The mystery continues. Walt's not done counting coup. These are my crazy theories and the workings of my imagination. Hope you enjoy. I will finish up the chapters before Monday's finale.
Vic and I wrap up the evening and say good night. I want to thank her for being true but I don't know quite how to say the right words so I mutter a pathetic, "Thanks, Vic, for everything."
She nods and leaves. I really want to chase after her, in the literal sense, but I resign to the reality of my life. I can't offer her what she needs, not right now, and I want her to be ready too. I decide to sleep at the station and get a fresh uninterrupted start in the morning.
Ruby gently knocks on my door and lets herself in. I don't know why she knocks she never waits for me to say anything but I smile because Ruby is one of a kind. A special woman in my life.
"Walt it's almost 11:30 don't forget you are having lunch with your daughter today."
"Just wrapping things up." I haven't spent much time with Cady except a hit and miss here and there discussing Henry's case but she called me and said she needed to see me and I won't miss any more opportunities to spend time with my baby girl.
I place my O'Farrell on my dome with precision, throw on my jacket, and head out to the Busy Bee.
"Hi, Sheriff. Cady is at the back table waiting for you."
"Thanks." I turn up the corners of my mouth in quick acknowledgment.
"Hi, punk." I light up at seeing her. What a beautiful and smart woman she has become. I am so proud of her defending her Godfather.
"Hi, Dad".
I kiss her on the cheek. She feels the white thread holding my jacket sleeve together from Chance's 9mm. She looks at me with concern but doesn't say a word.
"What's up."
"Dad, I think there's something going on in Henry's case that I can quite figure out. There are too many odd things happening and I don't want to be an alarmist but you know there's too much riding on this for me to make mistakes."
"Like what"
"Well, I just got back from an informal hearing with the judge and they are moving up Henry's trial date from 6 weeks to 2 weeks. Well, that doesn't just happen. I don't know Dad my instincts are telling me something is off but I don't know what."
"Why did they say they were moving it up?"
"The detective would be out of state"
"So why not delay it until her returns?"
"Exactly. I don't know what is going on."
"They are talking about Fales, right?"
"Yes, I assume so."
I sit and soak in the words.
"Oh, I ordered you a chicken salad sandwich. Hope you don't mind. I am starving."
"No, no. That's good. Thanks, punk"
"Cady, it's always bothered me that Fales never took any time to investigate your Mom's murder. None at all. "
"Did you ever ask him about it?"
"Yeah, he said it wasn't his case."
"Did you believe him?"
"I don't know if I did or didn't you know. I had so much on my mind. When you went to Denver did he say anything to you?"
"Just about the $700.00 and Mom's purse but he never indicated he was investigating Mom's case."
"This whole thing just stinks."
"Dad, what are we going to do?"
"Dunno."
Our food comes and with it a fresh brewed glass of iced tea. I suck down the first one and my glass is quickly refilled. I sit and stare at my sandwich and slowly start to eat. My stomach is tight with anxiety and the burdens I carry. I let Martha down. I let Henry down. I let Branch down. I haven't protected any one of them. I start to take a bite of my sandwich but my throat closes with tightness. I take a deep breath and look down at my plate then back up to Cady.
"Dad, are you ok?"
"Yeah, just disappointed."
She looks quizzically. "Disappointed?"
"Yeah, with myself and this whole situation."
"You are doing everything you can do."
"I need to think."
"That's what we are doing."
"No, I need to just think"
"Finish your sandwich. I know you aren't taking care of yourself. Then you can go think." Cady pauses, " I remember when I was little how you would go off on your own and think. Mom, would say it was so we could have girl time and we would paint our nails and play with our hair. You know it wasn't until I was much older that I figured out that Mom did that so I wouldn't think you didn't want to be with us, to be with me, because you kinda like to be alone when you have so much going on. You never really let us into the inner sanctum."
I look up at Cady hearing the story for the first time and feel just a bit more grateful for the wondrous woman I loved and a lot more guilty for having failed her.
"Come with me?"
"What?" Cady is a taken aback.
"Come..let's go for a drive…"
"k"
I drop down a $20 on the table and we walk across the street and hop in the Bullet. The cab is silent. Nothing is said between us and I hit the open road. I drive, laying down the miles, until I get into the empty vast space. No noise. My mind mimics my surroundings. Clarity, so I can connect the dots but feeling so much better because Cady is by my side.