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She pointed the remote control at the windshield； pressed the button； and jubilantly said； 〃Yes；〃 when the gate began to swing inward。
She let up on the accelerator and tapped the brake pedal； giving the heavy barrier time to e all the way open before she got close enough to obstruct it。 The gate moved ponderously。
Fear beat through her； like the frantic wings of a dark bird； and she was suddenly sure that Vess was going to pull his car into the end of the driveway； blocking them； just as the gate finished opening。
But she drove between the posts to a two…lane blacktop highway that led left and right。 No car was visible in either direction。
To the north； left； the highway climbed into a forested night； toward ragged moon…frosted clouds and stars； as if it were a ramp that would carry them right off the planet and up into deepest space。
To the south； the lanes descended； curving out of sight through fields and woods。 In the distance； perhaps five or six miles away； a faint golden radiance lay against the night； like a Japanese fan on black velvet； as if a small town waited in that direction。
Chyna turned south； leaving Edgler Vess's gate wide open。 She accelerated。 Twenty miles an hour。 Thirty。 She held the motor home at forty miles an hour； but she found it easy to imagine that she was going faster than any jet plane。 Flying； free。
Although she was suffering uncounted pains and was plagued by a degree of bone…deep exhaustion that she'd never before experienced； her spirit soared。 〃Chyna Shepherd； untouched and alive；〃 she said； not as a prayer but as a report to God。
They were in a rural stretch of countryside； with no houses or businesses to either the east or the west of the road； no lights except the glow in the distance； but Chyna felt batbed in light。
Ariel continued to clutch her head； and her sweet face remained tormented。
〃Ariel； untouched and alive；〃 Chyna told her。 〃Untouched and alive。 Alive。 It's okay； honey。 Everything's going to be okay。〃
She checked the odometer。 〃It's three miles behind us and getting farther behind every minute； every second。〃
They crested a low hill； and Chyna squinted in the sudden flare of oning headlights。 A single car was approaching uphill in the northbound lane。
She tensed； because it might be Vess。 The clock showed three minutes to midnight。 Even if it was Vess； and though he would be certain to recognize his own vehicle； Chyna felt secure。 The motor home was a lot bigger than his car； so he wouldn't be able to run her off the highway。 In fact； she'd be able to smash the hell out of him； if it came to that； and she wouldn't hesitate to use the motor home as a battering ram if she couldn't outrun him。
But it wasn't Vess。 As the car drew nearer； she saw something on the roof； first thought that it was a ski rack； but then realized that it was an array of unlit emergency beacons and a siren…bullhom。 Last night； as she had followed Vess north on Highway ioi toward redwood country； she had hoped to encounter a police car…and now she had found one。
She pounded the hom； flashed the headlights； and braked the motor home。 〃Cops！〃 she told Ariel。 〃Honey； see； everything's going to be all right。 We found ourselves some cops！〃
The girl huddled forward； snared in her harness。
AL in response to her horn and the flashing lights； the police officer switched on his emergency beacons； although he didn't use his siren。
Chyna pulled to the side of the road and stopped。 〃They can get Vess before he discovers we're gone and tries to run。〃
The cruiser had already passed her。 She had glimpsed the words SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT in the crest on the driver's door； and they were the two most glorious words in the English language。
In the sideview mirror； she watched the car as it hung a wide U…turn in the middle of the road。 It came past her in the southbound lane now； and it coasted to a stop thirty feet ahead； on the graveled shoulder。
Relieved and exhilarated； Chyna opened her door and jumped down from the driver's seat。 She headed toward the cruiser。
She could see that only one officer was in the car。 He was wearing a trooper's hat with a wide brim。 He didn't seem to be in any hurry to get out。
The revolving emergency beacons cast off gouts of red light that streamed across the moonlit pavement； and splashes of blue light as in a turbulent dream； while the tall trees by the side of the road appeared to leap close and then away； close and then away。 A wind came out of nowhere to harry dead leaves and clouds of grit across the blacktop as though the strobing beacons themselves had disturbed the stillness。
Almost halfway to the car； where the policeman still sat behind the steering wheel； Chyna remembered the files in Vess's study； and suddenly they meant something far different from what they had meant before； as did the handcuffs。
She stopped。 〃Oh； Jesus。〃 She knew。 Chyna spun away from the black…and…white and sprinted back to the motor home。 In the flashing blue and red light； weighed down by the fat moon； she felt as if she were running slow motion in a dream； through air as thick as custard。
When she reached the open door she glanced toward the patrol car。 The cop was getting out。
Gasping； Chyna climbed up into the driver's seat； pulling the door shut behind her。
The officer had gotten out of the cruiser。 Edgler Vess。 Chyna released the emergency brake。 Vess opened fire。
Sheriff Edgler Foreman Vess； youngest sheriff in the county's history； watches the side mirror as Chyna Shepherd hurries along the shoulder of the highway toward his patrol car； and he wonders if this woman is； after all； his blown tire； the destroyer of his bright future。 When she abruptly stops； whips around； and races back through the flashing lights toward the motor home； Mr。 Vess's alarm increases。
At the same time； he is enormously taken with her and is not entirely sorry that they met。
He says aloud； 〃What a clever bitch you are。
