The Razor's Edge Chapter Two

One year later.

Rick was looking forward to finishing his rounds and getting home to a cool shower. His feet ached, his back hurt, and he had what he suspected was the start of a migraine. It was the humidity and the heat. He was usually immune to it, but today it had really taken it out of him. Before he could go home to relax and enjoy his weekend off, he would have to make sure every street was empty of civilians in accordance with the curfew. He hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with anyone in the Hudson clan. As far as Rick was concerned, they didn’t belong with civilized society. They probably hadn’t belonged even before the Turn.

Richmond Street was the administrative center of Woodbury. Actually, Rick recently learned Woodbury wasn’t even the original name of the town. It had been Thornton, but Bernard had changed it to Woodbury for reasons Rick would never know since the man was dead. The name had stuck, though, and the Governor wasn’t about to change it back to Thornton. He just wanted to get to his office, which was located next to the old courthouse that the Governor had set up his home and offices in. He was headed that way to meet up with Daryl for an end of shift report when he saw the trouble.

Two men were circling Daryl. Rick recognized them as Matt and Joss, fraternal twins who were the worst of the Hudson family. Matt shoved Daryl, who punched him in the face. This angered Joss who attempted to jump Daryl from behind, but Daryl instead used Joss’s forward momentum to shove him into Matt.

“Save it for the fights,” Daryl said. “There’s a curfew on, no exceptions.”

“There’s a curfew on, no exceptions,” Matt mocked in a singsong voice, as Joss circled back around behind Daryl again, laughing louder than was necessary and drawing a blade.

“Behind you!” Rick shouted, seeing the glint of the blade off the dull light coming from the sheriff’s office.

Daryl moved on instinct and Rick figured that was the only thing that saved his life. The knife went into the back of his right shoulder, rather than his back, sparing his spinal column, or his heart, any damage. Rick pulled his gun and took aim. He missed when Joss dove for the cover of the alley between the sheriff’s office and the courthouse. Daryl barely made it five steps toward Rick before collapsing.

“No, no, no,” Rick said under his breath as he rushed to Daryl’s side to look at the damage. He was bleeding heavily.

“What the hell is going on here?” 

The Governor had emerged from the front of the single story administrative wing of the courthouse where he kept his apartment, his gun in hand, his hair wet from the shower. 

“Matt and Joss Hudson are going on here,” Rick said angrily. “Call for Dr. Stevens!”

*****

Beth paced the corridor outside the doctor’s office while Rick leaned against the wall, waiting for the Governor to return. 

“He’s going to be okay,” Rick said for the third time. He was trying to convince himself as much as he was her. Daryl and Beth were the only two people he fully trusted out of the nearly one hundred citizens of Woodbury. The idea of losing his greatest ally, and his dearest friend, put Rick on edge. 

“I know,” Beth said, but she continued to bite her nails down to the quick. 

“Rick.”

The Governor had returned, presumably, from seeing to it the Hudson brothers were squared away in the town jail.

“Any word?”

“He’s still in surgery,” Beth said, her tone more aggressive than Rick had ever heard it before when she dealt with the Governor.

She knew of the Governor’s insistence to keep the Hudson family in Woodbury. He seemed to have some kind of affinity to them, or perhaps, she thought, he just liked forcing Rick and Daryl to deal with them knowing they both wanted that hillbilly trash clan gone.

“Matt and Joss are in custody. They’ve been put behind bars until we can sort this out.”

“Sort what out? Rick saw them attack Daryl!”

“I know you’re upset but you’re gonna need to watch your mouth,” the Governor warned.

“Beth, go get me some coffee,” Rick said calmly. She looked ready to revolt. After a couple of seconds hesitation she started off down the corridor.

“I saw what happened. Joss wasn’t trying to intimidate or scare Daryl, Brian. He meant to kill him.”

The Governor sat down on the chair and regarded Rick with cool eyes. “Governor.”

“What?”

“Don’t call me Brian. Call me Governor.”

“You get off on that, do you?”

“Rick, you and I are at odds more often than not. Don’t push me. This is my town, my word is law. The sooner you understand that the easier things will be for you here. Understood?”

Rick nodded, staring at Brian Blake with open disdain. The man was a megalomaniacal ass. He was cold and dangerous and Rick was three steps closer to wishing he’d just convinced Daryl and Beth to follow him with Andrea and Michonne while they’d had the chance. 

“Joss meant to kill Daryl, Governor. It was attempted murder and I want him dealt with.”

