Mrs. Dutton (Yellowstone) (Kayce Dutton)

Chapter 8; Say it

Everyone was standing outside the house quietly. Kayce had me wrapped tightly in his arm. I knew he wasn't planning to let go anytime soon, and I didn't want him to. 

Donnie wrapped up a phone conversation and walked back to us. 

"Are you sure you don't want to go lay down?" Kayce whispered in my ear. I think it was partial worry and that he probably didn't want me to hear the conversation that was about to go on between Donnie, John, Rip, Kayce, and Ryan. I shook my head and wedged myself farther under his arm. He kissed my head as Donnie reached us.

"Tech department got a ping of Turner's cell phone this morning from an old abandoned barn outside of Belgrade. We can't get a chopper out to investigate because it's so remote we're afraid it'll spook him." Donnie reported. John and Rip exchanged a long glance.

"A S.W.A.T. team out of Billings is getting ready for a raid later tonight-"

"No S.W.A.T. team, Donnie." John interrupted.

"John, I don't know if I can give them a good enough reason." Donnie replied and shook his head.

"Tell them we aren't pressing charges, so they won't need to catch him," John replied and look over at Kayce, "hopefully he's done what he wants and'll catch a train out of here."

I don't really know what that was supposed to mean, but by the sinister look on his face and they way the muscles in Kayce's arm tightened, it wasn't anything good. We all stood in silence for a second. Finally, Donnie sighed.

"Alright John, I'll try to hold them. You've got 24 hours, tops." He responded.

"That'll be more than enough Donnie, thanks." Rip replied. Donnie walked off back to his car. Rip and John started talking quietly. I looked up at Kayce.

"Why wouldn't we press charges, Kayc?" I asked quietly. He sighed.

"Because justice sometimes isn't done by a judge, baby." He replied. I knew what that one meant. John and Rip looked over at us.

"Let's go talk in the house, Kayce. Ryan, go get Lloyd and Jimmy. Linds-" He paused. I let go of Kayce.

"I understand. I'll go take that ride that got interrupted." I said softly. John nodded. They all started for the house while Ryan jogged to the barn. Kayce turned to me.

"Maybe you shouldn't go wander off by yourself right now." He said and put his hand on my cheek. I never liked to be told what to do or not to do, so Kayce wouldn't say it if he wasn't genuinely concerned. 

"You're probably right. I'll go roll in the dirt or something." I joked. He chuckled.

"Well, he clearly didn't hurt you too bad. You little sarcastic ass." He joked, but his face turned solemn. 

"Are you sure you're ok? This conversation could last hours."

"Ya, I'll be fine. Good luck." I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a long, slow kiss. He wrapped his arms around my back. After a few seconds, I pulled away. He smiled and walked off to the house. 

The sun was still blazing down on the ranch, but it felt good. My heart rate had finally slowed from the barn, but I still felt like I needed to cool down. So I started to walk.

That wasn't the first time I hearn John use the word "train" in strange context before. It definitely didn't mean a train, there were hardly any in Montana and they were mostly private trains or coal haulers. If I wasn't allowed in the conversation in the house and John asked for no police involvement, they were probably going to take matters into their own hands...