Police in America

"And who might you be?" The portly Sheriff Ben Shoyo remained expressionless, standing under the porch, looking at Jack with indifference.

"Jack Tavoler, just call me Jack. I'm a friend of Aelia Hansen. I just arrived from Los Angeles. Are you not going to invite us in? You wouldn't want to see an FBI agent who's here to help freeze to death in the snow, would you?"

Hearing this, the two elderly men standing on the porch seemed to realize something, and they stepped aside slightly, revealing the door they had been blocking.

"The body is five miles from here. You'll need a snowmobile to reach it. If she goes dressed like that, she'll freeze to death," said Cory Lambert, a local hunter, as he gently guided the grieving Indian girl toward the group, followed by a burly man.

"This is Aelia Hansen, and that's her fiancé, Braxton. I came with them, uh... for the same reason you did, I suppose," Jack said as he gallantly opened the door for Jane and introduced his companions.

The night before, the BAU team had been gathering at the Wolf brothers' farm when Aelia received the devastating news that her younger sister, Natalie, had been found frozen to death outdoors. She had asked Braxton to take her home as quickly as possible.

Aelia hadn't said much, but Braxton had asked Jack for help, hoping he would join them in this remote wilderness.

Braxton had spent six months in Wyoming and knew that relying on the local tribal police to uncover the truth about Natalie's death was wishful thinking. He immediately recruited Jack, saying he hated having to think too much and that with Jack, a professional, all he needed to do was handle any physical problems.

Given his friendship with the Wolf brothers, Jack naturally agreed without hesitation. He went home, grabbed a locked gun case with his Glock and a backup FK 7.5, and boarded a plane with the couple that same night.

Of course, he had to take leave from work. While a weekend might suffice for a quick trip, investigating the case would require more time. Fortunately, the BAU wasn't busy with any major cases, so Hotchner gave him a week off.

Rossi even cheerfully added that if the case turned out to be challenging, all Jack needed to do was persuade the local tribal police to request assistance, and the BAU team would be ready to fully support him.

Jack hadn't expected to run into Jane Banner on the way. Since their time at the FBI Academy, he hadn't kept in touch with this busty girl.

But he did remember her. She looked strikingly similar to the Scarlet Witch from the Marvel movies, though with legs even longer than Black Widow's.

This also indicated that while the FBI had only sent a rookie agent, suggesting they weren't taking the case too seriously, Natalie's death likely wasn't an accident. Only if it were a suspected homicide would the tribal police report the case to the FBI to determine jurisdiction.

Due to the semi-autonomous status of Indian reservations, ordinary criminal cases were typically handled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

As they approached the farm and met the local hunter named Cory Lambert, who wore a cowboy hat and had a weathered face, Jack's curiosity piqued.

That face was too familiar—he looked just like Hawkeye. This had to be the plot of some movie. Jack, having seen countless TV shows in his previous life, had never seen these two characters appear together in an ordinary crime drama.

Jack felt that even if he walked through the door now and saw Black Widow or Wonder Woman standing inside, he wouldn't be surprised.

But to his disappointment, the only people inside were a mixed-race boy with yellowish skin and an Indian elderly woman.

"Kuma, find some warmer clothes for the young lady," Cory Lambert said to his mother-in-law as he entered the house behind Jane and Jack.

The Indian elderly woman, who had been playing with her grandson, reluctantly stood up. She gave Jane, who was scantily dressed, a quick look up and down, then motioned for her to follow her into a bedroom with an indifferent expression.

"What were they thinking, sending you here?" the old woman muttered as she led the way, making Jane feel a bit awkward. Jane glanced back at the others before following her into the bedroom.

Cory Lambert guided Jack and the others to the sofa, picking up a kettle from the coffee table. "Have some hot tea. You arrived at a bad time—right in the middle of this storm."

Aelia, her eyes red and swollen, stared intently at Cory. "Uncle Cory, Natalie... is she...?"

Cory Lambert avoided her gaze, and Aelia looked helplessly toward Sheriff Ben Shoyo for support.

The sheriff lowered his eyes and spoke softly, his voice tinged with sorrow. "Yesterday, while Cory was tracking a mountain lion near Boulder Rock, he found the body. I know she looks like Natalie, but..."

"It's Natalie. I know it is. Otherwise, I wouldn't have notified your parents," Cory Lambert interrupted the sheriff, unable to hold back.

Seeing Aelia nearly faint from grief in Braxton's arms, Jack realized that taking her to the scene was not a good idea.

"Braxton, why don't you take Aelia to her parents' house or find somewhere to rest? I can handle the crime scene. She's just recovered from an illness; she shouldn't be exposed to such intense stress."

Braxton nodded without hesitation. He wasn't one to waste time, and he knew that taking care of his fiancée was the most important thing right now.

He gently lifted the nearly unconscious Aelia into his arms. "Thank you, Jack. I'll leave things here to you. I'll find a motel in town and let you know."

With that, he gave the others a slight nod and left the house, driving away with Aelia.

"So, Mr. Tavoler, what is your role here?" The old sheriff, Ben Shoyo, had been scrutinizing Jack with a critical eye.

Despite his years of experience, the sheriff couldn't quite place the handsome young man's identity.

"I'm also an FBI agent, part of the BAU, the Behavioral Analysis Unit."

Jack promptly presented his credentials and explained his purpose.

"I'm currently on leave and came here at the invitation of Aelia and her fiancé. They're my best friends in Los Angeles."

The old sheriff and Cory Lambert exchanged a surprised glance, and for the first time, their usually stoic expressions softened a bit.

Jack had a feeling that as soon as he revealed his identity, the sorrowful and deadened atmosphere that had permeated the room finally began to shift, bringing about a subtle but noticeable change.

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