Growing up in Harlan County gave her a shared history with Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. A history that made the two Kentucky natives cynical to the outside world.
However, after meeting former Army Ranger, Tim Gutterson, Jolene 'Jo' Taylor's p...
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"Jo, you need to come with me," Rachel announced, catching the attorney in the hallway outside courtroom two, seemingly on the way to an appointment.
The case files were already teetering precariously in her arms, her briefcase otherwise full, and the abrupt stop almost sent them tumbling to the ground. "What's up, Chief?" She questioned without care because she hadn't bothered to look up at the familiar voice. If she had, Jo wouldn't have maintained such a brisk demeanor. "I'm about to meet with a defendant, so I'm kinda short on time."
"You'll want to reschedule," Rachel persisted, her voice rising with insistence. "It's about Tim." Everything froze in the span of a blink, Jo bracing visibly at the statement, and so she rushed to continue. "Darryl just blew through a red light. Tim tried to follow, but he got taken out. He's all right. I'm on my way to get him, but Darry's in the wind."
The latter was a warning, should the escapee come and make good on his threat of harassing Raylan's family from the day before, but the former worried her far more. "But you'd say he's fine even if he wasn't," Jo accused around a suddenly constricted airway. "That's what he'd tell you to do."
A thousand scenarios were running through her head, each worse than the last. Tim had gotten into an accident; that much was obvious if he'd tried to chase Darryl through an intersection, but that left a million degrees in between of how severe his injuries could be.
Hesitantly, like she was afraid Jo might spook easily, Rachel stepped closer and put a soothing hand on her shoulder. "He's bruised and has a few minor scratches, but he's okay," she guaranteed to alleviate the lingering upset. "You want to ride with me to the hospital?"
She received a stiff nod in agreement, the woman before her obviously still rattled by the news, and gently ushered them toward the exit. It was only when they'd settled into Rachel's sedan that Jo found her voice again. "What should–fuck. What am I supposed to do?"
Tim was known for being the careful one, constantly assessing and predicting to avoid serious trouble. She couldn't be bothered to exhibit the same caution and wasn't enjoying how the tables had unexpectedly turned. No wonder he'd been incensed each time she'd stumbled into danger, wittingly or not–the alternative was unsettling, to say the least.
"Just be supportive," Rachel suggested while taking a left turn. "He'll likely play it off as nothing, but he's shaken. Probably more than a little pissed Darryl got the jump on him."
Supportive wasn't necessarily in Jo's wheelhouse, but she'd have to muster something resembling sensitivity when she finally laid eyes on him. Shaming for his recklessness wouldn't do, even if it was the more comfortable option. "Right," her head bobbed in acceptance. "I should probably call my client."
Rachel remained silent as she made the call, tuning out the conversation to allow some semblance of privacy. A distraction that thankfully lasted until they were parking outside emergency care.
