"Live Your Life"
Author: carmen_085
Disclaimer: I do not own any "Rookie" Characters. All original characters are mine
WARNING: This story just like my last one is rough and raw, definitely not ABC material. Intermittent harsh language, violence, suicide, CHARACTER DEATH, and GRAPHIC 9/11 References. If any of this bothers you, you HAVE BEEN WARNED !
Author's Note: This is my sequel to "Sally in the Alley". If you have not read that story you may be a little lost for this one. Please read and review as always ! Another Western epic for our favorite couple !
Summary: The prairie sky darkened as the house came into view, deep in the backcountry of Montana. Lucy exhaled, they could do this…they had done it before, the three of them. They were here for the girl and her boy…and they wouldn't go back without them.
Chapter Four
Much like Lander, Seeley Lake had few options for overnight accommodations. The Wilderness Inn was like any roadside motel. Painted a dark green that had faded over time it almost blended right in with the pine trees that surrounded it. A few cars dotted the parking lot but overall the place seemed deserted. Initially Wallace had wanted to hunt down Durant, but it was getting dark and Tim had thankfully been able to talk him out of it. This was very rugged country, and stalking off in the dark getting themselves killed would help no one.
The mountain sky had faded to dark shades of orange and purple as Lucy hauled her bag out from the back of Wallace's truck. Both men were deep in conversation about the best method to go about doing things from here on out. Casting a glance in their direction, she slung her bag over her shoulder and slipped into the lobby. The guy behind the desk adjusted the antenna on his TV, as a cigarette hung loosely from his lips. Next to him a German Shepherd perked up on the floor, its ears at attention studying Lucy as the glass door slammed behind her.
"Help you?" Pulling her wallet out she offered the man a credit card.
"One room please. Can I just pay night to night ?"
Stubbing his cigarette in the ashtray he shrugged "Can do anything you want, darlin'." Sliding her a form he nodded his head. "You want one bed or two ?" She paused for a moment looking down at the floor.
"One bed." Despite the moment they just had in the car, Lucy doubted that the tall blonde would like them sharing a room much less a bed. He wanted it this way so this was the way it was going to be. Gathering her belongings she took the key the man handed her and gave him a nod before walking out. When she emerged from the lobby, Wallace's truck was gone. Her room was just a few doors down as she found 105 without much trouble. Slamming the door of the SUV, Tim met her gaze as he fiddled around with the bag on his shoulder.
"Where did Wallace go?" Tim pointed toward the road.
"Said he was going to scout a few things out." A concerned look came over Lucy's face as Tim was quick to add. "He's going to wait until tomorrow. We talked about it."
She nodded hesitantly as she slid the key into the door. "Alright." Meeting his eyes she offered him a sad smile. This could be so different right now….it should be so different right now. "Good night." Lucy disappeared into the dark room shutting the white door behind her. Through the sheer curtain she saw Tim stare for a moment before looking down at the ground. Nodding to himself she watched as his lips pulled into a dour line. Eventually, he slowly turned and walked into the lobby; she heard the bell tinkle as the door shut behind him. Exhaling she let her bag slip to the floor. He wanted it this way; she had come back to him just like she promised and he had slammed the door in her face.
The bed was hard, the sheets smelled like bleach, and the air conditioning unit rattled non stop. Lucy pulled the comforter up as she stared at the ceiling. She'd slept in worse places before.
2:00 AM glowed in red numbers as she rolled over for what felt like the hundredth time. Outside a car alarm began to whoop and wail and she jumped. She was so on edge, any hope of sleep seemed ridiculous. Staring at the ceiling she felt her heart race. She was beginning to realize that this was more than what she had bargained for…much more. Nyla told her…no Nyla had warned her that she would need to be on guard every single moment. Day and night; any lapse in vigilance could cost her life. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath.
She missed Tim. She missed him more than she ever thought she could miss a person. In her time undercover, Lucy came to believe one thing for certain. Everything she loved about being a cop involved Tim. It sounded pathetic on the surface, really pathetic. As if working with her boyfriend was the only reason she liked her job. But it was more than that, so much more.
