Ch. 8: Obfuscate
"Do you trust him?"
Vic leaned on the counter and sipped her coffee. She was dressed for work. Walt sat at the kitchen table, his own coffee sitting in front of him with wisps of steam drifting up from the dark liquid. Vic lowered her cup.
"At this point, I don't trust anyone. But…his credentials check out so…he's the real deal."
Walt stood up slowly, his chair creaking with the movement.
"He coming in to the office today?"
Vic nodded.
"Yes. If he can help me solve this case, I would be an idiot not to take him up on it. This…Cameron guy sounds like a real piece of work. So…getting him off the streets would be a good thing."
"It would."
Vic set her coffee down and studied him.
"You look like you have something to say."
Walt's eyes dropped from hers and then he lifted them.
"I just don't necessarily trust feds. Not after everything we've been through in the past."
Vic gave him an understanding look.
"I know. Me too. But…it seems like he's trying to bust a dirty agent and take out a threat in the process. So…maybe he's one of the good guys."
She was hopeful and Walt could hear that. He understood the sentiment. It was tiring to feel like you couldn't trust anyone. It wore a body out to been suspicious all the time, never really trusting anyone's motives. They both knew from past experience that, sometimes, you needed help. He knew the struggle of trying to decide who it was safe to lean on and who you needed to keep away. It was a lesson learned the hard way.
Walt smiled and moved to grab his coffee from the table.
"How was work last night?"
Walt took a sip from his cup.
"It was okay. Nothing exciting. I saw Omar."
"Really? Been a while. How is he?"
Walt smiled at her.
"He's Omar."
Vic laughed.
"Well, it's nice to know that some things never change."
The smile lingered on her face. She drank the last of her coffee and pulled her phone from her pocket. Letting out a sigh, she looked up at Walt.
"I gotta go. Stopping by Cady's on my way."
Walt set his cup aside and trailed her into the living room as she finished getting ready for work.
"Are you gonna tell her about last night?"
Vic nodded as she slid her holster onto her belt.
"Yeah. She needs to know what's going on."
Walt nodded his head in clear agreement.
"I need to go by there and see her."
Vic adjusted her handcuffs.
"Yeah, you do."
Pulling her jacket from it's hook she pulled it on, arranging the collar and flipping it down. Walt watched her. She met his eyes.
"What are you thinking?"
"That I'll be glad when she comes back and you can take a day off."
Vic smiled.
"You mean a day…or a month? Yeah, me too. Once this case is wrapped up and Cady's back…then we'll get some time."
Walt's expression shifted.
"Did you talk to Ferg?"
Vic nodded.
"Yeah, he called me last night. He says that Meg is doing okay so far. They're looking at inducing her in a few days. So…fingers crossed."
Walt smiled.
"Yeah. I know he's worried. I would be."
Something flashed over her face and was gone just as quick. Vic cleared her throat.
"Yeah. He's coming in today. So…it won't just be me and Zach."
"That's good."
Vic sighed and tilted her head at him.
"I'll see you later."
He dipped his face and kissed her softly on the mouth. Pulling back, he lingered in her space.
"Be careful."
"I will."
The words came out on a breath and Walt felt the warmth of the words. He stepped back as she picked up her keys.
"No work tonight?"
Walt shook his head.
"No. Just Friday and Saturday. Guess people drink up all their money by Sunday."
Vic smiled.
"Good."
She left and pulled the door closed behind her.
xxx
"Nice office you have here."
Vic led Colter into Cady's office and closed the door. She gestured at a chair that sat across from the desk.
"It's not my office. I'm not the Sheriff."
He smiled.
"I know. I meant…the entire office. If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you the sheriff? With your background, you're certainly qualified. If I understand correctly, your boss is an attorney by trade. Seems like an unusual career move."
Vic shrugged.
"I do mind, actually."
Colter didn't seem to be put off. He lowered himself into the chair and settled in.
"I like your…bluntness. It's a hard quality to come by these days. Is that why you're not the sheriff? I know that kind of honesty can be off putting for some."
Vic sighed.
"What's it to you? You don't know me."
He gave her an apologetic look.
"I don't. You're right. But…I know about you. Before coming here, I looked you up. Your husband, too. I mentioned that last night. Impressive careers on both ends. I have to admit, I studied some psychology in college. People fascinate me. Their motives. I can't quite pin you down, though. It's certainly not a lack of motivation. And…you didn't run so…that means you didn't lose."
