Tenebrous Ch. 15: Convoluted
Colter was standing outside the office with a cigarette in his hand when Vic walked up from her lunch with Walt. Her mood was dark and she didn't feel like dealing with people. Unfortunately, there was too much happening for her to just take the afternoon and clear her head. Vic glanced up at the office window and then back to Colter, who was looking her way now.
"Afternoon."
Vic's boots shuffled over the sidewalk as she stopped.
"Hey."
He stubbed out his cigarette and then tossed the butt into a nearby trashcan.
"I really need to stop smoking."
Vic tilted her head at him.
"So stop."
He smiled.
"Just like that."
She only shrugged.
"People do it every day."
He nodded in acceptance of that.
"Right. You ever smoke?"
Vic's eyes dropped from his.
"Not habitually. I did some when I was a kid."
The smile stayed on Colter's face.
"Rebellious?"
"You could say that."
Colter shifted his weight and looked around.
"Your dispatcher…Ruby took our friend Grace to lunch. Her mother is supposed to be here in a couple of hours to get her."
Vic inhaled a deep breath.
"Maybe she can put this all behind her."
Colter's head nodded forward.
"Maybe."
He held her eyes for a long moment before he let out a sigh and dropped his eyes.
"I know you think I was being a hard ass where Grace is concerned. But, I want to solve this case. All of it. If Finn Mason is guilty of helping a criminal, I want him to pay for it. Whoever murdered this boy, Nate, I want them to pay for it. Sometimes, to get at the root of things…you have to put your humanity aside."
Vic bit her bottom lip, her eyes on his. Unwavering. Slowly, she shook her head.
"See…that's where I think you're wrong. You don't have any business doing this job if you lose your humanity. That's what keeps you from becoming the people that you're after. That's what keeps you on the right side."
He smiled a little. A sad smile.
"Do you believe that all people have some good in them, Vic?"
Vic studied him. It was a deep question and one she hadn't expected. This felt almost like a conversation she would have with Walt. Vic took a breath. A deep one.
"I don't know. I would like to think that most people have some good in them."
They all fought darkness. She knew that beyond any doubt. Regardless of who they were or what they did in life, every single person on the planet fought darkness at some time or another. People were complicated things. Was anyone all good or all bad? That seemed like a childish way of viewing things. And, completely unrealistic.
Even when people chose a dark path, it was frequently rooted in a belief that they were doing something right for them or for someone they loved. Walt's own quest for vengeance jumped into her mind. Walt was a good man. That was unquestionable. But, that didn't mean he was perfect. The death of his wife sent him spinning into a darkness that nearly destroyed him. For a while, all he could really focus on was getting some form of revenge and it nearly blinded him to what was right in front of him.
Her own anger with Chance Gilbert nearly killed her.
It's not like she was in any position to pass judgement on others.
That was laughable.
Colter nodded, like he was genuinely contemplating her answer.
"Finn was my friend. You were right about that. I taught him a good bit of what he knows. I guess…I feel like I failed him somehow. Maybe I could've stopped all of this from happening. If he killed that boy…"
Vic shook her head.
"If he did, that's not your fault. He's made his choices and he has got to answer to for them. The same is true for you. Me. We all make choices, not always the right ones. We have to live with the consequences. I would like to think…that most of us…learn from our mistakes. That history doesn't…have to repeat itself."
She fell silent and Colter's eyes stayed on her.
"Consequences."
The word came out quietly.
Vic gestured at the building.
"I should get back to work."
Colter's eyes moved away from hers and he nodded. Vic turned away and headed for the door to the building. Her hand was on the knob when she heard Colter behind her.
"Vic!"
She turned, her heart leaping at his sudden urgency.
"What?"
He was moving towards his car.
"I just saw…"
He gestured at the back end of a pickup truck rolling down the road faster than it should have been..
"Mason!"
Vic's eyes widened.
"There?"
He nodded and broke into a jog.
"Yeah, come on!"
Vic hesitated before she followed and slid into the passenger seat. She pulled the door closed and her hand dipped into her pocket and closed around her phone. She pulled it free with her eyes on the truck that was a good distance up ahead of them and heading out of town.
"You sure it was him?"
Colter pressed the gas and the car lurched forward.
"Pretty damn sure."
