23 Miles

by Renee Mackenzie

  “Poker?” Talia asked.

  “Okay, I’ll go into the bathroom to change and you can change out here.”

  A few minutes later, they sat across from one another on the bed and played five card draw. Talia was losing terribly. She told herself it was because sitting across the bed from Shay while she wore boxers was way too distracting for her to keep her head in the game. She glanced down at herself, at her flowered pajama bottoms and Cyndi Lauper tour shirt.

  “You need to work on your poker face,” Shay said. “I can read you like a book.”

  “My brother always said I had the worst poker face.” Brian had also said on the phone that she had a ‘tell’ when she lied. She couldn’t think of any way she could tell when her brother lied. He was so good at it, it scared her.

  Once they were exhausted, they hunkered down under the covers, not touching. Talia knew she’d never fall to sleep if she stayed this keyed up and attuned to every breath Shay took. But, when she least expected it, she drifted off.

  Talia was awakened by thrashing beside her. She rolled toward Shay and just missed getting an elbow in the face. “Whoa,” she said in a low voice. “Shay, wake up, you’re having a bad dream.”

  Shay bolted straight up into a sitting position on the bed. She was sweating and trembling.

  “It’s okay,” Talia reassured her. “It’s okay, you’re here with me. You’re safe.”

  Shay took several deep breaths.

  “Come here,” Talia said as she opened her arms. She was pleasantly surprised when Shay settled in against her and drifted back to sleep.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ramos was making ham and cheese omelets when Talia and Shay came out of the bedroom the next morning. Agent Jackson was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper and Gish was sleeping in the poem room.

  “It smells incredible,” Talia told Ramos.

  The phone rang and Jackson put down the paper and walked into the kitchen. He pushed the button on the ever-present equipment and called out to the technician in the bathroom. “George, it’s show-time!”

  George rushed out, drying his hands.

  Jackson did the silent countdown from three and Talia answered the phone.

  “Hello?”

  “How are you, little sister?”

  “Brian, where are you?”

  “I’m still hanging out with the CIA. These people are a hoot. Did you sleep well last night?”

  “Yeah.” She looked at Agent Gish, who had just joined them. Gish gave her a keep it going gesture. “I slept fine. How about you?”

  “I see your girlfriend stayed over.”

  Talia glanced at Shay.

  “How cute, a pajama party,” Brian continued. “So, now, here is when I have to protect you from yourself. You see, you can’t let that woman drag you down. It’s not natural, and I can’t have you acting like that.”

  “Brian…” Talia hesitated when she heard the bell go off. Afraid he’d hang up, she let the words rush out. “Brian, there’s nothing you can do about us being together. Nothing.”

  “Oh, you think not?”

  “Yeah, I think not. I’m beginning to think you’re just a bully that’s full of hot air. A lying bully who will never get the chance to determine how I live my life.”

  “How about I kill your girlfriend? Then we can discuss it further.”

  Talia felt the burn of bile at the back of her throat. Who was this person? How could he possibly say that about any human being, let alone someone she cared so much for? She turned toward the others when she saw a lot of movement behind her. By the looks on their faces, she figured they must have gotten the trace. “There’s nothing to discuss, Brian.”

  “Tali-ho. And I sure will enjoy killing her slowly.”

  The line went dead.

  “We got him,” Gish said. “Good job, Talia, good job.”

  Talia looked around and smiled when she saw everyone else was smiling. “Hey,” she said as she took Shay’s hand. “We’ll get him now.” They embraced.

  “Holy shit,” Jackson said. “This address is in here…he’s in an apartment right across the parking lot.”

  Officer Ramos spoke into his radio, calling for backup. Gish and Jackson both pulled on their bulletproof vests and headed to the door. Talia ran out behind them, ignoring Shay’s plea for her to stay in the apartment.

