18+
"Brandi," Art called from the conference room where Tim and Raylan already sat. She grabbed her coffee and a notepad and pen and walked over. Before she could get more than a few steps in, Art asked her a question. "How you feelin'?" He asked her. Brandi was a little startled and stopped, blinking.
"Um, fine I guess." She said, unsure of what they wanted. "Something wrong?"
"Well, it's been a couple weeks." Art explained as he walked around the table. Raylan stood near her, facing Tim who was seated on the other side of the table, files open before them. "Figured if you're feeling up for it, you could tag along on a prisoner transport."
"Never better, where we goin?" She asked and took a sip of her coffee.
"The three of you are going to be escorting Jamie Berglund." Art started and pulled his blazer off the back of the chair.
"Are you serious, Art?" Raylan asked before sipping his coffee and Brandi rolled her eyes. Tim smirked at her and let out a huff of humor through his nose as he swiveled back and forth in his chair, elbow resting on the arm and his hand in front of his face, finger resting on his lip. He was wearing a short sleeved polo that showed off his arms. Brandi took another sip of coffee and looked away. It's the simple pleasures in life that keep her going.
"Raylan, this isn't a punishment detail." Art started. "Jamie Berglund needs a transport. You need an assignment." He explained and pulled his blazer on fully as he walked behind Tim.
"You don't think you can handle it?" Tim asked, giving Raylan and antagonistic smirk. Art bit into an apple.
"You want to do it by yourself?" Raylan threatened, his tone half assed and light. Tim shrugged with his smirk as though it'd be no big deal to him.
"Hey, maybe get another award." Tim shot back and Art raised his hand to settle them, his mouth too busy chewing on an apple.
"Raylan's not going by himself." Art stated, a tone of finality as he waived his hand. "And Brandi technically shouldn't be going out in the field yet, but I figure the prisoner can't get too far." He explained and Brandi looked at him funny. She had a sneaking suspicion she was missing something. Art took a few more steps, walking towards his office before he paused and elaborated. "Oh and by the way, you might wanna bring some towels or some plastic for the backseat." He suggested, confusing Brandi further. "In case everything goes south." He finished and walked away, munching on his apple.
"Did I miss something?" Brandi asked her two coworkers.
"Ms. Berglund is pregnant." Raylan explained and her eyes widened a bit.
"We're not taking my car."
An alarm sounded in the distance briefly, some door opening and the guard in front of her flipped over some paperwork, adding it to a clipboard.
"Just the two of you?" He asked, looking between Brandi and Tim. Tim stood off to the side, arms crossed and Brandi glanced over to him.
"You know, I had an instructor at Glynco say two marshals should be enough to transport King Kong." Tim drawled, rocking on his heals. Brandi smiled a bit to herself at his never ending sass.
"Well, I was just sayin' cause you got-" The guard explained himself in a bored tone and Brandi waved her hand.
"Don't worry about it." She waved him off. "Where am I signing?" She asked. The guard showed her were to sign and even though he sounded bored, he seemed patient enough. She heard the door open to her left and glanced over as a very pregnant inmate stepped out.
"Ms. Berglund." Tim greeted her and introduced himself. "I am Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson." He spoke to her in his lazy draw and put a hand on her shoulder, walking her over to Brandi, "This is Deputy Marshal Calhoun." Brandi nodded at her with a smile and Ms. Berglund did the same. Brandi walked over and opened the door as Tim guided her over to it.
"You guys know no leg irons, right?" The guard called over the them.
"We've read the new guidelines." Tim assured him and Jamie Berglund eyed Brandi up and down.
"Kinda relieved to have a lady on my transport." She said with a weak smile. It sure as hell didn't seem to put her at ease. Brandi followed the two out and kept pace with them, flanking the side opposite of Tim as they walked through the doors and waited at the gates. The loud buzzing noises were grating on her ears and the three stepped out past the last gate. Ms. Berglund was looking up at the sky, squinting, as they walked with Tim holding her arm gently.
"Goodness gracious." The woman muttered and the two marshals looked at her as they walked towards the car where Raylan was waiting for them.
"You alright?" Brandi asked her quietly and the woman gave her a snort.
"I'm not contracting, don't worry." She assured them with a smug smile. "Just got a hemroid the size of a golf ball. How are you?" She asked and looked between the two of them as they continued to walk slowly, keeping pace with the inmate.
"Well, as long as you don't give birth during the ride, we're fine." Tim told her with a hint of humor in his voice. Brandi noticed his eyes never left the inmate, polite, but still on guard.
"Look at this boy, all nervous." Ms. Berglund teased, nodding her head at Tim while smirking at Brandi. Brandi cracked a smile, finding humor in the situation. Raylan was very much uncomfortable with transporting a very pregnant lady as well. The gate closed behind them and Ms. Berglund looked between them again. "You gonna ask?"
"Ask what?" Brandi remained silent, having a pretty good idea of what happened and not wanting to stick her nose where it didn't belong. Depending on how long she'd been in, it could have been a boyfriend, husband, or most likely a guard.
"How I got pregnant." Her tone sounded flat, almost disappointed. Tim shot a look to Brandi who shook her head slightly. This was not a story they should get wrapped up in. The best they could do for her was document anything. They walked in silence for a few beats before Tim let his sass slip out.
"I don't remember much from health class," He drawled, "but I do remember" he indicated to her stomach with a wave of his hand, "that and what untreated venereal disease looks like." Brandi rolled her eyes at him. Boys. It got a snort of humor from the inmate and they kept walking.
"When I was at Marysville, I had conjugal with my husband." Ms. Berglund began to explain. Tim and Brandi shared a look of suspicion. Something wasn't quite right but it wasn't their job.
"Is he taking custody of the baby?" Brandi asked gently, making conversation.
"Who, A.J.?" The blond woman asked, raising her eyebrows. "A.J. can't take care of himself."
"Well, it's gotta be better than foster care." Tim suggested and the blond gave him a shit eating grin.
"Hey, hey, don't knock foster care." She joked, "Look where it's got me." She teased, adding a little bounce to her step and Brandi tried to stop her smile. This girl could give Tim a run for his money in the sass department. The trio kept walking to the car where Raylan stood, leaning against it. Some introductions were made and they all piled in, heading to the clinic. The ride was quiet, some light conversation occurring between the four of them. She was definatly one of the more social transports Brandi's been on.