Vic refused to give an inch on his questions.
"Can we get to the point? You're here to bust Cameron and I need this boy's killing solved. I'm willing to work with you on that. But, don't push me. So…your boy Finn…you think he's flipped?"
She sat down behind Cady's desk and leaned back. They only touched on the basic details the night before when he showed up at the cabin. She still questioned his reasons behind that move and she didn't trust him.
Colter's face darkened.
"I would like to be wrong about that. He's someone I consider a friend. But, I've seen it happen in this line of work. Men…and women go undercover, get too involved. They lose perspective. They get drawn in. Unfortunately, it's not as uncommon as you might think. And, Cameron can be very charismatic. That's how he convinces others to do his dirty work for him."
Vic frowned.
"Sounds like a cult leader."
Colter dipped his chin.
"He is…in some ways, although not of a religious sort. He doesn't bring that into it. He promises these kids freedom from their parents, to make their own decisions, to live a life that's free of normal worries. The kind of stuff kids that age buy into. They're young and looking for something. He's good at tapping into that. Into dangling what they want in front of them to keep them on the line."
Vic nodded.
"So…how did you get involved with him?"
Colter inhaled.
"He was suspected in South Dakota of dealing drugs. That's where he first started to recruit members to his little group. Kids and young adults with no records. Middle class types that wouldn't draw any unnecessary attention. His target age makes legal matters murky. Most states aren't going after a seventeen year old who doesn't want to be at home. Even sixteen can be tricky. But, he's good at finding those with parents who won't raise any alarm. They might even be glad the kid is out of their hair."
Vic shook her head.
"That's…"
Her voice trailed off. She could see Colter hone in on something.
"You don't have children."
It wasn't a question.
"No."
Her reply was terse and left him no room to pursue that topic further. So, he switched to talking about himself.
"I have a son. But, he's…younger. I can't imagine being okay with him leaving home and taking up with someone like that. But, those people do exist. Probably more than anyone realizes."
Vic noted the bit of personal information he offered up, no doubt trying to gain some trust. Offer something. Expect something.
"Local authorities had their suspicions, but they weren't able to catch him in the act and they lacked evidence. You know how that goes."
Vic nodded as Colter continued.
"About the time he starts to feel pressure, he moves. That tosses the situation into an entirely new jurisdiction."
Vic tilted her head.
"That why you were called in?"
"Yes. Because, we can follow them. So, we decided to install someone undercover."
"And that hasn't gone as planned?"
Colter sighed.
"Not exactly."
"What proof do you have that your guy has turned?"
Colter considered her question. She could see that.
"At first, some conversations we've had. He managed to get into Cameron's inner circle. Then, it was the way he was dragging his feet. I wanted to pull him. But…he resisted. He's a friend, so I don't want to throw him to the wolves. My preference was to give him the benefit of the doubt. But, there's only so much I can do."
"So…you don't know for sure. About this Finn guy."
Colter shook his head.
"No. It's…partially a gut feeling."
Vic smiled a little.
"Do you always let your gut dictate what you do?"
He responded with a smile of his own.
"You don't?"
Vic didn't answer. She shifted in her seat.
"I want to help you. I do. But…I'm stretched thin as it is with the Sheriff out and another one of our guys is in and out for personal reasons. So, I can't give you all of my attention."
Colter nodded.
"I can see that your department is small here. But, in all honesty, that works in my favor. This isn't going to be a quick op. I need to try and get Finn to meet with me…or someone, in person and get a feel for what's happening. It might…take a few days. I would like for this to stay as quiet as possible."
Vic frowned, a thought crossing her mind and her face. Colter seemed to recognize it.
"What?"
Vic sighed.
"The Mayor has taken an interest in this case."
"Why?"
Vic shrugged.
"Because this is a small town where teenagers aren't supposed to wind up dead and buried in a shallow grave. And, because he's new and he's trying to make a good impression. You know, it's never too early to think about reelection."
Colter shook his head.
"We don't need press."
Vic stood up.
"Well, so far I've kept them out of it. So…maybe we can keep that up."
Colter stood up and offered her a smile.
"You don't mind me using your department here as a type of HQ, do you?"
Vic shook her head.