It wasn't just being with him, it was what he taught her to be. If there was a problem they fixed it. If someone was being hurt they stopped it. If help was needed they gave it. They never backed down from anything and they saw everything through to the end. Police work was never black and white but being out on patrol was just so much simpler than this. She always knew where they stood. That was how Tim operated and it was what he taught her. And all of that was why Lucy loved being a cop.
Undercover was different. There was lying…so much lying. Bad people and worse people; ignoring people who needed help and colluding with those who were hurting them. Yes, it all served a bigger purpose and a greater good, and she knew that. But it just wasn't the same. It was complicated, messy, and underhanded. It went against everything she knew and everything he had taught her. It was thrilling and exciting, sometimes, but she never knew where she stood. She understood now what happened to Isabel. Any tiny crack in someone's resolve and this life would swallow you whole.
The clock glowed 3am as she sighed. She missed Tim so much, she missed her life with him, she missed just being cop. Laying there she wondered if he missed her just as much.
Closing her eyes, Lucy rolled over in bed. She had her answer now. He did miss her just as much as she missed him. Maybe he even missed her more. Wallace was right it was clear that he still felt something for her; what happened in the car today told her that much. And yet somehow this was all worse than if he just didn't give a fuck. It's not that it wasn't there, he just didn't want it anymore. Didn't want her anymore. A sob rose up in her throat as she quickly choked it back.
The drive from Seeley Lake to Missoula was only about an hour. The three of them crammed into Wallace's truck as they bounced down the highway. Going to Missoula had been Tim's idea, both the County and State Police had stations there. Seeley Lake did have a department but it was small and in Tim's opinion small departments nearly always suffered from conflicts of interest. They would go there eventually, but not just yet.
Wallace had initially wanted to institute a scorched earth approach and beat down every door until he found his sister and her son. While Tim could understand how he felt, he convinced him that there was a better way of doing things; a way that made sure they all came home alive. Sipping her coffee Lucy sat between the two of them as she stared out at the endless road.
"When did you get back last night ?" Lucy had noted that Wallace left the motel and then reappeared this morning with three coffees in hand.
"I didn't." Taking a long sip of his own coffee he placed the Styrofoam cup back in the holder. "I can't think in a place like that. I slept under the stars." If it were anyone else Lucy would think that comment strange but not Wallace. The man had a superhuman connection with the earth. A smirk played across his lips as he cast a glance toward them. "I'm sure my pine needle bed was more comfortable than the shit mattresses you slept on." Lucy couldn't argue that.
The truck banked to the left down a steep mountain pass as Lucy felt herself slide toward Tim on the leather seat. There was nothing to brace herself against as her body was pressed against his in an instant. He was warm and everyplace they touched she became warm. Warm and safe. That was how he made her feel. How he had always made her feel; even long before the day they found Isabel behind that dumpster. The truck straightened out but neither of them moved. Lucy bit her lip, flicking a gaze toward him. For most of the trip he had been staring out the passenger window, but now his eyes were closed and his face was relaxed.
Seeing this had the opposite effect on Lucy as she felt anger begin to boil inside her chest. If he wanted this….wanted her….still needed her like the look on his face so clearly said, then why wasn't he with her ? Why did he slam the door in her face? Why was he with someone else right? Scooting herself back to the middle position, Lucy forced her eyes forward. Out of the corner of her vision she saw Tim turn his head slightly toward her before resuming his stare back out the window.
"Explain to me again why we're driving fifty miles out of our way right now?" There was no bite behind Wallace's tone, and Lucy thought that maybe he was just trying to break the tension in the air.
"Small police departments are prone to corruption. Somebody always knows somebody. If this family lives outside the law like you say someone is making sure it stays that way." He paused, shrugging his shoulders. "Could be the whole department just doesn't want to deal with them or can't deal with them. Seeley Lake probably only has one or two guys on at a time. Not very good odds when going against a clan of outlaws."
