Ch. 3: Lumens

"Thought you were gonna spend the night at work again."

Vic frowned at the comment, even though Walt didn't sound angry or even impatient. It sounded just like anything else he said. Matter of fact. To the point.

The ride home from work felt like it took an eternity. Vic couldn't say exactly why, but leaving the office made her feel immensely tired. Maybe it was the fact that her mind was occupied there and that kept it alert. Once she started the drive to the cabin, it took all of her energy and effort to keep her eyes open.

She trudged tiredly up the stairs and into the cabin. Walt was stoking the fire when she came in. He straightened up and looked her way, his eyes running over her face. He didn't seem annoyed or irritated by the fact that she was dragging in later than normal. But, Walt never did that.

She didn't hear any sarcasm in the comment either. That was her thing. Not Walt's.

"Sorry."

She pushed the word out. Vic couldn't have said if it was something in her voice or maybe something he saw in her face, but his expression shifted. He closed the distance between them and his hands landed on her upper arms.

"Vic."

Lifting her eyes to his, she gestured at the front door.

"I lost track of time…"

Her explanation trailed off. But, Walt didn't seem interested in it anyway.

"I didn't mean it like that. You look…you look tired."

She let her head fall forward a bit, her forehead resting on his chest. She had a fleeting thought that pulling all-nighters was easier when she was younger. As if she were ancient.

"I am."

Walt kept his hands on her and steered her towards the bedroom. He guided her to the bed and Vic sat down with a soft plop on the mattress. Walt started to move in front of her, sliding her boots off. Vic started to protest.

"I can do it."

Walt ignored the comment and set her boots to the side once he pulled them off. Standing up straight, he took her hands in his and tugged her up onto her feet. Walt met her eyes and offered her a soft look.

"I know you can. It's like you always tell me. You don't have to do everything on your own."

With that, he started unbuttoning her shirt. To her own surprise, Vic made no further move to protest. In all honesty, it was nice to let him take over. She felt so exhausted and her mind didn't seem to be functioning correctly anymore.

Walt pushed her shirt off and then unbuckled her belt. Vic felt a pull on her hips as he slid it from her pants and tossed it aside. Walt made quick work of her pants and pulled her thermal undershirt over her head. He passed her something to change into, cotton pants and a clean t-shirt.

"Here. Change and lie down. I'm gonna lock up."

Vic nodded and pulled on the clothes as he left the room. Even that seemed to take energy she lacked. By the time Walt came back into the room, she was crawling under the covers and settling down into her pillow.

Walt sat down. Her hair was still braided, but that didn't seem to bother her any. She felt his hand moving over her cheek and along her jawline. Then, it was on top of her head, smoothing down the loose hair he found there.

"Go to sleep."

His voice was soft. Impossibly soft. She wanted nothing more than to do just that. Her body felt tense and her mind still felt like it was trying to run a hundred miles a minute. It felt like she couldn't disconnect no matter how tired she was, no matter how bogged down her brain felt.

Vic inhaled deeply. Walt's hand continued to stroke slowly over her hair and over her skin. Her forehead, her face. She vaguely wondered why he didn't lie down beside her. Why he was still dressed. She wanted to curl up against him and feel the solidity of his body, the warmth that seemed to roll off of him in waves sometimes. She often teased him about being warmer than the fire.

Rolling her head in his direction, Vic opened her eyes and looked up into his face. His expression was tender enough to break her open in that moment. It still baffled her sometimes that he could be so…Walt and also so gentle.

Walt leaned down and pressed his mouth to her forehead, planting a kiss there that lingered, causing her eyes to flutter closed again. Walt pulled his head back a little, but stayed close to her face.

"Go to sleep, Vic."

His voice was nearly a whisper. He kissed her forehead again and then sat up, his hand tracing a across her hairline. Vic took a deep breath and felt some of the tension draining from her body. She felt like she was completely out of gas.

With one final deep inhale, she fell asleep.

xxx

Vic was sitting up when Walt opened his eyes. His mind was groggy with sleep and his eyes felt heavy. He turned his head to look at the clock beside him. It was nowhere near time to get up and she was so tired when she got home, he couldn't understand why she was awake now at such an early hour. Walt pushed his hand through his hair and cleared his throat as he sat up beside her.

She turned her head in his direction slightly. Her hair was still in a messy braid, with a good bit of it pulled loose.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."

Walt wasn't sure if it was the hour or the darkness, maybe it was just her own sleepiness. But, she nearly whispered the sentence.

