The pickup truck was already fifty yards away, kicking up a trail of dust as it bounced across the uneven terrain back toward the service road.
“Mr.Lawson?”he called out.“Was that your truck?”
“Yeah, sure was,” Lawson said.
“Any chance you know your license plate by heart?”As he asked, he wondered why the killer had left his van behind and taken the beat up truck instead.Maybe to leave any evidence out in the desert, to distance himself from all of it now that he’d been found out and was on the run?It would make sense.
“Yeah,” he said, thought was obvious that he was far more concerned with making sure his girlfriend was going to pull through.
“Can you recite it, please?”
Lawson blinked rapidly, as if having to focus on reorienting his mind.He managed to recite it all off, and Miles committed it to memory even as he grabbed Vic’s phone and pulled Detective Morales’s number up.
Morales answered on the first ring."Agent Sterling, are you at the location?"
"We're here.The victim is alive but the suspect is fleeing in a white pickup truck."Miles rattled off the license plate number clearly and succinctly."I need an APB out immediately.Male suspect in his late twenties, armed and dangerous.He just assaulted a federal agent and detonated a compressed helium tank."
"I'm putting it out right now.What's your status?"
"Agent Stone is injured but conscious.The victim is safe.We need paramedics and backup at the location immediately."
"They're already en route, Agent Sterling.Should be there in less than ten minutes."
Miles ended the call and looked back at Vic.Her eyes were open now, blinking slowly as consciousness returned.
"Don't move," Miles said, keeping his voice calm and steady."You took a hit to the head.Paramedics are coming."
"The suspect?"Vic's voice was slurred slightly.
"Gone.But I got his plate number.Every cop in California is going to be looking for him in the next five minutes."
Vic tried to sit up but Miles gently pushed her back down."Stay still.You might have a concussion."
"I'm fine.Just…damn, that’s embarrassing.I had him in my sight and he still managed to brain me with a damned tank."
"You're not fine.You got hit in the head and then were about ten feet away from an explosion.Just stay down until the paramedics get here."
She nodded and even that simple action caused her to wince.
Lawson approached them, still supporting Bennett as she walked unsteadily beside him."Is your partner okay?"
"She will be."Miles looked at Bennett, assessing her condition.She was conscious and currently in a sitting position, which meant the sedative was wearing off."How are you feeling, Ms.Bennett?"he called.
"Dizzy.Confused."Her words came slowly, like she was having trouble forming them."What happened?"
"You were attacked and drugged last night.Mr.Lawson saved your life by grabbing you before you could float away completely."
“Float…what?”
“Don’t worry about it right now.I’ll explain it all.But for now, can you tell me anything about your attacker?Anything that might help us identify him?"
Bennett closed her eyes, clearly trying to remember."He said his name was David Marquez.He came to my practice session last night.Said he was scouting talent for a new show.Something felt wrong about him.I tried to leave but he followed me to the parking lot.I’m pretty sure the story was fake, though.Probably the name, too.”
"That's good.That's helpful."Miles made a mental note of the name, though he suspected it was fake."Did he say anything else?Anything about why he was targeting you?"
"He asked about heights.About working with heights outside.About my comfort level being suspended in the air."Bennett's eyes opened again, focusing on Miles with growing clarity.
“That’s our guy for sure,” Vic said quietly as she, too, had made her way into a seated position in the dirt.
