Ch. 9 Concealment
"You can't just bring me in here. I have rights."
Vic rolled her eyes as she gestured at a chair in Cady's office. Tobias Cameron hesitated and she could almost see him gauging his options. Vic waited until he finally sat down with a deflating sigh. Vic leaned against the large desk and studied the man.
Here, away from his followers, there was a hint of doubt she hadn't seen before at the camp. Confidence was key in convincing others to give up their lives and live by a new set of rules. To live outside the norms of society. She knew he wasn't the first, the last, or the best. Men and women had been doing it since the beginning of time and some were better than others.
The first example that sprang into her mind was Chance Gilbert. As different as he seemed from Cameron, and as much as she hated letting him take up real estate in her mind, the small group that took up residence in his cut off world were of the same mindset as the kids that lived with Cameron. Only the scale was different.
Gilbert and his small band of followers wanted to secede from a life where they perceived the government was trying to control them. Bend them. It wasn't as rare as one might think. Especially not in rural areas like this one. Vic knew she wasn't the only one who arrived in Absaroka County seeking escape of some kind. Areas like this one were a draw for those who wanted to be alone. What better place than the least populated state?
Just because the root cause was different, that was superficial. They were all looking for something that society didn't offer them. Freedom of one kind or another, be it the government or parents.
Vic shook the thoughts from her head. They weren't productive, only bogging her mind down with unnecessary clutter. Cameron sat in the chair, looking younger than he did when surrounded by the youth of his small band of misfits. Even though he wasn't quite thirty, he must seem older to young people still trying to navigate their place in the world. Maybe, they viewed him as more experienced. Wise.
Right now, he simply looked scared.
"Actually, I can. You're not under arrest. You haven't been charged…or accused of anything. You came of you own free will."
He made a face at the last part.
"Right. I don't have to talk to you."
Vic smiled a little.
"You're right. You don't. But, you do realize that if I can't solve this, I'll call in the state police. Maybe you would rather have a chat with them. I can promise you that we…"
She gestured around the office.
"…aren't as bad. All I want is to find out who killed this kid. Whatever else you got going on isn't really my concern."
He gave her a dubious look.
"That's what they always say. Right before they swoop in and ruin everything."
Vic raised her brow.
"Who's they?"
He gave her a look.
"You guys. Cops. You always make like you're someone's friend and then you screw them over."
Vic shook her head.
"I'm not your friend and I don't play games. Here's what I'm looking at, Cam. I have a dead sixteen year old who was found buried in a shallow grave. His family wants answers. He did have a family, you know."
Cam shrugged, trying and failing to seem detached.
"I don't ask these kids about their home lives."
"Right. Well, here's a little about his. His mother is dead. He was all that his father had left. And, now he's gone. So, you can see where we're motivated to give this man some answers."
A shrug.
"I don't have any answers for you."
Vic smiled.
"How do you know when I haven't asked you any questions?"
He gave her a glum look, reminding her of a sulking child.
"What do you want to know?"
It didn't sound like much of an invitation, but she would take whatever she could get.
"I want to know why Nate Bradley was staying at your camp. And, who he might've had problems with while he was there."
Cam inhaled deeply and looked around the office. Finally, he turned his eyes back to Vic.
"I don't know exactly why he was there. I don't ask. I just…as long as they're old enough, they're welcome."
"Old enough?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, you know…sixteen, seventeen. Older."
"And…what do you get out of it. You expect us to believe that you offer up this place out of the goodness of your heart. But, I don't buy that. No one does a good deed without expecting something in return."
He narrowed his eyes.
"That's a sad view of the world, Deputy."
Vic shrugged.
"But, an accurate one. Are you using these kids to sell drugs?"
He was clearly taken aback by the bluntness of the question.
"No."
"Really."
It was obvious from her tone that she didn't believe him. Cam cocked his head.
"Do you have some evidence of that?"
Vic smiled at him again.
"You know I don't. What I do have is a suspiciously high number of property thefts in the area around your camp. And…I'm wondering…if I fingerprinted all of you…how many hits would I get to prints we've lifted from these scenes?"
"You can't legally do that?"