“Dealt with how?”

Rick took a deep breath, praying for patience. “He should be made an example to the people, especially that family of his. This was a lawless act and it has to be severely punished or the people are going to get out of control. You’ll have chaos in the streets that no amount of arena fighting is going to put a stop to.”

“You still haven’t answered me, Rick. Deal with him how?”

“I’d say put him in prison for the rest of his life, but food is too hard to come by for that. I say we exile him. Put him out there in the world with the walkers. No supplies, no weapons. He’s just out. After he takes a severe beating for his crimes.”

“Beat him, weaken him, and then basically sentence him to death,” the Governor clarified.

“That’s right.”

“No.”

“He tried to kill a man of the law!” 

The Governor didn’t respond immediately. Instead he stared Rick down and made a show of lighting a cigar.

“I’ll agree to the beating. That’s all.”

Rick snorted in disgust. “He tries to kill my deputy and you just want to whip him and let him go?”

“That’s right. He’s one of our best arena fighters and I’m not going to lose him because he’s a hothead.”

“He’s more than a hothead, Governor. He’s a threat.”

“Some have told me you’re a threat,” the Governor said.

“Shane being that someone, no doubt.”

The door to the doctor’s office opened and a pretty, middle-aged black woman emerged with a bloodstained smock, pulling off latex gloves. Beth, who’d been lurking in the shadows, without the coffee, Rick noticed, rushed forward. 

“Is he okay?” she asked.

“He’ll be okay. We had to transfuse him with a unit of blood, and he won’t be able to lift anything or return to work for a few weeks, but he’ll live. I don’t think there will be any permanent damage,” Dr. Stevens said, before smiling at Beth and allowing her entrance. “He’s groggy, Beth, so don’t try to talk to him too much. Only one at a time, please,” she said, when Rick tried to move forward.

When Dr. Stevens shut the door behind her, Rick turned to face the Governor. 

“I want you to know something, Governor. The next time one of those Hudson’s steps out of line, even by a hair, I’m going to put them in their place whether you like it or not.”

“You challenging my authority, Rick?”

“I’m gonna do my job. I’m gonna force those motherfuckers to respect this badge, to respect my authority, and if I have to go over your head to do it, so be it.” 

Rick stood toe-to-toe with the Governor, refusing to back down, refusing to be cowed. Sensing this was one battle Rick had won in an ongoing and ever increasingly violent war, the Governor turned on his heel and walked away.

*****

Rick overrode Dr. Stevens’ objections when he entered the office. Beth held Daryl’s hand as she sat on the bed next to him, talking in a quiet voice.

“He’s been through a lot, Sheriff,” Dr. Stevens said.

“I know, but I need to get a witness statement from him while its fresh.”

She shook her head and looked deeply dubious. “I don’t know how ‘fresh’ his memories will be considering some of the drugs I’ve put into him to ease his pain. Still, you can try. Just don’t take too long. I need to shoo both you and Beth out so he can sleep.”

“Understood.”

Rick pulled up a chair beside Daryl and looked him over. His deputy had seen better days. Despite the blood transfusion he was still white as the sheets beneath him and his lips were an unhealthy tan color. His eyes were shiny and hooded, an effect of the drugs in his system, and when he spoke he sounded as though he’d had a little too much to drink.

“Daryl, do you think you can give me a statement? I need to know what happened tonight.”

“Ah…I was going to the office for the end of shift report we usually do...”

“Daryl? Stay with me. You said you were going to the office?” Rick prompted.

Daryl was so blitzed on pain killers Rick wasn’t sure he even knew where he was, if he was awake or dreaming. Still, he’d try to glean what information he could before he let Daryl rest. Beth gave Daryl a glass of water and then wiped his face down, which seemed to help him focus. Still, when he spoke his voice was slurred and his eyes looked like polished glass.

 “I was gonna turn the keys over to Curtis and wait for you. Matt and Joss came out of the alley when I approached the office. They just started circling me and then throwing punches. I fought back. Joss told Matt something like ‘let’s just do it, man.’ Then they got really aggressive. I told them to save it for the arena. You hollered out and then I got stabbed in the shoulder.”

Rick nodded. Beth’s face was flushed from anger. “I swear to God,” she said. “As soon as I see one of them I’m gonna--”

“You ain’t gonna do shit,” Daryl slurred. “They’ll raise their hand to a woman in a second. I want you to steer clear of them.”

“They tried to kill you!”

“Rick and me’ll deal with them.”

