Ch. 14: Perplexed
He found her sitting on the couch in the dark.
When Walt rolled over in bed and was met with emptiness, it only took him a handful of seconds to realize Vic wasn't in the bed. Her presence was generally the first thing he noticed when he woke up. When he ambled from the bedroom, she was there on the couch with her feet pulled up and tucked under her. If she heard him, she didn't acknowledge his appearance. Her eyes stayed on the fire that was slowly burning itself out. The room was cooler now than when they went to bed.
Walt rubbed a hand over his face and kept his eyes on her. She still hadn't noticed him. Or vocalized that she did. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Can't sleep?"
The answer to his question was obvious, but he wasn't really expecting much in the way of a response. It was merely a way to announce his arrival into the world of her own personal thoughts. She turned her head ever so slightly when he said it, but her face stayed pointed at the burning embers in the fire place.
Walt crossed the room and carefully added a log. He waited to ensure that the fire would accept its new fuel. Once the flames and the heat started to build back up, Walt joined her on the couch, the new flames reflecting off her eyes in a way he would never grow accustomed to.
The couch dipped under his weight. Walt leaned back and turned his eyes to her. Finally, she shook her head slowly.
"No."
The word came out low and thoughtful.
"Something you want to talk about?"
He heard her take in a deep breath and move her head from side to side.
"Not really."
Walt wasn't that easily deterred. He knew Vic wouldn't be if the tables were turned. He also knew that it was more than likely not just one thing.
"The case?"
"I thought she was dead."
Now, she was moving more in his direction.
"Grace?"
Vic nodded.
"Yeah. I honestly thought she was dead."
"She isn't. Now, she's safe."
"For now. But…this all doesn't add up."
Walt had been thinking the same thing. He missed this with her since his retirement. Talking through cases. Brainstorming. In the beginning, it was the foundation on which their working relationship and friendship were built. He wasn't in the loop as much anymore. Sure, she would still come home and talk about what was happening. But, it wasn't the same as being there and knowing first hand.
"For how long if we don't solve this?"
Vic's voice brought him back to the moment. She was right. The young woman was safe for that moment. But, how long would that last? Who was the real danger in all of this?
For the first time since he took the seat beside her, Vic looked at him.
"I want to know why Finn Mason allowed himself to be seen."
Walt cocked his head.
"You think it was intentional."
It wasn't a question.
"He should be smarter than that."
"Everyone makes mistakes."
He was playing the devil's advocate and it was clear that she knew it.
"Right. It's just a huge coincidence that we just happened to find Grace where he was spotted."
Now, she was getting at the heart of the matter.
"You think he was trying to tell us something?"
Vic sighed.
"I don't know about that. But…he knew she was there. He had to know. When I mentioned him today, she got all…I don't know. Different."
"You think she's afraid of him?"
Vic shook her head.
"I didn't get that impression. Besides, if he knew where she was and wanted to hurt her, he would've done it already."
"Do you think they're involved?"
Vic made a face.
"He's a federal agent and she's…still a kid, really."
"Doesn't mean there aren't feelings. Undercover operations can get complicated."
Vic nodded slowly.
"I know that. But…I just…"
She stopped and waved her hand around.
"See, this is why I can't sleep. A thousand questions, zero answers."
Walt studied her profile.
"Is that all it is? The case?"
She turned her eyes back to the fire. Vic reached around to her side and pulled her cell phone out from where it must have been tucked between her leg and the couch. The screen illuminated her face with its bluish glow. Vic's fingers moved over the screen and then she offered him the phone. Walt took it and his eyes dropped to the screen.
A text. A picture.
An infant. Ferg's new son wearing a knitted blue hat pulled low on his wrinkled forehead. His eyes were unfocused and half open in the way of newborns. His skin was red and the small hand that was visible was clenched into a tiny, tight fist. While Walt studied the picture, Vic started to talk again.
