Free Already Dead by Jaye Ford Page A

‘You’re worried about the police?’
    â€˜Cops will fuck it up. That arsehole’s back there now .’ There was a jerking tremor in his gun hand as he wiped it across his upper lip. ‘I wanted to see Katey. One more time. Just one fucking time.’ Jax jumped as he lashed out with a foot, kicking the floor under the dash. ‘I’m not going to make it. I’m not going to get there. It’s coming. It’s coming soon.’
    But he was starting to fall apart now.
    Jax wiped a clammy hand down her thigh. She’d thought she had it worked out. That Brendan had bad guys in hishead. That he wanted to kill himself to stop them, wanted to see his wife and son first, maybe take them with him. Now she had no clue. Perhaps it was pointless trying to make sense of it.
    They were approaching another RTA clearing. On the south-bound side, a big white sedan, similar to the dark-blue one behind them, was gunning it in the fast lane, riding low, flying past other vehicles. Small red lights danced along the bottom edge of the windscreen. Police. She glanced in the rear-view. Had she been slowing without realising it? The semitrailer was in the inside lane now. Only one car between her and the guy from the rest stop.
    He sure as hell wasn’t a bystander. Had he called the cops and was keeping tabs, hoping to catch it on his phone and upload it to YouTube later? Or had someone else in the cafe seen her distress and called Triple-0, and the driver with the sunnies was the arsehole Brendan was worried about?
    And where were the damn police cars? If the ones they’d seen were looking for her, how bloody long did it take to turn around and head back? Maybe she should pull off like Brendan wanted. Take her chances on the verge, let the blue sedan go past, and wait for the police – or just run for her life. Any of that might be safer than staying in the car with Brendan.
    The road up ahead disappeared around a bend. She had no idea what lay beyond it – possibly more narrow verge. But this was a motorway, and drivers had to stop sometimes – road workers, emergency services, people with car trouble – and traffic engineers made sure there were safe places to do it. She didn’t need a whole damn car park, though. Another metre-width of verge would be fine. It would be fucking fabulous.
    â€˜We’re on, Jax.’ Brendan’s voice was a taut mixture of alarm and efficiency. ‘It’s happening.’ He was sideways in his seat again, shoulder pressed to the upholstery, face tucked behind the headrest like a TV cop hiding around a doorframe.
    Her eyes snapped to the mirror and fear grew hot in her gut. The blue sedan was behind them. She could see sunglasses and dark hair, a black and white top. No shirt and tie. Had he taken them off or were there two men?
    â€˜Shit. Shit .’ Brendan crouched forward, eyes angled up.
    Jax followed his gaze and panic surged through her veins like fire. A helicopter was hovering above them.

9
    She hoped the buzz inside her was adrenaline pooling, preparing her for flight when she finally pulled over. Because whatever the hell was going on, she wanted to be out of the car and away from Brendan and whatever else turned up.
    In the mirror, she watched the man in the blue sedan lift a phone to his ear. She wanted him to be talking to the cops. Wanted him to be sending a mayday to the military to pick up their damaged soldier. But maybe he was calling reinforcements. Maybe she needed to get the hell away from him too.
    â€˜There.’ Brendan saw it before she did.
    They were around the bend and it wasn’t an extra metre of verge. It was a stopping zone with an emergency phone. Wide enough to get right off the roadway, long enough to slow down without skidding and sliding into the guardrail. Enough bush behind it to hide. She hoped.
    She didn’t flick the indicator, just hit the brake and veered off the blacktop,