"That's okay. What's wrong?"

She didn't look at him fully and that bothered him. Instead, she reached behind her and pulled the elastic holding her braid together from her hair. Using her fingers, she combed through the strands, separating them and spreading them out.

"Don't know. I just…woke up."

Walt wasn't sure that was the truth. She seemed…he was having a hard time finding the right word. Evasive, maybe.

"Did you have a dream or something?"

Her shoulders rose and then drooped in a slow shrug.

"I don't remember. Go back to sleep."

She murmured the words to him almost in the same manner he had done to her earlier in the evening. He made no move to lay back down because Vic didn't. To the contrary, she pushed the covers off of her and turned, placing her feet on the floor and standing slowly, as though getting her bearings.

"What're you doing?"

Walt was clearly confused by her actions. Vic turned and found his face in the darkness of the bedroom.

"I'm hungry and I don't think I can sleep now."

Without another word, she padded around the bed and left the bedroom. With a tired sigh, Walt got up and followed her. He blinked when she flipped on the kitchen light. The fire had died down some and the air in the cabin was cool. Walt walked over and carefully added a log, giving the flames a moment to start a resurgence before he turned away, leaving the fire to consume the new fuel.

He found Vic standing in front of the refrigerator, door open and looking inside. She turned her head and peered at him over the door.

"You didn't have to get up. I haven't eaten since lunch."

Walt rubbed a hand over his face.

"I know. What do you want to eat?"

Vic straightened up with a sigh and closed the door with a hard push.

"Nothing in there. Maybe some cereal."

Opening a cabinet, she pulled out a cereal box and bowl and filled it up before shoving the box back into the cabinet. With little else to occupy himself, Walt pulled out the milk and offered it to her. Vic took it and poured it over the cereal before Walt held out his hand to take it back and put it away. Grabbing a spoon from the drawer, Vic took a seat at the table and started to eat.

Walt sat down across from her and watched her eat slowly and methodically. She raised her eyes to find him watching her, not that he made a secret of it.

"I'm okay."

Walt leaned his arms on the table. That very statement told him it wasn't necessarily true.

"I never suggested you weren't."

Vic took another bite and then pointed the spoon at him.

"You're watching me like you're expecting something. A breakdown, maybe."

That comment pulled a small smile from him.

"I'm not expecting anything. I am a little worried."

Vic nodded and looked back down at her bowl as she continued to eat.

"I'm okay."

He disagreed with her merely based on the fact that she was sitting at the table in the middle of the night eating a bowl of cereal. She should be getting some rest. She seemed exhausted earlier. Walt watched her with a pensive look before speaking again.

"Is it the case that's bothering you? You haven't really talked about it."

Vic shrugged.

"There's nothing to talk about. We haven't made any real progress on it."

"Is that the problem?"

Vic paused and looked up at him, meeting his eyes again.

"What do you want me to say, Walt?"

He could hear the annoyance that was working its way into her voice. The snap in her question.

"I just want you to talk to me."

She smiled humorlessly and started to eat again.

"I am talking to you."

Walt sighed. She had a few tactics of her own as far as using his own weapons against him. He considered her for a few more seconds before he stood up.

"Okay, I'm going back to bed."

She was almost done eating. She glanced up at him.

"You're mad."

He shook his head.

"No, I'm not. But, if there's nothing to talk about, then I might as well go to bed. At least one of us can get some sleep."

She held his eyes for a moment before he turned away and made good on his word.

xxx

Vic stirred the spoon around in her bowl. All that was left was milk that was discolored by the cereal. She tapped the spoon on the bowl thoughtfully and looked at the seat that Walt had vacated. She knew that she was frustrating him. But, it wasn't like he hadn't ever been guilty of the same thing.

It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to him, or keep things from him. The truth was, she didn't know the answers to the questions he was asking her. She didn't have much to offer him in the way of an explanation for why she felt so out of sorts.

She also wasn't lying to him. She couldn't say for sure what woke her up. She just remembered jumping awake. It felt like something startled her. Whether it was something she heard or a dream, maybe even Walt moving in his sleep, she couldn't determine the exact cause. Like the previous time, she had a sneaking suspicion it was a dream. But, she didn't know that for sure and she didn't remember the dream, if that's what it was.

So why tell him?

Why invite more worry and more questions?

That was all he would do.

