Chapter Four
Connor raced out of the building after Faye, hoping he would catch her before she disappeared and left him alone.
The streets were fairly empty. It was still early and the winter chill still hadn't left the city. Instead, it had burrowed more deeply into the core of the city as the temperatures continued to fall. Anyone not at home was either holed up in work, a store, or in a car. Faye's were the only footfalls on the pavement.
She gasped as Connor appeared next to her soundlessly. She shot him a glare, forgetting that he couldn't see it.
"So," he said, rubbing his hands together to keep them warm, "where are we going and why? Does it have anything to do with that note?"
"Your powers of observation are astounding." She rolled her eyes. "It has everything to do with the note. It was from the lead detective at the police department; they have a bounty for me to track down."
"Is that how it always works? Don't you usually just get assignments in your mailbox?"
Faye paused to consider this, then shrugged. "I guess, usually, but it's not unheard of for the P.D. to contact us more directly, especially if they need a rushed response. This is how everything works. When there's any sort of crime, and believe me, they're more frequent than anyone would like, the police department is first on the scene. Typically you've got one or two cops, maybe a detective if the crime is beyond commonplace. For serial cases or stuff involving drug cartels and the like, you get "upstairs" involved. That means everyone."
She stopped at a corner, waiting for traffic to clear. Connor stopped next to her, mulling over all that she had told him.
"And who do you mean when you say everyone?" Even though he couldn't see her, he could picture the look she was giving him. He sighed. "You know what I mean."
"I mean, forensic labs, specialty detectives, F.B.I., the works. But that rarely happens; I can only remember seeing the bomb squad once. Anyway, regardless of the crime level, if the police department is running short (which the almost always are), they call us. We get all the information they have on the bounty, and we track them down and bring them in."
"That's all you do? Find and arrest people?"
"What did you think 'bounty hunting' means? Look, if we weren't around, this town would be much more of a mess than it already is."
"I don't dispute that; don't worry."
He smirked, and Faye sighed, shaking her head. They kept moving, heading further into the heart of the city. Connor stopped as they passed a local convenience store, head tilted to one side and listening carefully. Behind the front counter, a clerk was pulling money out of the cash register while a man stood in front of him, shouting and waving a gun.
Connor turned to enter the store, but Faye smacked him in the back of the head and continued on, unperturbed. Connor froze, processing what just happened. He jogged to catch up with Faye, incredulous.
"What was that? Why didn't you stop? Couldn't you see that man was being robbed? I thought you were a cop. What are you doing?" He paused and rubbed the back of his head. "And why did you hit me?"
She stopped and rounded on him, staring up into his face. "I am not a cop! I never was, and I never will be. There is a huge difference between policing and hunting, and if you can't understand that, then there is no point in me attempting to train you." She glowered. "And I hit you because you deserved it."
Connor raised an eyebrow but followed after her as she spun on her heel. He checked over his shoulder in time to see the robber leave the convenience store, a canvas bag clutched in one hand.
"Look, can't we at least call the cops then? That man just got robbed!"
"Ok, ok. Fine." She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the police department. A cheery receptionist answered, and Faye grimaced. "I'd like to report an armed robbery on 12th, near State Street. Yes, thank you." She clicked the phone closed and turned to Connor. "There, are you happy now?"
He shrugged, but Faye could see a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
As they moved through the city, Connor fell in behind Faye, finding it easier to follow her erratic movements from behind rather than from the side. He was grateful for the biting cold and the lack of people on the streets; had there been crowds he would have lost Faye within a block.
Lost in thought, Connor didn't notice when Faye came to an abrupt stop on a street corner. He walked into her, almost knocking her to the ground. She whirled around and found herself staring at his chest. Cursing her short stature, she titled her head back to glare up into his face. It didn't matter to her that he couldn't see her; glaring made her feel better.
Faye turned around, heading back the way they had come, then turned around again. Connor listened closely as Faye wandered back and forth, her movements uncertain. He picked up on her distress.
"Sorry, do you really know where we're going?"
