"And here I thought we'd stick out from the crowd…"
Mike nodded quietly at his partner's observation, surprised by the assortment of characters in the well-manicured park; businessmen, families, lonely retirees and the regular lost souls to be found in an utterly peaceful place. Following the concrete sidewalk as it weaved its way through wetlands and small bridges with the Bay on either side, the Lieutenant drew in a deep breath of damp sea air, as his eyes scanned the surrounding area vigilantly.
The slight breeze moved the switchgrass to their feet like an ocean, obscuring his senses when it came to where the water ended and the land started.
The farther they got into the park, the less people crossed their path, making it easier to discern their suspect if he truly was still in the area.
Crossing a small bridge, Mike looked at the cordoned off rest area a few feet ahead, leading toward a short wooden dock that was currently in repair, when something entirely different caught his eye. An elderly couple with bird-spotting binoculars in hand were pointing at something behind the yellow caution tape.
Following their outstretched fingers, Mike saw a man matching their suspect's description standing a on the element-ridden dock, playing with a shiny object in his hand.
"Steve! There he is!"
His words made the other man glance up, realizing that he'd been spotted. With a powerful thrust, he tossed the object into the bay, as far out as possible. The shiny silver and green sparkle landed a couple dozen feet offshore, immediately disappearing beneath the calm waves.
Following Steve, who'd sped up his pace significantly, Mike hung left when he saw their suspect flee the safety of the rest station and run deeper toward the park, nearly crashing into the elderly couple.
"Steve, go after what he threw in the water. Be safe!"
Knowing that the young Inspector had heard the order even though he never turned around to acknowledge it, Mike parted ways with his partner, hoping to gap the distance between him and their surprisingly agile suspect.
Sprinting along the concrete walkway and crossing over some of the fresh-cut lawns here and there, the man quickly increased his distance, even jumping over some of the shrubbery like a gazelle running from a lion.
With his heart hammering in his chest, Mike tried to follow along, the bottom corners of his black overcoat slapping against his thighs. Gaining even more distance to the Lieutenant, their suspect darted north, toward a hilly area of the park. Bouncing around several small stands of pine trees and the occasional sand trap, Mike eventually lost sight of him between the assortment of foliage and uneven terrain.
Finally, with his lungs screaming in protest and his thighs burning, he slowed down, swallowing an expletive on his tongue, before woefully giving up the chase, hoping, and praying, his partner would be more successful.