Oddly enough and despite the hour, Vic's mind felt clear now more than it did when she got home a few hours earlier. Maybe it was getting a little sleep. Maybe it was just being away from everything. The ride home and all that followed seemed like a blur. But, now her mind felt sharper, more focused.

She pushed her chair back from the table and stood up. Carrying her bowl to the sink, she rinsed it and left it until the morning. She ambled, without much thought, into the living room and stood in front of the fire. It felt good. The heat. It warmed her all the way through. She hadn't even given it much thought until she moved in with Walt. How comforting a fire could be. And, how destructive. But, this kind of fire was the comforting type. And, she had come to associate the smell of a fire in the fireplace with Walt and home. It didn't matter where she was, even if she walked into the home of a suspect. A wisp of burning logs immediately gave her a flash of being at home.

With Walt.

It was interesting how a place could also be found in a person. Maybe even vice versa.

Vic shook the thoughts free from her mind. It felt like her thoughts were simply rambling, pinging around in her head like a silver ball in a pinball machine.

Maybe Walt was right. She needed sleep.

Vic turned away from the fire and wandered back into the bedroom. True to his word, he was in the bed. But, he wasn't asleep. She knew that immediately. His posture and his breathing were all wrong.

She felt guilt at being the reason he was still up, despite the hour. Vic slid into bed beside him and tugged up on the blanket.

"I'm sorry."

She offered the olive branch slowly.

"I don't mean to frustrate you."

Walt looked up at her from where he lay flat on his back. She saw a trace of amusement pass over his face, despite the somberness of his expression.

"You're really good at it. Being frustrating."

She smiled down at him.

"Yeah well, it takes one to know one."

Walt's expression softened around the edges.

"Fair enough."

He turned serious again.

"I'm worried about you."

He repeated his statement from earlier, but Vic dismissed it.

"There's nothing to be worried about. Maybe…"

She stretched out beside him and leaned over, pressing her mouth to his ear.

"…you need a distraction."

Walt turned his face towards her.

"You don't even bother hiding that, do you?"

She paused.

"Hiding what?"

"That you're trying to change the subject. Distract me."

Vic shook her head.

"Why bother? You know all my tricks, anyway.'

She kissed him again, this time on his stubbly jaw. Despite himself, she felt him lean into the physical contact. Her hand landed on his chest as she moved closer. Resting her head on his arm, she ran her fingers lightly over his skin.

"You can't hold not wanting to talk against me. Because, you're the undisputed champion of not wanting to talk about things."

Walt tilted his head.

"I'm not holding it against you."

She smiled a little.

"I think you are."

Pushing herself up, Vic slid one leg over him until she was straddling his waist. Walt ran his hands up her legs slowly.

"You really should be asleep."

Vic smiled down at him as she slowly lowered herself closer to him.

"I really should do lots of things."

xxx

"Who is Julia Corbitt?"

Walt stood at the stove scrambling eggs when Vic walked in dressed for work. He felt her hand flutter over his back as she walked behind him to lean on the counter. Walt gave her an odd look.

"Julia Corbitt?"

His expression seemed a bit blank, like he was trying to place the name. Vic saw it the moment recognition flashed across his face.

"Where did you hear that name?"

Vic shook her head at his answering her question with a question of his own.

"I asked you first."

He turned the heat down on the burner he was working over and turned his attention back to the eggs.

"Her father was a rancher around here…years ago. When I was a boy. He gave my father a lot of work. They were friends. Her father was injured in a riding accident and sold off his ranch. They moved after that. Haven't heard that name in years."

Vic bit her lip.

"You date or something?"

Walt shook his head.

"Nope. Why?"

Vic shrugged.

"She works for the new Mayor. Buckley. Came by the office yesterday asking questions about our case."

Walt frowned.

"Why?"

"Don't know. She claims the mayor is just interested in the crime rate. But…I'm not really a fan of them looking for inside information into an ongoing investigation."

Walt glanced at her.

"I assume you told her as much."

Vic smiled.

"I did. She wasn't very happy with that answer. Anyway, she made it a point of telling me that she really wanted to talk to Cady, but Cady is out. She also made it a point of asking about you."

Walt pulled the pan from the stove and started to divide the eggs between two plates. Vic moved out of his way, grabbing her coffee and carrying it to the table. Walt offered her a plate. Vic took it and sat down with Walt taking his normal seat across from her.

"Why did you ask if we dated?"

Vic shrugged again.

"Nothing really. She just mentioned that you two go way back. She didn't say how she knew you. Even said you might not remember her."