It wasn't a long trip and Brandi helped the woman out of the car and lead her into the clinic. Raylan went in first, eyes darting around. A woman greeted them with a smile from the front desk. She had long brown hair and a kind smile.
"Hey, Alisha! How are you, girl?" Jamie greeted her fondly. Brandi noticed Raylan peering into the waiting room but she instead focused on the receptionist.
"Good morning, Ms. Berglund." The receptionist greeted professionally before she turned her attention to Tim and Brandi, greeting them both good morning.
"I'm assuming you know the drill." Tim said to her casually.
"Yes, sir." The receptionist answered, voice firm but not harsh. Brandi looked over to Raylan who was still staring at the person in the waiting room and she struggled not to roll her eyes. That man was a blood hound for trouble. "We handle all the ultrasounds for the FMC inmates."
"You get a lot of pregnant women inside?" Raylan asked, finally turning his attention back to the receptionist.
"Not too many." She responded calmly, professionally before looking at Brandi. "If you'd bring Ms. Berglund to exam room one, there should be a gown for her to put on." The receptionist gestured to a room down the hall. Brandi nodded and started escorting her to the room.
"Window in exam room one?" Tim asked and she almost kicked herself for forgetting to ask.
"No, sir." Brandi heard the receptionist answer. She looked over her shoulder at her two coworkers before following Ms. Berglund inside and shutting the door behind them.
"Oh, finally, now it's just us two girls." Jamie sighed with releif and faced Brandi, her blond bob swaying as she spun her head. "Your coworkers are kinda cute. If you're not careful, you might end up like me." The woman teased. Brandi just let a polite smile take over her features, trying to ignore the pain in her heart that shot through her. Jamie had no way of knowing, she was just trying to be friendly.
"Ms. Berglund, if you'd please put on the dressing gown." Brandi suggested politely, gesturing to the gown on the exam table. Jamie just raised her eyebrows and put up her cuffed hands.
"Sorry if I hit a soft spot." She offered, her tone half assed. Brandi could hear dim voices in the room outside the door. Nothing was wrong, but something about Jamie's stalling was setting her on edge. She hadn't even picked up the gown or started trying to take off her inmate clothes. Something was wrong.
"Everything all right?" Brandi asked. Jamie looked at her with a lazy smile.
"Everything's fine, Marshal." She drawled and Brandi couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Every time someone called her Deputy in that tone, something went wrong. "What, eager to see me undress?" She teased and Brandi stayed silent, keeping her face relaxed, but Jamie seemed to pick it up anyway and she let out a huff of amusement. "I might be safer with one of them boys in here." She suggested and sucked in a breath.
"Deputy!" Jamie called out, trying to get the attention of her coworkers and Brandi let her. After a few seconds, she heard a banging sound on the glass door near the receptionist and a slightly raised voice floated under the door. Brandi didn't recognize the noice and she drew her gun, flicking off the safety. She heard a whistle and a loud crashing sound.
"Ms. Berglund, please step back." Brandi instructed her calmly as she stepped to the side, pressing against the wall next to the door and motioning for the inmate to do the same. The last thing she wanted was for the blond woman to get struck by a stray bullet.
"Come on out of the back!" She heard someone call. Brandi rested with her hand on the doorknob. This was not something her instructors covered. "Everyone toss their piece on the ground or I'll shoot this lady right here." The voice instructed. She turned the safety back on and sighed, unlatching the door. The best course of action was to walk outside. She let the door swing open slowly and hung the gun out first, showing she was unarmed. Brandi walked forward and the inmate hovered behind her. The two walked out and as she neared the group she crouched and put her gun on the floor, only to stand with her hands by her sides. Brandi shared a look with Raylan and Tim and the two looked more exasperated than worried. Brandi suddenly felt like it was her fault and she couldn't quite explain the guilt. Then she noticed the cuffs in Raylan's hands and frowned. The red head holding the guns looked at him.
"What's the hold up?" He asked and Raylan fiddled with them.
"Well, I've never had to cuff myself." Raylan answered him, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world and Brandi held in a sigh but looked a the ceiling in mild irritation. Couldn't he take this more seriously? Even if one of the guys took the time to cuff them all, there was still one with a gun. There was no point in stalling other than being an ass hole.
"Fine." The guy huffed and tried to shove his gun into the pocket of his green jacket, struggling for a minute to do so as he looked around the room. He shoved the cuffs to Tim. "You take care of the cowboy." Then he pointed his gun at Brandi and the sound of the shotgun blast rang through her ears, making her blood run cold. She saw his lips move but couldn't hear him. "You hear me?" The guy with red hair asked in a frustrated tone and jabbed his gun in her direction. She snapped out of it and her eyes flicked from the gun to his face and she stared at him like a deer stuck in headlights. "I said take out your cuffs." He scolded her. Brandi nodded and slowly moved her hands to grab her handcuffs. As she did she noticed Raylan and Tim looking her way. She couldn't quite read the looks on their faces and she turned her attention to the man with the gun. She tried to look anywhere else but the gun. The man took her cuffs out of her hands. "Now you cuff him." He ordered, motioning to Tim. Brandi slowly looked over at him and he nodded slightly. He handed her his cuffs and turned away from her and stuck his hands behind his back, making it easier for her to cuff him. A trick Maura taught her came to mind and as she grabbed his first wrist, she slapped the metal cuff onto his wrist and tightened it. Tim heard the cuff clicking tighter, but there was a spot on his wrist where he only felt her warm hand. When Brandi's soft hand slipped off his wrist, the cold metal hung loosely. Then she slapped the cuff onto the other hand, not bothering to do the same.
"I'm sorry about this boys," Jamie said to the two men as she walked past. Then she looked at Brandi and Brandi could see the guilt and shame in her eyes. "I hope you can understand." She heard Ralyan chuckle.
"You sure this is the way you want to go out?" He asked her. Brandi felt the man come up behind her and yank her wrist behind her.
"I'm sure the baby shouldn't have to ride my rap." Jamie explained quietly. Raylan nodded and the man behind Brandi slapped the metal onto her wrist and closed them tightly, the metal already digging into her wrist. She hissed in discomfort as he did the same to the other wrist, tightening it.
