Ch. 7: Dynamics
Walt felt like he would never stop moving. There was so much going on, so many things he needed to do. His first step was calling Rick Parker as Cady suggested. As soon as he tossed out Cady's name, the man's demeanor changed from businesslike to personal and he immediately accepted the case without asking any real questions. Once Walt gave him the details of what was going on, he assured Walt that he would drive over to see Vic before the day was over in order to get the ball rolling and see about securing her freedom. The less time she was locked up, the better.
With that taken care of, he went to Ferg's house. He needed to handle this himself. It didn't need to be left to Cady to try and explain what was going on. Not that he really knew how to do that either. The fact was it was his job. He was the father in all of this.
Meg met him with a smile and ushered him in to where Julian and Anna were playing with her young son. Julian stopped as soon as he saw Walt and was on his feet, darting over to him.
"Daddy."
He threw himself into Walt's arms. Walt lifted him off his feet and gave him a hug before setting him back down. Running a hand over his blond hair, he offered his son the best smile that he could come up with.
"How're you doing?"
"I wanna go home."
Walt felt a sharp tug in his chest.
"I know. But…"
He walked over to a chair and took a seat, pulling Julian into his lap.
"…I need to talk to you about something."
"Okay."
Julian looked at him with his clear blue eyes.
"You…and Anna are going to stay with Cady."
Julian frowned.
"Why?"
"Because your mama and I have to handle some business and won't be able to be at home with you."
Julian tilted his head.
"Where's mama?"
Walt inhaled.
"Mama…can't be home right now. She wants to. You know that. But, she's…got to stay somewhere else for a bit. I need to help her. So…"
He paused.
"…Cady wants the two of you to come and stay with her. She'll take you to school just like normal. Before you know it, we'll all be back at home."
Julian didn't look happy about any of this.
"I need for you to be a big boy and a be good for Cady and Cooper. I also need for you to help them look after your sister. Can you do that for me?"
He could tell the boy took the request seriously as he did most things.
"Yes."
Walt nodded and smiled at him.
"Thank you. Cady will come get you later and she's gonna take you home to get your things. I'll come see you when I can."
Julian nodded slowly, still unhappy, but accepting.
"Okay. And mama?"
"And mama."
There was no way for him to try and explain that his mama was in jail for something she didn't do. He didn't want to do that. Not now. He would wait and see how this played out before he crossed that bridge. That would be another conversation for another day. There was no reason to scare him or overload him with adult problems before it was necessary.
He started to stand and Julian slipped from his lap. Walking over, he reached down and picked up Anna, lifting her off the floor with very little effort. She was younger and that made it easier in some ways. She smiled and batted at his face with one hand. Walt held her to him and kissed her head. She looked so much like Vic that it was painful in the moment.
Walt pushed down the emotion that threatened him. He was good at that with too much experience in that department. Walt set her back down on the floor and ruffled Julian's hair one more time.
"Cady or Cooper will be by later. Be good."
Julian didn't respond verbally, but he nodded with the same solemn expression that Walt had grown accustomed to since he joined their family.
Back outside, he got into Vic's SUV and took a moment to collect himself. It was hard. Adding children to the mix made it harder. That was the price you paid for emotional connections. He knew that better than just about anyone else. There was a time he walled himself off and tried to keep people he might care for out.
It was Vic who scaled those walls, forcing her way through and pulling him back into real, true life as opposed to the existence he'd been living up to that point. She said all the time that he saved her. And, he did. There was no denying that. After she was shot, he got her to the hospital and she lived. She saved him in a similar way when she pushed him out from in front of a moving vehicle. Not to mention when Chance Gilbert was about to lock him up in a bunker and she shot the man.
That wasn't the kind of salvation he meant. She saved him from a life of loneliness and solitude. She saved him from himself. He would get her through this. He would get her out. The way Walt saw it, he didn't really have any other options. He needed her too much for there to be a different outcome. They all needed her. All three of them.
