I Fought The Law...

Relieved that Chris wasn't breaking up with me and had even expressed her feelings for me, I reached over the table with my free hand to cover her hands. I said, "Yes, this is real. I love you, too." Having finally said the words I'd wanted to tell her from that first night when I stood over her, I felt a great weight fall off my shoulders that I hadn't realized I'd been carrying. It felt so good to finally vocalize my feelings for her, knowing she felt the same way for me.

My eyes burned with unshed tears as we stood up, approached, and wrapped our arms around each other. Our lips crashed together, and we moaned into each other's mouths as we physically expressed what we had just told each other. Finally, we broke, gasping for air, and put our foreheads together, staring into each other's eyes.

Finally, we parted and sat back down. I refilled our shot glasses, and we clinked them together before throwing the whiskey back. As the liquid fire burned its way down my throat, I looked at Chris and asked, "So, why now?"

Chris looked at me, swallowed, and said, "My father called me this morning."

I wondered why that was so important to her. Although I knew about her stepfather, Chris had never mentioned her father before, and from what she had avoided saying in our many conversations, I was under the impression he was estranged from the family and had been for many years.

Chris continued, "He asked me to reevaluate my investigation of the Getty Villa Museum robbery."

Curious, I asked, "Why would he ask that? Who is he to think that he could ask you to do that?"

I saw the pain and shame in her eyes as she said, "In your business, I'm sure you've heard of him. My father is Brian Mooney, the so-called 'Concierge of Crime.'"

I was gobsmacked. It was no wonder Chris had never mentioned her father before. Since he was a famous criminal and she was an up-and-coming police detective, I could see why she hadn't mentioned it. I said, "Yes, I have heard of Mr. Mooney through the grapevine." Knowing that Brian knew about me and my role in the Getty Villa Museum robbery, I had to know what he told her. I couldn't help myself, so I asked, "Is that why the news conference was postponed today?"

"Yes," Chris whispered. She looked me in the eye and said, "I was going to announce a breakthrough in the case." She then looked away as she continued, "I was going to announce that an arrest was imminent in the case." She turned back to me and bitterly said, "That's why my father called and 'explained' why I couldn't go through with the news conference."

I was stung by the bitterness in her voice, but I had to know what she knew, so I asked, "What did he say?"

Chris heaved a sigh and said, "He told me that all of my evidence was tainted and wouldn't stand the scrutiny needed to make an arrest. I asked him how he knew that, and he said that he had hired people to make false statements and present false evidence to lead me astray. He went into excruciating detail, telling me about each piece of evidence and how it had been presented to mislead me." She paused, heaved another sigh, and said, "The really crazy part is that I'm actually glad he had called and told me all that. I didn't want to believe that the person I was going to arrest had done the crime."

"Who were you going to arrest?" I asked, fascinated by what I had heard and wondering why Chris was telling me all this.

Chris looked away, embarrassed, before she said, "You ... for stealing the Grecian urn from the museum."

"Me?!?" I exclaimed, feigning surprise.

"I was so sure it was you, based on all of the evidence I had collected," Chris said in a rush. "Oh, I didn't want to believe it, but the evidence made sense and seemed to hold together with all the other evidence we found." She looked so miserable that I reached out to take her hand. She pulled back and said, "I'm so sorry, Terry. If my father hadn't called, I would have accused you of a crime you hadn't committed and ruined your life ... and my career."

I had a lot to think about. First, Brian had gone out of his way to protect me. He hadn't had to do that. I was never going to rat him out, and he knew that. Second was that Chris had managed to find enough evidence to feel confident enough to have me charged with the crime despite my being careful and thinking I had covered all of my tracks. Third was that Chris was Brian's daughter. When Brian contracted me for the job, he had to have known that it was in Chris's jurisdiction and that she'd lead the investigation. Did Brian pick me because he could protect me as he did, or did he ...

My ruminations were interrupted when Chris grabbed my hand and sobbed, saying, "Oh, Terry, I hope you can forgive me for being so stupid and believing you could do such a thing."

