Free Morvicti Blood (A Morvicti Novel Book 1) by Lee Swift

over his shoulder.
    “Keep driving.” He pulled out the Glock to make his point.
    From Navy SEAL to criminal. Man, how did this shit happen?
    “Sure, mate. Put that away. I’ll take you anywhere you like.”
    “Just keep your eyes forward and your foot on the gas.” Austin peered out the back glass of the van.
    Dark Suit stood in the middle of the road, looking every direction.
    He’d evaded his pursuer.
    Who the hell was that guy? The man had called out his name. Was he Walt Turner’s killer? Or a friend? Did Dark Suit know Angelique?
    Austin needed more answers. Lots more.
    “This street ends up ahead intersecting with Morley Street, mister. Which direction?”
    “Left,” he ordered the driver. “Take me to the other side of the Thames.”
    Still no sign of Dark Suit.
    Glancing at the driver, he could see him trembling. “You got a name?”
    “Preston. Please, mister, don’t hurt me. I have a family.”
    “Relax, Preston. I don’t want to hurt you. Do what I say and everything will be just fine.”
    “Yes, sir. Anything you want.”
    “What’s the bridge up ahead?”
    “The Waterloo.”
    “Do you have a cell?”
    “A what?”
    “A phone.”
    “Yes. It’s a flip. Very old.”
    “Hand it over. I need to borrow it.”
    The man fumbled in his coat, producing the cell.
    Austin took it. He hated playing the criminal, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He needed enough time to get to his sister without the law trying to track him down.
    “Preston, don’t fuck up and go to the police. I have your phone now. With it I can find out where you live. Understand?”
    “Yes.”
    “Consider yourself lucky. But you don’t want to piss me off.”
    “I won’t. I swear it.”
    The odds were that the man would go to the police anyway, though hopefully Preston would hesitate long enough to give him a head start.
    “Pull over at the next intersection.” The sidewalks were full of people.
    The man complied and he jumped out, disappearing into the crowd.
    Still moving forward, he spotted Preston flagging down a policeman.
    Shit. So much for my head start. On to plan B.
    He ducked into a small clothing store. Moving quickly, he picked up a black sweater, jeans and tennis shoes. He ran to the dressing room. Without pausing, he placed the Glock on the seat and stripped out of the dead man’s clothes and into the new ones. Once done, he tucked the Glock into the jeans and ran out with Turner’s clothes in his hands. Not wanting to leave any sign of him being here should the police come questioning, he walked up to the clerk standing behind the counter.
    The young man’s eyebrows rose. “In a rush?”
    “Very. Meeting a girl for coffee. First date.” The lie caused him to think about Mindy with the German shepherd. “Forgot all about it. Hopefully I won’t be late.”
    The clerk smiled, appearing more at ease. “We need to look our best for the ladies.”
    “Exactly.” He put on a pair of sunglasses that were on a small display by the register. “These, too. How much for the jeans, sweater, shoes and sunglasses?”
    The clerk told him and Austin gave him money from Turner’s billfold.
    “You have something I can put my other clothes in?”
    The guy handed him a bag. “Good luck with your coffee date.”
    “Do you know where I could get a map of London?”
    “Across the street. Rankin News. I’m sure they have some.”
    He rushed out of the building, just as Preston and a policeman walked by.
    They didn’t take notice of him. He headed to the store the clerk had directed him to, scanning everywhere for Dark Suit. No sign of him.
    After buying the map, he studied it quickly. He knew how to get to Angelique’s home.
    Once he’d gotten sufficient distance from Preston and the officer, he slowed down.
    Though he definitely wanted to get to his sister’s flat, he also needed to deal with his hunger and thirst. He didn’t want to show up at her place about to pass out.
    Across the street he saw an