A Dangerous and Cunning Woman

by Ethan Johnson

  Harper nodded and shuffled over to the sergeant. He signed his name with a stylus and pressed his thumb print to the tablet screen when instructed, then left the room. Diane doubled back and took the long way around to summon a car to take her home. Goodwin’s warning ate at her as she sat in the back seat. Was that Kenner talking? Was she really going to be kicked off the force? And for who, Goodwin? She rolled her eyes in disgust at the thought.

  She returned to her well-appointed apartment and decided to try and sleep. A knock at the door jolted her from her funk. She hadn’t called for room service. She pulled the door open to reveal Lee Harper, holding his hat in his hand.

  “Sorry to bother you,” he said. “Can I come in?”

  Lee Harper slumped in his seat. Diane sat across from him on her sectional. “I wasn’t expecting you,” she said. “We don’t talk much.”

  Harper shrugged. “I’m sorry, Diane. We work different shifts. I normally wouldn’t have come over like this, but I saw you tonight and I wanted to talk about what happened.”

  Diane nodded. “Goodwin and his buddies bullied you. I saw the whole thing.”

  “No, you didn’t. You weren’t there when I shot the suspect. Neither was Goodwin. It wasn’t until the ambulance was on the way when he showed up and emptied his gun into the suspect. It all happened so fast. I still don’t quite get how it all went down.”

  “Goodwin’s a slimy jerk,” Diane said. “Be glad he didn’t gun you down instead.”

  Harper let off a sardonic snort. “There’s still time. He just might.”

  “For real? Why, did you two have a run-in before, or something?”

  “No,” he said, “I’m gay.”

  Diane sat back, stunned. She didn’t know Harper well, despite going through the academy together. He was always quiet and reserved. “Wait, why are you telling me this?”

  “I know about you and Lyssa. I’ve known for a while, actually. I was thinking maybe we could… look out for each other.”

  Diane glanced over at her monitor. It stood on a credenza, black and impassive. She was relieved footage of Lyssa locked up in the bowels of the Panther Division facility wasn’t on display at that moment. “What did you have in mind?”

  “You two used to fool around back at the old academy. I heard you once. Lucky for you, I was alone and not about to tell anyone lest they start snooping around my personal life. Unlike you, however, I’ve had to be much more discreet. I met somebody recently, but I’m terrified someone’s going to find out. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this, but the force isn’t exactly gay-friendly.”

  “It sorta was. Ever since Goodwin came along, though, I don’t think it’s just gays who have to watch out, no offense. Sapphire warned me that women weren’t getting the best deal either. I thought she was just bitter about not getting promoted or something, but yeah, she’s right.”

  Harper gave her a thin smile. “Well, it can’t hurt having Kenner on your side.”

  “Except I’m not sure that I do anymore. He gave me—” She cut herself off, thinking better about blabbing to Harper about the Special Operations whatever it was. “A pat on the back and told me I was going a good job. But I’ve seen the way he is around Goodwin. I feel… inferior.”

  “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission,” Harper said. “Anyway, I refuse to apologize for who I am or who I’m attracted to. The other guys don’t. If I had twenty dollars for every story I had to hear about the Gold Club, I’d use the money to buy it and convert it into a flower shop.”

  Diane laughed. “Okay, so what’s the plan, here? Next time Goodwin gets up in your face, I shoot him?”

  “No, nothing like that. We work different shifts, so we can’t back each other up directly. But indirectly, we can help each other out. Like, I can start a rumor about the guy you’re sleeping with.”

  “Nice try. Gabe walked in on me and Lyssa.”

  Harper’s face lit up with an epiphany. “Oh, that explains it. He got really moody recently, then I noticed him hanging out with Goodwin and his lackeys. I’m guessing the timing lines up.”

  “Pretty much, yeah. But I get what you’re saying. You want me to tip you off if anyone is brewing up trouble for you, and vice-a-versa, right?”

  Harper gave her an odd look, then nodded. “In a nutshell, that’s it.”

  “Deal. I’m not going to be much good to you on medical leave, but when I get back, I’ll keep an eye out.”

