We walk in silence up to the ridge. My heart beats uncomfortably quickly in my ears. Fuck, I need to get it together. I need to convince this woman to run headfirst into danger, but all I want to do is protect her. From the first second I saw her in the station, I wanted to tell the Lieutenant that the plan I've been working on for months is a no go.
As we reach the top of the ridge, the sun is about halfway hidden behind the horizon. Fort Brynard lies quietly before us, but I know that as soon as it gets dark, the criminal element will be heading out to cause trouble, making it unsafe for civilians to even leave their houses. This used to be the kind of town where people wouldn't lock their doors. But now because of our proximity to Paradise Falls and the Death Dealers, people here are afraid of their own friends and families. There are so many addicts now, willing to steal from their loved ones to get their next fix. This is what the Death Dealers have brought upon us.
Marie stares out toward the horizon, her beautiful, perfectly formed features betraying no inclination of what she could be thinking about what the Lieutenant and I just sprung on her. She doesn't even reach my shoulder. She's fresh out of the Academy, with no field experience. We never should have even asked her to take on a mission like this.
I open my mouth to tell her I'm calling it off.
"How do I know it's not you?" she asks suddenly, turning her bright green eyes on me. The orange light hits them, bringing out sparks of gold in her irises.
"How do you know what's not me?" I ask with a frown.
"The leak. It could be you or the Lieutenant. Maybe you're just asking me to do this to cover your asses, so you can say you tried your best."
"You're pretty cynical for someone so young," I observe, but I smile a little. Good, she's smart.
"I've had to be," she replies cryptically. "So?" I pause, turning to look at the setting sun. It's still hard to talk about.
"My old partner was Lieutenant Ebert's son. Mark was my best friend, and a hell of a cop." I clear my throat. "He was heading home after a shift. He was off-duty, but he radioed in to say he saw a few of the Death Dealers outside this bar, looked like they were in the middle of something suspicious. He said he was going to investigate. Dispatch told him to wait for backup, but he went ahead anyway. By the time backup arrived, he'd been shot three times in the chest."
Marie doesn't say anything for a while, and the pain in my chest eases. "I thought you and the Lieutenant seemed close. The grief brought you together."
I nod. "We at least know we can trust each other. No one else in the department knows what we talked to you about."
"How would you explain my absence? I mean, the other detectives might be curious as to why I'm gone after just one day."
"Honestly, I bet they won't be too surprised. They were pretty sure a woman wasn't up to the task of being a trooper, so it won't be hard to convince them that you were fired."
"Lovely," Marie says dryly.
I turn to her. "There's no shame in saying no to this. Most people in their right mind would. You'll have no backup, no protection. It'll just be you, alone. I probably don't have to tell you that the Death Dealers don't treat women kindly." She fixes me with her unnerving stare. My eyes travel down momentarily over her pert nose to her full, pink lips.
"You sound like you're trying to persuade me not to do it," she says, cocking her head slightly and raising one eyebrow.
"Maybe I am," I admit.
"I'm tougher than I look."
"I don’t doubt it."
"You don't think I can get the job done?" she presses me.
"It's not that. There's something about you…a goodness. I don't want it to be spoiled," I say. Even as the words leave my mouth, I know I shouldn't be saying them. She's my colleague. But I just can't help it.
She seems to stiffen for some reason. "You just met me."
"I meant it as a compliment."
"Do you have a backup plan? In case I say no?"
"No," I admit.
"Walk me through exactly what would happen."
I sigh. "Well, I've put together a background for you, a whole new persona. You'd have a new name, new ID, everything. Then we'd set you up near the Death Dealers and hope they bite."
"And if they do bite? Be honest with me." She looks up at me with earnest eyes. There's worry in them, but mostly determination.
"Have you ever heard the term 'sweet butt'?" I ask. She shakes her head no. "It's a woman who hangs around the club, doing whatever the club needs."
"Whatever?" she asks.
"Yes. There might be a way around that, but realistically…"
"Fuck," she swears, her eyes flashing. "You want me to have sex with these guys?"
"If I didn't believe the Death Dealers were pure evil, I never would—" The thought of her having sex with these animals stops me. "No. Never mind. This is too much to ask of anyone."
"You really think they're evil?"
"It doesn't matter. We'll find another way," I tell her, turning around to head back down the trail.
"You just said you don't have another plan."
"We'll figure one out," I lie.
"You're backtracking pretty quick."
"It's one thing to plan something in the abstract, but now that I'm looking at you in the flesh, and you're so… I can't." She takes a deep breath and looks out over the town.
"On my way to the station today, I saw a building, looked like it had a pretty severe fire."
"Fifth and Main?" She nods. "There was a dealer living there. Small-time stuff, just pot mostly. But the Death Dealers won't put up with any competition, however minor, so they set his apartment on fire. Not that we have any hard evidence, but it was them. The dealer got out, but there was a woman home in the apartment above his. She died from the smoke."
"She have any kids?"
"A young daughter. And the dad's a piece of work. Got some assault convictions for domestic violence, but he still has custody rights."
The light's getting low, so I can't be sure, but I think I see the glimmer of tears welling in her eyes. "I'll do it."
"You have nothing to prove—"
"That's where you're wrong," she cuts me off. "But don't worry, I can take care of myself."