Vic looked down at her phone. She noticed that she had missed a call from Walt. She made a mental note to call him as soon as she was done talking to Cady.
"I need to call Cady and let her know what's going on."
Colter pressed the gas again and nodded like he only halfway heard her.
Vic swiped her thumb over her phone and the screen lit up. She scrolled through her contacts to Cady's name. Her eyes were still down when she heard Colter beside her and felt the car jerk to the side.
"What's he…damn!"
Vic looked up just as the car left the road.
xxx
It was a wonder that he didn't skid as he turned into the exam room. Both Vic and Dr. Weston looked Walt's way at his sudden appearance and the unexpected noise he brought with him, disrupting the quiet that previously surrounded them.
"Are you alright?"
Vic was sitting on the exam table with her feet dangling off, facing Weston. She hesitated, her eyes staying on Walt. Something must have crossed between them. Weston cleared his throat and stood up.
"Afternoon, Walt."
Walt gave the doctor the briefest of looks.
"Doc."
He turned his eyes back to Vic. Their eyes met for a second before she turned her attention back to Weston who was making his way towards the door.
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
Vic nodded at him wordlessly. Weston sidestepped Walt and disappeared out the door, pulling it partially closed behind him. Walt covered the distance between himself and Vic in two steps. She nodded in answer to his question.
"Yeah."
Walt ran his eyes over her, taking stock she assumed.
"Cady said the car rolled."
Vic shrugged as she slid from the exam table.
"I had on my seatbelt."
Walt shook off her comment.
"Still…"
The thought faded out unfinished. Vic sighed.
"I'm okay, Walt. I am. I just…"
She motioned at her head.
"…I have a headache and some soreness. Weston says I might be sore for a day or two, maybe have a bruise from the seatbelt. That's all."
That's all.
He wondered if she would be so calm if the tables were turned and their positions reversed. Based on past experience, he highly doubted it.
Walt continued to look her over. She didn't seem to be visibly injured. There was no blood, no outward signs of trauma. Her shirt was halfway unbuttoned and untucked.
Still.
"Walt."
His eyes snapped back to hers.
"I'm good."
Walt shook his head mutely. Before he could say anything, Weston walked back in. He looked to Vic, who was on her feet.
"Watch that headache, Deputy."
"Okay."
As though he wasn't convinced, Weston looked at Walt over the rim of his glasses.
"Walt, watch for her signs of a concussion. You know what they are, I'm sure. I don't think she has one, but it's better to be safe."
Walt nodded at the doctor.
"I will."
Weston seemed satisfied with Walt's declaration. His eyes moved back to Vic.
"My prescription is for you to go home and get some rest. Take an over the counter pain reliever. If that doesn't help, come back and see me. Or, call and I can get you something stronger. You're mostly just banged up."
Weston paused, his eyes moving between them.
"You mentioned that you've been feeling tired and having headaches. When is the last time you had a physical?"
Vic eyed the doctor.
"You just looked me over."
He shook his head.
"That was an exam. Not the same. You should have a full physical. There might be a medical reason you're having these symptoms."
Vic frowned.
"Lack of sleep."
"Which can be a symptom itself. Not a cause."
Vic just looked away.
"Okay."
It was obviously a non-committal response. The doctor gave her another look and headed for the door.
"Call or come back if you need me."
With that, he left. Walt shifted his weight, one hand perching on his hip. Vic raised her hands slowly and started buttoning her shirt. Her eyes found his and she shook her head before he uttered a word in her direction.
"Don't."
Walt frowned.
"Don't what?"
Vic continued with the buttons on her shirt before she started to tuck it in.
"Whatever lecture is on your mind, don't."
Walt took his hat off and ran his hand over his hair before replacing it.
"C'mon. I'll take you home."
Vic lifted her eyes.
"Just drop me off at work."
Walt shook his head.
"The doctor said you needed to go home and rest."
"I need to go to work and figure out what in the hell happened."
Walt didn't look convinced.
"We know what happened, Vic. Colter was driving too fast on an unfamiliar road and he flipped his car."
Vic pushed out a breath.
"Not that. What was Mason doing in the middle of town?"
Walt shrugged.
"I don't know."
She pulled on her jacket with a slight wince.
"Exactly."
Walt shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"You're going home, Vic. You were just…you were just in a car accident. You could have a concussion."
