Ch. 11: Slow Burn
"I am happy that you are taking this step."
Walt sat at the bar in the Red Pony with Henry. He leaned in slightly to hear his friend talk over the din of people talking and music playing. His hand lightly turned the can of Ranier around on the wooden surface of the bar.
"Thanks, Henry."
"I mean it, Walt. There was a time I was not sure that you would live to see happiness. I think we both know that Martha would want you to be happy."
Walt nodded.
"She would."
"What made you and Vic decide to marry all of a sudden?"
Leave it to Henry to ask the questions. Walt took a swallow from his can.
"It's not all of a sudden."
Henry gave him an amused look.
"Deciding to get married in two days is certainly all of a sudden."
He wasn't good at keeping things from Henry. They had known each other for far too long.
"It's…time, I think."
"Does Vic feel the same way?"
Walt looked at Henry curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"Is this what she wants as well?"
"Henry, what are you getting at?"
Henry shifted on his barstool.
"I am happy for you, Walt. Do not think otherwise. My only concern is that you are doing this for the right reasons."
"I love her. Isn't that the best reason?"
Henry offered him a smile.
"Of course. But, I know how much stress you have been under with Will returning to Durant. Does that have anything to do with this decision?"
Walt finished off the last of his beer and swiped the back of his hand across his mouth. There was some truth in what Henry was saying. There was no denying it.
"It reminded me that life is short and we shouldn't take it for granted."
"That is true."
Walt eyed Henry.
"If you're so happy for me, why are you questioning my motives."
He could see Henry nearly laugh.
"I am not questioning your motives, Walt. I just understand how stress can affect a person. Also, you have given me the impression in the past that maybe Vic did not want to remarry."
"People change."
Henry nodded in agreement.
"All the time. So, you are happy? Both of you?"
Walt nodded.
"Yeah, Henry."
Henry reached out and clasped his shoulder.
"That is all that matters."
xxx
Walt walked slowly into the house. Cady's Jeep was gone, but Vic's truck was parked out front. The kitchen and living room were quiet. He paused in the bedroom door. She was sitting on the bed, facing mostly away from him. He could just see part of her profile. Her phone was in her hand and she was looking at something on the screen with a great deal of concentration.
For several seconds, he stayed like that and she didn't notice his presence. Finally, she looked up and her head swiveled in his direction.
"Hey."
Walt lay his hat on the dresser and removed his coat.
"Hey."
Vic let her phone thump onto the bed.
"I didn't think you would be home this early."
Walt stood by the bed.
"Henry and I had a drink. Talked."
She nodded.
"Is everything alright?"
"Fine."
Walt sat on the bed. Vic was watching him.
"Okay. You seem kinda weird."
Walt ran his palm over his jeans.
"You always say that."
"Fair enough. What did you guys talk about?"
"You."
Vic's head cocked to the side.
"What about me?"
He shrugged. Vic's eyes narrowed.
"Walt, is something wrong?"
He was quiet for a stretch before answering.
"Henry asked me if this was what we both wanted or if we were doing this because of Cain?"
Her face tensed slightly.
"What did you say?"
"I told him that we were getting married because we wanted to. And, that life is too short to not do what makes you happy."
"Then, what's with this gloomy look you got going on? This is what you want, right?"
"Of course."
He reached up unconsciously and ran his palm over his hair.
"It just got me thinking. Is it what you want?"
Vic gave him an odd look.
"I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't want to marry you."
Walt smiled a little.
"Okay."
Her face clouded over.
"Just okay? Does Henry think this is a bad idea?"
Walt shook his head.
"No. He's just being Henry."
Vic bit her bottom lip before the expression on her face eased up.
"It all feels kinda surreal."
Walt nodded.
"Yep. Did you ever think you would get married again?"
"Right after my divorce, no. But…I guess people change."
He smiled at her echoing of his own words to Henry earlier in the evening.
"They do. I…never thought I would remarry after Martha died. I never thought I would be a husband again."
Her face softened.
"Yeah, it's been a while since I was someone's wife. It does feel…different."
"Different good?"
