Ch. 22: twists and turns

"Shit."

Vic circled the RV for the third time shining a flashlight on the ground. Walt stood watching her with his hands on his hips. Despite running her lights on the way over, whoever triggered her camera was gone before they reached the trailer park.

"At least they didn't get in this time."

Vic looked up from where she was studying the ground for prints.

"Yeah. But, why keep coming? There's nothing inside. It's…weird."

He nodded in agreement.

"Yep."

Vic straightened up and scuffled her shoes over the ground. She walked over and looked at the RV again. This time, the doorknob hadn't been messed with at all. Vic looked up at the camera.

"Maybe they saw it and it spooked them."

She pulled out her phone.

"It should send pictures to my email."

Walt leaned over her shoulder.

"Wow."

She looked up at him.

"It's…not that amazing. That's a basic feature."

He gave her a sheepish look.

"Never seen it before."

She shook her head as she crossed to the RV and opened the door.

"Get with the times."

He followed her up into the RV and closed the door behind them. Vic dropped onto the couch, her eyes still on her phone. Her fingers moved over the surface as he sat down beside her. After a minute, she brought the phone up closer to her face.

"It's guy. A young guy."

She offered the phone to Walt and he took it, looking at the series of pictures. She was right. It was a young man. Late teens or early twenties. Unfortunately, the quality and angle of the pictures wasn't great.

"Do you recognize him?"

Vic leaned in and looked at her phone.

"He…kind of looks familiar. But…it's hard to tell."

"Yep."

He passed her the phone back. Vic busied herself again. Walt watched with curiosity.

"What're you doing?"

"Sending them to myself at work. Maybe I can clear them up."

"You have more than one email?"

Vic raised her eyes.

"I have work email and I have personal email."

"I didn't know that."

She shrugged.

"You're afraid of computer so…"

"I'm not afraid of computers."

"Intimidated. Whatever. It doesn't matter."

When she was done, she looked at the clearest picture, biting her bottom lip in a way that almost always did when she was thinking.

"So…we've got a young, white male. Brown hair. Wearing jeans and a dark colored t-shirt. That's about as general as it gets"

"Have you had any issues with anyone lately who fits that description?"

She gave him a mildly annoyed look.

"Every time I have to go to the Red Pony because someone drank too much."

"You know what I mean."

"I do. But…no. Nothing sticks out."

Vic set the phone aside and leaned back.

"What does he want? This is the third time."

"We don't know it's the same guy every time."

He was trying to be objective, but she wasn't having it. Not just then.

"I think that's a safe assumption. He's gotten in once and didn't take anything. Why come back?"

Walt didn't want to voice what was on his mind. She probably didn't want to hear it.

"It doesn't fit the pattern of a normal break in."

"No, it doesn't."

Walt pushed on.

"Maybe he's trying to scare you."

She inhaled deeply.

"He's not scaring me. He is pissing me off."

She pushed out a breath.

"Maybe I should stay here tonight."

He wasn't sure he liked that idea.

"He won't be back."

"I'm sure you're right. Still, it feels like asking for it to just…leave."

Walt ran one hand over his leg.

"Want me to stay with you?"

He tried to sound casual about it, but she saw right through the intent.

"I can take care of myself."

"I know."

"I don't need you to protect me from…whoever this is."

"I wasn't planning on it. Maybe I want you to protect me."

Vic cut her eyes in his direction.

"From what?"

"Boredom. Loneliness."

She smiled then grew serious.

"There's no reason for you to stay, Walt. Go home."

The idea made him uneasy.

"You know…you could just move the RV."

Her expression shifted.

"We already talked about that."

"I know. But…it could be…temporary."

"That would be letting whoever this is run me out. I can't do that. I want to know who the hell this is. I need to know."

Walt looked towards the door to the RV.

"I understand. You want me to go, I'll go."

"Don't flip this around on me. I don't want you to go. I just don't want you to feel like you need to look out for me."

"That's…what we do."

