Ch. 7
It seemed like every step they made echoed through the night loudly. It wasn't true, but in the silence of night, that was the effect. Henry stopped on the narrow trail, causing Walt and Vic to stop and turn.
"What?"
"You two wait here and I will check it out first."
Walt nodded his head in agreement. Henry was the best tracker and scout he knew. There was no one he trusted more. Vic also nodded in silent agreement to Henry's suggestion. They watched him move up the trail and disappear into the darkness.
They moved off the trail into the cover of the nearby trees. Vic watched the spot where they had last seen Henry. She felt Walt's hand cover hers briefly.
"We're gonna get him back."
She nodded, without a word. The other option was unthinkable. Walt grew quiet. The silence around them loomed. It was suddenly broken by a distinct sound they both knew. An owl hooting somewhere in the night. He heard her inhale sharply.
"Vic?"
"Sorry…it startled me."
He knew what the truth was. The truth she wouldn't say. The owls felt like some kind of an omen, and not a good one. He felt a slight chill run through him and he shook it off. Now wasn't the time to let superstitions get the better of him.
He heard movement and she moved closer to his side. He could feel the slight warmth from her body as she pressed against him a little. When she finally spoke again, her voice was quiet.
"Are you scared?"
"Yes."
"Me too."
He smiled to himself a little. There was a time he would never have admitted fear, even if he was terrified. He knew she needed him to be honest. He knew that she was afraid. He knew what she was afraid of. He had the same thoughts and fears in his mind. He had been pushing them from his thoughts since their son had gone missing.
She tilted her head onto his arm. He leaned his face into her hair and kissed the top of her head.
Walt narrowed his eyes and pointed.
"Henry."
Vic pulled away and straightened up. Henry found them easily. His face looked grim. Walt cocked his head to one side.
"What is it?"
Henry looked behind him and then back at Walt.
"I do not think he is here."
Vic felt her heart plunge into her stomach.
"Why?"
"There are only a handful of them. They seem to have one man guarding their camp."
Walt removed his hat and ran his hand over his hair.
"They always have guards. Always have. But one…that doesn't seem like they're guarding much."
"Why are they here, though? You really believe that's a coincidence?"
Walt shook his head.
"No, I don't. After you were shot, I did some unofficial investigating and couldn't find any sign of them. Not sure what they would be doing back here and why not return to their old stomping grounds at the Gilbert place. They've been there for years."
He turned his gaze back to Henry.
"You say there aren't many?"
"No, there are only 4 small tents."
Walt pulled his rifle up and glanced at them.
"Let's go."
He led the way up the path moving quietly. It didn't take long to find the small encampment. The lone guard was easy enough to spot. An orange glow emanated from the end of the cigarette he was smoking. Walt turned to Henry.
"Think you can take him quietly?"
Henry nodded.
"Yes."
They watched as Henry moved around the man in the shadow of the trees. It was almost laughable how quickly the man went down once Henry pounced like a cat onto an unsuspecting mouse. He pulled the man into the cover of the surrounding trees and subdued him without breaking a twig. Henry rejoined them, his breathing a little heavier.
Walt took a breath and walked into the middle of the encampment.
"Everyone wake up and come out. No weapons!"
The voice he used was one Vic had heard countless times during his time as sheriff as they prepared to enter houses and other buildings. There was immediate stirring as the confused remnants of Chance Gilbert's gang were roused and stumbled their way into the night. Some were carrying weapons.
"Drop them!"
Walt was a little surprised when they complied fairly quickly. Vic immediately recognized a woman who emerged from a tent. The woman looked at her with a sneer and a hateful smile. Vic returned the hateful look with one dripping with venom, her mind briefly flashing back to Chance's cabin on that dark night. Then to a moment at the river when she thought she was about to drown, this same woman hovering over her and forcing her face into the cold water.
"Surprise, bitch. Put your hands where I can see them."