She laughed a little.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Where did you go to law school?"
He shook his head.
"We both know you ran a background check."
"You're right. I did. Here's a little piece of information for you. My boss…the Sheriff…is a lawyer. And, she is well aware of what we can and can't do. So…maybe don't act like you're some expert on the subject. The sooner you cooperate, the sooner you go home."
He shifted in the chair.
"I don't know what kind of home life Nate had. I don't ask. I didn't even know his last name. We don't really do that kind of thing. What we offer is a place where these kids can shed all of that and find their own identity."
The commentary earned him another eye roll.
"Okay. So…what about his life there? He have problems with anyone?"
She could see him mulling over her question before he answered.
"The kid that he came in with. Can't think of his name. He uh…he wasn't as into it as Nate was. I heard a handful of arguments about whether they were gonna stay or go. They weren't on the same page."
"Luke?"
Vic supplied the name and he snapped.
"Yeah. Luke. He was…kind of a dumbass. But, Nate seemed to have a pretty good head on his shoulders. Bit of a temper, though."
That interested her.
"Why do you say that?"
Cam leaned forward.
"You know how boys that age can be, Deputy. Girls are their number one."
Vic's mind flashed back to her brief conversation with Finn at the camp. He insinuated as much to her.
"Was he fighting with someone over a girl?"
"What do you consider a fight? Like…an argument…or fists?"
"Which did he get involved in?"
Cam took another breath.
"Both."
"With?"
Cam offered her a slight smile.
"His buddy Luke. I know you're convinced it was someone at the camp, Deputy. But, he had problems that existed somewhere else to. They were both trying to get the same girl."
"This girl have a name?"
Cam grew quiet.
"She's not around anymore."
"That's not what I asked. What's her name?"
More silence passed between them before he answered.
"Her name was Grace. But, I haven't seen her since right around the time Nate went missing. Thought maybe they ran off together."
Vic studied him. It was hard to discern how honest he was being, if at all. Still, the information lined up with what she already knew to some degree. That did give it some credence. She couldn't tell if he was being honest about not knowing what happened to Grace. He knew more about these kids and their lives than he was letting on. She was certain about that. Still, if it bought her some extra insight, it was worth it not to push that angle right now.
"Were they serious?"
He shrugged again.
"These kids always think it's serious. They don't realize they're not in love. They're in lust."
She eyed him.
"What about you? You get involved with any of these girls?"
He smiled.
"I don't kiss and tell."
Vic sighed and shook off the comment.
"Right. So…you think that this was over a girl?"
He didn't seem committed to the question.
"I don't know. That's your department. I'm just telling you what I saw. That's all. I didn't hurt the boy. That's the only thing I can say with any certainty."
Vic bit her lip and straightened up.
"Do you know anything about Grace?"
"I don't know her last name if that's what you're looking for. She said she was from Montana. Cute girl. If I were a little younger…I might've tapped that."
Vic let the comment go. He was clearly baiting her and she wasn't biting.
"Do you know where in Montana?"
He shook his head.
"Nope."
Sensing that she was reaching the end of her questions, he leaned back and looked up at her.
"So…am I free to go?"
Vic held his eyes for moment and smiled.
"You were always free to go."
xxx
"You have to level with me, Luke. You can't keep skirting these questions."
The young man eyed Vic and Sheriff Cooper nervously across the table. Cooper brought him into the Cumberland County office to question him this time. Vic agreed with the move. It would rattle him. Let him know that they were serious and he was potentially in a lot of trouble.
Jonathan Mixon stood in a corner watching the situation unfold with a scowl he didn't bother to hide.
"We did argue over Grace. But…I wouldn't have hurt Nate."
Vic leaned on the table.
"Have you seen Grace lately? She's not at the camp and no one there will say anything about it."
Luke chewed his lip, his eyes shifting between the two of them. Cooper drummed his fingers on the table.
"Listen, son, you aren't helping yourself out by hiding things. If you're innocent, like you say you are, we need answers. And ones that make sense. The sooner that you cooperate, the sooner this is over."
Luke still didn't look convinced.
"I saw her a few days ago."
Vic narrowed her eyes.
