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For a moment, Earl just stared at her, dumbfounded at the stupidity of the plan. He glanced to Eli, Dutch, Tracey and Jerome to see if they were all in agreement. There was a sullen silence in which no one wanted to speak up. Finally, it was Dutch’s niece, Jess who spoke.
“That is the dumbest fuckin’ idea I’ve ever heard,” she blurted as she crossed her arms over her chest protectively. Earl almost laughed. Of course she would think the plan was a bad one – she and Rook had been giving one another doe eyes in front of him enough for him to recognize a new relationship when he saw it. Rook’s next word cemented it.
“Babe,” she said softly, eyes sad. “Please.” Jess scowled.
“Don’t fuckin’ call me that. Jesus, are we seriously considering this? It’s ridiculous. It’s bad enough you didn’t fuckin’ kill her when you had the chance and now you wanna…ugh, fuckin’ whatever.” She stormed out of the room abruptly, Rook looking after her, clearly distressed.
“I gotta say, Rook,” Earl finally chimed in, “I’m inclined to agree. Crazy woman damn near killed me.” He shuddered. Rook had fought Faith nearly two weeks ago, but had ultimately chosen not to kill her. The young woman had dove into the Henbane River and vanished. Vanished, that is, until Rook blew up Joseph’s statue and burned his holy book two days ago. Dress stained and torn, eye still a bit blackened from one of Rook’s punches, Faith Seed – Rachel Jessop, had shown up at the jail, sheepish and afraid of the repercussions against her. “If it hadn’t been for Tracey, Virgil would be dead, and the marshal with him, both because of her. Faith Seed…ugh, Rachel, is a menace. I don’t think you can trust her.”
Eli Palmer was staring at the map of Hope county on the table in front of them, face thoughtful. He stroked his beard.
“It’s worth a try. Rook’s right – if we could persuade one of them to join our side, perhaps we could persuade them all. Even if Rachel can’t get us Joseph, she could tell us how to get to Jacob and John.”
“I still don’t think…ahem, seduction is the best path to take, Deputy,” Jerome objected, looking embarrassed.
“Look, I get that y’all don’t think this will work, but what if it does? Earl, Tracey, you’ve both already tried just talking to her and that ain’t working. She’s terrified, but she could still help us if someone could get her to talk. And…” Rook’s face went very, very red and Earl had to strain to hear her next words, “I took her on a date once, before she became Faith. I know…I know she’s interested,” she mumbled, avoiding anyone’s eye contact. Tracey snorted.
“Tell it like it is, Rook, she was head over heels and you ghosted her when you found out about her drug problem.”
“Shit,” Earl mumbled under his breath, meeting Eli’s eyes and wiping a hand over his mustache, twirling one end of it thoughtfully.
“I think you’re all missing the goddamn point here,” Dutch interrupted, nostrils flaring in anger. “This cult is out of fucking control. We stood by…no,” he turned to his left and jabbed a finger in Earl’s chest, “You stood by while they bought up all the properties, while they erected that fucking statue, while they put up that fucking ‘yes’ sign. And now they’re killin’ and kidnappin’ people. I don’t care particularly that John, Jacob and Faith aren’t the ones directly doin’ the killing and kidnappin’. They’re the ones condoning it. Are we just going to let that slide?”
“Of course not,” Rook assured him, “but this is a chance to end this more peacefully. I don’t want to kill them if I don’t have to, Dutch.” She met Earl’s eyes and bit her bottom lip before she spoke again. “Not every problem can be solved with a bullet.” Earl felt a swell of pride at that, which helped tame the anger that had risen in him when Dutch had buried his finger in his chest. Everything the cult had done up to about three months ago had been perfectly legal. There hadn’t been a damn thing Earl could have done about it. It wouldn’t be the first time he and Dutch had gotten into it.
A little chagrined, Earl rubbed his knuckle where a white scar marred one of them – a scar left by one of Dutch’s teeth when they’d gotten into a knock-down, drag-out bar fight several years before. Earl had come a long way in controlling his temper since then.
