by Lee Perry
“Does it matter that I’m not really dead?”
“It matters to me…” Jordan smiled, her voice ever so softly teasing.
Catherine emitted a silent, sputtering laugh and she swatted her affectionately, “I mean to the case.”
“I’m legally allowed to deceive and inveigle in order to provide him with all the incentive he needs to cooperate with us.”
She nodded in understanding and Jordan pulled her into her arms again when another sob bubbled to the surface. She breathed in deeply through her nose and sighed heavily, staring at the wire-enshrouded gray buildings, letting Catherine process her encounter with the murderer of her child and the man who shot her. When the tears slowed, Catherine dried her face again then left the sodden napkins on her lap and signed,
“I…” She held her hands aloft, at a loss for words and Jordan took them in her own,
“You,” she said quietly, “are a remarkable woman, Catherine…” She pressed the backs of the elegant fingers briefly against her lips, “I know it took a tremendous amount of courage for you to come here and see him.”
She emitted a sputtering gurgle, and pulling her hands free, signed, “I had to…”
Jordan nodded, “I know.”
She graced her with a watery smile and let her hands caress Jordan’s features as she pulled her in for a kiss. The embrace was gentle and exploratory and Jordan smiled inwardly when Catherine’s lips parted, inviting her inside. She pulled the hands from her face and held them against her heart and when their lips finally parted, she murmured,
“Stay with me tonight.”
She smiled shyly, pulling her hands free, “I brought my overnight bag, I told Shen I’d be back tomorrow, but I still need to book a flight back.”
Jordan called from the car and made a reservation for them at the Bellagio. Once inside the room Catherine slumped tiredly on the bed and Jordan urged her to take a nap, “But I will be waking you for dinner.” Her tone was both gentle and stern, “We can order room service and eat in…” She smiled when Catherine graced her with a small grin, “Okay?”
“I’m alright.” Catherine assured her, “and I’m not lying down unless you join me.”
They undressed and slid under the cool covers and Jordan pulled her into the protective circle of her arms,
“Oh my, this is a nice bed.” she groaned, “so much wider than what we had at the lighthouse…” Her voice drifted and both women fell into an exhausted sleep; thoroughly drained.
Only an hour passed when Jordan woke with a start. She scrubbed her face one-handed and looked down into beautiful brown eyes, “I’m sorry…” she mumbled, “did I wake you?”
Catherine shook her head, “No… I’ve been watching you sleep.”
“Oh… great…” Jordan licked her lips, “I’ll bet that was attractive…”
Catherine pulled her down for a kiss and both women sighed and sank against one another. After a long minute passed, Jordan pulled her mouth away and whispered, “I missed you, Catherine… I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too.”
“Coastanoa will be thinking about my offer tonight… and tomorrow I’ll see if he’s ready to tell us where Rossi is.” She smiled at the hope that burned in Catherine’s eyes. “And we’ll be well on our way to finding Cameron.”
“Then tonight,” Catherine signed, “we should celebrate that.”
“How about we start with dinner?”
While they waited for Room Service Jordan used her tablet to book Catherine a return flight to San Francisco for the morning and Catherine watched, her arms draped over Jordan’s wide shoulders,
“Why are there so many flights from here to SFO,” her hands formed the signs between Jordan and the tablet, “and only one from SFO to here?
Jordan chuckled, “You got me…” There was a knock at the door and she rose from the bed, “There’s our dinner…”
They both wore thick terrycloth robes provided by the hotel and Jordan tucked and retied the belt as she crossed the room, checking the peephole before opening the door for the bellhop. While he set their dinners on the table, Catherine texted Shen with her return flight information and by the time Jordan had tipped the young man and closed the door Shen had texted back that he would pick her up at the airport.
They chatted while they ate, Catherine signing between bites as she talked about her stay with Shen and Jordan found herself grinning happily, Stop it, she scolded silently, just because you feel hugely relieved everything’s finally falling into place it doesn’t mean it’s time for a party… But we’re definitely making love tonight… Jordan’s smile was serene, although I’d be happy if she just let me hold her while she slept.
