Pairing: Howard Rotter x Original Female Character
Word Count: 2.235
Warning: Coroners without ethics? Really nothing too serious here.
Author's Note: I live. Writing has been sporadic and difficult over the last few months but the lovely Richard Brake has brought about some new ideas and unlocked a bit of the block. Admittedly, haven't seen these movies in their entirety, but this would take place before the actual trilogy. There is a decent amount of background here to build up. More to come that gets into the actual movies. That Angus fic is being worked on still. Not beta read. As always, likes are appreciated, comments and reblogs are what feed the muses and keeps the writing coming.
Venus, Oregon. Quiet. Surrounded by peaceful woods. Rustic like a lot of old time logging communities. Old school main street with all the business of the town. Population just under five hundred people. Pleasant atmosphere with those that were willing to help and friendly to outsiders. It fit that idyllic small town picture that most had. Before she had received the phone call, Rebecca wouldn't have been able to point out Venus on a map, let alone confirm that it was a real town in the Pacific Northwest. There had been no intention of landing in such a small town. She had gained her MD in the hopes of landing in a bigger city. A place where she could be plenty busy but stay under the radar since there was plenty of other things to focus on. After school, she had gotten her first job down in Florida. Not quite in any of the big cities but close to where she ultimately wanted to be. Gaining the hands on experience was important, that was something that she had reminded herself of when it felt like she was stuck.
The call had come from a man that she had immense respect for, someone that she had worked with while at school as he had been a guest lecturer for one of her classes. Charles Holm. He had been kind and more than giving during the class. Always ready to answer a question and spend some extra time with a student who may need it or just wanted to pick his brain. He was a talented pathologist, and had been on track for some genuine achievements before he had moved to the northwest and went fairly quiet. A chance to learn from the man was something that anyone would have jumped at. Rebecca didn't let the chance slip through her fingers. There weren't many people that her found herself getting along with or growing attached to and yet Dr. Holm had been one of them.
The man had even offered her a place to stay when he realized that she was trying to get herself through medical school while living out of a motel and her car. No steady to place to call home and no support system. Nothing but pure intention, something that hadn't been common in her life.
His offer had been more than generous. He had known that it wasn't where she wanted to end up and done his best to up sell everything about the town and the position. There was a sense that she owed him something after everything he had done for her. The plan was for Charles to retire and that vision included moving. That meant that his property, both the home and the land that it sat on was up for sale, fully furnished. The land that he owned was far more than Rebecca had ever expected or could have hoped to ever own. In addition, there had been the promise of good hunting grounds, with wild boar being enough of a problem that it was more or less open season all year long. The price that he was asking was more than reasonable and the salary more than decent for the small town. He had said that the cherry on the cake was that she would be her own boss. It wasn't exactly the faceless job that she had wanted to get lost in but there was no denying that the job was good and the opportunity was even better. It would look great on a resume that she was running an office not long after being out of school if she decided to leave after a few years.
So, Rebecca had agreed, packed up her meager belongings, and headed northwest. The drive gave her time to reflect, second guess, and come to terms with the fact that she was uprooting what little life she had managed to build without much issue.
By the time that she had arrived in Venus, she had made peace with the decision. Small towns all ran with a similar flow. Some overdoses, some animal attacks, the occasional actual murder. Most of the time, it was an easy position to find oneself in. There could really be no complaint. The surrounding towns that she may have done work for would end up the same.
Charles greeted her as if she was an old friend and in some way, she supposed she was. The warmth was welcomed instead of rebuked. He had toured her around the house. It was utterly gorgeous. A rustic cabin a little deeper into the woods than he had let on but it hardly was a bother. Appliances were modern, the plumbing and heating had been redone within the last five years, and there was a garage that could double as a work space. A place that could truly be home. Permanent. Comfortable. All her own. It caused a warmth to fill her chest, tension releasing that she had not entirely been aware that she had carried.
He had laid out a map and explained the boundaries of the land that was now going to be hers, and then took her to the office. The facility was more modern than what had been anticipated or what the anesthetic of the small town would have suggested. Something older wold have been find by you. Keeping your head down, doing your job, and staying out of trouble was really all that you wanted. Gain the experience, make it look good for the resume, and maybe move on in a few years unless you really found roots here.