"No. I talked to the Sheriff and she wants us to cooperate with you. So…I guess what's ours is yours. For now."
xxx
"How's Meg?"
Ferg looked up as Vic lowered herself into her seat.
"She's okay. A little nervous. But…the doctor assured us that the baby is on track."
Vic offered him a smile and hoped it looked better than her gut felt when she thought about Meg having issues with her pregnancy.
"That's good news."
Ferg nodded and let out a sigh.
"They want to induce her later in the week. Wednesday or Thursday."
He didn't sound overly pleased with the idea. Vic gave him a look.
"You don't want them to?"
Ferg was quiet for a moment before he spoke.
"It's not that. She's full term. He should be good. It's just…I was hoping that she could hold out for Cady to come back. Or close to it. I hate the idea of leaving you guys in the lurch and I was planning to take some leave."
The words tumbled out, his frustration evident. Vic huffed out a quiet laugh.
"It's not like it can be helped, Ferg. We'll be okay. Do what you gotta do."
He didn't look convinced and Vic didn't blame him. It wasn't an enviable position to be in with only herself and Zach working regularly. But, to be honest, they had been there before and survived. More than once. It was a difficult obstacle, but not insurmountable. It did put further pressure on her to take Walt's advice and ask for a loan from Cumberland County.
"Still…"
Vic just flapped a hand at him. With everything that was on his plate, he didn't need to add worries about work to the list. What he needed to focus on was his wife and his soon to be born son.
"I'm gonna see about getting a deputy from Cumberland to cover a few shifts. It should only be two or three weeks before Cady is cleared."
She gave Ferg a smile.
"After that, it'll be her problem."
He smiled in return. Vic could see the stress in his face.
"So…how is Meg dealing with bedrest?"
It didn't sound like something that Vic would handle well. But, people were different. Hell, maybe the woman was somewhat relieved to be off of her feet. She was still working, although on a more limited duty, when she was sent home and told to stay off her feet until the baby came.
Another smile crossed his face.
"I don't think she thought she would be okay with it. But, I think she's enjoying the part where I wait on her."
Vic smiled.
"Can't say I blame her there."
Ferg laughed a little and dropped his eyes back to the work in front of him. A slow minute or two ticked by on the clock and Vic glanced at him. It was clear he was struggling to concentrate. Vic leaned her arms on her desk.
"Something bothering you?"
Ferg looked up again, meeting her eyes.
"It's just…I don't know how to be a father."
Vic's expression softened and a pang of something she couldn't name coursed through her chest.
"No one does, Ferg. Not until it happens."
He nodded.
"I've read some books. And, I've talked to my dad and to Walt. They both tell me it's normal to feel this way. It's just…"
"You think they're not being honest?"
The confusion in her voice was clear. Ferg shook his head.
"It's not that. It's just…I'm still scared."
Vic bit her lip. She wasn't an expert by any stretch. Her own pregnancy wasn't exactly a relatable experience since it hadn't lasted all that long. But, she remembered the fear that stoked in her stomach when she saw the positive read on the test. It wasn't something she was prepared for at all. And, the idea of doing it all on her own was intimidating. Extremely so. Still, along with the fear, there was a feeling of wonderment she hadn't experienced before. It left her feeling off kilter in ways she couldn't even describe. The initial dread gave way to something that was confusing, but ran deep.
Still, she knew that Ferg and Meg were trying to get pregnant. So, she assumed they would feel more prepared than she did. But, looking into his face now, Vic could see a range of emotions. He was telling her the truth. He was afraid. Nervous. A mash of both.
"Pretty sure that's normal. I mean…you're bringing a person into the world. But…you and Meg…this is what you wanted. Right?"
"Of course."
Vic dipped her chin.
"Then…just…do what feels right."
He laughed.
"You're not much for pep talks."
Vic shrugged with an eye roll.
"You should know that about me by this point. Seriously, though. You and Meg will be kick ass parents."
She paused.
"Did you make any headway on your childcare situation?"
Ferg shook his head.
"No, it got pushed aside when all of this happened. Guess we better figure it out now."
Vic shook her head.
"Nothing like the last minute."
She flashed him a smile just as her cell phone started to ring. Vic pulled it out and glanced at the number. It was Walt. Vic stood up and answered the call.
"Hey."