Walt watched the series of expression that played across her face. His gaze dropped to his hands.

"I never told you about Denver."

"No, you didn't."

He cleared his throat.

"I went to Denver looking for the man who killed Martha. This Miller Beck. He was on meth. It looked like a robbery gone wrong. I…"

He paused, briefly reliving the moment.

"…planned to kill him. But…he and his friends got the jump on me. They cut my back up and left me there. Henry found me and took me to a woman who tended to the wounds."

Her face had gone pale with his story. Having seen the size of the scars, she could picture how bad the original wounds would have been. She shifted in her seat, her eyes moving around the space with uncertainty.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"I want you to understand why I did that."

She gave him a confused look.

"Because he killed your wife."

Walt pressed his lips together before he spoke. This wasn't a period he felt like revisiting. But, this was a conversation that they needed to have.

"I felt guilty, Vic. I should have gone to Denver with her. I shouldn't have let her go for cancer treatments alone."

"We've…talked about this. That wasn't your fault. If it wasn't Denver, it would have been something else."

He shook his head.

"That's not what I'm talking about. I wasn't there for her when I should have been."

Vic's expression softened.

"I get it. I do. But…Walt, I'm not Martha. This isn't Denver, or some big conspiracy."

She paused.

"If…it's that important to you…stay."

She got up and locked the RV door.

"You know I'll have to take you home in the morning. I drove."

He shrugged.

"I don't care."

Vic offered him a smile.

"And to think…it wasn't all that long ago, I practically had to beg you to stay."

xxx

"Any luck?"

Walt leaned over her shoulder, his breath rustling her hair. Vic was leaning on her desk, looking at the images on the screen of her laptop. One hand was propping up her head, the other was moving the mouse around as she worked with the pictures.

"Some. Still can't get it as clear as I need it."

Walt hovered there for a minute before he straightened up. Vic sat back in her chair and slumped.

"There's something familiar about him."

Walt nodded in agreement.

"Yep."

She tilted her head back so that she could look up at him.

"Helpful."

He half smiled.

"Have you looked through your arrests to see if he matches up with anyone?"

Vic shook her head.

"No. I've been working on these damn pictures."

"Maybe you should. Have Cady help you."

She sighed at the prospect.

"Yeah, but how far back do I go? Think about it, he's only come around when I'm not there. It's not exactly a secret since my truck is gone. That's not someone who is looking for revenge or a confrontation. Nothing has been taken either. So…is he really a thief?"

"He went through your stuff?"

"Yeah, but I've double checked everything. Nothing is missing. There was even some cash in the back of a kitchen drawer and it was still there."

"How much?"

"Bout fifty dollars."

"Still there?"

Vic shook her head, giving him a look that said he should know better.

"Not after this."

Walt's eyes lowered to her screen again.

"That doesn't leave much in the way of motive. Except…maybe he really is trying to scare you."

Vic looked dismayed at the idea.

"He's not doing a very good job."

She pushed up from her chair and stood, stretching out the tired muscles in her back. She had been sitting and staring at her computer for too long. Taking her Flyers mug, she walked over and got herself some water before returning to her desk.

"You can't think of anyone lately that you've had a serious run-in with? Someone you've arrested?"

Vic took a drink from her mug and set it down on the desk.

"Not really. It's…been fairly quiet. The calls that we've been on have been pretty routine. No one really stands out as crazy. Besides…"

She gestured.

"…this is someone who knows where I live. To find that out, they would either need to know or follow me. That takes…some kind of determination."

"I don't like either of those thoughts."

"Yeah, me either."

Walt ran his hand along his jaw.

"You know it's possible this is related to Chance Gilbert."

She made a face at the comment. The reality had crossed her mind. She didn't want it to, but it was there. It would be a mistake to rule them out entirely. She knew that.

"I know. But, where are they? We went out to their place and it's abandoned. Doesn't look like anyone has been there for a while. And…they're a little heavier handed than this. Not exactly subtle to paint on the side of someone's home. Or…outright follow me. They like you to know that they're watching. This…feels different."