From there, it had been a rapid pace deal. Paperwork signed, clearance given, and things were settled before she truly had a chance to breath or explore the town. A new job, a house of her own, and a location where anonymity was her friend, despite the setting. She was a little off kilter that Charles had already moved everything out and wasn't messing around with the time table. He had wished her luck with all the warmth of a grandfather, giving her a tight hug and promising to keep in touch, but that was it. He was gone and she was on her own.
There wasn't a traditional work week per se, given that she was it. But, she had chosen Monday to be her first day in the office. There was little expectation for what the day would hold. It proved rather slow and uneventful after the first two hours and that was perfectly find with her. It gave time to go over previous case files, learn where things were, how the systems worked, and the name of the local department with whom she would be working with. The department was well staffed all things considered, with six different employees from the looks of it, with the Sheriff being one Howard Rotter. The name stood out as being the most common in the reports. Not unusual for small towns.
Relaxing in the office with the door open, coffee in a thermos to keep it warm, the small radio in the corner turned on to let a soft sound drift through, Rebecca was pouring over a few of the case files that she had laid out on the desk. It was hard to ignore some of the patterns that stood out, oddities that probably should have been glaring but had been carefully curated and hidden. Things that added up to everything not exactly being on the level. It came as a little surprise to Rebecca, given what she had known of Charles, but perhaps that was why he had been so keen on getting the deal done and getting out of the area. Those little nagging things that she had chosen to ignore were coming into more of a clarity. Had she not worked with Charles and read some of his other work, she might not have picked it out as easily. Or maybe it was just that she had always been good at seeing patterns. That was why he had brought her here. Either she would understanding and get along or become a sacrificial lamb. A risk that he had been willing to take because he knew her stubbornness, he knew that survival instincts would kick in and she would refuse to become a sacrificial lamb. He had known before she had even seen anything what her choice would be.
She had just let out a little laugh when a knock on the door pulled her from the moment. Meant to draw attention without truly startling. Standing in the door way was a man in uniform, an easy smile on his face. Bright blue eyes were the first thing that really caught her attention. Perhaps a little older than her. Not conventionally attractive but there was something about him that drew her in.
"So, you're the new doc in town. Sort of thought that I would have to bring you to the office." Rebecca offered a smile, closing the file that she had been studying and stood up. Good first impressions for the sake of having a good working relationship was necessary. She held out her hand.
"That would be me. Rebecca Stone. Nice to meet you."
"Howard Rotter, sheriff here in Venus." He nodded towards the desk, clearly meaning the files that were opened to already closed cases. "What are you doing there?"
"Thought it would be a good idea to go through some previous cases and get a grasp on what typically comes through. Every place as different expectations and different normals. If I have an idea of what to expect and what is typical, than I'll know what might stand out a little more. What sort of animal attacks are common. What sort of overdoses are typical. That sort of thing." The shift in the man was almost instant.
"Clever." The air was charged, tension almost immediately suffocating the room. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand and realized that perhaps it hadn't been the right thing to say given what she had noticed. But it was the truth and there wasn't any sort of good explanation to be going through old case files anyway. Nothing else that wouldn't flare suspicion. The hard look that he was giving her wasn't just someone from a small town analyzing an outsider. It was true calculation. Treading carefully from there would be necessary. Those survival instincts that Charles had counted on kicked in, just as the apathy she tended to have for most flared. There was a reason that she had opted to work with dead people after all, and it wasn't just to speak for the dead like so many medical examiners and coroners loved to say. Looking the other way and falling in line wouldn't cause you to lose any sleep. if someone went back through and found out, it could cause some issues with a career move. If you stayed? Well, maybe you could have a retirement like Charles one day. Ending up a disappearance in the woods was not how she wanted to go out.
"Saw a lot of animal attacks where I had been down in Florida. Rash of bear, plenty of gator, some snake. Seems much the same here, just a different set of predators. Mixed with the bears of course." She leaned against the desk a bit and shrugged. Not bothered and it wasn't just an act. "Heard there was decent hunting up here in the surrounding forest, so it makes sense that there would be some apex predators that look for a good meal. Read about what to expect from the wildlife before I got here. And honestly, between you and me, the longer things with electronics and such go on, the less people really seem to understand not only how to be in the woods but how to keep themselves safe from such things." He shifted where he had been leaning against the door frame and gave a nod. Hopefully, it was an acceptance rather than some sort of ultimate decision.
