As she took a corner on two wheels, the tires squealing in protest, one of the black SUVs shot out from a perpendicular side street and slammed full speed into the passenger side door. Dubs slammed against her seat belt. Her adrenaline was pumping so wildly she didn’t know if she was hurt. She also didn’t wait around to find out what her new friends wanted with her. She threw the SUV in reverse, disentangled the vehicles, and jammed her foot down on the gas pedal again. A highway entrance ramp was just ahead. She took it, heading south, toward the water. She didn’t think anything good was waiting for her there, but for now she didn’t know where else to go.
Once she was on the highway, there was significantly more traffic. Unfortunately, there were also two more unfriendly vehicles that seemed intent on running her off the road. She was amazed at the lack of police pursuit. She was in a stolen police cruiser, and the state police didn’t seem all that concerned. As soon as she thought it, she saw flashing lights and heard sirens behind her. Great. More fun. She knew the police were less willing to take risks with the public safety than the other guys after her. At least she knew what she was up against. Good guys and bad guys. She had no idea which one she was anymore.
She checked her rearview and saw the third SUV, the one that had smashed into her a few moments before, join the chase. She watched the three of them set up behind her.
The first SUV moved next to her, on the passenger side. They were flying along between eighty and ninety miles an hour, weaving in and out of traffic. Fear made Dubs’s hands slick on the wheel, and sweat dripped down her neck. She wondered if this was what Levi felt before he died. Then she thought of Max. She wanted to talk to her and tell her how she felt. But this wasn’t the time to get distracted by mushy, squishy feelings. If she survived this, she’d damn well tell her how she felt. If.
The second SUV moved up to her left. She glanced over and saw the driver. It was Mr. Malevolent from the auto shop she had visited with Max. “What are you doing, trying to kill me?” Dubs said out loud. She pushed the SUV to its maximum and shot ahead of her two escorts. She pulled the wheel hard to the right, cutting off one side of the box. When she was past the enemy on the right and driving on the shoulder, she slammed both feet on the brake, skidding and sliding her way to a stop. She shifted quickly into reverse and hit the gas as hard as she could. Thank God for standard issue police acceleration.
She kept an eye on the SUVs pursuing her. It took them a few minutes to come to a stop, but they didn’t bother reversing down the highway. All three had turned and were driving along the shoulder the wrong way, straight at her. She didn’t see the police lights at all anymore. What the fuck? What’s that about? Dubs looked behind her. The exit she was aiming for was less than one hundred yards. It was going to be close, but she thought she would make it.
She floored it in reverse. When she was close enough, she hit the brakes hard again, shifting gears, and slammed down on the gas once again. The SUV barreled off the exit into oncoming traffic. Dubs hopped lanes, barely avoiding the honking cars. She didn’t know how long she would be able to keep her pursuers from winning this battle. She was going to have to ditch the car or make a phone call. Neither option was all that appealing. She checked her mirror and saw the three SUVs, lined up one after the other, gaining on her. She picked up her phone.
Chapter Twenty-two
Max knocked on Holt’s door. It was the last place she wanted to be. She was filled with sadness, hurt, and mostly embarrassment. She had no idea how she could have been so stupid on so many levels. And now she had to face Holt and tell her how badly she had screwed up.
Holt finally answered the door, looking wide-awake, alert, and ready to tear Max’s head off if she needed to. The fact that she was in a T-shirt and boxer shorts was the only sign that she had probably been asleep. It was four in the morning, after all.
“It’s Max, baby. No need for alarm,” Holt said over her shoulder.
“Invite her in,” Max heard Isabelle say. “And put on some pants. We should move your dresser to the front entry since you seem to be getting so many late night visitors. I’ll make some coffee.”
“Come on in, Max,” Holt said. “What’s wrong?”
Max didn’t even get all the way in the door before she blurted out what she came to say. “She’s gone, Holt. I screwed up, and now she’s gone.”
“Who’s gone?” Holt asked.