Walt pushed the thoughts aside. Right now, he couldn't afford to get bogged down in sentimentality. He needed to be strong and push his way through all of this. He started the engine and looked back at the house. Knowing that his kids were taken care of would free up his mind so that he could focus on Vic and getting her out.
He squared his shoulders, put the SUV into gear and pulled out.
xxx
"What in the hell happened to you?"
The question came from Carson Cooper who sat across from her at a small table that was located in the depressing looking visitation room. It wasn't the most obvious choice for her phone call. She didn't need to call Walt. Walt would come when he could. He knew what was going on. He was getting her an attorney, so that was taken care of. Cady seemed like an obvious second choice, but she was also informed of the situation and she didn't want to risk pulling Cady into some type of professional problems.
Cooper would come and she knew that. She figured there was a safe bet that over here in Tri-County, they might not realize he was married to Cady Longmire. He kept a fairly low profile and was a no-nonsense man. Cady must have called him. He knew what was going on. That saved Vic the trouble of giving him the necessary details.
When she was led into the visitation room, he was already seated and waiting for her. An immediate frown appeared on his features, his forehead furrowing deeply. He waited until the guard stepped out before he spoke his question, leaning forward.
"They put me in with the general population."
Understanding dawned across his features followed quickly by anger.
"Damn."
Vic waved him off.
"I'm okay…"
"Have you seen yourself?"
She had. Baxter had allowed her to clean herself up and she got a good look at herself in the mirror. While they hadn't fully bloomed yet, she was going to have two black eyes. Her lip was also busted and there was a bruise forming along her left jaw. Those were just the marks that were visible. She knew that her clothes hid more than anyone was seeing.
"Yes."
"How many were there?"
"Four."
"Did you get some licks in?"
"I did."
He nodded and readjusted himself on the uncomfortable seat.
"So…you called me. What do you need?"
His directness was one of the things she appreciated about Cooper.
"I need for you to keep Walt from doing anything stupid? Cady, too."
His head bobbed up and down a little.
"Such as?"
"Anything that might get them in here with me or…in Cady's case, out of a job."
Cooper clasped his hands together on the table top.
"Walt coming later?"
"Probably."
Cooper's eyes ran over her face.
"Do you honestly think anyone will be able to control him when he sees you like this?"
That's what she was afraid of. Walt's temper was something to be feared when it was stoked.
"I need you to try. He can't be flipping his shit or doing illegal stuff. Neither can Cady. I don't want her to risk her job for me."
"That is one hell of an ask, Vic."
"I know. But…I think you're up to the challenge."
She tried to smile, but it made her face hurt. He let out a sigh.
"I'll do my best. Cady says the kids are staying with us."
Vic tried not to have a reaction. It made sense.
"They're not gonna understand this."
"I know."
"Thank you. And, thank Cady for me."
Cooper shook his head.
"Thank her yourself when you get out of here. You'll have a hearing, Vic. You've got a shot at bail."
"Maybe."
She refused to get her hopes up. It would only be a letdown if it didn't pan out.
"Just…promise me. Please."
Her tone shifted and Cooper dipped his face slightly.
"I promise. But…I don't like the way you sound."
She knew what he meant. It was hard not to sound the way that she currently felt and that was defeated. It was far too easy to get mired down in everything and the thought of being here any longer than she already had.
"I'm okay."
He didn't believe her and he didn't hide it.
"Vic, I think we both know that's not true. You can't…"
He paused and leaned in a little more as though he were sharing a secret.
"…let this place break you. We'll figure this out. All of us. I mean…we're all on your side. We will figure this out."
Cooper was trying to sound confident and she appreciated it. Reality was a bitch, though.
"This is state level shit, Cooper. You don't have any jurisdiction. If you take them on…"
There was a warning in her words. Cooper shook his head entirely dismissing her concerns.
"You let us worry about that. We're all adults and we know the score."
She noted his use of the word 'we."
"Cooper…"
He lifted one hand and waved it at her.
"Vic."
There was a note of stubbornness in his words. It gave her some level of reassurance. She knew there was nothing she could say. Walt, Cady, and Cooper would do what they needed to do. Cooper would do it for Cady if nothing else. Although, he possessed a strong sense of justice and he had proven to be one of the most loyal people that she knew.
