Ch. 6: A reason for everything
"What the fuck?"
Vic pushed up from where she had been sleeping on her stomach. She rolled onto her side to see Walt sleeping soundly beside her. The sound that woke her came again and Vic sat up. The damn phone was ringing. She pushed off the blankets and walked into the living room. There was a chill in the air that only worsened her already unhappy mood. Vic snatched up the phone and didn't bother saying anything. She held the phone to her ear and listened. As she expected, there was nothing there. Without waiting, she set the phone back down. Bending down, she found where the phone plugged into the wall and pulled it free. The phone went completely dark.
Turning away from the phone and with the intention to put some wood on the fire, Vic turned. As she turned and started to take a step, she immediately collided with a large, shadowed figure. Vic startled at the contact and took a step back on instinct. Hands came up and took her arms, steadying her.
"Sorry."
Walt dropped his hands from her arms and Vic pushed out a breath.
"You scared me. Thought you were sleeping."
"I was. Another call?"
"Yeah…I unplugged the phone. I'll plug it back in tomorrow."
"You look at the Caller ID?"
Vic shook her head.
"No, I just want to go back to bed, but it's cold in here."
Walt nodded and gave the dwindling fire a look.
"Go on back to bed. I'll get the fire going."
Vic didn't bother arguing with him. She returned to the bed to find her spot still warm. She pulled the covers back up and settled in. From where she lay, she could hear Walt in the living room and the sound of wood meeting wood. After a few minutes, he was in the bedroom and joining her in the bed.
"I'll look at the number tomorrow. All the numbers."
He corrected himself.
"Someone needs a hobby."
"Yeah."
He grunted out the word as he moved around in the bed beside her. Vic tilted her head and found his eyes in the dark.
"You're worried about this."
Admittedly, she was as well.
"Just wondering who keeps calling."
"Do you think there's something to it?"
He went quiet and that bothered her.
"I don't know."
When he finally answered, his voice was low.
"They're not trying to hide the numbers. I can find out who it is."
Hell, she could call the number. But, it made more sense to not be so obvious.
"We'll talk about it tomorrow."
So far, Vic had managed to push these thoughts aside. That probably wasn't the smartest move all things considered. Between the two of them, there were certainly enough people who didn't like them. Calling with an actual number lessened those worries in her mind. If someone was out to get them, they would likely be more careful than that.
Unless it was someone who wanted their attention, wanted them to know who it was.
"Vic."
He said her name in a manner that suggested he might be reading her mind.
"Hmm?"
"Don't worry."
"You brought it up."
Vic rolled her head slightly in his direction.
"I'll get the numbers tomorrow and see if I can reverse track them. I can figure out where they're coming from. We'll go from there."
She had slipped seamlessly into the role of investigator and hadn't even intended to. Some part of her wanted to point out that he could simply get rid of his landline and it would solve part of the problem. That wasn't a real solution and she knew that, though. If someone were really trying to get to them for some reason, a move that simple would not be a deterrent.
"Okay."
Walt seemed to accept what she was telling him and pushed out a breath.
"Try and get back to sleep."
Vic rolled onto her side.
"Yeah…right."
Now that her mind was churning, she knew that sleep would not be easy in coming. Walt offered her a tired smile and moved his hand so that it was touching her. She got it. She knew what he was doing. Words were hollow in many cases. All the verbal reassurances in the world were mostly ineffective when you knew what could be waiting for you. So, he opted for a different technique.
Touch.
In his own non-complex way, he was letting her know that he was there. She trusted Walt more than anyone else in her life. Maybe ever. His physical presence was a comfort and she liked that. She wasn't a woman who required it, or needed it. She was trained to take care of herself and had possessed that mindset for the better part of her life. But, no one could carry all the burdens all the time. Everyone needed relief.
Even the strongest.
At some point, everyone needed someone. She was not an exception. Neither was Walt in spite of what he might have thought in the not at all distant past.