Vic laughed at him and pushed at his chest.
"Duh, Walt."
Running her hand down his arm, she took his hand and entwined their fingers.
"C'mere. I have something for you."
Walt gave her a questioning look as she slid off the bed and pulled at his arm, tugging him along with her.
"What?"
Her reply was an eye roll and an exasperated look.
"Come here."
He followed her into the living room where a box sat on the coffee table. Vic pushed him onto the couch and picked up the box. Sitting beside him, she offered him the large box. Walt took it with a half-smile.
"What's this?"
Vic gestured at the box in his lap.
"Open it."
Walt pulled the top off the box to find a hat very much like the one he lost in the fire. As a matter of fact, it was an identical hat in size, type, and color. The only noticeable difference was the different colors in the horsehair band.
"I know you've been wearing an old one. But this one seems…more you."
Walt lifted the hat out, a thin layer of tissue paper rustling under the movement. He turned the hat around in his hands.
"Where did you find this?"
"I have my ways. Getting it just right took some leg work."
Walt's heart thumped hard in his chest.
"That's where you were all day?"
"Yeah. I guess it's kind of a wedding present."
Walt smiled at her. Genuinely. Dropping the box onto the floor, he placed the hat on his head. Despite the newness, it felt familiar and comfortable. Like an old friend. He removed the hat and placed it brim up on the coffee table.
"Thank you."
He paused before he held up his hand.
"Stay here."
Vic's brow furrowed.
"Where are you going?"
Walt stood up.
"Just wait."
He disappeared into the bedroom before reappearing a few seconds later. He had a plastic bag in his hand with the logo of a local jewelry store printed on the side.
"You got the rings?"
Walt nodded as he fished into the bag and came out with a black ring box. He opened it up to show her a wide, gold band much like the one he'd worn for so long.
"Mine."
Vic nodded.
"Okay. They're both pretty much the same, aren't they?"
Walt shrugged, ignoring her questions. Setting that box aside, he pulled out the second and offered it to her.
"Yours."
Vic gave him a curious look and opened the box. At first glance, the ring looked like the one she wore when she was married to Sean. It was the same shiny gold and the same size. But, she tilted her head and held it up closer to her face. Etched into the band, Vic could see a pattern that looked very much like swirling leaves bordered on either side by a rope pattern. The effect was simple, yet stunning. She looked back up to see Walt watching her.
"It's…weren't you supposed to get two regular bands?"
Walt shrugged.
"You're not the only one who can pull off a surprise. Do you like it?"
There was a hint of concern in his tone. Vic smiled at him.
"It's beautiful, Walt."
He let out a breath with a smile.
"You're not just saying that?"
She gave him a look.
"No. I love it."
Holding the box in her hands she half stood, edging her way into his lap and looping her arms around his neck.
"We can exchan…"
Vic cut him off with her mouth pressing over his.
"It's perfect."
She pressed her forehead to his, her breath warm across his face.
"And it's…really good to have you back."
Walt's hands were on her back, stroking a path up and down.
"I never left."
Vic's face grew serious.
"Yeah, you did. But…you can't do that anymore. If we're gonna do this, we gotta do it all the way. No halves. Promise me."
His head bobbed in a slight nod.
"I promise."
She kissed him again before Walt pulled back and looked around the room.
"Where's Cady?"
Vic shrugged.
"Don't know. She said she was going out. Maybe she wanted us to have some privacy. God knows we've been lacking that."
Walt vibrated with a quiet laugh.
"Yeah. Henry said we could use his room again if we want."
Vic laughed against him.
"That the new hot make out spot in Durant?"
Vic slid from his lap and set the ring box back in the bag. She looked up to find his blue eyes on her.
"Do you want to go somewhere. After?"
Vic stood up and Walt grabbed his hat, trailing behind her to the bedroom.
"You mean like a honeymoon?"
Walt nodded.
"Yeah. You're already forgoing any kind of a real wedding."
Vic turned around and gave him a sharp look.
"Walt, this is a real wedding. It's just…a quiet one without all the extra crap."
He sat on the bed and watched her move around the room.
