Ch. 3: Wildfire
"Are you worried?"
She didn't seem all that concerned to him. She didn't seem comfortable either. That gave him pause. He listened as Vic recounted her phone call with Cady and her subsequent internet search of this DCI agent.
"Worried? Not really. I just think he's a ball buster."
Her choice of words was very much her. They were back on the porch watching the kids play in the waning sunset. The days would only continue to get shorter from here until they started to go in the opposite direction. Soon, it would be completely dark at this hour and playing outside during the week would be mostly shelved until the days started to grow longer again.
The wind blew and he could see Vic pull into herself. She was wearing a jacket, but the wind was a force unto itself and it was cold. She was watching the kids romp around while she spoke. Several seconds passed before her eyes shifted to him.
"Just thought I would warn you. Don't be surprised if he has questions. Cady said he was interested in what we had to say."
Walt nodded.
"I would be, too."
He couldn't blame the man for wanting to get the full picture. If it was his investigation, he would do the same thing. The more people you ruled out as potential suspects, the narrower your focus. That was how crimes were solved. That was the due diligence of policework. He just didn't relish the idea of sitting through questioning.
He would do it, of course. He just didn't like it.
"Yeah."
She seemed as though she was about to say something else, but her attention diverted. There was a vehicle coming slowly and carefully down the dirt road. From this distance, he didn't recognize it as anyone he knew. They didn't get much in the way of surprise visitors.
It was a dark colored, newer sedan that looked as though it had just been washed and waxed. After driving all the way out here, that would change. Julian and Anna stopped playing and looked at the unfamiliar car. Walt noticed how Julian instinctively put a hand on Anna's arm and attempted to steer her towards the porch.
Walt rose and felt Vic stand up beside him. He started down the steps as the car door opened and a man stepped out. In spite of the fact that he hadn't met the man and Vic didn't bother showing him a picture, the name came to him.
Grayson Whitlock.
It was a memorable name and he somehow knew that was who was standing in front of him.
There wasn't anything physically impressive about him. He was average height and weight with features that didn't stand out. On the contrary, this man would be able to blend it without issue. He carried himself with an impressive level of confidence, though. His dark hair was flawlessly combed with not a solitary hair out place. He wore a dark suit with a heavier coat over the top of it. He offered a smile that didn't hold any warmth as he approached the bottom step. Reserved and polite were the words that came to mind.
"Are you…former Sheriff Walt Longmire?"
"I am."
The eyes shifted to his left where he felt Vic's presence.
"Your wife?"
That would annoy her.
"Vic."
Walt tipped his head in her direction. Whitlock nodded to her.
"Ma'am."
He cleared his throat.
"I'm Agent Whitlock with DCI."
He offered his hand to Walt. Walt shook it. He then offered the same hand to Vic. She hesitated just enough before she also shook his hand, releasing it about as fast.
"What can we do for you, Agent Whitlock?"
Walt wondered why this man was here at this hour.
"Your daughter, the Sheriff, pointed me in your direction. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about Garrett Perry."
Whitlock sounded cordial enough. There was no attempt to make this seem like a friendly visit. They all knew better than that. This man was all business. It was Vic who answered the question before he formed a response.
"Do you know what time it is?"
Whitlock turned his attention to her.
"It's…"
He paused and lifted his wrist to look at his watch.
"…late."
She finished the sentence for him. He could see that Whitlock was taken slightly off guard by Vic's forwardness. He wasn't the first. He wouldn't be the last.
She stepped towards Whitlock.
Walt knew that she saw this visit the same way he did. An attempt to catch them off guard and off balance. He could have just as easily called them and set up a time to talk. That would give them time to think and he wouldn't want that. It was a move both he and Vic employed with success back when they worked together. Surely this man would know that.
"I understand that. I just have a few questions."
Walt doubted that.
"Which we'll be happy to answer for you. But…she's right. It is getting late."