"Think you got it tight enough?" She tossed over her shoulder, irritated. The man responded by shoving her forward, making her stumble against Tim's back with an oof. The three criminals quickly made their exit as Brandi steadied herself. Once the door was closed behind them, she stooped low. "Tim, tuck your thumb in." She instructed, startling the two men who turned and watched her step backwards over her linked hands. She winced as they dug into her skin.
"Pardon?" He asked, not sure he heard her. Brandi stood upright and huffed, stepping behind him. He tried to look at her over his should. Tim felt her warm hands on his, specifically on the first one she cuffed and she gently pulled his thumb in and she tugged on the cuff. It took a few seconds and he winced as it scrapped him, but the cuff slid off and he brought his hands in front of him, one wrist still cuffed. "Well shit." He drawled, impressed. He didn't spend too long on it though, as he grabbed his gun and jogged over to the door. "I'm gonna see if I can catch the license plate." He explained and dipped out of the room. Brandi moved to Raylan's hands, startling the man as she grabbed him. The receptionist reached for the phone and called 9-1-1.
"Hey now, what are you doing?" He asked, trying to look over his shoulder at her.
"Tryn' to get you loose." Brandi explained as she took a look at what she was looking at. She began to try the same thing she did with Tim.
"And you can't use the keys because?" Raylan trailed off, wincing as the metal scraped his wrist.
"I'm not sticking my hand in your pocket, Raylan." Brandi stated, ending all discussion and Raylan chuckled at her, wincing again as the metal scrapped him but the cuff slid off and he brought his hands in front of him, staring in disbelief.
"Well, I'm impressed." He looked at her, giving a sly smile. "How uh, how did you learn how to do that?" He asked, his tone mischievous.
"Remember my friend Maura?" Brandi asked and he furrowed his eyebrows and nodded.
"The one with the baby?"
"The very same." Brandi said with a smile and Tim came running back, hanging up his cellphone.
"I just called Art, told him what happened." Tim explained. He noticed the woman on the phone and nodded at her in approval. "Alright, let's get you out, too." He said and dug in his pockets for a pair of cuff keys, his own wrist free. Brandi stretched her arms out to him. "I called and gave him the license plate. With any luck they'll find it before it gets too far." He struggled with the keys a little, frowning a bit and Brandi's stomach dropped. "Well, shit."
"Shit what?" Brandi asked, her anxiety growing.
"Keys aren't working." Tim answered briefly.
"What do you mean, keys aren't working?" She hissed at him. Raylan walked over, digging in his own pockets and pulling out the keys and Brandy noticed his wrists were both free. She was the only one still in cuffs.
"Alright, let me try." Raylan said and gently took her wrists. He put the key into the lock and Tim stepped away, hand over his mouth, trying to hide his smile at her discomfort. Brandi shot him a glare and Raylan tried to unlock the cuffs. "Hu." He let out, just as dumbfounded as Tim was. Brandi glared at him, shaking her head slightly as he stepped back hands on his hips. "Well, have you tried your keys?" He asked her, teasingly. Brandi's jaw clenched.
"They are in my back pocket." Brandi stated quietly as though that should have explained it.
"Well, get them out." Raylan told her, not quite getting it. Brandi sighed at him and rolled her eyes, trying to reach her back pocket. She even did a silly little twirl, like a dog chasing it's tail. "All right I see your point." Brandi heard Tim snort and step close.
"Which pocket?" He asked her.
"The left." She answered bluntly, feeling a blush creep up her neck. She glared at Raylan who smiled at her with his smile showing he was barely trying to contain his entertainment. Brandi felt Tim's hand in her back pocket and her blush crept higher. Tim on the other hand, tried to ignore the fact that his hand was against a very firm, very round ass of his coworker. he grabbed the keys and pulled them out.
"Alright, here we go." Tim said and Brandi faced him. Tim looked at her briefly, smiling to himself at her blush and indignant stare. He stuck the keys into the lock and twisted. Still nothing. "Damn." He muttered.
"Are you kidding me?" She asked. "Try again!" Brandi insisted and Raylan let out a tired laugh.
"Art's gonna have a field day with this." Raylan told them.
Art walked over to his group of deputies. Tim and Raylan were working while Rachel was unscrewing the handcuffs to free Brandi who sat there, looking very irritated. Rachel seemed be loving every minute of it. She even took a picture of the poor girl stuck in the cuffs.
"Brandi, I don't know what you do, but I'm hesitant to let you back out there." Art teased her and she shot him a look as he closed his folder and turned his attention to Raylan and Tim. "Find anything, gentlemen?" He asked them, getting their attention. They were all in the conference room. Raylan and Tim sat at the table while Brandi and Rachel stood slightly off to the side.
"A.J. Logan." Tim said, holding up a file. "That's the husband and baby daddy." He explained and set it back down once Art got a good look at the guy's face.
"Not either of the guys who were at the clinic." Raylan added tiredly and Tim rubbed his forehead. Brandi felt the cuff on her wrist loosen and fall off her wrist. She beamed at Rachel who got to work on the other one.
"Well, we'll bring him in anyway." Art mentioned, sounding tired himself. "What about this guy?" Art asked as he dropped a file next to Raylan. The two men peered over at it and Brandi did as well, only to have Rachel gently pull her back.
"Don't go anywhere." Rachel said in a tone you use with a child.
"We have a winner." Tim said, not sounding too thrilled.
"That's the one who pulled." Raylan elaborated for Art.
"Jess Timons." Art explained. "We got him off that print that we pulled off the cuff." He said, looking back at Brandi and Rachel. Brandi just looked at the three men, annoyance clear as day and the second cuff came loose. Rachel grabbed it and slipped it into the evidence bag, pulling off her gloves. Even though they lifted the print already, she didn't want to take a chance and screw it up. Brandi rubbed her raw wrists.
"Actually, that was Raylan's job." Brandi explained quietly before turning back to Rachel. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Rachel gave her with a small smile before leaving the conference room. Brandi pulled out a chair and sat next to Raylan who looked at her briefly before looking back at Tim and Art.
"Jess Timons." Art started, sitting down as well. "is a Lousiville hard case. Two falls. Last bit was a two year stint at Northpoint." Art droned as he rubbed his head. "Manslaughter, paroled June of '07." He pointed out on the paper.
