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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Might need your assistance...
Thus, read the text message Jo received from Raylan that morning. Of course he did. Since returning to Kentucky, he hadn't acted like anything more than another manchild she had the privilege of babysitting.
Mentally preparing herself for the hurricane of issues her brother probably had in store, Jo quickly sent a return message.
I'm heading up.
Raylan and Art were locked away in the Chief's office when she entered. Strolling past the row of Marshal's desks lining the wall, she shot a quick wink and grin in Tim's direction before knocking on Art's door.
Waving her in, Art continued his speech to the unruly subordinate before him. "What if he'd had somebody with him?"
"He didn't," Raylan reassured.
"Well, what if he did? What would you have done?" Art pressed again.
Closing the door gently behind her, Jo looked between the two Marshal's and asked, "what's going on here?"
"Raylan's got an interview with the AUSA later today. We're going over what he's gonna say," Art informed the newcomer.
After explaining the situation, the two men resumed their discussion. "What do you think I would have done?" Raylan questioned Art in return.
"Well, I don't know, Raylan. I don't understand you," Art informed his growingly agitated deputy.
"I don't think there's a living soul who does," Jo mocked and they both huffed indignantly at her interruption.
"If there was someone at the table, Art, I wouldn't have sat down," Raylan attempted to defend his actions. However, that was precisely the sort of statement which would get him into hot water with Vasquez.
Pointing his finger at Raylan accusingly, Art argued, "meaning that you were planning to shoot him before you sat down. See what I'm trying to say? This is a spirit-of-the-law, letter-of-the-law type of thing. Sure, the guy pulls on you first, you've got no choice to put him down, which is fine. Unless it looks like you maneuvered him into giving you no choice."
Finally, interjecting herself into the conversation properly, Jo agreed. "Art's right, Raylan. What you would have done is a reality that doesn't exist; you need to stick with the facts. What actually happened needs to matter more than your motivations behind approaching Bucks."
Grasping onto their rationale, Raylan reasoned, "you want me to tell Vasquez I don't think in what-ifs."
Art began pacing the office as he proceeded. "Yes. Don't let him bait you into speculating, because then you'll let your smart mouth talk you into a jackpot. This guy, Vasquez, he may be all right, but just don't give him any more than you have to. Just let Bucks' history as a maggot and the fact that all these people saw him go for his piece do your talking for you."