Vic started for the door, but Walt blocked her path with his bulk.
"I don't have a concussion. You heard what Weston said."
"He said to watch out for the symptoms."
"Which means if I do have a concussion, it's minor. So…move."
Walt stayed where he was.
"No. I'm taking you home."
Vic bit her bottom lip and studied him, something he recognized flashed in her eyes.
"Walt…"
There was an edge of warning to her tone, but Walt was in a mood of his own.
"No, Vic. No. Not this time. You…have been…taking risks lately and being careless with your safety. With your life. And, I…I won't stand for it."
Vic drew her head back and her eyes narrowed.
"You won't stand for it?"
Walt clenched his jaw and shook his head.
"No."
She started to move around him, but his hand closed over her upper arm and he tugged her back, not hard but firmly.
"Vic…"
Vic wrenched and dipped her shoulder, pulling free from his grasp.
"Don't grab me!"
Walt held up his hands.
"I didn't grab you. I just want you to stop!"
The words came out gruffly and seeped in anger. Vic paused, the outburst unusual. Walt was normally the calm one. Usually. On rare occasions when his temper flared, it never failed to get her attention.
Walt paused, his eyes closing. He took in a breath and opened his eyes as he exhaled, visibly trying to rein in his emotions.
"Vic, please."
The words came out slowly. More stable. He reached out like he might touch her, but his hand merely hovered in between them.
"I am worried about you."
Vic's eyes roamed before meeting his again.
"I'm okay."
She didn't sound convincing. Walt shook his head.
"No, you're not."
The words hung in the air around them. Footsteps drew their attention and Vic pulled her eyes from Walt's to see Cady standing in the doorway. Cady paused, sensing something she couldn't name.
"Hey, how are you?"
Vic looked to Walt and back to Cady.
"Fine. I just…need a ride back to work."
Cady's eyes widened.
"Work? You were in an accident. Go home."
Vic rubbed her eyes.
"Cady…"
Walt interjected.
"She thinks that she's ready to go back to work."
Cady looked from Walt to Vic and shook her head.
"Um…just go home for the day. I just spoke to Colter and he's not hurt either. But, everyone needs to take the afternoon and we'll regroup tomorrow."
From where he stood, Walt could see the muscles in Vic's jaw tighten and release. With a sigh, she glanced his way with a look of defeat.
"Okay. You win. Let's go home."
With that she shoved her hands into her pockets and brushed by Cady. Cady gave her father an inquiring look. He merely bowed his head.
"We'll talk later."
With that, he trailed after Vic.
xxx
"Are you hungry?"
Vic at sideways on the couch with her head propped up on the back cushion and her legs stretched out across the seat. She tilted her head back and looked up at him as he came out of the bedroom. She had no idea what he was doing in there. For all she knew, he was simply giving her space. He didn't seem overly conversational and hadn't since they got home.
"No."
For a minute, he stood there like he might argue with her. With an exhale, he nodded slowly.
"Okay."
He walked over to the couch and jutted his chin at it.
"Mind if I sit?"
Vic shook her head and pulled her legs up, bending her knees.
"No."
Walt slowly lowered his frame to the couch beside her, the cushions moving under his weight. He turned his face towards her.
"How do you feel?"
Vic shrugged with her right shoulder.
"My head still hurts. Neck's a little sore."
Walt's eyes stayed on her.
"Need anything?"
"Nope."
Walt lowered his eyes, pulling his lower lip into his mouth and letting it pop back out. He cleared his throat.
"I tried to call you."
Without clarification, she knew what he was talking about.
"Yeah, I missed the call. I was talking to Colter and guess I didn't hear it."
Walt swallowed.
"You didn't answer and then Cady told me that you were in an accident. I…was scared."
Several beats of silence passed between them as Walt looked away. When his eyes returned to her, she was watching him. She would know what it took for him to make that admission.
"I didn't mean to scare you."
That was the simple sentence she offered up. Walt slid his hand across the small space between them and put it over one of her sock clad feet. Contact. A connection.
"I know. I…shouldn't have gotten angry at the hospital. I'm sorry."
Vic let out a low humorless laugh.
"I think that's true of us both. I…I'm sorry I lost my temper."
They sat in the quiet as a few more minutes ticked by on the clock. Walt tapped his finger idly on her foot. He could just hear the slow breaths she was taking.
