Megan
“This way!” I motioned for Juliette to follow me. Because it could be dangerous for Juliette to pass by the compound’s gate, Summer planned to pick us up on a dirt road on the far side of the church’s farmland.
The beam of the flashlight bounced as Juliette, Brigit, and I ran down the trail through the park, emerging onto the field. The back wall of the compound was to our left.
Holy crap! A man was coming over the wall. The robe told me it was Emmanuel, attempting to escape the raid he must have somehow realized was imminent. While Summer was waiting for us across the way, the roads were not blocked.
He could get away.
The thought made me sick and angry. It was time for this manipulative man to face his judgment day.
I motioned across the field. “There’s a cop waiting over there to pick us up,” I told Juliette. “Keep heading that way. Brigit and I are going to get Emmanuel.”
Without waiting for her reply, I turned and ordered Brigit to come with me. Shifting my flashlight to my left hand, I yanked my baton from my belt and flicked my wrist to extend it. Snap! Any funny business, and Father Emmanuel would get a solid whack to his old and new testaments.
Emmanuel jerked along ahead of us with a limping gait. He must have hurt himself coming over that wall. That’s what he gets for making it so tall.
“Stop right there!” I hollered as we gained on him. “Police!”
He looked our way, the full moonlight illuminating the rage on his face. He didn’t stop as ordered. Rather, he turned back and continued to limp across the field, heading to the silo.
Why? Has he stashed something in there? Could it be weapons?
I had no idea. I only knew it was imperative he not reach the structure.
We were forty feet away when I tried again, “Stop! Police!”
Still he didn’t stop. It was time to put an end to this. I issued Brigit the order to take him down.
She took off after him, her feet thundering on the ground.
“Stop!” I hollered one last time.
This time he stopped. And he turned. And he raised his arm.
“Noooo!”