Page 12 of Thin Ice

Abby slipped into the seat beside him and spotted the police lights in the side window. “We can’t stop no matter what. If they search the van and see our passengers, it’ll be all over.”

“Agreed, but we don’t know for certain they’re after us.” Brookes kept his speed just under the posted rate, yet the cop car didn’t make a move to go around. The driver flashed his lights.

“We’re almost to the exit,” he told Abby. “Just a little further.”

The cruiser closed the space between their bumpers. “Driver, we’re ordering you to pull over,” the speaker blared out at them. Abby gripped the sides of her seat.

If they disobeyed, would the cops shoot out their tires or worse?

“What’s going on?” Victor moved close to their seats while Brookes quickly explained.

“We don’t know that they’re on to us. I think you have to pull over.”

Brookes shot him a look.

“There’s scrubs back here I can use to disguise my appearance. Abby, there’s an extra set for you. Brookes, if they ask you, tell them we’re on the way to the hospital with a critically ill patient. If we keep running, they’ll shoot to kill.”

The idea went against everything he’d been trained to do. “All right,” he finally agreed.

Abby returned to the back and grabbed an EMT jacket left in the van. “Here, put this on.”

Brookes slipped into it and waited until everyone was set.

“I’m going to damage the siren control in case they ask why we aren’t using it.” He took his weapon out and smashed the button, then slipped his handgun into the jacket pocket.

Abby pulled Kinsley’s sheet up to her chin and wrapped a towel over her blond hair. “We’re ready,” she told him.

Brookes found a spot to pull off the road and parked while hoping they weren’t making the biggest mistake of their lives. He left the engine running in case they had to make a run for it. Brookes kept his attention on the side mirror. “I see only one officer in the patrol car.” Strange considering everything.

“They’re probably short-staffed with responding to all the calls following the bombings,” Victor told them.

“He’s running the plate.” Brookes’s heart pummeled his chest as he watched the officer slowly get out of his cruiser and come toward them.

The officer stopped beside Brookes’s door and waited for him to roll down the window.

“Officer, we have a critically injured patient that needs to be at the hospital right away.” Brookes did his best to reflect irritation at being stopped when really he was shaking inside.

“Then why don’t you have your lights and sirens on?” The man fixed his gaze on Brookes’s face.

“The switch is broken.” He pointed to the damaged one.

“Looks like someone deliberately destroyed it. The plate is registered to a clinic in Bellevue. You’re a little out of your neighborhood, aren’t you?”

Brookes did his best to keep a blank expression. “We’re doing what we can to help. Officer, I told you our patient is critical. If we don’t get her to a hospital soon, she could pass away.”

The officer didn’t respond for the longest time. “Yeah, well, I’m going to have to take a look in the back. If you’ve heard the news at all, you know we’re looking for the bombers who are still in the city.” The man focused on Brookes’s face. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”

Brookes’s heart skipped a beat. There was no way the news had picked up his and Abby’s identity yet.

When Brookes didn’t answer, the officer stepped back. “I’ll have to ask you to step out and open the back of the van. If everything checks out, you’ll be on your way in a matter of minutes.”

For now, Brookes had to keep cooperating while he prayed Abby’s and Victor’s disguises would work. He opened the door and climbed out. The officer walked to the back and waited. There was nothing left to do but open the van doors.

Abby was closest to the exit, shielding the president from view.

“Ma’am, please step out of the van. You too, sir.”

Abby’s gaze latched onto Brookes as she complied.

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