Now that I knew why Chris had been so distant the past two weeks, I wanted to relieve her concerns, so I said, "Of course I can forgive you. You followed where the evidence took you, even if it was supposed to take you to the wrong conclusion. You listened to new evidence and stopped what you were doing. That took real courage, especially considering the source." I smiled at her and finished, "It was silly to suspect me, but I understand that the evidence you found showed that it was me, and you had to follow the evidence you found."

"So you're not mad at me?" Chris asked plaintively.

I smiled again and said, "No, or at least not as mad as if you had actually sent someone to arrest me."

Chris looked me in the eye as she said, "I wouldn't have sent someone to arrest you. I would have done it myself."

"I would have appreciated that courtesy," I said. "Luckily, it never happened, and it's behind us now." I wasn't going to cause a fuss about it and make Chris reevaluate her decision to believe her father.

"Yes, but now I have to explain to my superiors why I was all set to announce an arrest and then had to cancel everything at the last minute," Chris said, a grin appearing on her lips. "How do I explain that I was corrected by the most wanted criminal in the world ... and that he is my father?"

"I would leave that part out, if possible," I said.

"Oh, you can bet I will," Chris said. She heaved a sigh and got up. "I'd better get back to my desk and start my investigation all over again."

I got up and pulled Chris into a hug. Our lips collided, and our tongues battled as the kiss continued. Finally, we broke, and I gasped, "I love you, Babe, and I'll do whatever I can to help your investigation."

"I love you, too, Babe," Chris said. I walked her out to her car and watched her drive away. My feelings of relief warred with my feelings of concern about what Chris would be going through with her superiors, explaining how she had been so wrong about her suspect when, in fact, she had been correct.

I would have to meet Brian and discover why he interfered with his daughter's investigation. Until then, I was going to have to reevaluate my career as a criminal. I had made enough mistakes in this last job that Chris had figured out it was me, so I'd better retire from a life of crime and focus on my legitimate business. After all, my investments have paid off well, so I can retire and concentrate on my business.

As I headed back inside, I thought about how I would still have to find out what evidence Chris had found to lead her to suspect me. I had no idea what I had missed except for the security cameras at the church and that one photo of me in front of the case inside the museum. When I got back inside, I got my car keys and headed out. I drove around until I found a payphone at random and called the number I used to contact Brian. I left a short cryptic message when the answering machine picked up.

Having accomplished that, I drove down to Mac's on Highland Avenue and ordered some bar food and a beer. I enjoyed the sunset as I finished my beer, feeling warm inside, knowing that Chris and I had taken a big step forward in our relationship. We had a lot to work out, and I had to make changes in my life that, up to now, I had been reluctant to do. Now, I almost felt compelled to change my life and change it for the better.

By the time I left Mac's and was headed home, I had decided to retire from my life of crime. I'd tell Brian that I was no longer available. When I saw Jim next Tuesday, I'd ask him to slowly pull my off-shore money back on-shore and fold it into my business accounts. I was already planning my future with Chris when I walked into my house.

I found a note that had been slid under my door, and I quickly opened it and read it. Surprised by Brian's responding so promptly to my call, the note said that he wanted to meet with me tomorrow. After reading where and when he wanted to meet me, I fixed myself a drink and settled in to read some new specs I'd received on locks made by a Swedish lock company named ASSA. I chuckled at how closely the name resembled a Swedish band called ABBA and wondered if the Swedish liked palindromes for names.

My eyes were drooping shut when my phone rang. I picked up, expecting it to be Chris calling, and it was. We exchanged greetings, and I had to reassure Chris that I still loved her and wasn't mad at her. I asked how she was coping with restarting her investigation. She reluctantly admitted that her heart wasn't really into it. We exchanged endearments, and I promised to see her tomorrow night unless she called to cancel. After exchanging "I love yous," we hung up. I decided to get ready for bed, and once I fell asleep, my dreams were erotic and involved Chris ...

... It was a beautiful morning, and my spirits were high despite the traffic. As I drove to meet Brian, I thought about all the events leading up to my meeting and falling in love with Chris. If Brian hadn't hired me to steal the Grecian urn for him, Chris wouldn't have been the lead investigator, and we never would have met. I found it interesting that Brian had manufactured evidence that led Chris to investigate me and to think I was a suspect. Of course, I was the robber, but for Brian to implicate me in the first place could only mean one thing. He wanted Chris and me to get together.