"Well, who leaked her appointment time?" Tim asked over his shoulder. Art was leaning back in his chair, hands resting on his hands.
"Ultrasound techs generally don't know the schedule." He explained, ruling them out. "But we're going after the-"
"Wait a minute." Raylan interrupted quietly, catching their attention. "What about a leak at the prison?" He asked and wheels started clicking together for Brandi.
"Yeah, warden thinks he runs a pretty tight ship there." Art said, not sounding like he believed that warden ran as tight a ship as expected.
"Well, sure if the schedule got out prisoner could get confederates to set up an ambush." Raylan plotted, his voice quiet.
"Just because you run a tight ship doesn't mean everyone stays in line." Brandi added in gently. "Just means people know how to cover their tracks better." Art smiled at the three of them.
"We're pushing back." He said with a nod. "Believe me." A moment of silence fell before Art spoke up again. He couldn't wait to hear this. "So what happened? You didn't suspect a thing? Too distracted by that big ole belly?" He asked.
"Art, she played the shit out of us." Raylan admitted bluntly with Tim nodding along.
"Wait, wait." Brandi piped up. "You mean you bought her conjugal visit excuse? Just like that?"
"What are you talking about?" Art asked and the three looked at her. She suddenly felt very uneasy and looked to Tim.
"Remember when she told us about who's taking the baby?" She asked him. Tim nodded and she rolled her eyes at the lack of help. "She said the baby daddy couldn't take care of himself, let a lone a child. Do you really think a guy like that is going to put for the effort to visit his wife in jail?" She asked looking at them. Raylan nodded along, seeing her point. Art sat, relaxed as ever. Tim's blue eyes seemed pinned to her, listening.
"So you think it really is an inside job." Art said rather than asked.
"It would give a motive for whoever leaked the schedule." Tim added, finally breaking his silence.
"It's possible." Art agreed. "I know it happens, but that is still something rather difficult to pull off, especially on a tighter run ship." He explained, not completely dismissing it and Brandy nodded.
"Just means he covered his tracks better."
Hours passed and Brandi sat at her desk, typing up paperwork on they day while Raylan and Tim sat with A.J. in the conference room, trying to find out where the fugitive could have gone. The lights were dim and everyone else had head home for the evening. Brandi shifted in discomfort and cracked open the tylenol bottle and sipped her coffee and kept typing, wanting to try and knock out the case notes for the day. Her head never bothered her, but her ribs were still pretty tender if she wasn't careful. Brandi0 looked up for a moment and looked towards the conference room, thinking. The alleged baby daddy didn't really impress her and she became more and more confident in her theory. Brandi laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them as she stared off thinking. She noticed the guys starting to look a little defeated and Tim caught her eye. He gave her a slight nod and something told her she was right. The guys started wrapping up and a guard was left with the man brought in for questioning. Art, Raylan, and Tim walked over to her desk.
"I think your theory might be dead on." Tim told her with a tired look.
"Women's intuition." She said with a smile, looking at the three men.
"Could be a regular visitor that knocked her up." Art offered. Something in his tone told Brandi he was half assing excuses. "Wouldn't be the first time a couple went at it in a corner of a regular's visitor room."
"Kinky." Brandi rolled her eyes.
"That's bullshit, Art. And you know it." Raylan told him. Everyone's voices were low and calm. They were running out of steam for the day but Tim still managed a smile at Raylan's blunt approach. She watched as Art shift and she saw him trying to hide a smile.
"Hell, it could be A.J. himself for all we know." There was a collective sigh from the group and Brandi groaned, putting her face in her hands at Art's sense of humor. She just knew he was smiling at the frustration he was causing. To be fair, they more than deserved it.
"Chief." Tim said, smiling at his boss's antics and Art gave him a mischievous smile.
"We don't know that it's a guard." Art pointed out and Brandi lifted her head.
"We don't know it's not." She said. "I take it this guy's timeline didn't add up for the pregnancy. I'm guessing she's not getting a lot of other visitors."
"If it is a guard, and I say that to keep you happy," Tim started, "Maybe he hired Jess Timons to make the grab because he knew Timons from inside." Brandi raised her eyebrows. She hadn't even thought of that.
"We make a list of all the guards from here and Marysville." Raylan said and turned to face Brandi, their designated paper pusher. "And we find out which one's were at Northpoint when Timons was doing his bit." She nodded and gave a smile to the tired man. He looked like he just wanted to go home and sleep. The thought alone made her yawn, but she got right to it.
"All right." Art nodded. "Any hits on the license plate?" He asked the group. Brandi shook her head.
"I don't know if the system is messed up or something, but I'm not getting anything." She explained. "I'll see what I can do about that list of guards though." Brandi pulled up the list she had made earlier that day. She figured it would be easy to have on hand. The group dispersed and she scrolled through the long list. It was a list of current guards and staff members. She began to create a few other columns and added in the data. In the second column was the date they started working there. In the next column over was their previous place of employment. She had the date of Jamie Berglund's transfer and crossed out names of anyone who did not come from Marysville. That narrowed it down considerably, but it still left over 20 options. Then she eliminated anyone who transferred there before the potential week of conception. That only left about five people. Still too long of a list. Brandi rolled her eyes and crossed off the two women on the list. "Ok, so that's three." She said aloud to herself.
"You say something?" Tim asked her, looking up from the file on his desk and looking at her. Brandi looked over at him and shook her head.
"Just talking to myself." She explained. "I have it narrowed down to three people." She added.
"Already? What you do?" He asked in disbelief. It had barely been less than an hour since she started.
"Well, I already had the list of names." Brandi said and pointed at the screen. Tim rolled his chair over to her to look and she swallowed at the closeness. "I, uh, just added the dates they transferred, and previous place of employment. Then I uh," She wanted to kick herself for stumbling over her words like an idiot. "It was just a process of elimination."
"Good work." He told her and rolled back to his desk, opening up a window. "Send me the three, I'll see if I can find anything connecting them."
"Like what?" Brandi asked, curiously.
