I know, I know. But it's just a little bit of the past, and then there's Art and Rachel and Raylan

Tim woke to shivering while it was still dark. 3:27 according to his watch. It had dropped into upper 40's by his estimation and Clare was shivering next to him. Her chattering teeth aggravating his headache.
He moved closer to her, stealing the t-shirt that had been under her head to place under his own, and sliding his handcuffed arm around her, pulling her arm across her chest. Keeping her close, he laid his head back down, careful of any tender spots and went back to sleep.

A couple of hours later, Clare woke up in his arms with a deep breath of Tim. Although this was Tim after three days in the woods, so she tried to cough as quietly as possible as she fished his handcuff key from the coin pocket of her jeans.
Freeing herself, she edged away as slowly as possible before nearly tripping over his pack. Which reminded her she was hungry. She watched his face as she reclaimed his wallet, another MRE or two, another water bottle, and a handful of goods from his first aid kit. She hesitated before leaving their makeshift camp one last time. Then she bent and kissed his forehead, "Another time then." And she was gone.

Present Day

Tony Kender hunched over his phone, "Look the statement went into evidence today...no, I hadn't read it before- Look, it clears that little doctor...No...Well, apparently Stark didn't think you paid for three years. I'm just giving you the heads up. The AUSA isn't pursuing the escape charges, the girl is free and clear as of tomorrow...Okay. Are you sure? That's a lot of currency to spend on one family, 'specially when it ain't yours...Yeah. I got it. Good as done." His last words being to empty air as his "client" had hung up after giving instructions. Second generation prison guard Tony let his head hang. After 3 years of coddling Colin Stark in the hole, he was finally going to get to hang his ass out to dry.
***

"Hey, kiddies, my office," Art Mullen greeted his troops after lunch through his open door.

Raylan and Tim exchanged glances before following Rachel into his office. Tim stayed leaning against the doorframe as Rachel took the chair and Raylan bee-lined for the cabinet with Art's bourbon.

"It's noon, Raylan. Guess who I just fielded a call about?" Art smirked, coffee cup in hand. "Clare Lidet."

"Who's Clare Lidet?" Raylan looked at the cabinet a little mournfully.

Tim looked at the ceiling.

Rachel chuckled, "Tim's white whale."

"She is not."

"She oughta be," Art smirked. "She gave you a right black eye gettin' away like she did. You were only here a couple months 'fore you lost her. Then there was that business with your wallet at the gas station."

Rachel turned to Raylan, "After she got away, she left his wallet, sans cash, at a gas station lost and found."

"Left the credit cards too," Tim nodded, "She's a fugitive. About 6 months before you and Tommy Bucks, Clare Lidet was taken into federal custody on some hospital corruption beef, nothing was ever proven."

"Anyway-" Art waved his hand.

"The transport crashed, several escapees. Lidet wasn't recovered so I went in to chase her through Daniel Boone National Park."

"And she got away? From you?"

"Clare Lidet's daddy was a cop, NOPD, but before and after that, he was a bounty hunter in southern Louisiana. The way his daddy was a bounty hunter. The way her uncle and cousins still are," Art continued smiling.

"And of her four older brothers, all Navy, two went through SEAL training," Tim drawled. "She even chased jumpers with her old man after her mom died."

"Before that she was just a pretty little girl doin' her residency at UK," Rachel smirked, "Least until we tied her to the case on corruption with the organ donation and transplant lists."

"No more transplants," Raylan asked nicely.

Rachel continued smugly, "Then she was leavin' Army Rangers concussed in the woods and stealing their stuff."

"She left you concussed?"

"I chased her for 3 days, late on day 2 I caught sight of her and someone else chasing her. He and I exchanged gunfire, he died. Then Lidet and I..." he paused looking for the right expression, even putting a finger up to quiet Rachel when she opened her mouth, "went for a swim. I got caught in some branches, tore up my arm some, hit my head. I dragged myself out and took a nap."

"This is the approved version, right?"Art verified. "Not the one where you got laid, huh?"

Tim tilted his head to look at Art, "Am I tellin' this or are you gonna tell us why it matters now, three years later?"

"Well, I'd like Raylan to know why he'll be accompanying you on the continuing search for the fair Dr. Lidet. Rachel has her hands full with the witnesses in the Ruiz trial. Unless, you'd like to chase Dr. Lidet some more, Deputy Brooks," he asked her.

"No, sir, I am fine with my witnesses."

"Figured as much." Art directed his attention at Tim once more, "Now, you were concussed and napping. Carry on."

"I woke up further from shore than I recalled, and an MRE, with the antibiotics from my pack on top, was left in front of me. She'd stitched my arm up while I was out and left the note-"

"Which we still have floatin' around somewhere," Rachel grinned.

"'Take with food, mild concussion. Clare.' It's less cute if you know she took my radio and tossed it, and outright stole my wallet and half my first aid kit. But she left Nelson's gun, that had disappeared from the crash site, so I took her advice, then followed her tracks to the tire tracks, and the tire tracks from there to the road," Tim finally finished.