"Ferg says they named him Patrick after Meg's grandfather. Um…"
He looked her way.
"…over nine pounds. It's in the text."
Walt's eyes lingered on the picture before he passed the phone back to her.
"Big boy."
Vic pressed the home button on her phone and it fell into darkness. She lay the phone down beside her. Walt saw a trace of a smile cross her face in the fleeting light as the screen lost its glow.
"Yeah."
Walt flexed his fingers over his leg, unsure of what exactly to say.
"Are you okay?"
Her chin dipped a bit.
"I'm happy for them."
Walt reached over and placed his hand on her knee.
"You can be happy for them, but sad for yourself, Vic. It's…it's normal and there's nothing wrong with that."
The fingers on her right hand twitched slightly at his words.
"Yeah, I know."
She untucked her legs and stretched them out to the floor. Leaning over, Vic rested her arms on her legs. For a long, quiet stretch, she stayed that way and seemed on the verge of saying something else. Without warning, she stood up abruptly and grabbed her phone. She took three steps towards the bedroom before she stopped and turned back to him.
"Sorry if I woke you. I…"
She paused and cleared her throat.
"…I'm going back to bed."
With that, she turned and walked into the bedroom leaving Walt alone on the couch. From his seat, he could hear the blankets rustling as she pulled them back and slid underneath him. He could hear the mattress move underneath the restlessness that seemed to plague her. After a minute or two, the sounds ceased and quiet settled over him again.
Walt stood up slowly.
He gave the fire one last look before he followed her to bed.
xxx
Sleep never found her. Not with any regularity or depth. She dozed on and off, but woke frequently for reasons she couldn't pin down. Twice, she also woke up Walt unintentionally. Both times, she mumbled a whispered apology and he drifted back to sleep without a problem. The ease with which he slept created a stroke of envy inside of her. At the first sign of light stretching out across the sky, Vic gave up on the idea of getting any actual rest.
Vic slipped from the bed as quietly as possible. There was no need to wake Walt up again. Not when he seemed to be logging some good sleep. She gathered up her work clothes and went into the bathroom to dress, brush her teeth, and get ready for her day. Her mind was foggy and her movements were slow and somewhat clumsy.
Once she was dressed and ready for work, Vic left the bedroom and eased the door closed behind her gently. In the kitchen, she made quick work of preparing coffee. It would be a necessity today. Her eyes kept drifting to the bedroom door, wondering if Walt would smell the coffee. It must not have pierced his sleep and the rest of the cabin stayed quiet. Once the coffee was ready, Vic poured it into a travel mug and pressed the lid on.
Pulling on her jacket and grabbing the mug, she left the cabin and walked out onto the porch. It was cold this morning. They were getting so close to winter, she could almost smell it in the air. Vic smiled to herself. That sounded like something Walt would say. Maybe Henry. There wasn't any snow in the extended forecast just yet. But, she knew it was only a matter of time at this point. Before long, there would be a blanket of white that painted the landscape up like a Christmas card or a painting.
Vic sipped her coffee and walked slowly down the stairs. Her eyes roamed the land around her. No matter how often she saw it, there was always something about the sheer vastness of it that took her breath away. Horse was out, trotting around, his head tossing and his tail streaming out behind him like a banner. He seemed to enjoy the cooler weather more than any person she knew.
Vic slid behind the wheel of her truck and started the engine. She turned up the heat and aimed one of the vents in her direction. She sat for a handful of minutes, the engine idling and the cab warming up around her. Her eyes were still on the horse, stretching out his legs in the early morning sunlight. His life was simple. He didn't really have any worries or concerns other than food and shelter when he needed it.
Vic sighed and blinked, breaking the trance she felt like she had fallen into watching the animal. She gave the cabin a quick look before she put the truck in reverse and backed out.
The drive to work was quiet as she expected this time of the morning in such a sparsely populated area. She made a quick stop at the Busy Bee before she walked over to the office with a paper bag in one hand and her coffee in the other.