"When?"
"Two or three days. I can't remember which. I think it was three. She told me she was leaving."
"Why come to you?"
He shrugged.
"We're friends."
Vic studied the boy.
"Friends or…more?"
He sighed and pressed his back against the chair.
"I know she liked Nate more. I'm not stupid. And Nate liked her. But, he was…kind of weird about girls. So… me and her…were…you know…"
"Having sex?"
Vic supplied the answer. Luke winced, but nodded.
"Yeah, for a while."
"Did Nate know?"
Luke shook his head.
"Not from me. But…Grace could've told him."
"Would he have been mad?"
Another shrug directed at Vic.
"I don't know. He didn't have any claim on her."
Vic glanced at the Sheriff and back to Nate.
"Do you know where she is?"
"No. She mentioned something about a brother."
It was something. More than they had before.
"Do you know her last name?"
He seemed reluctant to tell them anymore, which told Vic that he did know her last name.
"I don't want to cause her any trouble, Deputy."
Vic shook off his words.
"Nate is dead, Luke. Don't you think you owe it to him to help us find out who killed him?"
He was waffling. She could see that. His resolve was crumbling right in front of them. Whatever loyalty he felt to the girl didn't quite seem to eclipse that for his friend. He inhaled deeply and let the breath out slowly, his eyes still moving around the room like there might be some reprieve from all of this.
"Her brother doesn't live in Wyoming."
It was a final effort. Vic pushed.
"Still, her brother might know how to reach her. Or, where she is. We need to make sure she's safe, Luke. She could be in danger."
He dropped his eyes to the table.
"Brewer."
"Grace Brewer."
He raised his eyes to Vic.
"Yeah, that's what she told me."
Outside, Mixon hurried his nephew away. Vic stood on the concrete sidewalk looking up at Carson Cooper from behind the lenses of her sunglasses.
"Thanks for your help on this."
He smiled.
"No problem. You really think this kid is involved?"
Vic sighed and looked at a car pulling out.
"That's not the vibe I get. But…I've seen some crazy shit so…can't rule it out."
He chuckled.
"True. Oh…I have a deputy for you. He volunteered to work for your department for a few weeks."
Vic perked up at the news.
"There's some good news. We're stretched thin. I appreciate it."
He shook off her attempt to thank him.
"Name's Tate. Jackson Tate. He's a good kid. Young, but he's willing to do the job. I'll send him your way tomorrow if that suits you."
Vic smiled.
"Sounds good."
God knows, she needed some good news. Cooper stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
"Any word on your boss?"
Vic shook her head.
"Still looking at a couple of weeks as far as I know."
He flashed her a smile.
"You get tired of all that work, come see me. Bigger department and better pay."
Vic dipped her face.
"Offering me a job?"
"Yes, I am. I like you. You're good at your job. Better than the majority of my staff. It's just a thought. Think about it."
With that he stepped back.
"I'll see you around."
xxx
"Any luck?"
Vic looked up at Walt from where she sat at her desk.
"No. Can't find anything on a Grace Brewer."
She rubbed her hands over her face tiredly. Walt ran a hand over his hair.
"Maybe she lied about her name."
"Possible. I am trying to find out if she was reported missing at some point. Never know."
Walt nodded slowly, his eyes on her.
"I looked through your files on this case and I don't see where you've missed anything."
Vic sighed.
"Damn."
"You were hoping you missed something?"
He sounded surprised. Vic shook her head.
"Not really. But…I was hoping you might find something useful. Colter back yet?"
"No."
Vic frowned and pushed up from her chair. She picked up her Flyers mug and crossed the floor to the water cooler. Filling her cup halfway with water, she sipped it and turned to him. Before she gave words to her next thought, the office door opened and Julia Corbitt walked in. She stopped when she saw Walt and her eyes moved between the two of them.
"Walt, I didn't expect to see you here."
"Just visiting."
He gave Vic a look as Julia turned her attention away from him.
"May I have a word with you?"
Vic set her mug down on her desk, her eyes flicking to Walt's with a barely there nod. He turned away.
"I'll just…"
He gestured at Cady's office.
"…wait in here."