I pulled up to the address I had been told to meet and saw that it was a charming house that was up for sale. I walked up to the front door, and before I could knock or ring the doorbell, the door opened, and Mr. Wilson greeted me. He motioned for me to enter, and when I did, Brian was standing on the first landing of the stairway that wound up the left side of the foyer. "Hello, Terry," he said, smiling, his jovial voice booming.

As he descended the stairs to meet me, I said, "Hello, Brian." I looked around and asked, "Are you planning on buying this house and moving in?"

Brian laughed as he stepped off the last stair and said, "Oh, no, Terry. I have no need for another residence in the LA area." He motioned toward the back of the house and said, "Please, join me in the kitchen. I think we have a lot to talk about."

We walked back into the kitchen, where Mr. Wilson had set out some glasses with ice and a pitcher of what looked like lemonade at the breakfast bar. We sat down, and Brian grabbed the pitcher, filled two glasses, and pushed one toward me. "Drink up," he said before drinking from his glass.

I did the same, discovering that it was my favorite drink, an 'Arnold Palmer.' I looked questioningly at Brian. He chuckled and asked, "Do you think I wouldn't know everything about anyone associated with my daughter?"

"Until yesterday, I had no idea you even had a daughter," I replied. I took another drink before I expressed my suspicions. "Did you have me do this job so Chris and I would meet up?" I asked.

Brian smiled and said, "Of course. I've ensured I was always on top of what was happening in Chris's life." A pensive look came over his face before continuing, "I know my life of crime affected her life, and I'm sure that's why she picked the career she did. I also knew she was struggling with her sexuality." He looked me in the eye before he said, "I don't have any issue with her being a lesbian. If two people love each other, that's all that matters. So, I have to ask, do you love my daughter?"

My eyes started burning from unshed tears as I saw the love Brian had for her daughter in his eyes. I said, "Yes, I love Chris and want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Brian held my gaze briefly before he nodded and said, "Good. I'm glad to hear that."

"I have to ask," I started, "Did you feed evidence to Chris to put her on my trail? I can't for the life of me figure out what I had done to leave any evidence of my participation in the robbery." I stared at Brian, daring him to deny my accusation.

"Yes," Brian promptly responded, "I planted evidence that I knew would lead Chris to start looking at you. I knew she would try to get close to you while following up on her investigation." Before I could protest, he added, "I made sure all of the evidence she found was tainted and could be easily refuted so you would never be charged. I called her when I found out she was preparing to announce an imminent arrest. I showed her how her evidence was tainted and planted to falsely accuse you of the crime."

"Why would she listen to you ... believe you when you told her that?" I asked. "You were really taking a chance there," I said accusingly.

A grave look came over Brian's face when he said, "Yes, I was taking a chance that having pointed Chris at you, she might find some real evidence that you performed the job. However, I had faith in you that you had covered all of the bases." He paused, frowned, and continued, "That was sloppy of you to get caught by that camera from the church, especially since that was real evidence, not anything I put in her path to find. Luckily for you, the contrast was so bad that no details could be extracted."

I flushed in embarrassment from Brian's admonishment. I had overlooked that, not realizing the proliferation of CCTV cameras had gotten that bad. "Another reason to justify retiring now," I thought. I looked into Brian's eyes and said, "That will never happen again. I've decided to retire and focus on my security consultancy ... and Chris."

Brian nodded, smiled, and said, "I hoped you'd say that. On my part, I will ensure everyone knows you are no longer available and are to be left alone."

I smiled and said, "Thanks, Brian. I appreciate that."

Brian looked at me and solemnly said, "Thank you, Terry, for loving my daughter. She is precious to me, and despite her opinion of what I do, I love her and will do anything I can for her. I know she won't directly take any help from me, but if there's anything I can help her with, I expect you to let me know."

"I will," I averred, nodding my head. With that, Brian stood up, indicating our meeting was over. I stood up and impulsively hugged him, startling him. He awkwardly put his arms around me for a moment before stepping back. I stepped back and said, "Goodbye, Brian."

