#sheriff sean

[ijustreallylikecaptainamericaok]

Alias #13

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves production and publicity photographs by David James (1991)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

AP, via Chicago Sun-Times:

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. J.B. Pritzker called Wednesday for the resignation of the sheriff whose deputy fatally wounded Sonya Massey in her home last month after the Black woman called 911 for help. Pritzker said Jack Campbell should step down because “the sheriff has failed.” Sean Grayson, 30, faces three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in the July 6 shooting death of Massey, 36. Campbell, who hired Grayson for the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department in May 2023, reiterated his intent Wednesday to stay on the job.

“He has failed to explain how he ended up hiring this deputy sheriff who has been fired from other departments,” Pritzker said of Campbell at an event in Chicago. “He failed to put forward reforms that clearly need to be made, training and other reforms, and still has failed to meet with the Massey family.” There is no evidence Grayson was fired from any previous job. Pritzker did not elaborate on what “training and other reforms” Campbell should have implemented since the killing. Grayson has come under scrutiny because — before becoming a law enforcement officer — he was kicked out of the Army a decade ago for the first of two drunken driving arrests within a year. His law enforcement career included six jobs in four years, during which he received reviews indicating he needed more training and had one disciplinary problem.

Grayson was fired on July 17 for violating use-of-force standards by shooting Massey rather than taking nonlethal action when he said he felt threatened by a pan of hot water she was holding in another room, according to authorities.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) is correct to call for the resignation of the Sangamon County Sheriff over his handling of the police killing of Sonya Massey.

[summersnow82]

Somethin’ Bad - Part 20

Fanfiction_The Quarry

Fictober 2024_Prompt 19: “This is getting ridiculous.”

Summary: Annabelle and Travis come to an agreement of sorts.

Author’s note: Guys. I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to get this piece out. I have not abandoned this fic, but life can be ruthlessly demanding sometimes. I love y’all. I appreciate y’all. Thanks for sticking with me. We’re nearing the end.

…

Part 20

Travis blinked. He’d pictured this evening going many ways, but this… this was not it.

Annabelle tightened her grip on his suit lapels. “Where is Sean?” She repeated.

Under normal circumstances Travis would’ve told her to shut up or untangled himself from her hold with little effort, but tonight… tonight his mind was drawing a blank on what to do or how to reply. Tonight she looked stunning with red lips, long black lashes, and curls that framed her face in a flattering retro style. Her figure was emphasized in a classic skirt and blouse, and the heels made her legs look even more delectable. She was polished, perfumed, and before he realized it his arms were snaking around her back like an old lover. The surprise was evident as her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to protest; enough time for him to lean in and close the distance.

… and be greeted with a palm to his face.

“Oh, you must be kidding me,” she grumbled, shrugging out of his hold, whirling on her heel, and marching back to the grand house. Before she entered she turned to face him adding, “Don’t worry. I’ll find him. It’s what we do.”

Travis felt his face burn with embarrassment as he watched her go, and he adjusted his suit for a moment, hoping the blush would die down. He did notice, however, with a small quirk of his lips that she had left the door open this time.

………..

“Well, isn’t this nice?” Darlene asked, finally sitting down at the dining room table. She’d been running back and forth to the kitchen, insisting Annabelle sit still across from the smirking sheriff. Frank wasn’t helping, either. He seemed perfectly content to let the two of them sit in an awkward silence without any assistance on his part. Instead, he sat at the head of the table watching the two of them with an ever growing grin on his face. “Frank, would you like to bless the food,” Darlene asked, casting a knowing smile at her husband.

“Of course, darling.” Frank bowed his head, and said, “Heavenly Father, we thank you for the food we are about to eat, the hands that prepared it, and the company we are about to enjoy. We ask You to nourish our bodies to Your Holy Service, to bless this time together, and to help us put aside our stubborn pride and see the gifts before us. In Your Name, Father, amen.” He looked up to see Darlene ducking her head to hide a smile while both Travis and Annabelle both seemed just a touch more humble.

“Thank you for inviting me over, Frank,” Travis said, breaking the silence. “Darlene, everything looks wonderful.” His dark eyes flicked up to look at Annabelle. “Absolutely everything.” Annabelle’s mouth opened just a touch, her surprise evident at the compliment.

“Isn’t she just the picture?” Darlene asked, smiling over at the younger woman. “You’ve indulged me so much, Alice. I never had a daughter, and I always wondered what it would’ve been like.” She reached over, taking Annabelle’s hand in her own, and offering an affectionate squeeze. “Thank you for that.”

“I should be the one thanking you,” Annabelle said, staring down at her empty plate. “I’m not used to such kindness.” She glanced up for a moment, and caught Travis’ eye. “But gracious hosts seem abundant in North Kill.” It wasn’t an apology or forgiveness, but it was a step in the right direction, and it made Frank smile.

After dinner Annabelle offered to clear the table, and with some silent encouragement from Frank Travis was soon on his feet, helping her carry Darlene’s fine china to the kitchen. The two washed and dried the dishes in silence, and they were finishing up when Darlene popped her head in, stating she and Frank were going to go for a bit of a walk and give the “lovebirds” time to talk more openly.

Annabelle’s protests fell on deaf ears as the door swung shut behind the older woman, and Travis shrugged. “At least I don’t have to call you Alice for a bit.”

Annabelle shot him a glare before returning to her work. “You almost slipped up at dinner. At least twice,” she stated.

“Frank knows,” Travis replied.

She almost dropped the dish she was holding. “He… what? He knows what?”

Travis kept drying the plate in his hands. His mother had been strict about dish duty; he’d put a damp dish away once, and she’d made sure he would never make the same mistake again. “He knows your real name is Annabelle. Knows who Sean is. Knows something’s been going on since the fire, but not all the details.” He polished the dish again, more out of habit than necessity. “Don’t worry. He won’t tell.” He was so focused on the dish he almost dropped it when Annabelle’s hands closed around his own.