“So tell me again how your Cyber division found him.”
“Using the facial recognition program I told you about…” Catherine nodded and she continued, “they got a hit just as an alert from his prints came in, notifying us he had been arrested on a drunk and disorderly charge.” She repeated the details of his capture and the procedures that had gone into effect as soon as he was booked to prevent leaks to the media, knowing she needed to hear it all again.
“How long till someone does leak it?”
“I’m hopeful no one will until we’ve got everyone in custody, that’s why we need to move him tomorrow.”
Once they finished Catherine pulled her by the hand to the king-size bed.
“Want to watch TV for a while?”
Catherine shook her head; letting the robe slide from her shoulders, she tossed it on the end of the bed, “No TV, Jordan…” Untying the robe, she pushed it open and off Jordan’s broad shoulders, letting it fall to the floor, “I only want you.” She backed onto the bed and Jordan followed, lying on top of her as their lips met in an increasingly heated kiss.
Catherine held Jordan’s head firmly in place and plundered her mouth as a woman dying of thirst. Both panted heavily and Jordan wrapped her arms around the petite slender form beneath as they began to writhe against one another. Trapping a slender thigh between her own and cupping a taut breast, Jordan briefly massaged the flesh before trailing her fingertips down the quaking, downy-soft skin until she could cup and squeeze the mound between Catherine’s legs,
“Oh, I’ve missed this…” she rasped, undulating on Catherine’s trembling thigh. She quickly slipped two fingers into searing molten depths and cried out when the silken walls clutched at her, “Oh dear god…” she grunted, a sob breaking from her, “Catherine… Catherine I love you…” Feeling Catherine climax beneath her, she forced her eyes open and watched the rapture that twisted the delicate features, “Oh dear god I love you so much…” she husked, her body jerking rigidly as the orgasm slammed into her.
They writhed and convulsed rigidly for long minutes and when Jordan breathlessly eased down she rolled onto her side, still holding Catherine close.
She panted breathlessly against Jordan’s shoulder, one arm wrapped around the muscular back, the other entwined in the long dark hair, I can face whatever happens tomorrow… she bargained silently, as long as I can spend this night, just like this.
“FUCKIN’ GUARD!”
Ed’s grin was dangerous and he slowly backed away from his cellmate, his menacing glare never leaving the younger man’s face.
“Calm down…” A guard approached the cell along with four other guards in protective riot gear. “What’s the beef now?”
“This fucker won’t stay out of my face!” The younger man hissed, “Put me in with someone else! I got rights!”
The shift supervisor had been watching them on a surveillance camera and as soon as he noticed how Coastanoa kept staring at his cellmate, he assembled his Extraction Team to move him to a private cell. “Put your hands on the shelf…” He instructed his secret mafia prisoner and Ed complied. The team leader clicked handcuffs around his wrists and instructed the younger cellmate to stand against the far wall before they slid open the barred door.
Ed was c
ompliant as they walked him to another part of the jail and after placing him in a cell with a solid door and walls, he placed his hands back on the door tray so they could remove his cuffs.
“Alright,” the shift supervisor warned him, “you got a room all to yourself… so behave.”
Ed stepped away from the closed door and sat heavily on the narrow bed. He only stopped once on his marathon drive to Las Vegas. Only able to sleep for four hours in a Motel 6, he got breakfast from a drive-thru and after filling the tank, was back on the road. Only stopping for fast food and gas, he made the trip from Connecticut to Las Vegas in just thirty-six hours, and once in the city of bright lights and big money, he mostly drank. I did pay a whore to blow my cock… he thought as he lay back, wincing at the thin mattress, Yeah, an inner voice mocked him, once, and then you couldn’t get it up again for nuthin’.
