Читать книгу Cat - R C Hilty - Страница 8
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Cat had been scouting the woods behind her house. She found an area where the deer had been feeding. Gun season for deer was still a few weeks away, but this would be a good place on opening day. After that the deer would change their routine. She could hardly wait. Her family would love to have some venison. The deer she had poached, she gave away to the needy. The last thing she wanted was for her dad and mom to find out that she had been poaching.
Cat was pretty busy keeping her grades up and helping the people of the county. One day while she was at the diner visiting with her mom, Judge Bean walked up sat down beside her and asked, “How are you today?”
“Pretty good.”
“I was talking to Widow Johnson. She said that you have been a great help.”
“She is a nice woman. Her kids are great.”
“I also heard that you have been pretty busy giving a hand to some of the other families that has fallen on hard times.”
“Yeah, I really enjoy giving a hand to people that need it. They all seem to appreciate it.”
“Oh, they do. Haven’t heard a bad word about you. Except Grumpy Mike he said that you were like a stray dog that won’t stay away.”
“You think I’ll be able to get him to come out of his shell?”
“If anyone can, it’ll be you.”
Betty walked up and said, “Hi, Judge, get you anything?”
“I’ll just take a cup of coffee.”
“My daughter ain’t in trouble again, is she?”
“No, not today.”
“I tell you what. If she had done as much work fixing up our place as she has had to do at the park, there would be a picture of it in Better Homes and Gardens.”
“Aw, Mom.”
“Next time I’ll sentence her to do work at home. The park looks the best it has in a long time.”
Judge Bean drank a cup of coffee, and as he got up to leave, he said, “Cat, you take it easy, and try to stay out of trouble.”
“Always.”
Cat was starting to wonder if she had been spotted killing those deer. One thing she had learned was never to volunteer any information. She finished her coffee.
Betty asked, “More coffee?”
“No, Mom. I want to get back home.”
“You ain’t doing anything to get yourself in trouble, are you?”
“Not me.”
“And you all wonder why I have gray hair.”
*****
Friday after school, Cat went home, grabbed her fishing pole and gear, and headed over to Mike’s. Phase 2 was about to start. She had come up with a plan. Whether it was a good one or not would be seen. Hopefully, Judge Bean was right that Mike’s bark was worse than his bite. Being arrested for trespassing would not make her parents happy.
Cat rode her bike past his house and went right back to the pond. She baited her hook and then cast the line into the water. It wasn’t long until a nice-size catfish took the bait. She took the fish off the hook, put it into her basket, rebaited the hook, and threw the line back in the water. When she put the third fish in her basket, Mike walked up. Cat could practically see the steam coming from his ears.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Cat began thinking maybe this wasn’t such a good plan, but oh well, no sense retreating now. “What, you blind? I’m building a doghouse.”
That only managed to make Mike’s blood pressure raise another twenty points. “No, you ain’t! You are stealing my fish!”
Cat began putting her tackle away. “I ain’t stealing your fish.”
“Yes, you are! I’ll have you arrested for trespassing!”
Cat got on her bike. “Go ahead. I am sure you know the number to the law.”
“You get out of here, and don’t come back, and stop leaving doughnuts on my bench!”
Cat rode up to Mike’s house. She noticed a bucket by a water hydrant. She put some water in the bucket and dumped the fish in it. By the time Mike had walked up to his house, Cat had already found a board and was cleaning the first fish. Mike was out of breath by the time he got to the house.
“I told you to leave or I was going to call the law.”
Cat continued to clean the fish. “Go ahead. I’m sure you know where your phone is.”
Now Mike didn’t know what to do. Cat was the stubbornest female he had ever run into. He could call the law; he had every legal right to do so. Why was this girl trying so hard to be nice to him? Mike went and got his phone and sat on the porch, all the while Cat was cleaning the fish. Cat finished then started to go into Mike’s house to find a bowl to put the fillets in. Mike just looked at her in amazement.
“You want to get arrested for breaking and entering too?”
“You have the phone, forget the number?”
Cat found a bowl to put the fish in. She covered them with water added salt and put them in the refrigerator. Cat noticed he didn’t have much as far as food goes a few potatoes, onions, and some canned goods. Probably just got enough stuff to last him a week.