"At the very least someone could tip off Durant that you're here looking and he'll take off with Emily and Christopher before we even get to them." Lucy added, agreeing with what Tim was saying even though she wouldn't given him the satisfaction of knowing it.
Wallace had to admit that it made sense even though his fingers were itching to be wrapped around the trigger of his AR right now. Did he want to kill Durant? He wanted him gone; away from Emily and Christopher forever. If that meant that he had to kill him well then so be it. He'd done it before, he would do it again.
The Missoula County Sheriff's Department was located in an orange brick building with manicured lawns on either side. Wildflowers grew in a bed near the entrance as Lucy followed Tim and Wallace through the glass doors. While Montana was rugged and wild, Missoula was a modern city with all the amenities one would expect to find. A small city but still a hamlet of civilization nonetheless.
A blonde woman sat behind the desk wearing a black uniform shirt and khaki pants. Seeing the three of them she looked up and smiled warmly. "How can I help you folks ?"
Tim stepped in front taking the lead. "Hello I'm Tim Bradford, this is my partner Lucy Chen, LAPD." He flashed the badge and Lucy followed suite although her mind was still tripping over the word partner. My partner. She wondered if he meant to say it. Casting a glance toward his face it remained blank and cordial. "We're here looking for a family named Durant who live up near Seeley Lake."
The woman's gaze didn't falter and much to Lucy's amusement she didn't seem all that impressed by their LAPD credentials. Continuing to smile at Tim she reached for the phone dialing a number. "Sgt Brian O'Malley handles all of our Northern Territories. He'll be out shortly." Tim nodded.
"I don't think she cared about you dropping the LAPD card…." His gaze wandered to Lucy as she smirked, "Just sayin'." He stared at her for a moment; this was something he had loved about her…still loved about her. Her ability to bust his balls, challenge him, and keep him honest. The corners of his lips tugged upward into a smirk. He really did miss her so damn much.
A man appeared from the hallway dressed the same as the woman behind the desk. He was probably Tim's age or older, both of his arms were tattooed, his face was worn, and he had a scar under his left eye; he was tough looking and gave the impression that this was not his first rodeo. Despite this, his eyes were kind and his expression was genuine. "You folks looking for someone up near Seeley Lake ?"
Again Tim took the lead, "Tim Bradford," pointing to Lucy, "My partner, Lucy Chen." Lucy's head snapped, he did it again. "LAPD." Showing O'Malley his badge the man nodded.
"My brother works for the LAPD; Kevin O'Malley. Alvarado Division." He smiled.
"No way. We work for Mid-Wilshire." The three of them spent the next few minutes determining if they had ever met each other before while Wallace began to look annoyed. Stepping forward he didn't hesitate to interrupt.
"Charlie Wallace." Extending his hand, O'Malley shook it. Tim could see the Sheriff looking Wallace over; apprising what sort of threat he posed. He couldn't blame him; he did it all the time himself. It was part of being a cop and part of what kept you alive out there. Wallace either didn't seem to notice or didn't mind as he didn't waste any time getting to the point. "My sister is married to a man named Jack Durant." Lucy didn't miss the look of knowing that passed over O'Malley's face. "Not long ago he took her and her boy and left Wyoming without saying goodbye. I asked around and I found out that they went to his mother's place near Seeley Lake." He stopped talking for a moment before forcing himself to sound as innocuous as possible. "I just want to make sure they're ok."
The cache of guns in Wallace's truck said otherwise but both Lucy and Tim kept their expressions blank. They knew what was at stake and why Wallace needed to do this his own way. O'Malley studied him for a moment before his gaze swept back to Lucy and Tim. "You're here on LAPD business or something more unofficial."
"Unofficial. Wallace is an old friend." O'Malley looked between the three of them before nodding.
"Let's go someplace else."
