Evans Creek Book 2: In Good Hands

Chapter 43

"Big Bird, this is Road Runner."

"Go ahead Pete."

"We have them in sight."

"Roger that. We're on our way."

"Let's go get 'em." Pete grinned as he leaned forward and flipped the switches. Lights and sirens burst into the drab winter scenery like fireworks in a July sky.

Rowdy's blood thrummed through his veins as the cruiser surged forward. Every one of his exhausted cells tingled to life as adrenaline surged through his system.

He watched nervously as Jack's car also picked up speed. Unlike the cruiser that he and Pete rode in, the old clunker Jack had chosen was excellent for avoiding attention, but it was not made for driving fast.

...even in good weather.

He felt a tug at the corner of his mouth and shook his head. Jack selected a car that wasn't much better than the old beater that Suzie recently wrecked.

Wrecked.

Jack's car swerved and Rowdy's pounding heart was in his throat.

Rowdy wasn't there when Suz wrecked the first time. He was here now, but there was still nothing that he could do, except watch and pray, if she wrecked again. He finally understood what Dennis had been trying to tell him.

It wasn't his fault.

A weight lifted from his shoulders. With a sigh he leaned into the seat.

"His car isn't set up for driving on these roads. The tires are bad, and I doubt he can out run us. I'm going to see if I can get in front, maybe force him off the road." Pete decided.

Rowdy's hand gripped the dash as Pete sped up again.

Jack's car also sped up and swerved again, more violently this time.

Pete was forced to abort his attempt to pass and resumed pursuit.

Rowdy watched helplessly as Jack nearly wrecked in the snowbank. At the last second, the car jerked back onto the highway and fishtailing wildly as Jack struggled to maintain control.

Pete slowed again, to avoid colliding with the car. Suddenly, Jack had his car under control and sped ahead again.

Rowdy's shoulders sagged, but any relief he felt quickly disappeared as Pete sped up. Jack responded in like and started to swerve again as his tires slipped.

"Back off some, Pete. He didn't anticipate a chase and that car probably has tires that are older than I am. He'll wreck for sure if we push too hard."

With a nod, Pete backed off and Jack's car pulled further ahead.

"He picked a bad place to get caught. There isn't much out here." Pete assured, "It's a long straight stretch of nothing. Nothing but country roads..."

Rowdy nodded as the helicopter grew closer. The sound was loud and the snow started to swirl, creating blizzard-like white-out conditions.

"Carl, what are you doing?" Rowdy shouted into the radio. "Back off before you put us in a snowbank!"

"That was the idea, Baker." Carl chuckled. "Follow at a safe distance, Pete. We're going closer to kick up a blizzard for our friend. We'll drive him into a snowbank so you can swoop in and detain this guy until we can land and get there to make the arrest."

Through the swirling snow, Rowdy could only see the shadows of two people as they struggled inside Jack's car.

Suzie was fighting.