“I didn’t forget the number.”
Cat walked out of the house. “I put the fish in salt water. Just let them alone, and I will be back tomorrow and fry them up for you.”
“You leave and don’t come back.”
Mike’s heart was starting to thaw a little. It had been a long time since he had home-fried fish. His wife used to fry fish for him every Sunday even though she didn’t care for fish. Mike would catch a mess on Saturday clean them, and she would fry them after they got home from church.
Cat was doing a lot of thinking on her bike ride home. Would Mike call the law on her if she went back? She would find out tomorrow afternoon. She couldn’t give up now. When she got home, she put her bike and fishing pole away and walked into the house.
Betty asked, “Catch anything?”
“Some small ones, I threw them back.”
“Supper should be ready by the time you get cleaned up.”
“That’s good. I’m kinda hungry.”
*****
Saturday morning, Mike left his list at the grocery store, bought a paper and coffee, then went over to his bench. There wasn’t a doughnut sitting there like there usually was. Mike had gotten kind of used to it being there. As he sat down to read the paper, he began thinking, Maybe I was a little hard on that girl. Now she probably won’t come over and fry the fish. In a way he was starting to like her even if she was stubborn as a mule. He finished reading his paper and drank the last of his coffee. He went back to the store to pick up his groceries.
As he walked in, the cashier said, “I’ve got everything ready for you. You have a pretty big order today, you expecting company this week?”
“Nah, I was just getting low on groceries.”
“You all right, no smart-ass comment?”
“I’m fine, see you next week.” Mike left the store feeling kind of down. He really missed that doughnut.
After he got home, he put his stuff away, looked in the refrigerator, saw the fish, and thought to himself, I guess I can fry them tomorrow. Mike grabbed a glass of ice water, went outside, and sat on the porch. He sat there for a while, looking at the trees blowing in the breeze. He looked up, and there came Cat, riding her bike up the lane. When she got to the house, she said “Hi,” and walked right into the kitchen and started preparing the fish.
Mike came in right behind. “What are you doing here? I told you not to come back. Didn’t you hear me?”
“Oh, I heard you. I just didn’t listen. Now where are your skillets?”
“Get out of here. There in the drawer under the stove where they’re supposed to be. Now leave!”
“I will as soon as I’m done.” Cat kept right on working on the meal. She fried some potatoes and onions to go along with the fish.
Mike sat at the table. After Cat was done cooking, she put it on a plate and set it on the table with a fork and a glass of water. Mike looked at it. “I ain’t hungry.”
“Suit yourself. I’m gonna go out and see if I can get a couple of squirrels for your dinner tomorrow. I will stop by and fry them up for you tomorrow after church.”
“Oh no, you don’t. Get out of here!”
Cat went outside to her bike took her rifle out of its case and headed for Mike’s woods. After Cat left, Mike wolfed down the fish and potatoes. He hadn’t had a meal like that in a long time. Cat came back with two squirrels already cleaned. After she rinsed them off, she put them in a container of water and added some salt.
As she placed them in the refrigerator, she turned to Mike, “Changed your mind?”
“Couldn’t see throwing it out, after all it was mine.”
“Well, don’t get used to it. I will see you tomorrow.”
“I probably don’t have a choice.”
“Nope.”
“So you’re pretty good with that little rifle?”
“Not bad.”
“There’s a groundhog that’s under my workshop that sticks his nose out about this time every day. Think you can hit him?”
“From your porch? Yeah, piece of cake.”
Mike knew soon as the groundhog would hear the click when Cat cocked her rifle, he would be long gone. Cat got her rifle and sat on the porch and waited. Mike couldn’t wait. He knew she wouldn’t be able to get him. It wasn’t long till the groundhog stuck his head out. Cat raised her rifle. She held the trigger back as she cocked the rifle so it wouldn’t make the click. The groundhog was sitting there. Cat let out a shrill whistle. The groundhog stood up on his hind legs and looked around. When he did that, Cat squeezed the trigger. The groundhog fell over and started flopping on the ground.
“One dead groundhog!”
Mike couldn’t believe it. Maybe she was a little smarter than he had given her credit. “I guess so. That wasn’t bad.”
“Well, I had better get going. I have some chores to do.”