"What are you thinking about so hard?"
Walt looked up.
"Hmm?"
Vic tilted her head.
"You're thinking. What about?"
He inhaled, his chest expanding. He was considering his words. It was such a Walt thing to do.
"Will you do something for me?"
Vic eyed him with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
"Depends."
It was a typical answer from her given the circumstances.
"Will you do what Weston suggested and get a physical?"
That wasn't what she expected him to ask. That was obvious.
"Walt, there's nothing wrong with me. I'm not sleeping. You know that. That's why I'm tired. That's why I'm having these headaches. That…and stress."
Walt nodded.
"I know. And…you're probably right. But, there is a chance that something else is going on."
Vic stared at him. Walt almost never went to the doctor, even for actual injuries. In recent memory, he mostly went to appease her and give her some peace of mind. So, he didn't have room to talk or criticize. But, there was something on his face that she didn't see often and it rattled her. Her mind spun and the thought came to her as sudden as a bolt of lightning.
Martha and her cancer.
Walt was drawing on experience with his concern. That's where it was coming from. It wasn't misplaced. It was justified in his mind. She nearly said it out loud, but caught herself and opted not to.
There was no need to invoke that darkness.
Instead, she nodded.
"Okay."
Walt gave her a skeptical look.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'll get a physical. But…on one condition."
"What?"
She gave him a small smile.
"You have to get one."
Satisfaction crossed her face when she could see the concession in his eyes.
"Fair enough."
Vic smiled for the first time since they got home. Walt returned it with one of his own. His hand still rested on her foot and he tightened it.
"Are you sure that you're not hungry?"
Vic rolled her eyes.
"Maybe a little."
Vic reached out for his hand and tugged it in her direction, pulling his wrist up level with her line of sight so that she could see his watch. After a second or two, she released him and turned her eyes back to find him watching her.
"We could go get something. I'm tired of sitting here with you staring at me."
Walt's forehead creased with concern and she knew exactly what he was about to say before he ever opened his mouth to say it.
"West…"
Vic butted in, not needing to hear the rest.
"Walt, let's be real. We've both had concussions. I don't have one. Besides, sitting here bored out of my skull isn't helping anything. We can go somewhere quiet. Not the Red Pony. That'll be loud."
She slid her legs down to the floor and stood up slowly.
"Come on. Since I have a potential head injury, you can drive."
She could see him fighting the smile that was trying to creep across his face, but his attempt wasn't very convincing. He stood up, stretching out his back and giving her a nod.
"Fine. You win."
Vic huffed out a quiet laugh.
"You win some, you lose some."
xxx
"This was a good idea."
Walt could admit it now that they were here and she didn't seem any worse for the wear. If anything, her mood seemed to have picked up since they left the cabin. Maybe getting out was what she needed.
Vic gave him an amused look as he voiced the confession.
"I do have those once in a while."
Walt smiled. He couldn't help it. This was the side of her that he missed recently. He understood the darkness of her mood and the heaviness that seemed to be weighing her down during the spate of current events. But, as much as he loved everything about her, this was the part of her that he enjoyed the most.
"Never said you didn't."
The comment earned him a look. He half expected her to call him a smart ass, but she refrained and ate another bite of her food. As much as her appetite seemed to come and go lately, it was good to see her eating without his having to prod her to do so.
The small restaurant hadn't been open on Durant's main strip through town for very long. It was one in a long line of businesses that tried to open up in this very spot. The food was good and the atmosphere was casual, a winning combination for the middle of town.
Dining choices still weren't expansive in Durant, but this one was a bright spot and Walt hoped that they would last longer than some of the others. The clink of silverware on the ceramic plate in front of Vic pulled him back to the moment. She was watching him, the tines of her fork sitting on the white plate.
"Something wrong?"
Walt shook his head.
"No, just lost in thought."
Her chin dipped, but her eyes stayed on his.
"Want to share?"
He smiled and looked down at his half eaten plate of food.
"I like this place. Hope they can make a go of it."
She was still watching him, no doubt trying to decide if what he was telling her was indeed what he was thinking about. Whatever she saw in his face must have satisfied her to some degree. Vic started to eat again.
"Still wish someone would open up a decent pizza place."