That wasn’t my fuckin’ fault… he shook his head, It was those eyes… that fuckin’ kid’s eyes… He clamped a beefy hand over his closed eyes, sighing heavily; increasingly, as the nights and days passed he found himself unable to close his eyes and not see the eyes of the small child he killed. They haunted him and he had worked hard to free himself from the damning eyes by drinking himself into a stupor. You fuckin’ dumbshit… he scolded, it’s not like you don’t fuckin’ know better…
He grinned humorlessly, They musta’ shit themselves when they ran my prints. His hand fell away from his eyes and he stared at the ceiling; Yeah… and now here you are... He knew he could easily cut a deal with the feds and get life without parole; his vacation in Vegas was proof enough that bottles of bourbon and scotch could not kill the vision of the little girl’s big brown eyes looking deep in to his soul. Looking into his soul and seeing him for who he really was; Yeah… he thought resignedly, that shit’s gotta’ end.
PART 4
Voice
Las Vegas, NV
On the drive to the airport, Catherine leaned her head against the backrest, content to gaze at Jordan’s profile while she drove, wishing with her soul she and Jordan could stay one more hour in the privacy of their hotel room. A soft smile pulled at the corners of her lips, remembering their early breakfast and how they showered together, making love again before turning the water off.
Jordan parked in the short-term lot and carried Catherine’s bag into the terminal. After she checked in Jordan flashed her FBI badge and continued on to the gate, holding Catherine’s hand.
Catherine pulled her hand free and signed, “I love that you can do that.”
Jordan smiled down at her, “Do what?”
“Use your badge to walk me to the gate.”
Jordan snorted, nodding, “I hope the next time I can get on the plane with you.”
“Me too.”
Jordan bought them tea from the coffee kiosk and they sat close together at the gate, waiting for Catherine’s flight to board. Heads bent close, Jordan spoke in low tones and Catherine kept her signs close to her chest. When her flight was called Catherine stood, pulling the strap on her bag over her shoulder.
Jordan promised, “I will keep you apprised of everything that happens.”
“I know,” Catherine gave her a watery smile, “Keep your phone charged.”
She snorted softly, “I will.” She wrapped her arms around Catherine’s petite frame and squeezed, the hug lifting her from the floor.
Catherine emitted a silent bark of laughter, fiercely hugging her arms around Jordan’s neck. When she finally released her and set her feet back on the ground, she used her thumb to wipe away the tear that slid down Catherine’s cheek,
“We will find him…”
“I know.” Catherine signed then cupped Jordan’s face in her hand.
“I love you.” Jordan murmured, pressing the palm briefly to her lips.
“I love you too...” she signed and walked away, turning one last time to smile and wave at Jordan before she disappeared inside the gangway.
Jordan stood at the expanse of massive windows, waiting until Catherine’s flight departed. She watched the plane back away from the gate and she followed, watching as it rolled onto the runway, waiting its turn for takeoff. Once the plane lifted from the ground and disappeared from view, she checked her watch; Time for Ed and me to take ride to Pennsylvania.
She had just pulled the rental car back onto the highway, heading north to the prison when her phone rang,
“Hawkins…” she answered.
“Agent Hawkins this is Warden Neville out here at High Desert… I’m calling to inform you your prisoner, Ed Coastanoa, committed suicide in his cell early this morning.”
Jordan relinquished her weapon with great reluctance before entering the sally port, her anger seething beneath the surface of her professional veneer. The warden waited for her inside and Jordan noted silently that his expression was exactly the same as when he greeted her and Catherine the day before. She knew her eyes were blazing and he didn’t bother with a formal greeting,
“The morgue is this way…”
Both were silent as he led the way to the prison’s medical center, and a woman he introduced as the High Desert’s chief medical officer led them both to a door marked COLD ROOM. Jordan did indeed feel the cold when she stepped inside and approached the occupied body bag on the wheeled table in the center of the large room.
The prison’s doctor spoke, “The official cause of death was strangulation...”
Jordan pressed her lips together in barely contained annoyance, “How…”
The warden and physician exchanged looks and the doctor raised her voice slightly, as if Jordan hadn’t heard her, “He hanged himself with a bed sheet.”