"Some people like the extra crap."
Vic paused and faced him.
"I already had that once. In the end, it doesn't make a difference. You eloped the first time and look at how your marriage turned out compared to mine. I don't want some big, fancy wedding. That's…not us. And, this should be what we want it to be."
Walt caught her by her waist.
"I didn't mean it that way."
Vic reached out and combed her fingers through his hair.
"I know. It doesn't feel like the time."
He nodded in agreement.
"That's how I feel. But…it feels wrong not to do something."
Vic shrugged and dropped her hands from his hair.
"Maybe we can get a room tomorrow. Spending our first night married in your daughter's guest bedroom seems kind of weird."
Walt smiled in response.
"Sounds like a plan."
Vic studied him, her expression turning pensive.
"You sure you want to do this?"
"Do what?"
Vic gave him a wry smile.
"Legally bind yourself to me. Makes it harder to walk away."
Walt gave her a look.
"You're kidding, right?"
She laughed and shrugged.
"Maybe."
Her smile faded a bit.
"It's not going to bother you if I don't take your name is it?"
Walt shook his head. In all honesty, that hadn't crossed his mind.
"No."
"Good. It pissed Sean off. I think he saw it as a slight to his manhood or something."
Walt looked up at her, his hands still on her hips.
"My manhood isn't an issue for me personally."
The comment earned him a laugh as Vic pulled loose from his grasp.
"Your manhood isn't an issue period. Trust me."
xxx
Vic couldn't have said what woke her up. It wasn't a jarring awakening. More a gradual surfacing from the darkness of sleep. She opened her eyes and looked at the window. It was still dark out. Glancing at the clock on the far side of Walt, she flopped back onto her pillow and pulled the covers up around her. The air in the bedroom was cool and still. Beside her, she could hear the soft snoring that was coming from Walt.
She turned her head so that she could make out the shape of his sleeping form beside her. In the darkness, she couldn't see the details of his face. But, that didn't matter. At this point, she had memorized everything about his face. And his body. She knew all of his scars by touch. She knew all of the creases in his weathered face. She knew just how his hair tended to flip out at the ends when it crossed the threshold of needing a haircut.
It was a level of personal knowledge that came with time and experience. Those were the things that were easy to overlook in a new relationship when you were so caught up in feelings, you paid little mind to the tiniest details. But, this was not new. Even when it was, there was something familiar about it. By the time she and Walt actually took that step, they were so ridiculously entwined with each other that there were few mysteries between them. A bond born of their unique friendship ensured that.
Still, there were the small things. The kind of things you can only learn from time spent together in day to day life on a more intimate level. Like the way he almost always got up early to have coffee and read. Or the way he brushed his teeth with the same deliberate consideration that he did everything else. The way he snored when he had a cold, even though he would steadfastly deny being sick.
Those were the things that fascinated her. Maybe that was an odd way to phrase it. But, it was an adequate description. It was that very kind of intimacy she craved with him even before she really knew how deep her feelings for him ran. Back when she could still write it off as an attraction and not love. Real, deep love. The kind her marriage lacked for the last part of it.
It still struck her how the script of her life had flipped so completely from what she expected it to be. How profoundly her decision to turn in Bobby would wind up affecting her life. How far the ripples would go and the new reality they would create.
She hated Wyoming. She hated Durant. It was boring and quiet with little to do other than sit at home. Sean kept telling her that with his new promotion, she didn't have to work. What he wasn't saying was that he didn't want her to work. Her decision in Philly and the fallout affected them all in some way or another. The pressure and harassment had finally become too much and Sean mentioned taking this job. A few weeks and thousands of miles later and she was miserable. Maybe the shit in Philly wasn't so bad.
Vic wasn't one to be idle. She never had been. She knew Sean was trying to make it sound like he was offering her something in not having to work. But, the truth was, she wanted to work. So, when she saw the ad for a deputy at the local Sheriff's Department, she applied. A grandmotherly sounding woman called her to set up an appointment for her to come in and interview. With as few people as this place had, Vic couldn't imagine they had much in the way of crime. Cow tipping maybe.
