Andy’s squad car cruised slowly up the looping road through the cemetery. So slowly that Ollie began to wonder if Andy was having second thoughts. He shifted around in the uncomfortable back seat. It was made of hard plastic, with an awkward groove behind his lower back, for handcuffed suspects. Fortunately, he had his hands cuffed in the front, not that that made the seat any more pleasant.

Andy cleared his throat. “What about the husband, David?”

“What about him?”

“Is he part of this? Does he have Kimmie?”

“No. But he’s part of it. Or was. I’m guessing he’s long gone.”

Andy sighed heavily. He reached the top of the hill and followed the road around to the side. He approached the turn a quarter mile down.

“If this is true,” he said, “and I’m not saying it is, but if it’s true, you could have saved everyone a lot of trouble by telling us at the beginning.”

“Get the cops involved?”

“Yes.”

“No offense, but I’ve never really met a useful cop.”

Andy glared at him in the mirror. “Maybe the problem isn’t cops. Maybe it’s you.”

Ollie smirked back. “No reason both can’t be true.”

The squad car’s headlights tracked across the wide gravel lot as Andy made the turn, illuminating the two cars still parked ahead. Ollie saw the Chief, right where he left it, along with Mariah’s VW, pulled up onto the grass about thirty yards ahead.

“That’s her car up there. You’ll want to search it, look for papers, IDs, something like that while I check the brush along the tree line.”

“You think I’m letting you go off on your own?”

“I figured it would be faster if we do it that way.”

Andy pulled up behind the Chief and put the car in park. He grabbed one of those big cop flashlights from the seat next to him and opened the door.

“Stay here,” he said, as if Ollie had any other choice. “I’ll check Mariah’s car first, then we’ll both go look for your evidence.” Andy shut the door behind him and started a slow walk toward the Passat, his flashlight lighting up the edges of the forest as he did.

Ollie cursed under his breath. Plan A had been to make a run for it in the forest and hope he could get separated from Andy in the dark. Not his greatest idea, but it was a million times better than sitting in a waterlogged cell all night. Now he needed a Plan B. He scanned the trees only a few yards away, desperately searching for some sign of help.

“C’mon, Grika,” he whispered. He had no Plan C. Either Grika saw him in the police car and came out to help right now, or Ollie would be left trying to figure out how to sucker punch a suspicious cop who more than likely would be pointing a gun at him. “I’ll get you all the Burger Babe you want. Whataburger, Burger Street. Anything. You name it, buddy. Just get me out of here.”

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Andy reached the Passat. He shined the flashlight through the windows, squinting at the interior. He opened the driver-side door and leaned in to get a better look. Ollie reached over and tried the door handle next to him. It didn’t open from the inside, not that he thought it would. He gritted his teeth.

“C’mon…”

Something scratched on the side of the door. He leaned over to see Grika clambering up via the wheel well. Ollie tensed, watching as Andy searched the VW. He prayed for the cop to find something, anything in there to keep him distracted for one more minute. Thirty seconds. Ten would be fantastic.

Grika, his feet planted on the tire, reached one hand over to brace himself against the side of the car and then grabbed the handle with the other. He strained, trying to get the leverage to pull the handle, but it was clear he was struggling. Ollie silently urged him on, his frantic facial expressions making all the noise that needed to be made. Grika scowled back at him and then tried again.

The handle clicked. The door opened, with Grika hanging from the side.

Ollie checked on Andy, who was still rummaging through Mariah’s car. He slid out through the open door, set Grika gently on the ground, then motioned the pygmy back into the woods. He scampered off, and Ollie crouched next to the car. He was tempted to run right then, but he wouldn’t get far. Andy would charge after him, and he’d have a gun, while Ollie would still be stuck in handcuffs.

He needed a distraction.

He crept up to the passenger door, climbed into the front seat and disengaged the parking brake. Then, he shifted the car into neutral and slid back out, right as the squad car slowly rolled backward down the gentle incline. He waited a moment for it to pick up some steam, then he called out.

“Officer!”

Andy backed out of the Passat. Ollie pointed with both hands.

“Your car.”

At first, it seemed Andy was more upset that Ollie had gotten out. But then he noticed that his car was moving, backward, down the hill, and his anger morphed into incredulity. He took off at a full sprint, slowing only to point at Ollie.

“Don’t move!”

Ollie held up his handcuffed hands. “Sure thing.”

Andy ran after his car, which gained steam as it veered backward toward the main road. Ollie waited a few seconds, then he ran up to the Chief, grabbed his bag from the passenger seat, and charged into the woods. He barreled through the brush for a good fifty yards before he found a spot to hide.

“Grika!” he called out in a harsh whisper. He rummaged through the bag for a small plastic case. He found it and pulled out a lock picking kit that he used on his handcuffs. Once they were off, he nearly threw them away before thinking they might be useful. He stuffed them into the bag, replaced the kit, grabbed Remi, and then hurried south.

“HAUK!”

Andy’s distant voice was furious. Ollie chuckled, then glanced around at his feet.

“Grika? You with me?”

“Back here!” came the faint reply. Ollie slowed, letting the pygmy goblin catch up.

“We need to get some distance from Captain Awesome back there.”

“Agreed.” Grika nodded vigorously. “Then what?”

“Then we circle back around and get my truck while he’s chasing us through the woods. The whole police force is running all over town right now, so he can’t call for backup.”

He reached down to grab the pygmy, only for Grika to stop suddenly and sniff the air.

“Wait!” Grika sniffed again, and Ollie watched him with disbelieving eyes. Surely there wasn’t a goblin out here. Not now.

“There’s a goblin out here,” Grika said. “Getting closer.”

“HAUK!”

Ollie deflated. Andy’s voice was getting closer. They were about to be sandwiched between a cop who wanted him dead, and a goblin who needed to be dead. If he went after the goblin, Andy would follow the noise and find him. If he avoided them both, they’d find each other, and Andy might end up hurt. Or worse.

Ollie pumped his shotgun.

“Show me.”