The conference room was white with a table in the middle and a collection of black chairs around it. O'Malley shut the door before pulling out a seat for himself. He was quiet for a moment before speaking, appearing to choose his words carefully. "About a year ago I went up to Seeley Lake. There's a logging site up there, not real big, maybe twenty guys. Local EMS called in an accident on the work site, logs broke off a flat bed and crushed a man. We went up started looking around, taking to people and found out that the deceased had a long standing feud with a family named Durant."
Lucy felt her chest tighten as she looked between Tim and Wallace who both seemed unsurprised. "It was over property lines. I found out two of the Durant brothers, John and Bill, worked at the logging company. Bill was operating the the lift when the logs let loose." O'Malley stopped, looked at them all, his gaze eventually settling on Tim. "I couldn't prove it was intentional. Could't find anyone who would say it was. Local department wasn't exactly helpful if you know what I mean." Tim nodded his understanding. He could had guessed that the local authorities were turning a blind eye. It was self preservation, pure and simple. They were outgunned and outmanned, and nobody wanted to die. "I looked into a few things around the area. Anyone who seemed to have a problem with these people turned up missing….turned up dead." His eyes roamed to Wallace where they stayed. "If they have your sister and her boy and you're looking to take them back, I would be ready for a fight." Wallace stared him right in the eye clearly undaunted by the idea.
"We're ready. We've done something like this before." O'Malley looked at Lucy blinking a few times not surprised by what she was saying.
"I'm sure you have. Otherwise you wouldn't be in a place like this looking to do what you are about to do." He regarded her seriously. "But you need to know that I can't help you and the local police won't help you; so whatever you have to do up there you'll be completely on your own."
When Wallace spoke it made a chill run down Lucy's spine, "We're better on our own."
Save for the static on the radio, the truck was silent as the three of them drove north. Wallace was pissed; Lucy could feel the tension radiating off of him. He was against going to Missoula, he thought it was a waste of time. He knew Emily and Christopher were in Seeley Lake; knock enough heads and he was sure to find them eventually. Tim was silent as he had been most of the trip thus far. He was an experienced cop and sometimes Lucy didn't even understand why he was doing something a certain way. A few times it didn't work out, but most of the times it did and she was sure in the end whatever his intuition was would pay off.
The tension in the truck was stifling and finally Lucy was going to do something about it. "We can't go back there like this…we need to get this all out, be on the same page." Wallace's hand flexed on the steering wheel as his jaw clenched.
"There's nothing to get out. I knew the local department was going to be useless. We went to Missoula to actually find someone who knew what was going on. Now we just need to figure out what the best way to do this."
Slamming the brakes on, Wallace swerved onto the side of the road. A cloud of dust kicked up behind them. Lucy slid forward in the seat as he jammed the truck into park and jumped out. Wallace walked down the berm of the road and out into the wide open prairie. He took a deep breath as he stared at the mountains in the distance; uttering something in Arapaho he begged his grandfather to give him patience in this moment. Opening the door, Tim slid out and he stood against the truck his arms crossed over his chest.
"We're wasting time right now." His words broke the otherwise abject silence; there wasn't another car in sight.
Wallace froze, his fists clenched at his sides. In an instant he turned around stalking toward Tim anger all over his face. "We've been wasting time ALL DAY ! We drove a hour for someone to tell us what we ALREADY FUCKING KNEW !"
Tim stared at him, the anger flickering in his own eyes. "We're being smart about this. Going off half cocked will only get somebody killed."
Wallace laughed although it was apparent that he found nothing funny. "Wow, that's rich coming from you."
Squinted his eyes, Tim took a step towards him. "How's that ?" Lucy bit her lip as she slid out of the truck coming to stand between the two men.
"This is not helping." They both glanced at her although it was clear they weren't moving until this was finished.
Narrowing his eyes at Tim, Wallace shook his head. "It hasn't been that long. Please don't tell me you forgot already…"
Lucy felt her heart sink.
Dark night. Empty road. Running. Him behind her.
Shaking the memories away she took a deep breath walking to the other side of the car leaving them to it. It was quiet as she stared at the open prairie surrounding them.
