Warning: Foul mouthed Vic ahead.

"Dorothy sent the usual." I look up to see Vic standing in the doorway holding a paper bag.

"She did?

Vic shrugs her shoulders, "I got hungry. I didn't know how long you would be here with Branch and I didn't want to wait...Besides, I figured you might not want to be out in public having to field questions right now. Word travels pretty fast around here. The whole town is talking about the news that Barlow Connally got hurt after trying to shoot his son and was then arrested while getting stitched up at the hospital."

She places the bag on the desk and stands there with her arms crossed.

"Is there something else?"

"Are you going to leave me hanging, here? How'd it go with Branch?"

"As well as could be expected. I'm not sure he felt better knowing that Barlow's vendetta against me goes way back to before he was born. I'm afraid it may have opened up more questions than it answered for him. I encouraged him to go talk to Lucian about it."

"You sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, actually I do. I offered to go with him to tell Lucian what happened, but he insisted on going himself. He headed over there a few minutes ago to try to catch him before the gossip train over at Snow Cap Vista hits Lucian head on."

"Maybe Lucian's already heard what his brother's done."

"No, he would have called the station if he had. Lucian wouldn't be able to hear something like that and just sit on it."

I open the sack of food and look inside, "Where's yours?"

"I ate there, don't like my fries to get soggy."

"You hate to eat at the Bee by yourself."

"Yeah, well, I guess today I hated the idea of soggy fries more."

The intercom on the phone sounded, "Walt?"

"Yes Ruby?"

"I just got a call from Widow Carver out on North Pinnacle Road. She said she was working out in her yard and heard rustling from the brush behind her burn pile. She's concerned it's some critter and is worried about it getting after her cat. Wants to know if you'll come check it out."

"I'll go Ruby."

"Thanks Vic." The phone intercom clicked off.

"You don't have to go, I know how uncomfortable you are around Mrs. Carver with her calling you sweetheart and patting your hand all the time. I can take the call."

"No, eat your lunch. I can suck it up and go. The last time I was there she gave me an apple pie to take home that had an honest to goodness homemade crust. You can't pay money for that shit."

"Fair enough."

"You taking the afternoon off like I suggested?"

"I'm thinking about it."

"Hmm, doesn't sound too promising."

"Mrs. Carver is waiting, Vic."

"Okay, Okay, I'm going."

"Hey Vic?"

She turns back, "Yeah?"

"Thanks for staying."

She scuffs at the floor with her boot, "Yeah, well, where the fuck else am I going to go?"

I laugh, "Well, there's that, but uh, I really meant what I said on the phone this morning. If you hadn't been there last night, who knows what I would have gone and done. I wasn't thinking straight."

She keeps her face turned down but looks up at me through her eyelashes, "You talking about before or after you started kissing my neck?"

I clear my throat, "Uh, before, when I was ready to go shoot Barlow right between the eyes. All I wanted was revenge. You pulled me out of it."

She moves to close the office door and walks back to my desk placing both her hands on the front edge and leaning in towards me, "You're welcome, but don't think we aren't going to eventually get back to what you started there in Henry's office last night. You don't get to do that and then just walk away and pretend it never happened."

It's hard to stay calm with her so close, looking me straight in the eye. Since arriving at the office this morning, I have focused on the situation with Barlow and been able to compartmentalize my feelings for Vic. Now, I can think of nothing but her. It's making my head start to spin and I fight to keep my voice steady, "I'm counting on it."

She breaks out in a grin, "Good."

She stands upright and swings her hips more than usual as she moves toward the door, "I'm going to get some apple pie."

Boy Howdy.

I finish my lunch and decide to take advantage of Vic's absence to go see Barlow. She will be pissed when she finds out that not only am I going to see him today but that I'm not taking her with me. However, the threat of her anger doesn't sway me.

I pause on the way out the door, "I'm heading to Cumberland County Ruby. Ferg, you're in charge until Vic gets back." I head down the stairs and out the Sheriff's department door to find Henry sitting on the bench outside.

"I thought you left after our strategy meeting this morning."

"I did."

"You came back."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To accompany you to Cumberland County"

I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously, "Did Vic call you?"

Henry sighs deeply, "Is it that much of a stretch that I might know what my best friend would do the first spare moment he has after finding out who is responsible for killing his wife?"

"I guess not."

Henry stands, "Well then, are you driving or am I?