"Do I get a file to supplement this story?" Raylan asked looking askance at Tim. "You really didn't sleep with her?"

"Jesus." More ceiling observation.

"So, this matters now, three years later, because we have information that the price on fair Dr. Lidet's head has gone up."

"It's like she's innocent," Tim said.

"You did bring up that idea before. But it's not why the federal charges against her have been dropped."

Tim sat down now. "Since when?"

"Since this morning. It was deemed that Dr. Lidet was not involved with hospital corruption, especially after Colin Stark testified he planted evidence and the fire at her apartment was arson, part of his immunity deal. Said he thought it'd be okay 'because her momma's family money would keep charges off her'."

"Sweet of him," Raylan commented, nose now deep in Clare Lidet's file. "So, now all she has to worry about is that pesky escaping federal custody thing."

"And we're looking for her to what? Let her know the charges are dropped?" Tim asked. "She's a big girl, probably holed up in a swamp shack with booby traps. She'll be fine."

"Six months ago when I asked where you thought she was, you said Pacific coast of Mexico."

"She knows how to run. I thought Mexico then, I now think she's home in her swamp," Tim shrugged.

Art cocked his head and looked from Tim to Raylan, "D'you see why we think they slept together?"

Rachel got up, "I have to get back to the Ruiz case and Brian Sullivan is out there lookin' pissed. Good luck."

"Send him in on your way out," Art said as Rachel opened his door to go out. And an expensive suit stood there, "Or not, hello, Mr. Sullivan." Rachel closed the door as she left.

"Hello, Chief Mullen," the expensive suit came in saying, "As grateful as I am that Clare is finally vindicated. What the hell is going on?"

"Colin Stark's plea deal, the one that cleared Dr. Lidet, went thru yesterday, Mr. Sullivan. Since yesterday, the price on her head went from fifteen thousand to half a million, a turn of events we are more than a little curious about. If you have any clue as to your niece's whereabouts we could use them to help protect her."

"Please, he couldn't find her in the woods," Sullivan gestured at Tim, "I'm supposed to believe that he could find her in Mexico?!"

"Clare Lidet is not in Mexico," Tim said. "This I know. How's her bike?"

"You're asking me about her bike? You lose my niece in a national park, now she's got a price on her head, and you're asking about her motorcycle?!" he brimmed with indignation.

"If I see her, she'll ask. So, I ask," Tim offered with another shrug.

Sullivan's lip quirked, righteous indignation deflated, "It is safely garaged at my parents' home. It was still in working shape when I called about it 20 minutes ago."

"You called about a motorcycle?" Raylan asked.

"She really liked that bike," Tim said.

"She does," Sullivan nodded. "Tell her I'll have everything here cleaned up. If she wants. If you can find her."

"She's not in Mexico, we'll work from there."

"I love my niece, Marshal. I may not like her a lot, I may not approve of how she's handled this, but she's my sister's girl and if a hair on her head is-"

"We are obligated to testify if somethin' happens to anyone," Raylan interrupted vaguely. "The point is made. We'll get her back safely."

Sullivan turned to Raylan like he hadn't noticed him, "Pardon me. Who're you?"

"Raylan Givens, Mr. Sullivan. I am assisting Deputy Gutterson in... Protecting your niece."

"Uh huh," then to Tim, "You keep my girl safe."

"D'you see? We're not even the only ones who think it."

Sullivan's lips quirked again, "I don't know where she is. But if there's anything we can do..."

"Thank you, Mr. Sullivan," Art said, "Anything else?"

"This Stark, who framed Clare, he say why? Why she was his scapegoat?"

"Said he thought Sullivan money would save her."

Brian Sullivan's face went boardroom expressionless as he heard that and nodded, "He said this in his immunity deal?" he nodded, "Thank you, marshals." He left then, Art's office then the Marshal's office.

"That man is gonna do somethin' stupid, get her back before we have to clean that up too." Art rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Why should I send you to Louisiana?"

"'Cuz she's there," Tim said simply.

"If she's hidin' out with her daddy's family-" Art started to say.

"She's not with them. They're bounty hunters; she wouldn't put them at risk. Her dad was gunned down at home. She would not risk the family's credibility by letting them hide a fugitive. She grew up there, she knows the area. She doesn't necessarily need anyone to hide her."

"She's a doctor, right," Raylan stepped in, "There are places where that would buy her protection. Illegals, other fugitives..."

"She's in Louisiana, Art. She's there," Tim pushed. "I know her. I know her file. She's there."

"I want to keep this in this office. Sources say the price on her shot up as soon as the judge approved the deal. I need to know, can you catch her this time? And keep her? In a non-carnal sense? "

"While I appreciate you disregarding the physical limitations of concussion and blood loss-"

"Yeah, yeah, you didn't screw a fugitive. I know," Art shook his head dismissively. "Go to Louisiana."