Chapter Text
Jensen gripped the steering wheel tight, Jared’s breathy “hurry, hurry, hurry” and his right foot coaxing the Impala faster down the dark country lane. He could just make out Austin’s farmhouse, set back from the road and glowing like a lighthouse in the dark sea of flat prairie land. Headlights came at them from the direction of town and pulled Jensen’s attention from the familial beacon back to the road. Up ahead a black van turned down Austin’s driveway, the Impala’s lights reflecting off the Plains County Medical Examiner stenciled on the side.
“Jensen,” Jared gasped in despair, hand reaching over to fist in the sleeve of Jensen’s shirt.
“I see it.” The accelerator pressed a little closer to the floor as Jensen urged the car faster. He barely braked for the turn, the backend fishtailing slightly on the loose gravel of the driveway apron. Jared’s left hand twisted tighter into Jensen’s t-shirt, pulling the fabric painfully taut over his bicep, while his other flew to the door handle to steady himself.
Austin’s house came into view in a dizzying melee of color. The Medical Examiner’s van was pulled off to the left side of the farmhouse’s wraparound porch, back doors open. The flashing lights from two squad cars, a fire engine, and an ambulance splashed alternating colors against the glossy black paint. Two men were gathering bags from the back of a Forensics van, parked at the opposite end of the porch from the Medical Examiner. Even with the windows rolled down it was eerily quiet for such a cacophony of sights. A mute macabre midway.
Jensen parked the Impala at the front of the house, kicked-up gravel pinging against the undercarriage, and jerked the gearshift into Park. “Stay…”
His words of caution were useless, directed at a retreating back. Jared had barely allowed the car to stop before he’d thrown the door open and started unfolding himself from the seat. “Teddy! Benji!”
Jensen hurried out of the car and met Jared at the front, holding the taller man in place. “Stay here a minute. Let me find out what’s going on.”
Jared struggled against Jensen’s grip, his eyes fixated on the black windowless van and the stretcher Derek, the Medical Examiner’s assistant, was pulling from the back. He opened his mouth to protest, to demand to be let go, but another voice spoke before he could make his work.
“Jensen!”
Jensen turned to see Penn excuse himself from a group of grim-faced firefighters and jog over to them, hands held up as he approached. “Everyone is fine,” he assured immediately.
Jensen felt Jared go weak beside him and reached out to steady the pregnant man. “You said someone had been shot.”
“That’s right,” Penn nodded, watching Jared carefully before turning back to Jensen. “Austin…shot...a trespasser.”
Jensen could hear the younger officer picking his words carefully and nodded his understanding. “Where are the twins? Austin, Gen, and the boys?”
“Austin is out back. Milo’s taking his statement. Gen and the kids are inside.” Penn jerked his head in the direction of the farmhouse.
Jared turned and ran toward the house. “Teddy! Benji!” The front screen door pushed open with a rusty, arthritic screech and two small blurs barreled down the porch steps and into Jared’s waiting arms. Gen stood framed in the open doorway, Hunter and Dalton held tight to her sides. Jensen walked over and crouched down next to where Jared was on his knees holding the twins tightly. He wrapped his arms around his family and dropped kisses on their heads. Benji twisted around and wrapped his arms around Jensen, burying his face into the crook of his neck. Looking over, he could see that Teddy had a death grip on Jared’s collar and, similar to his brother, had hidden away in the safety of Jared’s shoulder. Jensen stood, lifting Benji with him, loathe to let the little boy go after the hellishness of the last few hours, and faced Penn.
“What happened here?” Jensen questioned the young deputy.
Next to him, Jared raised up cradling Teddy to his chest as best he could with Pear in the way. He faltered slightly with the added weight to his already distorted sense of balance and Jensen and Penn both reached out a hand to steady him.
“Jared, you shouldn’t…” Jensen began softly.
