In a Big Country

[Exile_Jeane]

Coraline looked up from her coffee and her sketchbook, one eyebrow rising slightly. Dark eyes gave him a half-heartbeat consideration before she smiled and semi-turned in her stool. She was put together but not over-dressed, just a hint or two of makeup to make the best of natural good looks and an attention to fitness. "You'd be right, Warden," she returned with a grin, "Coraline Hess. I'm renting one of the cabins at the edge of town for the next few months. You'll probably stumble over me on your beat since I plan to take in as much of it as I can."

 

She offered one hand in greeting, gesturing with it after Ackley took it over her book, "Artist by trade, and wonderful as it is, the Big Apple's lost its shine lately. Hence Here as of three days ago. Anyway, Nature decided to find me this morning. Wolf about *ye* high showed up right on my porch. Is that normal out here?"

[Veral]

"Are you sure it was a wolf? They're not typically found 'round here. What did it look like? Could it have been a coyote or maybe even a very big dog? Of course it's not typical for a coyote to just wander up to a porch as well. Maybe it was the universe trying to tell you something... or maybe just trying to spook you." He laughed a little bit. "If I may suggest something that may help you with your art... stay far away from moose. They're bigger than you think, and stronger too. I just had to deal with the results of a moose being a bit freaked out by something... by replacing a large chunk of a fence. What brings you to Shelly? After all, we are kinda out of the way of... well... everything." 

 

Ackley smiled and watched Coraline for her reaction, and took a sip of his coffee.

 

[Exile_Jeane]

Coraline hadn't been thinking about moose when picking Shelly for her retreat, but it made sense. It was about as north as New York State, and there had been story on story about the good signs that the returning moose population showed, much as the animal was anchored as one of the three pillars of Canadianishness alongside hockey and maple syrup. Given the damage a deer could do to a car when getting hit, she had no intention of messing with something with something even bigger.

 

She laughed, sliding her book over to the Ranger, "Well, it looked like the picture on the right, albeit darker in color and wet like it had just gone for a swim. If that's a coyote, I doubly don't want to see a wolf."

 

She composed herself, eyes going slightly distant as she fortified her smile against a brush with her grief, "As for why Shelly, almost moved here 19-20 years ago, job offer for my Dad. Didn't come to anything in the end. But if he saw something in the town, couldn't be too bad."

[Veral]

" That's a damned good drawing of a wolf. Do you mind if I stop by your cabin later, to see if I could figure out where it came from, or where it went?" Ackley asked. His eyes occasionally drifting from Coraline's face to the drawing in the book. "You said you were an artist... if you are looking for scenes or landscapes, try at sunrise or sunset. The lighting then is spectacular. Especially at sunrise, with the world waking up. Just don't damage the wildlife or the landscape, or you'll see the business side of me." He laughs to break up the serious tone of what he just said. His eyes were alight with mirth. "If you need someone to help you find a good spot to find some nature, I'll be glad to help. I can also teach you a bit about what you'd find out here, danger-wise."

 

He took a deep swig of his coffee, and waved down the waitress, looking for a refill, gave her a winning smile, and glanced back at Coraline. 

[Exile_Jeane]

Coraline liked to think she knew something about when to capture an image best, but it cost nothing to spare a little patience on someone else's turf. Besides, they were nice words, and her smile warmed up, especially with the offer at the end. It'd been... too long since she'd picked up a new friend, early in the longest year of her life to be honest, so she laughed when Ackley's pause for coffee gave her a breach to reply.

 

"Sounds like a date. Never hurts to have a local eye to get to know an area," the athletic artist responded with her own undercurrent of laughter, "I've got a couple errands to run today, but I've got nothing else going on tomorrow morning onward and... Ooo."

 

The server showed up with her food at this point, drawing a short happy noise of appreciation from Coraline. It may have just been diner breakfast food, but eggs and trimmings *was* eggs and trimming when you hadn't eaten yet that morning. She'd pay for it later with the right amount of exercise, but one thing she had learned that however unhappy you might be before or after a meal, you had no excuse to be unhappy during the meal. "Sorry. Yes. I've put in enough hours volunteering on Central Park Clean Ups to not treat all this like my own personal dumpster," she continued, gesturing out the window before picking up fork and knife in preparation to lay siege to her breakfast.

[Nina]

On 2/17/2023 at 4:04 PM, Shameless said:

Andrew looked to Joe and smiled. "I ordered for us, so if you've said what you need to, I'd like to hear what you have to say while we wait."

 

Joe smiles at Andrew and continues on around the diner saying hi to everyone. Just about the time Andrew has had enough he comes back over to him. "Where you want to sit sheriff?" 

 

AJ nods and leads Joe to a booth.  "Here is good." His eyes narrow.   "Said everything you need to to everyone else?"

 

Joe shrugs, "Just being polite. So what you want to talk about?"

 

"You told me you had something to speak to the Sheriff about."