The woman held out her hands, never losing her intense look of hatred.
"You wouldn't shoot an unarmed woman would you, Deputy?"
Vic gestured at herself.
"Do you see a badge or a uniform?"
There were only eight of them. Walt motioned with his rifle.
"Everyone sit. Here!"
The small group moved with shuffling steps and lowered themselves to the ground. Walt, Vic, and Henry surrounded them.
"Is Micah Davis part of this group?"
Vic was still watching Chance Gilbert's sister in law. The woman spoke up.
"No."
"She's lying."
Vic moved closer to the woman. Vic had seen her eyes when Walt had said the name. The look had only been there for a moment, but it had been there. She recognized his name.
"Who is he to you?"
The woman looked at Vic and rolled her eyes.
"I don't have to talk to you. You don't have any authority over me."
Vic handed the rifle she was holding off to Walt and pulled the 9mm from her hip holster. She knelt in front of the woman, gun in hand.
"I saw your face when you heard his name. I know that you know him. My son is missing. Did you know that? I'm betting you do. I'm betting you know all about it."
The woman remained defiantly quiet.
"I'm not in the mood for bullshit mind games. If you think for one second that I won't kill you just like I did Chance's crazy ass, you're wrong."
She stood, straightening up. She could feel Walt behind her. Turning her head slightly, she could see he still held the rifle. He spoke up.
"We've already called the sheriff department and they're on their way to take you into custody. You would be doing well to cooperate. I want to know how in the hell all of this connects to my son."
Vic could hear the strain in his voice. She knew he was balancing precariously on the edge, as was she. Up until this point, she knew he had been trying to be the voice of reason. Vic could feel his control eroding.
One of the men sprang up and towards Walt.
"We're not afraid of the police."
Walt's hand shot out like a snake striking and grabbed the man by the front of his shirt. Thrusting downward, he flung the man onto the hard packed ground like he was a rag doll that weighed nothing.
"It's not the police you should be afraid of."
Vic heard something in his tone she had not heard in a long time. As angry as she was, it scared her to hear the way he was beginning to sound.
"Micah is one of us."
The voice came from the back of the small group. Vic motioned him forward. He was a young man. He looked scared as opposed to defiant like the rest of them.
"Where is my son?"
He shook his head.
"I don't know."
Walt stepped in front of Vic abruptly and took the young man by his coat and started walking forward, forcing the man to walk backwards. Vic and Henry watched as he walked the young man back first into a tree and moved his grip up to the man's neck.
"I'm done with games. Tell me what you know."
Vic tensed up. The young man's eyes were wide now.
"Micah is one of us but we didn't take your son. He did."
"He's working alone?"
The shaking head moved from side to side.
"No. A man approached us and wanted us to…provide someone. Someone…who could work for him that you wouldn't know."
Vic stepped in closer.
"Who is this man?"
"I don't know who he is. He found us. We were in Cumberland County minding our own business when he showed up. He was really interested in our run ins with you. All of you."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Describe him."
"Average height…blondish brown hair. I only saw him once. He…he had brown eyes. Educated. He wasn't like us. He was different…you know."
Vic glanced at Walt who released his grip on the man.
Lights were coming up the path now. It would be Cady, Ferg, and Zach. The trio stepped back as the members were rounded up and handcuffed to be taken to the sheriff vehicles. Cady looked around at the small camp.
"I'm sorry…that he wasn't here. We'll question them further and try to get something."
Walt nodded, his eyes distant.
The walk back to the horses was quiet. They mounted the horses and rode slowly back through the dark brush. Vic started the Bronco to warm it up some as Henry and Walt loaded the horses. She was sitting inside when they opened the doors and slid in, sandwiching her between them. Henry glanced at her and then turned his dark eyes out towards the window. Walt remained silent as he drove.
xxx
She found him on the porch, sitting on the bench staring out into the darkness.
"Walt?"