  Talia knew Shay was right on her heels. She ran as fast as she could, catching up to Gish and Jackson just as they broke down the door to Maybe Lesbian’s apartment. Shay and Ramos held her back at the broken doorway, while the others searched the apartment. Talia’s gaze fell on her neighbor, sitting in an overstuffed chair with a cord around her neck. A blanket was spread over her legs and her hands were in her lap. If not for the cord and the fact that she was blue and lifeless, it would appear she was just watching TV. Talia felt her legs start to go out from under her.

  “I’ve got you, I’ve got you,” Shay said as she held onto Talia.

  “Clear!” Jackson called from inside the apartment. “Shit, what are they doing here?” He looked at Talia and Shay, then pointed at Ramos. “Get them both back to Talia’s apartment and have someone on them at all times.”

  Talia’s next thought was how cold it seemed in the apartment and how cold she felt looking at Maybe Lesbian, knowing it was her fault that she was dead. “Oh, my God!” Talia cried out.

  Shay and Ramos pressed in close to Talia and someone handed them two bulletproof vests. Shay slipped one on Talia before putting on her own.

  As they started across the street to Talia’s apartment, Talia became aware that there were heavily-armed agents and police stationed everywhere around her apartment complex.

  Once inside, Talia went to the window and moved the curtains to the side. She had a clear view of Maybe Lesbian’s apartment and all of the police. She heard words like lockdown and safe house being tossed about by some of the officers.

  She turned to Ramos. “What was her name?”

  “The victim?” He shrugged. “I don’t know yet.”

  Talia and Shay both turned to look at Agent Gish as she came into Talia’s apartment. “Did they catch him?” Talia asked.

  Gish shook her head. “We’ll go through every apartment, one by one. We’ve got roadblocks up all around town. We’ll get him.”

  This time, Talia asked Gish. “What was her name?”

  “Linda Adams. Did you know her?”

  “Just in passing. We spoke a few times and waved when we saw each other coming and going. I’d forgotten her name, or maybe never knew it,” Talia said, the last words coming out with a sob.

  “It’s okay,” Shay said as she wrapped her arms around Talia. “It’s going to be all right.”

  “Okay, time to go. Pack your clothes and toiletries only,” Jackson said.

  “But my poems—”

  “I’ll see to it that they get over there to you,” Agent Gish said. She looked at Shay. “You go with them and I’ll get your truck to you later.”

  “Where are we going?” Talia asked.

  “To a safe house in Norfolk where he won’t find you. We’ll keep someone on your apartment in the meantime, but we’re pretty sure he’s gone.”

  “Why do you say that? Where do you think he would go?”

  “There was a Pennsylvania address near the phone,” Jackson said.

  “Mom,” Talia whispered. “Would he go after our mom?” She directed the question to Shay, but didn’t give her time to answer. “He would. We have to warn her.”

  “The local police are going there to check on her now. They’ll keep her and her family safe, and keep an eye out for Brian.”

  Talia grew dizzy with the amount of activity. After she packed a suitcase with clothes and toiletries, she sat on the arm of the sofa and closed her eyes.

  Arms wrapped around her. The scent of vanilla comforted her. “Oh, Shay,” she whispered.

  “We’ll get through this. I promise we will.”

 
; “He said he was going to kill you. And then I kept pushing him and made him mad enough that he really will try. What have I done?”

  “What you did was think fast on your feet. You did it. You kept him on the phone long enough to get the trace. Now we have him on the run,” Shay said.

  “And we have no idea where he is or if he’s still watching.”

  “Talia,” Gish said as she approached them.

  Shay pulled away from Talia.

  “Here’s what will happen next,” Gish said. “We will move both of you to a safe house in Norfolk.” She turned to Shay. “Tell the officers what you want from your house and they will go get it and bring it to you. You will both need to stay in the safe house until we get the situation under control.”

  “Poke,” Shay said. “Tell them to get my cat, Poke.” Her voice quivered slightly.

  †

  Shay and Talia walked through the safe house to get a feel for the layout. There were three bedrooms and two baths.

  “How should we do this?” Talia asked.