"Phone calls." He answered. Brandi set to work and emailed him the list. It only took another half an hour of Tim looking through the records before they had their man. Tim and Raylan set out but Art had Brandi stay behind. It was late and she still technically wasn't cleared for field work. No one expected a pregnant woman to be this much trouble. Brandi was finishing up the reports for the day and adding her work to the file when Art called her. She looked and stood, walking into his office. He had two glasses out with liquor in them. He picked one up and handed it to her.
"Good work today." Art told her and Brandi didn't bother to hide her smile. She could get any confidence boost she could after the cuff incident today. "How are you feeling?" He asked and they sat, him at his desk and Brandi in one of the chairs.
"Fine, a little sore but the Tylenol helps." She admitted and took a sip, letting the burning liquid fall down her throat.
"Well, if you can get a doctor's note clearing you for duty, we could probably have you out of the office more often." He offered and she nodded.
"I'll get right on that." She smiled. Art chuckled at her.
"I gotta say, having you working for me is not something I ever expected." Art started and took a sip of his drink. "I can't say it's an unwelcome surprise."
"I am full of surprises, Art." Brandi snarked as she took another sip. "So, when are you going to help me finish the house?" She asked and Art laughed at her quietly. "I got new furniture but I still have old wallpaper everywhere." She whined with a smile.
"Oh, Brandi." Art sighed as he stood, putting away his liquor. "I don't know what to tell you." His phone rang, ending their friendly chat. Art picked it up and Brandi sat there, waiting for the call to end. All she could hear was Art's "yeah," and "Uh-hu's" and even a "shit." Once he did hang up, she waited patiently for him to explain. He stood there for a moment, hands on his hips like always.
"Well, Tim's gonna have to get a new gun." He explained, making Brandi confused. "He had to shoot someone so he has to turn it in." He waved his hand dismissively. "Just procedure."
"He didn't shoot her, did he?" Brandi asked before finishing off the rest of her drink.
"No, no." Art sighed and leaned back in his chair. "The guy your guard planned this all with." Brandi nodded along as he spoke. She watched Art look in the direct of the liquor, contemplating another belt.
"I'll have another one if you will." Brandi encouraged him and Art gave her a smirk, pulling out the bottle. Brandi smiled and stood, accepting the second drink. She lifted her glass to him. "Here's to the paperwork."
"I look forward to the day I don't have to worry about it anymore." Art said and poured himself his second glass. Instead of sipping it again, Brandi knocked it back like a shot and sighed, setting the glass on his desk.
"I actually don't mind it." Brandi admitted and Art looked at her, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. She nodded at him with a small smile. "Something to distract myself with on slow days." Art chuckled at her and she headed for the door. "Let me know when you head out." She said, stepping out of the office and heading to her desk. Brandi sat and prepped for the boys. They came back quiet and the air around them lacked the usual levity. Brandi furrowed her eyebrows. Something was wrong and her curiosity was begging for answers. Although, she supposed she ought to tread lightly. Firing their gun was nothing they ever took lightly, but something just seemed...off. Even Art kept it easy on the details. She waited patiently at her desk, having offered to finish up the boys' paperwork for them while they debriefed with Art. By debrief they mean close out the day with a drink. She typed away in the dark, her desk lamp giving her all the light she needed. It was quiet and almost eerie. She was so used to the office being a place of shouting, jokes, muttered swears, papers rustling, the obnoxious phones ringing. Brandi felt a pit in her stomach that ached something like loneliness and her fingers rested on the keys. She was startled out of her thoughts when the door to Art's office opened and the three shuffled out, looking exhausted. Art was the last one out and he flipped off his office lights. Raylan ambled over to his own desk and began grabbing his things. Tim sat down at his desk, pulling out the forms he needed to file his report. It was one of the few things she couldn't do for him.
"Goodnight, Brandi," Art told her, nodding his head at her, his bag pulled over his shoulder, his keys jingling in his hands and his heavy footsteps across the floor.
"Night." She called gently and watched him go.
"G'night, guys." Raylan said to them. Tim hummed and waved his hand, his stare fixed on his work, and his chin resting in his hand with his fingers curled over his mouth. He looked deep in thought.
"See you tomorrow, Raylan." She bid him goodnight. His gaze flicked to Tim before looking back at her. Raylan nodded and followed Art out into the hall, the only sounds in the office being the distant ding of the elevator. Brandi watched Tim for a small while. His blue eyes pinned to his work with laser focus, yet he did nothing. After a while, Tim noticed he couldn't hear her typing and glanced down at his desk before turning his head towards her, watching her watch him.
"Need something?" He asked her, breaking the silence. Brandi held his gaze and her face softened into something like a patient understanding.
"You wanna talk about it?" She asked gently. Tim noticed there wasn't a shred of pity, it was more firm. There was no hesitation or discomfort. She genuinely was asking if he wanted to talk about it. Tim sighed through his nose and looked back at the screen, hand dropping and starting to type.
"No," He answered quietly. "Thank you."
"Ok." Brandi nodded, turning back to her screen. They sat there for a little while longer with the sounds of their typing filling the emptiness between them. The silence was stale, unnatural, almost uncomfortable, though neither let it show. Brandi tried to ignore it and just finish up what she had before her. She was tired but didn't feel like heading home. She checked the time. Maura would be in bed by now and her social group was pretty limited. She filled in a few more spaces and sent the email to who she needed to and turned her face to Tim.
"You wanna get a drink?" Brandi asked, her tone the same as her previous question and she heard him sigh through his nose and he dropped his hand, grabbing his mouse.
"Hell yes." Tim said quietly as he saved his work and started closing out the windows. Brandi smiled and did the same. The two grabbed their bags and keys and hurried out of the office. Brandi looked over her shoulder, looking into the now empty office space and smiled to herself. Good work.
Brandi and Tim found themselves at a small little bar, a beer each. They left their coats and bags in their trucks and music played softly over head. Someone cracked the balls on a pool table and the thunk of distant darts striking their targets added to the ambience. They were halfway through their beers and sharing small laughs, mostly at Raylan's expense.
"I don't know why I am so surprised." Brandi shook her head in disbelief before staring at Tim. "He really slept with a witness?"
"Yes, ma'am." Tim answered, smiling around the bottle before taking a drink. Brandi giggled.
"That's day one." She joked. "Damn, I would have loved to see Art's face. I thought I was a fuck up, what with my little mug shot."