He smiled.

"For a minute, I didn't. She's a few years younger than me. When I wasn't in school, sometimes my dad took me to work with him to see all the horses. When we were at her dad's ranch, she would follow me around sometimes. I didn't pay her very much attention."

Vic stabbed her fork through some eggs.

"So…she had a crush on you."

Walt huffed out a small laugh under his breath.

"Guess I never thought about it. I was…just barely a teenager."

Vic rolled her eyes.

"You wouldn't. You made an impression. That's all I know."

Walt tilted his head.

"What exactly did she say about me?"

Vic smiled.

"Don't get too excited there. She asked if I knew the former Sheriff. You. I told her yeah. That I worked for you."

"You didn't tell her that we were married."

It was a statement and a question all wrapped up in one sentence. Vic shook her head and sipped her coffee.

"No, that's not really her business."

Walt fought the urge to smile.

"Jealous?"

Vic gave him a sharp look.

"Um…no, smartass. I'm not. Especially since she said you might not remember her. She must not make much of an impression. I don't really have that problem."

She was messing with him and he knew it. Still, it was good to see Vic being herself. It alleviated some of the concerns in his mind. Walt shook his head.

"No, you don't. You're a hard woman to forget."

She grinned at him.

"Bet your ass."

Vic finished off her breakfast and stood up, taking her dishes to the sink. Turning, she faced him, her expression different, serious.

"Walt, about last night…I don't know what woke me up. I'm not lying to you."

Walt leaned back in his chair.

"I never said you were."

She dipped her chin a little.

"You insinuated. Anyway, I appreciate your concern. I do. But…you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine."

Walt stood up and crossed the space between them. He came to a stop just in front of her.

"It's my job. To worry about you."

Vic smiled.

"And, you do it well. But, I'm good. I am."

With that, she pushed up on her toes and kissed him.

"I gotta get to work."

Walt nodded as she stepped away, leaving him with his thoughts.

xxx

"Hey."

Cady stood in her doorway with a smile on her face. Vic was on her porch, one hand hitched in her belt.

"Hey, yourself."

Cady waved her in. Vic glanced around the house as she walked in.

"How's the arm?"

Cady glanced at her arm and back to Vic.

"Better. Progress is slow. But, I'm getting there."

Vic smiled and sat down on the couch. Cady looked towards the kitchen.

"Do you want anything to drink?"

Vic shook her head.

"No. Sit. It's just me. You don't have to be all polite."

Cady laughed and took a seat. Vic leaned forward and rested her forearms on her legs.

"So…you really doing okay?"

Cady nodded.

"I am. The speed of my recovery is frustrating. But…patience is a virtue. Right?"

Vic gave her a skeptical look.

"Don't look at me. I don't do patience."

Cady leaned back in her chair and shifted around.

"So…what's up? Judging by the day and time, I'm sure you're not here for a social visit."

Vic shook her head, her expression darkening noticeably. It didn't escape Cady.

"No. I'm not. We found a body buried night before last. In a shallow grave. Remote area."

"Murder?"

Vic nodded slowly.

"Looks like it. Weston ruled the cause of death as suffocation."

Cady grimaced.

"Do you have an ID?"

"No. It's a…a teenager. Fifteen or sixteen maybe."

Cady let out a breath.

"Wow. What's the story?"

Vic inhaled.

"We don't know much. We have cause of death, of course. A couple of kids found the grave while they were four wheeling at night. We didn't come up with much at the scene. Whoever did this…seems to know what they were doing. They were careful. There was some skin under the fingernails and we're running DNA. But, you know how that goes. Only works if a match is in the system. So far… we haven't come up with anything."

Cady sighed.

"Sounds like you have your hands full. What are you thinking?"

"I'm having Ferg release a description to the public to see if we get any hits off that. Thought about maybe even having a sketch artist come in and do a picture for us."

Cady nodded.

"Sounds good."

Vic tapped her fingers restlessly on her leg.

"Still looking at three weeks?"

Cady didn't look particularly optimistic.

"I hope so."

Vic gave her a half smile.

"Me too. I'm tired of doing your job."

Cady laughed.

"Really? It seems to suit you."

Vic shook her head in clear disagreement with Cady's observation.

"No. This is your thing. I'm just doing my job."

Cady's wide blue eyes roamed over her face.

"You alright?"

Vic nodded.

"Yeah, just busy."

Cady tilted her head, her hair shifting with the movement.