“It’s dry, Travis.” She spoke softly, and her concern was evident, but Travis didn’t want her concern right now. He wanted to know if she was still going to help him come the next full moon, and he asked her as much. “I said I would, and I meant it,” she told him, her hands still holding onto his. “How did Frank find all this out?” She took the dish from him as she spoke, deftly taking the dish towel, too, and began to dry the remaining dishes. He recounted the events of the previous night, and though he was tempted to exclude it, he shared the reason why Sean had to be moved so abruptly. She leaned back against the counter, shaking her head in disbelief. “Wow. Travis, your family. I mean - .”

“Don’t.” The word was hard and cold, and his eyes told Annabelle he didn’t want to hear what she had to say. “My family is my family. It is what it is.”

Annabelle shook her head, and turned back to the dishes. “This is getting ridiculous,” she murmured. “I mean, how are we supposed to help your family when they keep trying to kill us? We went from sleeping in a jail cell to being put into hiding, and for what?” Her voice rose as she allowed all her pent-up frustration to tumble off her tongue. She squared her jaw, shook her head, and turned, saying, “Maybe we should just leave…,” and the words died in her throat. Travis was slumped in a kitchen chair, elbows on his knees, his long, thin fingers raked through his dark hair.

“Travis,” she said softly, crouching down in front of him with a gentle hand on his knee. “Travis, I’m sorry. Really. I didn’t…,” she struggled to find the words. “I want to help you, I do. I’m just…,” she trailed off, shaking her head.

“My family… we didn’t mean to hurt anybody,” he said quietly.

Annabelle nodded. She knew underneath the gruff exterior, cold glares, and grunts Travis was a good man. She wanted to believe the rest of his family was, too, but her experience with his parents made it difficult, and knowing what she did about Evelyn, and his past didn’t help. “But people have been hurt, Travis,” she said quietly.

“Don’t you think I know that!” He shouted, throwing his hands in the air as he jerked away from her. His chair scraped the floor at the motion, and she recoiled at the burst of movement, falling back against the cold tile floor. Travis froze, his eyes wide with a mix of panic and horror. “Oh. Oh, no. Belle, I - ,” he stammered, and he looked so lost Annabelle couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He raked trembling hands through his hair and over his face. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. None of this was supposed to happen,” he cried before quietly adding, “We’re just… trying to survive.”

“I know a little bit about that,” Annabelle said softly.

He couldn’t help but chuckle – a dark, rueful chuckle, but still. “Yeah. I guess you do.” He met her eyes, and then looked away quickly. “I’m no good at this, Belle.”

“People or werewolves?” She asked.

He shrugged. “Both.” He took a cautious step in her direction, hesitated, then extended a hand to help her up.

“I will help you,” she said once he’d pulled her to her feet, “but I can’t do that constantly looking over my shoulder, and Sean has to be somewhere safe once the full moon comes.” Travis nodded. “So,” she began carefully, “we need a plan.”

“You got one?”

She grinned. “I was hoping you had one, Sheriff.”

Travis arched a brow, and had the gall to look down his nose at her before saying, “Ma’am, I need more than a glass of red wine with dinner for that.”

Her smile broadened; there was her grumpy Sheriff. And then an idea struck her, and she could tell by the tilt in his head he saw the gears in her head begin to turn. “Do you have a bar in North Kill?” She asked.

If it was possible, Travis looked at her even further down his nose. “Yes,” he answered slowly. “Right along with electricity and running water.”

“Do they, by any chance, have a karaoke night?”

Travis’ lip curled. “Unfortunately. Why?”

Annabelle’s smile was so wide she could barely contain herself. “Why Sheriff, I do believe I have a plan.” She closed her eyes, hummed a tune, and then sang, “Stand on the bar, stomp your feet, start clappin’. Got a real good feelin’ somethin’ bad’s about to happen.”

[abs0luteb4stard]

W A T C H I N G

The 155-minute director's cut

[songbirdsandsugar-moved]

Maybe I'm just biased

But they're really trying too hard to make the mayor seem like a douche and the sheriff's a "good guy"

But the sheriff is an asshole, and proved it in his first two minutes on screen. And just keeps being more of an asshole.

[radicalgraff]

Freight graffiti for Sonya Massey.

On July 6, 2024, Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old African-American woman, was murdered in her home by deputy Sean Grayson of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office in Woodside Township near Springfield, Illinois.

[nthspecialll]

Something massively overlooked is Sean's trauma, not just being chased by the law his entire life because of his father's choices, only for his father whom he loved deeply to be shot in his sleep and to be sent to reform school where he gained religious trauma and suffered several forms of abuse. We do talk about that, not enough, but we talk about it, what we don't talk about is his torture.

Sean was captured and tortured and you can see the wounds he has, wounds that I have even seen people make fun of him for.

The missing tooth that people think makes him look stupid was pulled out, someone took a metal tool into his mouth and yanked it out with nothing to help the pain, they did that several times. In camp you can see him sometimes flinch when eating or drinking, some say it is just because he gets burned but none of the other characters does it.

His feet being slightly square and looking a bit strange is not just somthing he was born with, they were burned. They are misshapen and look weird because they are covered with burn scars.

Yet even when he suffered like that he still did not tell, he did not say anything, he even joked to a sheriff that the rope they would use to hang him wouldn't be able to hold him, he was too muscular for it.

[prettyundeadgirl]

Strange Trails - the series

This series is based on the album Strange Trails by Lord Huron and is heavily inspired by the lovely and talented @ichorai go check hers out!!

All Arthur Morgan because I think the vibe of this album fits him perfectly. These oneshots aren't connected in any way unless you want them to be. Hope you enjoy! :)

AO3 link | Masterlist

Tracklist:

I - Love Like Ghosts (1.0k) → Within the night, an inebriated Arthur returns. You take care of him, and when morning arrives, he realizes how in love he really is.

II - Until the Night Turns (1.4k) → Arthur couldn't keep his eyes off you during Sean's return party.