Walt huffed out a quiet laugh.
"You would never accept a pizza place here no matter how good the pizza was. You're convinced that Wyoming can't do good pizza."
Vic smiled and took a swallow from her water glass.
"Don't take it personally. It's not just Wyoming. Maybe…if someone moved here from back east."
Walt gave his head a small shake.
"Maye you should convince your brother to move here."
Vic nearly snorted at the suggestion.
"As good as the food would be, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't go for that. Place in Philly is too popular and he makes a pretty decent living at it."
Walt smiled.
"It is good."
Quiet settled over them as they continued to eat. Between bites, Walt glanced her way. She wasn't paying him very much attention. If she had been, she would've questioned him as to why he was watching her.
"Ferg called me today."
Vic looked up, her body going still.
"How are they? With everything going on, I haven't had a chance to talk to him."
Walt ventured his next statement carefully, unsure of how she would react. Or, if she would react at all.
"He uh…he asked when we were coming by to see the baby."
Vic still hadn't moved very much. He did see her jaw tighten at his words. She looked down at her food.
"What did you tell him?"
"That…things were crazy and we would get by when we could."
Vic nodded slowly and lay her fork on the plate.
"I don't know if I can. Not right now."
The words came out slowly and with thought. Walt didn't answer her right away. He was taking in her body language, reading her like he did his books.
"It's okay if you can't."
She inhaled and let the breath out slowly.
"You should go, though. Whenever you want. Don't…don't worry about me."
Walt smiled a little.
"That's impossible."
She answered him with a tight smile. Vic cleared her throat and he could see some of the tension leave her. Whatever it was holding her back, she would need to navigate it in her own time frame. Not one that he or anyone else tossed her way. He knew that.
He suddenly wanted to apologize to her.
"I didn't mean to…"
His words faded out, but she dismissed his words.
"It's okay. I don't expect people to walk on eggshells about it. That includes you. We should…be able to have a normal conversation about a friend's new baby without it getting all depressing."
In theory, that might be true. But, Walt knew that human nature and feelings were much more complicated than that. Grief and healing were a process than never really ended. The road was long and sometimes rocky.
Vic drained the last of her water and set the glass down, leaning back in her chair.
"That was good. You're right. It was a good choice."
She smiled at him and Walt felt some of his own tension leave. There was never an ideal time for difficult conversations. He seemed especially bad with timing. That was a universal opinion.
"Ready?"
Vic nodded as Walt stood up and tossed his napkin on the table. He left a tip and they walked slowly to the door as they pulled on their jackets. Vic paused outside on the sidewalk, taking in everything around them. The sounds of cars on the street, the hum of a heating unit running off behind a building, the chatter of people talking as they came and went.
"Are you working tomorrow?"
Walt stepped up beside her, his arm brushing hers. He nodded.
"Yeah, told Henry I would."
Vic's head tilted back and her eyes lifted up to the cloudy sky.
"Do you think you're gonna keep doing it?"
Walt inhaled a breath of cold air, his lungs cooling rapidly.
"I don't know."
Her face lowered and she bumped him with her elbow.
"Wishy washy Walt."
He smiled and shook his head.
"Just need to decide if it's right. For us."
Vic slid her hand through his arm and tugged. He expected her to move towards the Bronco, but she started down the sidewalk.
"Walk with me."
He dipped his head and let her pull him along as she walked slowly down the sidewalk. It was dark now, but the street was lit up with lights from nearby storefronts and streetlights. The moving beams of passing cars lit them up for seconds before disappearing.
"Do you like it?"
Walt stuffed his free hand into his pocket.
"It's…different. I do like getting out and seeing people more than I have been. I like…"
He paused and Vic gave his arm a light tug.
"You like…"
She pressed him on.
"I like feeling like I have a purpose. Even if it's something small."
She gave him a quick look.
"I get that. If you like it, you should keep doing it. God knows life is too short and it's too easy to get bogged down. Forget what's important."
Her mood seemed somewhat philosophical tonight. It wasn't something he saw in her a lot, but she was more prone to it these days than in the past. A deep breath escaped her.
"I'm gonna book a flight to Philadelphia tomorrow."
Walt nodded.
"Okay. Two tickets."
He didn't need to look her way to know she smiled. He could hear it.
"Right. Once winter sets in, you know how flights can be."