She crossed the small space to the water cooler and filled her Flyers mug with water while she held the phone between her ear and shoulder.
"Busy?"
Vic sipped her water and looked around the quiet office.
"Not really. What's up?"
"Are you getting off on time?"
He was fishing for something. She knew that.
"I plan to…unless someone does something shitty. What's going on? And…don't answer that with another question."
He must have been outside. Static on his end made her think of the wind.
"Nothing is going on. I thought we could have dinner."
Some things never changed. Walt's inability to get right to a point sometimes seemed to be one of those things. Vic chose not to make it easy on him. Where was the fun in that?
"We have dinner every day. Usually."
A beat of silence met her before he spoke again, no doubt collecting his thoughts from where she more than likely scattered them.
"Out. I thought we could have dinner out. At a restaurant."
Vic smiled at his simplistic explanation. She knew it was intentional. Turnabout was fair play.
"Okay. So…what do you want to do?"
He would have an idea. Walt wasn't exactly spontaneous. Vic was pretty sure she could count the number of times he genuinely surprised her. His tendency to overthink normally tipped his hand. Or, gave her some idea as to what he was thinking.
"There's a new Italian place over near the casino."
A half smile pulled at her.
"Italian, huh?"
"Yeah, thought maybe you could tell me how unauthentic it is."
She laughed at him and ducked her face down. Over the phone, she could tell he was walking, his boots crunching over loose dirt and rocks.
"Right. Well, you know I'm always happy to do that. What time were you thinking?"
"Seven?"
Vic glanced at the time.
"Sounds good. Is it…dressy?"
She heard the squeak of the screen door. He was going inside.
"Henry said it was casual?"
"Has he been?"
"He recommended it."
Vic tilted her head a little.
"Does Henry have a girlfriend?"
She could see the expression that would cross his face at her question.
"He said it was a working dinner."
"Ah…okay. So…yeah, that sounds good. I should be out of here on time. So…I'll see you at home."
"Okay."
His voice was low then, but rumbly. Vic ended the call and shoved her phone into her pocket. Some part of her wondered what he was up to.
xxx
"So?"
Vic glanced up, chewing her bite of food.
"Hmm?"
Walt gave her a look that was full of expectations.
"How is it?"
Vic took a sip from her water glass.
"It's good."
Walt gave her a curious look.
"Just good?"
Vic shrugged with a good-natured smile.
"It's better than the Olive Garden."
Walt laughed quietly. After a minute, he studied her with a more serious expression.
"Everything okay?"
She nodded and took another bite of her food. Walt waited while she chewed and swallowed, following it up with another drink of water.
"Yeah. How's your food?"
It was a poor attempt at redirecting the conversation and his train of thought. His eyes automatically dropped to his mostly empty plate and then lifted back to Vic.
"Good."
She raised a brow at him.
"That's what I said and you launched into assuming something is wrong?"
Walt smiled.
"That's because I know how you feel about Italian and how much you enjoy telling me that Wyoming's version is subpar to what you have back east."
Vic rolled her eyes.
"I'm not that bad."
Walt huffed out a laugh.
"You are."
Vic shook her head and laid down her fork. Picking up her glass, she tilted it, her eyes on the water.
"Ferg came in to work today."
"How is he?"
Vic set the glass down, the water sloshing a bit.
"Scared."
Walt nodded.
"That's understandable."
"Yeah."
Silence descended over them. Vic picked her fork up and started to eat again. Two bites in, she stopped and pushed the food around, something obviously on her mind.
"I guess I assumed that if you planned your pregnancy…were ready for it, maybe you wouldn't be as scared."
Walt felt something in his chest tighten.
"I think…it's a different kind of scared."
She considered his words, her fork scraping over the plate. Her eyes lingered on his before falling away.
"But…they're perfect for this."
"No one's perfect."
Vic frowned a little, but kept her eyes on some unseen point.
"You know what I mean. They're these…ideal people. Good jobs, small town, super excited about being parents. It's…like some shit out of an old TV show where the family is perfect and happy all the time."
"No one is happy all the time. Isn't that what you told me?"
She looked at him after he said it, making eye contact.
"You know it's really irritating when you use my words against me. Besides, I know that. But, they're as close as you're gonna get."
"Didn't you tell me they were arguing over child care?"
Vic shrugged.