He looked as though he mostly agreed with her. Mostly.

"I just don't think we should discount it."

"I haven't discounted anything. The problem is if he's only showing up when I'm not home, what can I really do about it? I've got the cameras. We've got pictures and we still can't identify him. I suppose I could sit around until he either gives up or decides to really show his face, but that's annoying as hell. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of feeling like I need to look over my shoulder."

The look he gave her was a sympathetic one. She knew that he wanted to help her solve this. The question was how. Vic sat back down and looked at her screen, her mind rolling over the possibilities.

She voiced the first one that came to mind.

"We could try and lure him out."

Walt lowered his eyes to meet hers.

"Vic."

She flapped one hand at him.

"Hear me out. We could…set up somewhere away from the RV. Make him think I'm not home and wait until we know he's there."

"Where exactly are you going to be?"

"I could wait inside."

"What if he's watching and sees you go in?"

"Maybe we use one of your OITs. Get there early. He can't watch the place all the time."

He didn't look convinced, but Vic felt like she was making progress in her train of thought.

"We'll leave my truck here and you drop me off at home and wait somewhere nearby. He comes, and I'll let you know."

She could see him waffling with her idea. He didn't like it. That much was obvious.

"You want to…be bait?"

"Walt, don't be dramatic. It's just like when we were waiting for Shane Muldoon. Except I'm pretty sure this guy isn't with the mob. It's the same concept."

"Then why not just wait with me until you get a notification?"

"He might run. Someone needs to be there."

His chest expanded with a breath. Vic glanced around. They were the only ones in the office. She stood up and placed herself directly in front of him.

"Walt, I can't keep living like this. Not after everything. This will be a hell of a lot harder if I have to do it alone."

His face shifted and he shook his head.

"You're definitely not doing it alone."

xxx

He didn't like her idea any more than she liked most of his ideas. Including the one she mentioned that involved the two of them sitting for hour waiting for Shane Muldoon to show up. He figured she brought that up on purpose to remind him that she helped him then like she was asking him to help her now.

He would, of course. She gave him the impression that she was going to do this whether he helped her or not. The or not wasn't even an option in his mind. There wasn't any conceivable way on earth he would leave her to her own devices.

Vic's trademark impatience was on full display. She wanted to do it that night. Not that there was any way of knowing if this person would show up or not. He didn't come every single time she left her house. The visits seemed to be intermittent. It was on that idea that he worked at convincing her to wait a day or two.

She listened while he spoke, her face not betraying much.

He expected an argument. That was not the reaction that he received. Once he was done making his case, she looked at him for a long moment, then answered.

"You're right."

Walt was too surprised to respond right away.

"What?"

That was the reply he managed to piece together.

"You're right. He hadn't come on consecutive nights. So…we should wait. We can try tomorrow."

He felt a small measure of victory.

"What do you plan to do if he doesn't show?"

She didn't seem put off by the idea.

"Keep trying until he does."

That could turn time consuming in a hurry. But, she had already agreed to alter the plan that was forming in her mind somewhat. He didn't want to push his luck.

"Okay."

Her head tilted to one side as she sat in the guest chair in his office.

"Okay? That's all you got?"

He shrugged.

"What do you want me to say?"

Her mouth quirked up into a smile.

"I don't want you to say anything. But…I know you don't like this idea."

"You're right. I don't."

"So why are you so agreeable?"

"You'll do it anyway."

Her smile grew.

"I'm not sure how that would work. I…need your help on this, Walt."

The second part of the statement sounded serious and her smile faded some. Walt stood up and came around his desk.

"We'll figure this out, Vic. Don't worry about that."

"I can't not worry when some mystery man keeps showing up at my home."

"I know. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant…don't worry about the plan. You and I will work this out. We always do."

She smiled again. This time, the smile was one of a more intimate nature.

"Yeah. We do."

She stood up and stretched her arms up over her head. Walt watched until she dropped them back to her sides.

"I'm hungry."