“He’s fine,” Jared cut him off, shaking his head slightly and holding Teddy just the littlest bit closer. He leveled an even look at Jensen. “I’m fine.”
Jensen gave him a hard look. Jared was anything but fine. He was dehydrated, exhausted, and most likely concussed. Even though Jared had tried to hide the wince when he shook his head, Jensen had caught it. Jared really should be at the hospital.
Jared stared directly back at Jensen, gaze never faltering, knowing what the other man was thinking. There was nothing that Jensen could say or do that would make Jared leave right now. He could feel Pear moving around, agitated at being squished by her brother’s weight, and Jared felt fine…all things considered. Deciding to change the subject before Jensen could protest, Jared looked at Penn, his eyebrow raised expectantly. “What happened?”
Taking a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever fresh hell this night had brought, Jensen turned back to Penn.
Penn licked his lips, watching as the fire engine’s driver maneuvered the vehicle around the assembled cars and nodding when the driver sounded a short honk in good-bye. “I got the call at the station right after Chris talked to Milo. Gen said that they’d all been watching a movie when they heard a noise outside. She said that Austin had put her and the kids in the pantry and told her to call while he went to check.”
Teddy sniffled softly and Jared rubbed a soothing hand down the boy’s back.
“I was telling her we were on our way when I heard a gunshot.”
Benji tightened his arms around Jensen’s neck, making breathing and swallowing uncomfortable.
“The ambulance was closer and beat us here.” He eyed the twins and looked pointedly at Jensen. “They downgraded the call to a signal seven when they arrived on scene.”
Jensen raised an eyebrow at Penn. Signal seven?
Most counties, hell most states, had stopped using signal codes a long time ago, and he was surprised that Penn even knew about them. The codes weren’t universal, the signal number in one part of the state or country could have a vastly different meaning than it did in another. Plains County discontinued using them when Jensen’s Pawpaw was still Sheriff, right after an officer on loan from Denver had called a signal 40 in thinking he was relaying that he had a traffic accident on the main road. Unfortunately, in Plains County a signal 40 was a plane crash and Doris, the station receptionist at the time, thinking that a plane had crashed on the highway dispatched every available fire, EMS, and officer in three counties and the NTSB to the site. Pawpaw decided it was better to just use plainspeak going forward. Before they stopped using it, though, in Plains County a signal seven meant dead on arrival.
Penn was trying to tell him that someone was dead. His stomach clenched and fear trickled down his spine. He licked his lips, biting the bottom one in a bid for enough strength to get the words he needed to say out. “But…” It came out strangled and he cleared his throat and tried again. “But, Austin is okay, right?”
“Austin is unharmed.” Penn cast a glance over his shoulder toward the rear of the house.
A shiver of relief went through Jensen even as his mind snagged on Penn’s couched wording. He shifted his hold on Benji, the movement pressing his arm against Jared. He could feel the tremors coursing through other man’s body, like a motor put through its paces. He glanced over. Jared’s face was pale in the garish lights from the remaining emergency vehicles and Jensen wondered for a moment how Jared was still on his feet. He had been through too much physically and emotionally today and Jensen knew that Jared was about to crash. “Boys? Why don’t you help Daddy inside while I talk to Uncle Penn for a little bit?”
The twins leaned back and nodded sleepily. Jared wasn’t the only one that the day had taken a toll on. Jensen set Benji on his feet and helped Jared put Teddy down. The twins each took one of Jared’s hands and tugged lightly.
Jared looked at Jensen, worry etched deep on his bruised face. He’d felt fine a few minutes ago, but now was bone-deep exhausted and so cold his teeth were almost chattering. “You sure?”
“Of course.” Jensen swept a loving hand down Jared back. “Go inside. Get cleaned up, rest a little, and maybe feed our baby girl.” He lightly skimmed his knuckles over Jared’s distended belly, smiling at the kick he got in acknowledgement. “I’ll be in in a minute. Just want to check on Austin first.”
