Transfer

Wyatt can’t help his amusement as he listens to Katie tell off Ty. A grin spreads across his face, and he gives her a momentary glance, his eyes laughing.

Ty rolls his eyes at being called a kid, and sinks lower in his seat out of resentment for the situation.

Reese responds to Katie over the phone. “Alright. I trust you two. If you thought Ty needed to get out of there, then that’s probably best. If he’s got a place he wants to go, go ahead and take him there. We don’t have anything on him that we could dig up, other than he’s from South Dakota. If he doesn’t have any place to go, I give Wyatt permission to make any judgment calls necessary.”

Once the phone call ends and Wyatt is informed, he glances in the rearview mirror. “Well, Ty… the sheriff is out to get you here…you don’t have a home…where is it you’d like to go?”

Ty looks up to the mirror with a scowl. “You mean I get a choice?”

“We’re on your side here…what do we have to do to prove it? We just wanted to get you out of there before your life was unjustly ruined.” Wyatt tries his best to show his sincerity. “You got any family? Friends? You were in this area for a reason.”

Ty drops his gaze. “I was just passing through.”

Wyatt sighs, feeling a brick wall again. “Talk to us, Ty…you can trust us. What’s your story?”

“I’ve been drifting,” Ty shrugs. “I left South Dakota about a year ago…just…trying to find my destiny I guess.”

“How did you get here?”

“Hitchhiked.”

“All that way?”

Ty shrugs again. “Why not? This bag here is all I got. Picked up a few odd jobs along the way to pay for meals, but I figured I wouldn’t try settling down ‘til I hit the coast.”

“So you’re heading for California. Got something waiting for you there?”

“No…”

Wyatt glances to Katie, wondering what they should do, but keeps up the conversation with Ty. “Where is your family? Still in South Dakota?”

Ty scoffs. “If you wanna call them my family. I walked out from them over four years ago when I was sixteen. I doubt they even realize I’m not there anymore.”

Compassion hits Wyatt hard. Ty was only a couple years younger than he was…he couldn’t imagine feeling like that. “Tell you what - I’ve got a spare room. How about coming back with me?”

Ty’s eyebrows shoot up. “You’re kidding me, right? You just hauled me out of jail and you’re going to share your house? Wouldn’t you be afraid I’d steal something?”

“You said you were innocent, and I believed you.” Wyatt looks in the mirror again. “What happened anyway?”

“Oh, I opened my big mouth.” Ty rolls his eyes. “I was in this grocery store and I saw the holdup going on. I recognized the head guy who had the gun, so I yelled at him, asking him what he thought he was doing. I called him by name, so when the cops came, the store cashier said I was with the gang. So they arrested me.”

Wyatt nods. “Alright then. Why shouldn’t I trust you?” When Ty doesn’t know how to respond, Wyatt continues. “At least spend the night. No tricks, no strings attached.”

Ty looks between Wyatt and Katie, totally confused. “Why do you guys care?”



Jade sniffs and walks next to Angel. “I feel silly…I was fine a while ago…” She goes on to explain what happened, and what she and Jason decided. “I mean…I know we did the right thing…and I know we’d only been together a couple months, but….I don’t know…it still hurts. And things are going to be different now. We parted on good terms, but we won’t be doing stuff together like we were...” She sighs, her tears dried now. “Katie’s not around any more…I’ve lost Jason… maybe it’s time for me to go home, I don’t know.”


“What?!”

Con shrugs as he looks at Jason. “That’s what he said.”

Jason turns around in his chair at his desk, trying to see if Con was serious. “Carter wants me off this case?”

“No. He still wants you on call, but the guys up north need some help, and Carter figured you’d not only be a good choice, but that you might want to get out of here for a while.”

Jason’s eyes grow wider. “It’s Alaska!”

“So?” Con grins. “You told me once you’d like to go there.”

“Yeah, but…” Jason sighs. “Well, whatever. If Carter wants me to go help train those dogs at the northern base, I will.”

“I think Carter wants you back out on duty for some other cases, too. He mentioned one close to headquarters he might call you in for.”

“But I’ll be in Alaska.”

Con quirks an eyebrow. “That’s what phones and airplanes are for.”

“So I just leave you guys here high and dry?”

“You know if we need you, we can have you back here in no time.” Con pauses, cocking his head. “Carter left the door open if you really didn’t want to go…” He purposely glances at Jason’s desk where a picture of Jade is.

Jason follows his gaze, before looking back up at him. “That’s not in the way anymore.”

“What?”

“It’s over.” Jason shakes his head. “We called it quits today.” He quickly changes the subject, despite Con’s surprised and confused look. “So yeah…whatever Carter wants.”