For Him, I Would

Chapter Twelve - How do I get you to trust me fully?

Oakley wasn't sure the last time, if at all, she had been on phone calls for over five hours. All day long she was hopping from one call to the other, passing along information to Sherriff Haskell, working with the State Department on if they would open their own investigation, basically becoming the facilitator in all of this. She wasn't prepared, she didn't know who the right person to call was, she was still new to her role, and she certainly didn't feel like she should oversee anything.

But here she was, running this operation as the State of Montana's representative. Since everything took place on the Dutton's ranch, Kayce and the Livestock Commissioner's office could not be involved, and John needed to step out completely too. Not that either man had taken Oakley's warnings. About an hour into all of this, she had decided to let them be. She would run things her way and by the book and if those two decided to step out of line, then they could answer to the higher ups.

It was almost four when Oakley glanced at the clock and realized why her stomach had been growling for the past hour. She was almost done with her seventh call with Sarah.

"Do you think you might be able to stay there?" Sarah asked.

"Stay here?" Oakley focused back in on the conversation. "As in the ranch?"

"Yes," Sarah sighed. "It would be easier if I had my boots on the ground twenty-four seven."

"Uh," Oakley looked around. "I think I might be able to. I just don't want to overstay my welcome with John Dutton."

"Well, if he poses a problem have him call my office," Sarah snapped.

"Yeah," Oakley sighed, knowing full well John wouldn't listen to a thing Sarah said to him. "Look, I'm going to grab a sandwich or something. I'll be back for the task call at five thirty and then the one for eight thirty."

"Okay," Sarah didn't sound like she was listening to Oakley though. "Thanks."

Oakley hung up and stood from her chair at the smaller table in the living room. Her back cracked some with her stretching before she wondered into the kitchen looking for something to eat. Grabbing some sandwich items so made a small one before walking out onto the porch and sitting on the stone ledge. There were more sheriff cars now, and it seemed like the wranglers were standing around trying to figure out what to do. Rip must be going crazy, thought Oakley with a small smile.

She wasn't sure why she was so calm. Oakley usually had a pretty bad case of anxiety in general, and something like this should send her into overdrive, but she had yet to fully freak out. Maybe it was because she already knew they would never find Corey or David? Even still, that alone should be what calmed her. She was always by the book, even as a kid. Sure, she enjoyed letting loose every now and then, but for the most part Oakley was someone others could depend on to do the right thing...and this was most certainly not technically "right."

She finished her sandwich and leaned back against one of the columns, bringing her feet up with bent knees and looked out towards the mountains. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she saw Kayce and John walking up form the bunkhouse.

Kayce's words from earlier, about her not knowing everything he's done the last ten years, came back. Oakley knew their relationship was hard, the father and son dynamic taken to new heights at times. She knew John was a stubborn man, never taking no for an answer and doing things the way he wanted...which made him very similar to Kayce. Though Kayce had more of a hot-head streak to him still, he was still young and learning ways. But he had aged even twice as much as other thirty-year-old Oakley knew. His eyes held history.

Speaking of his eyes, Kayce's caramel ones locked in on Oakley while John was saying something to him. Instantly, Oakley thought she figured out why she was still calm. Lifting one hand in a small wave, she crossed her arms again while Kayce nodded towards his father and said something to him before they parted.