“Good, it’s about time you’re leaving.”
“You know, I bet deep down, you have a heart probably real deep.”
“Just go. I expect a doughnut on my bench next Saturday.”
Cat would stop by two or three nights a week after school and visit with him. Mike would act like he didn’t want her around, but he never actually kicked her off his place. He was starting to enjoy her company. There was no way he would let anyone know.
*****
Cat was walking toward the diner one day after school when Mike walked past her.
“What are you doing here? Today ain’t Saturday?” asked Cat.
“None of your business, brat.”
“Oh, you like me. Just don’t know it yet.”
“Whatever.”
Cat walked into the diner and sat up at the counter.
Betty said, “Hi, Cat, what you doing?”
“Oh, thought I would just stop by and see how you’re doing.”
“AKA, buy me a cup of coffee?”
Cat smiled. “Sure, thanks for offering.”
Judge Bean walked in and sat down beside Cat. Betty brought Cat a cup of coffee then turned to Judge Bean and asked, “What would you like?”
“Coffee will be fine.” He turned to Cat. “I take it you have started ‘phase 2’ on getting to know Grumpy Mike?”
“You’ve heard?”
“Oh yeah, Mike has talked to me more in the last few days than he had for the last two years.”
“I take it my stray-dog approach is starting to work?”
“I think so. He calls me every time you show up and complains about you. I always ask him, ‘What do you want me to do about it? Put her in jail?’”
“What’s he say?”
“Not much, he won’t admit it, but I think he likes you being around.”
Judge Bean laid a dollar on the counter. “See you later.”
Betty replied, “Thanks, Judge.”
“Mom, thanks for the coffee. I am going to stop by and see Mike on the way home. I’ll be home in time for supper.”
“Your dad is going to put something on the grill tonight. The last thing I want to do after cooking all day is to go home and make supper.”
“Okay, see ya then.”
*****
Cat knocked on Mike’s door. Mike opened the door. “What do you want?”
“Good to see you too.”
“Why you keep bothering me?”
“’Cause you like me.”
Mike shook his head. He was starting to like Cat. There was just something about her. “Now, why would I like an annoying little brat like you?”
“Because you really don’t like being mad at the world, it’s just that after all these years, that’s all you know.”
“What, you taking psychology 101 in high school?”
“Very funny.”
“I’m sure that there is something you want from me. Nobody tries this hard to be friends with a grumpy old man like me for no reason.”
“Maybe I like a challenge.”
“Now, cut the bullshit and tell me what you really want.”
“You got me. Yes, there is something I’d like you to do.”
“I knew it. What is it?
“I would like you to teach me how to shoot long-range, like a thousand yards or better.”
Mike was quite for a little bit. She has been going through all this just to get me to teach her how to shoot. This would take a little thinking. Will I be able to stand her being around all the time? Like she stays away now just like a stray dog always coming back. Judge Bean had been telling him that Cat had been holding her own on the rifle team. It has been a long time since he had done any shooting. The most he had done in the last few years was take his rifles out, clean and oil them, then put them back in the safe.
Cat just looked at Mike for a while, wondering what he was thinking. “Well, you gonna teach me or not?”
“What makes you think I can teach you?”
“Well, according to the judge, you knocked a nut out of a squirrel’s mouth at 200 yards and didn’t hurt the squirrel.”
“It was 250, but I did have a hundred dollar bet on that shot.”
“Think I’d be able to do that?”
“I heard you shot a knife off your brother’s belt.”
Cat put her head down and with a sheepish grin said, “Yeah, he kind of made me mad.”
“You know, that was pretty stupid.”
“Oh yeah, Mom and Dad let me know that!”
“What about your brother?”
“He didn’t say much. He never messed with my stuff after that.”
“Smart boy. If you ever pull a stunt like that with me, I’ll quit teaching you.”
Cat smiled. “Is that a yes?”
“Might as well, don’t look like I am gonna get rid of ya.
Cat gave Mike a big hug. “Thank you.”
“Now, don’t start getting mushy. Ruin my reputation.”
“Okay, okay, when do we start?”
“I suppose a week from Saturday after I get back from town. There had better be a maple cream doughnut on my bench.”
