Growing up in Harlan County gave her a shared history with Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. A history that made the two Kentucky natives cynical to the outside world.
However, after meeting former Army Ranger, Tim Gutterson, Jolene 'Jo' Taylor's p...
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Jo was lounging around her house on a Sunday afternoon when Raylan called. Her eyes rolled of their own accord upon seeing his name displayed on the incoming call screen; one could only imagine what he would possibly want from her today.
"What's up?" Jo called through the line, not even bothering with so much as a hello.
Raylan tsked at her short greeting, but answered, "I need you to take a quick trip down to Harlan with me." It wasn't a request, more of a statement. "I'm already on my way to pick you up, so put on something nice." Alright, more of a demand than a statement even.
Jo grumbled her acceptance to his less than generous offer before hanging up the phone.
Climbing into Raylan's town car sometime later, Jo buckled herself into the passenger's seat before asking, "we going to see Helen and Arlo?" She couldn't fathom any other reason for him to be dragging her down to Harlan County on the weekend.
"No..." Raylan floundered for a moment then admitted, "we're going to see the Bennetts."
"Oh goddammit, Raylan," she exclaimed, contemplating jumping out of the moving vehicle rather than being a willing participant to these shenanigans.
"I just wanna have a word with Mags, that's all," he assured, trying to quell her growing concerns. It didn't work.
"Yeah, and you wanna use me as a human shield should they decide to shoot you on sight," Jo huffed, crossing her arms in agitation.
Raylan chuckled from the driver's seat at her antics. "Come on," he coaxed through a shit-eating grin. "Mags always liked you, and Coover was awfully sweet on you, if I recall correctly."
Her eyes were slits as she glared at his profile. "How're things with you and Winona, Raylan?" She snipped through clenched teeth.
"Oh, that's enough of that," he stated before reaching over and turning up the volume on the radio, drowning at all further conversation.
Sunday Dinner was in full swing when Raylan and Jo pulled up alongside the Bennett's. Music was playing, kids were running in the yard, and the smell of barbecue cooking greeted the pair as they walked up the drive.
Raylan addressed a teenage girl first, "Loretta McCready. What brings you up this way?" So, this was the girl he'd saved from being kidnapped by the pervert a few weeks prior.
"Might ask you the same question," the girl returned, eyeing Jo in confusion.
Acknowledging the silent question, Raylan swiveled between the two women. "Loretta McCready, this is my sister, Jo. Jo, this here is Loretta McCready."
"Jo's a boy's name," Loretta commented immediately after the introductions were concluded.
Jo liked her, she realized with a chuckle, the kid had spunk. "Jo's short for Jolene," she informed with a smile while Doyle Bennett approached the group.
