BooksBarbecue
Back The Runaway
Chapters (80)
  1. Cover
  2. TITLES BY NICK PETRIE
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  79. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  80. What’s next onyour reading list?

“It’s not up to either one of you.” The sheriff’s voice was firm. “The lady’s pregnant and apparently she’s never seen a doctor. We have a responsibility to protect, and that extends to her baby.” He turned to Helene. “Ma’am, you are not under arrest. My three girls were born at Sacred Heart, so I know you’ll be in good hands. Don’t you want to make sure your child is okay?”

Helene’s face softened. Falk looked at Peter. “I’ll be with her the whole time. I’m good at my job. You have my word.”

“Then I’m coming, too.”

“No,” Johns said. “You’re coming with me.”

“Dammit, Sheriff—”

Johns cut him off. “Right now, Mr. Ash, we’re being real nice and neighborly. But you and I both know that’s just pretend, right? Because I’m the law and you’re just some cheesehead who crossed state lines with two people trussed up like chickens in the back of his funky old pickup. Regardless of your story or your good intentions. Which, for the moment, I believe to be genuine. So here’s how it is. You can get in my cruiser on your own, as a cooperating witness, or I can put you there in handcuffs and under arrest. What’s it gonna be?”

Peter looked at Johns and felt his pulse rise.

They both knew it was an open question whether the sheriff could carry out his threat by force. Peter had assaulted armed police before and been very successful. He’d been on the FBI’s Wanted list because of it. He hadn’t enjoyed either experience, and he didn’t want a repeat. Nor did he want June to have to live through it again.

Plus Deputy Doug, for all his untucked shirt and pearl-handled pistol, had positioned himself at Peter’s back, where he could step in quickly. So it wouldn’t be easy. Not to mention Falk, who stood twenty feet away. Somehow Peter knew she was an excellent shot. And Helene would have to watch the whole thing.

Even if Peter did succeed in staying free, they already knew his name and plates. If he took Helene with him, he’d make her an accessory. If he left her behind, she’d be on her own. With Roy out there somewhere, looking for her.

Johns gave Peter a polite smile, having read Peter like a book. He’d already run all the scenarios and knew exactly how it would play out.

Peter closed his eyes. He was out of options. He was going to spend the rest of the night at the sheriff’s office. Even now, he could feel the static crackle and spark at the thought. “Sure,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Falk put Peter’s things in a plastic evidence bag and passed them to the sheriff.

45