“They didn’t go to the clinic,” I said, my voice cracking. “They used an unmarked transport. Gareth must have bribed the driver or intercepted them before they left the estate gates.”

“I’ll call Vance,” Nora said, already reaching for her radio. “We’ll set up a perimeter.”

“No,” I said, grabbing her wrist. “If he sees flashing lights, he’ll push her into the water. He has nothing left to lose.”

I looked toward the long driveway.

One of the unmarked SUV keys was sitting on the hood of a nearby patrol vehicle, left by an officer who was busy securing the estate entrance.

I snatched the keys.

“Madeline, don’t,” Nora called out, but she didn’t try to stop me physically.

Instead, she climbed into the passenger seat beside me as I threw the vehicle into reverse.

Gravel sprayed against the undercarriage as I spun the wheel.

We tore down the driveway, leaving the flashing blue and red lights behind us.

The GPS on my dashboard guided us toward the north canal, a derelict industrial area six miles away.

The sky was turning a bruised purple as the sun dipped below the tree line.