With all the uncertainty in the world and in everyday life, there was one thing that Vic knew for sure at this point in her life. Even in the darkest part of their relationship when he left her feeling abandoned and alone, it still held true as odd as that might sound.
Walt would never willingly let anything happen to her.
The barely there pressure of his hand on her skin was his way of reminding her of that fact and it was on that thought that she was able to eventually fall back to sleep.
xxx
Walt was up early by his own standards the next morning. He lay in the bed for a while listening to Vic's rhythmic breathing and hoping he could doze back off. It was Sunday and supposedly her day off. When it became apparent that he wasn't going back to sleep, he eased out of bed and collected his clothes to dress. In the kitchen he started the coffee and worked on the fire. Once he had the fire going, he looked over at the phone.
He crossed to the desk and plugged it into the wall. Once the phone was back on he tore a sheet of paper from a notepad and started to scroll through the calls from the past few days. What he came up with were calls from three different numbers all with the same area code. The calls were not local, although he already knew that. He could also rule out a few surrounding states whose codes he knew from memory. With the numbers written down, he considered the phone and unplugged it again.
Back in the kitchen, he poured himself a cup of coffee and took it out onto the porch once he pulled on his coat. It was another frigid morning and he found himself yearning for the warmer weather of summer. The winters hadn't ever bothered him the way they did some people. In his mind each season of Wyoming had something to offer even if you had to look for it. Winter was never his favorite. But, there was something cleansing in the melting snow and the green that sprung up once the temperatures warmed. The seasons of the year were much like the cycles of life. Enduring the less pleasant was necessary to reap the benefits that came later.
"What are you doing out here?"
Her voice startled him. He turned to see Vic standing just outside the door with a sweatshirt on over pajama pants and her feet shoved into her boots. She looked sleepy and rumpled. It looked good on her no matter how much she would roll her eyes or deny his claims. Walt shrugged.
"Drinking coffee."
Vic's arms were wrapped around herself in an attempt to ward off the cold. Walt stepped up to her.
"Go back inside."
She looked ready to do just that.
"I am. You, too."
Walt gave the white landscape a last look before he complied and followed her back into the cabin. Vic toed off her boots and he could see the wool socks she must have pulled on when she got up and came looking for him.
"Why are you up?"
Vic shrugged.
"Had to use the bathroom."
"Go back to bed. You're off today."
She looked towards the bedroom with a mildly wistful look.
"Don't know if I can."
He gave her a questioning look.
"Something wrong."
She folded her arms over her chest and Walt saw the move as somewhat defensive. Not from him.
"I had a dream."
"Bad one?"
"Wasn't great."
"Wanna talk about it?"
Vic shook her head.
"Not really. Don't remember all the details anyway."
Walt's eyes stayed on her face. She didn't look particularly stressed so there was no reason not to believe her. With her current investigation at work and the phone calls they were getting, it wasn't really a surprise that it might affect her.
"How long have you been up?"
"Less than an hour."
Vic closed her eyes, then opened them. She reached out and took his arm.
"Come back to bed."
Her tone changed into one that frequently got her what she wanted where he was concerned. Walt held up his cup.
"I made coffee."
Vic rolled her eyes at his attempt at a tease and took the cup from him. Depositing the cup on the coffee table, she took his arm again and pulled him closer to her.
"C'mon."
She dropped the volume of her voice and it touched something on his spine. He followed her into the bedroom where Vic pulled her sweatshirt over her head and tossed it aside. She pushed the flannel pants she wore off leaving her in a tank top and her underwear. She slipped back under the blankets and gestured at him.
"Take your pants off and get in here."
Walt vibrated with a quiet laugh as he pushed his jeans down and tossed them over his dresser. Once he was settled back in bed, Vic was pressed into him. Her skin was warm as she laid her head on his chest and stretched her arm across his midsection. Walt very nearly said something about having written down the phone numbers, but discarded the idea. Vic frequently chided him for his bad timing and this seemed like one of those moments.
