Trip to Murder 18
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Kitty ran as fast as she could behind Matt, clinging tightly to his hand as they ran down one alley after another, darting into shadows if they so much as thought they heard a sound behind them. Matt had said nothing when they fled Herman's house, but Kitty could tell he suspected Sean of turning them in. He and Herman were the only ones that knew where they were. And Herman had been the one to warn them.
She didn't share Matt's suspicion however. Like she'd said many times, she knew men and Sean just didn't strike her as the kind of man to do that. But right then and there, as they were literally running for their lives, was no time to argue about it. So she kept her silence as she ran alongside Matt with ever waning strength.
Though not normally one to run away from anything, or anyone, Matt was no fool. He knew if they had of been caught in Herman's house, it would've been disastrous for everyone. Well, everyone but a certain patrolman that he was sure had something to do with this.
As he and Kitty had hurriedly grabbed a few of their belongings, Herman had told him that two police officers were at his café, asking about them. They had implied that they knew Herman was hiding the wanted couple and informed his employee that other officers were, even then, on their way to his house to search it. Somehow, Herman had managed to get away unnoticed and ran back to the house to warn Matt and Kitty.
At first, when Herman burst into the room, Matt was disinclined to believe it. When a pounding was heard at the door and a voice heard, calling for them to, "Open up! Police!" He quickly turned into a believer.
While Herman slowly made his lumbering way towards the door, shouting out "Holt on!", Matt and Kitty slipped out a window on the side of the house into some deep bushes. Keeping low and quiet, they barely made it out of the yard and down the alley before several more men with badges surrounded the house.
Now they were running with scant cover and in broad daylight, praying they could escape undetected until they reached safety. But luck had chosen to accompany them only for a portion of the trip, it seemed.
They had just turned down yet another long alley when they heard running steps behind them. Matt's grip on Kitty's hand tightened as his eyes darted here and there looking for a place to hide at least her.
"Stop! Police!" A voice rang out from behind them. "Stop or I'll shoot!"
Taking a deep breath, Matt brought him and Kitty to a stop and pushed her behind him as turned to face the man running towards them with a gun raised and pointed at them. "We give up." Matt said clearly, not wanting the man to get nervous and shoot them. "Don't shoot. We won't resist."
Kitty stood as close to Matt as she could, a trembling death grip on his arm. She knew that even if this patrolman didn't shoot them, somewhere along the way, Owens would see to it that somebody did, if he didn't do it himself, that was. Glancing up, she saw nothing in Matt's face except calm acceptance of their current fate and an eagle eye looking for any opportunity that came their way to escape.
The patrolman approached cautiously, watching Matt and Kitty intently for signs that they may try something. Matt had already pulled his gun and tossed it on the ground in front of him. "Don't you two move." The man warned as, keeping the gun trained on them, he knelt and retrieved Matt's gun. "Captain Owens is gonna be real happy when I take you two back." He said with a satisfied grin. "I might even get me an accommodation for capturing the two of you."
Matt saw the look on the man's face. One of someone wanting a great reward and willing to do anything to get it. He chose to bide his time and do nothing for now that could get he or Kitty hurt. "We'll come along peacefully." He said calmly.
"I know you will." The badged one said. "Cause your girlfriend here is gonna walk right next to me and you're gonna walk in front of us. Understand?"
Matt glanced over at Kitty. He saw the fear in her eyes as well as a reluctant acceptance of their current circumstances. But he also saw something else. Faith. It dawned on him that she had faith in him to do something to rescue the both of them. He wished he had the same faith. "I understand." He said.
"Come here." The patrolman pointed at Kitty. "Now."
Kitty glanced back up at Matt again and then started forward just as a voice was heard from behind them. "Dennis." The voice called.
Dennis turned his head for just a moment, but it was the moment Matt needed. In one long stride, he was next to Dennis the patrolman and raised his right arm, backhanding the man before he could even blink. Bending, he swiftly retrieved his gun and took Kitty's hand back into his own.
Sparing only a glance back behind Dennis, he saw Sean running towards them. Holding tightly to Kitty's hand, Matt took off in the opposite direction, keeping them running as fast as they could go.
Sean said nothing and didn't try to follow them. He'd worry about where they were later. Right then he needed to make sure Dennis was taken care of and gotten back to the station. After that, Sean had some other things to attend to.
TBC