“Not if the Governor has anything to say about it,” she told him.

“What does she mean?” Daryl asked Rick.

“The Governor just wants to slap them on the wrist and send them on their way. He claims they’re good in the arena fights and doesn’t want to kick them out of Woodbury because they’re hotheads. This whole thing…it doesn’t pass the smell test. Something’s rotten about it.”

Daryl nodded. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

Rick also nodded. “Yeah.”

“Well, you guys wanna tell me what you’re thinking because I’m lost,” Beth said in annoyance.

“This was a hit,” Rick answered. “Question is, why would someone want to kill Daryl?”

“I can think of a few reasons the Hudson boys would take a shot at me. Shit, I’ve arrested them three times for disorderly conduct.”

“Do you think the Governor was behind it?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense they’d send two men for Daryl.”

“Yeah, thanks,” he retorted, though tiredly.

“Not that you ain’t dangerous, you are, but I’m wondering if they didn’t mean for both of us to go out at the same time,” Rick reasoned. 

“Wait. If this was a hit, meant for both of you, then Daryl won’t be safe here tonight,” said Beth.

“Dr. Stevens doesn’t want to move him. Neither do I. How do you feel about guard duty?” he asked Beth.

She held her hand out for a gun. “Give me a gun. Somebody comes after him I’ll put them down.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Daryl said, and then began helplessly giggling. “I love you, baby. You know that? I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said, and pushed his hand away when he went to touch one of her breasts. “Not now.”

“God, you are high out of your mind,” Rick said, shaking his head. He pulled his clinch piece from the holster on his leg and turned it over to Beth.

“I’ll be back first thing in the morning,” he said. “No hanky-panky tonight. You need your strength, Daryl.”

“I’ll keep him in line,” Beth said, and then took the seat Rick vacated. 

“Dr. Stevens,” Rick said, as he reached the door. “I have reason to believe Daryl’s in danger. Keep this door locked and don’t open it for anybody but me.”

“If the Governor comes, I’ll have to open it for him,” she said.

Rick nodded. “Yeah, I suppose you would. Otherwise, nobody but me. Tell them the order is on my authority. I’ll take full responsibility if the Governor, or Shane, gets in your face about it.”

She nodded. “Should I be armed?”

“It wouldn’t hurt. See you in the morning.”

*****

Rick gave up any notion of getting his shower and some sleep. Instead he headed straight for the jail. He wanted a word with Joss and Matt Hudson before they managed to magically find themselves released from jail on either Shane or Brian’s orders.

The Sheriff’s office was humid, even with the door thrown wide open in the hopes a breeze would find its way in. Rick saw that only one lamp, which was hooked up to an old car battery, was burning. It was on low so as to conserve the juice but there was no one around. Curtis Porter, the officer on the night shift, was nowhere to be seen, and that was unusual for him. He was a prompt man who took his duties seriously.

“Curtis?” Rick asked quietly.

“Hey, man! When you gonna let us outta here?”

Rick went through the steel door at the back of the room to the row of five cells that had been set up long before the turn. The cells were closed off with bars rather than doors. Each cell had a tall but narrow window that no man, regardless of how thin, could squeeze through. Even if he tried, there were horizontal bars blocking the way that had been built into the wall. Matt and Joss had been placed side by side, unable to see one another but able to talk. Each man, Rick noticed, had his window open but the air was so still it was pointless. He didn’t feel sorry for them.

“Can I get some water, man?” Joss asked.

“After knifing my deputy in the back? No,” answered Rick. He leaned against the wall opposite the cells and studied the two men. “Where’s Curtis?”

“How the fuck should I know?” asked Matt. “He put us in here and then left.”

“Uh-huh. Y’all ain’t got nothing to do with his absence. Just like you didn’t have anything to do with stabbing Daryl.”

“Daryl’s a stuck-up cunt who had it comin’,” said Joss, to the amused laughter of his brother. 

“Yeah,” Matt agreed. “He thinks he’s better than us just ‘cause he’s got a badge. He ain’t nothin’ but uppity hillbilly white trash, same as everybody else in this town. I’ll be goddamned if I let that ugly shit boss me around.”

Joss suddenly lunged at the bars. Rick didn’t flinch but that didn’t stop Joss from laughing maniacally anyway and trying to rattle the bars like a crazed captive monkey.

“You two are trash,” Rick agreed. “Still, you’ve got a right to speak up in your defense. What happened tonight?”