Her breathing was even and he thought she might be falling back to sleep. He hoped her day off would hold as he liked the idea of an entire day with no plans stretched out in front of them. As odd as it sounded since she was practically living with him, he felt like he didn't see her as much as he did when he was Sheriff. It was a tradeoff. Instead of sharing her days at work, he shared her mornings, evenings, and days off at home. Honestly the time probably evened out. But, it was broken up into smaller increments. When he was Sheriff he rarely took days off. There was no reason to. There was nothing at home for him. Keeping himself occupied always seemed like the better option. Now, his life was completely flipped around, the opposite felt true.
As hard as change could be for him, and this hadn't been entirely easy, he didn't mind this change at all.
xxx
When Vic woke up the second time it was obviously late morning. Sunlight was streaming in through the windows. She turned onto her side to see that Walt was gone again. He was making breakfast. She could smell the familiar scent of sausage that he would have in a pan on the oven. She could also smell fresh coffee.
Vic got up and dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, her Flyers hoodie, and socks. She pulled her hair back and left the bedroom to find Walt exactly where she knew he would be. He must have heard her come in since he didn't move his head when he spoke.
"Breakfast is almost ready."
Vic grabbed a cup from the cabinet and poured herself coffee, adding sugar.
"Looks like I'm just in time then."
She set her coffee cup on the table and watched him finish up breakfast. Walt gave her a quick glance.
"You slept for a while."
Vic nodded.
"Yeah. Did you?"
"Not really. Dozed."
"How long have you been up this time?"
"Not long."
Walt moved away from the stove and they made plates of eggs, sausage, and biscuits. Vic took her seat and looked at the food.
"Wow, thank you."
He gave her a slight smile as she started to eat. Vic was halfway through her eggs when she noticed he was watching her. It was a type of thing that was specific to Walt. It could drive her crazy if she let it. During her time working with him, though, she learned to deal with it if nothing else.
"What?"
She questioned him after she swallowed. Walt looked down at his plate and used his fork to half a sausage. He ate the bite of food and washed it down with coffee.
"I wrote down the numbers. There are three of them."
"Three different numbers?"
"Yep, same area code."
"Do you know it?"
Walt shook his head.
"No."
Vic lifted herself out of her chair slightly and pulled her phone from her pocket.
"What is it?"
"435."
Vic searched the area code on her phone and made a face.
"That's…most of Utah."
She lay her phone down and the screen went dark. Vic started to eat again.
"Do you know anyone in Utah?"
She could see him thinking before he answered.
"Not that I know of."
"Me either."
She cleared her throat.
"I'll look into it after breakfast."
Walt frowned.
"It's your day off."
"I can do it from here, Walt."
"Can you get a name?"
She shrugged.
"Maybe. Depends."
She finished off her breakfast and pushed the plate out of her way.
"We could just call them back."
Walt stood up to take his plate to the sink.
"Might be better to know who we're dealing with."
"Yeah."
Vic rose and deposited her plate on top of his in the sink. Walt rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and started to run warm water to which he added dish soap.
"You got anything going on today?"
Walt picked up a sponge and started to wash the dishes while Vic pulled a dish towel from a drawer so that she could dry them.
"Not really. Need to pick up some horse feed in town at some point today."
"Let me know when. I'll go with you."
"Is there something you need?"
While they talked, Walt washed and Vic dried the dishes as he passed them to her.
"No."
Her quick answer earned her a look. Walt handed her the last dish, which she dried and put away. Vic tossed the damp towel onto the counter. She wiped her hands off on her jeans and went into the living room. She heard Walt following behind her. Vic pulled her laptop from the bag she carried it in and set it on the coffee table. Taking a seat on the couch, she opened it and powered it on. She raised her eyes to Walt.
"Numbers?"
He gave her the paper and Vic looked down at it. Walt took a seat beside her on the couch and watched as she started to type. The internet, like most technology, was largely foreign to Walt and he usually left it to her. He did lean in so that he could see the screen. He was quiet while she worked.
When she leaned back, he gave her an expectant look.
