All Paths Lead to You

by jmd0820

With Cady as Sheriff and Walt retired, a new era has begun in Absaroka County. With a new crime to solve and the appearance of someone from Walt's past, all of their resolve will be tested as will the bonds, both old and new, that they all share.

3. Are you found?

Ch. 3: Are you found?

"Please tell me that's the autopsy report."

Cady's eyes were on the envelope in Vic's hand. Vic entered Cady's office and extended the envelope as she approached the desk.

"It is."

Cady took it and looked up at Vic.

"Did you read it?"

"No, but Weston briefed me on his findings."

Cady pulled the report out and tossed the envelope onto her desk. She gave Vic an expectant look.

"So?"

Vic lowered herself into a chair opposite Cady's desk.

"You don't want to read it for yourself?"

"I will, but I would like your take."

Vic settled into the chair as Cady started to shuffle through the papers.

"Weston guesses the victim to be between twenty-five and thirty. She's white. He found…"

Vic paused.

"…ligature marks indicating strangulation. There's bruising on her back, arms, and hands. The bruising on her back is likely from a fall or being dropped. He thinks it happened at the same time as the wound on her head."

"She did have a head wound."

Vic nodded in affirmation of her earlier thoughts.

"Yeah. That was her most likely cause of death, not the strangulation. The bruises on her hands and arms are defensive wounds. She fought back. He scraped underneath her fingernails for DNA, but doesn't have the results back on that. He took her fingerprints. So, we can run those and maybe get an ID. Ferg has been checking missing person reports, but he hasn't found anything yet."

"Maybe someone doesn't know she's missing."

"It's possible. Weston thinks she was killed the night we found her. There were no signs of sexual assault. Her clothes were on and intact."

Vic went quiet and Cady considered the papers in her hands.

"So…she was strangled and beaten. Then she received a blow to the head."

"Yeah. The pattern of the injuries looks like she may have fallen, or been pushed, backwards and hit her head. That could've happened elsewhere or at the river. There was no obvious site at the river of a rock with a lot of blood on it. But…with all the water, there wouldn't be. I would lean towards the actual crime happening somewhere else. That part of the river is hard to access and she was not dressed for the weather. Jeans, a sweatshirt, fleece jacket, and sneakers. Hard to believe she would voluntarily go out there in this cold. She could've been taken there, I guess."

Cady tapped the fingers of one hand on her leg as she thought over the details.

"Is he running toxicology?"

"Yeah, but that will take some time."

Vic bit her lip and waited for Cady to absorb the information. It was her first body like this since taking office as Sheriff and Vic knew how it felt. Even though her first experience with this type of crime was years ago back in Philly, the feelings were easy enough to recall. Of course, she grew up in a city where crimes like this weren't a rarity and there was likely some sense of desensitization before she ever became a cop. Cady grew up in a different world. Even with a father as the Sheriff, violent crime wasn't as prevalent in places like this. Although, Absaroka County received more than its fair share over the past few years.

Quiet spread out around them as Cady sat.

"Are you okay?"

Vic ventured the question in a low voice. Cady looked up.

"Yes."

Vic could hear the confidence Cady tried to inject in her voice. She could also detect the undertones that told an entirely different story. Vic dismissed the answer.

"I would like to say that you get used to it, but…you don't. You shouldn't. Death like this should never be easy."

Cady gave her a long look before slipping the report back into the envelope and standing up. She handed it back to Vic, who also stood up.

"Here. You read through it. Once you're done, I'll have a better look at it."

Vic nodded.

"Sure."

Cady came around her desk and headed for the door. Vic followed along beside her until they reached the open doorway.

"I think I'll walk over to the Busy Bee and grab some breakfast. Didn't eat this morning. Did you?"

"Not unless you consider a cup of coffee breakfast."

Cady smiled a little at the response.

"Then…I'll get something for us all."

Vic's brows went up.

"Two days in a row. Keep that up and we'll have unrealistic expectations."

There was a teasing note in Vic's voice. Cady's smile widened, clearly grateful for the change in topic as well as the shift in mood.

