Fighting For My Soul

That's Why I Own a Gun

Liz watched as the paramedics rolled the body out of the house and to the awaiting ambulance. Something was off about the whole situation. Raylan and Shelby chatted about it but she wasn't paying attention. This was the second hit this week. Same weapon, same bullet, same execution. With all the chaos that had been stirred up given the Drew Thompson hunt, she couldn't help but think they were connected.

"Liz," Raylan's voice snapped her out of her trance.

"Yes?" she answered.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Fine just thinking," she replied, "what's going on?"

"Raylan here gave me a list of people to look into and now I have two stiffs," Shelbly said, "Now I'm wondering if it's a hell of a coincidence."

"I try not to assume anything," Raylan commented.

"Whats the list?" Shelby pried at Raylan.

Raylan stared at the man for a minute before replying, "Drew Thompson's Widow. We had her go through DMV photos and put aside any that could be her dearly departed plus thirty years."

"You never said anything about the Widow," Shelby's voice got curious.

"Seeing as you're only interested in enforcing the law," Raylan stated, "and under no circumstances are you helping Boyd stay in front of my investigation I don't see why you'd much care."

"Boyd's doing just fine staying ahead of you without any help from me," Shelby said .

"What do you mean by that?" Liz pried, getting a little more curious.

"Browning's wife said Boyd was here a good three or four hours before you called me with your list," Shelby informed the Marshals.

"I think we need to go see Mr. Crowder," Liz let out a deep breath.

"I'm in agreement," Raylan looked over at her.

"Let me know what you guys find out," Shelby said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You know," Liz said on the car drive over to Audrey's, "when I agreed to come back to Lexington, I never thought I'd be chasing a federal fugitive who was declared dead thirty years ago."

"I didn't think so either," Raylan replied, "To be honest, when I left, I had no plans to come back to Kentucky."

"I know we've been friends for a while now," Liz looked over at him, "but I have come to realize what I know very little of your childhood."

"And I intend on keeping it that way," Raylan stated, "the less you know about me the better."

"That bad huh?" Liz propped her elbow on the center console and rested her head on her hand.

"To put in short terms," Raylan looked over at her not wanting to have this discussion.

"I confessed to you my darkest moment, the one that haunts me dreams and night and sometimes ruins my ability to be a marshal," she narrowed her eyes, "and you don't want to give up just a little bit of information?"

"Not particularly," Raylan shrugged his shoulders.

Liz straightened up in her seat and turned her gaze forward.

"Fine then," she huffed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Raylan Givens, Liz Hardstead" Boyd's voice rang out, "If you were coming why did you have Shelby drag me in again?"

He appeared out of the backroom with a man dressed in the sheriff's deputy uniform holding him handcuffed. Liz and Raylan looked at eachother confused.

"I didn't have him drag you in the first time," Raylan corrected, "whats going on?"

"What's it look like?" The deputy said.

"It looks like you're arresting Boyd," Liz remarked, "did Shelby send you?"

"He's the boss isn't he," the guy replied.

Liz immediately knew something was off. She felt herself straighten up and her alertness level rise. She stepped back to give more distance between her and the deputy without looking obvious that she was.

"We just saw him not fifteen minutes ago and he didn't mention anything," Raylan's tone showing his confusion.

"Maybe he figured it wasn't any of your concern," the deputy remarked.

"We were standing right in front of him when we agreed to come over here," Liz narrowed her eyes studying the man.

"Im sorry but we haven't met," Raylan gestured, "Im US Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens and this is Deputy Liz Hardstead."

"I'm going to need you two to step aside," the deputy stated.

"Did you just give an order to a federal official?" Liz raised her head with her eyes narrowing.

Her hand, subconsciously, had started to move to her sidearm. Something was off about the whole situation. Her brain started running though possibilities. How fast could she draw? Was he actually a deputy or an imposter? IF she shot him was it the right call? How would she explain this to Art?

"If you two dont move," The deputy narrowed his gaze, "I'm going to have to shoot you."

Before anyone could blink, Liz drew and fired on him. A good number of rounds went off before the man hit the floor. Liz stood there with her weapon raised keeping it on the subject. Her breath was slow and steady and the look on her face was a mixture of anger and determination.

"I hope you just made the right call," Raylan looked over at her with his weapon also drawn.

"If not," she said, sounding like she was out of breath, "Art's gonna have my ass."

"And probably your badge," Raylan walked over and used his foot to push the gun out of the guy's hand.

"Can someone explain to me what is going on?" Boyd demanded.

"He was sent here to kill you Boyd," Liz looked up at him, "you're welcome."

"That or you just killed a Sheriff's deputy," Raylan reminded her.

"I'm going for the ladder Givens," Liz snapped feeling annoyed, "don't tell me you weren't ready to shoot him too."

"I was you just beat me to the draw," Raylan replied.

"So now what do we do?" Boyd asked the two marshals.

"You do whatever it is you need to do and we call Art," Liz answered him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz was perched out in Art's office as he was in the conference room talking to Sheriff Parlow and the AUSA. She kept her head down knowing they were discussing her shooting. Raylan thought it was Justified, but they were both a little uneasy about it. Art came back and opened the door. Liz looked up at him wondering what the verdict was.

"You're in the clear," Art informed her.

"Oh thank god," Liz let out a huff of air, "I was going to lose it if I had shot one of Shelby's men."

"If you had I would have had to suspend you," Art laughed.

"Well if you need me," Liz stood up, "I'm going to the bar."

She walked out the door and tapped on Tim's desk on the way by.

"Drinks on me lets go!" she said then looked over to Raylan, "You too Big Bro!"