 

"No," the Indian shakes his head, "I told you the spirits told me to come and talk to the Sheriff, I thought you wanted to talk to me." He looks puzzled, "You know The spirits usually tell me to come talk to Sheriff Donna, but they only said sheriff this time. Maybe the spirits just wanted us to get to know each other."  He smiles broadly and sticks his hand out to shake, “Glad to meet you Sheriff."

 

AJ reached out and shook his hand.  "Good to meet you too, Joe.  You can just call me AJ when we're like this."

 

"Okay."

 

AJ had no idea what Spirits he could be talking about, but he wouldn't insult him by denouncing his beliefs out of hand. They simply weren't part of his, but he knew they were important to those on the reservation.

 

"Do you come to town often Joe?"

 

Just then the food arrived. AJ was surprised when Joe's smile got even bigger. The Indian immediately started eating. After a couple of bites, he shook his head, "No Sheriff, I'm not the kind of Indian the town likes, so I only come when the Spirits say I have too."

 

AJ dug in as well, enjoying the taste of food that hadn't changed in many years, it was always good.   He found it refreshing that that hadn't changed.   Joe's words though, drew a sigh.   "One day, that won't be true.  There won't be types the town likes, and those it doesn't."   His words were somber, but said with a quiet conviction.

 

Joe laughed "Sheriff Donna says the same thing. Still, you all live in towns with nice houses and good jobs. The Indian still lives on reservations in squalor. You know what the sad thing is Sheriff?"  He sets his crescent roll down on the plate and leans forward, lowering his voice almost to a whisper, "When the Whiteman’s world crumbles and the Spirits Give the land back to the Indians . The Indians will treat the Whiteman worse than the Whiteman ever treated the Indian."

 

Before AJ could respond to that, a flashing light caught his eye from outside. One of his Sheriffs cruisers was pulling into the parking lot lights flashing but sirens silent, it came right up to the door.

 

AJ had been about to respond, his own desire that they find a way forward that's better for everyone.    "Oh, this can't be good."  He laid money down for the meal, and the tip.  "I hate to cut this short Joe, but it seems I have to go to work.  I'll buy this time, and maybe next time we won't get interrupted.   Hopefully we get to finish our talk, and our meal."  He gave him a genuine smile, even as he rose to leave the booth, and head outside to see what was going on.

 

As AJ was leaving the diner, one of his deputies, Carter Jackson, was climbing out of the cruiser. Jackson was 24 years old had played collage football then did 2 years in the army as an MP. He was six foot two inches and built like a whisky barrel. He leaned on his open door and gave the area a quick survey to make sure there were no eaves droppers.

 

“Morning Sheriff. We got us a couple of bodies.”

 

[Asarasa]

On 2/22/2023 at 6:25 PM, SalmonMax said:

"...it's just really good to see you again. I...thought maybe you wouldn't want me to."

"Right after you left, I didn't," Shay admitted wryly. "After a while, I did, but you really wouldn't have liked it. Now?" She pursed her lips and waggled a hand. "The scabs've healed and the scars are faded. I've gotten some perspective. But if you're gonna be around for some time Lilz, there's no big rush for that talk we're definitely going to have."

Shay turned around at the flashing lights from outside, giving Lily an excellent view of her impressive profile when her shirt pulled tight. When the Deputy went straight for the Sheriff, Shay turned back to her ex, who was finishing up her breakfast. Her eyes fell on the other folder. There wasn't much more to say, but Shay was ready to leave yet.

"Mind if I take a look?" Shay asked with a nod, more for something to do than out of any expectation she'd have something to add.

Lily paused for a beat, then slid the folder across the table with a pair of fingers. Shay was a local and had worked all over and around Shelly. "If you like."

Shay might look like she should have an OnlyFans account - and she had, though she hadn't taken it seriously and abandoned it years ago - but she was still just about the smartest woman Lily personally knew. She watched Shay as Shay idly flipped through the file, blue-grey eyes bright and incisive.

"Huh." Shay was surprised as her gaze fell on a photo of a young man she recognized. She held the photo up by a thumb and forefinger. "I know this kid. Will. Will... Ducey."

"Really?" Lily was equally surprised at the coincidence, but her investigative instincts went on point, eager for any info she could pick up. "How?"

"It was last summer. His motorcycle broke down. I got called. I think he might have known my sister, they're about the same age." Shay gave a nonchalant shrug. "He didn't have the money for the parts or labour. He supports his mother and little brothers - y'know? -  and really needed his wheels, so I cut him break."

Shay made it sound like it wasn't a big deal, but Lily knew there was more to it than that. Shay had stepped up to raise her younger sister Laurie since she was sixteen, and while she was contemptuous of the lazy and selfish, she had a soft spot for those who stepped up, even if she tried to hide it.

"I could get the parts for a better price than he could, and had him come with me on a couple of jobs in trade for the parts and labour. He got lunch most times too. Made too much for myself," Shay drawled.

Lily wasn't fooled. "How'd he do?"