III - Dead Man's Hand → Sustaining injuries from a violent altercation in Valentine, you patch him up.

IV - Hurricane (Johnnie's Theme) → A raging storm causes a change in your hunting plans with him, and you both stay in the quaint hotel in Strawberry.

V - La Belle Fleur Sauvage → While spending time with Arthur, he finds himself in awe and fills his journal with drawings of you.

VI - Fool for Love → It was the small moments in which Arthur knew he'd never find another like you. A fool for love he surely was.

VII - The World Ender → You'd spent your days worrying for Arthur after his kidnapping, and upon his return you remained by his side.

VIII - Meet Me in the Woods → The sheriff's daughter and a brutal outlaw. It was something you never imagined.

IX - The Yawning Grave → During the shootout in Shady Belle, you were unlucky in reaching the house in time.

X - Frozen Pines → Separated from the gang after Blackwater, he spends his time searching for you, praying you're alive and desperate to reunite with you.

XI - Cursed → A failed robbery leads to a chase through Saint Denis.

XII - Way out There → You and Arthur get lost trying to collect a debt, and with the sun setting, you spend the night together.

XIII - Louisa → A glimpse into your life with Arthur after the events of 1899.

XIV - The Night We Met → It had been months since you left the gang in fear for your safety, and he visits you in your home to say goodbye, looking different from when you'd last seen him.

[medievalandfantasymelee]

The First Round of Contest Has now Concluded.

This Round began with 148 Contenders - Now 74 remain.

All polls in this round (as well as summaries of each day's results) may be found here

The 10 Closest Tilts in the First Round (in Reverse Order) were

10. The Sheriff of Nottingham [Alan Rickman] Def. Kili [Aiden Turner]

9. King Marke of Cornwall [Rufus Sewell] Def. Prince Prospero [Vincent Price]

8. Sir Guy of Gisbourne [Basil Rathbone] Def. Finan [Mark Rowley]

7. Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert [Ciaran Hinds] Def. Robert the Bruce [Chris Pine]

6. Hugh Beringar [Sean Pertwee] Def. Father Beocca [Ian Hart]

5. Bard the Bowman [Luke Evans] Def. Will Scarlet O'Hara [Matthew Porretta]

4. Lin Shu [Hu Ge] Def. Arman [Matvey Lykov]

3. Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck [Dominic Monaghan] Def. Geoffrey Chaucer [Paul Bettany]

2. Saladin [Milind Soman] Def. Jon Snow [Kit Harrington]

1. Rodrigo Borgia [Jeremy Irons] Def. Lord Tywin Lannister [Charles Dance]

And the 10 Tilts with the widest margins of victory were (in reverse order):

10. Inigo Montoya [Mandy Patinkin] Def. Corlys Velaryon [Steve Toussaint]

9. Frodo Baggins [Elijah Wood] Def. Prince Chauncley [Daniel Radcliffe]

8. Aragorn Elessar [Viggo Mortensen] Def. Ahmad [Mahesh Jadu]

7. King Henry II [Peter O'Toole] Def. Thomas Becket [Richard Burton]

6. Thorin Oakenshield [Richard Armitage] Def. King Edward IV [Max Irons]

5. Gawain [Dev Patel] Def. Matrim "Mat" Cauthon [Donal Finn]

4. Éomer, Son of Éomund [Karl Urban] Def. King Arthur [Sean Connery]

3. William Thatcher [Heath Ledger] VS. King Vortigern [Jude Law]

2. Boromir, Son of Denethor [Sean Bean] Def. Alessandro Farnese [Diarmuid Noyes]

1. Faramir, Son of Denethor [David Wenham] Def. Uther Pendragon [Gabriel Byrne]

The Tilt with the most votes (by far) at 5,177 Votes was Geralt of Rivia [Henry Cavill] Vs. Sir Gary Galavant [Joshua Sasse] Which Galavant won with 57.7% of the Vote

It was an exodus of two-by-twos this round with both of our Ewan Mitchells [Aemond Targaryen and Osferth], both of our Henry Cavills [Geralt of Rivia and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk], AND both of our Iain Glens [Ser Jorah Mormont and Prince Hamlet] losing their respective tilts to Erik Thurgilson [Christian Hillborg], Fili [Dean O'Gorman], Galavant [Joshua Sasse], Prince John [Oscar Isaac], "The Player" [Richard Dreyfuss] and Ned Stark [Sean Bean]. Even both of our Laurence Oliviers [Prince Hamlet and Henry V] were sent scurrying to the vents in disgrace, losing their tilts against Cesare Borgia [Francois Arnaud] and Elrond Half-elven [Hugo Weaving].

In fact, nearly of of the men of Middle Earth fared uncommon well in this round, with only three losing their matches. Haldir [Craig Parker] was unable to best the charms of that most magnificent of minstrels, Hubert Hawkins [Danny Kaye]. Kili [Aiden Turner] had a strong start against George, the Sheriff of Nottingham [Alan Rickman], but the race tightened about halfway through, and the Sheriff was able to pull through a stunning last-minute victory. Despite his brutal focus and discipline and grim sense of humor, Uglúk [Nathaniel Lees] suffered a crushing defeat under the cloven hoof of a greater and sexier evil, Darkness [Tim Curry]. The Sons of Denethor, Boromir [Sean Bean] and Faramir [David Wenham] truly dominated their oppositions (Alessandro Farnese [Diarmuid Noyes] and Uther Pendragon [Gabriel Byrne]) and were the only competitors to achieve margins of victory exceeding 90% in this round.

The Men of Westeros did not fare so well. Of their 14 remaining competitors only four now stand:

Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark [Sean Bean]

Ser Bronn of the Blackwater [Jerome Flynn]

Khal Drogo [Jason Momoa]

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish [Aiden Gillen]

Ser Davos Seaworth [Liam Cunningham]

Ser Jorah Mormont [Iain Glen]

Prince Oberyn Martell [Pedro Pascal]

Ser Criston Cole [Fabien Frankel]

Lord Corlys Velaryon [Steve Toussaint]

Sandor "The Hound" Celgane [Rory McCann]

Jon Snow [Kit Harrington]

Gendry [Joe Dempsie]

Aemond Targaryen [Ewan Mitchell]

Tywin Lannister [Charles Dance]

But what of our Robins and Arthurs?