"I'll grab some coffee, too. Dorothy's will be better than what we have."

Vic made a face thinking about the cheap coffee they made in the ancient coffee pot that sat in the office.

"Motor oil is better than what we have."

"True enough. I'll be back in a bit."

Cady pulled on her coat and left the office. Vic took the autopsy report and returned to her own desk. Taking a seat, she looked out the window in time to see Cady appear in view and pause on the sidewalk. Vic could admit she had been apprehensive about the idea of Cady as Sheriff when Walt first brought it up. Cady was a lawyer by education and trade. While she was obviously well versed in the law, Vic wondered if she had the stomach for this side of things. It was a vastly different world than courtrooms and litigation.

Vic turned her attention back to the report in front of her. This was easily the worst part of the job. What she had said to Cady was the truth. In all her time, she hadn't ever gotten used to death. She just got better at detaching herself. Lately, that didn't feel as true as it once did. It created questions in her own mind. That was something she didn't want to get into right now.

She would leave that rabbit hole for later.

xxx

"We have a match on the prints."

The declaration came from Ferg just before lunchtime. He sat at the desk across from Vic typing away on the new laptop that Cady had procured. With an eye towards efficiency once she took office, Cady had lobbied for a more substantial budget that would allow for some updates to the office. With admirable negotiation, she'd managed to get most of what she wanted.

As much as Vic appreciated Walt's sharp mind and investigative abilities, some technology was a welcome change. It certainly added a level of fluidity to certain tasks.

Vic rose from her desk as Ferg rotated the laptop to give her a better view as she came around his desk to join him. Ferg leaned back in his chair to give her space. Vic leaned in and peered at the screen.

"Natalie Olson. She's got a record."

"Shoplifting."

Ferg provided the answer to her next thought before her eyes found it on the mugshot that she was looking at. The picture she was looking at of their victim in life didn't paint much more than a bleak picture.

"Can you print this out?"

Ferg nodded and tapped the keys. Vic left his desk and walked over to the printer to wait. The machine hummed to life and two sheets of paper were expelled with the picture and details of the woman's past. Vic snatched up the papers and looked over them, her eyes moving swiftly over words.

"Two separate incidents of shoplifting. The most recent was last year. She's…she was twenty-six."

Not exactly a kid, but still young.

The eyes that looked up at her from the paper were haunted with what looked like dark shadows underneath them. Shoplifting was hardly the act of a hardened criminal. Vic saw something in the expression that was world weary. Natalie Olson was young in years, not so much in life. Vic had seen it enough times.

"Did you find anything on next of kin?"

"Not yet. Shouldn't be hard now that we have a name."

Vic nodded and made a face.

"Her last known address was in Nashville? What in the hell was she doing in Wyoming of all places?"

"Maybe she's from here. Or…passing through."

"Yeah, that really narrows it down."

Ferg tossed her look and returned his attention to his computer. Vic took the printouts to her own desk and took a seat. Ferg was right about one thing. Now that they had a name, the rest was only a matter of time.

By the time Cady returned from a meeting with the County Commission, they had a much better picture of who this young woman was. As soon as the door closed behind Cady, Vic was on her feet.

"Hey, we know who our victim is."

Cady removed her coat.

"You have background?"

"Yep."

Vic followed Cady into her office.

"Ferg came up with her name and arrest record. Natalie Olson, aged 26. The last address on file is in Nashville. But…she was originally from Denver."

"What was she arrested for?"

"Shoplifting. Twice in the past two years. First time, the charges were dropped. Second time, she got probation. We also found her mother…Delores Reid. She currently lives in Phoenix."

"Any idea what she was doing here?"

"No, but…"

Vic paused and took a breath.

"…she's not from here and as far as we can tell, her family isn't here. This isn't exactly the most touristy part of Wyoming. We get people coming in for the casino and we get the people who are the hikers and campers looking for a spot away from the crowds. This woman doesn't strike me as someone who was here for the casino or camping."

"What are you getting at?"

"People around here fall into three categories for the most part outside of tourists. You've got the locals who were born here, the ones passing through on their way to somewhere else, and the ones who are trying to get away from something. There's…not much in between. With a few exceptions, no one looks at Durant on the map and decides to just move here."