"Well enough. Just grunt work, but he didn't complain no matter how long I had him hauling and moving shit or how heavy it was. Don't know if he was gay or not, he didn't say anything 'bout me being a white girl, and he glanced at my tits less than just 'bout any other guy his age. Or any age for that matter. Good kid."

That might have sounded funny coming from a woman less than ten years his senior and who looked young enough to have been in high school at the same time, but Shay had had to grow up fast after her entire family save for her younger sister had died. Shay gave the rest of the file a cursory glance then shook her head as she handed it back to Lily.

"I'm not a detective or bounty hunter or anything, but I do know what responsibility feels like and what it takes to step up. I don't see this kid just running away."
 
 

[SalmonMax]

"I'm not a detective or bounty hunter or anything, but I do know what responsibility feels like and what it takes to step up. I don't see this kid just running away."

 

Lily shrugged at that, covering a smirk with the file as she took it back and opened it again. There was just something so Shay about that nonchalant assertion that the kid might be gay because he hadn't ogled her tits as much as she thought he should have.

 

"People can surprise you," she said. "We never really know what's going on in someone's head. Still, that's all good info. So he didn't have a job, didn't have money, but he needed his bike that much. Huh."

 

She looked back at Shay.

 

"How much work? Like...hours per day, how many days?"

[Shameless]

AJ's face was a grim mask. "Where were they found?   Who's on  the scene, and do we have a positive ID?"  He fired off a quick series of questions,
Jackson looks past the sheriff into the diner then back at AJ, "Out past the Glendale Colony, Mile and a half, just past the bend in the hiway but before you come to Brown road. Off the hiway about fifty feet."  He runbs his chin, "No Id, boss, you're gonna have to see this. I ain't never seen nothing like. Not even over in Afghanistan.

" A couple of Hutterites saw some smoke when they wen out to tend their animals this morning. They went to investigate found a burned out car and the bodies."

" Luft and Shandorf are at the scene."

"Ok, let's head out, I'll see if I can make anything of it, maybe those two will have a better idea once we get there.   After that, I'll make the call, and decide what to do from there.   Any real Forensics or CSI will have to come from Great Falls."  Once it was decided he went to his vehicle and followed the directions to where the bodies were found.   Jackson's words stuck with him, that this wasn't normal.  That it was worse than anything he'd seen as a soldier.
 

The drive out wasn't a short one, but gave AJ time to get his thoughts sorted.   His meeting with Joe wasn't what he expected, but he had a feeling this would only be the first of many meetings they'd have.   
 

When he arrived on the scene he found the deputies there outside their cruisers, as he pulled up.   There was a firetruck there, and clear signs that the fire had been put out.   After quick greetings, he had them take him to where the bodies were.  
 

"The Bodies were here when you arrived?"  They both nodded, and he looked at the corpses.  He took note of the wounds, massive chest wounds, likely from a shotgun.   Their hands were blown off, and they'd both been shot in the face at close range with a shotgun.   He regretted eating, but was able to avoid retching. He moved from the bodies to another spot near the car, where there was more blood splatter, and then finally to the car itself.  The Deputies followed, but at a fair bit away from their boss.  

He knelt down, and swore.  "Damn."  He saw the ground near where he knelt, but refrained from touching it.  "Jackson, come see."  When his deputy came over, he pointed to what he'd seen.  
 

"They were kneeling here, side by side, then they were shot, likely in the chest."   The fire would have destroyed the bloodspatter on the car, but there was blood on the ground.
 

"A smart killer would have gone the extra step, and put them back in the car, to make sure there was absolutely no way to find out who these people were.   This wasn't a random killing.   This was someone sending a message.  The killer moved the bodies from here, well enough away so they wouldn't burn in the fire, and then shot off their hands and faces to obscure dental identification."
 

His voice was cold, but they could hear the anger in his tone.  "Crimes like this Don't happen out here, at least not before now."

[Asarasa]

On 3/21/2023 at 1:37 PM, SalmonMax said:

"How much work? Like...hours per day, how many days?"

Shay gave a noncommittal shrug. "Depends what I had going on and what I thought he could help with. Usually had him with me between four and eight hours or so. Over ten hours one day. Six days, no, seven I think, over two weeks. I picked him up and drove him home most times." She frowned, brow furrowing as her eyes narrowed. "He had me stop a ways back, and met me down the drive or walked up the way to his home."

She hadn't known if Will was embarrassed about where he lived, or if it had anything to do with her being White. She and Laurie had lived in an Airstream trailer for a few years - she still had it by the house she had built - so she wouldn't have cared about where Will lived... other than showing him some easy home repair and maintenance skills, if needed.

"About having no job, I dunno 'bout that, Lilz. He didn't offer, and I didn't ask, but I got the sense he had something going on. He couldn't always make it when I called, despite the need, so I figure he had some sorta side-hustle to help his folks out. You'd have to ask them though. Never spoke to 'em myself, just saw who I think were sisters of his standing in the yard a time or two."

Shay offered Lily a grin. "Glad I could help. Hope you can find the kid."