Jared nodded reluctantly and let the twins usher him toward the front porch. Jensen and Penn stood in silence until Jared and the twins disappeared behind the banging screen door and into the depths of the farmhouse.
Jensen swiped a hand down his face and turned his attention to his fellow Deputy. “Signal seven?”
“Yeah,” Penn nodded and started walking toward the side of the house. “According to Austin, everything was quiet in the front, but when he went around back, he noticed someone lurking in the shadows of the chicken coop.”
They passed Derek struggling with a stretcher that looked like it should have been decommissioned when Eisenhower was still in office. The young black man grimaced at them and rolled his eyes at the stretcher before kicking one of the legs in frustration.
Penn shook his head. “Anyway, um, Austin claims that he told the person to get off his property, but they kept coming toward the house babbling nonsense. When the guy raised a gun and said something about the twins, Austin shot him.”
“And the guy’s dead?” In his line of work, Jensen had shot his share of people, but he’d never killed anyone. He was fully prepared tonight to change that with Olyphant, but Jared had talked him out of it. Despite his training, he wasn’t sure how he would be emotionally afterwards. He was worried the impact this would have on his brother.
They rounded the side and came out on the back yard. A body lay twenty feet from the edge of the back porch, a sheet obscuring it from view. The Medical Examiner, a chubby man that should have been decommissioned at the same time as Derek’s persnickety stretcher, had one corner lifted and was examining the man on the ground. Sheriff Jones stood over his shoulder, a cross look on his face.
Penn put a hand on Jensen’s arm, forcing the other man to stop. “Jensen, there is something you should know.”
“There’s more?” Jensen wasn’t sure how much more he could take today.
“The guy,” he nodded at the dead body, “the trespasser…it was Ed Westwick.”
“Ed Westwick?” Jensen jerked back in surprise, brow furrowing. Why would Ed show up here with a gun? He straightened his shoulders and looked agitatedly in the direction of Ed’s corpse. “Why would he…”
“I don’t know,” Penn shrugged, eyes sympathetic. “The only thing we found on him besides the gun was his cellphone. The last call came in an hour and a half ago from an unknown number. We’ll have the Forensics guys bag it and see if they can track anything down.”
Jensen nodded. “Thanks.” His eyes scanned the crowd. Derek had finally managed to cajole the stretcher into working and was now with Dr. Lincoln readying Ed’s body for transport. Sheriff Jones had moved off to the side and was talking with the Forensics team, his hands pointing at different spots as he gave orders. Jensen’s gaze finally landed on his brother, seated on the porch steps with two paramedics – Jensen noticed absently it was Nick and the kind female medic who’d responded the night he’d found Jared half-dead – flanking him, one armed with a blood pressure cuff and the other gripping Austin’s wrist with his fingertips. Milo stood in front of them, pen and paper in hand taking notes.
“I’m gonna go…” he jerked his head in Austin’s direction.
“Yeah,” Penn nodded.
Jensen walked across the yard, focus on the hunched shoulders of his brother. Jones broke away from Lincoln and intercepted him before he could reach the porch.
“Jared and Pear okay?” The Sheriff asked, an inscrutable look on his face.
“Yeah,” Jensen sighed, “all things considered. Nasty bump to the forehead and he needs to sleep for a week, but I think they’re okay.”
“Amazing how you stumbled on him wandering the side of the road.”
“I, what?” Jensen quirked an eyebrow at his boss and mentor. The Sheriff had passed seventy a handful of years back, but Jensen didn’t think the man was going senile. “Tommy Lee…”
“Damn stroke of luck finding him right after that anonymous good Samaritan got him away from Olyphant.” The Sheriff looked Jensen straight in the eye.
Jensen stared back hard until the other man tilted his head slightly and widened his eyes, his expression conveying how much he knew that Jensen wasn’t this stupid. Jensen’s weary brain finally kicked into gear and he nodded. “Yeah, it was,” he answered slowly. “Just, uh, when Ford’s boys want Jared’s statement on his kidnapping and mine on how I found him, let us know. We’ll be ready.”