"You moved here."

Vic gave Cady a wry smile.

"You just proved my point. This woman just didn't fall out of the sky. She got here somehow. We need to look for impounded cars. Maybe she drove herself."

"She might've been with someone."

"Maybe. Let's check this out, though."

"Sure. Do you have a number for the mother?"

Vic hesitated.

"We do."

Cady seemed to steel herself for what Vic knew was coming.

"I'll make the call and do the notification."

Vic bit her bottom lip.

"You sure? I can do it."

Cady seemed to have already made the choice.

"No, I'll do it. It's part of the job."

Maybe the worst part. There was nothing that came close to telling a complete stranger that their loved one was dead. Not in Vic's mind.

Vic dipped her chin.

"Okay. I will start checking impound lots in the area to see if any cars were towed. I'll also check with HP to see if any cars were reported abandoned."

"Sounds good."

Vic retrieved the phone number for Cady and pulled the door closed behind her. There was a familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach and an ache that was starting up in her head. Through the door, she heard the low murmur of Cady's voice as she started to speak to someone.

Vic walked over to her own desk and looked out the window. From in here, you couldn't tell how cold it was outside. For some reason, that observation struck her and refused to vacate her mind.

xxx

Walt was reading when his cell phone rang. He marked his place in the paperback and set it on the coffee table as he rose and crossed the distance to his desk where the phone still sat. He recognized the number almost immediately and it was no surprise.

Vic.

Even though he still had a landline, she called him almost exclusively on the phone that was small enough to fit in his pocket. Walt answered the phone and brought it to his ear.

"Hey."

"What're you doing?"

"Reading."

"Hmm. Me too. Wish mine was fiction, though."

He didn't doubt that.

"Working on your case?"

"Yeah."

She didn't seem overly talkative, yet he knew she called him for a reason.

"How's it going?"

"Slow. You know how it is."

"I do. You working late?"

"I don't think so."

"You don't think so?"

"No…"

Her voice trailed off momentarily.

"…the case won't get solved any faster if I stay an extra hour. We're just…doing all the legwork, you know? Getting as much information as we can."

"You know who it is?"

"Yeah, we do. Cady…called the family earlier."

"Cady?"

"Yep. She wanted to and it is part of her job."

"Yeah."

"Anyway…I'll be leaving in about an hour."

"Okay. Want anything particular to eat?"

"No. Whatever is fine."

As little as she was actually telling him, Walt knew her well enough to piece together her mood. He'd worked with her on these cases before. She was tired and she wanted to disconnect from it as much as possible. He didn't blame her. It was somewhat of a survival tactic, a coping mechanism.

"You want to eat out?"

"No."

The answer came quickly and decisively. That didn't surprise him. She would want to relax and shed her cop exterior. It was easier to do that in private than it was in public.

"I can pick up something on the way."

The offer lacked substance.

"No, that's alright. I'll make something. Maybe breakfast…or soup."

"And here I thought I was indecisive."

Walt smiled.

"I'll figure something out."

A beat of silence passed between them before she answered.

"Thank you."

Like many things between them, the words were layered with more meaning than just the obvious. No explanation was required. He liked that. He wasn't always good at expressing himself.

Vic cleared her throat.

"I'll see you in a while."

"Okay."

Vic ended the call and Walt set his phone back on the desk. His eyes roamed over to the spot on the couch he had just vacated. There was still time for him to read if she were working for another hour and considering the drive home. He wasn't in the mood anymore, though. Walt left the book where it lay and decided to build the fire up. That occupied a few minutes of his time.

Once he was done, Walt went into the kitchen and washed his hands. He considered the newly restocked cabinets and refrigerator trying to decide what to make for dinner. Due to the cold weather, he opted to make beef and vegetable soup. It seemed to fit.

Walt spent the next while preparing the vegetables and browning the meat. Once he had the soup going, he left it to simmer on the stove and walked back into the living room. The sun was sinking low in the sky and that would only make it colder out. So, he brought in a couple armloads of wood and stacked it over by the fireplace. That would be enough to keep him from having to go outside during the night in order to bring in firewood.

