Free Lifeguard by James Patterson Page A

on the floor. Do it.”
    They did what I asked, and then I scurried around, picking up the guns. I backed over to the sliding door and hurled them into the woods behind my house.
Now, what the hell to do?
I looked at my mom and gave her a half-hearted smile. “Guess I need to borrow the car.”
    “Neddie, please…” My mother was begging again. She had already lost one son in a shoot-out. Poor John Michael.
    I was dying inside, knowing how much I was hurting her. I went over to the pretty FBI agent. I could almost pick her up with one arm. As much as she was trying to look brave, I could see she was scared. “What’s your name?”
    “Shurtleff.” The agent hesitated. “Ellie.”
    “I’m sorry, Ellie Shurtleff, but you’re coming with me.”
    The agent on the floor rose up. “No way. You’re not leaving with her. You take anyone, take me.”
    “No,” I backed him down with the gun. “It’s her. She’s coming.”
    I took her by the arm. “I’m not going to hurt you, Ellie, if this goes right.” Even in that crazy moment, I gave her the edge of a smile.
    “I know this doesn’t mean much,” I said, turning back to the guy on the floor, “but I didn’t do what you came here to get me for.”
    “There’s only one way to prove that,” the FBI man said.
    “I know,” I said, nodding, “that’s why I’m doing this. I’ve got something to prove—I’m innocent.”
    I took Agent Shurtleff by the arm and shoved open the door. The two other agents hung back as if they were suspended in midair. “I just want five minutes,” I said. “That’s all I ask. You’ll have her back as good as new. Her clothes won’t even be wrinkled. I didn’t kill those people down there. What happens next is up to you.”
    I turned to my mom. “Guess it’s fair to say I won’t be around for dinner anytime soon.” I winked a good-bye. “Love you, Mom.”
    Then we backed out the door, my arm locked on Agent Shurtleff’s. I took her down the steps. The FBI guys were already at the windows, one of them pulling out his phone. I opened the door to the 4Runner and pushed her in. “I’m just praying the keys are there.” I actually smiled. “Usually, they are.”
    They were, thank God! I backed out the driveway. A few seconds later we were careening down Perkins, across the tracks, onto Main.
    No lights yet. No sirens. There were a few ways out of town, and I figured the best way was north on Route 24.
    I glanced behind and breathed a sigh of relief.
    Nice work. You’ve just added kidnapping a federal agent to your résumé.

Chapter 30
    “YOU SCARED?” this thug Ned Kelly turned and asked her, gunning the 4Runner north on Route 24. He held the gun loosely in his lap, pointed her way.
    Scared?
Ellie hesitated.
The guy is wanted for questioning in a quadruple homicide!
    Her mind ran through the hostage scenarios. There was probably some textbook thing she should say. Stay calm. Start a dialogue. She was sure there was an APB out on the car already. Every cop within fifty miles of Boston would be on the lookout. Finally, she just went with what she felt.
    “Yeah, I’m scared,” Ellie said with a nod.
    “Good,” he said, nodding back, “’cause I’m scared, too. Never done anything like this before. But you can relax. Honest. I’m not going to hurt you. I just needed to get out of there. I’ll even unlock the car. You can jump out the next time we stop…. I’m not kidding. Good as my word.”
    To Ellie’s amazement, she heard the automatic locks lift. There was an exit approaching, and he slowed at the upcoming ramp.
    “Or”—he looked sort of helpless—“you can stick around for a while longer. Help me figure out how I’m going to get out of this mess.”
    Kelly brought the car to a stop and waited for her to move.
    “Go on. I figure I’ve got, what, about three minutes before every exit on this highway is covered with cops?”
    Ellie looked at him, a little stunned. She placed her hand on the