Read As Night Falls for Free Online

across the field.
    The woman put on a burst of speed, headed for trees at the faraway edge of the field. If she reached them, she would be lost amongst the slashes of trunks and the coming night.
    But Harlan caught up to her and grabbed her from behind, wheeling her around with the butt of one hand. Nick was still far enough away that Harlan had to shout to be heard.
    “She doesn’t even have her coat on! I don’t have to do nothing—she’ll just freeze out here by herself!” He twisted his head to look in Nick’s direction.
    Nick strode forward, the message in his eyes unchanged. His breath condensed into white clouds as he began to jog. It cast a haze over what Harlan had been told to do.
    “No,” the woman cried. “Please don’t. I won’t tell anyone. You can have the car—”
    Harlan raised his arm, blotting out the sight of the woman’s body and the sky. Her disembodied voice released a cascading wail that sent a flock of birds wheeling.
    “Please, no! No! I have children!”
    Harlan drove the file into the woman’s neck. The noise it made as it entered sounded like sawing steak.
    The woman walked forward as if nothing had happened. After a second or two, she took a skip-step, like it still might be possible to jump out of the path of the blade. Then she fell, facedown on the flat, level plane of the field.
    Nick arrived at the place where she had dropped. Time was of the essence now, they had to get away from the body. Still he stood, staring down at a sight that sent him reeling backwards more than twenty years. The rush of blood from the woman’s neck was beautiful against the barren landscape. Dimly, Nick registered the thud of Harlan retreating.
    When at last Nick turned, he jumped. Harlan had come back, and he stood so tall that he blocked out the remaining light. Filled with regret and remorse—whatever he’d done to earn his time, Harlan wasn’t a killer—he was going to rebel, and Nick had an image of the two of them tangling. Mind control would be no match for the force Harlan could apply without even trying.
    But Harlan only bent down and draped the coat he’d retrieved over the woman’s fallen form.
    —
    Back in the car, Nick sat and stared at the dashboard. It was like looking at a flight deck. He couldn’t find a key, or the silver slit into which it should be inserted. He kept checking the road, expecting to see a cop pull up behind him in the deepening dusk. He told himself that they’d driven some distance, and the guard hadn’t seen which car they’d gotten into. There was no reason for anyone to be suspicious of a luxury SUV stopped at the side of the road. Folks would think the rich lady inside was just handing out those pouches of juice to her brats in their fancy additional seats, like one upholstered throne wasn’t enough for a five-year-old.
    After a minute or two it occurred to Nick that the car had never been turned off. He tested the gas pedal, which indeed emitted a rush, the engine straining against being set in Park. The motor purred so gently, Nick hadn’t even realized it was on. Only then did he spot a round glowing button. Cars turned on without a key now. Did they drive themselves, too?
    He shifted into gear. The car took off like an arrow instead of something made of two tons of steel.
    “How come?” Harlan asked miserably as Nick adjusted to the easy, seamless spin of the wheel. “How come we’re going to that hill—that road—that Long Hill Road?”
    Nick glanced over at him, surprised. Harlan wasn’t usually one for questions.
    He took his time before returning his gaze to the road. This thing really did practically drive itself. “I told you already. To get some things we’re going to need.”
    Harlan’s face pocked with confusion.
    “You escape from prison in two parts,” Nick explained for the fifth time. He should know better than to trust Harlan’s memory. “First you have to get out. Then you have to stay out.”
    Harlan still