“You bet. I better get going. I’m gonna stop in and see Widow Johnson. See ya Saturday.”
“Remember, maple cream on my bench every Saturday.”
As Cat left, Mike was talking to himself, “Oh, Lord, what have I gotten myself into? I hope this is a blessing, not a test.” He looked up. “Probably both.”
He sat down in front of the TV. He was glad no one could see the little smile he had. Teaching Cat to shoot would give him a sense of purpose.
Cat knocked on Widow Johnson’s door. She opened the door. “Hi, Cat, come on in. How have you been?”
“Doing great. Just thought I would stop by to see how you and the kids were doing. Do you need anything?”
“We are doing fine. I hate to ask, but the boys would sure like some more venison. We’ve been out for a bit. But now, don’t do it if you’ll get in trouble.”
“No reason I can’t, as long as you don’t mind me showing up in the middle of the night.”
“Bless your heart.”
*****
Friday after Cat got home from school, she started packing her backpack. Betty came into her room.
“Going camping again this weekend?”
“Yeah, after I get my chores done and eat supper.”
“I should be used to it by now. I can’t help but worry about you when you’re out there by yourself.”
“As you have said, that’s a mother’s job to worry about her kids.”
After supper Cat put on her backpack, picked up her shotgun, and hiked to the cave. She set up camp. She had a camp stove, a sleeping bag, and other supplies hidden in the cave.
Cat started to hike over to the big rock. Something didn’t seem right. There weren’t any animals around like there usually were. A putrid odor filled the usually fresh clean air of the hills. The fumes of ammonia, battery acid, and lye burned her eyes and nose. She knew it would be best to turn around and go home. She thought to herself, I’ll just get to the rock and see if I can find out the source that wretched odor. After getting to the rock, she looked down the hill. She saw a black pickup truck with a small camping trailer hooked to it. The odor was coming from the trailer. Two guys were standing around a campfire. She backed up behind the rock. Her mind was racing. What do I do? Go get help? Okay, calm down, get a better look. She used the scope on her shotgun to get a better look. They were drinking. As she scanned the area, she saw another man beating a guy tied to a small tree. Oh, this ain’t good. She got a better look at the guy tied to the tree. It was Officer Conrad. He had been badly beaten. Cat slid behind the rock again. Her heart was beating so hard she was afraid it would come out of her chest.
Talking to herself, she said, “Cat, calm down. Think this through. Do something stupid, and both of you will get killed. That’d really piss Mom off.”
*****
“What’s the matter, Warden? Want a drink?” one of the thugs said as he poured whiskey on the warden’s head. He kicked him in the ribs. “Does that hurt? Teach you to mind your own business.”
Officer Conrad could barely hold his head up, spitting out blood. “You can rot in hell.”
“After you. I ain’t the one tied up. I could be nice and put a bullet in your head, but I think I’ll just let you die a slow death. We’re about done with this batch.”
One of the other dirt bags said, “Get over here and help unhook this trailer. We need to get some more ammonia and lye. We might as well cook another batch.”
“All right, while you two are in town, get another bottle of whiskey. I’m gonna to stay here and play with the warden.”
“That’s all you need. Give me the warden’s radio so we can tell if we’ve been reported.”
As the other two left, he went back to the warden. The warden had passed out. “What’s the matter, sleepy?” When he didn’t get a response, he dumped some water on him.
The warden opened his eyes, “Go to hell.”
“Maybe we will just force some meth down your throat before we leave you to die.”
*****
After Cat calmed herself down, she looked through her scope again, thinking, I know I can hit one, maybe two. No way can I get all three before they kill the warden. Maybe if I kill the one closest to the warden, it will give me time to hit the other two. No, probably not. At least one of the others would be a moving target. Then she saw two of them get in the truck and leave. If I shoot the one that’s still here, the other two may hear the shot and come back. Watching the thug beating the warden, she knew she had to do something pretty quick. As she was contemplating what to do, the thug headed back to the campfire. He took another drink and fell down. Maybe he passed out. I’d better make my move. Cat snuck down to the warden, walking up behind him. She put her hand over his mouth so that he wouldn’t yell.
“It’s me, Cat.”
“Cat, what are you doing here?”
“Later, let’s get out of here.” She noticed they had handcuffed him to the tree; her knife was worthless.