"Two of these belong to businesses in Cedar City, Utah. I've never heard of it. One is a…car wash. The other is a storage facility."
"What about the other one?"
"Best I can tell it's a prepaid phone."
"Like a burner?"
"Yeah, you can buy them anywhere. No way I can trace it."
"We could call the businesses and see who has been making calls."
Vic gave him a skeptical look.
"You call a business asking questions like that and they're gonna ask if you have a warrant. We do not and you're not even a cop. So…"
Her voice faded out. She could see him thinking. Most of the time she liked watching him when he was trying to figure something out. This wasn't one of those times. Vic closed her laptop.
"What do you wanna do?"
Walt sighed.
"Not much we can do…legally."
"Sometimes I hate that word."
Vic got up and crossed over to the desk. Bending down she plugged the phone into the wall and lifted it. She glanced at the sheet of paper and dialed.
"What are you doing?"
Vic gave him a look as she brought the phone to her ear and waited.
"Calling."
Walt watched her, his eyes staying on hers. Vic waited as the phone rang, but no one picked up. There was no voicemail either. Vic ended the call.
"No answer."
"Surprised?"
"No, what would surprise me is if you and I could make it a month without some sort of weird shit happening."
"Try not to worry."
Vic stuffed her laptop back in the bag and set it aside.
"I'm not worried. I'm pissed because someone has thought this out. There always has to be some stupid bullshit."
Vic stood up and stretched. Walt stayed where he was and watched her. On some level, his watching was starting to get on her nerves. She kept that to herself for the time being. Walt glanced at his watch.
"Wanna go to town?"
Vic looked down at him and gave him a crooked smile.
"That sounds so backwoods. Want me to hitch up the wagon?"
He smiled as he stood up.
"Nah, I'll take care of it."
xxx
He watched her walk around the store with her hands stuffed in the pockets of her jacket while she browed somewhat distractedly. Walt liked watching Vic when she didn't realize that he was doing it. Those opportunities rarely presented themselves.
The ranch supply store they were in offered everything from livestock food to horse tack and even some work clothes. They also offered baled hay, but Walt purchased that from a rancher who cut his own. Vic was standing in the clothing section walking slowly around a display of western style work shirts.
"Find something you want?"
Vic snorted out a half laugh.
"Yeah right. Can you see me in this?"
She indicated the shirt nearest her. While it was a popular style in the area, there was nothing about it that looked like it was her. Vic made certain fashion concessions to living in rural Wyoming. She wore jeans as part of her work uniform. She drove a truck that could navigate rough terrain. She wore boots both in the line of duty and when she was outside at the cabin for any length of time. Over her time here he saw her shift from strictly urban to some fusion of east meets west. It was something he associated with her now that she was not new here and more established than when she first arrived. Someone who didn't know better might mistake her for a local, a mistake that Vic would be quick to correct. A person with better observational skills would see that she was an outsider.
"No."
"Didn't think so. Got what you need?"
Walt nodded. He'd already loaded what he needed into the back of the Bronco and paid. Vic had wandered off as soon as they entered the small store that smelled strongly of leather. She knew with absolute certainty that he would spend at least ten minutes talking to the old man who ran the store and didn't have any interest in the conversation. That was the way things were done around here. Truthfully, the store had only started opening on Sunday within the past year and was only open for a few hours.
It was a pace Walt knew she still struggled with from time to time.
"Yep."
Vic turned away from the display and they started for the door. Outside, the cold air hit them like a wall and they walked quickly to the Bronco. Walt started the engine and turned up the heat. As was the norm lately, the warm air struggled to keep up with the outside temperatures.
He saw Vic shake her head out of the corner of his eye.
"You gotta get this fixed."
"I'll take it to a garage next week and let them take a look at it."
"I still don't understand why you won't look at new trucks."
"I don't need a new truck."
"The fact that it's freezing in here begs to differ."
"It's not freezing."