Vic let out a sigh.
"Just don't do anything stupid. And…remember…you promised."
He nodded to her, affirming their earlier talk. The door opened and the guard's head appeared.
"Time's up."
Cooper looked over to the guard, then back to Vic. His eyes met hers for a second and held before he planted his hands flat on the table and stood up, stretching his frame to its full height.
"Okay."
The guard remained standing by the door. Vic rose as well, staying on her side of the table. Cooper came around, reached out, and touched her shoulder lightly.
"Be careful and watch yourself."
Vic swallowed and fought the urge to let her emotions take over. Cooper's hand pulled away almost as quickly as it landed and he started for the door. Vic watched him, he paused just at the door and turned back in order to make eye contact one more time. After that, he disappeared out the door and the sound of his boots faded down the hall.
xxx
Zeke shook his head in disbelief. His face was creased with concern as he stood in his office facing Walt. In the corner sat Vic's small desk, cluttered with open cases that she needed to work on. Walt made a point to ignore it.
"Arrested?"
Walt had given Zeke the short version of what happened. The man was certainly smart enough to fill in the gaps himself. He was generally well informed about what was going on in Vic's life as she considered him a friend.
Vic didn't make friends easily. So, when someone earned her trust, that was enough for Walt. Now, on the far side of the story, Zeke was still processing what Walt told him.
"For murdering that prick?"
While that was Zeke's word, Walt didn't disagree with him
"Yep."
Zeke took in a deep breath, his broad chest expanding. Walt could see him thinking as he held the breath and then exhaled slowly.
"What do you need me to do?"
As he expected, Zeke was eager to help.
"We think that she was set up. The gun used was hers and her prints were on the gun. But…she didn't do this."
"You don't have to convince me, Walt."
"Have you worked any cases lately that might…anger someone enough to look for revenge."
Zeke lifted his hand swiped his palm along the back of his neck.
"Nothing…comes to mind. You know…if someone was that mad, I can't see them coming after Vic. I'm the one who deals with people. Most of my clients don't even know who she is or what she does."
"I know. But, I have to ask."
Zeke nodded in understanding.
"Sure. And…I will look through my files to be sure. But…off the top of my head…I can't think of anything."
Walt knew it would probably be a dead end. And, he nearly called Zeke as opposed to making the drive. But, he decided he wanted to do this in person.
"Thanks."
Zeke gave him a grim look.
"Is there anything else I can do? Do you want me to…"
His voice trailed off. Walt knew where he was headed and that was one of the reasons that he came here in the first place.
"It's a lot to ask."
Understanding passed between the two men. Zeke didn't seem at all concerned at what Walt was implying.
"You want me to look into the murder?"
"Can you keep it quiet?"
Zeke smiled slightly in spite of the dark subject matter.
"Quiet is what I do. Any idea who else might have some…vendetta against Vic?"
"I've been thinking about that and I can't. You know…we live as quiet a life as possible. That doesn't mean things don't happen, but…I can't think of anyone who would…or could…do all of this. It's…"
Walt paused momentarily, his mind reeling through a host of possibilities. He shifted on his feet.
"This would have required someone to break into the cabin, get one our keys, take the gun and commit the murder, then return it. That's not a small thing."
He'd tried not to focus on it. The idea that someone had been in their home. What he came up with was that it would have to be a person who knew what they were doing. They didn't have an alarm system, but they did keep the doors locked thanks to past events and Vic's urban mindset. While he'd once been comfortable leaving his cabin open, those days were over and he knew that they would never return. It was not an easy idea to accept, but Walt had bigger fish to fry right now.
"Fact is…we haven't noticed anything amiss. Doorknob looks fine, nothing out of the ordinary."
They were both former law enforcement. They were trained to notice when something was wrong. The implications were not lost on Walt, nor on Zeke based on his expression.
"Professional."
"Yep."
Zeke thought about the idea. Walt could see that he agreed.
"Someone knew what they were doing. This isn't some irate local looking to cause problems. This is a person who knows how the hell to pull this off."
