I drive as fast as I dare.
Nico is slicing through town in a resident’s car, though I am unable to see him.
I come to an intersection. Right or left. Right or left.
I don’t know which direction to take.
I decide it’s best to return to Middle Valley to drop off the two policemen and relieve them from the chase.
A man approaches my car looking dazed.
“A young man …” He points down the street.
“Was your car stolen?” I ask. He nods and I get out of my car.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt?”
He shakes his head.
“This just doesn’t happen in Middle Valley,” he says, clearly still in shock.
I take him by the arm. “No, it does not.”
I take down the make and model of his car, as well as his license plate number.
“We’ll put out a statewide request to find it,” I tell him. “Do you need a ride?”
He waves me off.
I head back to the office where I know Mercury is waiting. Our next move, we agree, is to speak to Armand and Sheriff Paul at the county jail, but given the intensity of the past four or five hours, we have a lot to process before we get there.