Tilting at Windmills (Claire Lance)

by Geonn Cannon

  "Doesn't explain why Hadley wouldn't admit it," Acheson said. "Guy was really pinging on my radar. I don't trust him."

  Thirteen more seconds of tape played, and Lance came out of Keating's room at a dead run. There were another few seconds of dead space before Lance reappeared with Gwen in tow. She practically stuffed Gwen into their car with a duffel bag and a suitcase. Once Gwen was safely in the car, Lance brought the gun up and fired once. The people in the dark tech room couldn't see into Keating's room, but they knew that was the moment he had been killed. Lance kept her gun aimed at the open door of her own motel room as she went around the front of the car. She got behind the wheel and calmly left the parking lot, careful not to draw attention to her escape.

  Acheson frowned as the tech paused the tape. "Why was she holding the gun on her room?"

  "She must not have known Pope was dead," Lazareva said. "Maybe his death was accidental."

  "Keating's sure as hell wasn't," Mallory said.

  "No, but I'm pretty sure that was self-defense," Acheson added. "There was a gun next to his body when we found him, and we just saw that Lance couldn't have planted it."

  "Okay, fine," Mallory said. "But he didn't pull the gun until after Lance attacked him without provocation. Pope tried to run when he first saw her. Lance went after him. You saw that. He retreated back into the motel room and Lance pursued."

  Lazareva said, "There was a gun in the room. He could have been arming himself."

  "There's no way Lance could have known that."

  Lazareva chewed the inside of her cheek. "We don't know what Lance knows, Faye. Something bad happened down in Saxe, and until we know the details, we need to reserve judgment. Just seeing Keating unexpectedly like that may have been enough cause for her to be in fear for her life. Besides, the coroner said she was trying to disable him before she finally killed him. The gun was a last resort."

  Mallory didn't look convinced, but she let the argument die and turned to the local detective. "Do you have any idea where they went after this?"

  Acheson nodded. "We found the car on 39th Street..."

  "Great," Mallory said.

  "...and on Pennsylvania Avenue. We're still looking for parts of the engine and the doors. We'll never find the tires. The car was stripped, Agent Mallory. We figure Lance knew there would be heat on the car, so she dumped it pretty much immediately. I know I would have. We're checking reports of stolen vehicles, but the neighborhood they were in..." He shook his head. "Could be any number of cars or trucks."

  Lazareva nodded. "Thank you anyway, Detective." She put her hand on Mallory's shoulder. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

  Mallory stood and followed Lazareva out of the room. They were silent as they left the detective's bullpen and went through the glass doors to the outside. Mallory shook her head angrily as they descended the stone steps to the parking lot. "She's vanished again."

  "You don't know that."

  "I've been chasing her for ten months, Toni," Mallory said. Lazareva turned at the use of her first name and saw tears in Mallory's eyes. "I've been chasing her for a damn year, and she keeps disappearing like this. She slips through my damn fingers and I'm left staring at a trail of dust. I'm sick of it."

  Lazareva stepped closer to Mallory and put her hands on her shoulders. She lowered her voice and said, "Maybe you just need to take a break."

  "Lance isn't taking a break," Mallory snapped. "She's out there right now, either driving or making plans to slip out of the state, and we're never going to catch up with her if we stop."

  "You're never going to catch up with her if you fall over from exhaustion, either," Lazareva said. "I'm not saying you should give up. You saw that tape. Did Gwendolyn Morse look like a willing travel companion to you? I think she's a hostage. For what, I don't know. We'll never know until we catch her. But I'm willing to bet Lance isn't getting a hell of a lot of sleep. If you take the time to rest, recharge your batteries, sooner or later you'll catch up with her when she's exhausted and you're fresh. Sooner or later, she'll be too tired to keep running."

  Mallory looked at the road running by the station, hoping Lazareva wouldn't notice her tears. Everything Lazareva said was true, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She finally drew in a breath, held it, and let it out through her nose. "You ready to check out the room?"

  Lazareva shrugged. "Lead on, MacDuff."