His eyes shifted over to Julian and Anna who were both watching. Whitlock followed his gaze.
"I don't mean to disturb you."
Whitlock was still trying to be polite. Walt wondered how long that would last.
"Will tomorrow work?"
It was Vic again. Whitlock looked from her to Walt. He must have seen on Walt's face that she spoke for them both. Slowly, he nodded. His expression was neutral. Walt knew that was a mask.
"Sure."
The response came clipped and accepting.
"Can you meet me in the morning at the Sheriff's department?"
That wasn't exactly neutral territory.
Walt nodded and shifted his weight from one booted foot to the other.
"We can manage that."
Whitlock looked between the two of them again. Walt couldn't be entirely sure what he saw. He could certainly make an educated guess.
"Okay then. I look forward to talking to you tomorrow."
Whitlock again made eye contact with each of them before he retreated to his car and left. Walt felt Vic step in slightly closer as they watched the car back up and then pull out. She leaned into him slightly and spoke in a voice that she purposely kept low, too low for either child to hear her.
"What in the actual fuck was that all about?"
It wasn't really a question.
xxx
Grayson Whitlock wasn't a bad looking man in spite of the fact that his name sounded like it was straight out of some novel. He was probably about her age with dark hair that was carefully combed. It made her wonder how long it took him to get it just right. There was a small amount of gray at his temples. His eyes were also brown, dark brown like his hair. His complexion was right in between tan and too pale. He didn't really strike her as the outdoorsy type and he certainly didn't have the skin for it, rough and hewn from exposure. His skin was smooth and unblemished. He obviously took a great deal of pride in his appearance, no doubt wanting to maintain a certain look.
He was dressed in similar fashion as the evening before when he showed up at the cabin in what she could only assume was an attempt to ambush them. He was probably disappointed in their reaction if that was the case. He wore a neatly pressed suit and his shoes looked as if he shined them on the regular.
Vic walked into Cady's office to find him waiting. It didn't surprise her when he asked Walt to wait outside. She was a little rattled when he asked Cady to leave her own office and it elicited a reaction.
"She can stay."
He gave her a quick look. She could see him forming an opinion about her, judging her. Not that she cared. There were only a handful of people in the world who possessed an opinion that mattered to her. He wasn't one of them.
Some part of her was glad they were using this particular office. She certainly felt at ease enough here. Although, it must suck for Whitlock to have to use someone else's office for his investigation. No homefield advantage so to speak.
"As a matter of fact…"
Vic looked at Cady.
"…I would prefer if she did."
Whitlock resisted.
"It's not necessary."
Vic studied him.
"It's also not necessary for me to be here."
He squared his shoulders.
"I can bring you in whether you want to come or not."
She resisted the urge to smile at him.
"Doesn't mean I have to answer your questions. I'm well aware of my rights."
"You're not under arrest."
"I still have rights. You want to question me in the course of a murder investigation. I could call a lawyer who would advise me not to say anything at all. You know how that goes. Let her stay."
She said it casually enough, keeping the sharpness out of her voice. Still, she saw it. He already didn't like her.
Oh well. Can't please everyone.
In her case, you couldn't please most.
"Fine."
He cleared his throat and started.
"I looked you up. Impressive law enforcement career. Homicide in Philadelphia. Taking down a corrupt cop. Taking out a wanted federal fugitive. Very. Impressive."
It wasn't a concession as much as it was a segue into an actual conversation. He wasn't actually impressed. He just wanted her to know that he was informed.
Vic sat down and settled into her chair. She got the impression this would take a while.
"I'm impressed with your Googling skills."
He grimaced slightly.
"Okay…Mrs. Lon…"
"Moretti."
He looked up from what she figured were case notes.
"Pardon."
"My name isn't Longmire. Or any hyphenated version. It's Moretti. I assume you want this to be accurate. My legal name is Victoria Moretti, which you know because you looked me up."
