Girl Sleuth-Chapter 33

(To read from the beginning go Here.)

Anne snatched at the handle and slammed her shoulder into the door. Rick grabbed for as she half-fell from the car and His fingers closed on the hem of her sweater but she wrenched free, falling to her hands and knees.

A car door slammed and running feet smacked the pavement.

Anne scrambled upright and around the car before Rick could clamber across the seat and nab her again. Erik appeared in a circle of light cast by a streetlight. His face was set in tense ridges and he held a revolver in his hand.

Thank you, Jesus. Anne sprinted toward him, expecting at any moment for a bullet to pierce something vital.

A bang.

She winced expecting to feel the fiery punch of a bullet. Her wits caught up with her instinct a second later. It hadn’t been a gunshot. It’d been the sound of a door closing. Tires squealed and the Ford rocketed forward heedless of the red light or any traffic laws.

She barreled into Erik and his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close.

“Are you ok?”

All too glad to allow herself to be supported by the warm strength of his arms, Anne relaxed into him. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Her answer was muffled by his trench coat.

He stepped back but gripped her shoulders. “You’re sure?”

“Yes. I’m not hurt.” Although without his supporting warmth, cold shivers prickled her skin and she began to shake.

“Thank, God.” He embraced her again briefly. “Were you able to get him to confess?”

“No.” She’d failed. The enormity of it stung her to the quick, bringing tears to her eyes. What use were her wild theories when she’d let Rick get away. Unless… “Do you think the other agents will be able to follow him?”

A grimace twisted his features. “There aren’t any others.”

“What?” It was Anne’s turn to step away from him.

“My bosses’ boss pulled everyone from my detail. Said we were chasing a wild theory.”

“So I really did let him get away.”

“He’ll have to surface sometime and we’ll have his description circulated. We’ve got the plate number to his car. We’ll get him. It’s only a matter of time.”

Anne shook her head. “I don’t think you will. If I’m right this conspiracy goes much deeper than we originally thought.”

Erik frowned. “What are—”

“Wait.” Anne held up a hand. Of course! Why hadn’t she thought of it before? Rick had been desperate to get those papers. He wouldn’t leave the area without them. “I think I know where he is going.”

Brows lowered in confusion, Erik let her drag him back to where his car sat idling in the middle of the road.

“Get in, get in. We don’t want to miss him.”

“But where?”

“Grand Central.”

“He wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to get a train out of town.”

“No, no he’s looking for something.” Anne darted around to the passenger side and shut herself in. “He wouldn’t believe I’d given up the papers so I told him I’d hidden them.”

Erik put the car in motion. “At this point don’t you think he’d just let it go?”

“No. Please. It’s worth a chance at least. Isn’t it?”

“If you say so.” He accelerated through the light and picked up speed.

“You’ve got to hurry. If we don’t catch up to him pronto I have a feeling he’ll get clean away.”