Page 26 (1/2)

RENNES-LE-CHATEAU

SATURDAY, JUNE 24

9:30 AM

MALONE SQUEEZED HIS TALL FRAME INTO THE PEUGEOT STEPHANIE was already inside the car

"See anybody?" she asked

"Our two friends froht are back Resilient suckers"

"No sign of irl?"

He’d told Stephanie about his suspicions "I wouldn’t expect that"

"Where are the two aos?"

"In a crimson Renault at the far end, beyond the water tower Don’t turn your head Let’s not spook ’em"

He adjusted the outside mirror so he could see the Renault Already tour buses and about a dozen cars filled the sandy car park The clear weather froone, the sky now smeared with pewter storm clouds Rain was on the way, and soon They were headed to Avignon, about ninety miles away, to find Royce Claridon Malone had already checked the map and decided on the best route to lose any tail

He cranked the car, and they cruised out of the village Once beyond the city gate and on the winding path down to ground level, he noticed the Renault staying a discreet distance back

"How do you plan to lose them?"

He smiled "The old-fashioned way"

"Always plan ahead, right?"

"Soht hway D118 and headed north The map indicated a distance of twenty hway just south of Carcassonne that led northeast to Avignon About sixthe Aude River into Li north He decided that would be his opportunity

Rain started to fall Light at first, then heavy

He flipped on the front and rear wipers The road ahead on both sides was clear of cars Saturdayhad apparently kept traffic at ho the rain, matched his speed and then some He watched in his rearview mirror as the Renault passed the car directly behind hieot in the opposite lane

The passengerdescended and a gun appeared

"Hold on," he told Stephanie

He floored the accelerator and whipped the car tight around a curve The Renault lost speed and fell in behind

"Seee in plan Our shadows have turned aggressive Why don’t you stay down on the floorboard"

"I’irl Just drive"

He slid around another curve and the Renault closed distance Holding the tires to the highas tough The pave wetter by the second No yellow lines defined anything and the asphalt’s edge was partially obscured by puddles that could easily hydroplane the car

A bullet shattered the rear windshield

The telass did not explode, but he doubted if it could take another hit He started zigzagging, guessing where the pave in the opposite lane and returned to his own

"Can you fire a gun?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the road

"Where is it?"

"Under the seat I took it off the guy last night There’s a full clip Make ’euys behind us"

She found the pistol and lowered herHe saw her reach out, aim toward the rear, and fire five rounds

The shots had the desired effect The Renault backed off, but did not abort its pursuit He fishtailed around another curve, working the brake and accelerator as years ago he’d been trained to do

Enough of being the fox

He swerved into the southbound lane and slarabbed the wet pavement with a screech The Renault shot past in the northbound lane He released the brake, downshifted to second, then plunged the accelerator to the mat

The tires spun, then shot the car forward

He wound the gearshift through to fifth

The Renault was now ahead of hiine Sixty Sixty-five SeventyHe hadn’t seen this kind of action in a while

He swerved into the southbound lane and came parallel to the Renault

Both cars were now doing seventy-five hway Suddenly they crested a knoll and arched off the pave hard as rubber re-found the soaked asphalt His body jerked forward then back, rattling his brain, his shoulder harness holding him in place

"That was fun," Stephanie said

To their left and right stretched green fields, the countryside a sea of lavender, asparagus, and grapes The Renault roared up beside hiht One of the short-hairs was cli himself up and over the roof for a clear shot

"Shoot the tires," he told Stephanie

She was preparing to fire when he saw a transport truck ahead, filling the Renault’s northbound lane He’d driven enough of Europe’s two-laned highways to know that, unlike in America where trucks drove with reckless abandon, here theyto find one closer to Limoux, but opportunities had to be taken when offered The truck was no more than a couple of hundred yards ahead They would be on it in a moment, and luckily his lane ahead was clear

"Wait," he said to her