Walt lifted his wrist to glance at his watch.

"Red Pony."

Vic nodded.

"Sure. I just need to get my laptop."

Walt flipped off the lamp on his desk, took his hat from where it hung, and followed her out into the main office. Vic closed her computer and slipped it into her bag. She shouldered the bag and turned to him.

"Meet me there?"

"Okay. I need to stop and put some gas in the Bronco."

"No problem. I'll get us a table."

He held the door as they left and separated in the parking lot. Her tail lights turned down the road while Walt pulled into the first gas station he came to so that he could fill up. He had a good idea as to how this would go. Since they were having dinner together, she would almost certainly stay with him. Normally, that was how this seemed to work. The times she decided to go on home, she usually left straight from work.

They were falling into a comfortable pattern with each other and he liked it. The steadiness that came with a real relationship was something he always liked when Martha was alive. The idea of coming home to someone. Not that he and Vic were there yet.

They would get there.

With each day that passed, his belief in what they were doing grew stronger. They had already navigated some choppy situations and survived some intense arguments. It happened. He knew that. No relationship could exist without some discourse. It was the natural ebb and flow of human relations. They were no exception.

Walt finished filling up his gas tank and slid back into his Bronco. Cranking the engine, he pulled out and started down the road in the same direction that Vic had taken. He wouldn't be that far behind her.

Less than ten minutes.

xxx

Vic pushed through the swinging doors of the Red Pony. Out of habit, she scanned the room and the bar. She didn't see Henry anywhere. He was likely at the casino. It seemed to be taking up more and more of his time lately.

The bar was moderately busy with an old song she recognized pumping out of the jukebox. It was an upbeat tune that had a positive effect on her mood. She didn't want to think or talk about the situation with her RV anymore tonight. Not after doing just that all day long. Her mind needed a break.

It didn't take her long to find a table. Her goal was to find one that was out of the way with a little less foot traffic than the middle of the room. She sat down and settled into a seat, facing the doors so that she would see Walt when he came in. A waitress she didn't know appeared and she ordered a beer for them both. Ranier for Walt, of course. The young woman disappeared and Vic leaned forward resting her arms on the table.

Her stomach rumbled and her eyes flicked to the door when she noticed movement there. It wasn't Walt, but she did recognize the man that stood just inside the door. She felt something inside of her pull as his eyes swept over the room. It was a cop thing. She knew that. Being aware of your surroundings became habit after a while. If he was looking for someone, he didn't see them. But, he did see her.

And, he started her way.

Vic groaned internally as Jim Wilkins weaved his way to her table. There was something smug on his face that she really made her want to punch him. It didn't help that he had been in on Sawyer Crane's plan to railroad Walt.

Unbiased my ass, she thought.

Wilkins and Walt didn't have much use for each other. It wasn't exactly a secret.

As he cruised up in front of the table, he used his finger to push up the brim of his hat, clearing the area around his eyes. His hands were hitched in his belt.

"Deputy Moretti, imagine seeing you here."

Vic looked up at him and knew her expression was broadcasting her dislike of the man.

"I live here…in Absaroka County. You're the outsider."

He smirked a bit at the comment.

"True. True. Having dinner alone tonight?"

The waitress chose that very moment to return with the two beers and set them on the table with a smile. She dodged Wilkins and gave Vic a questioning look.

"Are you ready?"

Vic shook her head and the waitress melted into the crowd around her. Vic's eyes shifted to the door and back to Wilkins. He was looking at the two beers on the table, namely the can of Ranier.

"Guess that answers my question."

He looked around the bar.

"So…where is Walt?"

Vic leaned back in her seat.

"Don't you have something to do besides annoy the hell out of me?"

He smiled. He started to say something when her attention as again pulled to the door. This time, it was Walt and he noticed them immediately. He didn't look excited to see Wilkins standing at her table. As a matter of fact, from her seat she noticed the way his shoulders went tight at the sight of the man.

Wilkins went quiet and waited as Walt approached them. He remained standing when he reached the table.