“Good.” Sheriff Jones clapped him on the shoulder, glad that the younger man had caught on. He turned to look at Austin’s shell-shocked face. “You want me to see if the chaplain can come over. It might help him process.”
“I don’t know,” Jensen shrugged. “Austin and God haven’t been exactly on speaking terms since Traci passed. Let me go talk to him and I’ll let you know.”
Jones nodded. “If nothing else, he needs to talk to someone. Sooner or later, the guilt will tear him up. It’s best to get ahead of it.”
One side of Jensen’s mouth pulled into a smile. “Good thing we know somebody. I wonder if Dr. Pascal gives family discounts.”
“Maybe. Go on now. Your brother needs you.”
Jensen gave a curt nod and moved toward Austin. He was a few steps away when Jones calling his name made him turn. The older man’s face was uncharacteristically soft and sincere.
“I’m real glad everyone’s okay. I’m just sorry they were ever in danger.”
“Thanks.” Jensen considered reassuring the Sheriff that the last day hadn’t been anyone’s fault but Olyphant’s and, apparently, Ed’s, but knew the words would not be heeded or appreciated. Jones had been around Jensen’s entire life, had witnessed all three Ackles children grow up, and the older man loved the twins like grandchildren. There was nothing that Jensen could say that would prevent him from feeling guilty that they had suffered in any way.
Jensen walked over to where Austin was irritably batting away the penlight the female paramedic was attempting to use to evaluate his pupil response. “I’m fine,” he growled.
“Mel,” Nick sighed, “leave him be.”
Mel pursed her lips and huffed through her nose, staring hard at Austin. She tossed the penlight back into the bag and looked at Jensen. “He’s a little shocky,” she said, packing up the rest of her things. “Nothing too serious,” she gave Austin a pointed look, “that I can tell.” She stood, wiping off the back of her pants. “Adrenaline burns through sugar big time, so you need to get him something sweet pretty quick to stave off a major sugar crash.”
“Juice is best,” Nick interjected. “It hits the bloodstream quicker.”
Jensen nodded. “Juice. Got it.” He looked at Milo, to the sheet covered body, and back. “Mi, can you go see if Gen has something that’ll work and bring it back out?”
“Sure thing.” Milo flipped his notepad shut and slid it in the breast pocket of his shirt, the pen nestling in beside it. He bounded up the steps, careful not to step on Austin’s lax hand, and disappeared inside.
“Call us back or take him into the hospital if his condition becomes worrisome.” Mel hefted her jump bag onto her shoulder. “If he stops responding or the shakes don’t go away after an influx of sugar. Changes in behavior, you know, suddenly stops being stubborn.”
“I’m right here, you know,” Austin grumbled, causing the three gathered around him to smirk.
Jensen snorted a short laugh. “I think he’ll be fine, but we’ll keep an eye on him. Thanks.”
“Of, course.” Nick picked up the clunky Lifepack monitor from the ground near his feet.
“Can you do one more thing before you leave?”
“What’s that?” Mel asked, coming to stand next to her partner and emphasizing their size difference. Nick stood eye-to-eye with Jensen while the top of Mel’s head barely cleared their shoulders. Despite that, Jensen would still bet on Mel in a fight.
“Jared’s inside and he’s in pretty bad shape.” Jensen ignored the way Austin’s head snapped up. “He refused to let me take him to the hospital without seeing the boys first.”
“Un-be-lieve-able,” Mel groused and shook her head in irritation. “He inside?”
Jensen nodded, watching her stomp up the steps and wincing slightly when the screen door slammed behind her, the wooden frame rebounding off the casing before closing. Jensen gave a helpless look to Nick. “He was already deadset on coming here and then we got the call about …” he trailed off, eyes flicking to Austin, who was staring off at nothing.