"And now Rachel has a picture of you in cuffs." Tim chuckled. Brandi gaged on her drink for a minute and Tim laughed quietly, making Brandi giggle after she had caught her breath. It was kind of ridiculously bad luck. The laughter between the two died down and they sat there, sipping their beer. Tim finished his first and ordered another round for them both. The bar tender came and went, swapping out the empty drinks for full ones. Brandi sipped the new cold drink and leaned her elbows on the bar, eyeing her coworker for a moment. He wore a dark polo, black or navy she couldn't tell, but she saw the veins on his pale arms. She watched as the muscled flexed under the skin. Brandi pulled her eyes away and looked at his face. His blonde hair was brushed back and she wanted to run her fingers through his hair and mess it up. His jaw was strong and she saw a muscle twitch. Whatever happened was still eating away at him.
"So what happened today?" She asked him, breaking the silence. She studied him, watching his face. He looked down at the bottle and she saw his shoulders rise in fall in a sigh.
"You know," He started and looked at her. "I've seen a lot of things? Hell, I've done a lot of things." Tim said and turned back to his bottle, taking another sip of liquid courage to help him open up. "I've seen kids doing work even adults couldn't bring themselves to do. It was the way it was. I don't know why, but today it just didn't sit right with me." Brandi furrowed her eyebrows.
"How so?" She asked, gently encouraging him to continue.
"The guy the guard hired, the guard hired him to kill her and sell the kid." He explained, making sure she knew the basics before he got into detail. "The guy had an EMT to help deliver the baby. Apparently, he tried to help the girl and got himself killed."
"Shit. No good deed, hu." Brandi breathed and watched Tim take a longer gulp of beer.
"That's not all." Tim sighed and looked at Brandi. "When we got there, the guy had a gun pressed right against her belly, threatening to paint the walls with it." Brandi sat and absorbed it all. A gun pressed against a swollen belly. If his hand slipped the bullet would rip through, tearing apart the stomach and fetus.
"Did you get him?" She asked, already having an idea of how it ended, but wanting to give him a chance to finish it.
"Pulled the trigger." He said. "Right through his head. She's ok." Brandi nodded and sipped her drink. Tim did the same and they sat there for a minute. Brandi rested her chin in her hand as she watched him. Cold blue eyes stared at the label as he picked at it idly.
"You saved a mother and her child." Brandi pointed out. "Not a total loss." She took another sip, watching to see how he reacted. He bobbed his head with an exhale through his nose.
"Yeah." He said and looked at her before a small smirk graced his face. "Yeah, all things considered today wasn't too bad." Tim said and Brandi gave him a small smile. He wanted to talk about something else and she could tell so she was going to just smile along and go with it. That's what he needed right now, laughs and good drink, blow off a little steam. But something in her hesitated when he looked at her mischievously, his smirk growing a bit and he lowered his voice a little bit more and leaned in just a tad. She found herself leaning in reflexively to hear. "My handcuffs didn't jam up." He teased her. Brandi sighed and looked at him disapprovingly, her face growing warmer. Tim teased her often, sometimes it seemed to border on flirting. He didn't mean anything by them but part of her found she wished he did. Her face flushed at the predicament mentioned and she sat up, straightening her back and flipping her curly brown hair over her shoulder. Tim watched her, his eyes wandering over her. Her hair bounced behind her before stilling. Her back was straight and the top few buttons of her white shirt were undone and he could see some of the cuts from weeks prior healing. Her white shirt were tucked into her dark jeans that hugged her legs tightly and his hand itched at the memory of being pressed against her ass. Her hand was raised, flagging down the bar tender and she turned to Tim. His eyes snapped to hers.
"You owe me a drink by the way." Brandi told him matter of factly and he raised an eyebrow.
"I do, do I?" He asked her.
"Mhm." Brandi hummed and ordered two glasses of Jameson, neat. "I consider it my fee for you rooting around my back pockets." Tim chuckled at her and shook his head before draining the rest of his beer, pushing the bottle away from him. The bar tender came and dropped off their glasses of Jameson and Brandi lifted hers to him in a teasing cheers before sipping it, enjoying it. She was starting to feel warm, telling her she was close to a buzz. She'd need to be careful.
Brandi was pulled out of her thoughts as the two men on the stools next to her started raising their voices. She couldn't tell if they were angry or not and she peered over, trying to see if they should scoot down to avoid getting caught in a fight.
Tim sat there and watched her, drink in his hand, debating on the risk he was about to take. Brandi was a beautiful woman and quick with her wit. It was a bad idea and he wasn't one for being a trouble maker. Tim dug in his pocket for his wallet.
Not tonight. He told himself and slapped some cash on the bar, enough to cover the drinks and tip. Then he took the drink like a shot, shivering at the burning liquid running down his throat as a chill went up his spine.
"You wanna get out of here?" Tim asked Brandi. Her ears rang and her head snapped to him, her curly hair bouncing slightly, her dark brown eyes wide with shock. She couldn't think straight. Did he really? She floundered and stuttered, trying to even be able to formulate a word while her heart raced, beating wildly against her chest as adrenaline coursed through her. She almost felt high. Tim sat there, staring, waiting. Brandi wanted to answer him and shook herself out of her stupor. Tim's stomach sank as he realized his mistake and he set his glass on the bar and slid of the stool with a sigh, shoving his wallet back in his pocket.
"Ok." Brandi said quietly. Tim snapped his eyes to hers. They were still wide with shock and she nodded at him. "Ok." Brandi said again and knocked back her drink. She hopped off the barstool and looked at him. The two stood in silence, the loud ruckus of the bar around them was a faint hum in the distance as they stared at each other, unsure if the other would follow through. "Uhm." Brandi said breaking the silence and glancing towards the door. "Your place is closer." Brandi pointed out what was probably obvious to them both and her stomach tied itself in knots. Her voice was a little shaky and her usual confidence and casual air was slipping. Tim just nodded and motioned to the door, inviting her to walk ahead of him. Brandi walked out, Tim so close behind her and she wanted to scream at the anticipation. Her head was starting to swim and it had nothing to do with the alcohol. Step by step she walked out of the bar and the cooler air slapped her in the face, telling her just how flushed she was.