"You sure. You look…tired."

Vic sighed.

"I am tired. This case…"

She didn't finish the thought and it hung in the air between the two women.

Vic rose abruptly, causing Cady to stand a second or two later.

"I need to get to the office. Just wanted you to know what was going on."

Cady followed her slowly to the door.

"Thanks. How's dad?"

Vic paused at the door and turned.

"He's good. I'll tell him to call you."

Cady gave her a sheepish smile.

"You know he's not much for phone conversation."

Vic rolled her eyes.

"I do know. I'll send him. That better?"

Cady smiled.

"Sure. Keep me posted on this case."

Vic nodded.

"Will do. Work that arm. We need you back. I think they're tired of my brand of bossiness."

Cady smiled.

"Right. I'll see you later."

Vic held up her hand as she left through the door.

"See you."

xxx

"Did you get the description to the paper?"

Ferg looked up at Vic with a nod.

"Yeah, local tv stations, too."

Vic sat down in her chair.

"Good. Thanks. Did you and Zach interview those kids?"

He nodded again.

"We did. They really don't seem to know anything. Pretty clear they're shook up."

Vic rubbed one hand over her eyes.

"Yeah, not surprised. Might keep them from sneaking off again. So…nothing useful there."

Ferg shook his head, a gloomy look settling over him.

"No. Both of their stories match up and there's no reason not to believe them. And, still nothing on the missing persons front."

Vic sighed and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Figures."

She picked up her hockey puck and started to pass it from hand to hand.

"What do you think about getting a sketch done of the boy?"

Ferg gave her an interested look.

"To circulate?"

Vic nodded and paused in her motions, palming the puck in one hand.

"Yeah. I mean…a description doesn't really grab attention the same way a picture would."

"No, it doesn't. Do you know someone who could do it?"

Vic shook her head.

"No. But, there's gotta be someone. They do missing people all the time. Not to mention, age progression. Thought about calling the local highway patrol office and see if they know anyone."

"Sounds like a plan."

He smiled a little. Vic cocked her head.

"What?"

He shrugged.

"It's just…I know you don't think you're good at this job. But…you are."

Vic halfway smiled.

"Right. Because of one good idea."

Ferg smiled in response.

"It's more than that and you know it."

Pushing up from his chair, he walked across the floor to the water cooler. Filling up a cup, he turned back in her direction.

"You tell Cady about this?"

Vic nodded and tossed her puck back onto her desk with a loud thud.

"Yeah, stopped by earlier."

"How is she?"

Vic slumped in her chair and used her foot to turn it.

"Okay. I think her patience is wearing out."

Ferg sat back down in his chair.

"That's understandable. It's been a while."

Vic leaned forward and braced her elbows on her desk.

"Yeah."

She tapped on hand on her desk restlessly and eyed her phone. Ferg watched her.

"What are you thinking?"

She reached out and slid the phone closer.

"That it's time to get his show on the road and solve this case. My patience is wearing thin, too."

xxx

Vic extended her hand to the man who stood in front of her. He took her hand and clasped it before pulling his own hand away.

"Matt Michaelson."

Vic smiled.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice."

He took the seat that she offered in Cady's office and waited as she leaned on Cady's desk and ran her eyes over him. Matt Michaelson was a forensic artist. He admittedly didn't do many sketches of the deceased, but he seemed willing and he came recommended by the state. The man who sat in front of her wasn't quite what she pictured. He was a small, trim man in his fifties with graying hair and sad blue eyes. He gave her the impression that life made him tired.

"To tell you the truth, Deputy, I'm mostly retired these days. I work occasionally. But…this line of work is hard. It wears a body down."

Vic nodded in understanding. She knew exactly what he meant.

"I know. I get that. I appreciate you doing this."

He shifted in his seat.

"So…let me make sure I understand. You want me to sketch a person who is already deceased. A young person."

Vic nodded.

"Yes. We can't identify him. We're hoping that an actual picture will help."

Michaelson held her eyes.

"Can I be honest with you, Deputy?"

Vic dipped her chin.

"Sure."

He gave her a weary look.

"It's the fact that your victim is so young that I'm doing this. This isn't really my area of expertise. But…you're right. This young man deserves to have his name known and his family deserves closure."

Vic straightened up.

"Thank you. When will you be able to get to the sketch?"

He stood up and smoothed the creases on his button-down shirt.

"I prefer to get it done today. I live about an hour from here."