“It’s not your fault,” Nick reassured, his bushy eyebrows furrowed in sympathy. “It’s been rough around here the last couple months, with that Cohen kid getting killed and what happened to Jared and now this,” he turned sad eyes to Austin’s quiet form. “It’s sometimes hard to…” Nick shrugged and shook his head. “You get tired of seeing good people get hurt.” Seeming to realize that the ‘good people’ he was referring to were primarily Jensen’s family, he grimaced. “I’m sure you’re aware.”
“Unfortunately,” Jensen sighed.
They lapsed in quiet for a moment, the only sounds on the large farm coming from Dr. Lincoln as he gave commands to Derek for packaging Ed’s body.
“I’d better get inside before Mel just bundles Jared up and forces him to the hospital.” Nick looked toward the door. “What am I walking into?”
“At the very least, I know he’s got a concussion. Good money’s on exhaustion and dehydration, too. He swears he can wait until tomorrow, but if Mel thinks he needs to go tonight, I’ll hogtie him and drag him there myself.”
Nick smiled. “Let me go take a look before you get the rope.” He clapped Jensen on the shoulder and mounted the stairs. He nodded at Milo, returning from the kitchen with a tall glass of orange juice.
When Milo descended, he tried to hand the glass to Austin and receiving no acknowledgement shrugged at Jensen.
“I’ve got it,” Jensen reassured the young Deputy, taking the juice. “Why don’t you go see if Sheriff Jones or Penn needs help?”
Milo tittered for a minute in indecision, his hand drifting up slightly toward the small notebook in his breast pocket.
“It’s fine, Mi. I think Austin needs a break for a little while. You can get the rest of his statement in the morning.”
Milo gave him one more uncertain look then wiped his tired eyes. “Yes, sir.”
Jensen watched him leave then sat down on the step next to his brother. He held out the orange juice and nudged Austin’s shoulder. Then again. Then again. Then again. Finally, Austin snatched the glass away and with an irritated, “Fuck, you’re annoying!”
Jensen wiped the droplets that sloshed over the rim of the glass on his pants then rubbed his palms up and down his thighs. He looked over to see the glass dangling between Austin’s knees, full and forgotten. “That only works if you drink it.”
Austin gave him a side-eyed glare, but took a sip from the glass, so Jensen considered it a win.
“It was Ed, Jensen.”
“I know.”
“Ed Westwick.”
“I know.”
“His folks are friends with Momma and Daddy. He used to play with Dakota when they were little.”
“I know.”
“Why would he…”
“I don’t know.”
They sat in silence watching the Forensics team and deputies moving about the backyard with Austin working his way through the juice. Jensen knew his brother. Forcing him into talking would only trigger an unparalleled defense mechanism. After Traci passed, the more people tried to get him to talk, the further he retreated into himself. Jensen understood that Austin would come around in his own time. It was one of the many ways they were so much alike. They needed time and space to process. One night, two months after Traci was given peace, they were watching the Denver Nuggets lose spectacularly to the Suns and steadily killing a six-pack of beer when Austin’s time arrived.
“I kept telling him to stop.”
Jensen looked over at his brother and waited. Austin was staring at Dr. Lincoln and Derek lifting Ed’s body onto the stretcher, face blank.
“Three times.” Austin swallowed hard. “He just…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I…”He licked his lips, pulling them in over his teeth and biting down to quell their slight trembling. He bent over and set his empty glass on the step between his bare feet.
Jensen was transfixed for a moment at Austin’s exposed feet. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his brother without shoes on and the sight of his pale toes – the little one of his right foot a bit misshapen from dropping a five-gallon container of Rocky Road on it in middle school – jutting out past the frayed cuffs of his worn jeans made Austin seem more vulnerable than the tremor they were both ignoring in the older man’s voice.
