LYING COP Page 7

  “I think she’s going down there,” Alaska said.

  “Yeah, to get her shotgun,” Blade blurted and ran.

  Colt and Alaska both bolted after him.

  Blade grabbed the back of Esther Ketch’s jacket. She spun around, swung her leg up and kicked Blade in the crotch. He doubled over.

  Alaska punched her in the face.

  The blow picked Esther off her feet, sending her flying off the rim. She curdled a scream and crashed on top of a giant oak tree.

  Colt leaned over and listened to umps, ouches, tree limbs cracking, leaves rustling, and a few screeching motherfuckers echoing up. Then silence.

  He called out, “Mrs. Ketch? Mrs. Ketch can you hear me?” The sliding cock of her weapon responded.

  “She’s got her shotgun,” Alaska shouted.

  Colt jumped back.

  BOOM!

  Rocks beneath them exploded.

  Blade yelped, “Aw shit!” Blood oozed through his fingers as he held his forehead. Colt yanked him back a distance.

  “Oh my God, were you hit? Let me see.” Alaska pried his hand loose to expose a gash.

  “Probably a rock,” Colt said.

  Alaska sprinted to the cardboard box and flipped it open.

  Colt went back to the edge of the drop-off but stood in a different spot. Distant rocks tumbled. “She’s climbing back up.” He turned and rushed toward Alaska and her brother. “We better go.”

  Blade held a yellow hand towel to his head as a compress. Alaska stood by him. “I better get you the hell out of here,” she said. “Can you make it to the truck?”

  “I’m okay. Hey is that coffee?”

  “Yeah, I’ll get it.” She snatched the thermos and led the way out of the clearing.

  Following their hurried pace, Colt listened intently to their low conversation. They talked about ditching him.

  He was not about to let the escaped convict out of his sight. Not until someone apprehended him. Nor was he going to let Alaska slip out of his life. The woman had captured his heart like no other had done. And she was the most gorgeous creature he had ever come across. She repeatedly turned around to shoot him dirty looks. Obstinate she was, and that made him yearn for her even more.

  They’d gone a considerable distance when the eerie presence of someone in his personal space overwhelmed him. Did Esther Ketch catch up to them? He stopped and spun around.

  He scanned the incline they came down, light filtered through branches. He focused on the distant trees and detected a slight movement. It could have been a deer or even a bird. Not trusting that reasoning he turned back around to warn them but they were way ahead of him anyway, running. He took off after them as fast as he could.

  Layers of dead leaves carpeted the forest floor and Colt strived not to slip. He was accustomed to running on pavement and lawns. But slip he did. He tumbled and rolled, and then yelled, “Alaasskaaa!”

  She stopped near the road and yelled back, “Go to hell!”

  Colt sprang to his feet thinking, if he slipped again, she would be gone.

  *****

  Alaska got behind the wheel feeling victorious for beating Colt to the truck. She was done with him. If he wanted to arrest someone, he could arrest that damn Ketch woman. But Blade stood by the open passenger door as if waiting for him.

  “Let’s go,” she shouted. Her left foot pressed on the brake and her right on the gas pedal anxious to bear down on it.

  “I changed my mind,” he said, watching Colt scramble to his feet after yet another fall. “Tom’s mother will kill him.”

  “No, he’s a cop. He can take care of himself.”

  But her brother didn’t respond, instead he waved Colt along who finally made it to the truck with a grin on his face and leaves plastered all over him. Blade got in first scooting over to the middle.

  Alaska faced him. “What the hell Blade?”

  “I have to turn myself in.”

  “Bullshit.” She turned her head, whipped the truck around, and drove slow so Blade wouldn’t hit his head on the ceiling. She noticed more blood on the hand towel. “No you don’t. I know where I can take you to fix your head. But first we have to get rid of him.”

  An explosive clap cut through the air.

  “Holy crap is that Esther?” Alaska bore down on the gas pedal. The truck bounced.

