If they arrested him now and found the backpack without his explanation, he’d be trapped. The officers weren’t discussing possibilities; they were already drawing conclusions. His gut told him he was seconds away from losing control of the situation. He had to act.
His mind settled on the only choice he had. He needed to leave. If he stayed, they would arrest him, and he’d lose any chance to prove his innocence. If he could reach the forest first, he might still have time to uncover the truth—before the truth buried him instead.