Author's note:

I have been really busy with work this last week and travelling. Sorry it took me awhile to get the next chapter out but I'm not giving up on this story and it needs to be told!

Keep on Reading!

WolfTexas

I really didn't want to know what was about to happen in that hospital room. I was relieved when the phone rang. I don't know if Walt looked to see if I was going to follow them in or not. I closed the door so in case they did they would know that I stayed outside in the hall.

"This is Vic" I answered the phone more chipper than I had sounded all night.

"Hey Vic, where are y'all?" Cady's voice asked.

"Oh sorry, we probably should have called. We are at the hospital. We found Bob Barnes passed out in front of the Red Pony and brought him up here to get his head looked at." I saw no reason to give any other information to Cady since she had even less of a clue as to what was going on than I did.

"Oh, well Henry is going home. Lucian is going to wait on you and Walt." Cady mentioning Lucian makes me wonder if he knows Donna.

I am just about to reassure Cady that we will be there as soon as we can when Walt comes out of the hospital room. I make eye contact for just a second before he looks down at his boots and passes me motioning for me to follow.

"Hey Cady, we will be there shortly. I think we are on our way out." I say as I hang up the phone and try to keep up with Walt's much longer stride.

I don't know if he is angry or hurt or just thinking. There are so many things his quiet avoidance can mean. Did he know she was Branch's mom? I want to ask but I also might not want some of the answers. I know he will fill me in at some point or at least I think he will.

I can't help myself so I ask anyway, "Is Doctor Monaghan really Branch's mom?"

He is walking so fast we've already made it to the door to the outside where my truck is parked. He holds the door for me and for a second looks me in the eye before turning his head toward the truck and saying "Let's go."

I unlock the truck and get in the driver's seat but Walt is still standing outside the passenger side just staring towards the hospital. Maybe he wants out of this situation as badly as I do. Finally he opens the door and gets in.

The drive down to the station from the hospital will take less than five minutes. I know he won't want to talk around Cady. I'm beginning to wonder if he will ever answer my questions when he reaches for the radio, "Lucian, you there?"

"I reckon we are; the circus Bear got tired of waiting though." Lucian replies in a tired voice.

"Meet us downstairs." Walt replies then hangs up the radio.

As I round the corner of the square I can see Walt's Bronco sitting in it's usual spot and Lucian is standing at the door waiting for us. I get nervous. Walt may not want to say anything but Lucian won't hold back. I was hoping I would get a moment alone with Lucian because he may have some of the answers to questions I have. I wonder if Walt knows I wanted to talk to Lucian and that's why he arranged for him to meet us downstairs.

I pull up behind the Bronco and barely have the truck in park before Walt jumps out and starts walking towards Lucian.

I don't want to miss what they are going to say to each other. I get out as quickly as I can but try not to seem too hurried. They are both there in front of the door to the station looking towards me.

"Hey Lucian." I tried to sound casual but we all know Lucian isn't exactly my favorite person. He sometimes spends just a little too much time staring at me. Tonight is no different.

"So you two gonna fill me in on all the fun you've been having?" Lucian asks looking at both me and Walt.

I don't want to say anything in front of Walt so I wait for him to go first, "When was the last time you saw Branch's mom?"

Lucian looks appalled by the question. "That good for nothing leach my brother used for making babies you mean?"

"What was her maiden name Lucian?" Walt asks ignoring Lucian's answer to the first question.

"Ah hell Walt, I don't remember. I heard she came to town for Branch's funeral. Probably looking for money. Greedy wad of worm food. Why? Did you see her somewhere?" Lucian asks.

"Her name was Sue right? Could her last name have been Monaghan?" Walt tried to get a little more cooperation out of Lucian but I can tell Lucian doesn't like her and therefore won't be of much help.

"He met her at a military base in South Carolina. I didn't even know her until after Branch was born and they moved back here. She was a rotten seed. Left him and that baby but not before she drained as much as she could out of the joint bank account. I told him she was no good. She's probably the reason he never was worth anything either." Lucian still didn't answer the question.

I'm tired of playing games with these two men tonight so I move past Walt towards the door of the station but before I open it I look back over my shoulder towards the frustrated and annoyed Lucian and say, "I think Walt's been dating her."

I'm not sure how the conversation went after I left but I don't really care. I walked up the stairs and joined Cady in Walt's office. The sun was starting to come up just a little. I'm glad it was only Sunday. At least things should be quiet for awhile. We might be able to get just a couple of hours of sleep before the manhunt would resume in the morning. I hope I get on whatever team is going to start looking for Jim Wilkins and Walker Browning.

I'd rather be hunting a corrupt cop and fugitive with Eamonn than chasing ex's with Walt at this point. I never dreamed a relationship could become this awkward without ever having sex.

Cady is laying on the small couch in Walt's office and smiles as I walked in. I don't really want to wait on Walt and I know he won't cause a scene in front of Cady so I walk on through the office and head towards the cot in the cell. It's Sunday so even Ruby won't be coming in to wake us up.

I sat down on the cot and spun my legs around and pulled the county provided wool blanket up to my shoulders. I heard Walt lock the door downstairs and come up to his office and then all I could hear was the hum of the fan on Ruby's computer.