A cruiser screeched to a stop, gravel spraying. The officer vaulted from the driver’s seat just as the fugitive hit the porch. They collided hard, the man slammed into the grass, cuffed in seconds. Daniel gripped the railing, chest heaving, as the officer dragged the prisoner upright.
The inmate spat curses, thrashing uselessly in the officer’s grip. Blue lights strobed against the house, painting the windows in shifting color. Claire appeared at the top of the stairs, clutching the boys, her face stricken with relief. Daniel managed a shaky nod, whispering, “It’s over.” For the first time that night, he believed it.