"Yep."
Zeke didn't seem put off by his short responses.
"Shit. Have you talked to Vic about this?"
"Not yet."
Zeke's eyes narrowed a little.
"You haven't been to see her."
It wasn't a question and Walt ignored the slight change in tone. It wasn't quite accusatory. Not quite.
"No. I'm going this afternoon. I knew they wouldn't let me see her at first. Takes time to process new inmates."
"Walt…she's your wife, not an inmate."
He noticed the detachment in his wording. What he didn't do was question why it was there.
"I know who she is. And, I'm going as soon as I get back to Durant. I had to take care of my children, call an attorney, handle things."
Zeke's posture eased as though he hadn't thought about that.
"I'm sorry, Walt."
Walt nodded in acceptance.
"I know. I do need to get on the road."
Zeke glanced at the door.
"Alright. I'll start digging into this."
Walt gave him a wary look.
"This is a DCI Agent."
There was a warning again. Zeke wasn't fazed by it.
"I'm not afraid of state boys. I know a few of them."
He smiled at Walt. Walt huffed out a breath of amusement.
"Well…be careful."
"Will do. Tell Vic…that we're all on her side and we'll get her out."
He offered Walt his hand and the two men shook.
Back in Vic's SUV, Walt took aim at Durant and his mind started up again. It was a hard thing feeling torn between two worlds. On the one hand, he was a husband and a father. One who felt helpless and unable to hold his family together. On the other, he was slipping back into the role of investigator. It was a frame of mind that he was familiar with and felt like sliding on old boots.
Comfortable.
That bothered him for reasons he couldn't name.
Thinking too much about the emotional side of this infringed on the job that he needed to get done. He was a former Sheriff with no star and no actual authority. He was trying to piece together the two portions of his life into one.
What he didn't know was what the entire picture would look like once it was all said and done.
xxx
"You're popular."
Vic looked up to see Baxter standing at the door to her cell.
"What?"
Keys jangled in his hand as he unlocked the door and slid it open with an all too familiar sound.
"Your lawyer is here."
It made sense. Walt would've called someone to represent her. Still, she hoped her next visitor would be Walt. So, there was some level of disappointment that he wasn't here yet. Later. She knew that he would come.
He would come.
She stood up and stepped out. The young guard gave her the impression that her presence made him nervous. He was fidgety and restless. He took her back to the same room and passed her off to the next guard.
Inside, she saw a man seated at the same table that she and Cooper occupied earlier. The door closed behind her with a click. Vic couldn't shake the feeling of being caged in. Every door locked. She could only move about at someone else's whim. There was something incredibly unsettling about that.
The man rose as she approached and extended his hand.
"Ms. Moretti. I'm Rick Parker. Your husband, Walt, called me."
Vic took his hand. His handshake was firm.
"Vic."
He nodded, released her hand, and they sat.
"Call me Rick. Please."
Vic took him in. Rick Parker looked like an attorney, or what they generally looked like in movies and on television. He was on the short side, about her own height. She could look him directly in the eye. He was middle aged. She guessed him to be in his late fifties. He was bookish looking with glasses that framed brown eyes. His hair was probably brown when he still had all of it. As he stood before her, he was balding with most of the graying hair to the back of his head.
"Thanks for coming."
He nodded and pulled a folder from the briefcase beside him on the floor.
"So…I understand that you are a former deputy and assume that you are familiar with court proceedings. You'll be arraigned within a day or two and we'll, of course, argue for bail. I can't make any promises. But…"
He shuffled through some papers.
"…you are a member of the community in good standing, no previous legal problems, former deputy, parent, married to the former Sheriff. You're as good a candidate as anyone else. Better than most."
"Even with a murder charge?"
He looked up.
"That's the catch. They may set it very high. What's your financial position on that?"
Vic thought it over. They lived comfortably. Before she even met Walt, he had a healthy savings. They had managed to build that up over their time together. That was money for the future, though. Walt's ultimate retirement, college. It wasn't fucking bail money.