"Come on, Tim. You must remember. 'I'll call you when we leave, when we're heading up to the trailers.'" Wallace paused shrugging his shoulders. "Never got a call, though." Tim's eyes automatically averted to the ground. His mistrust of Wallace that night almost cost both him and Lucy their lives. It should have cost them their lives. But luck has been on their side. "Yeah…figured you didn't forget. So I guess it's ok for you to go off half cocked when it's about you. When you're trying to right a wrong against someone you loved."
Lucy slid down the side of the truck coming to rest against the driver's side wheel. Bringing her knees to her chest, she let her eyes close for just a second. There had to be a way to do this that was smart.
Wallace wasn't wrong and Tim knew it. Putting his hands on his hips he walked around in a circle trying to calm himself down. "This is my sister, man, and my three year old nephew. And this fucking animal has them both…doing God only knows what. I HAVE to find them."
"I know that and we WILL find them. And you're right, back in Wind River I was wrong." They met each other's gaze. "I was wrong and that's why this has to be different. We got lucky last time, we can't take the chance again."
High clouds rolled overhead as their shadows chased each other across the yellow prairie. "Then what do you propose we do?"
Tim was quiet. He didn't have any ideas; at least not any good ones. "I don't know…" Wallace let out a frustrated sighed as he shook his head. They had been in Seeley Lake for almost a day now and they still had no idea where to go or what to do. He wanted to scream.
"I have an idea. But you guys would need to trust me." They both turned to look at Lucy who had appeared from the other side of the truck with the hint of a smile on her face.
Standing outside of the Seeley Lake Police Department, Lucy took a deep breath. The building looked more like a log cabin than a police station, and couldn't possibly house more than a handful of officers. There was only one squad in the lot.
"If this doesn't work we're going to beat down every door in this shit town until we find them." Lucy looked at Wallace before giving him a reassuring nod.
"It's going to work…I promise." She hoped it would work. It was a good plan; it made the most of what they had, and presented their intentions in the least threatening way. He studied her face for a moment before nodding.
"Alright. Let's do it." Taking Lucy's hand into his own they walked up the stairs of the building. A small smirk came to his face, "Just for the record, though, if I did put a ring on your finger it wouldn't be that ugly ass thing."
Lucy looked down at the ring on her fourth finger. It was gaudy and cheap; she bought it at Kohl's on a whim. Just a funky boho piece to go with her collection. She thought she would wear it once or twice, and forget about it at the back of her jewelry box. Never did she think that it would save her life.
"It's how Tim found me…that day in the barrel. I slipped it off before…well you know before…and left it on the ground…" She trailed off. Next to her Wallace's shoulders sagged.
"I'm sorry." Lucy shook her head smiling a him as she looked at the ring thoughtfully.
"It's ok. It is pretty ugly…" Turning fully toward her Wallace appeared to be choosing his words carefully before he spoke.
"You don't need an ugly ring to remind you how strong you are." He saw her cheeks turn a shade of red before continuing. "Or to remind you that Tim will always find you." She looked up at him her lips parted slightly as her eyes glassed over.
"It's the only ring he ever gave me. I thought maybe one day he would take it back and give me something else…" Lucy exhaled feeling stupid for how childish she sounded right then. Like a little girl planning her wedding from a bridal magazine.
"He'll come around eventually. Hurt is one of the hardest things to get past. Once that wound isn't so raw, you'll find your way back to each other."
"Yeah." She said it quietly nodding.
Opening the door, Lucy washed any genuine emotion off of her face. She had done this before, play the part, it was very hard for someone like her who was incredibly in tune with her emotions. Holding onto Wallace's hand, she leaned into him as they approached the desk.