She found Cady stretched out on the couch in her office with one arm laid over her eyes. Cady shifted it up as Vic stuck her head in the door and offered her a smile.
"Morning."
Cady glanced at the clock.
"You're early."
Cady sat up slowly, her auburn hair falling around her shoulders with the movement. Vic shrugged.
"Couldn't sleep. Go on home and get some rest."
Cady nodded and pushed up from the couch.
"I'm certainly not going to argue with that."
Vic glanced towards the cell.
"Did she say anything after we all left."
Cady shook her head as she pulled on her jacket.
"No, she was quiet. She's been asleep for most of the night."
Vic sat down at her desk as Cady waved and left, heading home for a nap and a shower. Vic leaned back in her chair and propped her boots up on her desk, waiting.
She didn't have to wait very long. After some time, she heard stirring in the cell. Vic waited until she heard Grace sit up before dropping her feet back onto the floor and standing up, stretching as she moved. The young woman's eyes met hers when she stepped up to the cell door.
"Good morning."
Grace shrugged.
"Maybe for you."
Vic held up the white bag from the Busy Bee.
"Hungry?"
The girl clearly was. She rose and took the bag that Vic offered, pulling out the breakfast sandwich it held and making quick work of it.
"Do you want some coffee? Water?"
Grace swiped a hand across her mouth.
"Water's fine. I don't much like coffee."
Vic grabbed a cup and filled it with water. She waited while Grace polished off her breakfast and passed the trash back to Vic through the bars. Vic tossed it and grabbed the key to the cell. Opening it, she gave Grace a chance to use the bathroom and then led her into Cady's office, closing the door behind them.
She motioned for Grace to take a seat on the couch as opposed to the chair she used the day before. Vic drug the chair over and sat down in front of her.
"Let's talk."
Grace frowned.
"I told you what I know yesterday."
Vic shook her head, cutting off anything else Grace might say.
"No, you've been telling us what you want and not the actual truth. So, let's cut the bullshit and get to it. Luke Gregory told us that your last name is Brewer. That right? We ran a check on you and didn't find much."
Her bluntness had the intended effect on disarming the girl. Grace broke the eye contact between them and looked down at her hands, confirming the information Vic tossed up.
"Who was Nate to you?"
Grace inhaled deeply.
"He was my friend."
"Okay, well he's dead. And, you don't seem all that eager to help us find out what happened to him. So, I'm not sure that's even true. I'm not sure you cared about him at all."
That angered Grace, which was what Vic intended.
"I did care about Nate. More than you know."
"Then tell me."
Vic pushed the words out. Grace shook her head.
"Deputy…"
Vic broke in again.
"Who are you afraid of? We can protect you."
"By keeping me in jail?"
Vic shook her head.
"No, by getting you home. To your family."
"My family doesn't care about me."
"I don't believe that, Grace. Do you have parents? Siblings?"
Grace sighed and looked down again.
"My parents are divorced. I have an older brother."
Vic nodded and offered the young woman a smile.
"I have four brothers."
"Four?"
For some reason, that garnered curiosity.
"Yep. Three older and one younger."
Grace studied her.
"You're the only girl, huh?"
"Yeah, that was hard growing up."
"Yeah."
It wasn't much, but it seemed like a possible pathway into the girl's trust. Sharing pieces of one's self was a tried and true way of establishing some modicum of trust. Or, acceptance.
"How old is your brother?"
"Twenty-one. He works for a construction company down in Texas."
Grace offered up the tidbit without pressure.
"Is that where you're from? Texas?"
Grace shook her head.
"Montana. Originally."
Vic nodded slowly at the information.
"I'm from Philadelphia."
"Wow. That's…I've never been in a city that big."
Vic huffed out a laugh. She seemed to be breaking through with the girl. Making some progress.
"It's a different world. That's for sure. So…how did you come to know Cam and his group?"