Vic led him back into the main office.

"That's perfectly fine. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned. I don't like having unsolved cases on my watch."

He smiled.

"Understandable. So…your John Doe is…at the local hospital."

Vic nodded.

"Yeah, Durant Regional. He's in the morgue over there. The doctor over the autopsy's name is Weston. I've already let him know you're coming. So, they'll need your ID. But, that should be all."

He looked around the room.

"My first time in Durant. Small place you have here."

Vic glanced around.

"Yeah, it is. So…once you're done…just bill us for your time. We'll cover it."

He gave her along look before taking another sweep around.

"I don't think that'll be necessary. Shouldn't take up too much of my time. Like I said, I'm mostly retired. I just want to do right by this particular case."

Vic started to argue, but she could see the resolve in the man's face. Whatever demons he was dealing with, she wasn't in any position to try and change his mind. He seemed to want to do this. Maybe even needed to. So, she merely gave him a look of acceptance.

"Okay. If you change your mind, let me know."

He offered her a final look before he left the office pulling the door closed behind him. Vic sat down at her desk and watched him appear out on the street. He came highly touted by the HP officer that she talked to. He certainly seemed to carry a heavy load. His was the face of someone who had seen more than their fair share of darkness.

Vic more than understood.

xxx

Walt looked up from his paperback when the door opened and Vic came in. She removed her jacket and hung it up, her shoulders sagging a little. He set his book aside and stood up, turning to face her.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting you so early?"

Vic gave him an odd look.

"It's…not early."

He smiled.

"Well…two nights ago, you weren't home at all and last night, you came in late and nearly passed out on me. So, I would say this qualifies as early."

He stepped in close to her and put his hands on her hips.

"How was your day?"

Vic let out a sigh.

"Long. You?"

"My day was fine. But, we're not done with yours yet."

Vic frowned.

"What do you mean?"

He slid his hands from her hips and tangled his fingers with hers, tugging at her hand. Vic allowed him to guide her to the couch, where they sat. Vic pulled one leg partially up, angling herself towards him. It was clear there was something on his mind.

"I want you to talk to me."

Vic narrowed her eyes.

"About?"

Walt didn't give an inch.

"This case. You're holding back."

Vic eyed him.

"What makes you say that?"

"Cady called me. Told me to ask you how you were."

The frown on her face deepened.

"So…the two of you are talking about me behind my back now."

He shook his head at the suggestion and the question he heard in her words.

"No. We're worried about you. So…talk to me."

Vic sighed.

"There's nothing to tell, Walt. It's teenager. A boy. We're still working to identify him. I uh…I called in a sketch artist to do a picture that we can release and see if someone knows him."

"That's a good idea."

Vic held up her hands.

"That's…it."

Walt didn't look convinced.

"It's a kid, Vic."

She tilted her head to the side.

"Not a young kid. He's maybe fifteen or so."

"Still, I know it's hard when the victim is…so young."

Vic narrowed her eyes at him, he could feel the scrutiny in her gaze.

"What exactly did Cady say to you. Because, I never told her that this case bothered me. I just gave her a rundown of it."

A small smile played across his features.

"You're not very good at hiding things. You know that, right?"

Vic leaned back against the couch with a roll of her eyes.

"This case isn't any different than a hundred others I've done, Walt. What gives?"

"You're not sleeping well and you're moody."

She huffed out a humorless laugh.

"Apparently, I'm moody a lot."

Walt shook his head.

"Not like this."

He could see that something in her expression was eroding a bit. Vic looked down at her hands and picked at the edge of one nail

"He was suffocated. And…so far, we can't find where he's been reported missing."

Walt put his hand on her knee.

"That's hard."

She nodded slowly.

"It is. Who…doesn't report their kid missing. Even…even a teenager. Even if he ran away. I don't get it. He's…he belongs to someone, Walt. And, I'm wondering if they even care. Or…if they're the ones who killed him."

Walt's hand squeezed her knee.

"What makes you say that?"

She was starting to open up now, her exterior breached. She cleared her throat and he saw the visible motion of her throat when she swallowed.

"When we found him, he was wrapped up in blanket."

She paused and Walt nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"He was wrapped…so carefully. Like…someone took their time."

Walt could follow her train of thought with the information.

"Someone cared."

Vic met his eyes.

"As odd as that sounds…yeah. That's the way it seems."

Walt inhaled deeply.

"You'll solve this. You know that."

Vic shook her head with a sad smile.