Vic placed her palm against the vent, then reached over and took his hand. She tugged on it and he sat while she pressed his hand to the vent. The air was cold. There wasn't really an argument to be made otherwise. After a few seconds, she released his hand. Walt looked over and met her eyes.
"It's cold."
"Yeah, no shit. And, it's not warming up."
"No one is open today. I'll find somewhere tomorrow and have it looked at. They'll probably have to order parts anyway. Might as well get the ball rolling."
"Until then, if we go somewhere we take my truck."
He grunted an answer and pulled out onto the street. She was quiet in the passenger seat with her eyes fixed on what passed for downtown in Durant. Without warning, she reached out and tapped his arm.
"Pull over."
Walt glanced at Vic and pulled the car over to the side of the street.
"What's wrong?"
Vic pointed in the direction of the Sheriff's Department. He hadn't been paying attention since it was on her side and he was driving. The street near the building was mostly empty with only a couple of cars parked there for nearby businesses. He didn't see any familiar vehicles. He did see a lone figure standing at the door that led inside. If there wasn't anyone in the office, that door would be locked.
"Anyone working today?"
Vic unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned forward.
"Ferg is on, but I don't see his car. He's probably out."
"Expecting someone?"
Vic shrugged as she pulled on the door handle and opened her door.
"Not that I know of."
Walt turned off the ignition and got out, tucking his keys into his pocket as Vic started across the sidewalk. He fell into step just behind her as Vic stepped onto the sidewalk. He could almost see her slip into cop mode as she approached the doorway.
"Can I help you?"
The figure turned and Walt could see that it was a man, a young man. He was not dressed for the weather in what basically amounted to a hoodie over what looked like a sweatshirt. He wore jeans that had a rip across one knee and paint splatters across both legs. He had the hood pulled up over a ballcap that advertised a team Walt wasn't familiar with. Maybe a local or college team.
"Police station is closed?"
He pulled at the door handle and gave it a tug. Vic cocked her head.
"You need something?"
He released the door and shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. The young man constantly shifted from one foot to the other, no doubt in a fruitless attempt to stay warm. He looked between them a couple of times before his eyes settled on Vic.
"You work here?"
"Yeah, I'm a deputy. Do you need something?"
He dipped his head.
"Sheriff around?"
Walt could see that Vic's patience was wearing thin with his inability or unwillingness to answer her question.
"No."
Her answer was firm.
"What do you want?"
She changed her approach since polite didn't seem to be accomplishing anything.
"You're a deputy?"
Vic nodded with a sigh and reached into her pocket. She withdrew her ID and badge, holding them up for him to see.
"Yes."
Once he seemed satisfied, Vic put her ID away and placed her hands on her hips. Walt could hardly blame the guy. On her off days she didn't look anything like a cop.
"So, what's up? You need help?"
The young man looked around. There was a nervous air about him that was unmistakable.
"Can we talk inside?"
Vic tossed Walt a look and fished into her jacket pocket for her keys.
"Sure."
She unlocked the front door and held it open so that the man could walk in first. He hesitated, then went in. Walt caught the door and entered behind Vic. She led the way up the stairs and into the office where she shed her coat and tossed it over a chair.
"Okay, so…"
The man looked around. He made no move to sit. He only stood by the door with his hands still in his pockets rocking slightly. Vic faced him.
"We're inside. What's going on?"
"I uh…I read in the papers about the girl found by the river."
Now he had Vic's attention.
"Yeah."
"I…might have seen the guy who put her there."
xxx
Vic folded her arms over her chest and studied the kid in front of her. Technically, he wasn't a kid. He appeared to be over eighteen, but he didn't seem much older than that. There was a nervousness to him and an uneasiness that made her feel antsy even when there was no reason to. With Walt here, she didn't feel as though she were in any danger. So far, Walt had been silent. Now, he was a few feet away with his eyes moving back and forth.
"You might have?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, I'm not sure. I just…"
He paused again. Vic dropped her arms and shook her head.
"Hang on…what's your name?"
