Page 28 of Say Nothing
Raymond was fast.He had twenty yards on Derek, but Derek was also fast and gaining on him.Alison did her best to keep up.Derek could take care of himself, but she’d rather be there with him as his backup.Her bag was slung over her shoulder, and the gun her father had taught her to shoot was in the bag.
She’d rather not draw it, especially as they raced toward the center of Oakland, where the foot traffic would become denser.
Derek called out up ahead for Raymond to stop.Raymond paid the instruction no mind.
Raymond turned onto another street running at right angles to the one they were on, followed by Derek.Alison flew around the corner a few seconds later, her thighs burning as the lactic acid was depleted.Still, she pushed to run faster to stay with them and gain some ground.
Something flew through the air up ahead, and it took Alison a moment to realize Raymond had tossed his loudspeaker over his shoulder in an attempt to slow Derek down.The device flew harmlessly over Derek's head and slammed into the ground with a shattering mess of plastic.
Alison had to change her route to avoid stepping on the broken plastic shards.Up ahead, a large public park was filled with people, and it was where Raymond headed.He’d slowed a little after the frantic start, but so had Derek.
Raymond crossed the street with no cars coming, and entered the park, pushing past two people coming out.Derek entered next.Alison looked both ways to see no traffic coming, still, and she crossed the street and ran into the park.
She had to take a second to get her bearings.The Park was dense with greenery and people.Young children played in the playground near the entrance, couples strolled with coffees in hand, an older couple sat on a park bench together, and one man walked as if he were angry at the world, talking on a Bluetooth earpiece.
Large oak trees towered above, with rows of bright green bushes below.The path split into three at the entrance, one to the right, one to the left, and one leading straight ahead.Alison had a clear view of the route straight ahead after entering the park, and didn't see Raymond or Derek.She looked to the left and right and came up empty-handed.
She didn't spot the two runners, but she did hear a disgruntled shout from somewhere on the grass to her right, and she took off toward the sound, knowing that the pursuit was still in progress.When she rounded a bush, Alison saw a young man holding a picnic blanket and shaking it off from where Raymond and Derek had run through it.
Alison ran toward the man and then diverted to go around him.He shook the blanket, then dropped it to the ground as if he were a magician, making the two-man pursuit appear as if by magic.
Alison ignored the burning ache in her lower limbs and pounded the ground after them, watching as Derek slowly gained ground.People were stopping and watching as the two men bolted through the park.
Then, right before the grass was intersected with another asphalt path, Derek dived and swiped at Raymond’s ankles.
Raymond went sprawling, his feet kicking the air behind him, landing on his shoulder.Derek avoided the feet kicking at his face, rolled on his side, and was back on his feet quicker than Raymond.Derek grabbed Raymond by the shoulder as he tried to get up and pushed him to the ground.
"Don't move," Derek warned as Alison caught up to them.Derek took out his badge and showed it to the leader of Balanced Justice."You stay there, Nichols."
Raymond looked at Derek, then Alison, and finally, at his surroundings, where people were gawking.
Derek turned to Alison."People have a habit of running from us."
"Weber had something to hide," she replied."Let’s see if this one does, too."
***
Patricia Montgomery stepped out of her office and grabbed her jacket from beside the main door of the office she shared with three other social workers.She was the last to leave, as was usually the case, but the empty building didn't bother her, as just beyond the exit was the security desk, and she could see Carlos sitting at the desk as per usual.
Patricia exited the office and waved to Carlos as she walked to the front door.He smiled and waved back.She knew he had a thing for her, but she wasn’t looking for a relationship at that moment, and he obviously sensed enough from her to not approach and ask for her number.
As she left the building, she enjoyed the attention from him, even if he wasn’t obvious about it.She might not want a man in her life, but still liked to be wanted.She knew he was watching her as she left, but more because that was his job.He would see her through the door as she walked to her car, and there was a camera covering the parking lot that he could also see her through.
Patricia got into her car and drove for home.
She yawned as she gripped the wheel and waited at a set of lights for them to change to green.She wasn’t physically exhausted, but mentally and emotionally.She’d had four grueling back-to-back counseling sessions, each taking a piece of her that she gave willingly.Helping people invigorated her, but not immediately.Once she got home, had a bath, and sipped a glass of wine, she would feel better, proud of herself for helping others.
When she finally pulled up at her home, she felt some unease.The murders hadn’t been on the news, but one of her colleagues had discovered there had been two murders in the city involving witnesses in court cases.Patricia had listened carefully as her colleagues had spoken about it, wondering if she had anything to worry about.
It had been three years since she’d testified against the man who’d accosted her in the street, seemingly out of the blue.If he were ever released, she’d be one of the first to know.As far as she was aware, he was still behind bars and would be for a long time.She wasn’t the first person he’d attacked, but became the last after they caught him shortly after.Her colleagues didn't know about that part of her life.
Patricia got out of her vehicle and walked to the luxury apartment building.She looked up at the camera above the door.Inside, there was a security desk, much like the one at her office, except that the desk and the security guard manning it were behind closed doors.Still, she’d once had a conversation with the building manager and had been assured that they took security very seriously.She would often see security guards doing rounds, and they would give a nod or smile as they passed.
Are you looking back at me right now?Do you always watch the cameras?
Patricia placed her fob against the small pad to the right of the door, and it beeped.She entered the building and walked to the elevator.She sometimes took the stairs, but she was too fatigued that evening.She hit the button and the door opened immediately.She took the elevator up four floors.
The landing had a pine aroma when the elevator doors opened—the cleaners had been there.She breathed it in, enjoying the freshness, before walking the hallway to her door, which wasn’t as technologically advanced as the main entrance to the building.