"Evening, Walt."

"Jim."

His eyes moved between the two of them and the tension was palpable.

"I hear you're retiring."

"Yep."

"After everything you've been through, I can't say that I blame you. Too bad your good name has been tarnished."

Vic noticed the twitch in Walt's hand and stood.

"He cleared his name. Your name is the one who should be dragged through the mud."

"I'm sure whoever runs against me in the next election will attempt to bring that up. But…my constituents know me. They trust me."

"We'll see."

His eyes held on Vic.

"You know, Moretti, you might have had a decent career here if you hadn't gotten so wrapped up in Walt."

He paused for effect.

"Literally."

Walt's jaw went tight and Vic's hand touched his wrist.

"You should walk away, Jim."

"Or what?"

"Or we'll arrest you for harassment. That shit might work in your county. But, we're not in your county. Step off."

There was obviously more he wanted to say. But, Wilkins was more about goading than anything. Vic highly doubted the man wanted confrontation with Walt. Especially since he was running for reelection in the future. So, he tipped his hat at Vic in a gesture that was anything but what it was intended to look like.

"Evening."

His eyes shifted back to Walt.

"Enjoy your evening, Walt."

There was one more quick look at Vic.

"I'm sure you will."

With that, he stepped back and walked away. Walt's eyes trailed him. Vic reached out, this time touching his arm.

"Hey."

He looked away from Wilkins and to Vic, who was taking her seat. He removed his hat and sat down, his hand wrapping around the beer. He held it up.

"Thanks."

Vic let out a sigh and shook her head.

"God, he's a jackass."

Walt took a drink from his can and set it down.

"Yep."

She studied him.

"I know you have a stronger opinion than that about Jim Wilkins."

"I do. But, I don't want to talk about him."

Vic nodded.

"Me either. Except…one thing. Is he married?"

"Divorced. Why?"

"Just curious. I can't imagine a woman wanting to put up with his brand of bullshit."

Walt smiled slightly.

"Women are attracted to men in power."

She stared at him, a look of sheer amusement washing over her face.

"Are we now? When did you become an expert on women?"

He huffed out a barely audible laugh.

"Some…women."

"Fair enough. That's not what's happening here in case you were wondering."

"Here?"

Vic took a swallow from her bottle and motioned between them.

"Yeah. I don't care if you're in power or not. That's not the attraction."

"What is the attraction?"

She smiled at him, her bottle hovering over the table.

"You…are a real man. That…is really what drives women crazy."

She dropped the volume of her voice when she said it. Their waitress reappeared and took their orders. Once they were alone again, Walt leaned in a little.

"Define real man."

Vic nearly laughed out loud at the request. She waited until she could talk without laughing.

"There's no real definition. It's just…you know. It just is."

Walt settled back into his seat and blew out a breath, finally appearing to relax. He drained the last of his beer and set the empty can down, swiping his hand across his mouth.

"After all that, I think I'm gonna need another one."

xxx

"Have you talk to your parents?"

Vic lifted her head from his chest and looked into his face.

"No."

"Maybe you should call them."

She made a face.

"I don't want to call them. It won't accomplish anything. Just more of the same shit for me to listen to."

A frown settled over his face. His hand was slowly moving over her back.

"I'm sorry about all this."

She didn't look concerned about the matter. It bothered him. He didn't want to be the reason she had issues with her family. It seemed like some of those relations were already strained enough. Now, that strait was being pushed to a breaking point. Family mattered to him. He had a hard time believing that her unaffected attitude was genuine.

"You didn't do anything, Walt. None of this is your fault. Stop apologizing."

"I can't. Vic, I don't want to cause problems for you."

She sighed and pushed herself up and off of him, rising to a sitting position.

"You're not. They are. They are making the choice to make this harder than it needs to be. Besides…my mother will come around. She doesn't dislike you. It's me she had a problem with. She's upset that I didn't tell them sooner and that they found out by seeing a text that wasn't meant for them. What she doesn't get is that I might have been more inclined to tell them if I had known it would blow up like this. She'll get over it. Eventually."

