Thank you to everyone who put this on their story alerts! And a big thank you to LMoonshade for the encouragement.

And now on with the story...

Chapter 2 – Loose Lips

"Boyd, may I have a word?" the tall man asked loudly walking towards the four-some and taking off his Stetson. US Marshall Raylan Givens was here on official business, but he still glanced around to see if his father was present. Then he remembered that Arlo was in jail.

"Ah, if you gentlemen will excuse me for just one moment…" Boyd Crowder turned and stepped closer to his…friend? Former friend? Childhood friend…and away from Sam, Dean, and Ava. "Raylan. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Two bodies were found near Grays Knob. I was wonderin' if you knew anything about that."

"And why would I know anything about that?"

"They had puncture marks, and the deaths look suspicious."

"Now, Raylan, how come whenever you find a suspicious death you come knocking on my door?"

"Well, gee, Boyd, maybe that's 'cause you usually have something to do with it."

Sam and Dean exchanged a look. Raylan was clearly a lawman, and Boyd seemed to be his Usual Suspect. Best thing for them to do would be to sit quietly and let it play out.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have no idea what you are talkin' about."

"Oh, come on! Two bodies with multiple puncture marks that look to have been made by the mother of all needles?" After a questioning look, the Marshall added, "They were bigger than normal needle marks. Don't see why anyone would stick themselves with something that big. And there was a distinct lack of blood in their bodies."

"The bodies were exsanguinated?" Sam spoke before his brain could stop him. Crap. He tried to ignore the angry look his brother threw him.

Raylan stared at the man who had spoken. His eyes narrowed as he took in the long hair and sideburns, the tall frame, and the tiredness and slight nervousness in the eyes. "Exsanguinated," the Marshall repeated slowly. "That's an awfully large word."

"It means drained of blood," Boyd explained with a slight upturn in tone as though he were speaking to a child.

"I know what it means. What I want to know is, who are you, and why are you so interested?"

Boyd continued to answer. "Oh, well, that there's Sam. He's a hunter."

"Yeah," Dean added. "Plus he watches those procedural cop shows all the time." Sam wondered why everyone was talking for him. "You know, the kind where they show the autopsies and…stuff?" Dean paused. This Boyd guy and the lovely Ava already knew their first names. Sure they were supposed to be dead, but he certainly didn't want to give out any more truthful information than he had to. "He's just fascinated by that stuff. Aren't you…, Honey?" What the hell just came out of his mouth?

Sam's head whipped around to look at his brother. Dean's eyes begged him to just go along with it. Sam turned back to the man holding the hat. "Um, yeah. Can't get enough. Sorry. Didn't mean to intrude." He turned back to his beer. What next? Sam automatically began squeezing the semi-old wound in his palm to ensure Lucifer wouldn't make an unwanted appearance.

The lawman stepped closer and reached into his jacket. "I'm Deputy US Marshall Raylan Givens." There was the familiar flash of the badge that Sam and Dean had both done hundreds of times. "Who's your…companion?"

"I'm Dean. And we prefer…" Shit. Shit. Shit. "…partners." He smiled thinly.

Something was off about these two. It wasn't that they were gay. He didn't care a lick about that. There was a trace of nervousness in their eyes and a tension in their shoulders he didn't like. The one with the large vocabulary kept massaging one of his hands. If Raylan had had a Spidey-sense, these two would have been setting it off. "And where were you two yesterday?"

Sam answered before anyone else could. "Durham, North Carolina. We were there for four days. Left early this morning. I've got the receipt to our hotel room in the car if you'd like to see it." It was easy to sound earnest as it was the truth. Although considering that the credit card they had used was under the name Luke Cassidy, he really hoped the Marshall wouldn't want to examine it.

Raylan looked him up and down. He and his companion, no, partner sure looked familiar.

"Deputy US Marshall Givens," Ava started, "unless you want a drink, I do believe it's time for you to leave."

"Now, Ava," the Marshall began.

She continued as though he hadn't said anything. "Do you want a drink or not?"

Raylan clenched his jaw in frustration. "No," he finally said through gritted teeth.

"Then shoo." She said this with a small waive of her hand as though he were a small dog. "Go on now."

He hesitated and then pointed in their general direction. "I'll be back."

Boyd looked amused. "Be sure to bring an arrest warrant next time."

Raylan gave one last look to the two strangers and left.

"Honey?" mouthed Sam incredulously as Ava and Boyd were watching the Marshall leave. Dean just gave him a we-both-did-stupid-things-so-drop-it look.

Once the door closed behind Raylan, Boyd turned to Sam and Dean. "Please forgive my forwardness, but I do believe you just lied to a Deputy US Marshall."

Sam used one of his innocent looks. "What makes you say that?"

"Because homosexuals do not look at Ava the way you two were doin' not 10 minutes ago," Boyd noted.

"I wasn't," Sam started to protest.

"Oh, please, Sugar," Ava started. "I saw you sneaking glances. It's okay. I found it rather flattering," she added when a look of guilt crossed his face. The guilt transformed into a faint blush.

"I sense you've been in trouble with the law."

Dean chuckled. "Right back at ya, man."

"Raylan and I have a long and…ah…sordid history. But I'm more interested in yours."

"Let's just say we've had a few run-ins and leave it at that. We don't want any trouble. We just want to finish our beers, and then we'll be on our way."

"Dean, they were exsanguinated," Sam reminded his brother. "And they had puncture marks. We've got to at least check it out."

"Damn it, Sammy." Sam replied with his classic bitch face. To which Dean replied, "Fine…Bitch." And Sam responded, "Good…Jerk." And Boyd asked, "Exsanguinated? Would one of you care to tell me why that's so important?"

Another silent exchange occurred between the two men before the taller one spoke. "Our sister," he began. "She was murdered. That's why we were in North Carolina. The m.o. is the same – large puncture marks and drained of blood. Sounds like her killer could be here." It scared Sam sometimes how adept he was at lying. But it was a skill that served him well. He just hoped these two bought it.

"And obviously," Dean picked up the thread, "we'd like to find him, preferably before the police do. It's a matter of family honor," he added, figuring rural Kentucky was a prime place for people to take the law into their own hands.

"So you are hunting the Most Dangerous Game," Boyd observed. "Well, seeing how it's your sister, I can't say as I blame you."

"Neither can I," Ava chimed in. She had taken the law into her own hands before when she killed her abusive husband with a shotgun.

Sam turned on his puppy-dog eyes. "Do you know the place where they found the bodies? Do you think you can take us there?"

"I suppose I could. Question is, why should I?"

Dean locked eyes with Boyd. "Because we want to stop this monster. And if we don't, Ava's beautiful body could be the next one found." He let the words sink in. "We can stop him. We just need to be sure it's him."

Boyd looked at his girlfriend who nodded once. Turning back to the brothers, he simply said, "Well alright then. I think I know someone who can help."