  #

  Gwen looked over the stolen truck as they climbed inside. It was a pale tan color, weather-beaten and caked with mud around the wheels. Lance braced her hand against the body of the truck, gripped the handle with her other hand, and yanked three times before it opened. She got inside and leaned across the littered seat to open the passenger side door for Gwen. When Gwen got inside, she saw that the interior of her door had been stripped away until the only thing left was a handle and the crank for the window. She looked at Lance and said, "I can't help but notice the quality of our cars continues to diminish."

  Lance smiled slightly as she backed out of the spot. "That's my plan. I figure that this truck has little, if any, insurance. So it's less likely someone will miss it enough to make a fuss. Something this close to falling apart that goes missing from this neighborhood, will be low on the police department's list of priorities. It does have a radio, though." She reached down and turned it on, scanning through the static. "What's your pleasure?" she asked, trying to sound lighthearted when she was anything but. "Country or classic rock?"

  "Either's fine."

  Lance settled on the station with the least amount of static and returned her hand to the wheel. Josh Ritter was singing about the ghost of Patsy Cline as they pulled out of the parking lot. Lance stared out the window, distracted by her thoughts. As they left the red light district behind, Lance finally broke the silence. "Wiley Post is a small airport," she said. "This late at night, the air traffic control tower might be closed. There's a chance we can get a flight without logging a flight plan. That'll throw an even bigger wrench in their plans. Or at least we can hope."

  Gwen nodded. "Sounds like you've got this down to a science."

  "It's a question of survival," Lance said. "You do what you have to do."

  Gwen watched Lance's face, the strong line of the jaw she had kissed not two hours earlier. Lance's hair was wet from the quick shower they had shared before they left, and she resisted the urge to reach out and run her fingers through it. Now that she had touched Lance, she was finding it hard to keep her hands to herself, so she folded her hands together in her lap and looked out the window. Even though it was barely past ten, only a few stores were still open. Streetlights made oases of light in the road. Gwen looked at Lance again. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

  "Sure."

  "Are you planning to run forever? You have all these plans and schemes and tricks up your sleeve. Do you think this Agent Mallory will ever give up?"

  "One of us has to," Lance said quietly. "Eventually."

  "Why can't it be you?"

  "I'm not going to prison; not for a murder I didn't commit, and especially not for murdering Elaine. I won't. I can't have people believing I'm guilty of that."

  Gwen nodded. "I guess I understand. But her murder is going unpunished as long as you're on the run. Mallory is focusing her attention on you and not on the real killers. Don't you think—"

  "Elaine's death has been avenged," Lance said. Her eyes were hard on the road, unwavering, her jaw tight.

  Gwen frowned. "What?"

  Lance flicked her eyes to the rearview mirror and changed lanes. "Madrid is the one who killed her. And he paid for it."

  "How?"

  "I killed him."

  Gwen was stunned. "When?"

  Lance hesitated. She had never told anyone else this part of the story. "The judge let me out on bail because I was attacked while in custody. Being a cop, I guess he figured I was safer on the streets than in prison. Mallory didn't agree. She had no jurisdiction to go after me, but she stayed on m
y tail. I managed to lose her fairly quickly and drove to Madrid's main offices. I walked in and shot everyone who got in my way. I tried not to kill anyone I didn't have to, went for shoulders and legs. I got to Madrid's office and put a bullet in his head without blinking. I didn't hesitate like I did in the garage. I never hesitate anymore. Hesitating is what killed Elaine and put me on the run. By the time I left, it was night. I got in the car and drove off. I'm still driving."

  "What do you mean, Ôby the time you left'?"

  "I stayed in Madrid's office for about half an hour after I killed him."

  "God, why?"

  Lance didn't answer for a long time. Finally, she said, "I had my gun in my mouth."

  Gwen shuddered and looked out the windshield.

  "I decided I couldn't let it end there, I couldn't end it like that. I had to keep Elaine alive as long as I could. As long as I remembered her, a part of her would still be alive."

  "So you're only alive to serve as a memorial to her?"

  "At first, yeah," Lance said. "That's what I believed. She sustained me for the first, I don't know, three or four months. But then I went back to visit her grave. I left flowers, said goodbye. And I realized I had stayed alive for myself, that I was worthy of being alive. It took me a long time to come to that realization, but once I did, it was like waking up."