He walked off and closed the door behind him. Vic turned to Julia.
"What is it?"
Julia's eyes lingered on the door before she gave Vic her full focus.
"The Mayor wants you to come by this afternoon at three."
Vic frowned.
"Why?"
Julia shrugged.
"I'm just the messenger. He's called twice, but you haven't been in."
"I'm working."
Julia gave her a look.
"We're all working, Deputy. I feel like…you and I may have gotten off to a bad start."
"You think?"
Vic's voice was dripping with sarcasm. She saw Julia's face tighten.
"Our offices need to work together. So…I would like to try and start fresh if you are willing."
Vic eyed the woman.
"Does that mean you're going to stay away from my husband?"
"I haven't touched your husband."
Vic smiled.
"Actually, you did. Look, I don't have the time or the energy to carry some stupid grudge over this. I have too much on my plate right now. But, I should tell you that whatever your game is with Walt…he won't go for it."
Julia took in her words.
"If you're so confident in his fidelity, then why are you so angry with me? Have you asked yourself that?"
Vic squared her shoulders.
"I'll be there at three. But, if the Mayor is looking for some kind of progress report on this case, he's gonna be disappointed. I don't answer to him, nor do I have the answers he's looking for."
"He's…unhappy with your view on things and he's made it clear that he plans to speak to the Sheriff about it when she comes back."
It was intended as a threat and Vic recognized that. If Julia was looking for a reaction, she would leave disappointed. Vic merely answered in a neutral tone.
"That's between him and the Sheriff."
"I suppose. Anyway, I'll let him know that you will be there."
As soon as the door closed, Vic opened the door to Cady's office to find Walt sitting in a chair. He looked up at her, not standing.
"Everything okay?"
Vic shrugged.
"Who the hell knows. I have a meeting with the Mayor at three. Should be fun. And, he plans to speak to Cady about me like I'm being sent to the principal's office."
Walt stood up.
"Because of this case?"
"Because I refuse to answer to him…or explain myself."
Walt didn't look concerned.
"Cady knows that."
Vic smiled a little.
"Maybe. If she doesn't…I got a job offer earlier."
Walt's eyes widened.
"A job offer?"
"Yeah…"
Before Vic could finish her thought, the exterior door opened and they heard footsteps across the wooden floor in the main office.
"Deputy Moretti."
Colter. Vic stepped into the doorway.
"In here."
The man looked flushed. He walked into the office rapidly, his eyes falling on Vic. Vic eyed him curiously.
"How was your meeting?"
He frowned.
"Not good. I was right. Our agent is dirty."
Vic stepped in closer.
"How do you know?"
He took in a breath.
"He admitted that he killed this kid. To keep him quiet about what Cameron is really up to."
He had Vic's full attention with that revelation.
"Were you wearing a wire?"
Colter shook his head.
"No. I…"
Vic cut in impatiently.
"Where is he now?"
"He ran off?"
"Do you think he'll go back to the camp?"
Colter shook his head.
"No, he's too smart for that. He'll try and hide out. I need…we need to get a search going for him."
Vic looked Walt's way and back to Colter.
"Where?"
"Powder River."
Vic frowned.
"Why in the hell did you go all the way out there?"
Colter sighed and a pulled at the collar of his shirt.
"He suggested it. Because it was remote."
Vic pushed out a sigh.
"It is. Shit."
She pulled out her phone. Colter reached out and closed his hand around her wrist.
"Who are you calling?"
Vic pulled her hand free from his grasp, feeling Walt move in closer at her side.
"Um…help."
"No…I don't need this getting out."
Vic him an incredulous look.
"So…you want what? For the three of us to search an area like that? That's…crazy."
"Please."
Vic looked to Walt again who stepped up and provided a go between.
"How about this? Colter and I will go ahead and start looking. You call Ferg or Zach, whoever you need and get them in here to man the office. Then, you can join us. Maybe by then, we'll have his trail."
Vic held Walt's eyes for a minute and relented.
"Alright."
Colter nodded his head in acceptance of that and hurried from the office. Walt moved to follow him only to have Vic grab the front of his shirt. He paused and she tugged sharply on it, pulling him up close to her.
