One Eyed Jack's

The way the light hit her pale skin made it shine with the sheen of a polished pearl. Her flowing red blouse hugged her curves and disappeared into the black and white checked skirt that wrapped around her waist. Even the way Audrey walked was hypnotic. She seemed to sway to some inaudible tune that the very special agent Dale Cooper longed to hear.

But he was here on official FBI business, he didn’t have time for…whatever this was. Not to mention he must have nearly a decade on the young Audrey. However, despite the age gap, she was alluring in a way that Dale Cooper had never before encountered. She was intelligent, cunning, persuasive, insightful and so attractive that it was nearly criminal. 

The daughter of the man who practically owned the town, there was actual weight behind the words “I get what I want,” that she had whispered in his ear just a week earlier.

He cleared his throat and tried to drown thoughts of Audrey with his damn fine cup of morning coffee. But it was hard to ignore her presence in the dining hall of the Great Northern. She leaned across a table, smiling at a friend of hers before turning her attention towards Cooper. She grinned at him from across the room and drew closer.

Audrey languidly sauntered over to his table and politely asked if she could join him. No matter his answer, she was there to stay, so he didn’t answer, he just continued chewing the half masticated donut in his mouth. “Good morning Special Agent Cooper,” she smiled, her bright red lips stretching across her face. “Anything exciting on the agenda today?” she questioned, taking a strawberry off his plate and placing it between her cherry lips.

It made him angry. She shouldn’t be flirting with him, especially out in such a public setting, or any other setting for that matter. 

“You know, when I was your age, Wednesdays were school days,” he replied shortly. For a split second her smile dimmed, and it pained Dale Cooper to know that he had extinguished it. 

She brushed past the comment and leaned forward, her arms on the table. “Are you any closer to finding Laura’s killer?” she whispered with a sudden seriousness.

“I’m afraid that I cannot discuss official police business with you Audrey,” he wiped his face with a napkin.

“I want to help you Agent Cooper,” she said, her words solid, but with a hint of pleading behind them.

Dale sighed, reached for his wallet and pulled out some money. “Audrey, all you need to worry about is being a normal 18 year old and finishing high school,” he set the money down on the table, not expecting his hand to be suddenly enveloped in warmth.  Her hand was on top of his, her slender manicured fingers injecting fire straight into his veins. “I think we both know I’m not a normal 18 year old,” she smiled slyly. 

Dale Cooper was certain of two things in that moment: 1) he would not share with Diane the details of his interactions with Audrey and 2) Audrey Horne’s smile could bring a civilization to it’s knees. 

Her hand was still in place and Cooper felt as though he couldn’t move. “If you change your mind, if you want my help, just let me know,” she said before pulling her hand back to herself. He gulped and searched his drowning brain for words. His lips parted, sucking in a breath of fresh air, preparing to say something along the lines of “that won’t be necessary,” but he couldn’t get them out before she stood and walked away. 

“Hey Coop,” a familiar voice crept up behind him. “Good morning Sheriff Truman,” Dale said, standing as the sheriff came to stand next to the table. He put his wallet back in his pocket and happened to gaze over the sheriff’s shoulder. The magnet that was Audrey Horne had her hand on the wooden pillar, prepared to turn the corner, when she paused and looked back at Dale Cooper, a knowing smile on her lips.

“You alright Coop?” the sheriff’s eyebrows furrowed, he turned to look in the direction that Dale was staring, but Audrey had already vanished. 

“Yes,” Dale answered quickly. He needed to grab on to a real topic and quick. “Is everything set up for our undercover operation tonight?” he whispered faintly. “Yup,” Truman replied. “Jacque must know something about what happened to Laura, he has to. And I’m sure there are more than a few secrets stashed away at One Eyed Jack’s. It’s long overdue that I get up there.”

“We’re going out of our jurisdiction Harry,” Cooper said, taking one last sip of his now cooling coffee. “It makes me nervous.” 

“It’ll be fine Coop,” the sheriff assuaged, “we have to get the truth, one way or another.”

“You’re right,” Cooper conceded. “Let’s go. I’ve got to get my tux from the dry cleaner’s and then it’s off to a fresh haircut.” 

The sheriff smiled. “Really going all in, huh Cooper?” 

“Of course Sheriff, Big Ed and I really have to sell that we’re high rollers, or they’ll be onto us.”

“I just hope that Ed has his backstory memorized,” the sheriff sighed. “He’s not exactly cut out for police work.”

“Well, after my haircut, we’ll head on over to Ed’s and make sure that he’s got it down. Sound good?”

“Perfect,” the sheriff answered. “And we’ll no doubt need to grab a slice of cherry pie from the double R on our way.”

“That goes without saying Harry,” Dale smiled.

The two men walked towards the lobby, unaware that one Audrey Horne would also be conducting her own investigation at One Eyed Jack’s that night.