There was another long pause and she could see the battle he was having with himself. His first instinct was to not get involved, but something was preventing that. His conscious maybe. Or some past experience.
He was still by the door and she didn't want to spook him. Vic motioned towards a chair.
"Why don't you have a seat and let's talk?"
Slowly, he moved over to the chair that she indicated and sat down. The change in position did nothing to lessen the obvious trepidation. Vic pulled her chair away from her desk and turned it towards him. She sat down and leaned back.
"I'm Deputy Moretti."
She waited for him to respond in kind. The young man had dark eyes that moved from her to Walt.
"Who is he?"
"The former Sheriff. And you are?"
He cleared his throat and spoke in an uneven voice.
"Jace."
Vic dipped her chin.
"Jace…?"
"Does my last name matter?"
Vic decided to let it go. If she pushed too hard it could backfire. She couldn't make him stay and she couldn't make him talk.
"Not right now. So…you think you saw something?"
Jace dropped his eyes to the hands in his lap. He was picking at his cuticle.
"I'm not sure."
"Well, tell me what you think you saw."
Vic dropped the tone of her voice and he raised his eyes to meet hers.
"How much detail do you need?"
Vic cocked her head.
"What do you mean?"
Jace shifted in his chair.
"Say...say I was doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing when I saw what I saw…"
Vic understood where he was going and broke in.
"I don't really care if you were out in the woods smoking pot or hanging with your friends. That…doesn't concern me right now. Was it something like that?"
"Yeah."
Vic shook her head.
"Just…tell me what you saw."
He leaned forward and pushed out a breath. The smoking pot comment hadn't been a guess. She could smell weed on him. His pupils looked normal enough and he didn't seem high. He struck her as very, very sober.
"There's a place I go out by the river when I need to…think. I was out there the other night when I heard an engine."
He stopped and looked out the window.
"This place…what is it?"
"Used to be a hunting cabin. It's falling down now, but there's a spot where you can build a fire and it's back in the trees. Not easy to see from the bank."
Vic didn't remember seeing it.
"Okay. So…you were there and you heard an engine. Did you see the vehicle?"
Jace shook his head.
"It was dark. I saw headlights, it was a truck…couldn't make out much more than that. You can't drive a car back there. Only way is four-wheel drive or ATV. Unless you walk."
"You walk?"
"Yeah."
"You live nearby?"
He shrugged and she moved on. By the look of him, it wouldn't surprise her to find out that he was transient. He might have been living out there.
"You said you saw a man?"
"Kind of?"
Vic inhaled deeply. His lack of detailed information was pulling at her patience.
"Okay, just tell me what happened?"
"I heard the engine and walked outside to see. Can't see from the window or the doorway. Anyway, I saw the headlights and I saw someone moving around. I don't know whose land that is…so I watched to see if it was someone coming to run me out. That's happened in other spots."
He confirmed her suspicions that he might be living out there with that comment. Vic didn't say anything. Right now, all that mattered was if he saw something that could lead them to who they were looking for. His minor transgressions weren't all that important in her mind.
"So…um…I could see someone moving around…walking in front of the headlights. It was a man. Big guy."
"Could you see what he was doing?"
Jace shook his head.
"Not really. He cut the headlights and I couldn't see much after that."
"Could you see what he looked like?"
He frowned.
"Not real well. Like I said…he was big. Looked like he had on a hat or something. Not like a cap…"
He reached up and touched the brim of his own hat.
"…more like a winter hat. Coat."
Vic bit her bottom lip in thought.
"How far away were you?"
He shrugged.
"Don't know. Across the river."
"Was there anything that stood out? Anything at all?"
She could see him thinking over the question.
"Pretty sure he was a white guy with a beard."
That certainly didn't narrow it down. Hell, that was a good bit of the men in Wyoming.
"Could you tell what he was doing?"
Jace shook his head.
"No…and I didn't stick around to find out."
"You left?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, I grabbed my bag and cleared out. The thing is…you don't see a lot of people out there. Kayakers going down the river and sometimes hunters. But…it's remote and that attracts the wrong kind of people. Poachers and…other guys."