  Shay studied her face, noticing the dark puffiness beneath Talia’s eyes. “How do you want to do it?”

  “I would rather we stay in the same room. I feel safe with you.” Talia looked away as she spoke.

  “Then that settles it.” Shay led her into the master bedroom. They placed their bags on the love seat in the corner of the room. “Sleeping here together leaves the other two bedrooms for the agents or whoever they have staying with us.”

  Voices came from the kitchen as Gish and Jackson spoke to two other agents. Shay was glad that it looked like there would only be the FBI, no local police officers. It wasn’t that she didn’t have faith in her ex-department; she just didn’t think it was good to have those distracting dynamics, all things considered.

  Jackson looked up as they went back into the living room area. “Shay, have you checked out the garage?”

  She glanced toward the door he indicated. “Why, is my new Corvette in there?”

  Jackson grinned. “Well, now it’ll be anticlimactic. Thanks a lot.”

  Shay opened the door that led from the laundry room to the garage and turned on the lights. She smiled at the sight of a fully equipped gym, complete with punching bag. “Oh, very nice,” she said. She hoped the treadmill in the corner would help Talia feel a little less restless.

  “Shay, Talia,” Gish called from the kitchen. They met her in there. “The phone is in here on the wall. It should be limited to official or emergency use only.”

  They both nodded.

  “The house is secure. Don’t open or unlock any of the windows. Don’t go outside. We will have an agent in here with you, but you won’t be tripping all over us anymore. Additional agents are in the neighborhood. You are safe in here, as long as you don’t contact anyone to let them know where you are.”

  “May I call my mom? She’ll be wondering why I haven’t called lately.” Shay felt a pit in her stomach at the thought of her parents worrying about her.

  “Yes, but don’t tell her where you are…or say anything about what’s going on.”

  Shay nodded. She was about to ask Talia if she wanted to call her mom, then remembered they didn’t talk regularly and that her mom was probably now also in protective custody. She thought of her friends and knew they would be worrying. “I almost hate to ask, but can I at least call Dee at the bar and tell her to tell everyone we’re okay?”

  Agent Gish smiled. “Tell your friends you are okay, but please, don’t let anything slip.”

  Shay was about to comment on Gish’s lack of faith in her but, on further thought, decided to stay quiet.

  The others went into the living room and Shay stayed behind in the kitchen to use the phone. “Hi, Mom.” As soon as the words were out she thought about what her mom had told her not too long before about ‘Hi, Mom’ meaning something was up, and ‘Hey, there,’ meaning all was right in the world. “And nothing is up.”

  “Hmph. When you were an itty-bitty thing, you lied about a stray dog you just had no idea that it’d followed you home. Your dad and I knew you’d probably coaxed it along. Anyway, by the end of the day the guilt of lying was eating at you so badly that you came into our bedroom crying and fessed up.”

  “You still let me keep the dog.”

  “Of course we did. Now, what’s up?”

  “I met someone.” She swallowed hard. “But it’s so early on and I don’t want to jinx it by talking about her.”

  “You’re practically whispering. Is she with you now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you happy?”

  She glanced around the home that wasn’t hers and was surprised when she answered, “Yes.”

  “Then when you’re ready you’ll tell us all about her.”

  “Of course. So, how’s Dad?”

  “Still deafer than a doorknob and too stubborn to do anything about it.”

  Shay smiled at the familiarity of her mom’s words. She couldn’t wait for all of this to be behind them so she could introduce Talia to her parents.

  After hanging up, Shay stuck her head out of the kitchen. “Talia, do you want to come in while I call Dee?”

  Talia joined Shay in the kitchen. “Should you call Kate, too?”

  Shay looked at her watch. “Kate won’t be home, but I could leave her a quick message that we’ve gone on vacation.”

  Talia cocked her head.

  “I know, lying.” She shrugged. “It’s for everyone’s own good.” She dialed Kate’s number and left her a vague message about being out of town with Talia and that they’d call again when they returned.

