Garland Wuornos had been looking forward to and dreading this day for the past 27 years. The woman who would look like his long-lost friends but with no memories of anyone she cared about; with none of the experiences that allowed her to grow into the woman that left. It would be torture.
This time would be different. He was done with the cycle of death & destruction that struck his town again and again. It didn't seem like the people of Haven would ever get a break. They would never be able to live normal lives, but maybe he could help make it a little less painful. They didn't deserve this punishment; maybe they weren't all good and maybe they weren't all nice, but they were his. He had taken an oath to protect them and made a vow to a woman to save as many as he could.
"Got another one." The gruff voice of Garland Wuornos came out over the phone, Vince Teague felt the corners of his mouth turn down and his brow raise. He was getting tired of these phone calls.
"What is it this time?" His voice came out as a tired sigh. He silently berated himself, he had a job to do and no one else could do it for him. Fate had seen to that, or well... The troubles had.
"I'ma thinking it's some kind of wind control, maybe. Dunno yet, just found the body looks like it was hurled over the bluffs."
"Whose body?" The question had to be asked, best get it out of the way early in the conversation.
"That piece of scum Jonas Lester, broke out of prison ah couple ago. Won't be missed." That was a small mercy, Lester wasn't one of theirs then, he counted it as a win. He wondered for a moment if he was becoming too desensitized to death after all this time.
He shook the thought off, didn't really matter anyways there wasn't anyone left to take over if he was.
"That's good news. Hmm… Conrad Brauer could definitely do it, don't they have a history together?" Vince remembered the story Dave had written up on Jonas Lester's arrest.
Which reminded him that he needed to investigate how Dave had been winning their scrabble matches. He had to be cheating, it has cost Vince authorship of some of the juicy story articles over the past few years.
"No, it's definitely not Conrad. I sent Dwight up to the ridge to check out where Lester might have come over and he says the trees are ripped up right to the roots."
Vince heard a puff of air being release over on the other end of the phone call.
"Are you smoking? I thought we had agreed that it wasn't a thing you did anymore Garland."
"I am a grown ass man, Vincent, get back on the subject at hand."
"Hmm, well I am not forgetting this, but I suppose I can dig through some records. Since I can't think of anyone of the top of my head. It would be useful if the records hadn't burned, but we will make do." He cursed Edmond Driscoll once more thinking about his family's priceless journals and recordings that had been burned to a crisp when the Reverend had sought revenge against them after his wife's death.
"I'll Speak to Dave, we'll get back to you."
"See that you do." Then dial tone as the phone was disconnected.
He huffed as he stowed his phone back into the cradle. The man was sixty-three years old it was past time he learned some Manners. Honestly, he didn't understand sometimes where it went wrong with these younger generation.
An FBI Agent was new. He had to give it to Howard this time, it was going to be a skill set that was invaluable to Lucy or well he supposes now it was Audrey. Plus, he was in a prime position to push her buttons. Her being a federal agent made it almost too easy.
He was worried about Nathan though, he was still pushing against the very idea of the Troubles. That boy was too damn stubborn for his own good and was dead set against learning anything Garland had to teach.
He saw a lot of Elizabeth in the boy; her softness & kindness. Unfortunately, it seemed Nathan had inherited her blindness as well. Garland had loved that woman dearly, but he couldn't deny that she hadn't let herself see the monster her first husband had become. Until Max Hansen's crimes were shoved out into clear view. Where there was no way for her to hide in denial of it.
Nathan had inherited that trait and Garland had done his damnedest to remove it. Tried to train it out of him It was a detriment to have as a cop and even worst one to have working with the troubled.
Audrey would be fine. She was a strong woman, but he knew even she couldn't do this alone. This was his last chance to get Nathan ready. Next time the troubles came back he was going to be on his own; no Vince, no Dave and no Garland.
There really hadn't been any other choice but this one. Dave knew that; knew that like he knew his own name or the face his brother made when he complained about switching seats on the bicycle.
