An: another chapter :) no Caryl in this, just needed to move the story along.

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

Chapter 14

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Rick watched as Karen questioned the man clerk at the county records office. Karen and Michonne along with Karen's husband had descended on them a day ago. Like a tsunami.

Shane, Karen's husband was an interesting character. Rick got the sense that he and Shane could have been friends in another lifetime, if the circumstances had been different, but at the moment, Shane was pissed. Pissed that his sister Carol had been dragged into this, and pissed if anyone looked even sideways at Karen. They made a formidable pair. Karen, was sweet, but could manipulate a conversation to getting more information out of someone than thirty year veterans that Rick had seen on the police force. Anyone she was questioning would not dare step out of line with Shane behind her staring them down.

Karen had reviewed the case files almost immediately and noticed an inconsistency. An earlier preliminary autopsy, had a different coroner named. The final report had a new coroner. Rick was uncertain how he'd missed that, but Karen was currently, charming the county clerk to give her records, with Shane standing behind her looking intimidating.

"It's almost scary what she can accomplish...Karen is the epitome of that saying you get more flies with sugar than vinegar..." Rick looked up as Michonne started speaking to him.

Michonne was interesting, the first woman since Lori died that had sparked Rick's interest, that had quickly turned to guilt but that fact that spark was there, was amazing, it was reassuring in a way.

Michonne snorted "Thank god she uses her powers for good, rather than evil."

Rick looked confused "Powers?"

Michonne laughed "White, blonde, blue eyes, thin, pretty, ...she gets them under her spell before she lets them see how smart she is."

Rick laughed, as Karen came rushing to them excitedly.

"Hershel Greene!" Karen pipped excitedly. "Initial autopsy was performed by Hershel but says here, he was fired, the day off the autopsy, by..."

"My dad." Rick guessed.

"Apparently so, the reason listed was alcohol consumption, but get this, the day before, Hershel who was a known alcohol received a urine drug screen and it was clean." She grinned pulling out a file. "He retired to his family farm. Still lives there to this day. It's only three hours from here."

"Well let's go."

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Andrea held Merle's hand as they stood in front of his house.

"You don't need to do this." Andrea murmured.

Merle sighed "I had a dream last night, she was talking to me...momma. Said I needed to come home. She wanted to talk to me. She was in the laundry room, that was her ...spot...I guess. The old man would never go in there. Scared he might have to do some work I guess...Got me thinking...she used to take laundry in, and she would skim a little of the money, she had a box, hidden in the wall with cash. Not sure what she was planning to do with it, but she gave it to me...the night that I left."

"You never told me that." Andrea whispered.

"I was ashamed...figured she was saving up to leave... but she knew I couldn't stay any longer. I had to get out of there. I should never have taken it. That was probably why she stayed...with Daryl" Merle said hoarsely. "This is all my fault."

Andrea shook her head. "None of this is your fault. None of this is Daryl's fault. You hear me Merle?"

Merle coughed and nodded "Yeah I hear yah. I just thought maybe...maybe she hid something in that wall."

They entered together, Merle squeezing Andrea's hand as they made their way to the small laundry closet/room at the back of the house. Reaching above the doorway he popped the panelling of, a box sitting under disturbed behind the panel.

Grabbing it, he set it on the old Maytag, letting out a few deep breathes. Before opening it.

There was maybe 500$ in small bills, the ring that momma had once shown him, a Cherokee rose that had a beautiful topaz at the Center. Her momma had given it to her, she must have hid it, from daddy so he wouldn't sell it. Daryl and his own baby book, and then at the bottom another smaller book, a journal.

With a nod from Merle Andrea started flipping through it. "It's your Momma's journal, it's addressed to you Merle."