A moment of silence passed between them. She knew that he knew her name. He wasn't stupid. That meant everything that he said and did was planned and thought through. His attempts at manipulation would have been subtle if they weren't tactics she didn't already know about.
Occupational hazard and all that.
He jotted something on his notepad.
"Sorry. Ms. Moretti. Or…do you prefer Victoria?"
Now, he was just needling her.
"I actually prefer Vic."
"Vic."
He said her name slowly.
"How did you know Garrett Perry?"
Vic bit her bottom lip.
"Um…you want the whole story?"
"Very much so."
Vic inhaled.
"Cad…Sheriff Longmire hired him. I met him here a couple of times. Once when my husband and I came to help with a search. He was…forward if you get my meaning. Too complimentary. Another time when I came to talk to the Sheriff. She wasn't in and he told me I could wait. I did. Again, he was…too friendly."
"You interpreted that as his coming on to you?"
"He was certainly testing the waters. And…before you ask…no, I was not receptive to him. And, I didn't encourage him."
"At a bar…also?"
She resisted the urge to have the reaction she knew he wanted at his insinuation.
"Not the way you make it sound. I was meeting…"
She gestured.
"…Cady and he was there."
Whitlock gave her a conciliatory smile.
"My mistake. How did you feel about him?"
Vic narrowed her eyes.
"I didn't feel any way about him at first. Then, I disliked him."
"Why?"
"Because…he was hitting on me and he knew that I was married. Even after I turned him down, he kept pushing."
"He made a pass at you?"
"He propositioned me."
Whitlock met her eyes.
"Propositioned? For sex?"
"Yes."
"Did he say that?"
"Not in so many words. He made himself clear."
"Did you take him up on this…proposition at any point?"
She knew it was coming even though she just told him that she turned Perry down.
"I'm married."
One side of his mouth pulled up slightly.
"That's not an answer. People have affairs every day. This was a younger man that a lot of women would find attractive. It's understandable if you were tempted to act on his interest in you."
His tone had shifted to one that was almost coaxing.
"No."
"No…?"
Vic leaned forward slightly.
"I didn't have sex with him. I wasn't tempted to have sex with him. In spite of the fact that he obviously thought he was God's gift to women, I wasn't interested in him. Like I said before…I'm married."
Whitlock nodded and looked over some of his notes.
"Your husband…threatened him?"
"Walt told him to stay away from me. He didn't actually threaten him. He never touched him."
"Is your husband a jealous man?"
"He has his moments."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Her eyes dropped to his hands and settled on the gold band he wore on his left hand.
"How would you feel if some guy came on to your wife?"
"This isn't about me."
Vic shrugged.
"You're wasting your time."
"How's that?"
"You're looking for something that's not there. Did I like Garrett Perry? No. Did I think he was an ass? Yes. Was I interested in seeing him physically harmed? No. Was my husband? Also no. The night that we ran into him at the Red Pony, he was drunk and he was looking for a fight. Walt didn't give him one. He just told him to walk away. That's way the hell more than most men would do. Is he a jealous man? Sometimes. Is jealously warranted on occasion? Sometimes. Does that mean he went into some kind of rage and killed Perry? No. You are wasting your time on us."
Whitlock studied her for a long minute.
"Are you sure that nothing happened between you and Garrett Perry?"
She nearly laughed at the way he phrased the question.
"Yeah, I'm pretty damn sure I would remember that."
"A man is dead and your sarcasm isn't helpful."
"Neither are your questions."
She looked at Cady once. Cady hadn't said a word. She was watching. Carefully. Whitlock stared at her in a short stand off before he opted to move on.
"Did Sheriff Longmire give you an idea of the timeline when Perry was killed?"
"Yes."
"Do you have an alibi?"
"Um…well…since you don't know exactly when he was killed, that's a broad question and you know I can't answer it. If you are talking about the night we ran into him at the bar, yes. My husband."
Spouses were never strong alibis and they all knew it. Whitlock kept his gaze on her.
