Schizogenesis [chapter 16]

Minton hung up the phone.

As he slammed on the brakes, he spun the wheel of the Crown Vic. The car was suddenly facing back toward town. He pressed hard on the gas and was satisfied with the sound of tires burning rubber. The old but powerful county-issued car surged forward.

With the exception of Jackson watching Dora, Blender had called the team to the Trask house. Minton had ignored the first call. The second told the bad news. Tina had escaped. The copter was disabled. They’d messed up again.

The good news was that the husband had arrived back in town. That would be his mistake.

They’d get this silly-assed situation under control. One screw-up after another, and that just didn’t happen to these men. Usually they did the screwing.

Side roads flashed by as Minton continued accelerating. He glanced into the rearview to make sure he was alone. The godforsaken stretch of county road unreeled behind him.

Spooky, Minton thought.

Sunlight sparkled off a distant windshield, and he watched to see if the vehicle was following. It turned right onto a side road Minton passed a few seconds ago. He recognized the shape of a light bar on the car roof.

A cop car. Probably the Sheriff they’d been avoiding. Since jurisdiction belonged…