"Well, it's almost lunch time. Why don't I treat you to some food over at Carol's. Consider it a welcome from the town of Venus." It felt genuine but then again, those that were corrupt were the best at hiding things. Still, turning down the offer wouldn't look good either. Rebecca found herself in a situation where she really didn't have a choice. She was hungry and building a repertoire with the man with be important if she wanted to be able to maintain the position and her ability to breath. She had made the choice and now, it was a wait game to see if those in control would end up accepting her into the fold. Hopefully, Charles word counted for something and her own comments would be enough to prove that she could handle it.
"That's a generous offer, Sheriff. I've heard that Carol's has the best cherry pie. Got a little sweet tooth, so I don't think I can turn down the opportunity. Lunch would be lovely."
"I'll drive." It was a step towards a fate that would be sealed. Rebecca recognized it and accepted it for whatever would come. Grabbing her jacket, she followed the Sheriff outside and towards whatever it was that awaited her.
Pairings: Beginnings of Sheriff Howard Rotter x OFC
Word Count:
Warnings: Technically none but: moving a dead body, threats of violence
Author's Note: A short little follow up but thought it was fun to see what rhe beginning of the relationship may look like for these two. Takes place shortly after Job Opportunies. There will be more of these two in the future. As always, likes are appreciated, comments and reblogs keep the muses fed and the writing coming.
Settling into Venus had proven easier than Rebecca had or could ever had anticipated. Even when there was the ever watchful eye of one Sheriff Howard Rotter trained on her. Perhaps she should have known that things were a little odd, a little off when the small town was the one with the corners office and it wasn't dedicated to the county, but it was far too late to do anything about the oddity now. Besides, navigating the first encounter with Howard had solidified her presence there in Venus in a way that meant leaving would not be easy. If possible at all. Charles had clearly managed that one well.
She could see the draw of the town the longer she spent there, to outsiders and to those that lived there. Her first impressions hadn't been wrong. Outside of work and the body count that aired on the side of suspicious to anyone who wasn't corrupt, Venus was relatively peaceful. The hunting had been as bountiful as promised and Rebecca had already bagged two boars and a deer. There was a drive at the local church to help families in need and she had donated most of the meat there since it was more than she needed. The hiking trails were nice, with scenes that one could really only get in the Pacific northwest.
She was sitting at Carol's for lunch, finding the atmosphere enjoyable and her appearance kept anyone from getting too suspicious of the outsider that had come to work at the coroners office. Friendly enough to the locals to keep them from raising arms but not close enough to really make any connections. It worked out perfectly for her.
Betty came over with a smile and a refill for her coffee. It had been a rather mundane, unassuming day. She had just been about to thank the woman but found herself interrupted by the familiar voice of the sheriff.
"Just the person I was looking for," he murmured as he settled down at the counter beside her. Rebecca passed the older woman a thankful smile and turned her attention to the man beside her.
"What can I do for you, Sheriff?" She sipped her coffee, appearing entirely unbothered even though the approach put her slightly on edge. He needed something, she would put money on it.
"You weren't at the office when we tried calling. Got a body that we need you to help come collect. Another animal attack from the looks at it, but I'm not the expert." His voice had lowered, in an effort not to gain the attention of anyone around. Likely more for the sake of decorum and appearances than anything else. It seemed that the murder of tourists didn't cause an uproar or a rise in anxiety amongst the town population but still, it was polite not to speak of murder or death while people were having lunch.
"Yeah, of course." She fished money out to cover for her lunch and stood, taking down the rest of the fresh cup in a few gulps. Rebecca had a feeling that the caffeine was going to be important.
"I'll meet you over at the office and lead you down." There was little choice in the matter so, she followed him out and back to the station.
The body was actually out on the woods when they finally came upon it. Something that was a little bit of a surprise. One look at it though told her that while it met a violent end, it hadn't been an animal that had done it.
"All right. We gotta move the body." While she should have probably been prepared for the comment, it still caught her off guard.
"Move the body?"