As he wiped his hands off on his pants, the phone rang. Not his cell, but the landline. Walt glanced at the number. It wasn't familiar and it wasn't a local number. He answered on the third ring.

"Hello."

Walt was met with silence on the other end of the line. There was no real background noise that he could detect.

"Hello?"

Walt tried one more time. There was still no response. Before he could hang up, there was a click and a dial tone. Walt set the phone back into its cradle with little more than a shrug. It was more than likely either a wrong number or someone playing a prank. Neither interested him.

Walt looked at his watch. It was nearly time for Vic.

He returned to the kitchen and checked the soup. The broth was bubbling and it smelled good. He turned off the heat and left it to sit for a while longer. From where he was in the kitchen, he heard what he knew was Vic's truck pulling in and parking. A minute later, the door opened and closed. That was followed by the sound of her locking the door and her boots walking over the wooden floor in his direction.

"Hey."

She was behind him then and he felt her hands on his back. She ran her palms around his side and they met at his stomach. Walt turned in the embrace so that he was facing her. Vic kissed him before he was able to say anything. The kiss was soft and not demanding. When she pulled back, her eyes stayed closed.

"Hey."

Vic opened her eyes and released her hold on him.

"Smells good."

"It's ready if you're hungry?"

"I'm starving. Skipped lunch."

"Want a beer?"

"Maybe four."

He huffed out a laugh as he retrieved two cans from the fridge. Vic was still dressed in her uniform. She had unbuttoned the shirt and revealed the gray thermal top that she wore underneath. Her hair still hung from a ponytail, but several strands had pulled loose during the day. She looked tired as he expected with a telling darkness beneath her eyes.

"You look tired."

Vic took a seat at the small table with her bowl and the can of Ranier that he passed her.

"Thanks."

The comment was as dry as he knew it would be based on the look she gave him. Walt let that one go and they started to eat.

"How was your day?"

Vic lifted her eyes from her food.

"It sucked."

"Want to talk about it?"

Vic shook her head.

"Not really. How was your day?"

"Nothing special."

Vic swallowed the soup in her mouth and set her spoon in the bowl with a clink. She took a drink from her can of beer and set it down.

"Aren't we exciting."

Walt smiled a bit.

"Do you need excitement?"

"No, I get enough of that at work."

She started eating again and finished off her soup. Rising, she carried it to the stove and spooned in more. Vic sat back down and rested her arms on the table while it cooled.

"This is good. I see you went to the store."

Now that she had some food in her, she seemed to feel better and more relaxed.

"Yep. This morning. Ran into Cady at the Busy Bee."

"She mentioned that. You didn't do anything else?"

"Just some stuff around here."

"Maybe I should retire."

"It would drive you crazy. You are not an idle person."

"Neither are you. You find things to do."

"I can sit for more than ten minutes without getting antsy."

Vic rolled her eyes at his comment. She picked up her spoon and stirred it through the soup. Walt finished his, but made no move to get any more. Instead, he sat with his eyes on Vic while she ate her second bowl slower than the first. There were questions there he wasn't voicing.

"We got the autopsy report."

She said it out of the blue. Walt wasn't phased.

"What happened?"

Vic let her spoon fall into her bowl and pushed it away.

"She was strangled. Looks like she fought back."

"That her cause of death?"

"No, head injury."

"Intentional?"

Vic shrugged.

"Doesn't really matter based on what she looked like. It's obvious someone was hurting her."

That wasn't entirely true. It could matter to a jury in court. That wasn't her concern just then.

They both stood up and carried their dishes to the sink to rinse them. Vic gave Walt a look.

"Want me to wash them since you cooked?"

"Don't worry about it now."

His hand closed over her wrist and tugged her in his direction. Vic tipped her neck back so that she could look up at him. His pupils were slightly wider than normal. He brought his right hand up and touched her face with the tip of his index finger.

"I did miss you…while I was gone."

"Did you?"

"Yep."

Except for that morning, it was the first quiet moment they'd had since he got back the night before.