"Help you folks ?" The man behind the desk looked them over. He had dark hair, nearly black, and a clean shaven face. His uniform shirt was tan, his pants dark brown; he wore a tie and a star shaped badge. The name on his chest said Tucker. He looked them both over up and down; the corner of his lip curling ever so sightly. Lucy wasn't sure what put her off most about him; if it was the way he was sizing them up or the clear judgment and disdain in his eyes. Wallace had toned down his usually intimidating appearance for the trip wearing jeans and t-shirt; the majority of his hair tucked under a backwards baseball cap. Lucy, while not Arapaho, could easily pass as such with her dark skin and hair. There was no hint that she was a cop either, save for her chiseled deltoids, she looked like any normal girl wearing jeans and a tank top. But this guy wasn't looking at jeans, tank tops, or backwards Braves caps. He only saw one thing when he looked at them.
Two Reds.
Lucy kept her face impassive but her eyes narrowed. She was no stranger to someone seeing what color she was before seeing her; and yet it wasn't like this. This outward disdain before they even opened their mouths. So ironic considering this country belonged to Wallace and his ancestors before it belonged to racist white men. Fuck this guy.
If Wallace saw the way this prick was looking at them he didn't show it. Maybe he was just used to it. "Yes sir. We're passing through town on our way to Jackson Hole…we just got engaged !" A wide smile plastered across his face as he turned to look at Lucy lovingly. Shit…Wallace was good at this. Following his lead she leaned into his arm smiling dreamily as she thrust her hand across the counter.
"It was his grandma's ring…Isn't it beautiful !" Lucy gushed and swooned like pro. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the edges of Wallace's lip turn up in a smirk.
"Yes..It's real nice." The deputy looked at them expectantly. "Is there something you folks need ? You lost or something ?"
Or something.
Letting go of Lucy, Wallace leaned on the desk like he was about to tell the man a secret. "Actually we are looking for someone….you wouldn't happen to know where the Durant family lives ?" Lucy saw the cloud roll over the man's face and in that instant she knew the Tim had been right. The local department as dirty in one way or another.
"There's a few Durants round theses parts. Anyone specific you're looking for ?" His glare changed from judgmental to suspicious.
Wallace didn't falter though, his smiled remained warm and inviting, his voice even and cordial. "My sister ran off and married Jack Durant, they moved up here not long ago. Just wanted to drop in and share the good news." In an instant his smile faded and his voice lowered to a serious tone. "Wanted to make sure her and her boy are settling in ok too…" He trailed off but the implication was clear as the deputy's lips fell into a grim line.
"Well if you want to see your sister why don't you just give her a call? You folks must have a cell phone." Yeah, of course, why didn't they just call? Wallace was quick to cover.
"We tried but we have no reception." Looking over to Lucy he smiled like a teenager in love. "Baby just switched to T-Mobile and coverage is really spotty out here…" Looking back at the deputy, Wallace winked. "Trying to save money for the wedding and you know…everything that comes after." Lucy rolled her eyes and laughed playing along. Wallace was a fucking pro at this.
"It sucksssss…I haven't been able to post to Instagram in days." The deputy looked between them and shook his head, sighing.
"Tell you what…let me check into a few things and if I come up with an address I'll run it by the…" He paused waiting for them to supply where they were staying.
"The Wilderness Inn…" No harm in giving the real location; if he or anyone else wanted to come, let them. They would be ready for it.
"The Wilderness Inn." Lucy noted that he moved a pen on paper but wrote nothing down. Either he had a good memory or planned to be no help at all.
"On Highway 83." Wallace leaned against the counter pointing at the blank paper.
The deputy looked up, a disingenuous smile fading from his lips. "I know where it is."
Wallace didn't move as he stared at him silently. Finally Lucy broke the tension. "Come on babe, we wasted enough of his time." Tearing his eyes away, he offered a curt nod before waking toward the door without another word. Glancing over her shoulder, Lucy waved good bye, "Thank you !"