"No. I don't. Right now…we have nothing to go on. We are checking everything that we know to check. So far…nothing."

"But, you're right. He belonged somewhere to someone. And…no one just vanishes without someone noticing. You've just got to keep pushing."

Vic half smiled at him.

"That's what I'm good at, right? Pushing."

She sounded tired when she said it. Not in the same sleepy way she did the night before. This was different. Worn down, not necessarily physically. Vic dropped her eyes from his and moved on the couch.

"So…how was your day?"

Walt accepted the shift in topic.

"It was okay. Nothing exciting."

"Have you talked to Henry about that job?"

Walt shook his head.

"No…he hasn't called me. Maybe, I'll call him tomorrow."

She gave him an interested look.

"You gonna do it?"

"I'm willing to give it a try. It's not all the time."

Vic offered him a smile.

"I think you should. You spend too much time alone."

Walt's brow went up.

"Too much time alone?"

"Yeah, and that gives you too much time to think. Or…overthink."

"What am I overthinking?"

Vic held his eyes for a moment.

"Everything."

Smiling at him, she stood up.

"I'm hungry. You?"

Walt looked up at her from his seat on the couch.

"Sure. What do you want?"

Vic pulled her phone from her back pocket and glanced at the time.

"Let me change and we can go get something."

Walt nodded as he stood up slowly.

"Sure."

He followed her into the bedroom where she started to shed her work clothes in quick fashion. Walt leaned on the doorframe watching her.

"Where did you have in mind?"

Vic shrugged as she pulled on clean, non-work jeans.

"Nothing fancy. We can go to the Red Pony."

That was fine with him. On a weeknight, the bar wouldn't be particularly busy. With the influx of tourists and money coming into the county, a handful of new eating establishments had opened up in various places. Some folded while others seemed to get a foothold in the market. Walt was a creature of habit and tended to gravitate to what he knew. What was comfortable. On occasion, Vic pushed him outside of that zone. Those times, they would venture out and try something new. But, she didn't seem to be on that track right now. That was fine with Walt.

Vic pulled on a light green button down and started to work her way up the buttons. She walked into the bathroom and Walt could hear the sounds of her moving around. When she reemerged, he saw that she had taken her hair out of her ponytail and braided it loosely. She smiled at him and flipped off the light in the bedroom.

"Ready?"

Walt let his eyes wander over her. Sometimes he genuinely wondered how she could look so good with so little effort. He knew she would only roll her eyes if he voiced that and make a joke about his trying to get laid. But, it was the truth. His truth.

"Yeah."

He rasped the word out and felt Vic's hand slide into his arm, giving it a light pull.

"Good. Let's go."

xxx

Vic ran her short fingernail along the label on her dark colored beer bottle. The bottle was half empty and the label was partially gone from her peeling. In front of her sat a mostly empty plate with the remnants of her dinner. Walt sat across from her, one arm propped on the table, watching a few couples move over the dance floor to the upbeat country song that was streaming from the jukebox. She didn't know the song and she didn't particularly follow that style of music, but it was better than some she'd heard over the years.

She could see Walt's hand tapping unconsciously to the rhythm of the music and she was willing to bet money that he didn't even realize he was doing it. She knew that this wasn't his type of music either. But, the beat was catchy enough to entice several people into dancing.

Vic's eyes scanned the bar. It was busy for a weeknight, but not too bad. They didn't have any trouble finding a table and the service and food were both quick. Every so often, when they came here now, memories would try and creep in on her. Vic was fairly successful with keeping them at bay these days. She refused to let this place become something dark.

"Was your chicken good?"

Her eyes shifted to Walt, who was watching her now.

"Yeah, no complaints."

He nodded and let his eyes drift down to the watch on his wrist. Vic didn't know what time it was. And, she really wasn't interested in knowing. For the first time in two or three days, she felt somewhat relaxed and not plagued by what-ifs and thoughts of the unknown.

Her gaze drifted to the pool tables on one side of the barroom. Walt seemed to sense her eyes and followed her line of sight. He glanced at her.

"Want to play?"

She looked his way.

"Sure."

Getting up, they made their way to an empty table. Walt racked the balls while Vic retrieved two pool cues. She passed him one and nodded in his direction.

"You break."

He raised his brow at her comment. Neither of them were slouches at the game, although Walt considered Vic a bit better than himself due to a youth spent honing her skills on her brothers.

"You sure?"

