In the Blink of An Eye by Jerry Baggett (ebook reader for surface pro TXT) 📕

followed us here. They’re parked one row back from our car waiting for us to return to the vehicle. We have reason to believe they mean us harm. Please send assistance. We’ll be waiting inside the front of the store.”

Samantha shivered violently for a few seconds with an adrenal rush. He put his arm around her. “It’s OK, the police are on their way. If these guys attempt to come inside, I’ll use the Glock.”

Four minutes later, a police car stopped in front, with lights flashing. Two deputies ran inside with hands on their weapon. Dick cringed. He saw the black SUV pull out of the lot and disappear into traffic. He’d been unable to catch the plate number. Why in hell did they stop in front with the lights flashing instead of coming in quietly?

He yelled, and pointed, “You may be able to catch up if you hurry. They fled east on Platt Street as soon as you pulled in with all the lights flashing. You may want to call for follow-up assistance.”

The older officer removed his cap and ran his hands through his hair. “I know who you are. Deputy Bennett, on the island, is a friend of mine. We’re short-handed here this morning. Everybody’s working a multi-car accident, down near the airport. Stewart and myself were finishing up on a break-in nearby when the call came in. These people after you are too smart to hang around the area waiting for us to catch up with them. Sorry, folks. This one’s on me.”

He turned to his partner. “Stew, go ahead and call in a description of that vehicle and the two men inside. I’ll take a full report from these folks. Maybe we’ll get a break and someone will catch a glimpse of that SUV.”

Dick said, “Now’s our chance to turn in this rental and get something different. We have two options. We can rent another from a different rental agency or get my SUV, with all my earthly belongings, out of storage.”

“No, Dick. They probably have someone watching that too. There’s a Budget just outside of town. Near that small fish pond, we see from the freeway. Let’s take care of that and go on back to the island.”

“Samantha!” he yelled. “Hunker down, now. That SUV’s coming up fast. There’s a man with a rifle standing up with his head and shoulders outside the sun roof. The bastards must have circled around behind Target and waited for the sheriff’s deputies to leave. There’s that small fish pond ahead. I’m taking the road that circles around the pond. Get down low.”

He leaned forward and removed the Glock from his waist. He held it against the wheel with one finger above the trigger. “We’re out of range for a handgun shot. As soon as he starts firing, I’m going to slam on the brakes hard, until we come to a complete stop. At this speed, they’ll close the gap in a couple of seconds. Stay down as low as you can, now, Samantha. Be prepared for more shooting.”

He rolled the front windows down, prepared for battle. The first wild shot penetrated the rear window, exiting through the windshield. Fragments of the passenger’s headrest scattered over the dash. A series of rapidly fired shots tore through the rear of the vehicle, blowing the rear tires. Dick lost control and the car dived, nose first, into the shallow water. He managed a quick look at Samantha. She bounced violently around the floor, her eyes like saucers.

Thank god for shallow water. He pushed the door open and watched the SUV slide by with brakes smoking, then, reverse quickly. He rested his shoulder against the car, sighted down the barrel, and waited for the vehicle to stop moving. A hastily fired shot from the rifle slammed into the window frame across from him. He exhaled, held his breath momentarily and shot the rifleman through the head. He fired a second shot toward the rapidly departing driver, shattering the rear window.

Dick waded around to the driver’s side where Samantha struggled to get out of the car. Her eyes narrowed to slits. She might want to kill him.

She burst out laughing. “You can put the gun away, I give up.” She stumbled out of the car. “You really do know how to entertain a girl, don’t you!”

Dick picked her up and carried her to shore. He couldn’t help himself. He kissed her exposed breast, pulled her blouse up over that and followed through with kisses around her face and neck. One eye was swollen where she bounced around beneath the dash. Her top was torn at the shoulder, her shorts ripped up the outer seam and her shoes were gone. “I’ll grab the gun and shoot you if you ask me how I’m doing,” she said.

Chapter 34

“We’ve had to close the clinic, Samantha. You’ve already heard what happened. I’d like you to call me on my cell phone for the next week or so. It’s a huge mess in there. I have no doubt you’re just happy to have more time away. After all, you knew we were forced to refer our patients out, perhaps for as long as another week.” He hesitated. “You should take the extra time you need without further concern. I shouldn’t have discouraged you.”

She said, “I’m sorry to hear about that horrible thing being dumped and gutted inside the medical offices, Steven. The sheriff’s department called me. They think it may be connected to the constant attempts on my life. Can you believe that? I don’t see how I could be responsible for any of that. I wouldn’t want to cause problems for you or our patients.”

“I have a good relationship with the sheriff’s department,” he said. “They’re looking in the wrong damn direction. I’m hiring my own investigators in case they drag things out. Someone’s going to burn