  “I’m pretty sure it is,” Colt said. “I think I saw her back there stalking us. That’s why I stopped.”

  “Then you should have stayed back there and arrested her for attempting to murder me and Blade.” She flipped glares at him. He clung to the dashboard and leaned toward her with a not too serious expression on his face. “And let you go? I don’t think so.”

  Blade elbowed him back against the seat. “She would have shot him.”

  “Well then what kind of a cop is he if he can’t deal with an old woman?” Alaska spat. “Huh? I’ll tell you what kind of a cop he is. He’s a lying fucking cop!”

  Blade turned towards Colt. “Man, she’s about ready to claw your eyes out.”

  No one spoke until they hit pavement. “Alaska,” Blade began, “I have to turn myself in.”

  “Nooo…you don’t.”

  “Who else out there wants to see us dead? I’ll tell you who, Tom for one, Haggard for two, and Whip. They’re going to cover their asses. And the only way they can do that is to get rid of us.”

  “Yeah but—”

  “No buts. I’m not going to see you get shot. Or get thrown in jail for aiding and abetting. And that’s that.”

  Alaska slapped the wheel with the palm of her hand. “Damn it.”

  Blade handed Colt the thermos with one hand while his other pressed the towel to his forehead. “Pour me some coffee man, I’m dying here.”

  Colt unscrewed the lid and filled the cup. He handed it over to Blade. “He’s right. You both are in a dangerous situation.”

  Alaska wanted to scream, but said, “I don’t want to hear nothing from you.”

  Blade nudged her. “What’s going on with you two?”

  She glanced at her brother who was giving her that, you better tell me look.

  “How long have you known him?” he asked.

  “Since yesterday morning, he came into the café.”

  Blade took a sip of his coffee. “You two didn’t, you know, that comment you made about last night when you kicked him?”

  Alaska rolled down her window, allowing the draft to blow on her face. “Never mind, where should I take you?”

  “Not the sheriff’s office, that’s for sure.”

  “Go to the police department in Harrison,” Colt suggested. “We’ll take him in, and I’ll tell them you helped me locate him. And that you had thought about what he had told you about Louisiana and you figured it was possible he was using you to give them false information. So you led me to a place that he frequented in the past, and you talked him into turning himself in. That will let you off the hook for aiding and abetting. We can then proceed to Branson.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Blade agreed. “I’d probably get in trouble out there anyway.”

  Alaska cringed at the thought of turning her brother in. “How do I know you won’t tell them the truth? That I did help him and I did try talking him out of turning himself in? Huh? And that I am indeed guilty as sin of aiding and abetting—because I am.”

  “Well,” Colt responded, “as you know, I am a lying cop.”

  Blade laughed.

  She glared at them both, her head turning back and forth from the road.

  Colt stared back at her as if he was challenging her to a duel.

  “Fine,” she said.

  “So exactly what did you tell them about Louisiana?” Blade asked.

  “I told Sheriff Thornville you called and told me you were headed to the swamp, to hunt gator.”

  “And he bought it?”

  “A trooper was at the house and he got a call telling him that they had spotted you down there in a stole
n airboat. And a chase was going down.” She giggled.

  Blade laughed again. It lifted her spirits. She stole a glance at Colt who stayed silent with a somber expression. As soon as Blade got turned in, she was going to dump him.

  The road leading down the mountain seemed to have narrowed. Dense woods hugged the left side, and a line of trees bordered a steep drop-off to her right. She was in for a drive of hairpin turns, one right after the other. Peace flowed through her as she sat next to Blade, who for the moment appeared safe. She’d been so worried about him since his midnight call. It was as if she’d been walking on eggshells that ultimately crunched into tiny pieces under her sloppy decisions—Colt.

  She vowed from that moment forward, she would be a sharp and cunning woman.

  Blade’s arm dropped, plopping the bloodied towel on the dash. “I’m tired of holding this. Am I still bleeding?” He turned to Colt.

  “A trickle.”

  “Hey man, let’s pick up a pizza before I go in?”

