Decker said, “Keep two where you are, send two up the road, and two to pick us up. Stay on the line and I’ll tell you when to stop. When you drive, lie low…literally. I don’t know if you’re in the perp’s crosshairs, but let’s not take a chance. From the sound of the shots, the perp’s location is about…seven hundred feet up from where you are on the right side of the road. We all saw a light. I don’t know if it came from a flashlight or from an electrical bulb. If it came from a flashlight, you’ve got a shooter on the move, so take precautions. If it came from an electrical bulb, we’re assuming that there’s some kind of outpost hidden behind the brush that has workable electricity. But we don’t know where.”

“What kind of weapon do you think he used?”

“Sounded like semiautomatic. I heard about six or seven rounds.”

“We’ll come get you.”

“Do that.”

From where he was, Decker couldn’t see the cars, only the maraschino and aqua glow reflected from the rotating beacons. But soon he heard the motors kicking in, the grinding of the wheels. Seconds later, two vehicles came into eyesight, inching up the lane.

“I see you,” Decker said. “Keep going…going…going, going…going…going. Okay, make a U-turn, pull to the right, and stop. Kill the motor and duck.”

The cars went silent.

“Good,” Decker said. “We’re directly to the right…not more than a hundred feet. Keeping your heads down, go over and unlock the passenger doors. Open them but just barely. I don’t want him to see any kind of swinging door. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

He disconnected the phone. “You want the top car or the bottom one, Bert?”

“Doesn’t matter. Top one’s fine.”

“Okay, we’ll take the bottom one.” As soon as Decker detected the motion of an opening door, he spoke to Jacob. “This is what you’re going to do. You’re going to keep your head down and crawl over to the bottom car, to the backseat passenger door. You’re going to open the door very slightly, just enough to give you some space, then you’re going to quickly slide inside on your belly. Don’t close the door, because I’m going to be right behind you. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Jacob, whatever skin is not covered by clothing has a good chance of being scraped raw. No matter how it feels, stay down. When you get inside the car, I want you to remain horizontal. Lie on the floor until I tell you differently. Don’t even think about picking your head up and looking around. It’s very important that you do everything I tell you.”

“I understand.”

“Make as little commotion as possible. And I’m right behind you.”

“I’ll be fine.”