Page 94 of Tangled Up

I’m just putting on the turn signal when Kevin sits forward with a shout. “State troopers have spotted them.”

Signal off, I’m fully alert. “Where?”

“They’re on I-75, a place called Orangeville.”

I push the accelerator to the floor, letting the Rover eat up the miles. “I know exactly where they are. She’s making good time. They’re south of Tampa.”

Kevin is focused on his phone, and I glance at him a few times. His brow is furrowed, and he shifts in his seat.

Henry leans forward. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t make out the chatter exactly, something about excessive speed. They’re saying to pull back. I think she’s spotted them and has picked up the pace.”

“Shit.” My jaw clenches, and I’m zipping around cars, passing on the shoulder, trying to get there.

“Take it easy, Beck.” Henry grips the back of the seat. “We won’t be much good if we’re in an accident.”

But my vision has tunneled. We’re so close to catching them.

“She exited the Interstate.” Kevin’s eyes are fixed on his phone.

“What is she doing?” I growl.

“She’s headed east, away from the city.”

We’re at the exit, and I flip on the signal to exit as well. Initially, we’re surrounded by slow-moving cars, and the vein in my head throbs.

Finally, we make it out of the city limits. The traffic thins away, and we’re headed northeast, into a darker, more rural part of the state. I pick up speed, doing my best to make up the lost time. My stomach is tight as we travel farther, as the road drops to two lanes, and we’re passing pastures. I have no idea where we are.

“It’s them!” Kevin shouts, and I see it, too.

Ahead of us, a kaleidoscope of police flashers swirls in the darkness. My throat tightens, and Henry speaks softly from the back.

“She made a critical error.”

Now I’m afraid. In situations like this, bad things can happen, and we’re in the middle of nowhere.

“Everyone needs to stay calm,” Kevin mutters, and I know he’s thinking the same thing as me.

We’re gaining ground, getting closer, and some of the cruisers have stopped. We’re entering the mix of troopers.

“They’ve been ordered to fall back. Chasing her is dangerous. They don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

I cut my speed, but I don’t stop. We carefully pass cruiser after cruiser, getting closer, gaining ground.

“Take it easy.” Kevin leans forward in his seat.

Three cop cars are still ahead of us, but I can see the Honda up ahead going way too fast on this dark, narrow road. They fly over railroad tracks, and I catch a glimpse of another head in the passenger’s side.

“We’re not in a cop car. We can stay after them.”

“Then what?” Henry is at my back, speaking urgently. “We need to back off, Beck.”

I can’t do it. I can’t fall back when she’s right in front of us. Another trooper is ahead of us. We hear his voice coming through the speaker on his car, but I can’t make out what he’s saying. Whatever it is, the Honda suddenly shoots out ahead of us.

My throat clenches as she blows through a traffic signal.

“Whoa!” Kevin shouts.

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