"Yeah. Grab the feet doc. Don't got much time to get this done." What was the difference in falsifying reports on death and simply faking a scene? Symantics was really what it was. Yet, it had provided some sense of denial for Rebecca. Now that wasn't there. "Ain't any different than moving a buck. Come on now." The impatience had leaked into his voice and there was an obvious tick of his jaw. Rolling her eyes, she moved to grab a hold of the feet as he had directed before they hauled the body upwards. It might be helpful to know what the hell that they were doing. The entire plan was all in his head and she was just a pair of hands right now. Maybe she would prefer it that way but not knowing was also bothersome. The fact that it was a dead body hardly gave her pause or disturbed her. She dealt with them on nearly a daily basis and all it was came down to already decaying flesh. Sure, it had once been a person but that was merely a fact, nothing to create any sense of empathy within. As with most people, she simply was apathetic torwards the individual who was no longer alive. They loaded it up into the back of the van.
"Don't you think people are going to see us leave this location, only to end up at another?" He leaned against the door, eyes trained on her, lips pursed for a moment.
"Nah. Nothing to worry about." There was an ease that spoke to exeperience there. How long had he been doing this? Rebecca was left to wonder, knowing that it wasn't an area to push. Nor did she really want to in all honesty. It didn't matter in the end. That was then and this was now, where it was effecting her. She supposed it was a good thing for her that he knew what he was doing. Kept the chance of her getting in trouble relatively low.
"Okay. Let's get going then." He chuckled, shaking his head.
"You are something else." Rebecca paused as she had gotten ready to hop into the van.
"Excuse me?"
"Just didn't expect this all not to bother you. Knew Charles could get somone in the job that would work, I am just surprised it was this smooth a transition." He moved and leaned against the door as she got in. "Got me impressed is all."
"So glad that I have gained the high opinion of our local Sheriff." She deadpanned and it just made his grin widen. Something that both was unsettling and for a moment, held a hint of attractiveness. Rebecca pushed that thought away, knowing that there was no need to entertain such things. Corrupt cop was not on the bucket list. "Let's get to the new location so things can be documented and the team can get out." He nodded, still smiling and got into his truck. She let out a slow breath, hands stretched against the wheel for a moment before following. She was this far in, might as well see things out. She took one glance towards the back where the body lay before rolling her eyes and heading off behind Rotter.
He hadn't been wrong. Not only was there no one around but the few that they did see, well they hardly passed a second glance at the two cars that were driving by. Rebecca was a little surprised by the fact but then again, maybe almost every in town was in on it. A little peaceful murder town. She snorted at the thought just as they pulled up to the apparent spot. The engine was killed as she stopped behind the police truck, the gentle chirp of birds surrounding them. Aside from the task at hand, it would have been practically tranquil. Howard got out of the truck and made his way to the van that she was in, leaning against the door once more.
"Plan is gonna be getting the body staged over there," he offered with a motion towards the spot that he wanted. "This area is more known for attacks from mountain lions." Ah, it all started to make sense. Rebecca relaxed back in her seat and observed the aforementioned spot. She could see it.
"Doument it, get it back to the morgue, do the report, close the case." Talk about falling into a routine. If this was what her life was going to be like, well, she might as well forget about the idea of getting to a big city. She was going to end up spending her life here. Something that she would have to get right with rather quickly.
"No time like the present." He drummed his hands against the door for a moment before stepping back and allowing her to get out. They got down to work getting the body set up and she began to document certain things while Howard turned to cover some of their tracks. Then the rest of the team was called in.
"Who are you covering for?" Rebecca found herself asking the question even though she had promised she wouldn't.
"What?"
"All this? Document it as an animal attack, but we both know its not. Going to these lengths, it's an attempt to cover up for something or someone. Doesn't matter much to me either way, my job stays the same. Just curious about who I should be mindful of is all." The gun was pressed to her head without a sound. Blinking slowly, Rebecca remained still. Flashes of old memories, things she had long fought to keep buried came rushing back. Fingers twitched ever so slightly at the pressure of the cool steel against her temple. "Hard to make a bullet to the temple look like an animal attack."
"But it is easy enough to leave the body to the wolves."
"Fair enough." After a second, the sound of the hammer being decocked echoed out and the pressure on her temple was relieved.
"Keep your head down and just do your job. We won't have any problems." There was nothing else to be said as the small team that needed to be there pulled up to the scene. Another office and two crime scene technicians. Rebecca knew that he couldn't have been covering for himself. At least, she was fairly certain given the way that he reacted. Brushing it off, she got down to doing her job among the other, not thinking about how Rotter had been ready to put a bullet into her brain. After saying that he liked her. What a fucked up place to find herself in. Though, she supposed it could always be worse.