"You were with him all night after you left the bar?"
"I usually am."
"Vic."
"Yes, I was with him all night."
"Would you lie for your husband?"
Vic huffed out a breath.
"Are you accusing me of lying?"
"Of course not. It's just a question."
"There's no reason for me to lie. We were both at home. And, before you ask…no one else can confirm that. Our kids were at home in bed."
She was hoping they were done. She was tired of dealing with him and his questions. Whitlock took his time looking through his notes before he looked back up at her.
"Trouble…has a way of finding you. Or…you have a way of finding trouble."
Vic sighed. He was veering.
"Jesus."
Whitlock tilted his head.
"Problem?"
"Yes, you're digging."
"For the truth."
"That sounds like a line from a bad cop show."
He didn't smile.
"Again…not helpful."
Vic sighed, trying to keep her temper reined in. She knew what he was trying to do. She refused to give him what he wanted.
"I've been as helpful as I know how to be. I've answered all of your questions. Do you have any more? If not, I believe that we're through with this conversation."
He smirked just enough for her to see.
"Then, I guess we're done. For now."
She knew this wouldn't be their last go round. She could see that based on his expression. Vic gave Cady a look and stood up.
"I would like to say it's been fun. But, that would be a lie."
Giving him a smile that held nothing remotely friendly, she left the room to find Walt waiting in the main office. She shook her head at him as he stood up and looked beyond her to the office with a look of trepidation.
"Your turn."
xxx
Walt studied the man in front of him with a practiced eye. He had a good idea of where this was headed based on the frustration he saw in Vic's face when she left Cady's office. He hoped that she kept her cool. She seemed to be fighting that battle. It was one she didn't always win.
Walt took his seat in Cady's office and waited for Whitlock to get started.
"Do you mind if I call you Walt?"
He didn't.
"No."
Whitlock sat down facing him.
"Can you tell me about your experiences with Garrett Perry?"
He would already have Vic's version. He was looking for discrepancies or holes in their combined stories. Cady stayed in the office. She was a quiet observer, her blue eyes constantly shifting between the two of them.
"I met him after my daughter hired him as a deputy. I was involved in a search for a missing family. I didn't have much to do with him then. After that, I saw him a handful of times. Here. At the Red Pony."
"Did you dislike him?"
"I didn't know him. But, I can't say that I liked him. He kept making advances on my wife. I don't know any man who would be receptive to that."
"No, I don't suppose you would. You did have a confrontation? Here?"
Walt kept his expression neutral and passive. He was not all that accustomed to being on this side of an interrogation. He did know how to handle himself. Whitlock would be looking to make him lose his temper, to allow something to slip out.
There was nothing to slip out, of course. He could accept that the agent was doing his job. He couldn't, however, respect the man if he was attempting to invent a case against one or both of them without corroborating evidence.
"I told him to stay away from her. I didn't put my hands on him."
"You got up in his face."
"Yes. But, I didn't touch him."
"I bet you wanted to."
Baiting.
Walt didn't bite.
"Agent Whitlock, if I got into a fight with every man who looked at Vic, or said something inappropriate to her, I would stay in jail. His feelings were his own problem. Not mine."
"So, you're secure in your marriage."
"Yes."
"You don't think it's possible that your wife was receptive to Perry's advances. After all, he was a younger man. Younger than both of you. Single. He didn't seem to have any trouble getting women according to his friends and family. I could see how that might make a man with a younger wife feel…insecure."
He was trying a little too hard.
"I am not insecure. Vic was very vocal about it. She told him on more than one occasion to leave her alone. He was persistent."
"Is it possible she was being vocal about it so that you wouldn't think she was interested in another man?"
Whitlock was holding onto that angle like a bulldog.
"You clearly don't know her. She doesn't do that. She means what she says."
Whitlock nodded and studied some notes.
"Can you tell me why she was at a bar without you?"
Fake and move.