We began the Round with 3 of Each, but only one of each survived the round.

While Beowulf [Gerard Butler] bested King Arthur [Richard Harris] with a handy but respectful margin of 56.8%, Sean Connery's Arthur was unhorsed by Eomer [Karl Urban] in what can only be termed a crushing defeat, with a margin of 84.4% of the Vote. Only Bradley James's incarnation was able to defeat his opposition, Prince Henry [Dougray Scott], who, though strong contender, proved no match for Arthur's winning smile.

On the Robin side, our last Robin standing, is Cary Elwes, who defeated Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan with a tidy 70.8% margin. Richard Todd's stunningly attractive but lesser known Robin was defeated by the only remaining Son of York, Richard III [Aneurin Barnard], while the iconic Errol Flynn iteration was unhorsed (rather ironically) by one of the most appallingly unjust and underhanded aristocrats in the lists, Adhemar, Count of Anjou [Rufus Sewell]. We can neither confirm nor deny allegations made against the Count of cheating, nor the veracity of the rumours circulating that the Count's rather costly saddle was stolen from his tent at the end of the day while Adhemar was enjoying a flagon of wine with fellow victors Sir Guy of Gisbourne [Basil Rathbone], Sir Guy of Gisborne [Richard Armitage], the Sheriff of Nottingham [Alan Rickman] and His Royal Highness Prince John [Oscar Isaac].

Our third Sir Guy [Michael Wincott] did not join them, as he rather unfortunately lost his match against Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe [Anthony Andrews] and, after a rather unpleasant exchange with his cousin the Sheriff, preferred to drink in the company of a different, more polite Sheriff [Peter Cushing] (who also lost his match against the Hound [Rory McCann]) and his friend Prince Prospero [Vincent Price].)

But I am sure some of your are curious as to how the Master of Revels' list of Secret Favourites is faring. Well, I can tell you, it sustained some heavy losses this round, though a still rather healthy 34 remain in the competition. Aye, but at what cost?

[girljeremystrong]

books about dads and about family and about complicated feelings

FICTION

they're going to love you by meg howrey: carlisle goes back to greenwich village to her father's house and finds herself dealing with her complicated feelings towards her dad.

foster by claire keegan: a story about a young girl who's sent to live with another family and founds a love she wasn't familiar with before.

the namesake by jhumpa lahiri: most beautiful novel by our gratest author about the son of immigrants from calcutta growing up in america.

east of eden by john steinbeck: the nobel prize winning greatest story of a father growing two very different boys in california.

still life by sarah winman: ulysses finds himself with a child and chooses to become the best man he can for her (and they move to italy).

unlikely animals by annie hartnett: emma's dad has a mysterious brain disease so she drops out of med school and goes back home. it's a delightful story.

the family chao by lan samantha chang: a retelling of the brothers karamazov set in a modern day chinese restaurant in america.

the incredible winston browne by sean dietrich: sheriff browne recieves some bad news and suddenly he finds himself taking care of a runaway girl who doesn't speak.

we begin at the end by chris whitaker: duchess is only a kid but she takes care of her little brother with all she has even when circumstances keep getting worse and worse.

razorblade tears by s. a. crosby: two black men are killed and their fathers, who always had trouble accepting their sexualities, decide to get justice.

the sweetness of water by nathan harris: in the waning days of the civil war two brothers find refuge with a couple in a farm.

salvage the bones by jesmyn ward: esch's brothers and her dad in the 12 days before during and after hurricane katrina. a modern classic and one of the most beautiful books ever.

the patron saint of liars by ann patchett: in a kentucky home for unwed mothers, a woman meets a man and can't escape her past.

homeland elegies by ayad akhtar: a very personal story of a man and his father dealing with feelings of dispossession and belongings. again one of the best books in the world.

NON-FICTION

the three mothers by anna malaika tubbs: the story of the three women who raised and shaped martin luther king jr., malcolm x and james baldwin.

how to say babylon by safyia sinclair: a memoir of a childhood shaped by a volatile father.

beautiful country by qian julie wang: after moving from china to the usa young qian finds a place among books as her family struggles to adapt to their new home as undocumented immigrants.

between the world and me by ta-nehisi coates: a black father shares his fears for his son growing up in current day america.

[sangcounty]

JUSTICE FOR SONYA MASSEY

SAY HER NAME

To Deputy Sean Grayson:

Rot.

ACAB

[justinspoliticalcorner]

WAND:

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Sangamon County State's Attorney released body camera footage Monday showing the events leading up to the shooting of Springfield woman Sonya Massey shortly after a 911 call.

The release of the video had been postponed at the request of Massey's family, but was finally released this afternoon. The footage can be seen below. Some images have been blurred by police. Massey was shot and killed by Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson on July 6 after she called 911 herself to report a possible prowler at her home just before 1 a.m. At 1:21 a.m., deputies reported shots had been fired. Two deputies were at Massey's home responding to the 911 call. One deputy turned on his body-worn camera when they first arrived on scene, but Grayson only activated his camera after shooting Massey. Prosecutors alleged that Grayson ordered Massey to move a pot of water heating on the stove to the counter. Grayson then “aggressively yelled” at Massey over the pot and pulled his 9 mm pistol. Massey then put her hands in the air, declared “I'm sorry” and ducked for cover before being shot in the face. Grayson also discouraged the other deputy from getting his medical kit, prosecutors said.

This afternoon, horrific bodycam footage of the police killing of Sonya Massey by Sean Grayson in her own home in Springfield, IL was released.

Sonya Massey deserved to live a full life instead of being killed by Grayson. #SonyaMassey #JusticeForSonya #BlackLivesMatter

[summersnow82]

Somethin' Bad: Part 17

Summary: Travis and Sean square off.