  “Not a good idea,” Colt answered. “Pizza places aren’t even open yet, and besides you need to get stitched up.”

  “You’re right. You two need to get to Branson.” He retrieved the thermos and carefully poured himself a refill, leaning from left to right as the truck swerved.

  “Blade, tell me what happened, from the beginning. Your sister told me last night but I want to hear it from you.”

  Blade talked with a stable tone as he related the events that sent him to prison, but when they entered the city of Harrison, his voice rose as he spoke about the confrontation with Garland.

  Alaska turned into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant.

  Blade paused.

  “What are you doing?” Colt asked.

  “Nobody’s had breakfast yet.” She maneuvered the truck in the drive-thru lane and braked behind three cars. Leaning over the wheel, she gazed at him.

  He glared back with one eyebrow arched.

  She lifted her chin. “If you think we’re going to stop somewhere in Branson to gorge ourselves off some buffet, I won’t have time for that.”

  Colt raised his hand. “Fine.”

  *****

  Alaska’s sausage biscuit lay on her lap as she drove. Her brother and Colt both wolfed their food down.

  “How did you escape?” Colt asked, stuffing paper wrappers back in the bag.

  “I didn’t plan it. It just happened.”

  When Blade said no more, Alaska figured he wasn’t going to tell him. And she sure as hell wasn’t saying anything either.

  “Go on,” Colt persisted.

  “Blade you don’t have to,” she blurted.

  “I’ll end up telling the prison officials anyway.”

  “You know what, she’s right, never mind,” Colt said.

  “Look you two, it’s no big deal. I was lying on my bunk stewing over what Garland had told me. And for some reason, I don’t know, all the doors on the block opened, and there were no guards. It wasn’t like we all rushed. We looked and kind of wandered out and started walking around. By the time they did show up, a fight was going on. Those stupid guards freaked out and started hitting everybody. It was like a riot. I wanted to avoid the whole mess so I managed to squeeze past it and get downstairs. I wasn’t even thinking of escaping.”

  Alaska drove the truck into the police station’s lot and parked in a deserted area away from the entrance.

  “I moseyed on down to the garage because that’s where I worked. I figured they could find me there minding my own business.” He paused and took a long sip from a Styrofoam cup.

  Alaska noticed that his hand shook. Letting him go was not going to be easy. She willed down the urge to cry and picked up her breakfast.

  Colt didn’t budge to get out of the truck.

  Blade continued. “There was a van in there, an old Astro. The hood was up and the motor running. Nobody was around but I could hear voices coming from the office, talking about the chaos on my block. The passenger door was locked so I climbed in from the driver’s side and curled up like a snake underneath a rolled up tent and some sleeping bags. Turned out it belonged to some off duty guard. He came out of the office, slammed the hood down, got in and took off mumbling how there was no way in hell he was going to stick around for that mess. I don’t think the guards at the gate paid much attention to him as he left. He talked some on his cell. He was on his way to his ex-wife’s to pick up his kids and take them camping. Drove a long time before stopping for gas at the truck stop, that’s where I got out.”

  “Simple enough,” Colt said after a moment of silence, “couldn’t plan those sequences of events.” He stepped out of the truck. “Well let’s go.”

  Alaska took a large bite and said chewing, “I think I’ll stay and finish my breakfast.”

  Blade looked at her as if he knew exactly what was on her mind. “Okay, I’ll see you later then.” He grabbed the bloodied towel and got out.

  Colt stood expressionless, staring at her.

  Her heart sank at losing a man that didn’t really exist, except in her mind and in her bed. She threw him repeated glances, avoiding his face, hoping he would leave and follow Blade.

  Finally, he slammed the door.

  She peered into the rear-view mirror and watched him round the back end of the pick-up. “Damn it.” She switched to the side-view.

  He stalked up along side of the truck and leaned against the doorframe, staring at her.

  She vulnerably slipped into the black center of his brown eyes. What was he going to do, kiss her? Would she let him? She felt as though she was near the construction Colt, before he turned into a cop. She wouldn’t resist one last kiss.