He kept his eyes trained away from her. Vic walked slowly across the porch and sat next to him. She lightly touched his forearm.
"I thought we would find him there."
His voice was quiet.
"Me too."
He finally moved his gaze towards her.
"I'm sorry."
Vic swallowed the swell of emotion that burned her throat.
"It's not your fault."
He studied her and then looked away. She waited for a reply that didn't come. Vic leaned back.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been there more for you. I've been…needy and I know you've been trying to be there for me."
She paused before continuing.
"You scared me earlier."
He looked down at the wooden boards that made up the porch.
"I scared myself. I…I don't want to be that person again but…we have to find him."
She understood the undertone of his words. The unspoken within the spoken. Vic took a deep breath.
"We have to stay level headed. I know that's funny coming from me. I know you've been trying but we have to. We know Micah took him. We need to figure out who he was working for, if not the Gilbert people."
Walt raised his head.
"I promised I would keep you both safe."
Vic blew out a breath.
"You know better than anyone…that's not always possible."
He nodded slowly. He was quiet for a stretch when his voice broke the silence.
"I should have been in Denver. She wanted me to go. But I didn't feel like I could take off at that time so I sent her on her own. If I had been there…"
"If you had been there, it still could have happened. Despite what you seem to think sometimes, you're not superman. She still might have gone out on her own. He was targeting her, Walt. He would have found a way. If Jude had been here, there's no guarantee he would have been any safer. If I had walked up a different driveway, I would never have encountered Chance Gilbert at all. I wouldn't have been shot. My baby wouldn't have died. You will drive yourself crazy with ifs. We both know it. We've both done it. I need you and Jude needs you. You can't go down this rabbit hole, Walt. You can't."
He looked at her. His eyes were wet now.
"I know."
Vic slid her hand into his.
"Come inside and get a shower. Maybe Cady will have something soon."
xxx
They sat in Cady's office. Cady leaned on her desk.
"Agent Ray found out and he's pretty pissed."
Vic sighed.
"How pissed?"
"He's threatening to arrest you if you do something like this again."
Walt rose and paced the office.
"Did you get anything out of Chance's people?"
Cady studied him and then nodded.
"They gave me the same story they gave you. They were approached by a man who wanted one of them to work for him. I guess he knew about their history with the two of you and figured they would be happy to help. They were. He needed someone who could…fool us and get close to you. Micah's parents were loose parts of the group. They were on the fringes I guess so they were never on our radar. He's got a clean record, so he was the one."
"And none of them know this man's name?"
"Not for sure but one of them says he thought he heard Micah refer to him as John."
xxx
Walt's footsteps were heavy on the porch steps as they made their way towards the door of the cabin. He stopped when he saw the figure sitting on the bench. Vic nearly ran into him.
"What the hell?"
She moved around him and saw Agent Timothy Ray. He rose when he saw them.
"I wondered how long you would be at the sheriff department."
Walt glanced at Vic and then back the man.
"I was expecting to see you there."
Ray smiled slightly.
"I wasn't very happy to hear that you were doing my job. That's how people get killed. You should let us do our jobs."
"What are you doing here?"
The question came from Vic. He shifted his eyes to her.
"Trying to find your son."
"Have you questioned the crazy people?"
"I was present during Sheriff Longmire's questioning. I would like to ask you some questions."
"Such as?"
His eyes remained on Vic.
"Were you having an affair with this Micah Davis?"
"No, I was not."
He eyes moved to Walt and back to Vic.
"I can't help you if you don't tell me the truth."
"That is the truth. He tried to kiss me once and I stopped him."
He sighed and stood up.
"So he had feelings for you that were unrequited."
"I don't know what he felt, Agent. You would have to ask him."
"I think he would like to tell you that himself."
"What…"
His hand slid under his coat and pulled his sidearm. Walt started to move but the Agent shook his head.
"Don't if you want to see your son alive. I'm going to need both of you to come with me."