Notes: Hello, my lovelies! Thank you for bearing with me on my hiatus - I really appreciate it! I've been enjoying family time, reading some books on my TBR, watching some shows on my TBW, and figuring out the direction I want to take this story in. I've had an ending in mind for awhile now, but I was debating between two different courses, and one has finally won out.

I appreciate your support, your likes, reblogs, and comments so very much, and I apologize if I take a bit too long getting back to y'all. Now… let’s see how Sean and Travis get on. 😏

Not sure what’s going on, but Tumblr keeps cutting off the last paragraph, and it’s kind of important, so here’s a link to the AO3 chapter.

Part 17

Travis felt the shotgun barrel pressing firmly into the small of his back. “Hello, Sheriff,” Sean said, his voice lacking the friendly tone he normally used. “Where’s Annabelle?”

“Sean…,” he began, but Sean pushed the gun into his back harder.

“Hands in the air, please. I’d prefer not to shoot you.” But it’s not off the table. The unspoken words hung heavy in the air. Travis did as told, grinding his teeth together so hard he thought they would break. “To the cell block, please. I think it’s time we had a little chat of our own.”

Under normal circumstances, Travis would’ve considered fighting back. He was strong, lithe, and quick, but after what he’d seen from Annabelle earlier he was hesitant to act just yet. So he allowed himself to be led to the cell block, biding his time. Sean stopped him at the second cell, and Travis felt his chest constrict. Not this cell.

“Cuff yourself to the bars, please,” Sean said, his voice still devoid of any warmth. Travis hesitated, and Sean noticed. “Problem, Sheriff?”

Travis struggled; he didn’t want to display any weakness. But this cell…“Not this cell. Please.” He closed his eyes, ashamed at his display.

Sean, to his credit, didn’t mock or laugh. “My cell, then,” he replied softly. “Slowly.”

It was so tempting for Travis to reach for his service weapon or his taser, but he reached for his cuffs instead. He clasped one cuff to the bars of Sean’s cell, and then secured the other to his wrist. It was only then he got a good look at Sean. Freshly washed, golden curls slicked back, and he was wearing one of Travis’ uniforms.

Travis hated how good it looked on him. Travis was lithe and lean while Sean was broad shouldered, muscular, and fit. Sean was what his mother would’ve called “classically handsome.” She’d never doted on Travis that way, always focusing on his flaws instead, while she heaped praise on Chris and Bobby for their “Hackett charm”.

Sean levied the shotgun at Travis, and there was no hesitation in his movements. “Remove your utility belt. Gently lay it on the ground, please.”

So damn polite, Travis thought through clenched teeth, but he did as he was told. Moving carefully, but deliberately, Sean kicked it out of the way. Swiftly, he took out another pair of cuffs and snapped them to Travis’ remaining wrist and an alternating bar. He checked the cuffs Travis had secured, nodding once he was satisfied. “Happy?” Travis snarled.

Sean shook his head, his expression grim. “Not at all. You’ve been a hospitable host. I’d hoped it would never come to this.” He sighed, stepping back, and shouldering the shotgun. “But here we are.”

Travis glared at him, subtly testing his own restraints. “Here we are,” he growled.

Sean looked unimpressed. “Why did your brother and father come here while you were gone?” Travis’ eyes widened, and a chill ran through him; Sean arched a brow. “You didn’t know?”

Travis ignored him, more concerned with his own question. “Did they see you?”

Sean shook his head. “I look a bit different in daylight, especially without all that blood.” He gestured to his uniform. “I figured I could pass as your new deputy. They never looked at me too closely while they held me prisoner, anyway.” He grimaced at the thought.

“My family… they aren’t the monsters you think they are,” Travis said softly.

“That’s why they came in here with shotguns, right?” Sean sounded more bitter than angry. He leaned back against the wall, gazing at the middle cell. “Why not that cell?” Travis averted his eyes. Would he shoot him if he didn’t talk? He decided to test the theory, but Sean didn’t move or spout out threats: he just waited.

Travis was good at waiting, too.

Sean arched a brow, finally, clucking his tongue. Travis smirked as the younger man broke the silence, but when he spoke it wasn’t to threaten or concede. “You didn’t look at the file before you gave it to us, did you?” Travis’ brow furrowed. What… “The hikers, the journalist, you had clippings of their disappearance in there.” Damn. Sean was studying Travis the way Travis studied a perp as he spoke, and Travis was torn between fury and admiration. “You did a good job of cleaning the blood out of the cell. Must’ve been tricky with all the cracks and groves in the wall.” His blue eyed gaze never wavered. “But you missed a spot. Were you here when it happened, or did they just leave the mess for you to clean up?”

Travis jerked against his restraints. “Shut your damn mouth,” he hissed.

Sean lifted his chin, giving Travis an appraising glance. “I’m truly sorry for the mess you’ve been dragged into, Travis. Really, I am. I’d like to believe you’re a good man trying to do the right thing, but I’m not willing to risk my life or Annabelle’s for that belief. We’ve been burned before.” He drew his mouth into a tight line, glancing down the cell block. “Once I find her – and I always find her - I’ll have someone come unchain you. Thank you for all you did to help us. I’m sorry this couldn’t have ended better.” Sean looked conflicted, but resolved as he began to turn away.

“You promised!” Travis cried, jerking against his chains. “You promised you would help us.”

Sean stopped, turning back to cast him a hard stare. “Consider my attempted murder the cancellation of that promise.”

He turned away again, and Travis felt desperation clawing at his chest. “You can’t go! The curse will follow you wherever you go, whenever you go. No one will be safe from you.” Travis felt cold at the sudden realization. “She’ll never be safe from you.” Sean rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck to either side as he stood, mulling over Travis’ words. He had to get him to stay – he had to. They were his only hope of ending this nightmare. He couldn’t handle the innocent bloodshed, the look in Kaylee’s eyes the morning after each full moon, or the…

The thought swam to the forefront of his mind unwillingly, but once it was there he couldn’t ignore it, and the realization made his chest hurt: he couldn’t handle losing her. Not now. Not before he could explain, apologize, beg for forgiveness, and bury his hands in her long, dark hair one more time. What had he done? His home would feel so empty with her gone.