“So,” Grace said softly from where she had been standing silently in the corner of the room. “Are we letting Rook do this? Because if so, I’m gonna need some more bullets to keep her covered.”
--
“Forgive me if this all seems just a bit too good to be true,” Rachel told Rook from where she sat delicately perched on the checkered cloth, picking at a venison sandwich. Rook chuckled.
“Consider it reward for good behavior.” Rachel met her eyes and then looked away demurely, staring out over the field of flowers where they sat picnicking. “And…as hero of the county, I was able to call in a few favors.” Rook reached a hand out, covered one of Rachel’s. “I’m sorry I ghosted you last year. It was fucked up. I was just getting started as a LEO, and I was afraid that…”
“Afraid that my drug use would make you lose your job?” Rook closed her mouth with a click of her teeth, reddening. Rachel laughed that bell-like laugh. “Well. You weren’t wrong. I…I did a lot of things wrong too.” Rook noticed she hadn’t pulled her hand away. Leaning in, Rook cupped Rachel’s cheek with her other hand, feeling a little sick at the thought that Jess might be watching. Their lips were nearly touching as they leaned over the picnic basket. Rook swallowed, remembering all the reasons she had pursued Rachel, remembered her laugh, her sense of humor, those gorgeous eyes. Those eyes, so captivating.
Rachel leaned forward the extra inch needed to press their lips together and Rook melted, deepening the kiss, forgetting, for just a moment, why she was here. She could feel the roughness on Rachel’s bottom lip where she had struck her during their fight, could taste the barest hint of Bliss on her breath, could feel the velvet tip of her tongue…
Abruptly, Rachel pulled away, a bitter smile on her face.
“You taste like her.”
“What?” Rook asked, incredulous, flustered.
“Jess always mixes a little lavender in with her cherry chapstick. What? You thought you were the first person to try to date her? We live in Montana, Rook, how big do you think the lesbians dating pool is here?” Rachel tipped her chin up imperiously. “I’m not dumb, you know. You need information. You need my help.” Rook sighed, and sat back, ultimately relieved that this farce wouldn’t have to go on any longer.
“I know. I know you’re not dumb. I just…”
“Didn’t think you could just ask?” Rachel finished for her, clearly hurt. “I told you he would punish me. I got myself in over my head. Joseph…he’s…he’s not cruel, but he knows his wrath is righteous. The only way to stop him is to agree with him. He’s not wrong, Rook. Listen to the news, the radio, watch TV. War is coming. Maybe the end of the world with it, I don’t know. You might as well agree to help him. The worst thing that could happen is he’s wrong. And if he is, get him some help. Some medication. Something other than the Bliss, anyway,” she finished desperately, soft eyes pleading.
“Where is Joseph?” Rachel scowled at the question, closing her eyes in frustration.
“I don’t know. He never did share as much with me. Probably somewhere in the Whitetails, if I had to guess. You shouldn’t start with Joseph. Start with Jacob. He already likes you. He’s got a soft spot for bone-headed people with a hero complex.”
“So you’ll help me? You’ll help the Resistance, just like that?” Rook asked, skeptical. Rachel took a little bite of her sandwich, considering, studying Rook’s face.
“What other choice do I have? You can call in your troops. I know they’re there. I’m not going to run. Not anymore.” Rook nodded and stood, brushing her pants off and turning away. “Hey Rook,” Rachel called after her as Earl stepped out of his hiding place and put his cuffs on her. Rook turned to face her, looking torn. “Jess is lucky to have you.” Rook sighed and Earl felt awkward, standing there in the middle of this intimate moment with his one hand on Rachel’s cuffed hands and the other on her shoulder to guide her back toward the jail.
“How do I know I can trust you to help?” Rook asked, pointedly changing the subject. Rachel laughed.
“You’ll have to have faith.”