“Dubs. She handcuffed me to the damned bed and snuck out. I failed you.”
Holt didn’t look happy, but she didn’t freak out, which Max thought was a marginally good sign. “Do you have any idea where she might be? Or why she left?”
“I might, actually,” Max said. “She’s been talking about a challenge laid down by some other people in the car thief community. Something about avenging her friend Levi and clearing his good name. She said they’ve been putting a lot of pressure on her to accept their challenge. I told her to talk to you, but she said no. My guess is she finally caved.”
“Do you know what this challenge entails?” Holt asked.
“Will she be okay on her own?” Isabelle asked.
“I don’t know,” Max said. Much to her horror, she felt herself getting emotional. She was pissed as hell at Dubs, and she also knew the last time someone took one of these challenges, they ended up dead.
“I put a tracer on her cell phone, but I’ve only been using it to see who was calling her. I haven’t been tracking her text messages since she’s pretty open about who’s texting. Or at least, I thought she was. I brought my laptop. We can pull up the messages themselves now. Maybe it will help.”
“Do it,” Holt said.
Max felt so stupid for trusting Dubs, and for getting so wrapped up in her desire for her that she had let this happen. Stupid. So stupid. I’m an idiot. And if something happens to her…
“I’m sorry I let you down, H,” Max said.
“Max,” Holt said. “We don’t know enough about Dubs’s motivations to understand why she did what she did, but it’s highly unlikely you could have prevented her from walking out your door tonight. Maybe she let us both down, or maybe she has reasons that make no sense to us, but are pure to her. It’s too early to pass judgment. We work the case like always. What can you tell me about those texts?”
If Max hadn’t loved Holt before that moment, she loved her more than ever in that instant. She had expected Holt to yell or berate her, but what she said made sense. Max knew Dubs’s motivation, but not enough to explain to Holt. They needed to find her.
“I don’t know where she is now,” Max said. “But two hours ago she was headed for the State House.”
Holt’s cell phone rang. “I wonder why the head of the state police is calling me so early,” Holt said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Max’s heart sank and she felt tears welling. Isabelle must have seen her distress.
“She means a lot to you, doesn’t she?” Isabelle asked.
“No, she’s a total asshole,” Max said. “She deserves anything she gets for acting like a fool. If a tear happened to slip out of my eyes right now, it’s just a sign of how incredibly angry I am at her for handcuffing me to the bed and causing so much hassle.”
“Well, obviously,” Isabelle said. “I remember shedding a few ‘go to hell’ tears over Holt too.”
“Why does everyone assume I’m all emotionally wrapped up in this?” Max asked. Isabelle’s understanding and kindness wasn’t helping her pull herself together.
“Oh, sweetie, it’s written all over your face. I won’t tell anyone, though, if you don’t want anyone to know. And you can feel free to be as mad at Dubs as you like when she gets back. But from the sound of Holt’s conversation, Dubs might be in trouble, and she might need a hero to come rescue her, if you’re into that sort of thing.”
Max hadn’t been listening to Holt’s end of the conversation at all. She was too far into her own head. She tuned in.
“No, sir,” Holt said. “I understand how dangerous that
is for the general public, but I assure you, she’s highly skilled. Those three SUVs aren’t part of my crew. I take no responsibility for their actions.” Holt listened for a moment, her expression stormy. “Sir, excuse me for a moment, but don’t you think if we were trying to draw out the group of thieves you were interested in us finding, that perhaps that’s exactly what happened?”
Max could hear the man on the other end talking loudly. Holt even held the phone away from her ear for a time.
“Well, I’m sorry that things got a little messy. I’m guessing that’s why you passed the job off to us. If you wanted it, and it was going to stay clean, you probably would have had your guys do it. Sir, I’m going to have to put you on hold. I’m getting another call.”
Holt held the phone away from her ear and switched lines. Max had thought she was bluffing with the angry state police captain, but she was wrong.
“Dubs, where the fuck are you?”