Before she knew it, she was walking up the steps to his apartment, his keys jingling in his steady hands has he unlocked the door and let her in first. She stepped in and found herself in the same apartment she was in weeks ago. Nothing had changed and she smiled at the familiarity. She heard fabric rustling as the door shut behind them and she turned to watch Tim shed his coat. He tossed it on one of the hooks and stuck his hand out to her.
"I can take your coat." He offered and she shed it, handing it off to him. She had left her bag in her truck, not needing it. Tim hung it and looked at her, shoving his hands in his back pockets. They just looked at each other.
Now what? The two of them thought to each other before laughing nervously, so quietly.
"Been a while?" Brandi asked him, her voice no louder than a whisper. He looked at her and then to the floor, a nervous grin splitting across his face.
"Uh, yeah." He nodded and looked at her. "You?"
"Yeah," She nodded, her grin as wide and nervous as his. He sighed and pulled his hands out of his pockets, slapping his thighs and rubbing them briefly.
"You want somethin' to drink?" He offered.
"Yeah," Brandi breathed. Their usual banter was missing and she found herself walking on eggshells, nervous, like she was a teen again. Tim moved to the kitchen, his movements precise and she marveled at how fluid and confident he seemed, but his voice gave him away. He didn't look it, but when he spoke, she could hear the nervousness clear as day. Brandi's hand wrapped around the glass and she clinked her glass against Tim's. They both took a sip, hoping the drink would make it a little easier. It didn't seem to work and Brandi knocked hers back. Tim followed suit and poured them both another glass. They tried to find something to say, to break the silence, but just ended up drinking their glass. Tim poured them one more drink and Brandi wasted no time, knocking it back, begging for some liquid courage. What the hell was she so nervous about? He invited her over. She pressed her hands together, nervous, trying not to shake. She found it difficult to look at him. She giggled to herself. "You think I'd be less nervous." She started and glanced at him before looking down at his chest. "Seeing as you'd already got my shirt off before." Tim let out a breath of humor and she could see his chest rise and fall. He was less than an arm's length away but Brandi wanted to pull him in closer.
"And I do think I've paid the feel to put my hands in your back pockets." Tim teased her and she giggled and nodded, bringing her eyes back up to him. They smiled nervously and she licked her lip. The tension was killing her. Brandi stood there, staring at him and he stepped forward. Her heart took off again and she stared at his full lips. Her head was swimming and she couldn't tell if it was the booze or adrenaline. Tim set his glass down and let it his hand slowly float to her hip. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply and she could smell him, a mix of his cologne and sweat mixing in a way that just about drove her crazy. She opened her eyes and he was inches from her. She looked up at him, her eyes almost begging. Tim leaned in slowly, inch by inch and Brandi let here eyelids drop, letting her lips part ever so slightly, ready for him to kiss her.
Brandi could feel his breath against her lips when the tension was broken by Tim's cellphone ringing loudly, startling both of them. Tim snapped away from her and Brandi yelped at the sudden noise. Tim pulled out his phone and looked at it before looking at her.
"It's Art." He said, clearing his throat. "I uh, gotta take it."
"Yeah, yeah." She nodded, understanding and he stepped away, moving towards the living room. Brandi grabbed the bottled and poured herself the equivalent of two glasses. She could hear Tim talking to Art in the other room and she drank her drink quickly, taking large gulps of the burning liquid, emptying the glass. She set it on the counter along with her phone and keys. She ran her hands through her hair and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before exhaling a long sigh. Brandi shook her head and could feel the tingling of inebriation already kicking in. She slowly left the kitchen and hovered in the entry way of the living room.
"Yeah, I will." Tim sighed, facing the window. "G'Night, Art." He ended the call and Brandi watched his back as he tossed the phone onto the couch. "Shit." He sighed to himself, running a hand through his hair before standing there, hands on his hips and head hung. Tim closed his eyes and shook his head to himself before turning to face Brandi, one hand staying on his hip, the other running over his face. "Just wanted to make sure I was alright."
"He worries a lot." Brandi offered quietly with a small smile. Tim raised his eyebrows briefly and nodded, turning to face her fully. Brandi stepped forward slowly and he shifted his weight to one foot and both of his hands rested on his hips. He struggled to look at her and settled for glaring at the phone. "It's late." He pointed out. "If you uh, need to go..." he trailed off. Brandi paused. He was giving her a way out, the gentleman.
"Do you want me to?" She asked him, her voice steadier than she felt. Tim looked at her and breathed. He shook his head.
"No."
That was all Brandi needed. She took the last few steps to him, her hands gently taking his face and pulling him too her. Brandi kissed him and felt him freeze for a moment, taken aback by her sudden courage. Brandi started to lean away, but Tim followed her, kissing her back and his arms grabbing her hips, pulling her even closer. Brandi sighed into the kiss and let her fingers run through his hair. Tim moaned into her mouth at the sensation and she let her hands trail slowly down his neck and shoulders. He felt her fingers running down his chest and over his stomach. Brandi tugged his shirt up wards and guided it up. He let her go for a minute to pull the shirt off the rest of the way, tossing it onto the chair behind him. Brandi stared in awe at his exposed chest and her head spun. Her gentle fingers grazed over his chest and she licked her lips. Tim watched her for a moment.
"Oh, fuck me." Brandi sighed, giving in to her raw desire.
"Yes, ma'am." Tim smirked and wrapped her arms around her and guided her to the bedroom, kissing her all the way there. The two stumbled over each other, clumsily tugging at various items of clothes as they stumbled into the dark room. They didn't stop to turn on the light, the light from the street lamps casting their yellow glow into the room. Brandi didn't bother unbuttoning her shirt and just pulled it over her head while kicking off her boots. Tim bent over to yank off his own work boots, tossing them aside before reaching for the blankets, pulling them out of the way.
He reached for his belt but stopped when he saw Brandi shimmying out of her dark jeans, backlit by the light from the windows. He watched her silhouette as she stepped out of them and kicked them aside. She stood there, naked and decided she was tired of waiting. She kissed him again and her hands fumbled with his belt for a minute before she had it undone. She broke the kiss and tried to shove his jeans off him, her nails scratching him. He chuckled under his breath and let his hands slide up her back, reaching her bra.