"She's a grown woman. She's very independent."
"Independent. That's not an issue for you?"
"Why would it be?"
"That's not an answer."
"No, it's not a problem for me. Besides, she was meeting my daughter. She wasn't there picking up men."
"Hmm."
That was his response. Walt pressed his lips together and waited.
"What did she tell you about that encounter?"
"That Cady stepped out to take a call and Perry came over. He asked her to dance and have a drink with him. He insinuated that he could convince her to sleep with him. She, again, told him to leave her alone."
Whitlock gave him an amused look.
"Very colorfully as I understand it. Apparently, Perry told his brother about the conversation. It wound up causing him to lose his job. Which is what she threatened him with."
"I don't think it was a threat."
"What else would you call it?"
"Follow through."
"You don't seem overly concerned that this man is dead."
Walt paused just a moment.
"It always concerns me when a crime is committed and human life is valuable. But, you are wasting your time by spending so much of it on the two of us."
"Thanks for the advice. So, you're not capable of murder? Is that what you're telling me."
"Anyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances. I think we both know that, Agent Whitlock."
"Do we?"
"Don't take that as a confession. I haven't seen Garrett Perry since that night at the Red Pony. Nor did I really give him any thought."
Whitlock eyed him, sizing him up Walt assumed.
"Thank you for your time."
He hadn't expected the questioning to end so abruptly.
"Sure."
Walt stood up, his eyes meeting with Cady's before he left the office.
Vic was still waiting for him. She stood up as he came out of the office.
"That didn't take as long as me."
He shrugged.
"Sorry."
Walt heard footsteps behind him as Whitlock and Cady both emerged from the office.
"There's…one other question."
Walt turned as Vic stepped up beside him. Whitlock looked between them.
"Do either of you own a 9mm?"
Walt made it a point not to look at Vic, who did have a 9mm. She didn't respond either. She just gave the agent a stony look that didn't reveal anything. Walt knew how hard she was working at it. She normally wore her emotions loud and clear.
"If you want something that specific, get a warrant."
Whitlock met his gaze and Walt didn't waver.
"Maybe I will. Thank you for coming."
xxx
"What an ass."
Walt tossed her a quick look as they got into the Bronco.
"He's doing his job."
Vic gave him a look he knew well. One that was a warning.
"Don't play the devil's advocate."
"All I'm saying is that we've both done the same thing."
She rolled her eyes predictably.
"Sure. Let's just go home."
Walt turned the key and the engine started up. Just before he put the Bronco into gear, Cady came jogging out of the building. Vic rolled her window down as Cady slowed and approached, resting her arms on the door.
"Hey, guys…I'm sorry about that."
Walt shook his head from behind the wheel.
"Not your fault. Maybe he has what he needs."
Cady's chin dipped.
"Hopefully."
Vic was watching her and something in her expression didn't quiet sit right with her. The "hopefully" wasn't comforting. It also wasn't convincing.
"I'll talk to you later."
Walt raised his hand in a wave as Cady stepped back and he started down the street.
"So…what do you really think?"
Walt kept his eyes on the road as he navigated his way through town.
"About?"
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. Surely, he knew what she was talking about. The feigning ignorance thing was an old habit and one that drove her more than a little crazy. He seemed to sense that because he answered before she formed a smart comeback in her mind.
"I think he's a bulldog and wants to solve this case."
"Yeah. The case is what I mean."
Walt tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. As he left the main area of town, his speed increased.
"Hard to say not knowing much about the evidence. With the way that he was acting the night we saw him at the Red Pony, nothing would surprise me. He was looking for a fight that night. Maybe he found one later on. If he was angry enough, there's no telling."
"He was sure as hell good at pissing people off."
"Yep."
"Wasn't me."
"I didn't think it was."
"Wasn't you either."
"Nope. I just hope Agent Whitlock sees that."
"Well, his job is to follow the evidence. So…"
She didn't finish the thought.