Max didn’t know if she was relieved to not have gotten Dubs’s phone call, or incredibly hurt that Dubs had reached out to Holt instead. Mostly, she was happy Dubs was safe, or at least safe enough to be making a phone call.
Holt listened intently. She moved to the kitchen island and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She jotted down a few details and motioned Max over. Max looked at the note.
Dubs. Stolen state police SUV, damaged. Pursued by 3 black SUVs, no plates. Intent to kill. Mr. Malevolent driving. Needs escape.
Max felt a little woozy. She had a moment picturing Dubs inside the state police SUV, airbags deployed, her body smashed, and mangled, and lifeless. She couldn’t let that happen. She needed to focus.
“Where is she?” Max asked. She pulled out her phone and pulled up an app she had created for Holt’s crew. It sent an emergency text to anyone who was working at that moment. She typed in the message “response needed for protection of crewmember driving state police SUV. Pursued by 3 black SUVs. Protect by all means necessary. Location to follow.”
Holt relayed Dubs’s current position and Max pulled up a map on her phone. She looked for a location that would make an ambush easiest. “Got it,” she said, mostly to herself. She relayed the address and cross street to Holt to pass along to Dubs, while she sent a second emergency alert text to the team.
Max moved back to her laptop and pulled up the GPS locators on the crew-issued cell phones. Seven signals were converging on the location she had sent. If Dubs could make it there in one piece, she would have plenty of backup.
“Let’s go,” Holt said. “We’ve got to meet her there. My police friend is itching to throw her back in prison.”
“Isn’t he still on hold?” Isabelle asked.
“Must have lost signal,” Holt said with a wink.
“You two go,” Isabelle said. “Do whatever it is you do. I’ll be fine here. I’ll have some coffee, read the paper. You know, normal person things on a Saturday morning.”
“I love you,” Holt said. “I’ll be back in a few. We’ve got some things to talk about.”
“Shoo,” Isabelle said.
Max was intrigued, but she knew better than to ask. Instead, she sprinted after Holt, who was jogging to her truck. Luckily, the location Max had chosen was only a few blocks from Holt’s loft.
When they arrived, it was clear they were late to the party. Max’s stomach dropped, and she thought she might be sick. The stolen police SUV was upside down in the middle of the intersection.
Holt’s crew had positioned their vehicles around the overturned SUV and were standing defensively in a large perimeter. No one, not even the angry looking state police officers, were allowed inside. Max couldn’t see Dubs anywhere.
“Did any of those idiots check to make sure Dubs is okay?”
“Go check on her,” Holt said. “I’ll talk to our trooper friends. If she needs rescue, you come directly to me, no middle men delivering a message, okay?”
Max nodded and shot out of the truck as soon as it had slowed enough. She ran full speed for the overturned SUV, past the line of her co-workers, who parted to let her through. In truth, she might be smaller than any of them, but she didn’t think there was one of them there this morning that could have stopped her. She had made the decision back in Holt’s loft to see this through completely, to make sure Dubs was safe, and if she needed it, cared for. She would be pissed, hurt, and betrayed, later.
She dropped to her knees when she got to the driver’s side window. She peered inside. Empty. There was blood on the steering wheel.
“Dubs?” Max called out.
“Pretty Girl,” Dubs said from nearby. She sounded tired and pained. “I’m over here.”
Max moved to the front of the SUV. Dubs was sitting on the pavement, her legs stretched in front of her, leaning against the passenger side headlight. Max knelt beside her and looked her over. Her hand was bleeding, and she had a cut on her forehead, but there weren’t any other obvious signs of injury. That didn’t mean there weren’t any.
“Are you hurt?”
“Remarkably, no,” Dubs said. “I do know I never want to be in a car when it gets rammed like we’re playing bumper cars, though.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Max said. “You should probably get checked out.”
Dubs looked so sad it was making it hard for Max to keep her professional resolve to work the case and keep emotions aside. She wanted to be angry, if she was going to feel anything, but right now she wanted to pull Dubs into her arms, hold her, and tell her everything was going to be okay.