“I never,” Austin blew out a hard breath, his elbows coming up to rest on his thighs and hands clasped together. He cleared this throat. “You know, I never thought I would be able to shoot someone. Actually, pull the trigger.” He chuckled mirthlessly. “Hell, I hated shooting Bambi when we hunted as kids with Pawpaw let alone a person.”
“If it makes you feel any better it was more Bambi’s mom and dad than Bambi.”
Austin snorted a laugh. “Yeah, thanks.” He sat up straight and stared at the star-dotted sky. Jensen let the silence stretch, let Austin lead the conversation. “I’ve thought about it before. When the kids were little. I wondered what I would do if someone broke into the house wanting to hurt them. I always said I wouldn’t hesitate, but even then, there was this little part of me that doubted I could do it. If I could…” He twisted his fingers together.
Jensen spread his legs a little wider, his right knee coming to rest against Austin’s left, a small gesture that was part comfort for what he’d already said and part encouragement for him to continue.
Austin squinted at the sky, watching the wing lights of a passing over plane, and shook his head. “Then today at the feed store,” Austin looked over at Jensen. “I still wasn’t sure. Knowing what that fucker Olyphant was capable of, what he’d done to Jared…I promised you and I still wasn’t sure.” He whispered the last part like a midnight confession.
Jensen looked directly back at his brother, making certain that his face held no judgment, no censure.
“I asked him to stop three times.” Austin’s gaze grew distant, his voice becoming flatter with the memory. “I tried to reason with him, get Ed to just…” he shakes his head slightly, “turn around and walk away, but he kept coming closer. The guy was coming at me with a gun. My finger was on the trigger, but I couldn’t make myself squeeze.” Austin balled up a fist and pounded it on his thigh.
“Austin.” Jensen reached out to grab his brother’s hand, to keep it from inflicting physical pain to go with the mental he was experiencing.
“Then he said he was only here for the twins.”
Jensen squeezed Austin’s hand more out of shock than anything else. Why would Ed come for the twins?
“I didn’t hesitate.” Austin’s gaze drifted to the black bag being wheeled by his sons’ swing set. The same swing set that he and Gen had pushed all four boys on not five hours ago. “Hell, I didn’t even think.” He watched the gurney, one wheel noisily protesting its burden and the uneven ground, disappear around the edge of the house. “I heard him say that and then all I could hear was ringing in my ears.”
Austin looked at Jensen, moonlight shimmering in the tears glassing his eyes. “I didn’t hesitate and now a man,” his jaw ticked and he licked his lips, “a boy is dead.”
Jensen searched his mind for something, anything, to say to help his brother come to terms with what he’d been forced to do, but kept landing on…”Thank you.”
Austin’s brow furrowed and his eyes turned incredulous. “I killed someone and you’re thanking me? You’re thanking a killer?”
“You’re not a killer,” Jensen snarled a little more forcefully than he’d intended.
Austin answered Jensen’s tone with an acerbic one of his own. “Pretty sure if you kill someone, you’re a killer!”
“When you kill someone intent on hurting you or the ones you love, you’re a protector.”
Austin scoffed. “Semantics.”
“No, it’s not,” Jensen argued. He licked his lips in thought then swiveled sideways to fully face his brother. “Do you think he would have done it?”
“Done what?”
“Do you think that Ed really would have hurt the twins? Or was he just talking out of his ass?”
“I – “ Austin paused, “I think he would have.” Austin shifted to mirror Jensen’s position, to look at him head-on. “You didn’t see him, hear him. He kept telling me that Jared had ruined everything and how you were meant to be with him. It was like he was trying to convince me or justify why he was here.”
“Apparently, he’s been a little unbalanced for a while.” Jensen waved a dismissive hand when Austin raised his eyebrows. “Another time.”
“Then he told me that he didn’t want to hurt me and Gen and the boys. That once this was over he didn’t want bad blood between us since we’d be family. He only wanted the twins. Said that after tonight, there wouldn’t be any more obstacles between you.”