“I have a key sewed on the inside of the collar of my shirt.”
Cat found it and unlocked his cuffs. The thug started moving.
“Want me to kill him?”
The warden knew if he said yes, she would do it. It might have been safer for them if she would. Still, he didn’t want that to be on her conscience.
“No, not unless you have to.”
“Want me to cuff him?”
“No, he’s still passed out. As much as he drank, he should be out long enough for us to get away.”
The warden had been severely beaten, and one of his legs was broken. With Cat’s help he was able to get to the cave. Cat opened her sleeping bag and helped him onto it. She loosened his shirt and belt, elevated his legs, and then folded the sleeping bag over his body. She placed a folded sheet under his head.
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to cover our tracks.”
“Be careful.”
“Always.”
She went outside and covered their tracks. Bushes hid the entrance to the cave, and with the clouds covering the moon, it would be hard for the thugs to find the warden. She went back in the cave. The warden was still conscious.
“That guy still passed out?”
“Yeah, I think he’s down for the count. I’m going to get help. I will leave my 410 Rossi here with you. It’s loaded. The hammer is back. Just flip off the safety, and it’s good to go. Here are three more shells. Now, don’t die on me.”
“Don’t plan on it. Be careful. The other two might spot you.”
“Not to worry, I’m going out the back way.”
“The back way?”
“See ya.”
*****
Cat ran into the house.
“Mom, Dad, wake up!”
Dave jumped out of bed and ran out of the bedroom with Betty right behind him.
“Cat, what is it?”
“It’s the warden! He’s hurt bad!”
Dave, trying to get coherent, said, “Okay, Cat, slow down. Take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong.
Cat took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It’s the warden, he’s hurt real bad. He ran into some drug dealers. They beat him up and broke his leg.”
“Where is he now?”
“I hid him in the cave that I camped in. We have to get help!”
“All right. Betty, call Judge Bean. Tell him we’re heading his way and the warden is hurt.”
“You two be careful.”
When Dave and Cat got to Judge Bean’s house he was up, dressed, and drinking a cup of coffee to wake up. Cat explained everything.
Judge Bean said, “I’m going to call the state police, probably need to get SWAT.”
Cat replied, “Make sure they don’t use radios, because they have the warden’s.”
*****
The SWAT team met them at the courthouse. Judge Bean introduced Cat to the team commander.
“I’ll let her tell you the situation.”
Cat pulled a TOPO map out of her pocket as she told them what happened. “I usually get there by hiking through Dad’s place, but there is a fire road to get you to the trail.”
The commander listening to what she was saying asked, “There’s a trail that goes down to that valley?”
“Yeah, it’s overgrown, but I cleared out a path for a shortcut.”
“May I use your map? You stay here, and we’ll go get him.”
“No, I’m going with you. I know that area like the back of my hand. The warden is scared, and I left my shotgun with him. He will recognize my voice.”
The commander, knowing that this would go against protocol, looked at Judge Bean. He smiled a little and nodded. The commander was quiet for a bit then said, “Sometimes you have to go with your gut.”
Cat got into the SWAT van. As they left, Dave said to Judge Bean, “Good thing the wife ain’t here.”
“Yeah.”
*****
Getting everyone and equipment to the cave by Cat’s trail was not an easy task. The EMTs went into the cave with Cat. The SWAT team set up on the hill above the meth lab.
The SWAT commander said, “What dumbasses! As close as that fire is to the trailer, it could blow anytime!”
One of the officers asked, “What’s the plan, boss?”
The commander looked through his binoculars, taking mental notes. The other two thugs had not come back yet. The third was still passed out by the fire.
“You two go down, cuff that bastard, and drag him back here. Make it quick. That trailer could blow anytime.”
*****
Cat walked up to the warden. He was unconscious. He had one hand on the shotgun with his thumb on the safety. Cat carefully removed the shotgun from his hand, picked up the extra shells, then stepped back. The EMTs started working on him. They took his vitals then started an IV to get fluids back into his body.
One EMT said to the other, “We have to get him stabilized before we can move him.”
Cat went over to the wall of the cave and sat down. She really did like the warden even if he had arrested her a few times. The adrenaline was wearing off, and she was getting tired. The only thing she could do now was stay out of the way of the professionals and to pray.
