Tim and Raylan managed to make it to the Waffle house in Plaquemines Parish for dinner unscathed to meet with US Deputy Marshal Mark Cafferty. Cafferty had offered to introduce the Kentuckians to the Lidet family. Presumably to help convince them that Clare won't face any charges.
"Nice hat," first words from Cafferty's mouth post-introductions to Raylan, to Tim, "You the Ranger? Thanks for not shootin' Clare. She's a good girl."
Tim nodded, "Sure. Um, anything we should know?"
"The Lidets are solid folk. Only Paul's side of 'em left really, least here. Clare's brother Chris is still in New Orleans," he pronounced it N'awlins," Danny's in Virginia with Naval Intelligence now, Jackie's still in Maine, and Cam's studyin' jellyfish or sumthin' in Florida. Ever since she found her daddy bleedin' to death in the kitchen, Clare was gonna be a doctor. She went up to see her mama's family in Lexington for med school. Lidets don't like the Sullivan's, probably 'cause the money,' but they loved Maggie. Bein' fair, everybody who knew Maggie loved her."
"I'm sorry. Jump back a bit. Found her daddy bleedin' to death?" Raylan asked.
"She came home from Tulane one weekend to find Jack bleedin' from a gut shot in the kitchen. A drug runner he'd pulled in, state hadn't made the case, released him. He shot Jack in revenge for catchin' him, Clare came in, he fired at her, and she shot him with her daddy's rifle. That not in her file?" Cafferty seemed confused.
"Most of it was, Raylan's new to the case," Tim said, "That he wasn't dead when she'd arrived, that wasn't mentioned."
"How old was she?" Raylan asked.
"Nineteen maybe. She was almost thru with her undergrad. She finished school early cuz she worked ahead when Jack sent her to military school-"
"For hitting the IA officer before he lost his job. That was in there. But-"
"Sometimes things get overlooked. Shame. I knew the family, her when she was lil. Knew the charges were shit, but-"
"Not like we're in position to help with that," Tim offered finally.
"You as good a shot as they say, Tim? Why didn't you shoot her?"
"Honest? I did wing her, graze on her arm," he showed the location on his own upper arm, "but she never gave me a clean shot. Spent a third of it up trees to tryin to sight her but your girl-"
Cafferty grinned, "Clare's a goodun', when she was about fifteen she was in the car and Jack and Paul were in a bar chasing a jumper. Guy lights out the back and Clare's outta the car chasin' him thru the swamp there. It's 10 at night and she runnin' after him. Tackles him, twists his arm, and just sits on him waitin' for Paul and Jack. Jack was the proudest papa, 'long as she couldn't hear. He tore her a new one for leavin' that car, but he was so pleased she could handle herself."
"She can do that."
Raylan glanced at Tim over his steak and eggs, "Tell me, what did ya'll think of Tim's story of her escape?"
Cafferty smiled apologetically, "Thought she slept with him and left him handcuffed to a tree, honest."
"Everyone does," Tim nodded, sipping his coffee.
"Mark, these your colleagues from Lexington?" A large, hairy Cajun came in saying. "Which one was the one lil' Clare left in the woods?"
Tim raised his hand.
"Were a Ranger, weren'tcha?"
"Sniper in Afghanistan," he confirmed ruefully.
The Cajun tilted his head, "Thank you for not killin' my niece, soldier. And for your service," he offered his hand for Tim to shake.
"Paul Lidet, Deputies Raylan Givens and Tim Gutterson. Boys, Clare's Uncle Paul," Cafferty smiled, "Paul, these boys have news."
"Mr. Lidet, charges against your niece have been dropped. And the price on her head has shot up to half a million dollars. We're here to offer her protection," Raylan said.
"What does 'charges have been dropped' mean?"
"Colin Stark, the computer tech implicated in the scam, in his deal he admitted to framing Dr. Lidet because he thought Sullivan money would save her anyway," Tim said. "The AUSA has agreed not to pursue the escape, she's clear on everything. Brian Sullivan is arranging for her to finish her residency. The Ducati is still in working condition at her grandparents' place. Protective custody and she's golden."