It all came down to the Colorado Kid: James Cogan, the son she never knew she lost.
He smoothed the printed page flat against the tabletop once more as he gazed into the shocked face of his friend at the discovery her son's dead body on that beach.
They could never just come out and tell her everything he reflected with remorse. They had been warned against telling Lucy when she had arrived last time, but this was something that neither he nor Vince were willing to keep from her. How could they and still call themselves her friend.
Still the guilt ate at him and he closed his eyes bringing his shaking hands up to his face. Wanting nothing more than to let out the sob that was lodged in his throat and scream at the injustice of it all. He took a deep breath; his body began to shake with the suppressed emotions. His closed eyes burned, and he dug the heels of his hand into them hard.
Two firm hands came down upon his shoulders, like they were trying to hold him together without pinning him down.
"Oh Dave." Came the soft whisper of his older brother. He squeezed lightly down on his shoulders.
"We'll get through this." The promise was meant to soothe. It didn't.
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Conrad walked out of the police station doors and into the cool pre-dawn night. He shifted on his feet as a shadow peeled itself off the left wall just out of reach of the lamplight. He tensed reading himself to flee or fight if necessary.
The shadow resolved itself into the hulking shape of the resident cleaner, long blonde hair creating an ethereal halo over the man's head. If he didn't known him, he would been intimidated by the image the tall man painted in the light from the streetlamps.
"Dwight'"
"Conrad." Dwight Hendrickson gracefully loped across the distance between them and fell into step with Conrad.
"Chief called."
"Figured as much."
"Trucks this way." Dwight jerked his head to the right and the two swung in the direction of the waiting vehicle.
"Where's the Van?"
"Tree's where too big, needed the truck." Conrad hummed in the back of his throat. The two men climbed into the vehicle.
"How's the house?"
"No lasting damage. Went ahead and grabbed Ted's things while I was there." he jerked his head to the bed of the truck. Then quirked an eyebrow.
"Toss it or give it to someone who needs it, he won't miss anything." It was Dwight's turn to hum in reply.
"Seatbelt." He called to him, across the seat. Conrad raised his eyebrows in surprise but complied easily to the request.
"Home or Marian?" Dwight shifted into gear then turned waiting.
"Marian of course." The only reply he got was a soft noise of accent and the truck moving onto the road.
Garland lifted the cold bottle to his lips and swallowed the cool liquid. He came to the decision that tonight a beer wasn't going to be enough.
As if summoned by his thoughts a bottle of liquor appeared in front of him. He followed the hand holding it back to Dave's solemn yet earnest face. He grunted in appreciation and took a swig. Closing his eyes at the burn in his throat, trying to immerse himself in the feeling.
"You are not supposed to be drinking." Vince's cry shattering the moment and Garland reluctantly opened his eyes to the accusing face staring back at him.
"Dave you know better. What kind of friend does that make you. No one wants an enabler."
He watched Dave sit up straight with a cry of offense and the two were off squabbling.
Garland took another drink.
"I thought we were getting together to talk about Audrey and assess our next actions?"
The brothers turned to him again, both looking nothing like each other yet the expressions identical. Vince of course pulled himself together first. Sitting down at the chair behind his desk.
"Of course, you're right." He pulled some papers out and fished a notebook out from under another stack of papers. Putting on his large framed glasses before turning back to Garland.
"My brother, anyone ever told you that those glasses look like their eating your face. Just hideous, but then again I guess we all know you don't have an iota of fashion sense."
Vince's face jerked around to stare outraged at his brother.
"Fashion sense? Do you not remember Monica Seacrest's sixtieth? Hmm... Remind me who was the one that thought mauve pinstripe went with the spotted ascot. Really what were you thinking."
"I have you know that Theresa Pembroke was quite charmed by the combination. Really she followed me around for at least an hour complimenting my avant-garde assemble."
"Avant-garde my left foot. That girl wouldn't have known an ascot from a cravat. She just wanted you to get her an invitation to Roger Redmond sponsored party. She was-"
"Gentlemen." Garland finally cut them off.