Getting out of the black…and…white； he draws his revolver； intending to put a round in one of her legs。 He still has some hope of salvaLyinLy the situation。 If he can disable her and get her into the motor home before another motorist es along； all will be well。 What fim he will have when he wraps her in chains again。 Ariel won't lift a hand to help this woman； and if she tries； he'll pistol…whip the little bitch into submission； that will spoil the plans he has for her； but he's been looking at her beautiful face for a year； wanting to smash it； and the smashing will b；* enormously satisfying even in these circumstances。
Although Vess is quick getting out of the car； Chyna is faster。 By the time he raises the revolver； she is behind the wheel of the motor home； drawing the door shut。
He can't take any chances now； can't risk merely wounding her to have fan with her later。 She has to be wasted。 He pumps six rounds through the windshield。
When Chyna saw the gun ing up； she shouted； 〃Get down！〃
She pushed Ariel's head below the windshield； throwing herself sideways； half out of her seat； across the open console。 She covered the girl as best she could； squeezing her eyes tightly shut and shouting at the girl to close hers too。
Gunshots cracked； one right after the other； as fast as Vess could squeeze them off； and the windshield imploded。 Sheets of gummy safety glass crashed into the front seats； spilling over Chyna and the girl； and things split and shattered farther back in the motor home as the slugs found stopping points。
She tried to count the shots。 She thought she heard six。 Maybe only five。 She wasn't sure。 Damn。 Then she realized that it didn't matter how many rounds he'd fired； because she hadn't gotten a good look at the weapon。 She didn't know for sure that it was a revolver。 A pistol wouldn't have just six rounds； it could have ten or more； a lot more if it had an expanded magazine。
Risking a bullet in the face； Chyna sat up； shaking off cascades of gummy…prickly glass； and looked out through the empty windshield〃 frame。 She saw Edgler Vess by the patrol car； thirty feet away。 He was tipping the expended cartridges out of his piece； so it had to be a revolver。
Already she had released the emergency brake。 Now she shifted the motor home out of park。
Standing tall； appearing cool and unhurried but nevertheless nimble…fingered； Vess plucked a speedloader from the dump pouch on his gun belt。
Thanks to her mother's criminal friends； Chyna knew all about speedloaders。 Before Vess could reload； she took her foot off the brake pedal and stomped the accelerator。
Move； move； move。
Slipping the speedloader into the revolver and twisting it； Vess looked up almost casually when he heard the roar of the motor…home engine。
Chyna drove onto the pavement as though she intended to sweep past the patrol car and away； but she was going to run the freak into the ground。
Vess dropped the speedloader； snapped the cylinder shut。 Afraid that Ariel might look up； Chyna shouted； 〃Stay down； stay down！〃 She ducked her own head just as a slug smacked off the window frame and ricocheted back through the vehicle。
She raised her head at once； because the motor home was on the move； and she needed to see what she was doing。 She swung the wheel to the right； heading for Vess at the open door of the patrol car。
He fired again； and she seemed to be looking straight down the bore of the barrel when the quick flame flared。 She heard a strange hissing…throbbing…buzzing； not unlike the lightning…quick passage of a fat bumblebee on a summer afternoon； and she smelled something hot；like singed hair。
Vess dived into the car to get out of her way。 The motor home smashed into the open door； ripping it away； maybe taking off one or both of the hateful bastard's legs as well。
The fragrance of gunfire always reminds Sheriff Vess of the stink of sex； maybe because it smells hot or maybe because there's a trace of the same ammonia odor in gunpowder that is stronger in semen； but no matter what the reason； gunfire excites him and gives him an instant erection； and when he leaps into the car； he lets out an exuberant whoop。 The roar of the motor home is all around him； bearing down on him； the headlights blazing； as much tumult as if he were in the middle of a close encounter of the third kind。 As he dives for safety； he yanks his legs in after himself； knowing that this is going to be close； damn close； which is what makes itfun。 Something raps hard against his right foot； cold wind rushes in around him； the driver's door tears off and clatters end over end along the blacktop as the motor home shrieks past。
The sheriffs right foot is numb； and although he feels no pain yet； he believes that i4might have been crushed or even torn off。 When he sits up in the driver's seat； holsters his revolver； and reaches down with one hand to feel for the expected stump and the warm gush of blood； he discovers that he is intact。 The heel was torn off his boot。 just that。 No worse。 The rubber heel。
His foot is numb； and his calf tingles all the way to the knee； but the sheriff laughs。
〃You'll pay for the shoe repair； you bitch。〃
The motor home is two hundred feet from him； heading south。 Because he never switched off the engine when he pulled onto the shoulder of the highway； he needs only to release the hand brake and shift into drive。 The tires kick up a storm of gravel that thunders against the undercarriage。 The black…and…white lurches forward。 Hot rubber shrieks like babies in pain； bites into the blacktop； and Vess rockets after the motor home。
Too late； distracted by his numb foot and recklessly eager to get his hands on the woman； he realizes that the big vehicle is no longer heading south。 It's reversing toward him at maybe thirty iles an hour； even faster。
He slams his foot down on the brake pedal； but before he can pull the wheel to the left to get out of the way； the motor home crashes into him with a horrendous sound； and it's like hitting a rock wall。 His head snaps back； and then he pitches forward against the steering wheel so hard that all the breath is knocked out of him； while a dizzying darkness swirls at the edges of his vision。
The hood buckles and pops open； and he can't see a damn thing through th