  Talia kissed her cheek. “You’re pretty good at that,” she teased. “Just don’t ever lie to me for my own good, okay?”

  “Okay.” Shay gave Talia a quick peck on the lips then dialed the phone again. Dee answered the bar’s office phone on the first ring. “Hey, Dee, it’s Shay.”

  “Oh, my God, Shay. Where have you been?”

  “I’m out of town with Talia. We’ll be back soon.”

  “Did you see on the news about that woman being murdered in Newport News? Kate said that’s Talia’s neighborhood.”

  Shay could hear the door to the office opening. There was a rustling, then Lana’s voice boomed into the phone. “Shay, oh God. You’re with Talia? They’re looking for her brother. They think he killed her neighbor after escaping from prison.”

  There was another rustling, then Dee came back on the line. “That’s why you’re out of town isn’t it? Where are you? Are you safe?”

  Talia whispered, “What’s she saying?”

  “Yes, we are safe,” Shay said. “Here,” she held the phone out to Talia, “say hello.”

  “Hi, Dee.”

  “Talia? Is it true? Did your brother murder your neighbor?”

  “I can’t get into all that right now. Just know that we are safe.”

  Shay took the receiver back from Talia. “Listen, we really have to go. I just wanted you and Lana and Kate to know that we’re okay.”

  “Be careful,” Dee said before Shay disconnected the phone.

  Shay glanced toward the doorway and saw Gish walk away. Of course she’d be listening to make sure they didn’t screw up and say too much.

  “I’m going to see what I can scare up for dinner,” Shay said to Talia. “Why don’t you go relax?”

  Shay scanned the groceries in the fridge and decided to make sloppy joes for everyone. It might not be a gourmet meal, but at least it wasn’t being eaten out of a box or bag.

  Her efforts were much appreciated by Talia, Jackson, and Gish and, after eating, they decided to all work out together. The camaraderie made Shay feel like she did after first joining the police force. She smiled as she watched Talia try to figure out the treadmill. “May I?” she asked.

  Talia stepped away. “Please do.”

  Shay explained the settings to her and then stood back and watched Talia’s first tentative steps. “There you go,” Sh
ay said enthusiastically.

  Jackson and Shay took turns spotting each other on the free weights while Talia stayed on the treadmill and Gish terrorized the punching bag. After they started to wrap up their workout, Shay asked Jackson, “Any word on Poke?”

  “Nope, not yet. He’s been quite elusive but they’ll get him.”

  “I hope they aren’t scaring him,” Shay muttered. “Maybe I should go get him.”

  Agent Jackson shook his head. “Nice try, but you stay put. I promise you they will be gentle and not scare him.”

  “First dibs on the shower,” Talia called as she took off out of the garage.

  Shay watched her and thought how much she wished she was joining Talia in the shower. Stop it, she told herself. No use in getting worked up in that way now.

  †

  Shay sat up in bed and struggled to catch her breath. Finally she turned to look at Talia, also sitting up in bed and wide-eyed.

  “Another nightmare?” Talia whispered.

  “Yeah, sorry.”

  “You don’t have to be sorry. Have you tried talking to someone about them?”

  Shay shook her head, knowing she didn’t want to talk to anyone about them. Or did she? She held open her arms and Talia snuggled in with her.

  “I’m a good listener,” Talia whispered.

  “I know you are, sweetie. I just don’t want to fill your head with my images.”

  “It would be okay. Maybe sharing your images would help dilute them.”

  Shay held on to Talia’s hand as she rolled over, bringing Talia with her to spoon Shay from behind. “Are you sure?” Shay’s question came out ragged and raw.

  “Yes, tell me, but only if you want.”

  They held each other in silence for a long time. Shay began to fear Talia had fallen back to sleep but then Talia kissed the back of her head.

  Shay struggled for words for a few more moments and then began to speak. “During my interrogation, the agent made me look at pictures of Allie and Diane.” She shook. “It was so horrible. The photos were so graphic and the worst part is Allie was my friend.” The last words were a half-whisper.