Midnight Sun (25 page)

The
old
truck
’
s
springs
bottomed
out
as
the vehicle
came
over
a
hump
in
the
road.
Sparks
exploded
from
underneath
as
the
metal
frame
scraped
the
pavement.
Rising
over
the
next
hill
in
the
road, Sammy snapped
his
eyes
left
for
a
look
into
the
side
mirror.
A
white
Audi
pulled
out
of
the
m
osque
’
s
drive,
bearing
down
on
him,
its
firm
suspension
hugged
the
road
tightly
like
a
race
car.

“
Shit!
God
damn!
Shit!
”

Tears
rolled
from
his
eyes,
making
driving
difficult
as
he
crushed
the
accelerator
pedal
all
the
way
to
the
floor.
He
glanced
at
the
mirror
again
and
caught
a
glimpse
of
Deano
running
behind
the
Audi
as
if
he
could
do
something
if
he
caught
it.
Sammy
lost
sight
of
his
faithful
dog
as
the
needle
of
the
speedometer
stretched
toward
ninety
miles
per
hour
and
the
RPM
indicator
quivered
into
the
red
bar
at
the
three-thousand
mark.
Goldenview
Drive
stretched
for
eight
more
miles
before
it
met
Rabbit
Creek
Road.
The
South
Anchorage
police
station
was
another
four
miles
away.
For
the
first
time
in
his
life, Sammy began
to
hope
that
a
patrol
officer
would
see
him
speeding
and
intervene
before
the
men
in
the
other
car
caught
up
with
his
truck.

The
white
Audi
gained
on
him,
growing
larger
in
his
rearview
mirror.
His
truck
barreled
down
the
road
at
maximum
speed,
climbing
a
gradual
incline.
He
crested
a
small
rise
and
thought
he
might
get
a
break
after
all.
The
road
ahead
descended
for
several
miles.
His
truck
was
heavy—he might
be
able
to
gain
more
speed
than
the
car
and
break
away
from
their
pursuit.

With
the
pedal
held
firmly
against
the
filthy
rubber
floor
mat,
he
nearly
flew
over
a
short
hill,
came
crashing
back
to
the
pavement,
then accelerated
.
The
downhill
slope
indeed
allowed
his
vehicle
to
gain
speed
.
The
speedometer
turned
at
the
rate
of
a
second
hand
until
it
met
its
limit
of
120
miles
per
hour.
The
steering
wheel
trembled
in
his
hands,
and
the
rusty
old
truck
quaked
and
shook
as
it
shot
down
the
road
like
a
runaway
train.
The
junction
with
Rabbit
Creek
Road
came into
sight
just
beyond
a
dip
in
the
pavement.

Chapter
5

Mansion
on
Goldenview
Drive

Saturday,
June
18th

8:30
p.m.

Blue
skies,
bright
sun,
and
temperatures
that
felt
more
like
Arizona
than
the
Arctic
had
turned
Harold
and
Maureen's
wedding
into
a
fantasy.
 
Arm
in
arm,
they
gazed
at
the
mountains
through
the
wall
of
glass
in
their
friend
’
s
cavernous
living
room.