She nodded and leaned against the wall to watch him. He did it with the same consideration that he did everything else in his life and with the same amount of thoughtfulness. A smile curved up her mouth as he leaned in and judged the best way to take his shot.

Doing anything with Walt took a certain amount of patience. Vic was normally short on that very thing. But, she didn't so much mind watching him. It was the sort of thing that she never grew bored with and that certainly helped with the wait.

Walt took his shot and the balls cracked, rolling in all directions. He glanced up at her with a small smile while he moved around the table, lining up his next shot. He leaned over the table, the back of his shirt pulling tight between his shoulder blades.

"Really?"

Vic spoke up with a hint of amusement in her voice. Walt turned his head in her direction with questions in his eyes.

"What?"

"That's the shot you wanna take?"

Walt straightened up and eyed her.

"You have a better one?"

She smiled, her expression answering his question.

"Maybe."

She ambled over to him slowly, her hand finding his back and her fingers flexing into the material of his shirt.

"Get back like you were."

Walt gave her a questioning look and Vic pushed on his back. He relented and leaned in again. Vic's hand still rested on his lower back, her thumb making a slow arc.

"Now…look to the left just a little."

She could see him shift his head and she knew that he saw it. He looked back at her.

"It's an easier one."

"Yeah, it is. I thought you were more attentive than that. You surprise me."

Walt looked back at the table and took the shot, the ball sinking into the pocket Walt turned back to her, close now.

"You could've saved that one for yourself."

She smiled up at him.

"I could have. But you owing me seems more promising than winning."

She was full on teasing him now and he knew it.

"Owing you?"

Vic nodded as he moved to take another shot.

"Yeah."

Walt took another shot and missed. He stood by while Vic circled the table, looking for the move that she wanted to make. She knew that he was tracking her with his eyes. He didn't exactly hide it. Made no attempt to, really.

That was how the game went. With conversation and flirting, teasing. It was a welcome change in Vic's mind and she was glad Walt suggested they play. In the end, it was Walt who was lining up his final attempt to end the game. But, she didn't care. Sometimes, she was competitive and enjoyed the challenge of actually beating him. Tonight, that was the farthest thing from her mind. She was simply enjoying the escape of playing with him.

The interaction.

Walt leaned in and cocked his head. He drew the pool cue back and was on the verge when a voice broke into the small world they had created for themselves.

"Walt Longmire."

Vic's head swiveled towards the voice, a crease appearing on her forehead as she sought out who it belonged to. Walt straightened up and turned.

Vic's eyes landed on the woman before his did.

Julia Corbitt.

She really didn't have any valid reason not to like the woman. More than likely, Julia's questions at the office were coming more from her boss than anything. But, Vic didn't like her. And, it honestly had little to do with their one brief encounter than ended with Vic telling her, more or less, to mind her own business.

The woman approached Walt, dressed as impeccably as she had at the office, only more casual in jeans that looked pressed and a blouse. Vic saw his eyes roam over her face as he attempted to connect a name with the person standing in front of him.

Julia must have sensed his hesitance because she supplied him with the answer.

"Julia. Julia Corbitt."

Walt nodded in recognition of her name.

"Right. How are you?"

She smiled at him, revealing perfect white teeth.

"I am good. I'm working for the new mayor."

Vic moved up beside him, her expression sharp. Walt tilted his head in her direction.

"I heard. You've met my wife Vic."

His introduction clearly caught Julia Corbitt off guard. Her eyes moved between the two of them. She smiled again, this time forced and turned her eyes back to Walt.

"We have met. I didn't know that you were remarried."

She nodded to Vic.

"Nice to see you again."

Vic smiled somewhat sharply.

"Right."

Julia focused her attention on Walt.

"It's so nice to see you after all these years. We'll have to get together and catch up."

She reached out and placed a well-manicured hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze, then allowing it to linger.

"Dinner or something."

Vic's eyes followed the motion of Julia's hand on Walt. Julia looked her way and withdrew the hand.

"I'll let you get back to your evening. I will see you around."

Not giving him much time to respond, she turned and made her way through the weeknight crowd towards the bar. Walt turned to Vic, who was watching him. There was something on her face.

"Would it have been rude of me to tell her to keep her damn hands to herself?"

She smiled when said it, but the words lacked humor. Walt sighed.

"Vic."

She shook her head.

"I'm kidding. For now."

She tilted her head towards the table.

"C'mon, take your shot and finish this. I suddenly want to take you home."