Deep Cover. Sandra Orchard

      Ginny twisted her hand free of his grasp.

      “Wait. Ginny, please.”

      She didn’t look back. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”

      Ginny sped away from the diner, tires squealing.

      How could she have let herself be lulled into thinking Rick had changed? Wasn’t Mom’s downhill slide proof enough that people never really changed?

      No wonder Rick refused to discuss the investigation. If he still met up with his old pals, it was only a matter of time before the police turned their sights on him.

      Ahead of her, the traffic light turned yellow.

      She stomped on the brake. The car slowed, but not enough. Giving the car more gas, she blasted through the intersection on the red.

      In seconds, she caught up to the line of traffic ahead of her and touched her brakes to keep from eating a Mustang’s rear end. The car didn’t respond.

      She veered into the passing lane, but closed in on another car too fast.

      Her heart jammed in her throat as she leaned on the horn.

       Move!

      The Mustang turned at the next side street, and Ginny swerved back into her lane. She pumped the brakes. Nothing. She had no brakes.

      Shop fronts blurred past her window.

      Terrified by the speed the car picked up on the meager decline, she careened around the corner at the next side street.

      This new street was empty, and flat, and with her foot off the gas the car began to slow.

      She blew out a breath and, yanking on the emergency brake, angled toward the curb.

      A blue ball punched the car’s side window. A flash of pink darted in front of the car.

      Ginny veered, automatically stomping on the brake, only to hit the accelerator. No. No. NO.

      The car’s back end swung wide.

      Heart pounding, Ginny checked her rearview mirror as she fought to regain control. The girl stood frozen in the middle of the street.

       Oh, God, I almost killed that little girl. And I can’t stop. Show me how to stop.

      Suddenly Lake Erie loomed on the horizon.

      A cold chill slapped Ginny’s body. The shadows shrank away. The sun became blinding.

       Oh, no … Oh, no …

      As the road sloped toward the water, the car gained speed. She threw the shifter into neutral. But if anything, the car raced faster.

       Ginny wrenched the steering wheel. Oh, God, please, I don’t want to die.