Joss shrugged and plopped down on the cot at the back of the cell. “I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ without some water. Goddamn, man, I can’t fucking swallow. I’m sweatin’ out in here. This is cruel and unusual punishment.”

“Yeah, and I’m hungry, too,” Matt said, grinning at Rick with brown teeth spotted in places with blackened cavities. 

With a look of disgust on his face, Rick left the holding area and went out to the big bucket of water they used for the office. He brought back two large mason jars full of water and then stood with them in front of the cells. 

Both Matt and Joss eyed the water with thirst, their mouths sounding sticky when they attempted to swallow. 

“Come on, man, this shit ain’t right,” Joss whined. “We’re thirsty. It’s hot as hell in here. Ain’t no breeze.”

“Who ordered the attack?” Rick said. He held up each mason jar and poured out a sip. “Every time you don’t answer a question, I pour out a little more.

“Ain’t nobody ordered nothin’, man,” Matt said. “We was just funnin’, that’s all.”

Rick poured out some more water. 

“Aww, man. Christ Jesus, you’re wastin’ it!” Joss shouted, rattling his bars again. 

“When this water is gone there won’t be any more tonight,” said Rick. “Who ordered you to attack my deputy? Or was the order for me?”

“We can’t say nothin’. He’ll kill us!” Joss said.

“Shut up, numbnuts!” Matt scolded. 

Joss actually clawed at his throat. Rick understood the psychological impact of watching the water the other man so desperately needed just pouring out onto the dry, dusty floor. He poured out a substantial bit this time.

“Okay, okay!” Joss cracked. 

Matt looked like he wanted to object but Rick could hear the man’s throat literally sticking shut. 

“Get us a full jar after this one and I’ll tell,” Joss said, holding his hand out for the water.

“Tell first, then you get the water.”

He started to pour more out. Joss waved his hands wildly.

“No, no! Okay! It was Shane who wanted us to get you and the redneck cunt.”

“Both of us?” said Rick. 

Joss nodded emphatically. So did Matt. 

“Hands behind your back. Try anything and I’ll dump all this water out,” Rick warned. 

Joss laced his hands behind his back. Rick allowed him one gulp. “More, please.”

“Not yet. I have other questions.”

“What about me?” pleaded Matt. Rick gave him a drink and then stood back.

“Why did they want us dead?”

“No clue and that’s the honest to God truth. He didn’t tell us that. He just said kill ya. It’s nothin’ personal, man,” Matt said. “He promised us a week off in the arena fights and he’d score us some pussy for two straight nights if we did it.”

“And chocolate,” Joss added. “Remember the chocolate, Matt?”

“Oh, yeah. The chocolate. We ain’t had chocolate in ages and it’s our favorite,” Matt agreed, nodding. 

Rick shook his head and handed the men the jars of water, which they gulped down greedily. 

“Can we have some more?” asked Matt.

“In a little bit.”

“Look, you ain’t gonna tell ‘em we told, are ya? I mean, Shane’s a mean one. He really will kill us. He may even hurt our family. You know Karri. She ain’t done nothin’ bad. She’s a good girl.”

Good girl my ass, Rick thought as he left with the jars. Karri Hudson had damn near beat another girl to death for looking at her wrong. 

Rick sat down at the desk in his office and leaned back in the chair, several questions running through his mind. Where was Curtis? Why had Shane tried to have him and Daryl assassinated? He could understand Shane wanting some kind of revenge on him for some of the things in their past. He’d known that Shane had been in love with Lori, even though he didn’t believe anything had ever happened between his wife and Shane, he’d known how Shane had felt about her. Losing her had been the final straw between the two of them. 

Shane, however, had always struck Rick as being the kind of man who would seek his revenge out in the open, face to face, not hiring two lame-brained hillbillies to try to assassinate him in a mission he’d have to know they’d fail at, and then squeal about when questioned.

Had that been his intent? Had he figured they’d fail and then spill the beans? Had he wanted Rick to know that he wasn’t safe in Woodbury, despite how well the people liked him?

After getting the prisoners a refill on their water, and leaving the jars with them, Rick closed down the office for the night and headed back to Dr. Stevens’ office. He didn’t see Andrea being escorted by two guards, Martinez being one of them, toward the Governor’s office as he headed in the opposite direction to stand guard over Daryl with Beth and Dr. Stevens. 

He didn’t see the fear in her eyes as Martinez pressed a knife to her neck hard enough to draw blood so that she wouldn’t dare call out for help to the one man who could have saved her.




Next Chapter