Silence

Ty shrugs. "There are worse things than smelling like moldy paper but I doubt you smell that bad."

He manages to quirk a grin. "Yeah... I get a spiffy badge. I guess I always wondered if I'd actually get to use it sometime, but as it sits... I don't have much authority. I could make an arrest if I needed to, but I'm not allowed to carry a gun, and I better be a hundred percent sure about the arrest or I could get the whole Elite into trouble. I usually keep pretty quiet about where I work for that reason."

Slipping the badge back in his pocket, he works on finishing his food. "Someday..." His tone becomes wishful. "Someday I'll be able to say hey, I made something of myself. My brother... he's a mechanic. I think he might even be part owner of an auto garage now. My sister... she works at this ranch with my mom, taking care of housekeeping, some chores, a bit of bookwork - already had college and business experience with a lawyer. My dad... he's a vet. Just seems there's something better than a janitor, ya know?"

He pauses, the dream fading from his eyes. "But who am I kidding? Anybody who can't read ought to be lucky to be a janitor at all."

Glancing at his watch, Ty quickly and noticeably changes subjects. "Well, I got time to walk you back to the arcade, then get on over to headquarters. If I'm there early, maybe I'll get a few brownie points with the chief."


Gunner looks Hope square in the eye as she talks, never breaking his gaze. She'd been there for him in his darkest time... she had helped him, right alongside Bree, to make sure he knew he was worth something in this world. Could he trust her with that? Yes. He had no doubt that her intentions were pure and that she would do all she could.

"...but the less you know, the less they can extract from you." He blinks. "I can't tell you what's going on, Hope. I'm sorry. You're smart enough to figure out why I'd break someone out of Crescentview. And if you want to know where Bree is - I do not know."

It was the truth. After hearing JT's car had been abandoned, Gunner had no idea where they were or if they'd even stuck with their original plan.

"This is bigger than a temper tantrum. This is bigger than insanity. And you're right... I wasn't going to pull the trigger. Seems someone convinced me that was a bad idea once." He searches Hope's eyes. He needed an ally, and he needed one badly. But he couldn't give up his comrades... at least not openly. Every word he said could be heard by anyone outside this room. He would simply give Hope the chance to investigate, and if a particular someone decided to tell her what had happened, then it was their own choice. Gunner knew they would make the right decision based on whatever was going on outside these walls.

Leaning back in his chair casually, he sighs. "So how're things at the office today?" Making small talk was an easy tactic to distract anyone from the issues at hand... or at least make it look as though that's what he was doing. "Did your boyfriend manage to fix the coffee maker for Susanne or is he still busy playing with computers?"


"Mmm..." Sparky thinks as he approaches Faith, stepping up beside her to greet the horse as well. "I'm feeling better than yesterday. "If Angel doesn't catch me out here, I should be doing pretty well."

He chuckles softly. "I mean, any guy likes attention, but having her after you is like running from a yellow jacket - you just can't get away."

His eyes sparkle with a teasing glint. He loved Angel as much as anybody and her doctoring nature was truly appreciated. But it didn't mean that teasing was eliminated. "And don't you tell her I said that either or I'll be in even more hot water."

Checking the time, Sparky glances down the aisles. Chores were just starting. "If... you want to accompany me and give me a hand here so I don't keel over from overexertion, I'll introduce you to who you'll be getting on tomorrow, weather permitting."


The night had been way too long. But JT had managed to squeeze in a couple hours worth of sleep, then had insisted he drive for a while so Amanda could rest as well. Thankfully, the traffic wasn't bad, and back roads proved to not slow them down too much. He was amazed that they had not encountered any police yet. But perhaps it was taking the investigators longer to connect him to Amanda than he'd thought.

"We need to pick up something to eat," he mentions, glancing ahead at some of the signs. They would need lunch later as well, and probably supper since they wouldn't arrive to the ranch until that night. It wasn't a short jaunt, for sure, but it was the safest method at this point.

Sighing, he spies a sign for some fast food. "I want you to know that the expense of this whole thing is on me... You've risked a lot and it's taking up a lot of your time so... I want to make sure you're compensated."


"He's not talking. He's not eating. He's a tough case."

Adam sighs and nods to his wife. "I wish Dylan was under a legal requirement or had come here on his own. But maybe Mick's right... maybe going to his and Rosetta's ranch will be good for him."

"I don't know." Brenda sits in silent thought for several moments. "I thought there in the beginning that he'd started opening up. At least when he was shouting at Mick he was expressing himself."

"Yeah. They had a couple talks. Dylan wasn't cooperative but Mick was doing a good job with him."

"Right. He even talked back to me constantly at first. But now... he won't even say "hi" or "go away." He just sits and stares at the floor like all the life has gone out of him."

"Do you think he's a suicide risk?"

"No... no I don't think so. I think there's a whole lot more going on in that head of his than we can even see. He's determined... bull-headed just like his father. He wants to win, no doubt. And I think that's what's keeping him alive. But if he doesn't start eating, he's going to get sick. He's already lost weight since he's been here and he was thin to begin with."

"By next week, we'll have to let him go unless there are any more developments."

"Agreed. As far as the drugs go, he's come through this decently. Not the easiest case but not the hardest either. It's just his attitude that's trouble."

Adam gives her a wry grin. "At least when he's silent, he's not swearing."

Brenda chuckles. "This is true. I just can't help but wonder why he won't talk. Especially because he was talking in the beginning, then just shut down. Usually that would mean he's protecting someone or is scared. But there's no one to protect, and he's not the type to be scared."

"Well... I don't know, Hon. Sometimes we see people come and go and we just have to pray that they make it, even when we never see them again."