“I thought I was going to die out here,” Dubs said. “And all I could think about was you. I thought how mad you probably were at the way I left and that just ate at me. I started out flirting with you because I knew I could get a rise out of you. But that’s not what it’s been for a while now. That’s not what it was last night. I know I’m going back to prison, and you won’t want anything to do with me, but I wanted you to know. You know, in case it means anything.”
Dubs sounded desperate and defeated. Max didn’t know what to do. She had spent so long believing Dubs was just messing with her, and here she was telling her that was true. Now it was hard to know whether this was more of the game. It didn’t feel like it, though. Last night, and the weeks prior, sure hadn’t felt like a game. She was saved from having to answer by Holt.
“Max, you find her?”
“Over here, Holt. She says she’s okay,” Max said.
Holt squatted in front of Dubs. “You okay? You look a little worse for wear.”
“I’ll survive. I’m sorry about this. Thank you for what you did. I owe you,” Dubs said.
“What you owe me, and Max, is an explanation. But that will have to wait. You need to come with me. We’re going to talk to some very angry police officers. You’re going to stand next to me and you aren’t going to say a word. Do you understand? Not a single word. I know that’s not in your nature, but it’s important. Not a word.”
“I’ll do my best,” Dubs said.
“No,” Holt said. “You’ll do better than that. You’ll do what is expected of you as a member of this team. You’ll do what I just asked you to do. You’ll keep your mouth shut. Understood?”
Dubs looked surprised. Max wondered what part of Holt’s statement caused the look. Personally, she was surprised by Holt’s characterization of Dubs as a member of the team.
“Yes, ma’am,” Dubs said.
“Oh no,” Holt said. “That’s my mother. You call me Holt, H, hey you, or whatever else you like. Not ma’am. Ask Max how well I enjoy that endearment.”
Max shook her head when Dubs glanced her way.
As they got up to leave, Max fell in to join them. Holt held up her hand to stop her. “You stay here, Max. Get the crew back to their posts. When that’s done, head back to the office and get to work. Figure out who the hell was in those SUVs. I’ll bring Dubs by in a bit. She’s going to need a shower and a nap before she gets back to work. You’ll need to keep an eye on her. I ha
ven’t decided if the cuffs go back on full-time.”
“H, with all due respect, it might be better if someone else took over that job for a while.” Max couldn’t imagine having to be handcuffed to Dubs twenty-four seven again. She couldn’t even imagine having to live with Dubs after last night and the events of this morning.
“Are you ill?” Holt asked.
“No.”
“Injured? Planning an unscheduled vacation? Unfit for duty?”
“No. It’s just that—”
“Whatever it is, Max, work it out. We’ll be back soon.”
“Yes, boss,” Max said.
She hadn’t had the urge to salute in months. She did now. She watched them walk off and couldn’t help but feel the familiar sense of attraction when she looked at Dubs. She sighed.
“Rough day,” Lola said.
“The worst,” Max said. “You’ve had recent trouble with women. How did you handle it?”
“You get Dubs pregnant last night?” Lola said with a knowing smile.
“Really? That’s the kind of help you’re going to offer?”
Lola laughed. “I can’t help you, kid. You’ve got to work it out between the two of you. Besides, I’ve got horrible taste in women, and from what I can tell, you’ve got pretty good taste. So what kind of advice could I offer anyway? You’ll figure it out.”
“Well, at least wait around and give me a ride,” Max said.
“Sure thing. I’ll just be here, by the busted ass police car. Take your time.”
Max stomped off, wondering what in the hell she had gotten herself into.
Chapter Twenty-three
Dubs stood in Holt’s office completely silent. She hadn’t said a word since Holt told her not to speak by the wrecked SUV. She’d been following Holt around, but the past hour had been so surreal, she didn’t have anything to say anyway.
“Sit down, Dubs.” Holt offered her a chair. “We need to talk. I need to understand what happened this morning. Why did you take off?”
“Can I ask you a question first?” Dubs had about a hundred questions.
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