A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You are the fuel for my writing.
Chapter 17 – Showdown at the Not-So-OK Corral.
Go bag in hand, Mary grabs the car keys before Marshall registers that they were leaving. He shrugs to Stan and gets his gear and Stan's. He helps Stan shrug into his heavy winter jacket. Hurrying down the stairs, Marshall gets their bags in the trunk about the time Mary is starting to back out. Stan gets in the rear seat, and Marshall rides shotgun. They are all alert, scanning for tails.
Eleanor confirmed that someone using James Shannon's alias has been staying at a Paramus motel. That decides their first stop, Jinx Shannon's apartment. When they get to her mother's neighborhood, Marshall and Stan slide down in their seats, making sure their faces are obscured by knit hats and the hoods of their winter coats. It would be best if her watchers thought Mary was alone.
"Awww Stan. You look like Biscuit," Mary says in a sweet condescending voice. Stan was preoccupied with their mission, thinking about plans, safety, and Mary Shannon.
"What? Who is this Biscuit Inspector?"
"The stuffed bear I gave to my sister when she was little."
Marshall checks the rear view mirror and has to admit that Stan's quilted brown winter jacket and brown do make him resemble a stuffed bear. "Yeah, Stan, the fur sells it," he adds.
Marshall has been fitting the data into some sort of explanation. He still needs answers about today. "Your mother has been rescued. Why would you be going to her place?"
"To get her stuff. She can't leave in a hospital gown. The hospital records still show her as a patient." Mary's satisfied that for once, she is the one thinking things through.
"We know he's staying nearby. He's would expect me to help Jinx, bring her whatever she needs from home. He's watching."
"That does fit," Stan admits. "The question is will he follow you."
"He will because he wants to talk." Mary wasn't clear on what her father's motive was. She just knew he was looking for her.
They spend the drive going over the different aspects of Jinx's kidnapping and the attacks on Mary. Marshall thinks the SUV that hit her was the mob. Paddy's attack could be a crime of opportunity, especially given his connections to the king pin of human trafficking in the region. Before Mary is ready, they are in Paramus.
The apartment complex is built of red brick, with around 40 units. Once parked, Mary enters the lobby. Marshall is uncomfortable having Mary out of sight. He consoles himself knowing she usually knows what she's doing.
Mary's key opens the plain wood door with the peephole she insisted Jinx install. She hasn't been her for months."Thanks Ma for leaving stuff the way I remember." She finds the suitcase on her first try.
In the bedroom, Mary unzips the suitcase and paws through Jinx closet looking for warm weather clothing. She spots Jinx's jewelry box and adds it to the suitcase. Underwear, shoes, hairbrushes, a handful of cosmetics and she is finished. Mary has packed for herself, and her witnesses. She knows what works and doesn't spend any time debating what to take.
On her way out the door Mary spots a framed photo and picks it up. It's the four of them. Jinx is holding baby Brandi. James stands next to Jinx and Mary is next to him, holding onto his hand. Once they were a family. Mary unzips the suitcase and shoves it in. Jinx isn't a witness. She can be allowed this memory. Jinx's suitcase joins theirs in the trunk.
Next stop is a neighborhood bar near her sister's place. Mary walks in, looks around and orders sandwiches to go. She stays long enough to be noticed, hanging around the jukebox, watching the customers in its reflection.
As she leaves the bar, she scans the area. She opens the driver's door and says "Here. Lunch." Marshall has been watching out the passenger window. He scrambles to catch the sandwiches and passes one to Stan.
"Want some?" Marshall offered her half. He couldn't remember Mary every buying lunch for anyone but herself. This time it kept her at the bar long enough for her to register on the bar tender and maybe some of the customers. She'd probably collect later.
"Not hungry," she mutters, buckling up and starting the car. To a stranger she seemed to be driving around aimlessly. To someone who knew her family, she was checking all the places Brandi and Jinx frequented.
"What's the next stop on the Shannon World Tour?" Marshall wanted to know.
"Garden State Plaza Mall," Mary grunted, while fastening her seat belt. "There are a couple of stores and places to eat that Mom and Brandi like. I will get lunch there," she smirked. She prefers the food choices at the mall.
"Look, Mary, here's the way it has to go," Stan insisted. He and Marshall had been discussing the best way to get Mary to allow Marshall to go with her. "You and Marshall enter the mall as a couple window shopping." Marshall turned and gave her a toothy grin. "I will keep an eye on you from across the way."
"So you're going to be our stalker?" Mary interjected.
"Exactly," Stan agreed. Stan didn't mind the word. It fit what he would be doing – keeping an eye on his Inspectors. They were his responsibility.
Car parked not too far from the entrance, Mary unbuckled her seat belt. "You up for this Doofus?" Mary thought Marshall's smile was ridiculously over done. She knew he was tickled to be able to act like a couple in front of Stan.
"Let's roll," was Marshall's response.