  “And I will do likewise.” Harper stood and nodded. “Best be on my way. I’m off for the next 72 hours. Kevin says he has something special planned for us.”

  Diane beamed. “Kevin?”

  “Yeah, we met online a few weeks ago. Nothing super serious, yet, and… why am I telling you this? TMI city.”

  “Well, at least you get to see your boyfriend. Lyssa’s in solitary, and I can’t see her until tomorrow.”

  “That’s messed up. I wish I could do something.” Harper headed for the door.

  “Keep Goodwin and his buddies away from her.”

  He gave her an odd look. “Sure, but I think she’ll be just fine. Well, considering.”

  Diane’s comm unit flashed. She picked it up from her counter and panicked at the sight of Sapphire’s contact information. “I have to get this. We’ll talk later. Have fun.”

  Harper nodded and left her apartment. Diane accepted the contact attempt and Sapphire’s annoyed face filled the screen. “What is it, Pembrook? I’m busy.”

  “Oh, thank God. They’ve got Lyssa.”

  “They who? And what do I care?”

  “Goodwin got her locked up on bullcrap charges. Bail is $300,000, full up. I was hoping…”

  Sapphire rolled her eyes. “Do you not remember the time I told you my parents cut me off? Just because I’ve got my own place now doesn’t mean I’m rolling in it. And even if I was, 300 grand? I can think of so many better things to spend it on than bailing out your stupid girlfriend. What happened to you taking out the most wanted list?”

  “I’ve been trying. But even then, that’s not going to cover her bail.”

  “You only need 5 percent. If you were at the Club Saint-Germaine instead of fooling around wherever you are, maybe you’d have enough to throw her bail.”

  Diane shook her head emphatically. “They said I have to post the full amount. No discounts because she hit a cop.”

  Sapphire cocked her head. “That’s not a thing. Are you sure you heard that right?”

  “They told me straight up. I’m desperate. I was hoping maybe you knew somebody.”

  “I know lots of people. Nobody is fronting up that kind of money for me, and definitely not you. Goodnight, Pembrook.”

  “But—” Sapphire terminated the connection. Diane swore and tossed the comm unit onto the sectional. She buried her face in her hands. When she looked up again, her television monitor was displaying Lyssa shivering on her cot. The screen went blank, then a single word appeared: LISTEN.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Diane was awakened the following morning by an electronic whine emanating from her living room. She staggered into the room and rubbed her eyes. Her television monitor was on again. Instead of footage of Lyssa suffering alone in her jail cell, the masked man’s nearly featureless mask filled the screen.

  “Agent Pembrook. I trust you are well.”

  Diane rolled her shoulder back and forth, then nodded. “I’m okay, I guess. Why?”

  “Your target was sighted last night. We dispatched a strike team accordingly, but they were not successful in terminating the asset.”

  His calm, flat voice was off-putting to her. She assumed this meant the entire strike force died. “I thought that’s why you wanted me to do it. Just one shot, and all that.”

  The masked man nodded slightly. “Correct. Your failure to engage your prior target with lethal force raised questions as to your readiness, or appropriateness for our purposes. Perhaps you are not as ruthless as we have been led to b
elieve.”

  Diane was taken aback. “I didn’t shoot him because I didn’t know who else was in the building. One loud bang, and anyone else would have scattered. I wanted intel, not bodies.”

  “Indeed. And that was, in fact, a prudent tactical decision. I can tell you the asset you delivered to us has been a productive intelligence source. For this, we are grateful to you. But make no mistake, your target must be eliminated.”

  “I can do that.”

  “Quickly, Agent Pembrook, and without hesitation. One shot, as you have assured me.”

  “Just tell me where and when.”

  The masked man lowered his chin for a moment before staring at the screen again. “The time and place was last night, near the river. A three-man strike team was lost. I am unsure as to how you would have fared, had you been there. But that is of no concern now. Arrangements have been made to give you ample time and focus to carry out your mission.”

  Diane felt a shiver down her spine. “What kind of arrangements?”