Going into the office for her interview, everything about this place looked like something out of a tv show or movie about a small town. She quickly filled out a job application, while the lady who introduced herself as Ruby took her resume to give to the Sheriff. Vic was picturing an older man with a protruding stomach, who sat behind a desk giving orders.
When Ruby gestured for her to come into his office, she was more than a little surprised by the man who stood up and offered her a tentative smile. He was tall. Over six feet and broad. He was younger than she pictured, maybe late forties. He wasn't handsome in any traditional way, but something in his blue eyes and his weathered face still drew her in. He wasn't an unattractive man at all. When he shook her hand, his palms were rough. He looked comfortable in his jeans and a faded blue denim shirt.
He seemed nice enough, but guarded. Something in his eyes registered as almost…broken. It was hard to explain, just a feeling that ran through her mind.
She heard him inhale deeply and his breathing changed. A few seconds ticked by and he moved, his head lifting the slightest bit. Vic waited until she could tell for sure that he was awake.
"Good morning."
Walt rolled in her direction, his face a little clearer now that he was closer to her and looking at her. Walt cleared his throat.
"Is it morning?"
"It's after five."
He moved again, the sheets rustling around them. His hand landed on her side and slid down to her hip, his finger slipping into the gap where her shirt was riding up from her pants. His hands were warm on her bare skin.
"What has you up so early?"
Vic lifted her head and adjusted her hair out of her face before laying it back down.
"Just…woke up."
"You'll be tired later."
Vic half shrugged.
"Maybe. You're no better. Did I wake you?"
"No, I don't think so."
They lay as the quiet stretched out around them. The only sounds were their breathing. Walt's hand stayed where it was, still tracing a path across her skin. Vic inhaled deeply.
"What're you thinking about?"
She smiled.
"What makes you think I'm thinking?"
In the quiet, she heard a soft laugh escape him.
"That sounds like a riddle. You're quiet."
"Just thinking about today. You. Me. Us."
His hand stilled on her.
"Just? That sounds like a lot."
He could sense the pensive mood that she was in.
"I've just been thinking about how one decision leads to another and you wind up somewhere you never imagined."
He understood what she was saying.
"Yep."
Vic let out a sigh.
"Who would have known when I came into your office for a job interview that we would wind up here. Life is…crazy."
There was nothing he could do except agree with her. When she came into his life, he was only six months outside the death of his wife. His world had been a bleak place with little to look forward to and little desire to live anything resembling a normal life.
"Walter, your appointment is here."
Ruby stood in his doorway, her hand on the knob. The last thing he wanted to do today was sit through another interview. It was becoming his least favorite thing to do. Every time he attempted to hire a deputy, it seemed like the most unqualified people showed up convinced they were perfect for the job. He had pretty much given up on finding someone with law enforcement experience. At this point, he would settle for someone with a little common sense and the ability to handle a gun. He nodded to Ruby, a sense of dread growing in his gut.
"Do we have a resume?"
She gave him a disapproving look. He knew he should already have looked over the resume. He should be taking a stronger interest in the hiring process. But, right now, he found it difficult to care. So, he tasked Ruby with vetting all the possibilities. Ruby crossed the office and dropped a folder on his desk.
"Of course."
Walt offered her a weak smile.
"Send him in."
Ruby smiled slightly.
"It's a she."
With that, she disappeared, leaving his door slightly a jar. A she. That was different. Absaroka County had never employed a female deputy. Walt picked up the folder and flipped it open just as a light tap sounded on his door.
"Come in."
He stood up as she came in and he paused in his motion. Whatever he was expecting, the woman coming to a stop in front of his desk wasn't it. She looked to be in her early to mid-thirties. She was average height and fit with blond hair that was braided, holding it away from her face. Her features were strong and sharp. Her eyes were perceptive and he could read the intelligence they held. The color grabbed his attention. He would call it hazel, but in the midmorning light that filtered in through his office blinds, they looked arrestingly golden. She extended her hand. When looking at her resume, he had only gotten as far as her name. Victoria Moretti.