He had to stop this now.

“They came when I was on a call,” Travis said, nodding to the middle cell. He was fighting the tremble in his voice; he had to speak, but that didn’t make it any easier. “Shot him through the bars like a fish in a barrel. I watched the tape later, saw him plead, try to back far enough away, but it didn’t matter. My brother will do anything my folks ask, and they didn’t ask.” Sean turned slightly, meeting Travis’ stare. “I didn’t know. Not then, not now.”

Sean was silent for a moment, and Travis had a glimmer of hope. “He had a family, you know. The journalist. A wife, three kids.”

Travis closed his eyes, wincing at the knowledge. Of course he knew. He had their names seared into his memory, knew the kid’s birthdays, knew the widow still hadn’t moved on three years later. Travis may have lacked a tech savvy skill set, but he knew how to stalk social media profiles.

“My family… is at the bottom of a well, and I am trying so hard to pull them back up,” he whispered, hanging his head in shame. “Do you have any idea what that feels like?” Travis heard the shuffle of feet, and when he opened his eyes Sean was standing in front of him, his mouth drawn tight.

“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do.”

—————————-

“Darlene, stop fussing. He’s a grown man.”

“Oh, hush, Frank. No one fusses over that boy, and it shows. Besides, I hate the idea of good food going to waste.”

Annabelle could hear Frank and Darlene through the closed bedroom door, and as kind as they were she wished they would leave, and make this easier for her. She closed her eyes tight, clutching the paperback romance novel in her hands even tighter. This shouldn’t be so difficult: Travis had a crazy family, she’d defended him, and he’d cast her out. She should want to leave, but she was rooted to the spot, sitting on the side of his bed – her bed for the past week or so – wanting nothing more than to curl up, ignore the world around her, and drift off to sleep. Why is this so hard, she asked herself, squeezing her eyes tighter.

But she knew why: he’d kissed her. Unprovoked, without cause. Just a sweet, simple kiss. She’d stopped locking the bedroom door a few nights ago, but he never came in after she resigned for the night. He insisted on doing the dishes, opened her car door for her, and never said a word about her raiding his closet. Each night she woke to his moans and cries, and each morning she found herself carefully placed on the couch, a warm blanket tucked around her. He left Sean and her to chat, but always seemed pleased when they invited him into the conversation. His ears turned a cute shade of pink when she considered his thoughts, listening and reciprocating other concepts or ideas. He was kind to Sean, and unlike many men, didn’t seem bothered by their close relationship.

Annabelle groaned, thrusting the paperback to her face as if it would muffle the sound. Stupid, stupid, stupid girl. Of course she had developed feelings for him - he was precisely her type: a man in need of comfort, love, and reassurance of his worth. A man sidelined for too long, overlooked, but deeply endearing, and deeply, deeply in need of a hug.

Or… perhaps a bit more?

Annabelle shook the thought from her head. Nope. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. Too many bodice-rippers, too many roguish pirate captains keeping fiesty noblewomen hostage in their cabins, both too proud to admit their feelings while they ached from sexual tension. No, if Travis were a romance novel character he’d be someone like Daniel in “A True Guardian.” It was one of Travis’ more well-worn novels about an ex-lawman turned lonely rancher who begrudgingly takes in the vulnerable and headstrong Bessie, if only to keep her from the likes of her mysterious and tragic past. Daniel had given up his bed, too, just like Travis. Bessie had ached for him to join her, just like...

“There’s something wrong with me,” Annabelle groaned, tossing herself backwards onto the bed.

She must have been louder than she realized, because a gentle knock came from the bedroom door. “Are you all right in there, dear?” Darlene’s called.

Annabelle thunked the romance novel hard against her forehead, groaning again. “Fine. Just having an existential crisis. That’s all.”

A moment of silence ticked by before Darlene replied, “Ah. Yes, well, those are delightful, but perhaps you could have one on the way to our place? I’d like to have you tucked away safely before Connie gets any wild notions in her head.”

Annabelle perked at the thought, moving quickly to the bedroom door, and leaving the romance novel forgotten on the bed. “Well, actually,” she began, opening the door to meet Darlene’s eyes. “There are a few questions I was hoping you could answer.”

________________________________________________________________________

Travis rubbed his wrists, eyeing Sean cautiously as the younger man hoisted the shotgun over his shoulder. “What is this?” He asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes just a touch.

“Consider it an act of good will,” the blonde said, tilting his chin back just a hair. “I believe you. You didn’t know about your family’s visit.” He paused, tilting his head to the side. “Either time.”

Travis exhaled slowly, giving Sean the once over before nodding. A silent understanding passed between the two men, and when Travis knelt for his utility belt Sean didn’t stop him. “So what now?” He asked, once the belt was secured and the two pairs of handcuffs were back in his possession.

“Well, I sure as hell can’t sleep in there anymore,” Sean said, nodding towards his cell.

Travis sighed. “No, I don’t suppose you can.” He sucked on his teeth, drawing his mouth into a thin line. “I could use a drink. How ‘bout you?”

Sean’s lips curled up in the slightest hint of a smile. “I could use a cup of coffee.”

The walk back to Travis’ office was silent and awkward, largely because a part of Travis was tempted to tase Sean as payback; the more rational side told him advised against it. Wounded pride aside, Travis needed an ally, and he’d already put his relationship with Annabelle into question.

“I kicked her out of my house,” he admitted, falling into his office chair, and reaching for the bottle of Jim Bean he kept in his bottom desk drawer. “You know. Since you asked where she was, and all.”

Sean stared down at Travis, blinking at the news. “You… you kicked her out?” The disbelief radiated through his words.