"That's good to know."

He took both sides of her open shirt and pulled.

"C'mon. Let's go to bed."

Vic knew from his tone that he didn't have any intention of sleeping. That was fine by her.

xxx

Walt was dozing when the phone rang. Had he been sleeping more heavily, he wouldn't have heard it from the living room. It was the cabin phone, not his cell. Beside him, Vic was sleeping with her head pushed into the pillow, the blanket halfway down her bare back. He resisted the urge to let his eyes linger on her and got up with a grunt.

His bare feet made little noise as he walked into the living room and answered the phone just before the answering machine picked up.

"Hello."

The would be greeting came out gruffly.

Like earlier in the day, there was no answer. There was no background noise. Just silence on the other end of the line. Walt frowned. He didn't bother trying again. He just hung up the phone and returned to bed.

Back in the bedroom, he found Vic had moved. She was still on her stomach, but with her head now turned in his direction and her eyes open.

"Who was on the phone?"

Her voice was thick with drowsiness.

"No one."

Vic lifted her head slightly and peered at him as he settled back into his spot.

"Hang up?"

"Something like that. Go back to sleep."

She didn't close her eyes. She lowered her head back to the pillow and continued to look at him with a sleepy expression.

"What time is it?"

Walt looked over at the clock.

"After eleven."

They'd been asleep longer than he thought.

"Mmm."

Vic closed her eyes and he could see her start to relax back into sleep.

Then, the phone rang again.

Vic's eyes opened.

"Seriously?"

Walt started to get up, but Vic surprised him by moving faster.

"Let me."

She was suddenly more awake than he would've thought possible as she took long strides into the living room and snatched up the phone.

"What?"

He heard her sharp reply into the phone and winced slightly. After a few seconds, she slammed it back into the cradle. She didn't come back immediately. Instead, she stood there and waited as though she was expecting the phone to ring again.

It did not.

Vic reappeared in the bedroom door.

"Assholes."

"Thought it might be a wrong number."

Vic slipped back under the covers.

"You don't dial a wrong number twice and not say anything. Well, smart people don't."

Vic stretched out on her back and looked up at the ceiling.

"If it rings again, I'm unplugging it. I don't know why you keep it anyway. You don't need it."

It wasn't a new conversation. She'd already questioned why he kept a landline when he had a cell phone. Other than out of habit and because he liked the idea, he didn't have a reason that satisfied her.

"Not everyone has my cell number."

"Give it to them. It's not a secret that you have it. You know…no one uses landlines anymore. Well…besides you."

"Do you have statistics on that?"

She cut her eyes in his direction.

"Smartass."

Walt resisted the urge to smile at her. It would only rile her up more.

"You should get some sleep."

Vic rolled onto her side again.

"I was sleeping until the damn phone rang."

"Sorry."

Vic sighed.

"It's not your fault."

She shifted closer to him and he felt her hand slide across the skin of his stomach.

"You know…"

She sounded more awake than she should have.

"…you never told me why you and Henry came back early."

"I did. The fishing wasn't good. And, I missed you. Remember."

Vic rolled her eyes at his answer.

"And?"

She waited.

"Henry had some casino business."

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask the details."

"You talk to him today?"

"No."

"Walt…"

She paused and he felt her inhale a breath.

"It's not about the casino."

"You sure about that."

"Yes. He didn't volunteer the information. I didn't ask."

"He tries not to bring that up with you."

"I told him to take the job."

"I know. I also know how much you don't like that casino."

"It's not about the casino."

"Okay."

"I understand that the casino is beneficial to the reservation."

"And the economy."

"Right."

"I'm not a fan either. Mainly because of the dumbasses it brings to town, but you got to admit that the money is good for the county. And the reservation."

"Money isn't everything."

"Yeah…well…it hasn't exactly hurt us at work either. A county that has money is a little more willing to share than one that doesn't."

"I know."

Walt didn't have any idea how this conversation had taken such a turn in such a short amount of time. Vic kept her eyes on him.

"Good."

"I also know that you should get some sleep."

"I know that, too."

