Moving On

Vic dropped by the office, gave Ruby a case file that was complete and needed to go to Walt. She also gave her a plain long white envelope sealed and unlabeled and a small sealed cardboard box with what sounded like several lose items that slid around as the box was moved around; both the envelope and box were also meant for Walt. When she left the office, after mentioning needing to go by the courthouse to pick up some papers, she left her truck parked out front.

Walt came in a few of hours later and Ruby immediately told him Vic was in and gave him the things she left. He flipped through the file, read the key information and bent to sign the report before handing it to Ruby to be filed. He picked up the box and heard the loose items slide and thump gently against the inner edge. Walt set the box down and slit the envelope open, pulled the single sheet of paper out, and began to read. Then he quickly scanned though the page, dropped it, and snatched the box off Ruby's desk. His friend and dispatcher turned concerned eyes to him as he tore into the small pasteboard box. Walt ripped the top of the box open and titled it to drop the contents into his open hand. Ruby gasped when she saw Vic's badge and truck keys lying in Walt's large palm. He lifted his eyes to hers and she saw a mix of confusion, pain, fear, and anger as he tried to school his features and shutter his eyes.

"When did she leave?"

Ruby sighed slowly while she thought, "Two and half, maybe three hours ago. Said she had to go to the courthouse to pick up some papers."

"Call Neita and see if she got what she went after."

His voice was betraying his panic, the longer he spoke the more worried Ruby knew he was. She had reached for the phone as soon as she'd seen Vic's truck keys. Ruby had the number for Neita's courthouse office dialed before he finished the sentence.

Walt watched her as she made the call and gave him a nod of her head as soon as she received the 'yes' from Neita. He headed for Vic's desk and started to dial her number but hung up before he finished entering all the numbers. She knew he was going to be out of the office this morning, if she had wanted to talk to him she would have waited until he got back. If he called she would know it was the office calling and probably wouldn't answer.

He turned to Ruby as she hung up the phone, "I started to call her, but…"

"She'll know it's the office?"

Walt nodded. The defeat that shadowed his features worried Ruby, "Walter, we'll find her. I have an idea."

Ruby dialed the phone again and he heard her side of a brief conversation, "Louise? Hello, it's Ruby." … "Fine thank you. And you?" … "Good I'm glad to hear it."

Walt tried to control his impatience with the pleasantries but was not succeeding very well. He paced and stared at Ruby; willing her to hurry up.

"Louise, please forgive my haste and rudeness but I am in a terrible hurry and need a favor." … "I knew you would, thank you." … "I need you to call 555-7352 and ask for Kathleen." … "Nothing, there is no Kathleen there, just apologize for calling a wrong number and then call me back right away." … "No, Louise, I know who lives there. There is no Kathleen there." … "If it goes to an answering machine just hang up, there is no message." … "I really don't have time to explain. I just need you to trust me that I know what I am doing and do what I ask you, just how I ask. Please?" … "Thank you Louise. I promise I will explain just as soon as I can." … "Yes, yes, thank you."

She hung up the phone and looked over at Walt, "Louise was going to call her as soon as we hung up."

He continued to pace but looked up and gave her a short nod, before he stopped and stared at her phone.

Ruby watched him as the muscles of his jaw clinched and twitched. He had stopped pacing and stood stock still with his right hand resting on his gun, nothing moving but the clinching jaw muscles. Ruby could feel her heart rate increase as her anxiety started to climb the longer it took for Louise to call back.

When the phone finally rang the dispatcher jumped before reaching for the phone, "Sheriff's Office..." … "Yes, Louise." … "Sorry I didn't think to tell you where I was." … "Yes, it is a good thing you had the office number 'just in case'." … "Did anyone answer?" … "She did?!"

Ruby shot a look at Walt to be sure he was looking at her, even though she already knew he was watching her like a hawk. She looked him square in the eye and nodded as she mouthed, 'Vic's at home.'

Walt bolted for the door and nearly knocked Ferg down the stairs as he bounded past him.

"Hey Walt, Where's the … ? Ferg left the question hanging as her saw Walt barrel through the main entrance and out onto the sidewalk.

He still had Vic's badge and keys in his left hand so he jumped into her unit and headed to her house. Walt was tempted to turn the siren on but was afraid Vic would hear it and know he was coming. Not that she could get far without a vehicle, but he couldn't be sure she didn't have a vehicle available. If she had purposely avoided him by coming into the office when she knew he would be out of town and left her resignation without facing him; anything was possible and he wasn't taking any chances.

He pulled the truck into Vic's driveway, threw it into park, snatched the keys from the ignition, and bolted for her front door. Walt swung at the door as he exited the pickup, the noise it made when it slammed shut seemed unusually loud to his ears. When he saw the blinds move slightly he realized Vic must have heard it too. Walt stood at the door for a moment trying to collect his thoughts. The problem was the only thing he could think was 'Vic's leaving'. He took a deep breath and exhaled as he raised his hand to knock on the door in front of him.

Vic yanked the door open just before his hand came into contact with the door and his hand fell, with all the force of the momentum behind the missed contact; hitting his thigh hard enough to bounce back up slightly.

The evidence on her face told him she had been crying recently; her eyes were a bit puffy, there were tear streaks down her face where she had obviously swiped at the tears, smearing the moisture across her cheeks. Vic's face was just a touch redder than normal and besides looking very tired; he could tell she was angry.

"You're leaving?" It was the only thought he had had aside from the ones about her crying, looking tired, and being angry; all topics he knew to avoid with Vic. His mind screamed 'Way ta go Longmire stick your foot in it from the word go'. He was scared, it was true, worried about the pain Vic was enduring, and utterly flustered in trying to figure out how to address it all.

Vic said flatly, "Yes." She'd almost spit the single word but checked herself

"Why, Vic?"

The pain in his eyes overshadowed his confusion and compelled her to answer honestly and completely. "Because whatever this connection is between us I've felt it from day one and it's something neither of us has pursued. That made sense when I was married but then when Sean filed for divorce, within just a few days you started seeing Charlotte. I'd thought maybe we might've had a chance to see where things could go between us, but then you started dating someone else before my divorce was even final, even though you knew I was getting a divorce," She shrugged and angrily swiped at the tears she'd been fighting to hold back, "I gave up that hope. It's too late for us and I can't stay and watch you with someone else."