Travis took a swig from the bottle, nodding. “Yup.” He clucked his tongue. “Screwed that up real good.”

Sean’s eyes widened, and he blinked before slowly sinking into the chair opposite Travis. “That’s uh… that’s not going to win you any affection. But you know that, right?”

Travis shrugged, taking another swig. Annabelle would be livid with him for drinking this early. He’d call it dinner; she’d call it a poor coping mechanism. “Not sure how much affection I had in the bank anyway.”

Sean’s eyebrows raised, and he exhaled loudly. “However much you had, I can guarantee it’s at a zero balance now, my friend.”

“I’m not your friend,” Travis shot back quickly, regretting the words instantly.

Sean cocked his head to the side, studying the sheriff carefully. “No?”

The bottle was halfway to his lips, but Travis lowered it, narrowing his eyes at the younger man. “No. Thought you were gonna get coffee.”

“This is more interesting,” Sean said, leaning forward to place his elbows on his knees.

Travis’ glare intensified. “I don’t need your psychoanalysis, college boy.”

Sean smirked, maintaining his stare. “What do you need, Travis?” The bottle was interrupted again, and this time Travis placed it on the desk with an audible thunk. “You clearly have an attraction to Annabelle, you seem to be growing closer, and now you throw her out.”

“Shaddup.” The words slurred, and Travis couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol kicking in sooner than expected or the hitch in his emotions that caused it.

Sean tilted his head to the side. “I know what it looks like to push people away, Travis. I’m very good at it myself.”

Travis smirked. “’Cept Belle. You like to keep her close, dontcha?”

“Jealous?” Sean sat back, arching a pale brow.

The sheriff scoffed, reaching for the bottle again. “Please. Jealous of what? It’s clear you aren’t getting any of that.” He wanted it to sound crass, and it did; Sean’s brow arched higher.

“You aren’t jealous about the sex, Sheriff, or the lack thereof,” Sean said simply. “You’re jealous of the affection, the closeness, the trust. You’re jealous,” he said softly, leaning forward, “Because you’ve convinced yourself you don’t deserve to have that with anyone so you push them away.” Sean held Travis’ eyes, and the older man didn’t flinch. “I know,” Sean continued, his tone low and deliberate, “because I do it, too.”

Travis leaned back in his chair, eyeing the younger man carefully. He wasn’t very good at opening up to others, and he didn’t anticipate that changing now, but he was curious where this conversation was headed. So he simply said, “Do you?”

“Who’d you lose?” Sean asked, and Travis pursed his lips. Oh. This was not a road he wanted to travel again. Thankfully, Sean seemed to understand that, and continued, saying, “When I was seven I watched my father kill my brother.” He swung his hand back hard, imitating the motion his father had made all those years ago. “He hit him,” he snapped his fingers, “just right, and he was gone. Just like that. I’ve been pushing people away ever since, so I know the signs.” He leveled his gaze at the older man. “So again, who did you lose, Travis?”

“Who’d you lose?” Sean asked, and Travis pursed his lips. Oh. This was not a road he wanted to travel again. Thankfully, Sean seemed to understand that, and continued, saying, “When I was seven I watched my father kill my brother.” He swung his hand back hard, imitating the motion his father had made all those years ago. “He hit him,” he snapped his fingers, “just right, and he was gone. Just like that. I’ve been pushing people away ever since, so I know the signs.” He leveled his gaze at the older man. “So again, who did you lose, Travis?”

“Who’d you lose?” Sean asked, and Travis pursed his lips. Oh. This was not a road he wanted to travel again. Thankfully, Sean seemed to understand that, and continued, saying, “When I was seven I watched my father kill my brother.” He swung his hand back hard, imitating the motion his father had made all those years ago. “He hit him,” he snapped his fingers, “just right, and he was gone. Just like that. I’ve been pushing people away ever since, so I know the signs.” He leveled his gaze at the older man. “So again, who did you lose, Travis?”

“You aren’t jealous about the sex, Sheriff, or the lack thereof,” Sean said simply. “You’re jealous of the affection, the closeness, the trust. You’re jealous,” he said softly, leaning forward, “Because you’ve convinced yourself you don’t deserve to have that with anyone so you push them away.” Sean held Travis’ eyes, and the older man didn’t flinch. “I know,” Sean continued, his tone low and deliberate, “because I do it, too.”

Travis leaned back in his chair, eyeing the younger man carefully. He wasn’t very good at opening up to others, and he didn’t anticipate that changing now, but he was curious where this conversation was headed. So he simply said, “Do you?”

“Who’d you lose?” Sean asked, and Travis pursed his lips. Oh. This was not a road he wanted to travel again. Thankfully, Sean seemed to understand that, and continued, saying, “When I was seven I watched my father kill my brother.” He swung his hand back hard, imitating the motion his father had made all those years ago. “He hit him,” he snapped his fingers, “just right, and he was gone. Just like that. I’ve been pushing people away ever since, so I know the signs.” He leveled his gaze at the older man. “So again, who did you lose, Travis?”

[unidentifiedly]

And many eventful nights to come

Micah Bell x reader

- In which Micah saves you from a "dangerous" situation. The man is smitten. Continuation to Eventful Morning.

Around a week later it was apparent Sean had kept his word. No one seemed to know or whisper about something having happened between you and Micah, and that was for the best. Arthur and John were still calling him names, Javier and Dutch were pretty much indifferent to him. Sean didn't tease him at all, but honestly you doubted anyone noticed, since he was being his old annoying self otherwise.

The day was set to be an exciting one. You and the girls were going to go shopping for new clothes, since a traveling salesman was visiting Valentine, the nearby town.

Atop your trunk near the mirror was your trinket box, in which you also stored some of the money you earned and had put in for safekeeping. This, you decided, was a good occasion to spend some of that money. You needed to buy at least two blouses and an overdress.

"Maybe it wasn't so bad what happened with Mr. Bell at the river after all." You caught yourself mid thought and almost slammed the trinket box shut, the metallic lock clicking shut with a bit too much force.