She offered him a smile and pressed her mouth to his arm. She lay her head up against him, her hair tickling his skin.

"I'll give it my best shot."

xxx

She did fall back to sleep, and she didn't wake up until the morning. When's Vic's eyes opened the next morning, the first thing she noticed was that Walt was already up. No surprise there. Vic reached over and grabbed her cellphone from the nightstand to check the time. Replacing the phone, she ran her hands over her face.

She pushed the covers off and planted her feet on the floor. The bedroom door was open and the room was warm. That told her Walt already built the fire back up. She was grateful for the warmth. Slowly, Vic got up and collected her clothes to dress. As usual, she pulled on a thermal shirt and then her uniform shirt. Once her jeans and socks were on, she wandered into the kitchen where she expected to find Walt.

The kitchen was empty. She smelled the coffee he'd already made and poured herself a cup, stirring in sugar. Vic took a sip, set the mug on the counter, and started to button up her uniform shirt. From the living room, she heard the front door open and close. Walt's boots crossed the floor and he appeared in her sight.

"Morning."

He greeted her the way he always did.

"Hey. I wondered where you were."

Walt gestured.

"I was loading a few tools in the Bronco. Henry asked me to help him make a few repairs at the Red Pony."

"Can't he afford to hire someone?"

"Yes. He likes to do things himself."

Vic smirked a bit at him.

"Sounds like someone else I know."

"Least you know it's done right. You want some breakfast?"

"No thanks. I'll make some toast."

Walt nodded as she started to pull out the bread and place it in the toaster. She really wasn't hungry, but knew that lunch was a long time away and there were no guarantees she would even have time to eat.

"So…what needs repairing?"

"Back corner of the roof."

Vic continued to sip her coffee.

"Oh…you'll be on a ladder. Don't fall."

"I'll try."

Vic huffed out a laugh and rolled her eyes. Her toast popped up and she grabbed it, dropping it on a plate to wait while she buttered it. Walt watched as she completed the task and took a bite.

"It's Friday."

Vic looked his way and swiped a hand across her mouth.

"I heard. So?"

"You think you're gonna work this weekend?"

Vic chewed a bite of her food while she thought about the question. The likely answer was yes since they were investigating a death. The idea of working all weekend wasn't appealing.

"Probably some. Why? You got plans?"

Walt shook his head.

"No. No plans."

Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. The fact that Walt didn't just say what he was thinking could be a source of never-ending frustration. Even though he'd gotten better over their time together, there was still progress to be made. Or, he had advanced as far as he intended to on that particular front.

"Are you trying to make plans?"

"No."

Vic sighed. He seemed to sense her annoyance.

"Just curious."

Vic accepted that even though she preferred answers that were less vague. She finished up her sparse breakfast.

"I hope I don't have to work all weekend. You know how it goes."

"I do. Maybe we can get some dinner."

"We always eat dinner."

Walt's expression didn't change.

"Out."

"Like Red Pony out or…"

The question was open ended.

"No, out."

"You have something in mind?"

"There's a new place in Sheridan…"

Vic broke in.

"Walt, let me help you here. Listen."

She cleared her throat.

"Hey, Vic, you want to get some dinner this weekend? There's a new place in Sheridan I would like to try?"

She stopped and cocked her head to one side, a smile tugging at her mouth.

"See how easy that was?"

Walt smiled a bit and his eyes dropped from hers.

"Yeah."

Vic shook her head.

"I don't know how you ever got married."

Vic placed her mug in the sink and walked up to him, stopping just in front of him. Reaching up, she placed her hand on his chest and looked up into his face. The eye contact was strong. That was how she preferred it.

"Dinner sounds great."

They both knew the plans were tenuous with the unpredictability of her job. If it didn't work out, they would try again on a different day.

She smiled at him, satisfied with the lesson she just imparted on him and gave him a slight shove.

"See? No problem."

A look of amusement crossed over Walt's face.

"Right."

They were interrupted by the ringing of Vic's phone. With a sigh, she reached back and pulled it from her back pocket. She glanced at the number on the screen.

"It's Cady."

Walt stepped away as she answered the phone.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Are you on your way?"