"Yeah. But, they'll figure it out. You know they will."
She went quiet and he could see her jaw flex. There was something on her mind, just under the surface. Walt leaned in a little.
"What is it?"
Vic inhaled deeply and let out the breath on an audible sigh.
"It makes me realize…how little I had to offer my own child."
In the seconds after she said it, Walt didn't respond. He didn't know how to if he were being honest. It didn't surprise him that she felt that way. And, she'd said similar things before. But, not this blatantly.
"Vic…"
She shook off whatever words he intended to offer up to her. She knew they would be words of disagreement and assurances that she would have been a good mother. But, she wasn't anywhere as convinced of that as Walt seemed to be. She accepted what he told her, but she didn't always believe it.
"It's okay, Walt. You don't need to try and make me feel better. It's just the truth."
That wasn't necessarily correct to Walt. Truth was an absolute concept, in his mind, based on fact. They breathed air. Gravity existed. Those were facts. What Vic was talking about was an abstract idea that never came to fruition. There was no way of knowing how her pregnancy would have turned out because it ended prematurely and before certain decisions needed to be made. Whatever idea was floating around in her head, or her heart, was a concept and not reality.
She drummed her fingers on the table, her expression distant and removed.
"This kid is lucky and he doesn't even know how lucky he is. He's got two parents who are desperate for him to be born. They're a great couple. They're…both normal people with normal lives, a cute house. The works. All they need is a dog to complete the package."
Abruptly, Vic closed her eyes and cleared her throat. When she opened them again a second or two later, the expression on her face was different. The vulnerability that he saw just moments earlier dissipated right in front of him.
"Dinner was good. Thanks for suggesting it."
Walt took a moment to regroup. Her mindset seemed to change fast enough to give him whiplash.
"Are you done? Want anything else?"
Vic looked down at her plate.
"No, I'm good. Let's…go."
Walt nodded and they both stood. He paid the bill while Vic wandered off. He found her standing just outside the door, looking up at the sky.
"See something?"
Vic shrugged.
"It's clear tonight. But, you can't see the stars good like you can at the cabin."
He glanced around.
"Too much light."
Vic nodded.
"Yeah."
Her eyes drifted off to the side. In the distance, the bright lights of the casino beckoned. She slid her hand though his arm and tugged.
"C'mon. Let's go home."
xxx
Walt couldn't push down the worry that plagued him. He wanted to. He knew, at some point, it would start to get on her nerves. It already was. But, she seemed unlike herself a lot these days. Not that Vic was all that predictable. Her moods could change like the weather. But, there was an undercurrent that he couldn't quite figure out.
Finding her on the porch, sitting on the steps, did little to quench those concerns.
"What're you doing out here?"
She was seated on the top step with her feet planted on the step below her, her arms resting on her bent knees. It seemed like she'd gotten ready for bed and changed her mind. So, there she sat clad in pajama pants and her Flyer's hoodie with her feet shoved haphazardly into her boots. In the glow of the porch light, he saw her shoulders move.
"It's quiet."
It wasn't exactly an answer to his question. Inside the cabin was almost as quiet. Walt covered the short distance between them and sat down beside her, stretching his legs out.
"Yep."
They sat in silence. Vic looked up towards the sky. His presence didn't seem to bother her, but she didn't seem overly eager to include him in her thoughts either. Ambivalence. It was a term he didn't frequently associate with Vic. Normally, whatever her opinion, she was strong in her convictions.
The minutes swirled around them as they sat on the step and looked out at the darkened landscape. The night was chilly and Vic was hugging herself a bit, with her hands tucked into her sides underneath her arms. Walt's eyes shifted to Vic every few seconds. If she noticed, she didn't say anything about it.
He tapped one hand on his leg. He wanted to give her space, but her silence made him uneasy. His mind was turning over ways to start a conversation when she spoke, breaking the quiet standoff.
"My father has cancer."
Whatever he was expecting her to say, that wasn't it. Walt turned his head all the way towards her, dropping any pretense of not staring.
"What?"
Vic cleared her throat and looked his way.
"My mother called me a few days ago. It's uh…"
She paused and he could see the muscles in her jaw tighten.
"…it's pancreatic cancer."
A feeling of dread worked its way into his gut. He wasn't an expert, but he knew that was a bad one.