“That’s what he said?” Something about that niggled at the back of Jensen’s mind.
“Yeah,” Austin swallowed. “It was the last thing he ever said.” A shiver wracked Austin’s frame.
“Just because you were forced to do something awful, doesn’t make you awful,” Jensen reasoned. “You did what you had to do and because of that my sons are safe.”
“I guess,” Austin hedged.
“Look, this is going to take time to process. But when you’re ready, Jared and I know someone great to talk to.”
Austin snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Hey,” Jensen shoved him, “don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Dr. Pascal is a good guy and,” he bumped his knee against Austin’s companionably, “he’s got experience with the Ackles’ special brand of stubbornness, guilt, and self-flagellation.”
Austin ducked his head and stared at his fingers for a long time then nodded. “When I’m ready…”
“Yeah,” Jensen smiled, happy that Austin was seriously considering it. “Just don’t let it go too long. Guilt is a terminal emotion, and it kills slowly and painfully.”
The raspy screech of the back porch door startled the men and Jensen turned to see Chris silhouetted in a patch of light streaming out the door.
Jensen stood and swiped his hands over the seat of his pants. “Hey, man.”
“Hey.” Chris answered softly, eyes watching Austin warily. “Nick and Mel filled me in on the basics.” He jutted is chin in Austin’s direction, his concerned eyes asking the question.
Jensen just nodded in reply. Austin would be okay…eventually.
“How’s Jared?” He asked, knowing his friend would have checked on the pregnant man on his way through.
“Surprisingly good all things considered. Nick said you were pretty on the nose. Dehydration, exhaustion, and a concussion. Mel’s trying to coax him into riding to the hospital for a check-up, but he’s adamant that he doesn’t want to go.”
“See, he’s not even an Ackles yet and he’s got the stubbornness down.” Jensen slapped Austin on the shoulder. “Let me get in there.” He squeezed the hand still on Austin’s shoulder. “I meant what I said. Don’t let this fester. You hear me?”
Austin looked up at this younger brother, squinting against the bright light from the open door. “I hear you.”
“Good.”
“Jensen! Kane!”
Both men turned to see Sheriff Jones, phone to his ear and scowl on his face, making his way to them, Penn and Milo trailing after with grim expressions.
“What now?” Jensen sighed.
Jones stopped at the foot of the stairs and pinned Jensen and Chris with a hard expression. “I’ll make the notifications here.”
Jensen swallowed, his eyes trailing back to the spot where Ed had lain a few minutes before. Notifications were one of the hardest parts of the job when you didn’t know the family personally. In Wowakan, where everyone knew everybody, they downright sucked ass. Luckily, in their little county the accidental death rate was nominal and the murder rate was non-existent. Well, it had been before Olyphant came strolling into town. Jensen didn’t envy Jones having to tell Dick and Lydia Westwick about Ed.
Jones nodded at the person on the other end of the line, making a soft noise of assent. “Thanks for the call and let me know if there is any way we can help.”
Jones pressed the end button on his phone hard enough the plastic screen protector creaked with the pressure. “What did you two chuckle-heads do?” He growled.
Jensen and Chris exchanged a confused glance. “What are you talking about?” Chris asked, dumbfoundedly.
Jensen narrowed his eyes, taking in the parts of Jones’ face illuminated by the full moon and the kitchen light. This was more than heartbreak at having to tell friends that their son was dead. “Tommy Lee, what’s going on? Who was that?”
“Ford.” Jones ground out. “His boys found Olyphant.”
Chris raised his eyebrows. “I don’t understand. I thought that was the plan.”
“The plan,” Jones spat angrily then took a deep breath to center himself, “was to find him and bring him in.”
“Exactly,” Jensen agreed. “We got Jared and they got the credit for the arrest.”
Jones shoved his phone in the breast pocket of his shirt. “It’s pretty fucking hard to arrest a dead man, don’t you think?”