The feeling of wet fabric sticking to your cold skin, goosebumps traveling down your arms to your sides and onward to your legs. The early morning sun, and his arms...-

his arms holding you up from falling, his eyes all over your body.

"Why is my heart beating so hard?"

Shaking you away from the memory was Tilly calling for your name.

"Come on Y/N! Don't wanna be there too late, all them pretty dresses are going to be gone before we ever even see them!"

You stuffed the dollars to your pouch you carried with you, glancing at your gunbelt on the cot, taking a second to think.

"Whatever, there'll be many of us going', doubt i'll need that." Stomping out of the tent you made your way through the camp, past the fire pit and common area and grabbed Karen's outstretched hand, helping yourself onto the carriage.

Green fields upon green fields, a country road, not a cloud in the sky. The vast wide landscape shaping into mountains in the horizon, a couple of lush thickets here and there. Oh how you loved spring.

Upon arriving in Valentine you jumped down first, your bootheels sinking into the trampled upon mud. You corrected the hem of your red corduroy dress, helping Tilly and Karen down to the ground. Arthur and John who had been driving the carriage walked over, and bid their adieus after you all agreed to meet back at the same spot after an hour. You and the girls headed straight down the main street toward the vendor, who had set up shop on the vacant spot close to the sheriff's office.

Building after building were equipped with porches on stilts, to stop some of the mud from entering the interior perhaps, you thought. A couple of men passed out drunk by the saloon, and old woman smoking in front of the convenience store. On the opposite side of the street a motel, nice enough, and in front of it a gang of younger looking men.

You smiled to yourself, as one of them shot a look toward Karen. Always the looker.

With a skip in your step you took both the girls by their arms, smiling and laughing together.

Lifting the canvas to get into this tent was not necessary. The vendor had set up an open tent with tables filled with blouses, dresses, trousers and shoes of all different kinds. The vendor himself a lean dark skinned man with a thin moustache.

"Welcome, welcome, my ladies. What could I help you with today? A new dress, perhaps an embroidered blouse? The catalogue is large."

After deciding on some items, a red fabric caught your attention. Hidden beneath other clothes, you gently moved them away to uncover a bright vermilion blouse. Made from sturdy cotton and with patch-reinforced elbows, the shirt was undoubtedly of high quality. "How much for this one?" You asked, turning toward the shopkeeper.

"For you my dear, I will give a discount!" Pressing his hands together, closing his eyes: "Thirty and five dollars."

"Oh, I see, a bit too much then." You squeezed your hand around the pouch in your pocket, only containing a five dollar bill after splurging on the two blouses, overdress and new trousers you held on your other arm.

"Here." A grunt from behind you, and a man's arm placed bank notes and coins on the shopkeeper's outstretched hand. Looking pleased, the vendor offered the shirt, your eyes following the red of the fabric only to meet up with more red.

"Mr. Bell, please!" You huffed. "You have to stop scaring me like this!" Your complaints met with a smirk and a wink from under the rim of his dirty cowboy hat.

All of a sudden, a bang rang out, and women started screaming. Your eyes searched for the source of the scream, hands feeling for your trusty revolver, only to be met with air. "Fuck," you cursed after remembering you had decided to leave it in the camp.

"Eek!" A strong arm pulled you close and lifted you up on horseback. Micah stepped up on his horse's saddle, already swinging the reins for speed. "Hold on darlin'!" "You don't have to tell me twice!" Your arms hugging him tightly to keep yourself on Baylock. You caught a glimpse of Arthur tackling a guy to the ground while John was helping Karen up.

"Micah! We have to go help them!" Not turning around he slowed down until Baylock maintained a steady gait. Bringing the speed to a stop he jumped off, holding a hand out to you. You ascended as gracefully as one could, not taking his hand.

"Respectfully, Mic- Mr. Bell, you cannot keep doing this. Creeping up on me and causing me heart palpitations and awkward situations!"You huffed, red cheeked and arms crossed under your chest.

"Ya seem to like it, though, judging by the blush on yor cheeks."

"I- I don't know!" You blurted.

"Let me take ya out darlin'." Seeing your the doubting look in your eyes, he continued: "Nothin' weird, I swear."

Was this too good to be true? Sure, his methods of getting your attention were unorthodox but he wasn't exactly the most normal guy in the world. Glancing up at his eyes, shifting your weight to your right leg, you answered.

"Sure, Mr. Bell. Why not."

The seconds of uneasiness in his eyes turned into a few seconds of joy, and quickly back into his usual cocky self.

"Ya ain't gonna regret it. Quit the Mr. Bell bullshit though, call me Micah."

You nodded, and he motioned for you to get back onto the horse. You climbed up, yelping in the process after a palm made it's way firmly onto your rear, slapping and squeezing it. "Micah!"

"Ya like it, girl, quit yappin'."

Your arrival to the camp wasn't the quietest. Arthur yelling at Micah to swear he hadn't corrupted you, the girls calling him a dirty old man, and you just walking to your tent, giving Micah a joking smile and a wink from the doorway. His eyes looking past everyone questioning him and his motives, a sneaky smile spreading across his lips, a plan forming in his head.

Now there was a goal. He stuffed the new red shirt into his jacket and pushed past the people. He sat next to the fire and put his legs up, lighting a cigarette, angling himself so that he had a clear view of your tent.

And with everybody else gone to sleep, he downed the rest of his beer, saluting himself. "For an eventful night, and for many eventful nights to come." He got up, heading toward that tent with the light on with his signature smirk on his face.

[gudaho]

sean grayson, the man who murdered sonya massey in her own home after she called for help, was job hopping between law enforcement agencies

"State records obtained by WCIA show Grayson worked at six different law enforcement agencies since August of 2020. He worked less than one year at the Auburn Police Department, one year at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and then just over a year with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office."

im waiting for news of misconduct. we know its a problem where cops resign from their jobs to avoid charges/reports being officially filed