Grace hesitated before answering.
"A friend."
"Does that friend live here in Absaroka County?"
Grace nodded.
"She does now. But, she's from my old school in…"
She paused. Vic questioned her gently.
"Back home? Where is home?"
Vic tilted her head and waited.
"Roundup."
Vic offered her a smile at the small revelation of personal information.
"Roundup, Montana. Sounds like something out of a movie."
Grace nearly laughed.
"Yeah, it does."
Vic leaned back in her chair.
"So…your friend moved here and told you about Cam and his place."
Grace nodded.
"Yeah, not seriously at first. But…there were some…was some stuff going on at home. So…it seemed like a better place to be. I left and came here. To see if I liked it."
A runaway. The kind of person that Tobias Cameron paid attention to. Took in. Grace Brewer certainly fit the bill.
"Did you?"
"At first."
Vic forged on.
"What changed?"
Grace paused and Vic was afraid she would clam back up.
"Grace?"
The tone of her voice was soft, but firm. The girl took a breath.
"I liked Nate. But, Cam didn't like for us to…date. You know?"
Vic leaned in, her curiosity stoked.
"Why? You're teenagers. It's only natural that you would want to date."
She saw the motion of Grace's throat when she swallowed. There was something about this topic that made the young woman uncomfortable. That much was obvious.
"Grace, does Cam have sex with the girls in the group?"
Grace started to speak, stopped, then answered.
"Sometimes."
The answer came out quiet.
"What about you?"
It was a difficult question, but it needed to be asked.
"Once."
Vic pushed down the feeling that rose up in the pit of her stomach.
"Was in consensual?"
Grace nodded a bit.
"Yes. He didn't force me."
"Just the one time?"
Another small nod.
"Yeah."
Vic took a breath.
"And Luke? He told us that the two of you were together."
Grace looked around the room before her eyes returned to Vic.
"Luke was more outgoing than Nate. They came in together. But…Luke was more social. Nate kept to himself. I liked Luke. But, Nate was different. Luke got tired of Cam and his rules and left. I haven't seen him since. But, Nate stayed. I'm just not sure why."
Vic gave her a curious look.
"Was something going on?"
Grace lowered her eyes.
"He didn't like Cam all that much. A lot of the guys don't."
"But, the girls do?"
Grace's expression confirmed the answer. Given what she knew, that didn't surprise Vic. He would appeal more to teenage girls and young women than their male counterparts. She had been a girl that age once and she knew that it was flattering for a teen girl to garner attention from a man. A real man and not a boy.
It was a story as old as time.
It also opened the door for predators and those with bad intentions who wanted to use those same girls for their own purposes. That was one of the things that Colter mentioned. Possible statutory rape.
"Yeah."
The answer came quietly.
"Did you want to stay, Grace?"
The narrow shoulders drooped a bit.
"At first. I liked it. But…Cam isn't what he tells people."
Vic nodded.
"I know. Men like him, they never are. Did Nate stay because of you?"
Grace lifted her eyes and Vic could see the wetness in them from the tears that she was on the verge of shedding.
"I don't know. He…never came right out and said. We did…we did talk about leaving. Together. But…he turned up missing. I thought maybe he just took off or went back home."
Vic bit her lip.
"The two of you…"
Grace shook her head at the unasked question.
"We weren't anything yet. But…I liked him. He liked me."
Vic smiled, feeling a low burn in the back of her throat.
"I'm sorry about Nate, Grace. But…we need to know anything that might help us figure out who killed him. Did he have any issues with Finn?"
Grace inhaled deeply.
"Finn was…he was really quiet. Didn't say much. But, he broke up a fight between Nate and Luke before Luke left. He shoved them both and told them next time that they were both out. That he would see to that. Luke left just after. Said he was tired of all the bullshit."
The last part nearly made Vic smile. It sounded so much like something one of her own brothers would say or would have said when they were teenagers and younger men.
