“Roger that,” Force said, motioning Eddie toward the door. “We’ll see what really happened.”

Raider glanced at Eddie, who glared. All right. This was going to be interesting.

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Raider sat in back of the squad car and watched the trees fly by outside as they headed into town. He didn’t have much time.

Angus Force looked at them through the rearview mirror, playing the role of a small-town cop perfectly. “How about you boys tell me what happened tonight?”

Raider shrugged. “Heard a ruckus, went to investigate, and saw some punk beating up that old guy. We had to intervene.”

Force frowned. “The door was unlocked?”

“Yep,” Eddie said.

Force craned his neck to better see Eddie, taking a turn quickly as he drove closer to town and out of the boonies. “What were you doing at a bar at five in the morning?”

Eddie cut Raider a hard look. Yeah, this was looking like a disaster.

Raider hunched over. A tire company flew by on the right, while a gradual drop-off began on the left, punctuated by white pine trees and balsam poplar. “I don’t feel well, man.”

Force snorted. “Too bad. You’ll be at the station in about fifteen minutes.”

Man, Raider hoped Force was on the same wavelength as him. “I need out. Now.”

“No. And if you puke back there, you’re eating it up later.” Force glared through the mirror, perfectly in character. “We’re not some big city force—meaning we play by our own rules.”

“Great,” Eddie muttered, looking around the back seat.

Damn it. How was Raider going to get them out of this? Force was playing it straight, but the partition between the front and back seats was new and aluminum. Raider could kick it until he broke his ankles, and he wouldn’t get to Force. What the hell should he do? “Come on, man. Roll down the window just a little.” If he could get his hand out, he could unlock the door.

Force sighed and then stiffened, looking at his side window.

Raider looked at Eddie and then turned to see the black town car speeding their way. Shit. What was Josh going to do? The guy leaned out his front window, gun aimed.

Raider gave Force a warning look, just as the rear tire exploded.

Force bellowed and tried to correct, turning the car down the hill. “Hold on,” he shouted.

Shit. Double shit. Raider planted his hands against the seat in front of him, trying to brace himself as they went over the bank. The car bumped and jumped, sliding sideways and hitting every rock on the way. Force jerked the wheel away from the bigger trees, but gravity took over, and they slid sideways before flipping back around. The car hit a massive tamarack tree head-on with a loud boom.