Page 39 of When You're Safe

Finn’s eyeswidened. “Is that far?”

“Not if wehurry,” Winters said with determination etched into her words.

“Let’s go!”Finn exclaimed.

They ran to theircars, the urgency pushing them forward. As Finn fumbled to get his keys out,Winters was already starting her engine. With a screech of tires, they wereoff, racing toward Blackfriar’s Bridge. The London streets were a blur as theynavigated through the afternoon traffic, sirens wailing, hoping they would makeit in time.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

London streetswere always a challenge, but Finn felt the challenge magnified tenfold. Thecars and buses seemed to move unpredictably, and his unfamiliarity with drivingon the left added to his tension. He glanced at the car’s manual transmission,cursing under his breath. “Why didn’t I just get an automatic?” he muttered.

Winters’s carraced ahead, siren blaring, parting the traffic like a shark fin through atorrid surf. Finn did his best to keep up, but every time he needed to shift,there was a crunch and a jerk, making it evident that he was far from proficientwith a stick shift. Several times, he thought he was pushing the car so hardthat the engine almost died at the worst possible moment. At one set of lights,he stalled, causing him to restart the car amid honks and shouts from irateLondoners.

The unreliablerental only added to his woes. The engine occasionally sputtered, and Finncould swear the gearbox was held together with little more than hope and ducttape. He cursed again, pushing the gas pedal to the floor and grinding anothergear in his desperate attempt to keep Winters in sight.

Despite allthis, his training and determination kept him just about on her tail. He couldn’tafford to lose her, not now, not when so much was on the line. It sounded likeAlan Ross was at a tipping point and out there ready to kill again.

As they zippedpast the iconic landmarks of London, all Finn could think about was getting toBlackfriar’s Bridge in time.

The blinkinglights from the road works added to the chaos of the congested street, and Finnsaw Winters pull her car over sharply to the side. With a screech of tires, hefollowed suit, parking just behind her. There was a large pit dug into theroad, cordoned off, with construction equipment everywhere. Signs warned of adetour, and vehicles had been forced into other routes. The obstruction ensuredthat they couldn’t go any further in their cars.

Winters jumpedout, shouting over the din, “The bridge is just around that corner! It’s quickeron foot!”

Withouthesitation, both detectives took off on foot, dodging commuters and touristsalike. The early evening air was thick with the hum of the city, and the suncast long shadows on the cobbled streets when it was able to peek along lanes betweentowering buildings. Despite Finn’s athletic prowess, Winters, with her smallerframe and determination, kept pace effortlessly, her eyes focused straightahead.

When theexpanse of Blackfriar’s Bridge finally came into view, its stone arches seemedlike silent guardians of a secret. They rushed onto the bridge, their footstepsdrowned out on the pavement by the sounds of the city. Both sides werebustling: joggers, cyclists, families, office workers heading home. The usualhubbub of a city evening.

Far below, theThames rolled by, unrelenting, quiet, and threatening.

Finn’s eyesdarted across the crowd, searching for any sign of Alan Ross.

Winters,looking at her phone’s GPS tracker, announced, “He’s here. Somewhere on thisbridge.”

The atmospherefelt dense with anticipation. Every face seemed like a potential mask, every laugha potential diversion. Finn’s senses heightened, ears attuned to every whisper,eyes scanning every movement. The watchful flow of the Thames below carried onbeneath the electric tension above.

Suddenly,Winters stiffened. She zoomed into her phone, pointing toward the southern endof the bridge. “He’s moving. Fast. Towards that side!”

As they pushedthrough the crowd, every second felt like an eternity. Would they reach him intime?

A pair ofeyes, cold and intense, locked onto Finn’s, and for a split second, the worldaround them blurred. The realization hit Finn hard—he had found Alan Ross. Theman’s features tightened, and without hesitation, he turned and bolted throughthe throngs of people.

“Ross!” Finnbellowed, charging after him.

The chase wasfierce and unrelenting, with Ross weaving effortlessly through the unsuspectingpedestrians. Finn had the build and endurance, but Ross had the desperation ofa trapped animal, pushing him to move faster and more unpredictably. Finnclosed in with a few extra gasps of air and lunged, managing to grasp the backof Ross’s jacket. But Ross swung around, throwing a wild punch that connectedsolidly with Finn’s cheekbone. Stars exploded in Finn’s vision, and for amoment, he was thrown off balance, swaying amidst the moving crowd.

Ahead, Winterscontinued the chase undeterred, but Ross was increasing the distance and theend of the bridge was now in sight. If he made it, Ross would be able todisappear into countless city streets, like a vampire hiding in the night.

Finn gavehimself a shake. He had to think fast if he was to close the gap. He looked atthe crowds ahead and saw a route. He had one chance and he was going to takeit.

“Winters, keepgoing!”

Responding toFinn’s shout, Winters glanced over just in time to see him darting off to theside, rushing past a group of chattering tourists holding maps and cameras.

Using hisfamiliarity with tactical maneuvers and years of chasing critters through theFlorida swamps, Finn calculated Ross’s trajectory instinctively. Bypassing afood vendor and hurdling over a low barrier, he found himself directly in Ross’spath. They collided almost head-on, with Finn stopping him dead in his tracks.

Ross looked athim, panic evident in his eyes, realizing he was cornered.

“There’snowhere to go, Alan,” Finn said, gasping for air. “This is the end, but it’s upto you how painlessly this goes.”

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