"Was that the only run-in between Finn and Nate."
Grace shook her head.
"I saw them together once. I don't know what they were talking about, but they looked really…into the conversation. You know?"
Vic nodded a little as Grace continued.
"I asked Nate about it and he told me to stay out of it. The next day he was gone."
Vic let out a breath.
"Do you think Finn hurt him?"
Grace reached up and rubbed at her eyes tiredly.
"I don't know. But, Cam was…really upset when he found out that Nate was gone. I heard him yelling about it with Finn. I started to pack my things then. It seemed like everything was getting screwed up. So, I called my friend and she loaned me the tent. She was bringing me food. I told you that. I didn't…I don't have anywhere else to go. And, I…I was scared."
Vic met the girl's eyes.
"Yeah, you do, Grace. You can go home."
xxx
Cady eyed her seriously.
"You believe her?"
Vic nodded. She had given that very question a lot of thought. Grace seemed sincere. More than that, Grace seemed scared. The details she was passing on now seemed to fit with the narrative they were slowly putting together.
"Yeah, she's…she's definitely scared. She feels like she's out of options."
Cady studied her for a long moment.
"How do these kids get mixed up in all of this?"
Vic smiled humorlessly.
"Rebellion. Feeling misunderstood. I don't think it's as complicated as it seems."
Cady gave her a half smile.
"I wasn't all that rebellious myself. I was too preoccupied with my grades and getting into a good college. I was late for curfew a few times. That was the extent of my rebellion."
The comment pulled a real smile from Vic.
"I can see that."
Cady's expression turned curious.
"What about you?"
Vic laughed at the question that Cady should already know the answer to.
"I was rebellious as hell. You name it and I've probably done it. Except…this. That would never have appealed to me. I would have seen that as leaving one place where people told me what to do and going to another. Cameron exercises control over these kids. It's just subtle and they don't see it. He knows what he's doing."
Cady nodded in agreement.
"Teenagers aren't exactly known for having strong decision-making skills."
Vic smiled at her boss again.
"I bet you were an exception to that rule."
Cady shrugged.
"I guess I was. It was different growing up here though. Small town. My dad was in law enforcement."
Vic broke in.
"My dad was law enforcement and all I wanted to do was piss him off. I think it's more of a personality thing. You're just a straight arrow whether you like it or not. A follower of the rules."
Cady smiled.
"And you're not."
Vic shrugged like none of this was new territory.
"No. I've never been much for rules. When I was a kid, I never met a rule I didn't bust my ass to break. Some are okay. Necessary. But, sometimes rules are…constraining. And, not really for the greater good as much as to exert some form of control."
"Is that why you still break them?"
Vic tilted her head at Cady with questions in her eyes.
"What rule have I broken lately?"
Cady shrugged.
"I'm not talking specifics. But, in the interest of honesty, you question everything. You were like that with dad, too. There were times I wondered why he put up with it."
Vic smiled again at the tone Cady was using.
"Do you have an answer to that question?"
Cady laughed lightly.
"Maybe. But, I'm interested in your take on it. So…enlighten me."
Vic grew serious. Her eyes roaming the room before meeting Cady's eyes.
"Just because something is legal, doesn't make it right. Just because a rule exists, doesn't mean it should be followed. It's easy to believe that right and wrong are black and white, easy to decipher. But, the longer I do this job, the more I realize that it's actually all these…hazy shades of gray. As a lawyer, I bet you already know that."
Cady looked at her for a long moment before answering.
"That's why he never fired you. That's why you worked well together. He believes the same thing. I'm seeing it more and more myself. I guess it's a bit naïve to believe otherwise. He…appreciated your honesty. I do, too."
The two of them sat in silence before Vic spoke up again. She wasn't sure what possessed her. It was something she never wanted to share with Cady, or anyone else at work. But, now it came to her in a new way. Something she hadn't felt before.
A different perspective.