"Hey."
Walt looked into her face.
"Yeah?"
Vic glanced behind him at the door and back to his face.
"Are you armed?"
"My Colt's in the Bronco. I'll get it."
Vic bit her lip.
"Be careful. I don't like you going off without me like this."
Walt lowered his face closer to hers, the volume of his voice dropping.
"I know. But…you'll be behind us. Call me when you're on the way and I'll tell you where we are."
Vic pushed up on her toes and kissed him firmly on the mouth. After holding the contact for several seconds, she pulled back and released his shirt.
"Be. Careful."
Walt offered her a smile.
"I promise."
xxx
"You're familiar with this area, I trust."
Walt steered the Bronco over the road.
"Yep. Familiar with this entire county."
Colter turned his head and looked out the window.
"This wasn't how I expected this to go. I hadn't really considered that a US Marshal might have killed this boy."
Walt kept his eyes on the road. On his hip, he could feel the familiar weight of his holster and his Colt. He didn't carry it all the time anymore like he did when he was the Sheriff. That had been a change, but a welcome one. Vic's warning rang in his ears. They didn't have any reason not to trust Colter, but he could sense a wariness in her. It wasn't new. They both dealt with a range of federal agencies in the past with mixed results. He knew Vic clashed with them frequently. He chalked it up to her natural tendency to question authority and push the envelope combined with their dislike of being questioned. Qualities he always appreciated in her, even as her boss. But, they tended to rub some people the wrong way.
Like the mayor.
Vic's argument was valid. The Sheriff's department didn't answer to the mayor's office. It was an elected position. And, as long as they were doing their jobs, the offices were kept separate. Of course, he knew from firsthand experience that those boundaries weren't always honored. Certainly not by Sawyer Crane when he set his sights on Walt in the midst of his civil trial.
It wound up costing the man his reputation and his position.
"I don't think your wife trusts me."
Colter's voice pulled Walt out of his thoughts.
"She has her reasons."
Colter looked his way.
"You both do."
Walt's head bobbed.
"Yep. Happens in a job like this one. You tend to find out the hard way who you can trust and who you can't."
"You're speaking from experience."
It wasn't a question.
"Yep."
Colter turned his eyes back towards the window.
"All I want is to solve my case. Just like she does. I'm not out for any kind of glory or credit. Now, it looks like our cases have merged. I'm not like most feds, Walt. I'm not interested in taking over or going it alone. In my experience, taking help from the locals is more beneficial than shutting them out. They're the ones who know the area and the people. That's the kind of knowledge you can't get from records or data."
Walt didn't answer. The man hadn't given them any reason to be distrustful. It just came naturally. He had been wronged too many times to be any different.
"So…where was your meeting?"
"Off the highway near the creek. I can show you."
Walt glanced at Colter.
"I think I know where you mean. He picked this spot?"
"Yes. He said we wouldn't be bothered."
"That's true. What exactly did he say to you?"
Colter inhaled.
"I was trying to convince him to ditch his cover and come in with me. I suppose I could have my boss order him out. But…I was trying to give him a chance. We would have enough with his testimony to arrest Cameron. It would be better if we waited, but I wanted to see how he would react."
"I take it he said no."
"Refused outright. Said he had found his place and he felt like he was meant to be here. He…"
Colter took a breath.
"…started ranting about how this kid Nate was upset with Cameron about something. Couldn't understand what. But, he was gonna blow the whistle that some of the kids there are moving drugs for Cameron. He said they got into it and he smothered him."
"With?"
A beat of silence passed between them.
"His hand."
Walt felt a flinch run through him. That was an intensely personal way to kill another human. It wasn't as detached as firing a gun. It took determination and strength. Anger. It took something that everyone didn't have. If that was the truth, it meant that an incredibly dangerous man was on the loose in Absaroka County. And, the odds of them finding him in this area weren't good.
"He's changed."
Colter spoke again, his voice low. Walt couldn't tell if he was talking to him or just talking out loud and expressing himself, his frustrations.
"He was a good guy, a good agent. He really cared. I was…a kind of mentor to him when he was first getting started."