“Okay, Lord, I did my part with your help. Now the rest is up to you and the EMTs. Amen.”
Within a few minutes she was fast asleep.
*****
After officers dragged the suspect back to the hill, the team watched the meth lab. They knew it wouldn’t be long until the other two would show up.
One of the snipers said to the commander, “Boss, it’d be a lot easier just to shoot them when they get back, save the taxpayers a lot of money.”
“Yeah, it would, but you know we can’t do that. Plus, think of all the extra paperwork.”
“I know. I’m tired of arresting these slime balls and then liberal judges letting them go on technicalities.”
“It sucks.”
“I think they’re coming back.”
The meth makers pulled up to the trailer and got out. When they got to the trailer, one of them put a cigarette in his mouth and pulled out his lighter. The SWAT commander was watching through his binoculars.
“No, you dumbass, guys, get down and cover your heads!”
When the lighter was lit, the trailer blew up. Pieces went flying everywhere. Fortunately, it had rained a couple of days ago, so the fire didn’t spread far. The commander called the fire department, and then he said to the rest of the team, “That’s one less case that’ll be on the court docket.”
The fire department showed and put out the fire. There was not much left of the pickup or trailer. Two of the SWAT members stayed at the crime scene while the investigators and medical examiner did their jobs. The rest of them went back to the cave to see how the others were doing. An ambulance was waiting outside the cave.
Inside the cave, one of the EMTs walked over to Cat, who was sound asleep. He shook her shoulder lightly saying, “Hey, girl, he’s gonna make it.”
Cat, waking up from a deep sleep, for a moment didn’t realize where she was. “Huh?”
“The warden’s gonna make it.”
Cat rubbed her eyes, “Oh, good.”
“Yes, we have him stabilized. His blood pressure and pulse are good. We’re getting ready to load him in the ambulance. You can ride with us to the hospital if you want.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he came to for a minute and asked about you.”
Cat stood up, picked up her shotgun, and responded, “That’s great.”
“I’ll tell you what. How about you give your shotgun to one of the officers. I’m sure they’ll give it to your dad when they go back to town.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Cat opened the action and handed it to the officer. “Will you give this to Dad and tell him I went to the hospital with the warden?”
“Sure, I’ll do that. You did a fine job.”
“Thank you.”
*****
Cat sat in the waiting room while the warden was in the emergency room. Dave and Betty walked in. Cat looked up.
“Hi, Mom, Dad.”
Betty gave Cat a big hug. “Oh, I am so glad you’re all right.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Dave said, “How’s Conrad?”
“Haven’t heard anything yet, the EMTs had him stabilized before he was put in the ambulance.”
Betty hugged Cat again. “You sure you’re okay? You just added more gray hair to me.”
“Mom, I’m fine. I’m just worried about the warden.”
Dave said, “Oh, by the way, they gave me your gun.”
“Thanks.”
The ER doctor came to the waiting room walked up to Cat. “I take it you’re the one that’s called Cat.”
“Yeah, that’s me. This is my mom and dad.”
“The warden’s left leg is broken. X-rays show two broken ribs and three cracked. We suspect some internal bleeding. He is in surgery now. After that we’ll do an MRI to see if there are any head injuries. We need to get the bleeding stopped before we do anything else. Before we put him under, he told me to tell you thank you. I told him he can tell you himself when he wakes up. He said, ‘I know, but just in case.’”
“I told him not to die on me.”
The doctor cracked a little smile. “He’ll be able to thank you himself. He’ll probably be in surgery for at least two hours. By the time he gets out of recovery and to his room, it will be quite a while. Why don’t you go home and get some rest and come back later in the morning. Leave your number with the desk, and we will call you if anything changes.”
“I want to stay here till he gets to his room.”
Mom said, “Now, Cat, you can’t do anything while he’s in surgery. Let’s get you home. You can take a shower, get some clean clothes on, and grab a bite to eat. Your dad can bring you back after that.”
“Well, okay.” She looked at her dad. “You’ll bring me back so I can wait here?”
“Yes, I’ll bring you back.”
The ER doctor said, “Well, I’ll see you later. Be sure to leave your number at the desk.”