A hundred yards away in the trees, Tim stared through the scope of the AR. Behind the desk the Sheriff's Department was a window and through that window he had a clear view of pretty much every thing. The conversation didn't last long and he hoped that Lucy was right about this idea. Through the scope he saw the door open and the two of them walk out; nothing seemed amiss and they weren't in a rush. Exhaling a breath of relief he didn't know he was holding, Tim re zeroed his sights back on the window and the Deputy. He didn't know why this made him tense. Lucy had surely been in far more dangerous situations than this, and he knew for a fact that Wallace could handle himself and protect her if needed. But still….she was his partner. He was supposed to be the one standing there next to her in case anything happened. Taking a deep breath, Tim shook those thoughts away as he focused on what he was seeing.
Just as soon as the door to the building shut, he picked the phone up and pressed it to his ear. Interesting. Turning around, he looked out the window and for a second Tim thought that he saw him, but then he turned back around running a hand through his hair. This wasn't a bad idea, he had to hand it to Lucy, her and Wallace could definitely come off as an Arapaho couple and while Tim didn't fit into their cover story he had an even more important job.
The gray man.
The gray man was the unknown quantity. The unseen and the one who doesn't figure into the equation. It was an important lesson he taught Lucy her first week on the job.
The sun had just gone down as the street lights flickered on. He stared silently at Isabel's apartment building. What he was staring at he would never know. Did he expect her to come walking out with her bags packed asking him to take her home? Even thinking it he felt ridiculous. She was probably passed out right now, high as fuck. Running a hand through his hair, Tim sighed.
"Do you carry your gun off duty everywhere you go?" He paused looking around the shop like he was hearing voices.
"What ?" Next to him his rookie of two days, Lucy Chen, bit her lip. It was a dumb question and she knew it, and now she was forced to repeat it making herself look even dumber…if possible.
"Do you carry your gun off duty….like all the time?" Tim squinted his eyes looking at her.
"Of course I carry my gun off duty. Leaving the house without it would be like leaving without my pants on." Lucy looked away, here came the part where he made her feel like an idiot. "What kind of question is that ? Didn't they teach you anything at the Academy?" Yep….dumb.
She sat silently as he resumed his vigil on Isabel's door. He could hear her licking her lips as his stomach sank. Here came another question; full of questions this one.
"Yeah but it's kind of big…to you know…hide." Tim exhaled with frustration.
"So get something smaller. You're a cop now and that doesn't end when you punch out at night. The public's safety is your responsibility; 24/7, 365. It's part of that Oath you took….remember that." Lucy was beginning to see a pattern with Tim. Most lessons started with exasperation, mellowed with a brief moment of advice, and then finished with an insult or two.
She was quiet again thinking of the prospect of buying another gun already. Tearing his eyes away from the building, Tim glanced at her briefly before letting his shoulders sag as he relaxed back into the seat. He was taking out how he felt about Isabel on her, and she didn't deserve that. Yes she was stupid and he was annoyed by it but it was her second day and he was supposed to be teaching how not to be stupid. It was his job as a TO and his sacred duty on these streets. "Listen, when you carry off duty you want to be the gray man. Do you know that that means ?"
Lucy shook her head. They did very little training in the academy regarding off duty carry or drawing your weapon from concealment.
"It means that you don't advertise yourself as a cop when you're off duty. Keep your head down, mind your business, watch from a far. You have to be casual, unassuming, non-threatening. It isn't like being in uniform; you don't have that presence, you don't have the instant connection to back up. Make them think you're just some girl who's getting an iced coffee, carrying a yoga mat, or checking her Instagram. Someone they wouldn't think twice about. The gray man is the unknown quantity; the one thing that doesn't factor into the plans. Be the gray man until you can't and then make sure they know you're a fucking warrior…ready to shut their shit down."
Lucy stared at him. Tim Bradford was the living epitome of the gray man, the unknown quantity. He was so much more than what met the eye; so much more than exasperated sighs and snide insults. He was a good man and a good cop. The ghost of a smile played across Lucy's lips as she nodded at him. He was gong to make her one hell of a cop.