The land they owned was worth a tremendous amount of money. They weren't rich by any means, but they could probably cover a high bail if they put the land up. The thought made her sick to her stomach.
"We have some money. And property."
He nodded and moved on.
"I haven't met with your husband yet. But, I'll touch base with him while I'm in town. He retained me. That said, I work exclusively for you. So…any conversations that we have are private if you want them to be."
Vic shook her head. Now that she was over the initial shell shock, she simply felt…tired.
"That's not necessary. He should…he should know everything."
His eyes lingered on her momentarily.
"That's entirely your decision. You are free to change your mind at any time. Just let me know."
For a minute, she wondered how many spouses who were in similar situations kept things from each other, or even outright lied. More than most people would expect she thought. She'd been privy to much that existed in the dark side of human nature over the years. Maybe too much.
"Sure."
She wouldn't.
Parker looked at her with scrutiny.
"What happened?"
He raised one hand and gestured at her face. Vic shifted in her seat.
"I'm an ex-cop in jail. Use your imagination."
He frowned deeply.
"You should be in solitary for your own safety."
"I shouldn't be in here at all."
"Of course. But, this…"
He was looking at the marks on her face.
"…in unacceptable. I'll get it cleared up."
She sure as hell wasn't going to argue with that.
"Thank you."
Parker sat for another minute.
"Is there anything else that I can do for you right now?"
About a million or so.
"Just…get me out of here."
He gave her a smile she figured he'd perfected on hundreds of clients.
"That's the plan."
Parker tucked the folder back into his briefcase and stood up.
"I'll be in touch with you tomorrow."
Vic stood and nodded to him.
"Thank you."
Parker nodded in acceptance, walked over, and tapped on the door. The guard opened it and allowed Parker out. Once he was out of sight, the man motioned for Vic.
"Come on."
Vic walked out and he led her back to Baxter, who took her back to her cell. He opened the door and waited. Vic stepped into the doorway and paused, suddenly overcome with the need to not be here. She'd never really been claustrophobic. But, this place was making her feel closed in. Baxter looked her way, not saying anything. Their eyes met and it felt as though something passed between them.
Vic inhaled and stepped into the cell. She turned so that she was facing Baxter and waited for him to close the cell door. For a moment, he simply looked at her. Finally, he closed it with an inescapable bang.
xxx
He wanted to go directly to Tri-County and see Vic before it got too late and visiting hours ended. Unfortunately, Rick Parker called him and asked to meet in Durant. The attorney told him that he'd been to see Vic and wanted to talk to him for a few minutes.
Walt sighed and looked at the time.
"It can't wait?"
"I need your signature on a few things."
Another sighed.
"Okay."
He ended the call and pushed the pedal harder. Not for the first time that day, he wished he had the Bronco and not Vic's vehicle. Sure, it was newer and had more features, but he always felt more at home in the Bronco. It was one of the reasons he resisted the temptation to replace it with something everyone else would consider better.
He agreed to meet Parker at the Busy Bee, even though he didn't have any kind of an appetite. He figured Parker wanted to get a meal before he started the drive back to Cheyenne. Walt parked and pushed into the café. He had never met Rick Parker, but it didn't take long to spot him. He looked out of place in Durant's best known eating spot.
"Mr. Parker?"
The man looked up and peered at him through his glasses. He rose and offered his hand, which Walt accepted and shook.
"Mr. Longmire, thank you for meeting me. And…it's just Rick."
Walt nodded and replied in kind.
"Walt. Thank you for coming."
"It's what you pay me for. Or…will."
Walt ignored the comment. He knew the man came with a heavy price tag. Lawyer's fees weren't anything new to him. Right now, he didn't care about any of that. He would worry about it later on.
"And…that's what I need to talk to you about. I've been to see your wife. Spoken to her. I had a run in with the buffoon who runs the jail…"
That didn't sound good.
"About what?"
Parker cleared his throat.
"About having her in the general population."
A thread of dread started working through him.
"What happened?"
There must have been something on his face that made Parker nervous.
"Um…there was a fight…"
"A fight."
