Free Final Victim (1995) by Stephen Cannell

I'm keeping my house neat. I get what I need." Lockwood looked down and saw the new Nike running shoes o n h is feet.
    "You on a track team, Mal?" Lockwood said, grinning.
    "No, I ain't on a fucking track team. Why would you wanna get me out, huh? I got nothing you want."
    "I gotta computer problem."
    "I ain't no buster, so go get your help someplace else. 'Sides, they ain't gonna let me outta here anyway."
    Lockwood pulled out the folded SCR that Harvey had made up and slid it across the table with his fingers. Malavida made no move to look at it.
    "Not gonna help you, Zanzo."
    "Why not?" Lockwood asked.
    " 'Cause you lied in court."
    "So did you."
    "It's okay to lie when you're trying to stay out of prn. It's not okay to lie when you're a cop."
    "I musta forgot that rule," Lockwood said in mock surprise. "What page is that on?"
    "It ain't funny."
    There was an uncomfortable silence in the room.
    "We want you to help us," Karen chipped in. "I've read your record. I think I can understand why you started doing what you did. You were trying to help your mother. We need to hack into a computer, but it's got very strict security on it. I think there are only one or two crackers in the country who could penetrate this machine." She watched him, hoping the flat-footed compliment would soften him. His eyes still showed nothing.
    Lockwood tapped the folded paper between them.
    "This is a Special Circumstances Release. What we're offering you here, Mal, is a field trip with burritos. We'll take you to Lompoc.
    You'll help us. Then we'll buy you some Cokes and grease. We'll let you watch the sex channel on the motel TV and we'll have you back here tonight."
    "Why would I help you, Lockwood? Gimme one reason."
    "One reason? Okay, how's this? I can't ever recall seeing an inmate wearing designer running shoes before. What would happen if I put a trace on the prn phone lines? Would I maybe find some brisk computer sales in the Nike catalog? If I shut down your deal, how long would it be till you were somebody's personal tidbit in here?"
    "How the fuck do I get you outta my life?" Malavida scowled.
    "Hey, you asked for a reason. How'd I do?"
    "Malavida, we need you," Karen pleaded. "Please help us. It would mean so much to us. . . . Won't you do this favor, please?" This time she was openly begging him. Lockwood thought it was arguably the worst version of good cop/bad cop he'd ever pulled.
    Malavida knew he'd get no slack from Lockwood. He'd had enough exposure to the tough agent to know they were on opposite sides of the ball. But Karen Dawson looked like bait that could be stolen. He smiled at her and, after a moment, picked up the SCR form and studied it.
    "How could I refuse such a pretty chica?" he said insincerely, going badly over the top himself.
    "Who's your counselor?" Lockwood asked.
    "His name's Stan Shannahan," Malavida was now talking only to Karen. "I can get him to walk this SCR right through. All it's gonna take is maybe a pair of size ten and a half, D, Lucchese cowboy boots in black or tan ostrich. They have 'em at the Ranch Store in Santa Barbara. He's been drooling over them, but I haven't been able to score 'em for him 'cause they got no computer catalog. Throw in the boots and I guarantee he'll stamp us through."
    Malavida's attitude was picking up speed as he smiled at Karen. He was definitely in a hurry to get out of Lompoc for a day. He'd already started working on a way to turn a day into a lifetime.
    They met Stan Shannahan and gave him Harvey Knox's request. Stan glanced at it and took Malavida into another room. After a minute, they came back and both were smiling.
    "You ain't gonna take him outta Lompoc, are ya?" Stan asked, his Texas accent twanging like a bobby pin in a Dixie cup.
    "Of course not. We've got a government witness and a Federal prosecutor coming in by van. We're gonna be at the Ocean View motel back in town. We'll conduct the interview there and have him back by tonight."
    "Man, these Federal