"Vic…"
It was almost like she didn't hear him, her eyes still on the sky that stretched out overhead. Dark with innumerable stars. This was what she looked up for in town and couldn't see. The lights from the casino and the nearby buildings made it impossible to see the sky the way it should be seen. Walt mused that people came here for all the wrong reasons now. He wondered if they even bothered to look up while they were here. To see what this place really offered. The kind of solace he hadn't encountered anywhere else.
"He's okay right now. He's starting treatment next week. He…"
Vic pulled one hand from its tucked away spot and ran it over the soft material of her pants.
"…he didn't want anyone to know. But…my mother…"
She let the explanation rest with those words. Walt was still trying to catch up, his mind whirring.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
She shrugged.
"I guess I just needed some time to process it. I looked up pancreatic cancer and the survival rate is…almost nonexistent."
"Medicine gets better all the time."
It seemed weak, but he didn't know what else to say. Experience taught him that words did little under such circumstances.
She looked at him a second after he said it, her eyes catching his and holding them.
"The doctors have given him about a year if the treatment is successful. My mother said the doctors didn't want to do that. Give him a timeframe. But…he was insistent and…you know my dad."
Walt nodded mutely. He saw her jaw twitch again.
"He's gonna die from this, Walt."
Her voice cracked when she said it. But, she swallowed and regained control. Walt moved over closer to her.
"You should go home."
She nodded, reaching up to swipe a hand under her eye at a tear that hadn't fallen.
"Yeah. I will. But, not right now. There's…"
She flapped a hand around.
"…too much going on right now and he doesn't want people hovering. He didn't even want to tell us. Can you believe that?"
Walt reached out and put his hand on her back.
"It's hard for a man to admit weakness to his children. Especially a man like your father. More than likely…he's afraid and he doesn't want you or your brothers to see it."
Vic sighed and looked down into her lap.
"When you're young, it seems like your parents are…invincible. You know? Then…you grow up and start to see them for what they are. Humans who are aging…maybe even frail."
Silence fell over them again. Walt left his hand where it rested on her back. She stayed in the same position, pulled into herself. Walt's mind was still working over the information and processing it. It was no wonder she seemed so off. With work and the worry over Ferg's baby and this.
"Death never stops, does it?"
Walt's fingers pressed into her back when she said it. Vic dipped her face. He kept expecting her to cry. To break. But, when she lifted her head, her face was still dry, the tears remained unshed.
"He was so…disappointed when I told him that we were moving. Sean and I. Not angry. But…disappointed."
"That's understandable."
Vic nodded.
"Yeah. I can't remember if I told you. But…when he came out here after I got shot…he tried to strong arm me into going home. He even started to pack my stuff up."
She let out a humorless laugh.
"You told me."
She nodded again.
"Right. He's just always seemed like this force of nature that nothing could stop or even slow down. You know he still works a full schedule? He won't even retire. Or…he wouldn't. Jesus."
She pushed out the word.
"I told him to trust me. To trust that I could make the choices that were right for me. Like when I left Philly. He told me a hundred times that I was making a mistake. That…we could handle all the…all the bullshit they were throwing at us. But…I was done at that point. After my divorce, they tried really hard. My parents. They tried to get me to move back home. But…that felt like…admitting defeat."
She was borderline rambling now. It sounded like a stream of conscious train of thoughts and Walt wasn't sure what it all meant.
"They have five kids and I'm the only one not living in Philadelphia."
Walt felt his own jaw tighten.
"Do you regret that?"
She looked his way and met his eyes.
"No. I don't."
He studied her.
"Do you feel guilty about not regretting it?"
She swallowed.
"A little."
Walt pressed his hand into her back.
"You made your own choices, Vic. You did what you had to do. What you needed to do. There's nothing wrong with that. But…it's hard for parents to understand that sometimes. It was hard for me when Cady wanted to go away for college. I know what she was looking for. But, it was still hard. She only came back because her mother was sick. Your father might not like that you live out here. But…I won't believe that he doesn't respect that you made a life here. On your own."
Vic leaned into him.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
Walt slid his arm all the way around her and pulled her to him.
"Don't worry about it. So…what's your plan?"
He felt her inhale.
"I'm gonna solve this case. But…we are stretched so thin right now…"
Her words faded out. Walt ducked his face into her hair. Her breathing was deep.