  But he spoke instead. “Alaska, you have to go inside to clear yourself of aiding and abetting your brother.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine.” She tossed what was left of her biscuit on the dash.

  Colt opened the door and waited like a gentleman, or a cop who wasn’t going to let her get away.

  She got out and quickly strolled off. He caught up to her.

  They passed a couple of patrol cars with blue running lights. She glanced at the caged backseats, it gave her the creeps. Two cops came out of the building and approached Blade who stood at the curb.

  Colt’s pace picked up.

  This was it, Blade was about to be taken into custody. But what guarantee did she have that she wouldn’t be arrested? Would she be able to leave the building on her own free will, once she stepped past that threshold?

  She stopped in her tracks. Colt didn’t notice and strode yards ahead of her. She pivoted and ran, hoping her tennis shoes were slapping the pavement in a silent manner. He may have fooled her once, but it wasn’t going to be twice. Aiding and abetting an escaped convict was a serious crime and she didn’t put it past him to turn on her, to speak the truth to his kind of people. She didn’t want to chance it. If she was going to be arrested for her crime, it would have to wait until she brought Whip in.

  Alaska couldn’t get into her truck fast enough. Thankfully, she had left the keys in the ignition and she immediately turned the engine over and backed up without looking behind her.

  But curiosity got the better of her and instead of focusing on what was ahead of her, she glanced out the drivers’ window. Colt was halfway through the parking lot, elbows up, knees pumping, speeding towards her like a track star.

  Damn that man could run.

  The sight stunned her but she snapped out of it real quick and floored it. No way was he going to catch her, not this time, now that Blade wasn’t here to hold her up. After a disastrous morning, the situation was now going to go her way.

  She intended to burn rubber out of the parking lot when a patrol car pulled in. What was she thinking? She couldn’t tear out of there like a pissed off woman with a man running after her. There were lawmen all over the place. She was on their territory. They’ll certainly come after her and pull her over to find out what was going on, plus giv
e her a ticket for speeding down the street. And if she did get away, what would Colt do with smoke in his face? He would surely tell on her. And how far down the road would she get then, before those predatory, spinning blue lights appeared in her rear-view mirror.

  She hit the brakes.

  The patrol car slowed and then stopped. The cop’s driver’s side faced hers and he glared at her.

  She whisked her head around. Colt closed in on the back of the truck. In the distance, Blade and the other two cops stood motionless, watching them.

  “Is everything okay?”the cop next to her asked.

  She spun back around. “Oh yes, Officer, I guess he decided to come with me after all.” She shrugged. “I thought he wanted to stay.”

  Colt hopped into the cab, breathing rapidly. He flashed his badge at his fellow lawman. “We’re fine, just a misunderstanding.”

  The cop nodded and drove on.

  Chapter 9

  Colt exhaled a heavy breath as he glanced at Alaska who drove under the speed limit. All her fingers wrapped over the top of the steering wheel, and her lips pursed a circle.

  She didn’t trust him. Could he blame her?

  “I can understand your anger towards me, and I’d like to explain myself to you.”

  She threw him a flaming glare. “How dare you sleep with a woman you were investigating?”

  “Now wait a minute.” Colt bent forward. “I slept with a woman I really fell for, while I was on vacation.”

  He leaned back. “I was in the area and I was sent to the café to observe your actions, before and after you were informed of the escape. That was all I was supposed to do. And things just escalated.”

  Alaska’s eyebrows lifted like the fur on an angry cat’s back. “Just escalated,” she mocked. “You should have told me you were a cop.”

  “You’re right.” He threw his hands up in defeat. “I should have. But if I did you wouldn’t have taken me with you and you and your brother both would have been shot by that crazy old woman out there.”

  “We don’t know that,” she shrilled. “And Blade didn’t have to turn himself in.”

  “Yes he did. You both are in a dangerous situation here and you need to let the authorities handle it.”