She was one hell of cop, and honestly he couldn't take credit for much of that. She had always been and was always going to be amazing all on her own. Lucy and Wallace got into his truck and sat for a moment before driving away. Pulling the scope away, Tim took moment to blink his eyes. He was going to stay here for a little while and watch, see what happened next…see if someone here could lead them right where they wanted to go.
Once the doors of Wallace's truck were shut Lucy let herself exhale as she looked at him in disbelief. A smirk crossed his lips. "What ?"
"You're a pro at this." He laughed a little turning the key.
"It's not hard when you don't care about the person you're lying to." He paused as they pulled out. "And you care a lot about the person you're lying for." He was right; he was always right when it came to sage, earthy wisdom.
Lucy nodded in agreement, "Lying is one thing…delivery is another. He knows them; I could see it on his face."
Wallace shrugged not overly hopeful. "He has until sundown to bring us something. After that we're going to find them."
Sudden movement at the building caused Tim to bring the scope back to his face. The same deputy that had been on the phone emerged; walking quickly down the stairs jumping into the squad, and pulling out. That was quick. Letting the weapon hang by the sling on his neck, Tim pulled out his phone and texted Lucy.
'He's on the move.'
Looking down at her phone Lucy's eyebrows raised in surprise. "He's going somewhere, Tim just texted me. Wonder if we should double back and follow him."
Checking the mirrors Wallace shook his head, "Don't have to; look." Eyes darting to the right, Lucy saw a cruiser approaching them quickly.
Reaching into the glove box she pulled out her service piece quickly stuffing it under the seat for easy access. She'd left her LAPD badge and ID with Tim in the rental. Going through a quick list in her mind she found nothing else that needed to be hid. Would he have enough probable cause for a warrant to toss the car ? No. Checking the speedometer she saw they were well within the speech limit; he didn't even have a reason to pull them over. OK….they would be alright.
By the time she came back to the present, Wallace was already pulling the truck over. The red and blue lights flashing behind him. He sat quietly behind the wheel, watching the deputy through the rear view mirror. "If something tips off just run."
"What ? That's crazy." Lucy shook her head.
"I'm not leaving you and nothing's going to happen."
Wallace gave her a solemn nod. "Right but if it does. Run. Go back and find Tim."
Boots crunched on gravel. His reflection came closer in the mirror as Wallace rolled down the window. "Already come up with something for us ?" He smiled at the deputy who stood silently in the window. He wore dark glasses and in them, Lucy could see their reflection. Leaning into the window he let out a short, humorless laugh.
"I feel bad…I wasn't totally honest with you folks." His tried to appear non threatening although Lucy didn't miss the was his lip curled up in a sneer.
"And you pulled us over to apologize ?" They both laughed although neither found any of this funny.
"Well you see I do know Jack Durant…Emily…and the little rugrat." Wallace felt his blood begin to boil. Pointing to the name on his shirt he smiled big at them both. The kind of smile you give when you think you have the upper hand. "Name's Tucker but you see Ruby Durant is my sister; makes Jackie my nephew. We sure are glad to have him home." Wallace just hummed as he thought of all the ways that he would love to kill this man. "Anyway I called Ruby up and she'd love to have you both over for dinner tonight. Hope you like Pork Chops."
The fake smile on Lucy's face faded. They weren't going to run and they sure the fuck weren't going to hide. These people planned to stand their ground one way or another.
"Sound's great. What is the address?" Tucker stared at them for a long moment, the shit eating smile not wavering.
"Ah…shit you'll never find it. So many twists and turns. Say how's about you come back to the station around five and I'll take you there. Wouldn't be no trouble at all." Lucy did the math in her head; Jack Durant, his two brothers, the mother, and now the uncle. The odds weren't in their favor.
Wallace offered him a solitary nod. "Five o'clock."
Tucker pushed off the truck as he nodded. "Great. You folks drive safe now."
Lucy swallowed hard. Tim had been right all along. They were in deep here but just like the last time they wound't be going home without a fight.
TBC….
Please review
Real life Rookie is starting to get on my nerves. They gotta commit to Chenford or stop teasing !
