The Road Home

[abrightboy]

Raylan's loose ends had been tied in Kentucky and Malcolm's were as tantalizingly close as they'd ever been. He and Raylan made the trip to New York with the intent of discovering the fate of the girl in the box, so they could head down to Miami without... baggage.

They would have to start with the revelation Jessica and Ainsley had made to Malcolm right before Raylan was shot, sending Malcolm back to Kentucky: that Eve had infiltrated the Whitly family to learn more about the Surgeon's victims.

Malcolm let them into the New York loft - a space he considered theirs now, more than his, since they decided they might weather the hurricane season there after moving to Miami - smiling as Sunshine tweeted greetings. Once the door was shut behind Raylan, he opened the door of her cage. Ainsley would have fed her diligently, but nobody would have let her out to fly. Sunshine took off across the loft and Malcolm grinned, watching her go.

He looked at Raylan. "We can still bring her with us when we leave, right?"

Comments

[abrightboy]

“This isn’t the normal sort of a bruise you’d expect to see from strangulation,” Malcolm muses, but his expression turns grim at Raylan’s comment.

“The killer that doesn’t kill.”

He steps back as hospital personnel and police converge on the body, moving to Raylan’s side to be ushered out the door.

“But how will we follow the chain back to him when the chain is dead?”

[tinstar]

He had to trust Malcolm and the grotesque facts that the man knew, but the details of this guys death was less important than stemming this flow of blood.

Raylan's jaw flexed back and forth, eyes darting down the hall thoughtfully. This was his bread and butter.

"We get him to confess without realizin' it. Your mother. She's datin' him right? Maybe he comes over for dinner. He already thinks he's untouchable. That's not gonna change in a place that he's comfortable." His eyes settled back on Malcolm. "Do you think you could steer him towards it?"

[abrightboy]

“I’m not sure it would take that much steering. He has an interest in her. But…” He presses his lips together. “Do you think she’d be safe?” he asks hesitantly.

[tinstar]

"Yes - she lets us put a wire in the house, we can post up in the basement. I'm not gonna put her in any danger. She wouldn't happen to know how to fire a gun, does she?"

He knew Jessica wasn't like Kentucky Women but the woman had steel and teeth and more skills then he was aware of. But at least he was aware of how much he didn't know.

[abrightboy]

"She knows how to fire a gun. She has one, actually."

She's never exactly sober, though, which can make Malcolm nervous.

"She keeps it hidden somewhere in the house."

He pauses and considers it. "Okay. Let's go talk to her."

[tinstar]

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," he admits with a faint draw of his lips as his body turns, one arm gesturing for Malcolm to go ahead of him, off hand following behind his back as he went like a shadow to be followed by Raylan himself.

Malcolm had to call Jessica, of course, and find out where she was but Raylan was a very willing chuffur and once they parked, he let Malcolm take the lead.

"Let's hope she's open to the idea."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm's great fear was that she'd be much more open to it than he was.

He let them into her house, Louisa taking them to her in the living room.

"Mother," he said as she looked up.

"Malcolm, dear." She looked between them, gleaned something from their faces. "What is it?"

[tinstar]

Raylan knew that Malcolm would be hesitant to broach this subject, but he had no issues around it. He glances at Louisa and already knowing she'd been there for so much, he didn't bother to ask her to leave.

"We need your help.

With Nicolas Endicott."

[abrightboy]

“Nicholas?”

“He tried to have dad killed,” Malcolm explained. She started to scoff, but he quickly interjected “He succeeded in having Eve killed…”

“Eve my lawyer, Eve?”

“Yes. And then he had her killer killed. He may come after me or Ainsley next.”

Jessica’s mouth pressed into a thin line. She looked at Raylan. “What do you want me to do?”

[tinstar]

There was a deep relief that Jessica wasn't going to disappoint in the ferociousness in which she protected her babies. Yes, her babies were grown, but that didn't stop the danger or her ability to help keep them safe.

Raylan took a deep breath and stepped forwards a half step, one hand lifting to gesture out.

"We need you to get him to confess. Let us put a wire on you or in a few of these rooms, and a few guys in your basement. Myself and Malcolm included. We'll be right there in case anything happens. Malcolm's told me you've got a gun on the property; I need you to have that handy.." He catches her gaze from whatever protests she might be gibing him, expression deadly serious.

"We have to stop him before he murders anyone else, Jessica. Before he murders you and your children."

[abrightboy]

Jessica nods along right up to ‘myself and Malcolm included’, but she lets him finish before she says “Not Malcolm.”

Malcolm’s eyebrows go up. “Mother, I’m…”

She doesn’t bother addressing him and the protest she knows no argument can head off. She looks at Raylan, but her steeliness is belied by the slightly shrill edge in her voice.

“Not Malcolm!” she repeats. “Malcolm isn’t involved in the… the ‘sting’ or whatever you want to call it. Those are my terms!”

[tinstar]

Raylan glances at Malcolm during the exchange but his eyes landed back on Jessica. She was the lynchpin in this plan working.

"Okay. We can do that." He glances at Malcolm again, hoping the man trusts him enough to keep his mother safe.

"Malcolm can wait out in the surveillance van, that way he's safe and with the rest of the team. That work for you?"

[abrightboy]

Malcolm does not look pleased. Not at being sidelined and not at not being on site when the sting happens, but he doesn't say anything, beyond what his face conveys.

Jessica doesn't look at him. "If that's as far away as you think you can keep him."

"Miami is as far away as he's going to keep me," Malcolm says icily.

Jessica does, finally, look at him. "Don't start with me, darling. If Nicholas really is capable of what you're saying and you really are potentially in his crosshairs, then for once in your life I can protect you."

