Allen slammed the gas pedal to the floorboard, but it wouldn’t be enough. Despite the sleek custom engine in the van—Barry had always liked his toys—it wasn’t as powerful as that behemoth of a truck on their heels. There wasn’t much traffic on the road now, the TSP had set up roadblocks a mile back to help with some sort of major event headed toward the island—he suspected the Barratts had something to do with it—and he pushed the van as hard as he could.
The truck was still gaining on them.
“Hold on. Tighten your belt and put Oliver on your lap. Hold him down.”
She didn’t protest.
The truck slammed into the rear of the van, sending them careening toward the shoulder.
He heard Izzie bite off a scream. Allen just prayed and kept his hands tight on the wheel.
The truck slammed into them again.
This time, he had no choice. Allen fought to keep the van on the road, but it was impossible.
The van slid off onto the shoulder. He slammed on the brakes seconds before they hit a patch of gravel.
The truck was still there. Far too close. Coming for them.
“Get down!” he yelled, reaching for the gun he’d had in the pocket of the dash.
It was far too late.
Gunfire sounded.
Glass along the driver’s side shattered. Fire lanced straight through his left shoulder, just inches away from the stitches Izzie had put in.
Allen couldn’t help it.
He fell.
His face struck the dinette on the way down.
He forced himself to his knees as he heard Izzie cry out his name.
Then she was moving. Jumping over him and the crying puppy somehow. Oliver was licking Allen’s cheek when Izzie put the van into gear and yanked it back onto the road. Allen hoped it hadn’t been damaged too badly.
“Allen!”
“Just drive!”
He pulled himself to his knees in time to look out the rear window behind the bed. The truck was nowhere to be seen—but half a dozen semis were bearing down on them at full speed. “Go faster!”
Izzie did just that.
Allen collapsed into the captain’s chair next to the dinette—which was now stained red with his own blood.
He had no clue what they were going to do now.