Walt tightened his grip on the wheel. In some ways, the situation brought Branch to his mind. He was hesitant to hire Branch back when he first applied. Partially, because he knew him and partially because he knew his father. But, he also knew Lucian and he was cut from a different cloth than Barlow or Branch. Branch seemed to fall somewhere in the middle. He seemed to have good intentions, but he was never able to escape the swagger that came with being a Connally. The feeling that nothing could stop him. He wasn't accustomed to rejection until he lost the election and started to drift, his confidence in himself rattled.
It still pulled at Walt that he hadn't been able to save Branch from the darkness of his own mind. He always questioned whether he could have done more. But, Branch reached a point where he posed a legitimate threat and Walt couldn't have that either. Not in his department. He supposed that would bother him for the rest of his life.
The what-ifs. The unknowns.
He would never know if a different approach might have altered the course that Branch was on. There was no guarantee that Branch would have accepted his help. His father certainly wouldn't have encouraged it. Barlow hated Walt. With a vigor that surprised even Walt himself by the time the dust settled.
"When I was Sheriff, I had a deputy who worked for me. Belonged to a wealthy, well known family. His uncle was the former Sheriff who hired me. He went through some things. Changed. Became dangerous."
Colter looked at him with clear interest.
"What happened to him?"
Walt hesitated, his mind replaying it all on fast forward.
"His father killed him because he found out about a crime his father committed."
He heard Colter exhale.
"Damn."
Walt continued, his mind still partially in the past.
"I always wonder if I could've done more. But…I'll never know. You probably won't either. It…comes with the territory."
Colter sighed and looked away.
"I was hoping for a better ending."
Walt focused on the road.
"Me too."
xxx
"Anything?"
Walt shook his head even though Vic couldn't see him over the phone. Habit. He glanced over his shoulder at Mitch Colter, who was partially sitting on an outcrop of rocks his eyes on his own phone. Reception was spotty here. He warned Colter about that beforehand. But, the Marshal insisted on checking his phone every few minutes anyway.
Walt turned away.
"No."
He heard the sigh she let loose over the comment.
"This is my third time trying to call you. I'm at the Bronco."
That didn't surprise him.
"Reception's not good."
Another heavy breath escaped her. It was clear to him that Vic's patience was thin.
"Right. Same shit as always in nowhereville. So…where are you guys?"
Walt looked around at his surroundings. They were beyond where Colter told him he met with Finn by a good bit, keeping up a steady and unhurried pace. In the moment, they were surrounded by trees. But, in the not too far off distance, Walt could hear the creek rushing by.
"You see the path leading out to the left."
A pause and he could hear her boots moving over the ground heavily. Vic was a lot of things. Quiet wasn't usually one of them.
"Yeah."
"He met up with him about a half mile in. We're a good way in now. Passed that about a half hour ago. The trail forks and meets back up. We split up and met when the trails merged. Haven't seen anything yet."
"No footprints or…?"
"We saw prints leaving the meeting site. But, the ground gets hard and rocky. And, there are a lot of rocks along the trail. I think he might've walked on them to throw us off. So far, he's doing a good job."
He could hear the steady tread of her feet now and the phone bumping as she walked.
"Okay. It's…kind of dumb for me to search where you already did. So…I'm gonna go right and see if maybe he cut through and came out on the opposite side."
Walt's hand tightened on the phone.
"Vic."
There was a warning in his tone. She would hear it. She always did.
"I'll be careful."
Now, it was his turn to sigh with frustration. Were he with her, he might be able to convince her otherwise. But, over the phone, his words seemed to have less effect.
"This guy…Finn…he's dangerous. If he suffocated a sixteen-year old with his bare hand, there's not much he won't do. That includes killing you."
Walt was never one to shy away from the truth with his words. Not when it came to her safety.
"I'll be okay, Walt."
Walt gritted his teeth. He was too far away to simply turn around. And, there was a job that needed to be done. That was the balancing act with this scenario. It posed a struggle to them now and back when they were first starting out. The struggle was never really over. Whether Vic would admit it or not, she would be the same way he was if their roles were reversed. Maybe even more adamant.
It was a fine line they walked.
