“No, other than like I said, Lieutenant Krogan is anxious to talk to Bryn.”Another pause, then Rex continued, “He called me again this morning asking when you’d be there.I didn’t give him your phone number but assured him you’d be showing up sometime this morning.Don’t make a liar out of me, Mick.”
“We’re only a few miles away,” he assured his boss.“Once that’s done, though, we need a place to stay.”
“Yeah, I have that set up for you.It’s located in the southern part of the city.I’m sending you the address and keycode to get in.”As he spoke, Micah’s phone dinged with an incoming text.“Try to stay off the radar this time, okay?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan.Thanks, Rex.We’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Good, talk more later.”His boss ended the call.Micah was anxious to call his contact within the DMV to run the license plate number for the steel-gray SUV, but that would have to wait.And really, it was a piece of evidence Lieutenant Krogan needed to have.The driver of that SUV was either Richard Freeman or someone the guy had hired to do his dirty work.
Most likely the latter.
There was a small sign indicating a police station was up ahead.Interesting that they posted that sort of thing for the general public.He hadn’t noticed that in Chicago.
His eyes narrowed when he spotted a steel-gray SUV parked along the side of the road maybe two blocks from the building he assumed was the police station.He instinctively slowed and made an abrupt turn to avoid driving past the parked car.
“What’s wrong?”Bryn immediately picked up on his unease.“You don’t think that was the same SUV that fired at the rental house, do you?”
“I don’t know.”He drove around the block, wondering if he’d overreacted.“The car wasn’t shut off.The engine was running, which is what made me nervous.”
“I can’t believe the gunman would wait near a police station,” Bryn said, exasperation creeping into her tone.“Taking shots at us there would be a sure way to get caught.”
She had a point, yet he couldn’t seem to relax his grip on the steering wheel.He pulled over to the side of the road and considered their options.
Take the chance of going to the police station or turn around to get to the rental property.
His gut told him to get out of there.But Rex’s comment about not making him a liar weighed heavily on his shoulders.He didn’t want to create issues for his boss.
“Stay here.”He put the gearshift into park.“I’m going to check out that SUV.”
“You’re really that worried about it?”She frowned, then shrugged.“Okay, I’ll stay here, but I think I should get behind the wheel in case we have to leave in a hurry.”
“Good plan.”He placed his key fob in the center console, then pushed open his driver’s side door.“This won’t take long.”
He didn’t wait to see her move into the driver’s seat before darting through the opening between two houses to reach the next street.If the SUV wasn’t the one he was concerned about, he’d feel like an idiot.
Better that than dead, he thought grimly.
He paused near the side of a house where he could clearly hear a TV blaring loudly.Either the occupants were hard of hearing or the walls of the dwelling were paper thin.He could see the steel-gray SUV, but from this angle, he couldn’t see the driver or the license plates.
He eased away from the side of the house and turned to retrace his steps.Keeping his head down, Micah moved along the front of the house to the next one down.Then he crept up between those properties to see if he could identify the SUV.
This angle was better.He hunkered down to avoid being seen and focused his gaze on the vehicle.He still couldn’t see the license plate very well, but he could make out a tall person sitting behind the wheel.
Why was the guy just sitting there?He was about to move closer when the steel-gray SUV moved slowly down the street, coming to a stop a few doors down.
That was strange, and Micah felt certain the guy was moving positions so that none of the neighbors would call the police to report a suspicious vehicle.
The gunman had to be inside.He slowly rose and quickly made his way toward a large maple tree.
From there, he could finally make out the license plate.It was the same number he’d memorized earlier.
Satisfied his suspicions were confirmed, he turned to leave.The brake lights flashed, then suddenly the car was rolling backward.
Coming toward him.Had the driver seen him?
Micah turned and ran back to the opening between the two houses.As much as he wanted to stay and fight, he needed to get back to Bryn.She was alone in the rental without a weapon.
When he heard the car getting closer, he kicked into high gear, sacrificing stealth for speed.He bolted toward the idling car, wrenching open the passenger door.“Go!Hurry!Turn right as soon as you can.”