"Easy there, slow down." Tim teased her, whispering against her lips. She let out a frustrated sigh and Tim undid her bra. She leaned back to finish taking it off and Tim took the opportunity to push her gently to the bed. She sat and scoot back, Tim following closely, hovering above her. He paused for a moment and looked at her. Her brown eyes seemed dazed with lust and her lips were lush.
He ran a thumb over them before leaning down and kissing her. He pressed himself against her, careful not to press against her ribs and Brandi moaned into the kiss, spreading her legs, letting him rest between her legs and gripping his hips with her thighs. Tim rubbed against her and she sighed at the friction. Her hands grabbed at his back, holding him close. He continued to grind against her for a moment, letting her coat him before sitting up, her hands resting on his lower back and her nails digging into his skin as he slid into her. Tim slid in slowly and Brandi's eyes went wide, jaw dropping, face tight in pleasure. He continued in as her head tilted back and she arched, taking him deeper. She moaned and rocked against him as he slid in fully, burying himself deeply inside.
"Fuck." She gasped and Tim felt her tighten around him. Brandi gasped, just feeling him throb inside of her. "Tim, please." She pleaded and he smirked, leaning down and kissing her as he pulled out and slid back in fully, making her moan again. Tim slid in and out of her slowly at first, moaning against her lips as he felt her pulse around him. He felt her breasts against his bare chest and he broke away from her lips, moving to kiss her chest. He was careful not to agitate the cuts and abrasions and kissed her skin gently before gently biting the unbroken skin of her breasts.
A desperate sound came from her mouth at the feeling of his teeth on her skin and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer. Tim began to pick up the pace and thrust in and out faster and faster. His teeth released her chest and he hovered above her, watching her face as she bounced against his hips. Her breathing quickened and her hands reached for his face again as she began to pant.
"Tim...Tim." She started to pant and he pumped faster as she tightened around him. Her jaw dropped and she let out a long moan as he rode her through her orgasm. Brandi panted as she came down from that high and closed her eyes as he continued to fuck her. Her head swam and her hands slid to his shoulders bracing herself as she felt the tension of another orgasm building in her.
"Oh my god." She breathed and opened her eyes again and looked into his blue eyes. Tim panted above her and she pulled him closer, licking and biting his chest. She smiled against the skin of his chest as a moan escaped him. Tim wrapped one arm behind her, holding her close and burying his head against her neck. Her arms wrapped around him, holding him close as he pumped in and out, pushing them both closer and closer to that bliss. Brandi tightened and tensed as she came again.
"Tim!" She cried out and panted, dragging her nails across the skin on his back. He growled and bit her neck, making her all but scream and he fucked her through her orgasm and into his own. With a long, almost pained sounding groan, Tim pulled out at the last second, finishing on his sheets, groaning deliciously, his head dropping into her chest and Brandi could feel some of it hitting her thighs. They sat like that, panting for a moment before Tim rolled to the side, his arm still under her and Brandi shifted her head onto his shoulder. They lay there, feeling each other next to them and Tim ran a hand over his face. Brandi curled against his side, breathing him in. Her eyes drooped closed as her head rose and fell with his chest. She let out a long exhale and the room that was at one point filled with pants and desperate cries was filled with silence. Brandi tried to think of something to say, but her head felt like it was full of cotton. She got that hit, that rush of adrenaline and hormones, and now her body was relaxing against another and without meaning to, she slipped into sleep.
Tim heard her breathing slow and he glanced down at the woman on his chest. He smiled to himself and let a hand run through her hair. Her long slow breathing told him she had fallen asleep. He carefully reached for the edges of the blankets and pulled them up and over them. Work was bound to be a little more complicated.
Brandi wasn't sure when she fell asleep or how long she slept for, but she was startled awake by the sound of a heavy door closing. She bolt upright, adrenaline pumping through her to run. Her head pulsed and her mouth felt dry. She felt the blankets fall from her and she looked down at her bare skin and looked at the man next to her who hadn't stirred. Brandi rubbed her face, disoriented and remembering where she was. Her stomach dropped dangerously and her eyes stung.
This was a mistake.
Brandi pushed the covers away from her and as badly as she wanted to lay back down and rest her head against his chest and fall asleep curled against him, the urge to run was a greater force and she pulled herself out of the bed. the cool air chilled her and she shivered and started picking up clothes off the floor, trying to figure out what was hers and what wasn't. She pulled on her bra and shirt and grabbed her socks, stuffing them into her boots until she could find her bottoms. She searched everywhere and couldn't find her underwear.
"What's wrong?" Tim asked and she jolted, startled. Tim sat propped up on his arms as he took in the sight of her getting dressed. "You leaving?" He asked her, a sigh escaping through his nose.
"I uh.." Run away. Brandi cleared her throat and went back to looking. She heard Tim start to climb out of bed and decided to cut her losses. She needed to go. She didn't know why, but she needed to go. Brandi yanked on her jeans and grabbed her socks, just shoving her feet into her boots and left the bedroom without a word to Tim.
I made a mistake.
She told herself over and over it was a mistake as she looked in the kitchen, grabbing her keys and phone.
"Hey, wait!" Tim called as he ran from the bedroom in his jeans. "Brandi!" He called to her as she yanked on her coat.
"I gotta go." She told him, avoiding his eyes, not even turning to face him.
"It's late, just stay." He tried to reason with her. She looked at the clock on the stove. It was just about 5 in the morning. She'd be waking up soon anyway and the reasonable thing would be to stay. She shoved her phone into her pocket. Run away.
"I gotta go." She whispered and unlocked the door, stepping out and jogging away, down the steps and to her truck. Tim let her go and shook his head. He let the door swing shut and he swore to himself, running his hand over his face.
What the hell did I do?
Brandi sat in her truck as tears ran down her face. She was rolling down the highway and wiping away the tears.
"Fuck." She cussed to herself in her truck. "Why did I do that?" She whispered into the dark as her headlights illuminated the road before her, the earliest bits of morning traffic already starting to pass her on the other side of the road.
Why didn't I stay?" She asked herself. What the fuck is wrong with me? Why did I run? Nothing was wrong, but you had to go and screw it up! It was nothing! Just blowing off steam, so why are you making such a big deal out of this?
Brandi criticized herself all the way home and barely remembered the trip. She pulled up to her house and sat there, crying, hating herself for leaving him like that. She had a knack for screwing things up and this time there was no one to clean up her mess.