Walt took her hand and noted the firm grip and the eye contact she made that seemed to linger slightly longer than normal. She released his hand. Walt offered the best smile he could muster.
"Victoria Moretti?"
She nodded and her head tilted slightly, as though she found something amusing.
"It's…Vic. Just Vic, Sheriff."
There didn't seem to be anything 'just' about her. He nodded.
"Walt Longmire. Have a seat, please."
She lowered herself into the chair that was pulled opposite his desk and crossed her legs, letting her hands come to rest in her lap. His eyes shifted down to her resume and began to scan looking for the most pertinent information.
"You're from Philadelphia."
Walt couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice.
"Yes."
"What brings you all the way to Wyoming?"
She shifted ever so slightly in her chair.
"My husband's job. He works for Newett."
Her hands moved, picking at the cuticles around the base of her nails. Again, she shifted in her seat. Walt prided himself on his ability to read body language. It was a vital part of his job. Vic Moretti was guarded. He could see that. Only answering his questions with direct information. Offering nothing more and nothing less. His eyes dropped from her back to her resume.
"Your experience is…impressive."
She smiled, but the gesture never reached her eyes.
"I'm…qualified for this job, Sheriff."
He looked up. There was a confidence in her tone he didn't hear very often.
"You're…actually qualified for my job. But…it's not an election year. So…"
His attempt at a joke was only half-hearted. Another amused look crossed her face. His eyes fell to her paperwork again. Again, she seemed unable to sit still. Silence spread out between them and he could sense something that approached frustration rolling off of her. She lacked patience. He knew that already.
"Is something wrong?"
The question pulled his attention back to her. Her sharp eyes were on him. Walt shook his head.
"No."
He looked at her resume again. Vic tapped one hand on her leg.
"Shouldn't you have already looked at that?"
He looked up.
"Probably."
It was the most honest answer he had. Based on her previous job experience, she was right. She was qualified for the job. That wasn't in question. But, there was a thought he couldn't quite wrap his mind around. A question that lingered.
"Why are you here?"
His question clearly surprised her. She didn't hide her feelings very well, he noted. Or maybe she wasn't bothering.
"Excuse me?"
The reply came out just as sharp as her eyes. He leaned back in his chair and tossed her resume on the desk in front of him. She clearly met the job qualifications. What interested him was the story. Walt clasped his hands into his lap and studied her openly. His eyes were met with her own questioning gaze.
"Let me cut to the chase. This job won't be like what you did back east in a big city. Here…we're never really off duty. It's a small department and a big county. And the pay…"
His voice trailed off, but hers picked up.
"Sucks? Yeah, I read the entire ad. The pay sucks. The hours suck. And the job probably does."
Her directness was startling, yet refreshing on some level he couldn't name.
"Then why do you want it?"
She shrugged and he could see her guard slip slightly.
"Because I need a job. And, you need a deputy. So…what's the deal?"
There it was again.
"No deal. Just…there are other jobs that you are more qualified for. The highway patrol for one. They're always looking for good people and the pay is better."
She smiled, but it wasn't a real smile. There was something almost feral in her expression.
"If you're not gonna hire me, then don't waste my time."
He liked her. In that instant, he knew he was going to hire her.
"Do you plan to stay in Durant?"
"Uh…what do you mean?"
"I mean that I need someone who isn't going to pull up stakes in three months and leave for greener pastures. Someone who can do this job without me babysitting them."
The sharpness of her smile seemed to soften around the edges.
"So, when do I start, Sheriff?"
He smiled. The feeling felt almost foreign to his features.
"Walt. Not Sheriff. Just Walt…is fine."
"You were so hard to read that day."
Vic nodded.
"I was carrying a lot of shit. I didn't want you to know."
"We both were."
Her eyes held his for a long moment. Walt didn't falter under her gaze.
"Would you do something for me?"
Walt's eyes stayed where they were on hers.
"What?"
A half smile pulled at her mouth.
"Tell me something I don't know."
Walt's forehead furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
She smiled fully and encouragingly.
"Tell me something about you that I don't know."