"Audrey Parker." His words gave no indication of his frustration with the brothers. This was going to take forever. Garland rubbed at his forehead, next time he would try to catch Dave or Vince alone. Their dual presence was not worth this headache.
"Right. Right… Yes." Vince hummed in the back of his throat as he shuffled his papers and focused back on the task at hand.
"Do we still think her working with Nathan is the best idea?" He looked up at Garland over the rims of his reading glasses.
"Yes. The answers not gonna change. It must be Nathan, we agreed. That's why we didn't tell him about the troubles. She needs a true friend, someone in her corner that's not manipulating things. You know how she would feel about that, and I have a feeling that Audrey parker will appreciate our efforts much less." The brothers face reflected his dissatisfaction at the choice they made.
"Fair enough, decision made, no use bellyaching now. What's next?" Garland tried to ignore the irony of that statement coming from Dave, but he couldn't quite keep the amusement from twitching his lips. He made eye contact with Vince who was making no effort to hide the snort that came from his lip.
"Sure, thing Dave. Maybe we can talk about Howard." Garland said before another argument could sprout between the two. "He mentioned that he thinks there is a real danger of this overlay leaving early." He knew she wouldn't, Garland could see the drive, passion and curiosity raging in her eyes earlier. Howard, he had come to understand, saw her, whatever her name truly was, through a very harsh lens. He held neither passion nor compassion for the young woman and was, he thought, purposely blind to some of her gentler personality traits.
"Not a chance, no way is she backing down from a challenge. She's a spitfire just like Lucy." Dave, of course was quick to defend.
"Yes, but with Sarah's cool detachment, thanks to that nifty FBI training." Vince agreed with his brother and the two nodded in acknowledgement of the other.
"Agreed. I think I'll play devil's advocate for now. Draw her in. Give her the fight she's looking for." Garland said drumming his fingers on the bottle in his hands wanting a cigarette.
"Did Dwight get the Caldwell house back in order." Vince queries to break the somber silence that had fallen between the tree men. Garland gave him an incredulous look at the question.
Vince winced.
"Ah, silly question of course. He is doing well then?" The concern for the Cleaner was genuine, but Garland had to unclench his jaw in order to answer.
"As well as can be expected after your torrential screw up Vince. How the Hell do you think he's doing. It's only been a month, the man is still fucking broken thanks to that sloppy, undisciplined, damned nightmare group of people you run around playing king of." He practically spit the words out in his old friend's face.
He had told Vince that he needed to establish a tighter rein, that he needed to set some actual fucking rules. Vince was an educated man, he should have known what would happen with a group of highly emotional ARMED civilians running around. Finally, when someone with a stubborn streak or backbone stood their ground and said no. Dwight Hendrickson's little girl had paid the price.
That cockup was a highlight on everything he dislikes about the guard. He knew of their necessity, but it didn't mean he had to like how they operated. He was a cop, and it had always rubbed him the wrong way.
"Hey now," Dave broke in coming to Vince's defense, "we all understand that was a bad situation and have made every effort to make sure it never happens again. We just want to keep an eye out on Dwight and do everything we can to ease his way. Come on Garland, we said we would work together on this."
He worked on relaxing his jaw again and refused to make eye contact for a moment. Before sighing in defeat and turning his head back to the brothers and making eye contact with Vince.
"He dropped Conrad with Marian and then headed to the Rust Bucket to work on renovations with McHugh. Last I checked, they were only about a week and half out from opening I think." They all took the statement as the peace offering it was meant as and silence fell once more.
"Here, pass me that Gin." he motions at Garland who easily passed the bottle over. He set the bottle on his desk then reached down into one of the drawers pulling out three glasses. Filling each cup, he passed them around.
"To Sarah Vernon." He intoned raising his glass.
"To Lucy Ripley." Dave stated soberly.
"To Audrey Parker, may Haven welcome you home." Garlands words were soft and the three drained their cups in memory of the women they had loved and lost.