"And your dad?"

Her expression shifted.

"No."

"No what?"

"I don't see him ever liking this."

She gestured between them.

"He's not a man who is prone to change his mind once it's made up. I'm…pretty sure it's made up where you're concerned."

"How does that work then?"

Her brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"How does all this work if he won't accept it. You can't not go see your family."

She considered his words before she answered in a manner that did little to alleviate his worry.

"I don't know. I guess…we'll figure that out as we go."

The thought wasn't very reassuring. It wasn't a big deal now. They were just starting off together. His concern was more focused on the future. If Victor Moretti refused to accept him as a part of Vic's life, what did that mean for them? The idea of dealing with the man's contempt for years made him tired just thinking about it.

"Don't overthink this."

Her voice brought him back into the moment. Vic was still sitting up, her eyes cast down on where he lay in his bed.

"I'm not."

"You are. You're letting your brain get the better of you and running through every possible scenario along with some that will never happen. Stop it."

She wasn't wrong.

Walt sat up slowly.

"Vic, this isn't a small thing. This is your family. Your parents. Don't underestimate the effect it could have on you down the road."

She eyed him.

"So…what am I supposed to do? Not be happy in order to gain their approval of my life? That's fucked up. I won't do it. I won't make concessions like that. It's not fair for them to want me to."

He certainly didn't disagree with that.

"I know, Vic. In a perfect world, everything that you're saying would be right. That's not the world we live in, though."

Her jaw tightened and he wondered if he had pushed too hard. The problem was, he didn't have a solution for the issue. Neither one of them did. She was right. Living by someone else's standards was no way to live. Especially not when what you really wanted was right in front of you.

"I don't know what you want me to do about it, Walt. Do you want to end this because my father doesn't like you? Is that what you want?"

"You know I don't want that."

"Then there's no point in having this conversation. I am not willing to give this up in order to pacify my father. He will either have to learn to deal with it, or he'll have to deal with the consequences."

"That's just it. I don't want to be the person who separates you from your family."

"You won't be. They will. They know the truth now. The ball is in their court. I can't help how they feel or react."

He was quiet for a moment, thinking about her words. He certainly didn't mean to stress her out. He just wanted to ensure that she understood where this road could lead them. Primarily her.

"What about your brothers?"

"What about them?"

"Do you know how they feel about this?"

"Just Michael. I doubt they're overly concerned. I gotta tell you, though. Not one of them is in any position to judge me. I don't think they'll be a problem. They all know how he is. We've all dealt with it at some point."

She pushed out a breath and stretched back out beside him. Pressing her head onto the pillow, she adjusted herself so that she was lying on her back. Walt glanced down at her. The conversation about her family felt like it reached a natural conclusion for the time being. He didn't want to press his luck on that front.

Walt lay back down. Turning onto his side, he propped his head up on his hand.

"The election is next month."

"I know."

"I was thinking…um…I'll probably leave a couple of days after."

Something in her expression changed.

"For your trip."

"Yeah."

"Okay. So…you still thinking about two weeks?"

"Something like that. Depends on a few factors. Weather for one."

Her eyes stayed on his.

"I'm gonna miss you."

He smiled slightly.

"Yeah."

"The correct response was I'll miss you too."

His smile widened.

"You know I will."

"Yeah, well…it doesn't hurt to hear it."

"I'll miss you, too."

Vic rolled her eyes.

"Too late to mean anything."

Walt breathed out.

"I can't win with you."

Vic shrugged.

"You win some, you lose some. Tell me something."

"What?"

"Do you really care about this treasure?"

Walt thought about the question. He dropped his arm and lowered his head to the pillow.

"Finding it? Not really."

"So…why are you really doing this?"

Her voice was soft now, quiet.

"I told you…"

"You told me that you want to do this for Lucian. Walt, you could scatter those ashes anywhere around here and he would be okay with that. It doesn't require you to disappear into nature for…two weeks. So…tell…me…what are you really for?"

