The Hard Way

a funny noise with her mouth. “I don’t think so.”
Hayes couldn’t keep up. The last time she spoke to Miller about her personal life, her partner told her she was seeing Billy. How could it have all changed in such a short space of time? She gave up. “Whatever! And what are you still doing here anyway?”
“I was going, and you pulled me back, remember?”
Her partner huffed and strutted off in the direction of the rear car park. There were only two ways in or out of the block of flats, through her or through Miller. Hayes hoped the boys upstairs would emerge with Eric Helsey in cuffs.

3
Waiting behind a car, watching the fire exit door, Miller couldn’t believe Hayes. Who the hell did she think she was! Her partner had no right to tell her who she liked, or didn’t like. She wanted to march over there and give Hayes a mouthful. The truth: she and Billy had gone their separate ways. She liked him for a time, but they weren’t compatible, not really.
Luke Walker, however, she could imagine being with. He was handsome, fit, talented… A smile crept over her as she thought about the first time she met him. During a raid at a potential suspect’s home, Walker introduced himself. Their eyes had locked for longer than was necessary. She’d held the same smile then, before Hayes disturbed their connection.
The fire exit door flung open and Helsey came charging out.
“Helsey’s on the move! I’m in pursuit,” she shouted into her radio. “Heading east towards Vauxhall Park.”
Miller ran after Helsey. When she grew closer to the fire exit, he spotted her tailing him and increased his speed, his feet beating the concrete so fast, she thought she might have trouble keeping up.
There was one thing her charge didn’t know: how quick she was. Pounding the car park after him, she kept the pace up, until she was running along the pavement, cars speeding past on the main road beside her.
“Miller, wait!”
With Hayes tailing her, Miller stayed on Helsey’s tail. He ran into the street, causing three vehicles to screech to a halt, before running across one lane and stopping in the middle. She followed him, apologising to the drivers, who beeped at her. “Helsey! Stop! You’re under–”
A car screamed past her, beeping its horn, as Helsey legged it across the second busy lane, just missing a lorry’s wrath. “Shit!” In between the two lanes, she caught sight of Helsey running into the park. “Oh no, you don’t,” she said, gauging the space between cars and making a run for it.
She laughed out of fear when she reached the other side safely.
In front of her, the suspect disappeared into the darkness of the park. Some lamp posts worked, others didn’t. Her lungs were burning, but she continued running. “He’s heading south through the park.” Using the radio slowed her down.
Twenty metres ahead of her, she heard voices complaining.
When she reached them, she saw a young couple picking themselves up. “Out of the way!” She had to jump over the girl, who complained behind her, as she carried on chasing Helsey. “Sorry!”
He wasn’t slowing. Miller was approaching a children’s playground when Helsey stopped behind a couple of girls in their twenties.
When she was almost on them, her charge pushed one of the women at her.
Managing to avoid the youngster, Miller made sure she wasn’t injured, apologised, and headed off in the same direction as Helsey.
After ten seconds, she saw his feet back pounding the path.
Her body was fighting her.
Finding a burst of energy, digging in, she gained ground on him.
It looked like he was winding down.
Reaching inside her jacket, she felt her cosh and extended it. “Don’t make me do this, Helsey,” she shouted. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
She was right on him, her feet and his almost touching, when she threw the metal bar at his legs. The cosh caught between both, sending him flying through the air.
Helsey hit the grass and rolled.
Miller launched herself on top of him.
Rolling, first on top, then under him, she landed on her back with his eighteen stone sat on her belly, grinning down at her. While he was congratulating himself, laughing, she reached inside her trouser pocket, pulling out her pepper spray.
“You don’t get your man this time, pig,” he said, slapping her face playfully. “Don’t feel bad though, baby. Plenty have tried.”
When Helsey went to stand, she held the spray up, and pressed the button, missing him. A bit caught him. She’d forgotten how victims react; he staggered about, clawing at his eyes, while calling her every name he could think of.
On her feet, she aimed the spray at his face and fired again.
His screams increased in fervour; he swore at her.
When she went to confront him, he lashed out at her and punched her cheek.
She should have been more careful, she told herself, knowing how dangerous wounded animals could be. Half-blind, Helsey took off again.
Miller groaned, hearing Hayes behind her.
Putting her pepper spray in her jacket pocket, Miller ran after him.
She’d lost all momentum. Even injured, Helsey was faster than her. “Don’t make me come after you,” she cried. “Stop! Before I hurt you again.”
Her pleas were ignored. As she sprinted, his feet pounded ahead.
Finding her stride again, she was taken by surprise when Helsey stopped and faced her, reaching into his leather jacket, and pulling out a flick knife.
“Come on, bitch!” The blade shot out, pointing at her. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand. “Let’s see what you’ve got. Come on!”
Thinking she could use the pepper spray once more, she retrieved it, pressed the button but nothing happened. “Oh shit!” She saw him smile, then edge closer. Why didn’t she pick up her cosh earlier?
He laughed. “Come on, then.”
When he came close enough, she lunged and punched him on the bridge of his nose. Standing back, she heard him groan and hold it, blood pouring through his fingers.
Helsey launched himself at her, throwing his whole