  The screen displayed an empty jail cell. Diane wasn’t sure, but it looked like it might have been Lyssa’s. She took a chance on being told outright. “Where is Lyssa? What have you done with her?”

  The masked man’s visage returned. “I assure you, I have done nothing with your friend. She is safe. That’s all that need concern you.”

  Diane felt her cheeks get hot. “Lyssa is very much my concern,” she hissed.

  The masked man was unfazed. “Then you will wish to ensure her continued well-being. You have been removed from active patrol duty indefinitely. Your partner has been assigned another officer going forward. They seem to be getting along quite well in your absence.”

  The screen showed dash cam footage of Goodwin laughing along with Hendricks in their cruiser. “Hey, Jimbo, I bet Pembrook says she’s on the rag next, so she can have another paid week off.”

  Hendricks smiled and shook his head. “Naw, she’ll have a sprained tongue.”

  Goodwin slapped his thigh. “Oh, that’s disgusting. And true. I’ll bet you any money.”

  “Did you get some of her girlfriend? Show her what she’s been missing?”

  Goodwin grew sullen and crossed his arms tightly. “No. The stupid guards wouldn’t let me in there. They wouldn’t let anyone in. I tried playing the Kenner card, but even that didn’t work. Pfft. I don’t get why they’d bother protecting that hog. She’s not even that hot.”

  Diane felt a mix of rage and relief. She was glad to know Lyssa hadn’t been raped like she had feared. She also felt strangely pleased to know what Hendricks really thought of her. Some partner, she thought. He was welcome to Goodwin. They seemed made for each other.

  The masked man returned to the screen. “You will be forgotten soon enough. This is to our mutual benefit. You will not have to choose between being an assassin or a patrol officer. You will join us and serve in our ranks.”

  “How’s that gonna work?”

  “Much depends on you. Starting this evening, your badge will no longer permit you to enter the common areas of the Panther Division. You will be removed from the active duty roster. You will use your residence as your base of operations. You are aware of the modifications we have made in advance of your selection. You are free to do as you like during daylight hours. Every night, until further notice, you belong to us.”

  Diane mulled these terms. She didn’t like the idea of not having nights alone with Lyssa. Then again, she didn’t have Lyssa at all while she was locked up somewhere. She decided to go along with everything he said, hoping changes could be made later.

  “Okay,” she said. “At sundown, I’m all yours.”

  “Incorrect,” he replied. “You are mine now. I have no need for your services until nightfall. Use this time wisely.”

  “And do what?” The screen went blank in response. Diane huffed and padded off to the bathroom. “God forbid I get a straight answer.”

  On any other day, under different circumstances, Diane would have spent her down time curled up with her tablet watching Fortune and Destiny. She checked the entertainment menu out of habit and groaned when she saw an unfamiliar program named where it once appeared. She needed an Alexa Charlevoix fix. She stretched out on her sectional and sipped coffee, staring at the ceiling. She wished Alexa were there now to give her life advice. She turned to the blank television monitor. “Alexa, where can I get three hundred thousand dollars?”

  The monitor did not respond.

  Diane pulled her sleeve back and inspected her shoulder. It was healed, or as much as it was going to get, considering she took a 9mm bullet. The scar was reduced but not gone. She was impressed how good her shoulder looked. She rolled her sleeve down and fingered her horse pendant mindlessly as she sipped her coffee.

  She sighed wistfully and remembered how she got her totem. She saved Officer Milton and Officer Patterson from an attack by the Stallions gang. After the final shot was fired, she had gunned down nearly all of them. She wasn’t a cop back then. Lieutenant Griggs made a point of telling her as often as she could that she wasn’t cut out for serious police work. She frowned at the realization that he was being proven right. The masked man said she didn’t have to choose between being an assassin or a patrol officer. Milton made her feel like she could be like him: wearing the uniform, wearing the badge, and protecting the city. She wondered if that was still her role.