"Bout to be. Why?"

"We got a call this morning from a man who found an abandoned car on his property."

"You think it belongs to our victim?"

"I think we need to find out."

Vic was already moving.

"I'm on it."

xxx

"When did you find it?"

The older man held a blue cap in his hand, bunching it up over and over. He was nervous. That much was obvious. He'd introduced himself to her as Morris Franklin and owned a large swath of land near the edge of the county. The very edge. Vic was starting to wonder if the man even knew what county he lived in when she finally spotted the dented mailbox nailed to a post marking the address she had been given over the phone.

"This morning. I was out taking a walk and noticed the tire tracks."

The tire tracks he spoke of were on the southern side of his property and away from the small house that he lived in alone. The car looked as though it had been pulled into a stand of bare trees and left.

"You don't walk this way every day?"

Morris shook his head.

"No. All this…"

He waved his arm around.

"…is mine and I'm not as young as I used to be. Can't get around like I once did."

Vic turned away from him and considered the car. It was an older model small sedan that wasn't much to look at. At one time, the paint would have been red. Now, it was faded from the weather and there were rust spots splotched on the hood and trunk. She pulled a pair of gloves from her pocket and tugged them on while Morris watched her with unabashed curiosity.

"You think it's stolen."

Vic walked over and pulled on the door handle nearest her, the front passenger side. It was locked.

"Don't know."

That wasn't entirely true, of course.

Vic walked around the car and tried the driver's door. It opened and Vic stepped back. Carefully, she leaned into the car and looked around. As far as she could see, nothing seemed amiss or odd. The car smelled faintly of cigarette smoke. There were fast food containers and empty water bottles tossed in the back floorboard. She didn't see any personal items such as a phone or wallet.

Vic withdrew from the car and pulled the gloves off. Morris was still watching her.

"You didn't bring a tow truck with you. How you gonna get it out of here?"

Vic faced him.

"We'll get it towed. I need to check it out first, though."

"Didn't you just do that?"

Vic ignored the question.

"Have you seen anyone around here lately you don't know?"

He was quiet for a minute or two as he thought.

"No. No, can't say that I have. Should I be worried?"

Vic shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. Do you…"

She glanced around, pretty sure what the answer to her next question would be.

"…have any cameras on your property?"

He gave her a questioning look.

"Cameras?"

"Yeah, cameras. You know…to show you who's been in and out."

"Oh…no, nothing like that."

Vic looked back at the car and bit her bottom lip. She did need to call for a tow. But, before the car could be moved, she would need pictures of both the interior and exterior. She would also need to do a more thorough search. She preferred to do that without an audience. If someone was trying to get rid of a car in a hurry, this was as good a place as any around here. It wasn't anywhere near where the body was found, but that could be intentional. She didn't like that thought. It led to the possibility that this was someone who was calm and might know what they were doing.

Vic pushed the thoughts out of her head. There was no reason to jump to conclusions. There was a method to follow and she would do that. Vic glanced back over at the gray haired man who was still clutching his cap in his hand and watching her with a crease in his forehead. He would, no doubt, be anxious to tell this story to his friends.

"This…"

She started talking again, ready for him to leave her to work.

"…could take a while."

She saw a slight tick in his face. He knew she was trying to get rid of him.

"Right."

The man jammed his cap back onto his head and gave her a long look that broadcast how he felt about it.

"You're gonna get it out of here, right?"

"As soon as I can."

Vic tried to keep a polite tone. It wasn't always the easiest thing for her.

"Alright. I'll be in the house."

He pulled at his too lose khaki pants and started away. Vic watched until she was convinced he was actually going inside. Then, she pulled out another pair of gloves and went back to the car. Leaning across, Vic unlocked the passenger door so that she didn't have to actually get it. She walked around the car and opened the door. Pulling the small glovebox latch, she peered in and started to sift through the contents. About a third of the way through the thin pile of papers, she found a small plastic sleeve that held what she was looking for.

Vehicle registration and the insurance card. Vic straightened up and ran her eyes over the name. It was exactly what she was expecting.

Natalie Olson.