Walt shook off the thoughts. Arguing with her over the phone would distract her. If she was determined, she needed to be alert.
"Be careful."
He couldn't keep the irritation out of his voice when he said it and her answer was delayed. No doubt, due to his tone.
"I will. You, too."
"I'm not walking through the woods by myself with a killer on the loose."
"Jesus, Walt. Really?"
Her tone turned sharp. No surprise there.
"Just…be careful. Okay?"
"I will."
She ended the call and Walt stared at the screen of his own phone for a moment.
"Everything okay?"
Walt nodded, turning back to Colter and shoving the phone into his coat pocket.
"Yeah. Vic's going the opposite way to see if there's a chance he went that way."
Colter studied him.
"It must be hard to work together in a dangerous occupation."
Walt removed his hat and swiped his hand across his forehead. That was an understatement.
"It can be."
Replacing his hat, he gestured ahead.
"We should get moving."
Colter nodded and fell into step just behind him.
"My ex-wife couldn't handle the job. It's one of the reasons we split."
Walt listened to the man's conversational tone.
"Told me she got tired of waiting for me to get shot."
Walt kept his attention on the trees around them.
"It's not for everyone."
"Tell me about it. So…how do you make it work?"
Walt was quiet for a stretch, the man's question on his mind. The earlier comment was a true one. It was a hard situation to figure out. Working together and being together presented its own set of challenges. That was one of the issues that Cady and Zach were unable to overcome. Add on the fact that it was a dangerous profession and the stress mounted even further. He didn't claim to have the answer to that question.
As far as he and Vic went, it was always a struggle. His retirement helped. But, even after that, it wasn't always easy to balance an allowance of independence with a natural concern for safety. And, Vic was fiercely independent. That was one of the issues that scuttled her marriage to Sean. Which was part of what led to his answer.
"Experience."
He heard Colter laugh.
"Fair enough."
Walt didn't have any desire to get into a deep personal conversation with this man he barely knew. What happened between him and Vic was just that. Theirs. He rarely even went deep with Cady or Henry on those issues. His reputation as a private man was well earned.
Walt allowed his focus to drift from the Marshal to his surroundings. Since the last set of tracks, he hadn't found any. It made him uneasy. It was easier to track those who didn't think of the signs they left behind. But this man, he knew what he was doing and he was good at it. There was a very real chance that he did head in Vic's direction. That would take him back to the road and out of the area.
That made Finn even more dangerous. And, it made Walt uneasy.
xxx
Vic tried to force down the frustration that was welled up in her. Her phone was in the back pocket of her jeans again. But, the conversation was still replaying in her head. She knew Walt meant well. But, his anger with her was obvious. But, she was right. It didn't make sense for her to cover ground that he and Colter already did. That was a waste of time. Time was not on their side as it was.
Vic tapped one dangling hand against her leg as she walked. Walt was more familiar with this area than she was. Of course, that was true of all Absaroka County. Growing up here gave him an obvious advantage. In a perfect world, she wouldn't be out here alone. But, they were still short-handed until tomorrow. And, Colter didn't seem to want to involve any more people than necessary in this case.
Vic was hesitant to push too hard on that front. As a US Marshal, he could claim jurisdiction and push them out. He would be within his legal rights to do just that and there wouldn't be a damn thing she could do about it. Credit didn't matter to her. It never did. All she wanted was to solve to solve this case and offer up whatever closure that could bring. If that meant playing by Colter's rules, she would indulge him.
For now.
He didn't seem like a bad guy. Out of all the feds she worked with over the years, he was about the most tolerable. Her reputation working with outside agencies preceded her. She was aware of that. She was also aware that most of them didn't like her. She had little use for politics or keeping up appearances. That wasn't why she did this job.
Others felt different. That was their problem.
Vic stopped and looked around. It was quiet day. The morning started off sunny, but clouds were moving in overhead now. Her sunglasses were hanging on her shirt. But, she hadn't needed them so far on this trek. Combined with the partial tree cover, the overcast sky made it seem much later in the day than it was. Were she not aware of the time, her mind could believe it was nearing dark.