  She took another sip of coffee and frowned at the monitor. She decided to turn it on and see what entertainment options she had while scrolling through a list of delivery menus on her tablet. After reflexively checking to see if Fortune and Destiny had returned, she headed into uncharted territory. Sapphire often told her to read books. Diane didn’t like reading half as much as she liked streaming video. She selected an item labeled INTELNET. She thought it was a spy network. Instead, a woman in a tight dress spoke intently to the camera.

  Diane raised the volume and set her tablet aside. The woman stood in front of a video mural depicting street violence. Two men in black body armor were stuffed into a black van and the frenetic images became a burst of distorted static before changing into another scene. “We don’t know the identities of these men or who they are affiliated with. If you have any information, contact us now using your 4S device.”

  Diane wondered what a 4S device was. The screen displayed a logo in the lower right-hand corner that pulsated enticingly. She aimed her remote at the icon and pressed a round green button. A pop-up window appeared that spelled 4S out as See Something, Say Something. She nodded her understanding to the screen. As a patrol officer, she just responded to calls. She had no idea how they were made. Now she knew.

  “Tara Fukiyama is live now at the city center. What can you tell us about the latest bombing?”

  A young woman with long black hair nodded and gestured to a smoking crater in the background. “Lee Ann, early this morning, a cluster of explosives packed into a cargo van exploded, taking out a sizable chunk of the Proxmeier Building. We don’t have an official report of any casualties, but this is another cowardly attack on the city center.”

  The first woman walked over to the video mural and spoke to the reporter as though they were in the same room. “Tara, do we know if these men in black had any connection to the bombing?”

  “Not at this time. I’ve been assured by the authorities that every effort is being made to find those responsible.”

  “Tara, isn’t there any surveillance footage of the moments leading up to the blast? Can you show us any of it?”

  Tara shook her head ruefully. “I’m afraid not, Lee Ann. Any footage that might exist has been impounded. Lieutenant Blevins from the Buffalo Division has not shared any further details.” She stepped aside, and a man wearing dress blues approached her. He nodded curtly to the reporter then turned to face Lee Ann when she waved for his attention.

  “Lieutenant Blevins, thank you for joining us on InTelNet InFocus. We’re getting a lot of viewer feedback right now, an
d the question we’re seeing most often is, what is the Buffalo Division doing to make the city center safer? Can you share any specifics?”

  Diane leaned forward, enthralled by the dramatic coverage. She hadn’t paid much attention to the news back when her father was still alive, and they were living in seclusion. If anything, he would get angry if he caught her watching whatever was on the television. “Ain’t nothing to worry your fool head about,” he’d say. Well, she thought, he was dead now, and she had her own monitor. She aimed to watch whatever she pleased.

  Lieutenant Blevins rocked back and forth nervously as the two women questioned him. Diane wasn’t sure if he was hiding something, or just bad at being on television. He gave an awkward chuckle to a follow-up question and raised his hands defensively. “Hey, settle down, Lee Ann. We’re doing whatever it takes to stop the bad guys, but to do that, we need everyone to do their part. We’re implementing an 8:00 P.M. curfew in a six-block radius. We need to keep the area clear to keep the streets safe.”

  Lee Ann turned to the camera and smiled broadly. “Safe streets. I like the sound of that.”

  Tara frowned. “But, with all due respect, sir, won’t that affect the businesses that rely on customers into the late hours? Is the city going to reimburse them for their losses?”

  Blevins was visibly annoyed by the question. He caught himself before snapping at her, and he raised his hands again. “Well, Tara, I can tell you nobody is going to be attracting much business if our streets aren’t secured. And frankly, if anyone is out after 11:00 P.M. on a weeknight, I have to question their motivation. Nothing good can come of it, whatever they’re up to.”

  Lee Ann turned away and walked into another video mural, this time showing a mini-mart stocked with rows of cans labeled POISON. “Up next: they seem convenient, but are they funding terrorism? What you don’t know about that small business might just kill you.”

  Diane muted the monitor as an advertisement for a grocery store flashed on the screen. She hadn’t heard about any of these things. Her patrol route didn’t take her near the city center, but bombings weren’t a daily event. She was surprised nobody mentioned them before. Maybe they were keeping the information from her. Or, she supposed, they assumed she knew.