Spencer Hope Dutton. Tiny. The youngest of the Dutton household, if only by a few minutes. She swore those few minutes after Kayce popped out were the only moments of peace she had in life...
Now Spencer's family is being pushed to the brink and her...
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July, 1997
The first time Spencer met Rip Wheeler was a few months after her mother died. Every member of the family was dealing with the pain in their own way. Spencer had become almost obsessively attached to her father, refusing to leave his side whenever he was off the ranch. It was how she had ended up on call with John, just a few miles off a pig farm down south of Yellowstone. Something about a drifter, John had consoled his daughter, they'd be back on their way home soon. And so that was how Spencer found herself staring over the lip of the front seat at a bloodied and beaten boy.
"Who's she?" Rip nodded his head back to the little red head that had been staring at him from the front seat.
John chuckled, watching his youngest duck her head below the seat when she caught his gaze. "That's Spencer, she's one of my daughters. Biggest troublemaker I know-"
"I'm not a troublemaker Daddy!" Spencer piped up from the front seat, crossing her arms with vigor.
"No, Tiny, I guess not," he laughed as he leaned to whisper to Rip. "Feisty little thing though, but she's got a good heart. Something I see in you too Rip."
Rip nodded, sending one last glance to the fiery redhead in the front seat. He smiled for a moment as she stared him down, watching him for a single move out of line. And so he directed his smile to her, nodding in thank you for letting her share her time, and continued to eat.
"It's gonna be fine," Spencer tried to sooth Rip as best as she could. She could feel the nerves rolling off the man as he watched John and Donnie, the sheriff, bicker back and forth. But it was clear to Spencer that whatever her father was trying to tell the sheriff, he wasn't buying.
"Look, we all know what you think happened," Donnie announced loudly, "But it looks to me Rip shot the bear then killed the tourists to cover his ass."
"Now that's a big assumption Donnie, you got any proof of that?" Spencer stepped up, both Rip and John pulling her back before she caused bigger problems.
Donnie scoffed, "I know what he is, the clean up crew. And I've looked the other way long enough. How many crimes have you gotten away with Spencer? Maybe we should take a ride downtown?"
"I'd be happy to do that, Sheriff. That way I can tell everyone of your men how you forced me into your squad car, grabbing just a little too long to be necessary. I bet the media would have a fucking field day with that, don't you?" Spencer cocked an eyebrow at the man, causing him to quickly turn away and tuck his hat over his shiny bald head.
John looked at his daughter, still thoroughly riled up and realized she wasn't going to be helping the situation. "Rip, get her out of here. Spence, for the love of God, keep your mouth shut, okay?"