The effects were both gloomy and unsettling. Nothing seemed as threatening in the bright sunlight of day.
Vic shook the thoughts from her head and nearly rolled her eyes. At herself. She was being dumb and letting things get to her that she shouldn't. Her one encounter with this man they were searching for hadn't left her the impression that he was a murderer. Capable. But, not the one they were looking for. He didn't strike her as a spontaneous person. She couldn't really explain what it was about him. But, she would have pegged him as someone who thought things through before he reacted. Weighed whether or not it was worth it.
She could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. If what Colter was saying was the truth, she was wrong. Right now, there wasn't any obvious reason for Colter to lie. He was invested in this case as much as she was. More maybe since his encompassed a broader range of crimes and he seemed to have a bit of history with Tobias Cameron. Cameron tried to toss the blame towards Luke Gregory. But, Vic had strong doubts about that. The boy seemed more afraid than anything. Vic was fairly certain, he would've cracked by now after being questioned twice.
Vic paused mid-step as a sound drew her attention. On instinct, her hand moved to her holster and came to rest on her Glock. She looked around, her eyes searching for anything that didn't seem right or any movement. She wasn't sure what she heard, but her first thought was that it sounded like a twig or small branch cracking underneath a foot.
Someone walking. Maybe.
The pace of her heart sped up a bit as she heard the sound a second time, confirming that she did actually hear it. Her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. Vic pulled her 9mm from the holster on her belt. She thought about calling Walt, but it wouldn't matter. As far away as he and Colter were, all she would do was freak him out. Maybe for nothing.
Vic tilted her head and looked in the direction of the sound. She waited, but didn't see or hear anything else. Slowly, with purpose, she took two steps towards the tree line with her senses on alert. Pausing again, she cocked her head.
Nothing moved.
Vic took another two steps and stopped again. Still nothing.
Taking a breath to steady her nerves, she started to move her feet. Just as she placed it on the leaves that littered the ground a large figure burst from the trees about five feet to her right causing her to step back and bring her gun up.
Her mind processed what happened about a second after she saw it.
A deer ran from the trees, crossed the trail, and disappeared into the foliage on the far side. Vic pushed out a breath she was holding.
"Son of a bitch!"
The adrenaline was still pumping through her, her heart still racing. Vic shook her head and laughed at herself. There wasn't much else to do. Taking a deep breath, she jumped slightly when her cell phone rang from her back pocket.
"Shit."
Vic muttered the word under her breath as she holstered her gun and pulled out her phone. The name on the glowing screen was what she expected.
Walt.
"What's up?"
She tried not to sound jittery when she answered the phone. She knew she failed almost immediately.
"Something wrong?"
Vic inhaled.
"No."
"You sure? You sound jumpy?"
Vic glanced back at the trees where the deer ran into the woods.
"A deer scared the shit out of me."
"It happens. Vic, we found tracks. He's coming your way. Or he was at some point. Colter and I are headed that way now."
The adrenaline started up again. Something in his tone set it off.
"Okay. I…"
Her voice broke off again when she heard something. Another crack. Vic stopped talking and her hand again moved to her gun, pulling it free.
"Vic."
Walt's voice came through the phone, edged with uncertainty. Vic's hand dropped to her side as she looked at the trees again. Another deer? Maybe? Or…maybe the deer wasn't what she heard at all. Maybe something startled it before it startled her.
"Vic."
His voice reached her again. Sharp that time. Insistent. Vic raised the phone back to her ear.
"I heard something."
"What?"
"I don't know."
"Don't hang up."
Vic tilted her head, her thoughts separating. That was dangerous.
"Alright. But…I can't talk to you right now."
Vic slid the phone into her back pocket. She didn't have any way of knowing how much Walt could hear. But, it wasn't safe for her attention to be diverted trying to talk to him. Vic started another slow advance on the trees. Her gut told her this wasn't a deer. That it never really was.
Slowly and step by step, she approached the trees that lined the trail. Given it was fall, a good many of the leaves had fallen, but her vision was still obscured a great deal. She didn't like that. She didn't know if this man was armed or not.
She gave one cursory look around before she stepped into the trees, leaving the trail altogether.