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pumping. Louis knew he wasn’t going to catch him. Then, suddenly, there was a kid on a bike, and Levon went crashing into him.
    The kid skidded into the dirt and Levon scrambled to his feet. There was just enough time. Louis launched himself, sailed over a trash can, and fell on Levon’s back. It knocked the air out of him but he hung on. But Levon was not going down. Louis clung to his back, feeling the man tense to buck him off.
    One of Wainwright’s men caught up and grabbed Levon’s arm, but Levon threw him into a fence as if he were a bag of laundry. Louis clung to Levon’s back.
    â€œStop!” Louis grunted. “Stop!”
    â€œFuck you! Get off me!”
    Levon veered and slammed his shoulder—and Louis—into a tree.
    â€œShit!” Louis yelled, gripping Levon’s thick neck.
    Levon lunged to his right now, crushing Louis again against another palm tree.
    Pain shot through his back. He couldn’t breathe. But he hung on as Levon dragged him down the street.
    Suddenly they were out in bright sun. Louis could see a flash of silver blue. Water, they were near water. He was slipping and he dug his fingers into Levon’s neck, trying to put pressure on his throat, but he couldn’t get a grip. Levon staggered out onto a dock, jerked around, and slammed his body into a piling. Louis lost his grip and flew off the dock.
    He bounced against a boat and hit the water face-first. Salt water rushed into his nose and he fought his way to the surface. He shook the water off, gasping for breath. It took a second for him to realize he could touch bottom.
    Suddenly, he heard the sound of a motor. He spun around and saw Levon crouched in a small motorboat. Levon hit the throttle and the boat churned away.
    Louis dragged himself up onto the dock. His face was hot with humiliation, his shoulder was on fire, and there was a strong ache creeping up his back. He heard voices and looked up to see Wainwright and the deputy who had been hurled into the fence running down the dock toward him.
    They stopped short and watched as Levon’s motorboat became a glint against the shimmering water.
    â€œNotify the sheriff, Candy,” Wainwright said tightly. “Tell him Levon is heading east from Sutter’s Marina toward the mainland. Kill the roadblocks on the causeway. And see if you can find the owner of that boat. Go!”
    Candy spun away. Wainwright went over to Louis, who was sitting on the dock, head bowed.
    â€œYou okay?”
    â€œYeah, I think.” He couldn’t move his shoulder. It was probably dislocated. “You have any idea where he’s going?” Louis asked.
    Wainwright squinted toward the far shore. “Depends on how much gas he’s got. There’s a million places he could put in.”
    Louis wiped his face. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t hold him.”
    Wainwright pulled his gaze from the shoreline back to Louis. He held out a hand. “You’re lucky he didn’t kill you,” he said flatly. “You saved me a lot of paperwork.”

Chapter Six
    Louis slid off the X-ray table and stepped out the door, squinting into the bright lights of the hallway. At first, all he could see was Wainwright’s bulky silhouette standing near the door to exam room one. He slowly came into focus, the look of irritation on his face unmistakable.
    Louis let out a breath and went toward Wainwright, holding his shoulder. He was bare-chested but still wearing his damp jeans and soggy Nikes. As he neared Wainwright, Wainwright heard the squeaking and looked up, his eyes dropped to Louis’s bruised chest.
    â€œThat’s going to hurt in the morning.”
    Louis nodded as he passed him, going into the exam room. “I know.”
    Wainwright followed him, leaning on the door. Louis slipped onto the table, grimacing as he put weight on his left arm.
    â€œAny sign of Levon?” Louis asked.
    â€œNot yet. He’s not smart