"Did he try and get you to implicate me?"
She looked over at him.
"Kind of. Questions were pretty standard. Why?"
Walt readjusted his grip on the steering wheel.
"You were in there longer than me."
It was just an observation on his part. She knew that. Still.
"I talk more than you."
He smiled slightly.
"I know."
Vic turned her eyes to the window and took a breath.
"Murder…one thing I do not miss."
"Yet here you are pulled into it."
Vic shook her head.
"Material witness only. I feel bad for Cady. Having your case taken over like that is never any fun. Sort of tells you they don't think you can handle the job. State. Feds. All the same when you're a local."
They were out of the city limits now and Walt sped up again, the Bronco rolling over the road.
"I'm guessing Cady gets along with them better than you or I ever did."
Vic didn't respond. Her primary experience was with the FBI. None of it was particularly good. She tended to clash with those who rolled in and wanted to entirely take over, casting their low opinions of local police around. They rarely got respect from other agencies. It was too easy to look at their small operation and their sparsely populated county dismissively. The least populated county in the least populated state. It was really a joke at this point. Hell, when she moved here she carried a similar opinion. There were exceptions, of course. FBI Agent Vance with whom they worked while looking for Malachi Strand was one. They apparently surprised him during that period and he even voiced that admiration to Walt.
That wasn't the norm.
It seemed to suit Walt just fine. He was a man of action and not words. Her own interactions with other agencies were less positive. She was the one who punched an FBI Agent once. For the record, she still didn't regret that. The jackass had that coming.
"Vic?"
"Hmm?"
She must have gotten lost in her thoughts.
"Everything alright?"
Vic turned away from the window.
"Yeah. Just thinking."
"About?"
She really didn't want to get into it. There was no good reason to dig up the not so recent past.
"Just…how much fun Cady must be having."
He didn't answer immediately. He gave her a quick look as he drove, probably not buying her light response.
"Yeah."
He didn't push her any farther and continued to drive.
Vic returned to her thoughts, making a mental note to call Cady later on. She wanted to know where this Whitlock was coming from. It was easy to write off his interest as passing. Getting background and ruling out people as he went. The problem was that it didn't really feel like that. His questions felt targeted and meaningful.
For once, she hoped that she was wrong.
xxx
"Evening, Mr. Walt. Ms. Vic."
Walt saw her resist the urge to sigh. It drove her crazy when Eli called her that. She had voiced it on more than one occasion, but the young man carried on as always. Walt suspected it might be intentional on some level as it became almost a joke between them.
"Eli. Figured you would be gone by now."
He knew Eli planned to work late due to needing to take his grandmother to the doctor the next morning. But, the afternoon was a busy one and he didn't give it very much thought. Eli shrugged off the comment and walked over to where they stood near the pasture.
"I'll be done in a few minutes."
Vic looked him over.
"Do you want something to eat?"
"No thanks. My grandmother told she would have a plate for me."
"Good cook, huh?"
"The best."
Julian came around them both and ran to Eli.
"Hey, Eli."
"Hey, little man. Did you have a good day at school today?"
"It was okay. Wish I could be with horses all day like you."
Eli laughed.
"It's cool. But…you need to learn to read and write and do math."
"Do you?"
Another laugh.
"Yes, I do."
Julian seemed to accept that. He was bouncing on his toes as he talked to Eli. Walt knew the boy practically worshipped Eli and that was okay by him. As far as role models went, you weren't going to find a better one than the twenty year old. After recent events, he felt almost indebted to Eli. Loyalty was a trait that Walt put an immense amount of stock in. He knew now that Eli was incredibly loyal and had proven it to both him and Vic.
Anna toddled along after Julian and they all watched her for a moment. Eli lifted his eyes back to Walt.
"Everything okay?"
"Yes. They…"
He gestured at the kids.
"…wanted to come outside. Hard to deny Julian that when he's in school all day."
Eli nodded in understanding.