Her head touched his shoulder before she lifted it again.
"Yep."
A familiar sound drew her attention. Vic sighed beside him as she fished for her phone and pulled it out.
"Shit."
Vic stopped walking and dropped her hand from his arm, tucking loose hair behind her ear. Walt turned.
"What's wrong?"
Vic made a face.
"Cady's office phone. That can't be good."
xxx
"What's up?"
Vic posed the question as she cleared the doorway and saw Cady standing near Ruby's vacant desk. Cady turned to face her fully.
"Wow, when you said you would be here in a few minutes, you weren't kidding."
Cady's eyes drifted past Vic to Walt who filled the doorway, hat in hands.
"I interrupted you, didn't I?"
Vic shrugged off the question.
"No. We were having dinner, but we were done when you called. So…what's going on?"
Cady headed for her office and gestured for them to follow her.
"Colter is missing."
A frown settled over Vic.
"What do you mean missing?"
It hadn't been all that long since she saw him leaving the hospital after getting himself checked out.
Cady leaned on her desk.
"Missing as in I can't find him and he's not answering his phone."
Vic sat down in a chair across from Cady and stretched her legs out.
"Maybe he turned his phone off to get some rest. That's what you wanted me to do. Rest."
Cady nodded.
"Yeah, which I see you're not doing."
Vic smiled up at her boss.
"I'll have you know that I sat around all afternoon being bored as hell just like you wanted me to do."
Cady smiled a little before her expression turned serious.
"So…how are you feeling?"
Vic dismissed the question with a flap of her hand.
"I'm good. As often as you all tell me I'm hard headed, you would think you wouldn't freak out so much when I hit it."
Cady managed to keep a straight face. Her eyes flicked to Walt who met her eyes and then shifted them away. Vic's mind was already switching gears back to the reason Cady called her in the first place.
"So…Colter?"
Cady snapped back.
"Right. I went to his hotel…to check on him, but there was no answer. I asked around and the desk clerk said he left about an hour before I got there."
Vic still wasn't following.
"Okay. Cady, why are you so worried about this? Do you think something is wrong with him? Or, is there more?"
Cady shrugged her narrow shoulders.
"I don't know. But, you didn't see him at the scene. Well, you did, but…"
Vic nodded.
"Yeah, I was preoccupied."
Cady pushed on.
"He was agitated in a way he hadn't seemed before. About losing Mason again."
Vic leaned forward.
"Maybe he's tired of coming in second place all the time."
Cady shook her head.
"I don't think that's it. I just…he gave me a weird feeling. I gave him a ride from the hospital to his hotel and he just kept rambling about how Mason needed to be stopped. But…there's something else."
She crossed the office and closed the door, despite the fact that they were the only ones in the building. Walking back to her desk, she faced them again.
"I uh…I called his field office. And, the man I spoke to said they haven't heard from him in days."
Vic's eyes narrowed.
"He's been talking about calling in. He's been on the phone…a ton. That doesn't make sense."
Walt stepped up.
"Maybe it does. Vance told me that both Colter and Mason were being investigated before all of this started. Maybe…the investigation was more warranted than we know."
Vic sighed and looked between the two of them.
"Great. More unanswered questions. And everyone wonders why my head hurts."
She pushed up from the chair.
"What do you want me to do? Go look for him?"
Cady frowned.
"I wouldn't mind it. But…we don't know where to start."
Vic pulled her bottom lip between her teeth in thought.
"Maybe not. But…it might not be as much of a stretch as we think. If…we could get into his room…"
Cady's face was perfectly readable.
"We don't really have a legal cause."
Vic nodded at Cady.
"Cady, that's exactly right. But…I need you to not be a lawyer a right now. We'll tell them that…that we're doing a welfare check. He was in an accident and we can't get him to answer his phone. That's a perfectly legit reason."
She could see Cady waffle before agreeing.
"Okay."
Vic started to unzip her jacket.
"You go. You're…in uniform. Take Walt…just in case."
Cady eyed her.
"What are you gonna do?"
Vic shrugged as she tossed her jacket of a chair.
"I'll try him from my phone. And…I'm gonna go through that desk he's been using."
Cady nodded and glanced to Walt who gave her a look before turning his eyes to Vic.
"We'll be back."