It was a simple request, but complicated. Offhand, it was hard to think of something that she didn't know. Even before becoming intimate, Vic knew him better than most of the people in his life. The list of people he trusted was short. But, she had been on it for almost as long as he had known her. Of course, there were small things. Trivial in nature. It was impossible to know every corner of someone's entire life. But, the big things, the important moments, she knew about those.
His face grew serious.
"When Travis told me that you were pregnant…I was jealous."
She stared at him.
"Of Travis?"
The words came out incredulously.
"Not necessarily. But, that he might be the father. I…some part of me wished it was me."
She huffed out a barely there laugh.
"You never told me that."
"You…had enough on your plate. You didn't need me or my feelings complicating things."
Her eyes were soft as the darkness outside the window slowly began to give way to light. Not knowing if he should, he pressed on.
"I felt like…if the baby was mine…maybe things would've turned out differently. Maybe you would've told me sooner and I…could've taken care of you."
It was a confession she hadn't imagined him conjuring up.
"I should've told you sooner. But…"
Walt waved his hand at her.
"I didn't mean to make you feel that way, Vic. I'm just telling you what I felt."
She nodded, her lips pressing together. Walt shifted on the bed.
"Your turn."
"My turn?"
He smiled at her.
"I told you something. Now, you tell me. Tell me something about you that I don't know."
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.
"Do you remember the girl whose mother was on drugs? And abused?"
Of course, he did. That case was one he would never forget.
"Yep."
"Do you remember how the mother seemed uncomfortable around you. So, you left hoping she would open up to me?"
"Yeah."
Vic licked her lips.
"Almost as soon as you left, Donna came in and I…called her out for waiting until you left to show up. She…we…had a conversation about that…not a nice one…and I told her that you didn't deserve her silence. That you deserved more from her."
It was Walt's turn to stare.
"You're the reason she called me?"
The question hung between them and Vic nodded.
"I guess. She…hated me…but I guess she got the point."
There were a thousand thoughts running through his mind.
"Why?"
She knew what he was asking. Walt was well aware of how she felt about that entire situation. They had discussed it at length.
"I…wanted you to be happy. Even if it wasn't with me."
Walt swallowed. Vic considered him.
"I loved you then, you know."
"I do know. I loved you, too. But, I was in denial."
Vic cleared her throat and sat up all the way. Walt shifted out of her way. She pushed her loose hair back from her face and looked around the room like she was seeing it for the first time.
"This has gotten way too heavy. You want to get up and have breakfast?"
Walt shook his head.
"Not just yet. There's…something I want to talk to you about."
Vic's face grew serious.
"What?"
"I think I know where Cain may be hiding."
Vic stared at him, her mouth opening slightly.
"What?"
Walt sat up farther and leaned in like they were in a crowded room sharing a secret. His eyes met Vic's and her arm brushed his as she moved closer to him.
"His family place is just outside of town. He didn't live there when he was a boy. But, his grandparents did. His parents couldn't afford the upkeep of the place after the grandfather's death and it was sold off. But, it's only ever used for grazing land. No one lives there. There are a couple of old houses on the property and I think there's a good chance that he's in one of them."
Vic gave him a slight scowl.
"Why didn't you tell Cady?"
"For one, I don't know that he's actually there. Two, until the crime lab finishes up, I'm not sure she has enough to hold him."
The frown on her face deepened.
"So…you're gonna what…go after him yourself."
It wasn't a question. She knew him well enough. His silence answered the question when his voice did not.
"Walt, you can't go all vigilante on this. You'll go to jail. Then what's the point of all this? You act like we are planning for a future here. But, if you plan to throw it all away…why bother?"
His eyes held hers, his expression still calm.
"He's going to keep coming. I'm sure of that. You want to just sit around and wait?"
She shrugged.
"Better he come at us than we go at him. Walt, the last time I did something like that, I got shot. And, I was doing it legally. But the consequences…"
"I wasn't intending on your being there."
The comment earned him a sharp look that told him without words he should reconsider that particular plan.
"So, you just go alone. What if you get hurt? Then, I have to kill the son of a bitch and everything is shot to shit. You have to tell Cady."