"I remember those days. It's not fun."
Julian and Anna both wandered away from them, playing some game only the two of them seemed to understand. Once they were far enough away and absorbed in what it was they were doing, Eli turned more serious.
"I saw in the paper where that deputy guy was killed. Perry. Paper said he was murdered."
Walt reached up and rubbed his jaw with his palm.
"Yep. Cady's been looking into that."
Eli didn't know about all the issues they'd had with Perry and there was no reason for him to.
"She got any idea who did it?"
Walt shrugged.
"If she did, she couldn't tell us."
"Good point."
"Why don't you go on home. I'll see you tomorrow."
Eli removed the ballcap he always wore and ran a hand over his dark hair. It looked freshly cut. Replacing his cap, he looked around. There were still horses in the pasture grazing.
"You want me to get the horses put up first?"
Walt shook his head.
"No. We'll do it."
He tipped his head towards Vic.
"Go home and get some dinner. Your grandmother will be waiting."
She would. Walt knew it and Eli knew it. In the absence of his parents, it was his grandmother who stepped in and raised him. Despite rumblings on Eli's part about finding a place to live off the Rez, he hadn't actually done it yet. Walt assumed it was coming. But, that was between Eli and his grandmother.
"Okay. I'll see you then."
He raised his hand in a wave to Walt and looked at Vic.
"Ms. Vic."
She huffed out an amused laugh.
"Goodnight."
The young man started off towards the beat up pickup truck he drove. Walt watched him get in and leave, wondering how much longer the old vehicle would last him.
"He does that on purpose."
Walt smiled to himself. He knew what she was talking about.
"Yep. He does. Although, I think you being from back east makes it a uh…a cultural difference. I think folks out here tend to be more polite."
Some part of him expected her to defend her home even if she knew that his point was a valid one. She wouldn't even consider herself polite. Her head bobbed and her expression conceded his point.
"Fair enough. But…cultural difference…"
She reached out and pushed at his arm.
"…I think that's a bit much. It's not another country."
"Might as well be."
Vic rolled her eyes.
"Ha. Ha."
She grew serious.
"Although…it kind of felt like a different planet when I first moved here. I would like to say that I assimilated, but I think we both know that's not true."
It was. In spite of the fact that she'd lived here for a while now and built an entirely new life, no one who was from the area would mistake Vic for a born and bred local. The primary clue was her accent. It was more than a little noticeable. Beyond that, she made no attempt to curb the more eastern, big city aspects of her personality. Anyone from a town like Durant could tell when someone was from a big city. And most of the people he knew from this part of the country could identify someone from the east when they met them.
"Yep."
She studied him.
"That's all you got to say. I was really expecting more of your humor."
He smiled at her a little.
"I've never gotten the impression you were worried about fitting in.
"I'm not. Never have been. Just an observation."
She turned her attention to the kids who were still playing as Walt focused on the horses.
"Can you help me put them in the barn?"
Vic flashed him a smile.
"I don't know. Can I?"
He gave her a good-natured smile.
"Sure you can."
"These aren't our horses, though. You pay Eli for this. So…what do I get in return for helping you?"
Walt considered her.
"I'm sure we can think of something."
xxx
She knew he would be out at some point. For a while after the kids went to bed, it was quiet inside. He was reading when Vic wandered out onto the porch and closed the door quietly behind her. He didn't look up or ask her anything, simply kept his eyes on his paperback.
Once she was outside, Vic inhaled and took a deep breath. It was cold out, but not freezing. Give it time, she thought. It'll get there quick enough. She walked the length of the porch and considered sitting on the bench that ran across the far end. She dismissed the idea, not relishing the idea of sitting on the cold wood.
Slowly, she ambled back down the porch, stopping to rest her arms on the railing. She looked out at the darkness. The mountains, actually their outline, was just visible under the small bit of moonlight. Soon enough, the land would glow with snow once it started to fall. Right now, there was only snow at higher elevations.