He was quiet, the sounds of their breathing the only noise in the room.

"Myself."

Her brows went up.

"What does that mean exactly?"

Walt let out a breath.

"I've been the Sheriff of this county for a long time, Vic. Before that I was Lucian's deputy. I've been wearing a badge for half my life. Now, I'm taking that badge off. Some part of me wonders who I am without that badge. I haven't just been Walt Longmire since I was a very young man. I'm definitely not a young man anymore. I just need some time."

She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, holding his eyes.

"Alright."

"That's it?"

"Who am I to deny you some soul searching if that's what you need? Especially after everything. I understand what you're saying. Not knowing who you are. I feel that way sometimes. Especially after I was shot. I think we tend to wrap up our identity in our jobs and other people. Start stripping that away, it's not always easy to look at what's left."

He wasn't entirely sure how to respond to what she was saying. He knew that she had done her own version of soul searching in the wake of her shooting. Trauma tended to induce such a mindset and Vic waded in deep. The results weren't always good and he feared she wouldn't make it out at times.

"I'll be back, Vic."

For some reason, he felt like he needed to reassure her. To press that point all the way.

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes. I know that you'll be back."

"And…you'll be here."

She didn't seem at all surprised by the question.

"I will be here. Well…maybe not right here. But…you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do. You know…my offer stands. You can stay here while I'm gone if you want."

She seemed to be actually thinking about it this time.

"I might. Let's see how soon we find out who the hell is messing with me."

His mood darkened.

"We will find him."

"You certainly are sure of yourself tonight."

She smiled up at him. It was the same smile that always got his heart thumping hard in his chest.

"In some ways."

She sat up slightly, leaned over, and kissed him. When she settled back down, she was serious again.

"I want to try tomorrow. To catch this asshole."

"Seems kind of soon."

He could see her brimming with impatience. Not that he blamed her. If someone was targeting his home, he wouldn't want to wait to bust the person either. Breaking into someone's home was a bold move that was designed to foster insecurity. She'd had enough of that. More than once lately, she expressed to him that she was ready to take her life back. She wanted to regain the control she felt as though she lost recently.

That was human nature.

Still, he worried about her safety in this plan of hers. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt and him not be right there. That's what was being risked here.

"Well…if she doesn't show…we just keep trying. There's something going on here, Walt. I want to know what it is. I need to know. It'll be a hell of a lot harder to do without your help."

"Oh, you're not doing it without my help."

"So…tomorrow. After work?"

He was reluctant to commit. But, he knew that she wasn't going to let this go. It was impossible to change her mind once it was truly set on an idea. She was as stubborn as anyone he ever knew. That was saying a lot coming from him. There was a good chance she would say the same thing about him. Whoever this was knew where she lived and they watched enough to know when she wasn't home. That bothered him. As much as she tried to talk him out of it, and herself, he still felt like there was some connection with recent events. She was right about one thing. Chance Gilbert and his group weren't usually this subtle.

Now, he knew about Chance's sister-in-law following her the day that she testified against him in court. Tossing out threats and trying to coax a reaction from Vic. He knew about her going to find the gun and the same woman following her. Assaulting her. Attempting to drown her.

It bothered him that he didn't know about it when the events occurred. He didn't blame her for not telling. Her words echoed in his mind.

Sometimes, it's hard to tell you things.

He didn't want to be that person anymore. He wanted her to feel like she could come to him about anything and not worry about how he would react, or if he would pass some kind of judgement on her.

It wasn't just Vic either. Cady fell into a similar frame of mind where he was concerned. She kept things from him because she thought he might react badly. It was a pattern and he was the common denominator.

"Walt."

He returned to the present with a blink that brought her back into focus. Her eyes searched his looking for whatever stole him away from the moment. He couldn't say if she found what he was looking for or not.

"Tomorrow."

Vic gave him a look of satisfaction at the confirmation.

"Tomorrow."