Bloody cattle rustlers. It was bad enough to lay a trap in the middle of the night while some rustling operation was going on, but what was worse that it was actually on her night off. Muttering a string of curses after parking her Dodge in the ranch yard, deputy Victoria Morretti ran the zipper of her parka up to her chin.
Walt and the boys were probably already out there, waiting for the action to start now that they had a lead on the rustlers. The trap was laid, the plan was simple. They'd lay low while the rustlers loaded the cattle, and by the time they'd drive the truck onto the highway, Ferg and Branch would be waiting in their patrol cars, while Walt would close in behind the truck.
So far, so good. Those rustlers had been plagueing the county for months now - it was about time they were caught red-handed. But she wasn't about to miss out on the fun, even though it wasn't her shift. She had worked hard and long on the investigations, and she'd be damned if she'd let this chance slip through her fingers.
The only downside was that it was the middle of the night, and it was cold. Quite too cold for her liking, she thought, bracing herself against the bitter cold as she stepped out of her car. She didn't actually have a plan herself, now that she was here. Walt would be mad as blazes when he found her there, but she could take his anger. What she couldn't take was the feeling of missing out, of disappointment. She may be a woman, but she was as tough as the men, and she'd show them, once and for all.
Walt had waited for hours on that cold ridge that overlooked the cattle filled valley. Sometime after three in the morning, he finally heard the faint sound of a semitruck headed up the highway. As he calmly finished his coffee, his eyes never leaving the scene in front of him, two headlights came into view as the semi came around the corner, and eventually stopped, the brakes hissing in protest. The following moment a powerful light shone across the field, and Walt lowered himself flat to the ground to prevent being caught. The cattle awakened and slowly came to their feet. Those damned rustlers weren't taking any chances, he knew.
Angling the semi into a sharp curve, it was gently lowered towards the fence, ready to load the cattle as two men worked on cutting the wire. The harsh scrape of the big doors being opened by two other rustlers, followed by the sound of clattering hooves on the ramp told Walt that they were getting ready to round up the cattle. It was clear that this was indeed the professional rustlers they had been dealing with for months now; every action, the slow way they worked, showed that this was a well thought-out plan. They knew exactly what they were doing.
Walt smiled to himself. Tonight would turn out to be a great success, he could feel it. After months of guesswork, of disappointments and angry ranchers who had lost yet another great portion of their livestock, he would finally catch them. If only Vic were here to join in on the action. But, on the other hand, as much as he valued his deputy, he wouldn't have been too happy with her here, next to him in the cold, when she could be at home, warm in her bed. She deserved a night off, after all the extra time she had dedicated to the case. It was a pity, for she equally deserved to be here and be able to close the case with him. But in any way, being at home, warm in your bed would be a lot more comfortable than lying in the grass for hours with nothing more than the cold wind at your backside to keep you company.
He knew full well that he'd pay for his actions tomorrow and that she'd be mad as hell with him for not letting her come along. Silently chuckling to himself, Walt found that he was actually looking forward to the confrontation. He loved it when she argued with him, crossing lines with him in the way he didn't tolerate from anyone else. But the way her hazel eyes shot flames at him from time to time, the way her cheeks flushed when she was excited about something..
Walt should be annoyed with himself, because he actually had no business seeing her any different than a colleague, his deputy. Protocol and professionalism dictated that he shouldn't take note of the snug fit of denim across her backside, the fact that the tight fabric accentuated her thighs so well, of how her shirt buttons could struggle to stay in place over the swell of her breasts. He should be irritated with himself. Yes he should.
Damn it all, what was he thinking? She was his subordinate, and he had always considered himself a gentleman. She wasn't the first truly interesting woman to walk into his life, even though the challenge of her being a handful and a half was more than a welcome one.
Vic had recently divorced Sean, and he was still mourning Martha's death. That alone should strengthen his resolve to take a step back with Vic. The fact that she had such a strong satin-clad iron hold on him didn't help much though. So, after all, it was only for the best that Vic was at home, far away from here.
The mare was tame, and let herself be easily guided through the dark. Luckily, the wind came from the south, so whatever sound she or the horse made, it wouldn't interfere the plans because the rustlers couldn't hear it from the highway. Whatever sounds they made, though, she could hear loud and clear. Vic sighed as she finally saw the valley come into view, the ridge on which Walt was waiting right in front of her. During the preparations they had decided on approaching the rustlers from the highway, while Walt lay waiting on the north side of the ridge.
She wasn't fond of the idea of Walt closing in on them on their own. So much could go wrong, things that she didn't dare think about. As she came closer, safely hidden behind a large bush, a beam of light illuminated the interior of the semi the rustlers were using, while two of them moved a wooden fence to form a partition between the loaded cattle and the space where they would load the horses. They were nearly done. Showtime.
Vic patiently waited while the rustlers finished loading the horses, and tilted her head up towards the top of the ridge where Walt would probably be. She wanted to be aware of any movement he made, so she could join him and finish the work together. The next moment, her attention was caught by the hard sound of the doors being slammed shut, and Vic squinted to get a better look as multiple shadowy figures walked around the truck and eventually disappeared from view.
Silently hissing a curse, Vic sat up straight in her saddle, her brows furrowed as she concentrated, and counted. Damn it. She hadn't been able to tell if one of them actually stayed in the back. Were those damned rustlers on to them?
Walt. Immediately Walt came to mind. Had he seen it? Was he aware of the potential danger? Damn the man with his abhorrance for mobile phones. Damn her for not bringing her portable. Damn it all!
Meanwhile, the big truck had begun moving, but its weight slowed it down. As it finally reached the pavement, the highway was flooded with light coming from the patrol cars, closing the semi in from both sides of the road. From the corner of her eye, Vic could see Walt on horseback, bearing down on the semi.
Without warning, the back doors of the semi suddenly flew open. Reacting instinctively, Vic spurred her horse forward. The next minutes seemed to pass in slowmotion, and Vic felt as is she wasn't actually there, as if she was a spectator ina horror show. She saw a flash, and then heard the unmistakeble loud pang of a gunshot. The sharp crack echoed through the valley, and she saw Walt reacting instinctively. He was ahead of her, how far she did not know, and she didn't have time to estimate.
She heard several more shots being fired from the truck, before a mounted rustler appeared from the back of the semi.
Son of a..
She wouldn't be able to reach him in time. She wouldn't be able to push him out of the way. But she could try to warn him at least..
"WALT!" She screamed, her throat aching, tears welling up.
The rifle had been pointed in Walt's direction. At the exact same moment when Vic called out for Walt, the rustler's horse stumbled and fell. The rifle went off, and all went quiet as Vic felt her body jerk from the impact. Losing her grip, she fell heavily to the ground.
Then all went black.