She couldn't say for sure what drove her out here. The cabin was quiet now. Almost deafeningly so. It was a sharp pivot from half an hour ago when there was the usual activity of Julian and Anna getting ready for bed with baths and stories. Once they settled down, the noise died down noticeably.
When Walt pulled out a book that he was halfway finished with and sat down on the couch, the space descended even deeper into silence. She struggled with quiet at times. Granted, she was better than she used to be with it. There was a time that it damn near drove her crazy. It was one of the biggest struggles when she was new here. The vastness and the sheer quiet that seemed impossible to penetrate at times.
Over time, she acclimated. She wasn't anywhere near as bothered by it as she once was. But, it still crept up on her at times and caught her off guard.
Minutes crept by. It was quiet out here as well, but not as quiet. From where she stood on the porch, she could hear the wind rustling through the trees. It was an eerie sound that would have sent shivers down her spine if she hadn't been able to identify it so quickly.
"Vic?"
She nearly jumped out of her skin when Walt said her name. She'd been so lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize he was now standing behind her just outside the door. She didn't even hear him come out of the cabin.
"Jesus!"
She startled visibly and turned around to face him. Walt gave her an apologetic look.
"Sorry."
Vic inhaled, her heart racing from the surprise.
"God, you're quiet."
"I wasn't trying to be."
He studied her closely.
"Is something wrong?"
Her heart was finally starting to slow and the rush of adrenaline he created was diminishing.
"No."
Walt's eyes were unwavering.
"You sure."
"Yes."
"So, you came out here to…"
"Do I need a hall pass?"
"Course not."
He continued to stand, not knowing what to say next. Vic looked up into his face.
"Did you need me?"
"No, I just…you've been out here for a while."
"I've been out here for…fifteen minutes at the most."
Walt shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"I just thought…something might be wrong."
His worry wasn't entirely misplaced. It wasn't like they weren't just getting through some recent problems. She couldn't very well fault him for showing some genuine concern. They were doing this more now than they had in quite some time. Asking questions. Not holding back.
"Nothing's wrong. It was just super quiet inside and I didn't want to disturb you. Seems I've done that anyway."
"You didn't disturb me. Besides, it's…quiet out here, too."
He looked around.
Vic shook her head.
"No. You can hear a pin drop in there. At least out…"
Vic gestured.
"… here there's something."
He studied her with a practiced eye.
"Is there something going on in your head that you're looking to drown out?"
The question earned him a look.
"No. You're…welcome to stay out here and see for yourself. You just seemed really into your book and I didn't feel like sitting still."
He joined her at the rail and stood. Vic resumed her previous position. A few minutes ticked by them as they stood side by side not talking. Just watching. Not even watching really. It was too dark to make out much of anything beyond the glow of the porch light. Keeping her eyes aimed out, she couldn't tell if Walt was trying to watch her. She didn't particularly blame him for his paranoia all things considered.
Isn't communication what she harped on so much?
She couldn't very well fault him for asking her if there was something on her mind. Although, she was willing to bet if she flipped the script on him, he wouldn't be so receptive. She could admit she wasn't being entirely honest herself. There was something on her mind. It wasn't new, but it was there.
"I'm going back."
Walt looked her way, her brow furrowing.
"Back?"
"To the Sheriff's Department."
"When did you decide that?"
She shrugged.
"I think I've known all along. I was just…wasn't admitting it to myself."
His eyes stayed on hers.
"If that's what you want, we'll make it work."
She held the eye contact for just a few seconds later before turning her attention back to the darkness that surrounded them. He looked like he might say something else, but didn't. Vic straightened up and stretched out the muscles in her back. Now that her thoughts were out in the open between them, she felt better.
"I'm going in."
That was all she said. Walt didn't respond. Instead, he watched her walk into the cabin. Vic paused just inside the door and looked over her shoulder. After that momentary hesitation, Walt followed her in.