here?”
“My keys are on the desk,” he said. “My cruiser is parked out front. Take it and go.”
“What about you?” I asked. “They’ll know—”
“They won’t know shit.” He reached down and unclipped the Taser on his belt and handed it to me. “Use this.”
“What?”
“You snuck up on me when I thought you were out cold. You grabbed it and that’s all I remember.” He waved his hand toward the door. “I’ve only been here for two months, and they already the lightheto the out of think I’m a rookie fuckup. They’ll believe it.”
I looked down at the Taser in my hand.
“They’re coming back,” he said. “If you don’t go now, you won’t get another chance.” He pointed to the cell door. “Lock me in when you leave. That’ll buy you some time.”
I nodded.
The deputy stepped closer, pointed at the Taser.
He didn’t have to tell me again.
I did what he asked and closed the cell door behind me, locking him inside. The hallway was bright, and I reached out, bracing myself against the wall as I made my way toward the front of the building.
23
Traffic on the highway was light, and the city skyline glowed in the distance, reflecting bright under a low overhang of clouds. I kept the radio off and the windows down as I drove, and I forced myself to focus on one thing.
Finding Roman Pinnell.
I didn’t think about Anna. I wouldn’t let myself. I knew if I did, if I let my guard down even for a second, emotion would take over and I’d make mistakes. And if I made mistakes, I’d lose her forever.
I was not going to let that happen.
As I drove, I tried to figure out a plan. My thoughts were still heavy and slow, but I had a good idea of where I needed to start.
When I got to my exit, I pulled off the highway and drove through my neighborhood to my house. There was no one on the street, but I pulled around back to the alley just to be safe.
I stopped behind my house and watched the windows for any signs of life. When I was sure it was clear, I shut off theengine and stepped out and walked along the back fence to the gate. I reached over and popped the latch.
The hinges were rusted and loud.
I looked around to see if anyone heard, but nothing had changed. There was only wind and shadow and snow.
I crossed through the yard to my back door.
It was locked.
They’d taken my keys after they’d picked me up, so my options were limited. I tried a couple of windows, but I knew the result would be the same.
That left only one way inside.
I took off my shirt and held it over one of the small window squares on the back door then hit it hard with my elbow. The glass popped out, shattering on the floor.
I reached through and unlocked the door.
The house was warm and silent. I stood in the kitchen and let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Then I walked out to the living room and down the hall toward my bedroom. When I got there, I threw my bloody shirt in the corner and hit the light switch.
Nothing happened, and I remembered the power was out.
I crossed to the nightstand next to the bed, opened the top drawer, and grabbed a red LED flashlight. I pushed the button and the light came on bright.
I turned and opened the closet.
My clothes were hung on the rack, and there were several boxes stacked on the floor and on the top shelf. I grabbed a new shirt then put the flashlight in my mouth and reached up and pushed a few boxes aside until I felt the handle of my gun case.
I pulled it out and set the case on the bed and dialed in the combination. The latches popped, and I opened the lid.My .45 was inside, along with two loaded clips and a full box of ammo.
I slid one of the clips into the gun, loaded a round, and checked the safety. Then I pocketed the other clip and the extra ammo and walked down the hall to the bathroom.
I put the .45 in my belt and set the flashlight on the sink, pointing up, then leaned
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