"Other guys?"
A new nervousness took hold of him and Vic honed in on it.
"Have you had a run-in with someone out there?"
"Couple of times."
"What happened?"
He inhaled and exhaled looking around the office.
"I saw some poachers once. When they realized I was there…they fired at me."
"They shot at you? You didn't report it."
It wasn't a question and the look he gave Vic told her all she needed to know.
"I'm not exactly out there legally."
"The guys you saw…have you seen them before or since?"
Jace shrugged again.
"Maybe…I don't know. I haven't been out there as much lately and don't think I'm going back."
"That's probably a good idea. Anything else?"
"No."
It wasn't the information she hoped it would be. They still lacked a good description of a person or vehicle. Vic didn't believe in coincidences and it seemed like a safe bet that this person was involved. Jace was right about one thing. The site was remote and not easily accessible.
Vic considered the young man in front of her. He looked like he wasn't much more than a teenager and she was willing to bet he was basically homeless. He was thin and worn looking and wasn't dressed for the elements.
"Do you have somewhere to go?"
He squared his shoulders a bit.
"I manage."
Her gaze drifted from him to Walt, who still hadn't said anything. For the first time since they entered the office, he approached. His right hand went to his back pocket and he withdrew his wallet. After sorting through it, he pulled out some bills and offered them to Jace.
"Here…get a hot meal and a room."
Jace paused, his hands still in his lap. Walt extended his hand farther.
"Take it."
Jace reached out and took the money. He didn't bother looking at how much Walt had given him. He rose to his feet and stuffed the money into his front jeans pocket.
"Thanks."
Walt nodded. Vic scribbled on a sheet of paper and stood up.
"Take this, too. My name and number. If you think of anything, give me a call."
He took the paper she offered him and shoved it in the same pocket.
"Sure."
She doubted she would hear from him again.
"Where are you staying now?"
He looked at the floor.
"With a friend."
She nodded a bit.
"I just noticed you don't have a bag with you. You mentioned a bag."
He seemed surprised by the observation.
"If I carry it around all the time, I look homeless and that draws attention. Look, I gotta go."
"Sure. Be careful."
He didn't react to the words. He simply tucked his hands into his pockets and left the office. Vic looked to Walt once they were alone.
"So much for an off day. I guess I need to call Cady."
Walt tipped his head towards her phone.
"Go ahead. I don't mind waiting."
Their quick run into town had taken quite a turn. She smiled at him.
"Some part of me thinks you're enjoying this."
He gave her a look that told her she wasn't wrong.
"I miss it sometimes."
"I know. It misses you sometimes, too."
"It."
She half laughed.
"Well, we all do."
Vic sat back down at her desk and dialed Cady from her cell phone. Walt wandered around the office while she talked, only giving her glances every now and then. Cady was quiet on her end while Vic relayed the encounter she and Walt had with Jace who had no last name to speak of. When she finished, she could almost hear Cady thinking through the phone.
"Guess it's good you drove by."
"Yeah. So…I was thinking…"
Her tone must have grabbed Walt's attention. He looked her way and his eyes settled on her, meeting her gaze with purpose.
"…maybe I should go back out and have a look around. We didn't see any cabin when we were there, but we wouldn't have if it's on the other side in the trees."
"Is Ferg back yet?"
"No."
"I don't want you going out there alone."
Vic continued to look at Walt.
"I'm not alone. Walt is here. Something tells me he won't mind a trip out to the river."
There was another beat of silence.
"Okay, go ahead. Be careful, though, and let me know if you find anything."
"Will do."
Vic ended the call and stood up. She slid her phone into her back pocket and grabbed her jacket, pulling it on. Walt gave her a quizzical look and a slight tilt of his head.
"So…"
Vic zipped up her jacket and sauntered over to him.
"So…you really miss it?"
"Sometimes."
His answer was unchanged. She bumped him with her elbow.
"Good. Let's see what we can do about that."