Free Cold Snow: A Legal Thriller by John Nicholas Page A

revelation.
     
    "Food. We all carried our own."
     
    "Check it, Gerhardt."
     
    "Roger," Gerhardt said, leaning over to pick up the backpack. Quickly, Sarah seized her chance. Rolling across the backseat, she kicked past Gerhardt and ran out across the parking lot, dodging past another officer from the second car.
     
    "Packing peanuts!" she heard Gerhardt shout. "She's screwing us over!" He raised his gun. "I'm gonna go for the knees!"
     
    "Don't!" Franklin stopped him. "You're way out of aiming range. A guy who can't hit a car at ten feet won't hit the knees of a fleeing kid at fifty!"
     
    "Shut your mouth, Franklin!" Gerhardt growled.
     
     
     
    "I'm only here for that backpack, Andrews. You can save Sarah if you want to."
     
    "Whatever you say. Wait a minute! Isn't that her?"
     
    Sure enough, Sarah was running across the parking lot, in full view of the policemen, who seemed too busy bickering to go after her, or even shoot her.
     
    "Last chance to help, Andrews. Want to?"
     
    "Well—"
     
    "Great! Let's go!" With that, Alex blew his cover.
     
    "This is crazy!" Anthony called, running after him. Before he could say anything more, Alex was behind the policemen, tearing the first one's gun from his pocket.
     
    "Damn it!" Anthony shouted.
     
    "What the—" the man turned around. "Orson!"
     
    "Now—do not move."
     
    "Franklin!"
     
    Alex struck the first cop across his face with the butt of the gun, and hurled himself out of the way as the second one fired. "It's too bad!" Franklin said. "We were gonna give you a full pardon!"
     
    Alex climbed up onto the police car's hood, holding out the gun. "What?"
     
    "Your friend Jones confessed to everything. Gerhardt and I ate it up, too."
     
    Alex was genuinely surprised—he had not expected Sarah to do something like this.
     
    "Seems, though," Franklin smiled, "she was just lying to save you and Harwell's asses—aargh!"
     
    Anthony twisted Franklin's arm and kicked him in the leg. For a cop, he went down more easily than he expected.
     
    "Two more fights today and I'll have broken my record!" Anthony laughed.
     
     
     
    It's been five minutes, thought Jake. Alex is either dead or running. He told me to go if he took this long.
     
    Seeing no more point in sitting, Jake started moving again. The docks seemed the most logical place to go—Alex had said they would stow away on a ferry.
     
    Eastern Boulevard ended at Dock Street, which lead to the ferry boarding area. Jake slowed to a walk, keeping his head low. From a sign on the fence, he could see that the last ferry of the day was leaving in one minute. Crud! That's nowhere near enough time!
     
    Right after thinking this, he was surprised to see Sarah heading towards him.
     
    "Jake!" she shouted. "Am I glad to see you!"
     
    "How did you get out?"
     
    "It's a long story. How did you? And where's Alex?"
     
    "He went to get the backpack. We left it in the restaurant."
     
    As if on cue, Alex and Anthony appeared on Main Street, set against the whirling lights on the police cars. Alex was clutching the backpack in his right hand.
     
    "Alex! What happened?" Jake asked, and then looked at Anthony. "Who are you?"
     
    "That doesn't matter." Anthony said, rather forcefully. "That boat leaves in 30 seconds. They're already putting up the chain. I'm going to be on that ferry, and I hope you are too."
     
    "I'm coming! I'm coming!" Jake said.
     
    "Throw this!" Anthony said, handing Alex the backpack.
     
    "Heave!" Alex shouted, and he and Anthony hurled their supplies onto the deck.
     
    The police cars were running now, and heading up Main. "Not a moment too soon," Alex grinned. The guards had nearly finished stringing the safety chain, and the boat was already moving. "Everyone on who's coming on!" Alex shouted, and ran across the boardwalk, kicking away the chain.
     
    "Don't do it!" Jake called. "You'll never make it!"
     
    It was too late for persuasion. Alex leapt, sailing over the gap, flailing wildly