EDITING: Politics and Poison

Chapter Fifteen: Attacked

We were just pulling out of the Lawson's neighborhood, when a large black sedan swerved out in front of us, veering into my lane. I avoided a collision by braking hard. My brakes screamed in protest and I silently thanked God that I was due in for a service soon.

I could distinguish a beefy, beetroot face behind the wheel of the offending vehicle. And before I knew what was happening, Mayor Lawson was jumping out of his car and striding toward me.

"Crazy bitch!" he yelled, grabbing Bess's door and wrenching it open. He yanked her out by her golden hair, apparently oblivious to her whimpering. "What were you doing in my house?"

"Let her go," I said coldly, training my gun on him.

He puffed and after some thought, threw her unceremoniously back upon her seat. He slowly raised his hands and stepped back from the car slightly.

I didn't take my eyes, or my gun off him, asked Bess, "are you okay?"

She was gasping for breath, trying to arrange her disheveled hair. "No thanks to this nut job," she muttered. I could feel her fear, but she was more indignant than anything else.

"What were you doing in my house?" Lawson repeated.

"You have no proof-" I started to say.

"No proof?" he snarled. "No proof? I wouldn't call having an alarm installed on my filing cabinet, that went off when it was opened, no proof. It activated a live feed from my security camera and I saw it. I saw it all; you two skanks going through my things. I caught you red handed."

I didn't falter. "As did we, Mayor."

He wet his lips, and advanced an inch. "I know that, girly. So I'm ready to make you a deal. If you give me the papers, I won't report you to the police like I should, for breaking and entering."

I lowered my gun, and glanced at Bess, said softly, "I guess that's fair."

"Okay then. Here's what I want you to do." His voice was patronizing. "Put your gun in the trunk, and walk over here. Hand me the papers, and then we both get to drive off and forget this whole thing."

Bess and I made eye-contact. "Okay," I repeated, and gathered the offending documents. I opened my door and walked around to the back of my convertible.

"I'll pop the trunk!" Bess volunteered, sliding into the front seat, behind the wheel.

Good girl, I thought, as the trunk made a popping sound, springing open. I put my gun at the back of the trunk, feeling Lawson's eyes upon my back, and then waked slowly over to meet him. As he held out his hand to take the papers, I dropped one on the ground.

"So sorry," I said with a nervous laugh. "But I'm not going to let you get away with this." I straightened abruptly, and swung my leg in a deft karate kick that struck him hard in the crotch.

As he doubled with a scream, I landed heel of my hand on his nose and spun, crushing the same spot with the point of my elbow. That time, I heard the satisfying crack, felt the ooze of blood. After a heartbeat, he fell unconscious, onto the hard cement pavement.

"Rope!" I choked at my friend, who rifled in the fanny pack on the passenger seat, and then threw it out onto the ground. I swiftly tied the Mayor, wondering how long he'd stay unconscious. Did I have enough time to call the police?

"Come on, let's go!" I yelled at Bess, jumping in the passenger door.

"Right," she agreed. "What is up with him? He was full crazy."

I nodded, too breathless to speak, and dragged my phone from my pocket, hit McGuinness's number. "Captain," I managed, as he picked up, "I need you. Now."