"Cady, since you brought up honesty, there's…something I haven't told you."
Cady's brow knitted.
"About this case?"
Vic shook her head.
"No. About me. Back when I was shot…I was…I was pregnant. The bullet…nicked an artery and I lost so much blood…I lost the baby."
Something she couldn't name crossed Cady's face.
"Wha…who…."
Vic pushed through, knowing if she didn't get it out, she would lose her nerve.
"I didn't tell anyone here because I…I don't want people to feel sorry for me or…to treat me like I might break. I hate that. And it was…it was personal."
Cady nodded slowly, taking in the information.
"Who knows?"
Cady finally formed a question. Vic bit her lip.
"Walt. My family."
Cady inhaled, memories coming back to her. A thought crossing both her mind and her face at the same time.
"You stayed with dad after you were shot. But, both of you told me that your relationship didn't start then. That it wasn't until later."
It wasn't an accusation. It was a statement, but it also contained a question. Vic knew what Cady was implying. Or asking. She knew that Cady and nearly everyone else wondered at what point their relationship really started. There were certainly enough rumors circulating about them well before they ever actually did anything. Those were the kinds of details that Walt preferred to keep between them and Vic accepted that. She knew the timeline Cady had was accurate, but vague.
"That's the truth, Cady. The baby wasn't Walt's if that's what you're getting at. After, he was there for me. God knows, I probably wouldn't have made it through all of it without him. But, it wasn't like that. Not then."
Her voice faltered for the first time. Cady leaned back in her chair.
"Why are you telling me this now?"
Vic smiled and shrugged.
"I don't know. I…don't like secrets. I would appreciate it if you kept the information to yourself, though. I told you that…as my friend. Not as the Sheriff."
Cady nodded.
"Of course. I wish that you told me earlier. I understand why you didn't. But, it does explain a few things."
Vic nodded as she stood up, knowing what Cady meant.
"I know. I'm happy for Ferg. I am. But…it's been hard."
Cady rose and walked around the desk.
"I can't imagine how hard it must be. If you need to talk…to someone other than dad…"
The offer hung between them. Vic offered Cady a smile.
"Thanks."
She blinked and cleared out her mind, glad to have that off her shoulders. A knock on the door drew both their attention. Cady straightened up her posture.
"Come in."
The door opened and Colter appeared, looking unhappy. Vic looked his way with questions in her eyes.
"Questions not go well?"
He glanced at her.
"She's not exactly an open book. She won't talk to me."
Vic didn't seem surprised.
"Well, I told you what she told me. Maybe she doesn't want to repeat herself."
His eyes moved between the two of them, but he stayed quiet.
Vic moved slowly towards the door, knowing their conversation was over.
"What do you wanna do? Hold? Release?"
Cady looked to Vic, but Colter stepped up.
"It's too early to let her go."
"How so?"
The question came from Vic. He looked her way.
"She's not cooperating as fully as I would like."
"That doesn't make her guilty of a crime."
"It doesn't make her innocent either."
Vic cocked her head.
"Aren't you convinced that Mason did this? Why the sudden interest in Grace?"
He shuffled one foot over the wooden floor.
"She might still have something for us. Something useful."
Vic shook her head.
"That's not a good reason to keep her locked up. We got an address on her mother. She needs to go home."
"She might run."
Cady sighed in the middle of their argument and broke in.
"Vic."
Vic's head swiveled to Cady.
"Yeah."
"Try and get in touch with her mother. See if she can come and pick her up."
Colter made a noise and Cady's gaze shifted.
"I can't hold her any longer just because you don't like the answers to her questions. As far as I can tell, she's not a suspect. We can't legally hold her indefinitely."
Vic glanced at Colter and walked by him out of the office door.
xxx
"So, she's talking now?"
Vic looked up from her lunch and nodded to Walt.
"Yeah, she gave me an earful this morning. We called her mother and she's supposed to be coming to pick her up this afternoon. Take her home."