“No…” She turned to the warden, “how is it possible he was left in a room without video surveillance in order to prevent exactly this kind of thing from happening?”
The warden licked his lips, finally beginning to look uncomfortable, “Mister Coastanoa was observed intimidating his cellmate last night…”
“Intimidating how?” Jordan pursed her lips together, this time in irritation and distaste as she unzipped the bag.
“He stared maliciously at his cellmate until the man yelled to be moved to another cell...”
“Of course he did…” Jordan muttered and flung open the heavy bag, staring down at Ed’s lifeless body in disgust, You rat-fucking chicken shit bastard… she thought angrily, glaring at the distorted and puffy, purpled features, you cowardly piece of shit…
“The unit supervisor decided, given Mister Coastanoa’s high security status, to move him to a private cell.”
Jordan stared at the bruised red line left by the ligature around Ed’s neck, “A private cell with no video surveillance…” Neither the warden or doctor had anything to say and Jordan turned to him, “Because of your staff’s blundering oversight, we have lost what may possibly be the only bargaining chip we will ever have to find the murderers of five FBI agents… Let alone bring this murdering piece of shit,” She pointed angrily at Ed’s body, “to justice for killing a four year old child…” She fought to control her breath, “Do you understand Warden Neville?” she asked, her eyes blazing.
There was a knock on the door and Jordan watched as the doctor rushed to open it. A large man entered, flashing Jordan his badge,
“Agent Hawkins, my name is Sanders; I lead the Marshall’s security detail…”
Drawing a deep clearing breath, Jordan stepped forward and shook his hand, “I wish I still needed that detail, Marshall Sanders.” She turned back to the table, collecting herself, “but instead of flying Mister Coastanoa here,” she gestured helplessly at the table, “to the federal penitentiary in Pennsylvania, I’ll need to transport the body to the bureau in New York…”
“I thought so…” Sanders briefly met the warden’s eyes and the man looked away, “I’ve taken the liberty of rerouting our flight this morning to LaGuardia…” He stepped up to the table and gazed down dispassionately at Ed’s body, “I’m here to transport you a
nd… that…” he pointed, “about ten miles down the road to Creech Air Force Base…” Jordan nodded and as she began zipping the body bag closed, he gave Ed’s face a parting, mirthless grin, “Your flight will depart as soon as you and it are on board.” As soon as she finished closing the bag and locking the zippers, he began wheeling the table to the door.
“Warden,” Jordan spoke as she and Sanders left the room, the warden and doctor in tow, “if this is leaked to the media…” She stopped abruptly and turned, her voice dropping to a deadly register, “I would hope you know that both I and the bureau director will hold you directly responsible.”
The jet’s cabin was small and both Jordan and Sanders had to stoop when he introduced her to her pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit. Gesturing to the small seating area, he pointed out a tiny galley, “There’s no cabin service, but they do keep sodas and stuff in there. The captain will turn off the seat belt sign like on commercial flights when you can get up.”
“Thank you…” She gave him a tired smile and he took her hand, giving her a parting handshake,
“I am so sorry for your loss, Agent Hawkins…” He dipped his head, making Jordan think he would have tipped his hat had he been wearing one. “I want you to know me and my brothers and sisters in the service hope you catch those murdering mother fuckers soon.”
Jordan nodded, “So do I.”
He exited the plane and the co-pilot followed him to the door, closing and securing it behind him, “We’ll be leaving immediately...” he assured her as he returned to the cockpit.
“Thank you.” She gave him another smile and suppressed the urge to sigh aloud. She shrugged out of her jacket and draped it over her bag she left on a seat. She dropped wearily into the seat next to it and checked her watch; Catherine’s plane has landed by now… She sank into the generous cushions and rubbed at the headache forming behind her eyes. She stretched her long legs under the table, grateful it was a table fixed to the floor of the cabin and not a tiny fold-down tray. Fishing her phone from her jacket pocket, she activated the screen and tapped the lighthouse icon.