"Huh. That does seem nice and clean," Paul skeptically. "Might even wanna start lookin' for her."
"Do you mean to say you haven't looked for your niece in three years?" Raylan asked.
"'Course not. Clare wouldn't run without a reason," Lidet looked at Raylan like he was fresh off the short bus.
Tim stepped in, "The deal is solid, and we do need to find her for her own safety, Mr. Lidet."
"Mr. Lidet, do you know anyone that could use an off-the-books doc?" Raylan asked.
"'Round here. Everybody," Lidet said, sitting next to Cafferty. "Glad to hear Jack's bike is good, though. Important bike, Jack and Maggie eloped on that bike. It's a good bike."
"He gave her the same bike," Cafferty asked. "His baby girl?"
"Maggie, that's Clare's mama," Paul clarified for the Kentuckians, "she used to say a woman only knows what she wants at 3 times in her life.' When she's 6, she wants a pony. When she's 16, she wants a boyfriend with a motorcycle. And when she's 36, she wants her biological clock to shut the hell up'." He leant towards the Marshals, "My Laurel confirmed that last with my youngest, Jerry. So, Jack figured his baby girl, as she was Maggie's baby girl too, and Maggie run off with him only knowin' him a couple of days. Their daughter-"
"Oughta get her own motorcycle," Raylan finished, "Seems a solid 'Dad' thought, put like that."
"Exactly. So, it's good to know her daddy's bike's alright. Important history."
Raylan slipped a business card out, "On the off chance, you do look for her and find her, though. Please let her know the good news and that we come in peace."
Tim watched Paul tap the card on the table. Watched the little boy, in the orange shorts, at the counter, run out at speed. Watched the little boy pause at the door and notice him noticing him. He grinned at Tim before darting out. Taking another sip of his coffee, he appreciated that the kid at least looked both ways before running across the parking lot.
They finished dinner and Raylan and Tim were left to go to the Sleep Inn, where they were booked.
Except that Winona, or whoever Raylan was sleeping with this week, wasn't taking his calls and Tim was not of a disposition to turn down a drink after a day spent dwelling on his screw-up over different states. "What's she like?"
"Lidet? She's... I don't wanna say scary and makes me believe in psychics, but..." Tim nursed his beer and asked for another shot, "She's a little scary and, I think, a little psychic.
"She's scary?'Cuz the photo in the file, she was hot."
"She reads people, well, me."
Raylan paused to observe Tim. "Really? Huh. So..."
"Really didn't sleep with her."
"But it didn't go down like you said?"
"God, no, but I thought it was better not to dwell."
"Dwell on?"
Tim downed his shot and returned to his beer. "She and I talked and we fought. And then she escaped. It was a bit of a thing."
"You're a Marshal, she was a fugitive, arguing is par for the course."
"No, I meant fighting as in hand-to-hand. That's why women aren't really in Special Forces. Really hard to take a swing at someone you wanna fuck. Clare said it was biology, something about preserving the child bearers of the species."
"Clare? Now, she's Clare."
"I got her down on her back twice that night. Two opportunities for me just knock her out, handcuff her, and end the migraine. But I'd be on top of her and she'd just look up at me. Trusting. Not scared or smug or defiant. Or any reasonable expression I'd have no problem wiping off her face. Just...trust, like she knew it wouldn't happen... And I'd hesitate. She just short-circuited the wiring. Couldn't do it."
Raylan asked for two more shots, "So, you let her go?"
"Hell, no. She kept wrestling away and running when I hesitated. Finally handcuffed us together and dragged her back to the campfire she'd built while I was out. The concussion happened during one of the fights. I was tired by then."
"Woke up alone."
"She did leave a note," Tim finished his beer. "Still wish I had screwed her. I thought about it. Then I thought about bein' a Marshal. Then I kept picturing my CO's face, saying, 'you're re-enlisting 'cuz you fucked a fugitive, boyo!' Put me off every time."
Raylan smirked, "Guess Art is unaware of this hang-up that he should be grateful for."
"He's a little aware. He's just busy bein' your keeper."
Raylan nodded. "True."