The Shadow Hunter

alerted the cops on the bridge—or shot you in the back of the head when I swam up. Instead I’ve taken you into my confidence. I’ve revealed my identity. Don’t I deserve a little trust in return?”.
    Nicely done. Travis was pleased with himself. Even Abby couldn’t have manipulated the man any more expertly.
    “Well,” Hickle muttered, “maybe. But I can’t figure your angle. Kris is your client. Abby’s your employee or business associate or something. Why would you want either of them dead? Why would you be helping me when it’s your job to stop me?”
    “Good questions. I wish I had time for an in-depth discussion. But you see, there are other men combing the lagoon. One of them will see us soon. We need to wrap this up.”
    His point was punctuated by a sudden clatter of wings in the lagoon—a bird startled into flight. Either Carruthers or Pfeiffer must have blundered into a nest not far away.
    “Hear that?” Travis said. “They’re closing in. Now, do you want my help or not?”
    Hickle hesitated only a moment, then nodded. “I want it.”
    “Okay, first things first. How were you planning to get out of Malibu?”
    “Head upstream to where there are houses and ranches, then steal a car out of somebody’s driveway. Or if I can’t find a car, I’ll hide in the woods till the heat dies down.”
    “No good. Either way it’ll take too long, and time is not on your side. You’re underestimating the gravity of this situation. You’re big news, Raymond. Let me tell you what’s going to happen within the next fifteen minutes. First the choppers will arrive. Sheriff’s department aerial units. TV and radio helicopters too. One of them will spot you in the creek or the woods. If they don’t find you, the dogs will. K-nine units. You’ve seen them on the news, right? Those dogs will be sniffing for a scent on both sides of the highway. The creek won’t cover your scent, either. That’s a myth. Smells carry just fine over water.”
    Clearly Hickle hadn’t thought about dogs, choppers. He licked his lips.
    “So,” Travis continued relentlessly, “you’re screwed any way you look at it. Stay in the creek or hide in the woods, and the dogs will track you down unless a chopper spots you first. Take cover in a house, and the police will figure out where you are once they start conducting house-to-house searches. You’ll be surrounded by a SWAT team, and your only choice will be whether you kill yourself or let them do it for you.”
    “All right, all right.” Hickle was even paler than before. “I won’t hide out. I’ll steal a car, like I said.”
    “That’s right, you will, but you have to do it fast. There’ll be roadblocks set up before long. Highway patrol units and sheriff’s cruisers, checking every car that goes through. The one thing that’s working in your favor is that Malibu is relatively isolated. It takes time to deliver manpower and other resources out here.That’s why there are only three patrol units on the scene so far. You have to make your move before it gets any more crowded. That means you don’t have time to go far inland. You grab the first car you see. This creek runs past a parking lot behind the little shopping center across the street. Even at this hour, there’s a good chance you’ll find some sort of vehicle in that lot. If there’s anything you can drive, take it. And go north.”
    “Not south? There’s more traffic that way. I might blend in better.”
    “South is too obvious. There may already be a roadblock south of here. Your odds are better if you cut through Topanga Canyon to the Ventura Freeway. They won’t block off the freeway, so once you’re on it you’ll be reasonably safe. Connect with the northbound 405. You know where San Fernando Road meets the Golden State Freeway?”
    “North end of the Valley.”
    Travis nodded. “High-crime district, lots of auto theft. That’s where you’ll ditch your vehicle. Leave it unlocked, motor running. With any luck someone else will take it for a joyride, and by the time the police find it, they won’t know where you abandoned it.”
    “Then what do I use for transportation?”
    “Steal another car. Cars get stolen in that part of town every night. The crime probably won’t be linked to you at first, which means it won’t be a high priority. Drive south into LA but avoid Hollywood. They’ll be expecting you to return there. Where you want to go is Westwood.”
    “Because