“Turn around. Hands on the hood of the car,” Claire ordered, pulling a pair of steel cuffs from her jacket pocket.
Before Vance could comply, the piercing wail of sirens shattered the stillness of the night. A black, unmarked SUV careened around the bend, its high beams blinding Claire for a fraction of a second. It screeched to a halt inches from Vance’s cruiser, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. Two more patrol cars boxed in her Lexus from the rear.
The doors of the SUV flew open. Three men stepped out, led by Chief of Police Arthur Miller. He was a mountain of a man, his uniform straining against his broad chest, a half-chewed cigar clamped between his teeth.
Vance looked like a drowning man who had just been thrown a lifeline. “Chief!” he yelled, pointing a shaking finger at Claire. “She—she’s a fed! She set me up!”
Miller stepped into the alternating red and blue glow of the lightbars. He didn’t look surprised. He looked profoundly annoyed. “Agent Murray,” Miller boomed, his gravelly voice carrying over the idling engines. “We don’t get much federal company down here in Oakhaven. I’m afraid there’s been a terrible misunderstanding. My officer was just conducting a routine stop.”
“There’s nothing routine about planting narcotics, Chief,” Claire said, her posture relaxed, though every muscle in her body was coiled tight. “But I’m glad you’re here. It saves me a trip to the precinct. The dossier in my hand contains offshore bank routing numbers, shell company ledgers, and audio recordings of your ‘protection’ racket. You’re both done.”
Miller chuckled, a low, menacing sound that sent a chill into the humid air. He unholstered his service weapon, letting it hang casually by his side. His deputies followed suit, resting their hands on their grips.
“You misunderstand, little lady,” Miller said, taking a slow step closer. The cicadas in the trees seemed to abruptly stop chirping. “Oakhaven takes care of its own. You’re way out of your jurisdiction. You’re alone on a dark, empty road, and it looks to me like you pulled a weapon on my officer and resisted arrest. A tragedy, really. Things escalate so quickly in the dark.”