  Gwen reached over and took one of Lance's hands off the steering wheel. She brought it to the seat between them and squeezed it, running her thumb over the knuckles. Lance looked down at their hands, the way their fingers entwined, and tensed slightly. She didn't pull her hand away, but she didn't return Gwen's squeeze, either.

  Gwen tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"

  "No." Lance looked at Gwen and managed a smile. "Nothing's wrong."

  "Are you worried about betraying Elaine?"

  "Too late for that," Lance said. Her smile was weak and sad. "It'll be all right. Just a couple more miles to the airport."

  Gwen nodded and looked back out at a city safely tucked away into its bed, unaware of the chase going on within its borders.

  #

  Mallory ran her card through the scanner and gestured for Lazareva to enter first. "Mi casa es...well, everyone's casa. It's actually not even Ômi casa' since I've never been here before." She turned on the lights as she passed and shrugged out of her blazer. She had been wearing it for almost twenty-four hours, since running out and leaving a horny stewardess in a Chicago hotel room. She didn't realize until she saw the neatly made beds just how wasted and tired she was. The curtains were drawn against the night and turned the room into a cozy enclave. She dumped her jacket on the nearest bed and untucked her blouse. "I'm going to take a shower."

  "All right," Lazareva said. She tossed her hat onto the other bed. "We, uh, never finished those beers down in the bar. You want me to order something from room service?"

  Mallory nodded and stepped into the open doorway of the bathroom as she began to unbutton her blouse. She turned and said, "Get some dinner, too. Whatever you're hungry for."

  Lazareva's eyes were on the undershirt Mallory had revealed, but she nodded. "Yeah, sure."

  Mallory hesitated, but then closed the door. She finished undressing and stood in front of the mirror to assess her reflection. No wonder Lazareva had suggested she get some sleep. She looked god-awful. Her dark hair was limp, her eyes dark against her pale skin.

  She unwrapped the soap and checked to make sure there were plenty of clean towels. She laid one on the tile in front of the tub and pushed back the curtain to turn on the hot water, then stood by the tub, her hand under the spray so she could tell when the water started to get warm. Running her wet fingers through her hair as she waited, she loosened the knots and smoothed down the rats' nests she had acquired over the past couple of days. She wondered how many of the tangles were caused by Kelly the Stewardess' fingers and smiled sadly. Such prospects for that one. When would she get another chance at a tall, sexy, redheaded Australian stewardess? It was like finding the winning lottery ticket and throwing it away. Of course, she couldn't have given up the opportunity to finally catch Lance. Rock and a hard place.

  When the water finally warmed, Mallory stepped into the tub and pulled the curtain shut. She had just soaped up her hands when she heard the bathroom door open. She paused and brought her arms up in front of her breasts as she looked at the curtain. "Lazareva? Did you need something?"

  The curtain was pushed back and Lazareva stepped into the tub behind her. She was naked, her thick, pink nipples standing erect like pencil erasers. She casually closed the curtain and turned to look at Mallory's ass. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and wet it with her tongue. She arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, I think I could think of something I need. Turn around."

  Mallory turned around, her arms still covering her nipples. She frowned, but couldn't help looking at the red-blond hair between Lazareva's legs. She swallowed. "What are you doing?"

  Lazareva grinned. "If you don't know, you're a very bad investigator." She reached out and put her hands against Mallory's forehead, smoothing them back through her dark hair.

  Mallory's eyes closed involuntarily as Lazareva's long, slender fingers pushed easily through the tangles. It was like she was being petted, and she shuddered.

  "Mm. I like you with your hair wetted down like this..."

  Mallory allowed her hair to be stroked, but then she remembered reality, and the reason this felt so wrong. She stepped back and let Lazareva's hands slip out of her hair. "Wait, we can't do this. What about your partner?"

  "My partner?" Lazareva scanned her memory and then laughed. "My partner is Texas Ranger Joseph Cabrera. When I said I would get justice if my partner got shot, that's who I meant, Mallory. I'm single."

  Mallory's eyes moved down to Lazareva's breasts. "You're single."

