Page 59 of Lost Truth
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Cady cringed as each report sounded and the bullets struck his Raptor.
He’d be in his element at this high speed if he didn’t have a gunman bearing down on them. “My phone is in the center console. Stay down and call Nolan.”
He sensed her reaching for the phone, but didn’t risk taking his eyes off the road other than to glance in the rearview mirror. He caught the license plate number on the pickup and memorized it.
The highway led out of town to the coast, an open road where he could really fire up his vehicle and scream away from their tail. The road paralleled a train track. The sharp call of a train whistle pierced the air, signaling the engine’s arrival.
Up ahead, the safety gate at the intersection began to lower. He glanced down the tracks, calculating the distance, the timing. Gauging how long he had if he made a hard right and gunned it across before the train arrived.
He could do it. Just barely, but with bullets flying his way, he would risk it.
“Hold on,” he said and punched the gas pedal.
His Raptor shot forward and careened around the sharp turn. His muscles strained under the tension of keeping his vehicle on the road. They flew under the gate with precious moments to lose. The truck tailing them slammed on their brakes, fishtailing wildly while the train barreled across the road.
He didn’t let up on the gas. “When you connect with Nolan, put him on speaker.”
She relayed the information to Nolan, and Hayden looked in the rearview mirror, glad to see a long train rumble toward the south, a solid barrier between them and the truck on the other side of the tracks. His risk had paid off. They now had plenty of time to lose their tail and make their way to Palmer’s place without being seen.
Still bent in half, Cady held out the phone.
“We had a little altercation.” Hayden described the documents they located along with the Ford’s chase and their current location. “I ditched them, and we’re still headed to Palmer’s place but might need backup.”
“We can’t risk losing the documents,” Nolan said. “We can keep them safe here and make copies too in case something happens with the originals. I’ll meet you at Palmer’s place to collect them and bring them back here.”
“Roger that.” He tapped the screen to end the call, then checked his rearview mirror.
The road stretched out as far as he could see without a vehicle in sight. Good. They’d lost their tail. He glanced at Cady. “Looks like it’s safe for you to sit up.”
She raised up and stretched. “Who are these guys?”
“Not sure, but I got their license plate and will have someone run it as soon as possible.”
“This is surreal.” She shook her head. “I’ve been threatened on the job, but I’ve never been followed. And I’ve certainly never been chased by some gun-wielding maniac.” She shuddered. “What if they’re the men who killed my dad?”
He slowed and met her gaze. “Then we know they’re capable of murder, so we need to be vigilant.”
And if they were afraid of being exposed and thrown in prison for what they’d done, Hayden doubted they’d draw any lines. They’d do whatever it took—no limits, not even stopping at committing another murder.