I left the house and got in my car. I had a lot to think about. As I drove back to my office, I decided I wouldn't tell Chris I had met her father, especially since she wasn't even aware that I knew her father. When I got back to the office, Stephanie greeted me with a smile. "Hey, Boss. Chris wants you to call her when you get a chance," she said as she handed me a note.

I noted it was her home number, so I wondered why Chris wasn't down at the precinct. "Thanks, Stephanie," I said as I entered my office. As soon as I was settled in, I dialed her number. She picked up on the first ring, so she must have been waiting for my call.

"Hello?" I could hear the emotion in her voice, and it made my chest clench.

"It's Terry," I said. "What's up?"

"I've been benched," Chris said. "Internal Affairs (IA) came to my office this morning and took my gun and badge." At that point, Chris started sobbing, and I felt so bad for her.

"I'll be right there," I said, quickly scanning my planner for the day and seeing I had nothing scheduled. "I love you, Babe," I finished.

"Love you, too," Chris said. "Please hurry."

I hung up, quickly gathered up my purse, and headed out, telling Stephanie I'd be gone for the rest of the day. Driving to Chris's apartment, I thought about how Chris's new problems were my fault. I was seriously reconsidering my decision to tell her she had been right about me.

Chris must have been waiting for me because her door opened as soon as I knocked. I saw her disheveled look, and as soon as the door was closed, we were in each other's arms, our bodies pressed tight together, and our lips locked in a kiss. I put everything I could into the kiss to reassure her that I was there for her. Finally, we broke, both gasping for air, our foreheads together as we stared into each other's eyes.

As soon as I could breathe normally, I asked, "How bad is this IA thing? Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know," Chris answered. "I expected to get a reprimand, but I wasn't expecting IA to get involved."

"Did they find out about your father?" I asked, hoping that wasn't the case.

Chris paused and then said, "I don't think so. I told my Captain, George, that one of my CIs (Confidential Informers) told me the evidence I had compiled to make a case against you was compromised and even faked." She stopped and looked away guiltily before she said, "I had even gotten an arrest warrant signed off by a judge based on the evidence I had before my father called me yesterday morning."

"So, what's the issue?" I asked. "I would think George would be glad that you didn't make a bad arrest and not upset that you held off making the arrest."

Chris explained, "After showing George how all the evidence I had used to get the arrest warrant was tainted, he asked me where I got all the information. By invoking CI privilege, I protected my source. Unfortunately, George felt there were too many unanswered questions to just let it go. He probably brought in IA to investigate everything to ensure I hadn't compromised myself."

Chris stopped and looked me in the eye before she said, "I can't believe I thought you were a suspect."

I smiled at her before I said, "If you hadn't suspected me, would we have ever met?"

"No," Chris admitted.

"Then I'm glad I was a person of interest," I said as I moved in to capture Chris's lips again ...

... As we lay there spooned together, enjoying the afterglow, I wondered if Chris had given any thought about why her father had pointed her at me. I thought I'd try to steer the conversation toward that, so I drowsily asked, "Do you wonder why your father got involved with your case?"

Chris murmured, "I've hardly thought about anything else since he called."

I took a chance and said, "I think he was playing matchmaker."

Chris wriggled into me and said, "I think so, too."

"I'm glad he did," I said, tightening my arm around her.

Chris sighed and said, "I'm glad I can't arrest you for the theft."

My chest clenched when I realized that Chris had said "can't" instead of "didn't." Hardly daring to breathe, I asked, "What do you mean?"

"I know you did it, Terry," Chris said. "But since none of the evidence is usable in court, I can't arrest you." Chris spun around and cupped my face with her hands. She looked deep into my eyes and said, "Besides, the urn was returned to the museum, so I'm going to go along with the museum's line that, as far as they're concerned, they don't need it pursued."

"What will your Captain say?" I asked, starting to breathe again.

"Right now, he can't say anything until IA is done with their investigation," Chris said before leaning in and capturing my lips with hers. I pressed back, and the world went away as her lips on mine became my whole universe.

Finally, we broke, and the world came crashing back in on us. Chris's eyes were shiny as she said, "You need to promise me something."