Vic nodded as she pulled her phone out.
"Okay. Be careful. Call me if you need me."
With a final look, Cady and Walt left the office.
xxx
The desk was empty. That didn't surprise her. Anything that was of any real interest would be on his laptop and he always took it with him when he came and went. Vic assumed it was his lifeline to his own world. His job and his outside life.
She honestly hadn't expected him to answer the phone when she called. He didn't, of course. There was no reason for him to take her calls when he wasn't taking Cady's. Vic left Cady's office and sat down at her own desk. Hockey puck in hand, she looked through the partially open blinds at the dark street below her.
For a moment, she wondered how many times she sat in that exact spot looking just like she was. Hundreds. Thousands. Vic shook the thought loose from her mind and passed the puck from hand to hand. It was comfortable and familiar, a piece of home that she still had possession of. But, it was more than that. Vic hadn't had a desk in her professional career this small disc hadn't sat on. An odd form of continuity.
She leaned back in her chair and let her eyes drift away from the window. Cady and Walt weren't back yet. Judging from the amount of time they had been gone, she assumed they were able to gain entry. It was what she expected. Cady was trusted around town. Ethical to the core. Sometimes to a fault.
Vic set the puck on her desk and stood up slowly, her hands landing on her back as her muscles protested the move. The accident had left her sore. Colter hadn't said anything in the short span of time they'd been in the car that could give her any clues as to his frame of mind. He was amped up, but that wasn't outside the lines of normal. It was the way they all were when they were after a suspect.
But, maybe it wasn't that. That was what he wanted to them all to believe of course He was there to do a job. Just like they were. But, none of them quite trusted him from the start. There was always an air of uncertainty. Maybe, in all the fuss, they hadn't given enough thought as to why.
Vic was the only one who had been face to face with Finn Mason on three occasions. At the camp, out at the Powder River trail, and at the cabin. Each meeting ran through her mind. One common thread was that he seemed calm at each encounter. Given his law enforcement background, that wasn't a surprise. Even if he was guilty, he would know how to hide what he was really thinking. How to have a poker face. Play a role. They all did in when the circumstances called for it. Whether they were questioning suspects or witnesses, they all presented the parts of themselves that they wanted seen and kept the rest hidden.
It was how this worked.
Sometimes you need to be relatable and friendly. Other times, you needed to come on strong. Reading each situation came with time and experience. He was good at it. Vic knew that much. Mason didn't tip his hand or expose anything he didn't want to. Each time, he came across cool and collected. To be honest, even when he held a gun on her, she hadn't felt threatened. Not really. It was jarring to see someone aim a gun in her direction But, his face and body language hadn't given her reason to believe he would hurt her.
He could have and he didn't.
He even went so far as to warn her.
That could be a mind trick. Or not. Vic was inclined to think not. There was an earnestness to the words when he spoke them. Either he was really good at playing people, or he was telling her the truth. If she listened to her gut, she opted to believe he was telling her the truth.
All in all, her impression of him didn't fit with the cold blooded killer that they seemed to be searching for. They were right about one thing. Suffocating someone was no easy task. It took time and strength. It took a resolve a lot of people didn't have to stand there while the life literally left someone.
Shooting was impersonal. Even stabbing could be under the right circumstances. But, the way that Nate Bradley died felt far too personal. Someone close to him had to have done it. Someone strong enough to hold him down. He would have fought on sheer instinct and that could be a powerful force.
Finn Mason was certainly strong enough. He wasn't a big man. But, he was fit in a way a gym wouldn't make you. The kind of strength gained through life and work. Not completely different from Walt, although a different body size and type.
Vic looked out the window again. She didn't seem Cady or Walt. With a sigh, she looked towards the coffee pot and toyed with the idea of starting a strong brew. It might prove to be a long night.
Before her mind made the choice, her phone buzzed from its spot. Vic leaned over and glanced at the phone. The number didn't jump into her mind immediately. It wasn't Cady or Walt. Picking it up, she swiped her thumb over the screen.
"This is Vic."
"Vic."
Colter. He sounded shaky.
"Yeah, what's up?"
Vic tried to sound normal. If there was something going on, there was no need to tip him off. She couldn't hear much in the way of background noise. There was really nothing that might tell her where he was or what he was up to.
Colter cleared his throat.
"I need your help."