"That's good."
His voice was quiet and thoughtful.
"Yeah, Grace seems…nervous. But, she's certainly better off with her family than she is with Cameron. I hope she can…find a way to put this behind her. Find some…peace."
Walt nodded slowly.
"Peace can be hard to come by."
It was clear that he was using that comment as a pathway to a different topic.
Peace. She would like some of that herself. She found it in patches. In moments that passed by far too quickly. But, it never lasted. It never really took hold. Instead, it slipped through her fingers like tiny grains of sand and left her searching for the feeling yet again. She suspected it was that way for Walt, as well. For all she knew, it was that way for everyone.
Walt studied her across the table at the Busy Bee. Around them, the small café was alive with activity. It was easy enough to tune out when he focused his concentration on Vic. She could tell by the expression on his face that there was something on his mind and that he intended to get it out.
"You left early this morning."
There it was.
Vic picked up her glass of water and took a sip, her eyes on him over the rim. She set the glass back down, but her fingers lingered on the glass.
"Couldn't sleep. Didn't see the point in waking you."
Walt tapped one finger on the table.
"Did you get any sleep last night?"
Vic inhaled, taking in a breath and letting it out slowly. His blue eyes stayed on her in that way he was so good at. Vic shook her head and dropped her eyes.
"Not really."
Walt pushed his plate away, the remnants of his lunch scattered over it.
"Dreams?"
Vic shrugged.
"I don't know. I don't remember any dreams. I just kept waking up. When the sun came up, it seemed pointless to lay there. So…I went to work. And, it worked out because Grace was in a more talkative mood this morning than she was yesterday. I got to talk to her again before Colter."
She was trying to steer the subject, but Walt wasn't that easily deterred.
"You should have woken me."
Vic gave him a look of clear disagreement.
"Why? So we can both be tired?"
He sighed at her deflection.
"Vic…"
She cut in with frustration.
"Walt, if I woke you up every single time that I couldn't sleep, you would be miserable. We both would. That's…not any kind of solution. You don't need to worry so much just because I have…some insomnia."
She could tell by the expression on his face that her answer didn't satisfy him. Walt, by his nature, liked to take care of things. And, people. Sometimes, it was a useful trait. He rarely gave up and that could be a push that served her well. On the flip side, it could be tiring and frustrating when he became hyper focused on a problem.
"I still think you should see a doctor."
She met his eyes.
"Do you remember that time you got stabbed and refused to see a doctor? Or…when you got shot and left the hospital against medical advice?"
More displeasure on his face.
"That was different."
Vic shook her head and swallowed the last of her water, swiping her hand across her mouth.
"No, it's not. When you expect me to do things that you won't do, it makes you a hypocrite. There's not another way to say it."
Vic pushed back from the table, her face tense.
"I gotta get back."
She paused when he didn't say anything as she stood up.
"Thanks for lunch."
Walt rose quickly and came around the table.
"Hey."
Vic stopped as he glanced around. No one was paying them any attention.
"Don't leave mad."
Vic shook her head.
"I'm not mad. I have a lot on my mind."
They left the café and stepped outside on the sidewalk. Vic pushed her hands into her pockets and looked around.
"I'll see you later."
She took a step away and Walt took a step in her direction, not allowing space in between them.
"Okay."
He offered her a small smile. One side of her mouth pulled up before she turned and walked away.
xxx
Walt watched her go and set his hat on his head, pressing it down. He continued to stand outside and watched people hurry by. There was one thing about retirement, he didn't hurry much anymore. Walt looked down the street towards the sheriff's department. He could easily have tagged along to the office with her, but she didn't seem like she was in the mood for that particular move. He learned a long time ago that when Vic needed space, it was best to give it to her.
Otherwise, she would simply push him away.
