Badge of Honor Read Online Free

aren’t going to damage it.”
    She said so with such confidence, he found it difficult to refute her reasoning. “And what makes you think that?”
    She didn’t answer.
    Nick didn’t wait. “So we can assume they’re not from around here. That must be why they didn’t want to go into the mountains on a two-lane road once you caught up to them.”
    â€œDon’t you think they meant to turn toward the interstate and head for Denver?” she asked. She backed the cruiser up when they eased to the left, forward again when they tried once more to go around them to the right. “They don’t know the area, they don’t want to wreck the vehicle. They’re up a creek without a paddle.”
    Nick jumped out of the cruiser and drew his gun. “Pop the trunk. I want to show them we mean business. Maybe they’ll come to their senses.” He made his way to the rear, his handgun zeroed in on the orange car’s radiator.
    â€œCareful,” she said.
    He lifted the trunk lid and pulled out both of their rifles. “Lord, knock some sense into these two before we have to use our weapons.” Backup had arrived, forming a line two deep behind the Chevelle. Sheriff’s deputies came down off the mountain, forming a V-shaped blockade. The borrow ditches were ten feet deep, so the suspects weren’t likely to take that route—in any car. They were blocked in totally, unless they used the vehicle as a ramming iron.
    â€œNick!”
    He returned to the passenger’s open door and handed Sarah a rifle. “Yeah?”
    â€œThe shift supervisor wants to talk to you.”
    â€œMy hands are a little full right now. Can you put him on speakerphone?”
    â€œSure, Rambo,” she teased.
    Nick heard the phone beep as it switched to speaker mode. “Yeah?”
    â€œThese two are wanted in the murder of a security guard, injuring one of the bank tellers, and two officers in Nebraska. A car belonging to Ricky Turrow was found a block from where this car was stolen. Do what you have to, but we want to make sure it’s the right guys. I’ve posted Turrow’s mug shots from previous arrests on the system. Be careful, Matthews. The man has an ugly rap sheet.”
    â€œNo kidding,” Nick muttered. He leaned against the squad car, trying to figure out what Turrow and his partner were planning.
    Sarah pulled up the photo on the laptop screen. “It’s Turrow.”
    Captain Thomas broke in to ask what was happening.
    Nick raised his voice as he aimed his rifle. “For now, they’re weighing their options—none of which are good. Any connection between the suspects and the owner of the car?”
    â€œHow’d you know?” the captain asked.
    â€œIt’s Officer Roberts’s belief that they have some attachment to it. They seem hesitant to take any risk of causing damage.”
    He heard a chuckle on the other end. “Welcome back, Matthews. See you soon.” The cell phone went dead.
    â€œCome out of the car, one at a time, and put your hands on your heads,” he heard his trainee’s authoritative voice bellow from the bullhorn under the hood of the car. “Driver first, Mr. Turrow.”
    Guns pointed at the car from every direction.
    The orange Chevelle’s engine revved and its tires squealed, sending smoke into the air again; obviously, the driver was racing the motor with his foot on the brake.
    â€œYou’re not sitting in a very good position, Roberts,” Nick warned. “Get out here.”
    â€œIf they see a five-foot-one officer get out of the cruiser, they’ll lose all fear, and you know it. Besides, someone needs to be ready in case they try to charge the barricade.”
    â€œNo, you don’t. Tell them we’re going to shoot if they don’t give up. I’ll take out the tires, then the radiator, then the gas tank, in that