Page 38 of Flynn
“I will. Thanks.”
She hung up and concentrated on driving. Pressing her foot on the accelerator, she urged the vehicle to go faster, ignoring the trembling of her hands on the steering wheel. Where the hell were the officers, and why weren’t there any sounds of sirens?
She had just made the left turn when the vehicle behind her burst into speed and, with one complex motion, shoved her into the embankment. The impact was not strong enough to deploy her airbag, pushing her into the ditch.
Shaking off the grogginess and fear, she tried to twist the wheel to the left to move the vehicle back onto the road.
With her heart beating hard inside her chest and her insides turning to liquid, she pressed her foot on the gas, which only managed to dig the wheels into the ice and spin her car further into the ditch.
A quick, furtive glance out her window confirmed what she already suspected. The men were out of their vehicle and approaching hers. Uttering a cry of alarm, she frantically gave the car some more gas, not sure what she was doing.
The black metallic shape in the man’s hand gave her the impression that he was carrying a gun and about to finish the job.
“Come on!” She whispered tearfully, trying to move the vehicle and give it some traction against the ice.
Putting the pad of her hand on the horn, she pressed down hard, the sound splitting the stillness of the air and causing her assailants to pause. Using the distraction and still keeping her hand on the horn, she tried again to move the car out of the ditch.
“Move!” she shouted, pressing gas frantically. The vehicle lurched forward and then slid drunkenly back into the hole. She felt helpless as she realized the men were approaching again.
The air was suddenly split by the sound of sirens, and the men turned around and ran for their vehicles. Letting go of the steering wheel, Ryleigh leaned back against the padded seat and closed her eyes, her entire body trembling.
*****
Micheal rose slowly as the man came striding into the waiting room, a grim expression on his face. “Well?” he demanded curtly, without a proper greeting, but Michael had not expected any civilities under the circumstances.
He was shaken to the core and still trembling from the impact of the news and the near miss. The officers he had sent to her rescue had called an ambulance even though she insisted she was okay and had told him where they found her.
“She is being examined. I am Michael-”
“I know who you are. Thanks for calling.”
“Of course.” He watched as Flynn Zimmermann strode over to stare out the window and noticed the knot of tension in his stance.
“Who is responsible?” The harsh voice had Michael cringing for a second.
“We are not certain. The sirens scared them off.”
Flynn turned to look at him. “Them?”
Forcing himself not to flinch from the man’s glittering eyes, he nodded. “Ry called while she was going home and told me someone was following her. She described the vehicle but could only distinguish two men in the front seat. She was unable to see the license plate.”
“Does this have anything to do with the case she is working on? Maurice Daley?”
Michael shrugged restlessly. “I am not certain.”
“What about tire impressions?”
“The ground is icy, and they could not come up with any.”
“Where is this bastard now? And what are you doing about this?”
“We cannot tie -” Michael almost sighed in relief as the door was pushed open, and two doctors entered the room.
“How is she?” he asked the more senior of the two.
“Not suffering from a concussion, thank goodness. Just a few cuts and bruises on her face and torso, and she wants to go home.”
“The baby?” Flynn clipped.