Walt shook his head and started for the Bronco. If they needed him, they would call. He inhaled the chilly afternoon air and started for his vehicle. Sliding behind the wheel, Walt slid the key into the ignition just as his cell phone rang. Walt pulled it out and glanced at the number before he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Retired Sheriff Longmire?"
Walt smiled at the familiar voice.
"Agent Vance."
"I have something for you."
Walt's curiosity roared to life.
"About?"
"These Marshals that you asked me to look into, Mitchell Colter and Finn Mason."
"Thought you couldn't find anything."
He heard what must have been a laugh from the other end of the line.
"I couldn't through proper channels. But, my need to know got the better of me. So, I called in a favor. It's not much. But, I thought you would want to know. Both of these men…Mason and Colter were under investigation before Mason was sent out on this undercover op."
Walt felt something take root in his gut. An old, but familiar feeling. One that left him unsettled.
"Under investigation for what?"
"That, I don't know. But…you need to be careful. Keep your eyes open. If there's a chance this man is guilty of something…it's hard to say what he might be up to in your neck of the woods."
Walt nodded to himself.
"Yep. Alright, thanks."
"No problem."
The call ended and Walt stuffed his phone into his pocket. Pulling his keys free, he left the Bronco and started across the street at a brisk pace. He wasn't sure what this new revelation meant. But, he was sure that Cady and Vic needed to know about it. Hopefully, Colter wouldn't be there. He didn't want to tip the man off that anything might be amiss.
He took the stairs up to the office quickly, his eyes scanning the room as he walked through the door. The outer office was empty and quiet. Not even Ruby was in. Walt turned towards Cady's office.
"Cady?"
He heard her chair scrape as she stood up.
"Yeah, dad. In here."
She was halfway around the desk when he walked into her office.
"Where's Vic?"
Cady frowned a little.
"I thought she was having lunch with you."
Walt frowned.
"She did. But, she walked back over here…several minutes ago."
Cady didn't seem overly concerned and just shrugged.
"I…maybe she thought of something else she needed to do. Is something wrong?"
He nodded and pushed her office door closed.
"Has Colter been in?"
Cady gave him a confused look.
"Yeah, he came in this morning and talked to Grace. He disappeared after that. What's going on, dad?"
Walt shifted on his feet.
"Agent Vance called me."
"From the FBI?"
Walt nodded.
"Yeah, he said that both Colter and Mason were being investigated."
Cady's brow furrowed with concern and a hint of confusion.
"For what?"
"I don't know."
Cady gave her father a long, somber look.
"He's a strange one. In an out. He goes outside to make most of his phone calls."
Cady folded her arms over her chest and took a deep breath. Something crossed her face.
"I…think I'm gonna call his field office."
Walt cocked his head.
"About?"
Cady shrugged as she dropped her arms back to her side and moved towards her phone.
"I don't know, really. But, if something doesn't feel right, we should look into it. Right?"
Despite the heaviness of his mood, he couldn't help but smile. Sometimes, Cady reminded him a lot of her mother. Other times, she was so much like him that it actually startled him.
"Right."
He reached into his pocket and his hand closed around his own phone. Pulling it out, he gave Cady a look as he left her office to give her privacy for her call and held up his phone.
"I'll find out where Vic is."
Cady nodded as she sat down at her desk and started to dig through her drawer. Walt pulled the door partially closed behind him as he looked at the screen and scanned for Vic's name. Tapping it with his finger, he brought the phone to his ear and waited. Five rings later, her voicemail picked up.
Walt ended the call without leaving a message and lowered the phone. That was odd. It wasn't like her to not answer his calls. Unless she was in the middle of something work related. Even then, she would usually send him a quick text.
But, his phone remained silent and the screen stayed dark.
It reflected the way he felt in the moment.
The odd feeling in his gut tightened and grew. It felt like vines growing and choking. Walt tapped the phone back to life and typed out a text message. From where he stood, he could hear Cady in her office on the phone.
He looked around and then back at his phone.
All he could do now was wait.