Malcolm's mouth settles into a thin line and he looks at Raylan. He doesn't need that kind of protection. Tell her. Tell her.

[tinstar]

Raylan took a few more steps towards Jessica, one hand settling oh so lightly on the outside of her shoulder, trying to draw her attention away from Malcolm and the emotionally charged argument they were in the middle of having.

There were still a lot of things up in the air.

They didn't have time for this.

"Jessica. You're a good woman for helpin' all of us keep him safe. You're not doin' this alone, okay? I might not be from your side of the tracks but I understand a mother's need to protect her children. An' we're here to stop the threat - the best kind of protection there is. I appreciate you agreein' to work with us. Gimme a few hours to coordinate with the NYPD and get the set up in the basement. You think you can get Endicott to agree to come over for dinner when you call him?"

[abrightboy]

“Never underestimate a man’s inability to turn down the hospitality of a woman they think they should possess,” she told Raylan stonily. “He’s already invited me to dinner. A sob story about how I feel safer in my home with everything that’s going on and how much the presence of a big strong man like himself would make it so much better will bring him running.”

Malcolm was still looking expectantly at the side of Raylan’s head. He hadn’t told her yet.

[tinstar]

"Then we're set." His hand fell and he looked over under the weight of Malcolm's eyes.

He knew what Malcolm was expecting. He looked back at Jessica.

"We'll be back inside 45 minutes. I hope you're ready to have a whole host of people in your house."

Turning back to Malcolm, he corrals the man with one soft arm, guiding him out of the room so he could safely talk.

"Let her have this one. It will be good for her and it gives you a good place to argue from.. Trust me, okay?"

[abrightboy]

“But what if something happens?” Malcolm asks. “You’re going to be in here and I’m going to be out there where I can’t help you!”

lets bump to when its all set up?

[tinstar]

"You're gonna be outside to run in and save me," Raylan reasoned as they reach the door and he digs into his pocket to pull out his cell phone. "I know it's not exactly what you want darlin', but this really is a compromise. It puts thirty feet between us and I've seen you run. It'll be okay."

He pulls up Gil's number and dials it as the front door closes behind them.

"Hey, Gil. I've got an idea."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm is somewhat mollified by that - enough to go along with the plan - but Gil is none too happy about using Jessica as bait. He also knows the chances of changing her mind, though, so he just insists on being in the basement instead.

Malcolm is a fidgety presence in the surveillance van as Endicott walks up to the door of his family home.

[tinstar]

Raylan would take whatever concessions he had to, all the better to keep Jessica safe, to keep Malcolm as satisfied with the situation as he could. Gil was a good cop and Raylan trusted him.

Down in the basement, it was dead silent, save the sound coming out of their earphones as Endicott came in.

Jessica was an impeccable host, and Raylan bit his knuckle as he waited for her to turn the conversation towards what they needed.

[abrightboy]

He turned the conversation towards Jessica, how he had fallen for her, how she should be with him… how he could keep her children safe and ensure her ex-husband never darkened her life again.

When he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, that was when Malcolm jumped out of the surveillance van and burst into the house.

“Hello, mother, I hope I’m not late for dinner,” he said as he walked in, then pretended to notice Endicott there. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you had company,” Malcolm remarked.

Jessica’s brilliant smile became tighter, but remained in practiced place. “Darling, you remember Nicholas Endicott,” her voice said. Her eyes said she might kill Malcolm herself at this point.

[tinstar]

It was disgusting to listen to and if there wasn't a damned good reason for them doing all this, Raylan would have already been up there shoving the man around. But he wasn't on in ear with the surveillance van and the sound of someone - Malcolm bursting in had Raylan shoving off his earphones with a swear.

Goddamnit.

Pulling his gun, Raylan silently made his way up to the top of the basement steps, head and ears tilted towards the living room. As much as he wanted to race in, he had to let some of this play out, lest he ruin it himself.

'I hope you know what the hell you're doin',' he thought to himself.

[abrightboy]

“This is why you never keep him where you can’t grab his collar,” Gil whispered.

Of course he was right behind Raylan.

Malcolm, meanwhile, continued his charade.

“Endicott… right, of course. Of the pharmaceutical empire. What brings you to our humble abode?” he asked gamely.

“Just having dinner with your delightful mother. Discussing the future,” Endicott said, giving her a broad smile.

Jessica glanced away almost coyly, but Malcolm recognized the discomfort in her expression.

“The future. A bit soon for that kind of talk isn’t it?” Malcolm snorted.

“When two people know what they want, what’s the point of wasting time?” Endicott said airily.

[tinstar]

There was no way in hell Raylan was gonna tell Gil to go back; he was grateful to have the experience behind him. Instead, he huffs a breath and shakes his head, jaw working out as he turns back to listen to the conversation. Now that they were in the shit, they had to just deal with what they were given.

Raylan had to trust that Malcolm knew how to control the situation. He might be a little manic right now, but he was trained, he knew what they were after, what it meant.

He was sure Malcolm wouldn't fuck that up. Not when it meant his family's safety.

[abrightboy]

“Are you talking about what two people want or are you talking about what you want?” Malcolm asks. “Because I feel like you’re not accustomed to being told ‘no’.”

“I’m never told ‘no’,” Endicott says, his tone a little darker.

“Or else what?” Malcolm asks hypothetically.

“You know… you remind me a little of your dad,” Endicott says, gesturing towards Malcolm with his wine glass. “Be a shame if you got picked up for a similar crime.”

“Malcolm is not his father,” Jessica informs him icily.

“Oh, Jess, you’re a loving mother and a good person, but you have a notorious blind spot for the murders of the Whitly men.”

“A similar crime,” Malcolm muses. “Where would you get one of those?”

“People get killed in this city every day, Malcolm,” Endicott informs him condescendingly.