Yellowstone: Night Work

Not What I Was Expecting

This is intended to be a one shot. There is almost a too casual attitude towards the Yellowstone characters committing murder on the show that bothers me. I know when it happens it's only intended as a plot device, but it still bothers me. This, then, is a way of addressing it.

Rip had been told that the medical examiner came from out of state and been fired from his previous position. He didn't understand why he had subsequently been hired in Montana but that was not for him to decide. He was there to carry out John Dutton's instructions, as he always did. Carry them out and don't question.

The first hint he got of something being wrong was when he approached the doors. They were securely locked and from behind the double doors he could hear the barking of a dog, a large dog from the sound of it. He didn't care much for dogs.

The next clue was the sound of a woman's voice. "Zeus, what's wrong, boy, is someone there?" There was silence for a moment, then he could hear the click of a lock being released, then the door opened a scant three inches.

Rip caught a partial glimpse of a female face, then a Glock Nine pointed at his nose.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, for it was definitely a 'she' and not the person he had expected, "This is government property," the voice went on, "You are not welcome here, go away."

She started to shut the door, but he wedged in the toe of his boot, then held up his hands to show he wasn't going to harm her.

"Please," he said, "I just want to talk to you, I just have some questions." He smiled, hoping she would believe him.

"Put your hands on your head, er, your hat, and don't move them. You touch my dog and you'll live to regret it—if you live, that is." She opened the door just wide enough for him to enter then frisked him the moment he stepped through.

She removed his gun, "You can have this back when you leave," she said then pulled out a chair and indicated that he should sit.

Oh, I'll leave your dog alone, he thought, especially with the way he's looking at you. I bet if I even attempted to touch you he'd tear my arm off, and I wouldn't blame him.

She was a pretty girl, even if she was pointing a gun in his face. Her dark red hair stopped just short of being auburn and fell almost to her waist. She had an oval face with high cheekbones, and her green eyes surrounded by long lashes looked directly at him. He wondered what he would think if he met her on the street, clad in civilian clothes and not her white lab coat.

"You came here expecting to see someone else," she said, "Who did you expect to see?"

"The medical examiner who was here before you—when did you replace him?" Rip was curious now and didn't want to startle her.

"A couple of days ago. He got fired, the county doesn't look kindly on smoking joints dipped in embalming fluid. Must have been quite a high. Anyway, I have a friend who called me and told me about this position. I'm a forensic pathologist, a PhD, and in spite of the fact that I graduated in the top five of my class I've had problems finding a job. He suggested that I take the position here for the experience. He told me I might get to do a little police work once in a while, so I took it."

"Isn't that a strange profession for women?" he started to ask but she cut him off.

"Why?" The look she gave him was not a friendly one, "I'm a scientist, and besides, it's a good job and someone has to do it. My family has always teased me about being a queen of the dead, but I don't mind. Laugh if you want, but I help ease the deceased on their way. I could have been a doctor, but there are lots of those around. I chose something no one wants to do, and I'm good at it. I hope to go to work at a crime lab, or maybe a police department. I just need a chance to prove my worth."