  Lazareva stepped closer, crowding Mallory closer to the showerhead. "And horny."

  "Well," Mallory said with a sigh. She stepped forward, back under the spray, and slid her arms around Lazareva's waist. "I can definitely help you with one of those things."

  They kissed hungrily, Mallory's tongue pushing into Lazareva's mouth with hard insistence. Lazareva moved her hands to Mallory's breasts and squeezed them, moaning as she pinched the nipples between her index and middle fingers. She pushed Mallory back until she was against the wall, the water coursing down Lazareva's chest. Lazareva leaned back from the kiss and stared at the nipples rising between her fingers. "I've been dreaming of these tits since Texas."

  Mallory shoved her leg between Lazareva's, hoisting her up and planting Lazareva on her thigh. She moved her hands down and cupped her ass. "I've wanted this ass since the first time I saw you walk away from me."

  They kissed again and Lazareva rocked her hips against Mallory's thigh. She reached up without breaking the kiss and angled the showerhead so it was aiming almost straight down. The water washed over Mallory, cascading over her shoulders and across her breasts. Lazareva trailed her fingers down Mallory's body, following the flow of water, until she found the thick bush of jet black hair between her legs. She folded her fingers to a point and leaned back, watching Mallory's eyes as she pressed her fingertips tight against her labia.

  Mallory's eyelids fluttered at Lazareva's touch and she smiled. "Ah, you know what you're doing."

  "Well, I have to bring out my A-game," Lazareva said. "After all, I'm making up for that stewardess you lost." She bit her bottom lip and pressed harder.

  Mallory grunted. "You're doing all right so far." Lazareva leaned forward and kissed Mallory's neck. She sucked gently and Mallory groaned. "Oh, yeah...definitely like that..." She reached down and loosely circled Lazareva's wrist with her hand. Lazareva changed her angle of attack and her fingers suddenly struck Mallory's g-spot. Mallory gasped at the unexpected shock and jerked against Lazareva's body. She clenched her teeth and thrust her hips forward.

  "Surprised yourself, huh?" Lazareva whispered in her ear.

  Mall
ory chuckled. "Shut up and fuck me, Texas Ranger."

  Lazareva bit Mallory's throat gently and then swept the area with her tongue. Grinding against Mallory's hip, she knew she would come first. The least she could do was make sure that Mallory wasn't too far behind her. She brought her thumb up and pushed it into the dark bush of pubic hair. She stroked back and forth until Mallory jerked violently against her.

  Found your clit, Lazareva thought with an evil grin. She moved her lips to Mallory's ear and licked along the edge of the shell. She used her tongue to pull the lobe into her mouth and nibbled gently on it.

  Mallory said, "Talk..."

  "You want me to talk dirty?"

  Mallory grunted, "Yeah..."

  Lazareva growled and lowered her voice to a husky whisper. "Do you like it rough, FBI Agent Mallory? You want me to spank you? Fuck you in the ass with a big fucking strap-on?"

  "I can take whatever you give," Mallory panted. She pulled back and they looked each other in the eye. Mallory pressed her forehead against Lazareva's. "You going to come?"

  "Yeah, you're gonna make me come, Faye."

  Mallory laughed low in her throat and sighed. "Good...oh, fuck, good, you're about to take me with you."

  Lazareva used her whole arm to thrust into Mallory. She wrapped her other arm around her waist, planting her hand in the small of her back to hold her in place. Mallory pointed her toes against the tub's floor and pressed her leg up tighter against Lazareva's pussy. She moved her hands to Lazareva's hips and held her down and they stared into each other's eyes, both determined not to be the first one over the edge.

  Lazareva looked deep into Mallory's eyes and saw a plea hiding there. Suddenly, she realized that Mallory needed to win. She needed to succeed at something, even if it was this. So Lazareva closed her eyes, let down her defenses, and focused everything on the smooth glide of Mallory's thigh against her center. A heartbeat later, she felt a tremor start in the muscles of her stomach and quickly travel south. She rested the back of her head against the shower tiles, the tendons in her throat standing out as she tightened her legs around Mallory's thigh and let herself go. "Ahh, God," she hissed. "God, yes...I'm coming, Faye."