Marshall and Mary entered the mall. He smiled and grabbed her hand. He swung their hands back and forth between them. "What are you? Five?" Mary groused adding a glare for good measure.
After strolling for fifteen minutes, they stopped at a decorative pillar near several restaurants apparently deciding where to eat. Mary pulled Marshall to the window where the menu was posted. Peering inside, her hand suddenly grips Marshall's. He put his arms around her, lips near her ear, and moved them back.
"Who?" he whispered. Mary must have spotted someone.
"My father is heading for Ruby Tuesdays." They retreated to the pillar; Mary puts it between them and her father.
"Did he see you?"
Mary shook her head. "I don't think so. I saw his face in the window as he walked by."
"Do you think he saw us together?"
"I don't know but I need to do this alone. He won't run if it's just me." Mary was sure.
"Wait." Using their bodies as cover, Marshall kept his arms around Mary while texting Stan behind her back. James Shannon had entered the restaurant.
"How do you want to do this?" Marshall asked. Mary shrugged out of his embrace "I'll think of something." Marshall grabbed her hand and yanked her back. Her body rotated sharply. She stiffened.
"Not this time Sunshine," Marshall's voice is low but harsh and adamant. "We aren't protecting a witness. There are a lot of innocent people in there. All we have is you, me and Stan. While I may be able to cover you when you improvise, Stan hasn't been with you when you've pulled crazy ass stunts. We've got to get your father out of there."
Mary twisted out of his grasp and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Marshall.
"Yes, I know. Your crazy ass stunts have worked, most of the time. But this time there are too many unknowns. Too many citizens at risk. You don't know Rosco. You don't know his mob contacts. You don't know man who has been a federal fugitive for years." He hadn't raised his voice, but the intensity he gave every word let Mary know he was serious.
Mary dropped her arms and her face went from angry to upset.
"You know I'd risk my life for you any day, any time. I can't let you put the woman I love in jeopardy. We can't put Stan or anyone in that restaurant in harms way. So, think. Think of a way to get him out of there."
Mary dropped her head, hair covering her face. She took a deep breath and walked closer to Marshall. "OK, OK. I'm thinking."
"Besides if anything happened to Stan Eleanor would kill us," Marshall added.
Mary chuckled, to release the stress of the moment. "You're right. She would."
"C'mere. C'mon. Come here." Marshall pleaded holding his arms wide.
Mary took one step then another, allowing his embrace. She put her cheek on his chest, listening to the beating of his sweet heart. She couldn't put him in harms way. Ever.
"Let's go see Stan. See what he's got. OK?" He bent down to look in her eyes, making sure she was going along with delaying her confrontation with her father. After almost 30 years, she could wait a few more minutes. As long as he doesn't get away.
They found Stan sitting on a bench near a large potted tree. Mary and Marshall embraced behind the plant, close enough to talk to Stan.
"James Shannon went into Ruby Tuesdays," Marshall informed him.
"I'm going in. He wants to see me." There was no discussion. Mary had made up her mind.
"No," Marshall insisted, "no way."
Stan listened to his two Inspectors batting ideas, plans, ploys and strategies, back and forth. He felt like a spectator at a tennis match. They weren't giving him a chance to speak.
"I'll go in, flash my badge and flush him out. Once he sees me he'll head for the kitchen and the delivery door. You and Stan can meet him there."
Stan likes it. "I think that would work. James knows you work for the marshals. He would be alert for others to be in the area. It could work."
"It will," Marshall insisted.
Mary looked dubious, but Stan was already contacting mall security, getting the location of the exterior door for the restaurant. "Keep this quiet. Don't call the police; it will just alert the suspect. We will be quiet and none of your customers will know."
Mall security didn't take long to cave. They didn't even ask to meet him. Stan gave his badge number for them to check, and that was that. Stan hung up, and Marshall headed for Ruby Tuesdays. Stan and Mary got a store owner near the restaurant to let them use the exterior door.
Marshall flashed his badge at the wait staff at the podium and calmly walked into the restaurant. He walked directly toward the table where James Shannon sat. Anyone watching Marshall could see who he was targeting. James Shannon sat close to the kitchen. Marshall was sure he had planned it that way.
Before Marshall could make eye contact, James Shannon rose and began sauntering toward the kitchen, keeping staff and customers between them. Marshall kept walking, bearing down on James like the Titanic. He eyes never left James. His lips were pressed tight and thin. It turned up when James ducked into the kitchen, as planned.
Marshall followed. He held his badge and muttered apologies to the kitchen staff. Carts, food, and white uniformed cooks were shoved in his way, but Marshall continued as if there were no barriers, nothing that could stop him for collaring James Wiley Shannon, federal fugitive. He'd lost sight of James but could hear the din of pans shoved to the floor.
The delivery door was in sight and quickly thrust open. A blast of snow bright light and cold air entered the kitchen. Marshall saw James silhouette, jumping down from the door to the loading area.
Marshall reached the doorway in time to see Mary move toward the fugitive, Stan at her back.
"Hello Daddy."