"I…I need for you to help me."
xxx
Mitchell Colter was already in Cady's office when Vic walked in the next morning, trailed by Walt. He removed his hat and hung it up, running a hand over his hair. He looked around. It had been some time since he'd been here in any kind of work capacity. Vic tossed Ruby a quick smile and walked into Cady's office, closing the door behind the two of them.
Colter looked up.
"Good morning, Deputy."
His eyes shifted to Walt.
"Sheriff."
Walt shook his head at the greeting.
"It's…just Walt. Not Sheriff."
Colter nodded and stood up.
"Only if you'll call me, Mitch."
Walt gave the man a quick look and turned his attention to Vic, who crossed the office and leaned on Cady's desk. She looked to Colter.
"So…where are you?"
He turned to face her with Walt flanking him. He glanced at Walt.
"I made contact with Finn and set up a meeting for later this morning. Is…the former Sheriff getting involved with this case?"
Vic nodded and folded her arms over her chest.
"Yeah, he is. Because I need this solved. We've been sitting on our assess twiddling our thumbs and it's getting old. You want to bring down Cameron and I want to solve this murder. There's no reason we shouldn't pool our resources. Unfortunately, my resources are…kind of depleted. We need some help. He's it."
He smiled at Walt.
"You contracting now?"
Walt smiled in return.
"You could say that. Purely in an investigative role."
Colter turned back to Vic.
"Your department is unorthodox. I like it."
She halfway laughed at his comment.
"I cleared it with my boss. So…we're good. When you meet with Finn, can you see if he knows anything about what happened to Nate Bradley."
Colter gave her a long look.
"I'll try. But…if he's come down on Cameron's side in all of this, there are no guarantees he'll even tell me the truth."
Vic made a face.
"I know. But…we have to start somewhere. He's the only one who is in a position to know if there was some kind of problem for Nate at the camp. What time is your meeting?"
Colter shifted on his feet.
"Ten-thirty."
Vic glanced at Walt and something passed between them.
"Okay. After that, I'm going to bring Cameron in and see if he makes good on his threat to lawyer up. Everything…right now…leads back to this camp. Something…had to have happened there that led to all of this. But…no one will talk. The one person who was willing to…has disappeared."
Colter looked towards Walt.
"And, what's Walt's role in all of this?"
Vic looked between the two men.
"To start with, he's going to look through what we have so far and see if there's something we're not seeing. We've been so…stressed here…it's entirely possible that we've missed something somewhere. A fresh set of eyes is never a bad thing. I also…have a call in to a Sheriff in the next county over to borrow a deputy from him."
Colter started to speak, but Vic kept right on going.
"Whoever it is, they won't be involved in this case. Yours, I mean. But, I need someone to do basic policework so I can concentrate on this. It's hard to answer calls about missing cows or small-time burglaries with this hanging over my head."
Colter's expression turned sympathetic.
"It looks enviable from the outside. A small town like this one. I honestly wouldn't expect the kind of crimes that you're dealing with here. Murders and the like."
Vic made a face.
"It's not our first rodeo."
Colter smiled.
"I'm sure it's not. Like I said. I read up on you. Both of you. Your department really. You've got quite a reputation around here and I'm thinking you get underestimated a lot by other agencies. And criminals. But…taking on the mob. Political corruption. Bringing down a wanted fugitive in the mix of it all. It's…impressive to say the least."
Vic brushed off the compliment.
"We just take what's thrown at us. Someone's got to do it."
Colter huffed out a laugh and turned his eyes to Walt.
"Is she always this modest?"
Walt only smiled.
Vic pushed up from Cady's desk and straightened up. For the first time in days, it felt like they were on solid ground and making progress. They had a plan and that made a world of difference. When she called Cooper in Cumberland County, he seemed fine with her request for a loaned deputy. He told her he would talk to his people and get back to her. Once they had an extra body to handle the more mundane aspects of working in Durant, that would give her the focus she needed to find some justice for Nate.
Her father was still in the back of her mind. But, her talk with Walt was helpful. She felt bad about not telling him earlier. But, she wanted some time to digest the information and what it meant for her and for her family.
Her mind felt clear now and she had a plan. She wasn't much of a planner, but she understood where Walt was coming from earlier when he told her that she needed to think things through and make some decisions.
She could only hope now that it would be enough.