He sighed at her insistence.
"Vic…"
She shook her head and cut in.
"No, Walt. You tell Cady or I will. I know that you want him to pay for what he's done. I do, too. But…we can't just go off on some…some wild goose chase and hope we come out on top. We can't keep doing stupid shit. At some point, it's gonna bite us in the ass. More than it already has."
She could read the displeasure on his face, but she continued.
"Do you remember when we were staking out the dinosaur place waiting for Shane Muldoon."
Walt nodded, not understanding where she was going.
"Yeah."
"You told me then that you would never have done anything like that while Martha was alive. Why?"
His expression changed and Vic knew her question hit just the way she wanted it to. His expression darkened slightly, but it didn't deter her from pressing on.
"Because you had an obligation to stay alive? Didn't want to leave your wife a widow? Does any of this sound right?"
Walt let out a breath, his eyes shifting away.
"You've made your point."
Vic cocked her head off to the side.
"Have I? Because, if we get married today, then you owe me the same courtesy by not getting killed doing something stupid or reckless. Now, I have followed you into my fair share of those situations. And, if it comes down to it, I'll do it again. But, you cannot go off on your own and do whatever the hell you want. Not anymore."
He studied her.
"What do you want me to do?"
Vic exhaled.
"Be patient. Crazy coming from me, I know. Give Cady time to process this case. You're assuming he's gonna get away with it. If you think you know where he is, tell her. The department can handle it legally."
Walt sighed.
"And if not? What if he comes after us again?"
She could hear in his tone he was certain that would be the actual outcome.
"Then, we have the advantage of being ready this time. And, acting in self defense."
Walt was quiet as the morning continued to dawn around them. Finally, he nodded his agreement.
"Okay."
Vic bumped him with her arm.
"Okay?"
His head bobbed again.
"We'll do this your way. For now."
The words came out slow and deliberate. She could tell he wasn't happy to what he was agreeing to. But, she really didn't care as long as he held up his end of the bargain.
Vic halfway smiled.
"For now?"
Walt gave her a serious look.
"I don't like to make promises I can't keep. I won't stand by and let him hurt you."
Vic reached out and placed her hand on his leg.
"I'm not asking you to. I am asking you to trust the very system that you once ran. Give it time."
He placed his hand over hers and squeezed lightly, silently granting her what she was asking him for.
8:32 AM
Will Cain paced the small dilapidated structure. Once upon a time, his uncle lived here. The main house closer to the road wasn't in much better shape, but he felt more secure here. Better protected for anyone that might come looking. The simple one room home was never much to look at, but he could hear someone approaching much more clearly. Considering what he had done, he was on guard. He was prepared to die during all of this, but not before he accomplished what it was he really wanted.
To see Walt Longmire suffer.
Once he took the brazen step of setting the man's home on fire, he had little choice but to abandon his motel room. Not that the cheap, smelly room was all that nice. But, it was warm. This place was cold. Freezing really. There was no source of heat other than the old fireplace. He built a small fire. As long as he stayed in front of it, the situation was tolerable. He had suffered a lot in his life. This cold wasn't going to derail his plan.
He half expected Longmire to show up. He was also fairly certain the police would be looking for him. At some point, their investigation would show that it was arson. As someone who they had run ins with recently, he would be a clear suspect. They would want to question him, even if they couldn't hold him.
For now, he was safer here. Biding his time. He was a little disappointed that both occupants of the cabin escaped unscathed. But, he wasn't surprised. They were both intelligent, industrious people who were accustomed to dealing with emergencies.
Cain walked to the broken window and looked out. When he was a boy, he lived in town. But, his time off from school or chores was always spent here with his grandparent and his uncle. He felt closer to them than he did his own parents during that time. He hated that they sold off this place. It still burned a fire in his gut.
It made him feel somewhat nostalgic being here now. It reminded him of a time in his life when he was happy. Maybe the only time in his life that he had ever been happy. He sure as hell hadn't been happy since then. With a sigh, he turned away from the window. If Walt Longmire didn't kill him, this damn Wyoming winter just might.