Parker held up his hand in an attempt to calm Walt.
"She's okay. Just banged up."
Now, it was anger rising up in Walt. No matter the crime, prisoner safety should be taken seriously. Tossing Vic in with everyone else could go bad quickly if they found out about her previous occupation, which they apparently had.
"Anyway, it's been remedied."
"How so?"
"She's been moved to solitary."
Walt fought to keep a grimace off his face. He knew that it was for her own safety. Still, it created a knot in his gut. Vic's mind wasn't always the best place for her to get mired. Especially when there was something going on. His worry for her physical state of being was quickly being surpassed by his concern for her mental health.
"Thank you."
Parker nodded.
"I wanted to meet to get your signature on issues of payment and making this all official. Normally, someone would come into the office for that, but these are different circumstances."
It was to be expected. To Rick Parker, this was a job. Walt didn't think it would be any different, nor should it be. He listened as the lawyer went over his fees and what all it entailed. He listened for the most part. Although, his mind did wander to Vic some. He wanted to see her so bad that it felt like a physical itch. Papers were pulled out and Walt signed them without giving it a second thought.
"There's one more issue."
Walt laid the pen on the table.
"What's that?"
"If we're successful in getting her out…"
If.
"…and I expect to be, you might want to give some thought in regards to filing a suit against the state. It sounds to me like this investigation was rushed."
Walt hadn't thought about that at all. Right now, he wasn't the least bit concerned about it either.
"I'll…think about it."
"Also…"
Parker paused and shifted in his seat.
"…I told your wife earlier that I am technically her attorney. That means anything she tells me can be confidential if she wants it to be. I take attorney client privilege very seriously and there are times I can do my job more effectively if I don't have to worry about someone getting their feelings hurt. Do you catch my meaning?"
Walt nodded. He knew how it worked from dealing with Cady.
She also took that immensely to heart when she practiced law.
"Yes."
He couldn't imagine that Vic would want anything kept from him. Not after what they had just gone through. Not after the conversations that passed between them as of late. No secrets. That was the mantra they went by.
Parker nodded, satisfied.
He started gathering up his papers and stuffing them into his briefcase. He signaled the waitress that he was ready to order and Walt took that as his cue.
"Thank you again."
Parker offered him a polite smile.
"I'll plan to go back tomorrow."
Walt nodded.
"I'm heading over there now."
Parker made a face.
"You may want to check with them personally, but I believe if she's in solitary, you'll need to call first and set up a meeting. If they give you any trouble, let me know and I'll handle it when I'm there tomorrow. It's already set up. If you want, you can come with me and see her then."
Walt pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. He didn't like the way this sounded. There wouldn't be anything he could do about it either. He wasn't Sheriff anymore. He didn't have any legal power at all. As far as the Tri-County people were concerned, he was a private citizen and there would be no exceptions made.
"Sure."
Walt grabbed his hat and walked out, pulling out his phone. He dialed the number to Tri-County and was met with further frustration when he was told that visiting hours were over for the day and he would need to call back tomorrow. He tried arguing, but the woman on the line returned it with a wall of refusal to give in.
Rules were rules.
He hung up the phone feeling defeated. There was nothing left for him to do.
xxx
It was eerily quiet now that she was in a cell and separated from everyone else. As far as she could tell, she was the only person in the small grouping of cells that were considered solitary and protective custody. Protective was an odd word to use seeing as how this seemed like a punishment she hadn't earned. It was for her own good and what her lawyer insisted upon. It was also hard as hell to be here shut away from the actual world that was still turning.
Vic stood up from the uncomfortable bed and paced the small space. It was about the size of the cell in Durant. Small and with little space. She crossed it in a few steps, turned, and started back across. She kept up the pattern of walking a line back and forth. It wasn't like there was anything else for her to do. She didn't do well with being cooped up, nor did she do well with such complete silence.
She had hoped that Walt would come. He'd gotten her an attorney. There was a shit load of other things he needed to get done as well. It wasn't like he could just swing by and drop in. She wasn't in a hotel. Vic stopped her pacing and rubbed her hands over her face tiredly. She could just try and sleep. She wasn't sure what time it was. She was fairly certain it wasn't that late. She hadn't eaten yet which gave her some idea as to the time of day.