Coming to a stop, Faye slumped. "Well…I thought I did. I mean, I know generally where we're headed, but I haven't actually been to the detective's office. Ever."
Connor started to laugh, but the sound caught in his throat at Faye's complete silence. To him, the tension was almost palpable.
"Faye? What's wrong? There's something you aren't telling me."
"Look, we're just in a really bad part of town, okay? And…I'm not exactly welcomed among the criminals who inhabit this place." She failed to mention that she had been here two weeks before, when she lost the bounty. She scanned the deserted streets anxiously in case the man was hanging about but saw no one.
Eventually, paranoia got the best of her and she set off randomly. Connor hastened after her, the question on his lips. She answered before he had a chance to ask.
"No, I do not know where I am. We're just going to have to wander blindly for a while until I start recognizing street names." Suddenly realizing what she had just said, she added, "Well, not blindly, just…I meant–"
"I know, I know. Forget about it."
They walked and walked, the silence pressing in on them like imprisoning walls. A few streets away, a gunshot cracked through the stillness like a knife, and Faye jumped. She almost jumped again when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder, but when she turned, it was only Connor behind her. He lowered his hand without acknowledging any sort of contact, and they continued on, unknowingly moving deeper and deeper into the heart of the city.
Presently, Connor became aware of noise and activity. He could hear people moving about and the roar of car engines fighting the debilitating cold.
"Can you hear that?" he asked, moving toward the sounds.
"Hear what?" She quickened her stride, suddenly behind Connor instead of in front of him.
"The people," he replied. "Do you recognize any of this?" He waved his arm in front of him, encompassing the busy city center.
Faye frowned, still not entirely familiar with her surroundings, but then a sigh of relief escaped her lips.
"Connor! Come with me, this way."
She led him over to a street corner sectioned off by yellow police tape. A crowd had gathered at the edge of the tape, and attempts by police officers to remove the onlookers had been unsuccessful. Faye wound her way through them, waving her badge in front of her. One of the officers let her under the tape but barred Connor from entering.
"Oh, he's with me."
The officer folded his arms over his chest. "No badge, no entry! My orders are clear."
"But he doesn't have a badge! He's in training."
"Like I said, no badge, no entry."
"Fine. I'll only be a few minutes anyway. Then I'll have a nice little chat with your supervisor about obstructing a multi-departmental case."
The officer paled, but Faye had already turned and rushed over to the detective, who was busy scribbling on a clipboard. A man was being loaded into an ambulance, screaming and thrashing about. The paramedics were doing their best to restrain him before he caused himself further injury, but he wasn't cooperating.
"What's the matter with this guy?"
"Hatchett! I didn't expect to see you here."
"You didn't? I thought you had bounty information for me."
"Nah, no bounty here. This genius over here decided he was going to kill himself, but he only jumped from the second story window. Landed on his feet and would have tried again if his leg wasn't shattered. He made such a racket that a neighbor called us in."
"But, I thought – why aren't you at your office?"
"I just told you! I've been here for almost an hour now, piecing this mess together and collecting statements from the neighbors. This guy's a nut. You should hear some of the stunts he's pulled…"
"I'd love to detective, but I have something I really need to do."
"All right, I'll be seeing you then, Hatchett."
"Bye detective. Oh, wait, would you mind giving me directions back to the Bounty Hunters' Headquarters? I'm not really that familiar with this part of town."
"I should have known…you've always been trouble!" She folded her arms, but the detective winked at her, laughing. "I'm just messing with you, kid. Head back that way, take your first right, then third left. Keep going straight for a couple blocks and you should be able to find your way back from there."
"Okay, thank you! And good luck with that lunatic you've got there!"
The detective rolled his eyes and waved her away. Faye ducked under the police tape, flashing a grin at the officer still standing there. He grimaced as she brushed past him and grabbed Connor by the sleeve. He protested, but she didn't let him go.
"Wait, wait wait wait."
Faye came to a stop and whirled around to face him, a glint in her eyes. "Connor, I don't have time for this. We need to get back to headquarters, and we need to get back now!"
She grabbed his sleeve again and set off down the street the detective had indicated, dragging Connor along behind her.