Page 10 of Say Nothing
"All right, ten bucks I catch up to him first if he does run."
Samantha held out her hand for Karter to slap."Yeah, I’ll take that bet.Do you really think you can outrun me?"
"There’s a first time for everything."
Franklin reached the corner at the end of the block and rounded it.Samantha and Karter hurried to the corner in case he ran when he was out of sight.As soon as they rounded the corner, they saw he had broken into a sprint.
"Oh, heck no!"Samantha gasped.
The two detectives took off running after the suspect.
Franklin dived to his right and into an alleyway halfway down the block.Samantha reached the alleyway slightly before Karter and held onto the brick corner to keep her speed while rounding it.They couldn’t see the suspect as they entered the alley, and slowed a little as they ran down it.
Samantha saw him a fraction too late as she passed the large metal trash bin.He stood behind it, his back pressed to the metal.She saw him swing the bag as she passed, but the attack wasn’t for her.She stopped dead and turned just in time to see the bag smack Karter in the face, whipping his legs up into the air from under him.There was a moment when Karter seemed to float in midair, then he fell to the hard concrete below with a thud.
The bag was hurled at Samantha, and she had to bat it to the side with her forearms before it hit her.Franklin took off running again from the alley.Samantha immediately rushed to Karter.
He groaned, then, "Don't worry about me.Go after him.I’m right behind you."
Samantha took off running after the suspect, leaving her partner.He might be a jerk at times, but he was as tough as they came, and as soon as he was able, he’d be back on his feet and after her.
When she broke free of the alleyway and back onto the main street, she spotted the suspect on the other side of the road, an annoyed driver shouting something from within his vehicle after he'd been forced to stop.Samantha held up her hand to the oncoming vehicles as she ran out into the road, putting the pursuit of the suspect before her safety.
Cars screeched to a halt, and horns were honked as Samantha crossed the street.None of them knew she was a detective in pursuit of a suspect, but that likely wouldn’t matter to them when their commutes had been set back ten or twenty seconds.
She ran her hand over one car's hood as she made it to the other side and sprinted after Franklin.
A moment later, there was twice as much honking, and she knew Karter was coming after her.
Franklin looked over his shoulder to see if he was being chased, and when he saw Samantha, he grunted and increased his speed.Samantha maintained hers, losing some ground momentarily, but then gaining as he ran out of energy.She felt the gun knocking against her hip, and it brought her some comfort.She had no idea if Franklin was armed or if he would pull his weapon in what was a crowded area.
Civilians stood and stared as the three of them wove their way through the crowd.
She was ten yards from Franklin when he stopped and spun to face her.He balled his fists and raised them to his chest.She didn't like that he was willing to fight, but was thankful that he hadn’t pulled a gun.She would shoot him if needed, but would rather not.
As she got to him, he swung a fist toward her.Samantha deftly ducked under the punch and slammed her hip into his thigh.He was bigger than her, but he wasn’t as fast.She quickly raised her arm and slammed an elbow into the side of his neck.The grunt indicated the sheer pain that the single blow brought.
Samantha spun and drew her gun, leveling it at Franklin."No more," she warned."Don't make me put you down, Franklin."
Karter arrived not far behind and a little out of breath.He also drew his gun, pointing it at the suspect.
Franklin laughed as he tried to catch his breath.He rubbed at the side of his neck before he put both of his hands behind his head and dropped to his knees.Karter kept the gun trained on him as Samantha slapped the handcuffs on his wrist and read him his rights.
"Let’s go down to the station and have a little talk, shall we?"Samantha asked, hoisting him to his feet.
Franklin sneered at her defiantly as if he had nothing to worry about.He looked like a man who knew that whatever he’d done, he’d somehow come through it without any trouble.Alison would make sure he had a lot to worry about.
CHAPTER FIVE
Alison stood in the bullpen of the police station when Detectives Moore and Roisin entered.The detectives and officers in the room clapped as they made their way between the desks.Detective Roisin took his partner's wrists and raised her arm into the air.Detective Moore then bowed in appreciation.When she stood back up, she caught Alison’s eyes and looked almost nervous.The two detectives approached Alison.
"You owe me ten dollars," Detective Roisin said.
"What?"Detective Moore replied.
"We agreed that the first person to catch up to him would get ten bucks.You ran right past him."
"Yeah, and you were smacked in the face with his duffel bag," Detective Moore reminded him.