As though in sync with her thoughts, she heard a heavy door open and close, then the sound of footsteps. Vic peered through the bars and a familiar figure appeared.
Baxter.
The young man looked tired. He carried a tray of food which he held up for her to see.
"Dinner."
There was a narrow cut out in the cell bars with a flat metal tray that extended through to both sides. She knew it was for passing items safely back and forth. He set the tray of food on it and slid it through. The food did not smell good. That didn't stop her stomach from rumbling with hunger. Vic took the tray and looked down at it. The meal didn't look any better than it smelled. She guessed it was supposed to be some form of meatloaf with limp green beans and a roll.
"And…"
Baxter pulled a bottle of water from his back pocket and slipped it sideways through the slot. Vic balanced her tray on one hand and took the water. Sitting down on her bed, she opened the water and took a long swallow. Mentally, she didn't want to eat, but her stomach disagreed with that assessment and she gave in to the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Slowly, she started to eat.
Baxter continued to stand. He was watching her and he wasn't hiding it. Vic looked up, her eyes finding his. She finished chewing and swallowed.
"What?"
For a moment, he didn't say much of anything. It was on the verge of annoying her when he spoke.
"They say you killed a man."
Surely, he'd seen murderers before.
"They're wrong. I didn't."
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"They arrested you for it."
Vic dropped her eyes from his and continued to eat the bland food. She didn't respond. There wasn't much to say. He believed what he believed and there was no need for her to try and convince him otherwise. He was neither a judge or a jury.
He scraped one boot over the concrete floor and Vic looked up again. He was at the door now with one hand on the bars, leaning slightly.
"You don't seem like someone who would kill another person."
Shows what he knew. She had killed before. She had a brief flash of firing her gun at Chance Gilbert and the burning sensation of a bullet tearing into her leg and dropping her. She simply shrugged and turned her attention back to her food.
He struck her as naïve and she doubted he would have a very long career in law enforcement. Not unless he developed a harder exterior. It wasn't a good idea to give up on all of your humanity, but you couldn't go through a job that hard with such a simple point of view. At some point, he would be in for a rude awakening.
Vic finished her meal and the water. She carried them back over to the door and passed him the tray and then the empty water bottle. Baxter took them and shifted them to one hand, keeping the other hand free.
He stood there like he was waiting for something and she didn't have any idea what that might be.
"Do you need anything?"
The question caught her off guard as well as the almost shy tone he used. Of course, the things she wanted, he was unable to provide. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see her family and put her kids to bed. She wanted to feel Walt sleeping beside her and hear the heavy breathing of that sleep.
She almost said no. He just looked so…hopeful. Maybe that was it. He wanted to help her. He felt sorry for her. She could see that much. Vic looked around the cell.
"A book or magazine."
His eyes lit up slightly and he nodded to her.
"Hang on."
He walked off still carrying the remnants of her dinner. She could hear him walking and the door open and close. A few minutes passed before she heard the door again. He was walking briskly. When he reappeared, he was holding a couple of magazines. He slipped them to her. Vic took them, her eyes drifting down. One was an outdoors magazine and the other was a news style one. Neither were something she would pick up at an office while she waited.
"Sorry…that they're not more interesting."
Vic looked up.
"It's fine. Thank you."
He smiled at her. A real smile. The first one she encountered during her time here today.
"I was flipping through them earlier."
That explained some of it.
"Thank you."
She didn't know what else to say. He was offering her kindness. She didn't know if he believed the accusations against her. She didn't care either. They were two strangers tossed together in the oddest of circumstances. He was on one side, she was on the other.
There wasn't anything more than that.
After another minute of simply looking at her, he dipped his chin towards his chest and left her alone. She heard the door close behind him with a finality that threatened to be anxiety inducing. Vic pushed down the urge and carried the magazines over to the cot. She sat down and pulled her feet up, taking the outdoors one into her hands and flipping open the cover.