Kate & Jim Ch. 05

"Yes" she replied and Jim said "I don't have mine so we'll just have to make do with yours."

Jim circled around and was approximately 100 yards from where he left Kate to observe two large men of indeterminate age with their backs to him operating chain saws. They were apparently testing the waters and felling his black walnut trees to retrieve at a later date and may have posted a lookout. It's a common practice among tree poachers.

Keeping out of sight, Jim followed the narrow gravel access road in the opposite direction another 600 yards to observe two Ford F-150 pickup trucks, both 3/4 ton four-by-fours parked back from the main highway yet hidden by the trees.

One of them was a brand new King Ranch Model double cab model and loaded with all the bells and whistles; heated leather seats, expensive stereo systems etc...... The other was 10 years or so older; a single cab basic work model starting to rust at the bottom of the doors and rocker panels.

Waiting there was a large muscular, clean shaven and handsome man with a blond ponytail. He appeared to be in his late twenties and was sitting on the tailgate of the older red pickup drinking coffee from the thermos cup, the thermos bottle beside him on the tailgate.

"Are you the brains or the flunky of this outfit?" Jim asked walking directly up to him "I estimate you and your buddies are into me for a grand already. The property is well posted and you have no business being here."

"I don't know who you are Mr." said the young man sliding off the tailgate and reaching in his pocket for his cell-phone "We have permission from the owner Mike Edwards to cull those diseased trees."

"Mike Edward's is one of the farmers who rent from me" Jim retorted "I own this land. My name is Jim Brady.....remember it. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is for you to give me your cell-phone to call the Sheriff. We'll let the judge sort this out in a civilized manner; however, I'd prefer the hard way."

"What's the hard way?" the man said putting the cell-phone on the tailgate.

"I take it from you!"

"You made the challenge so I go first, right; palms up stops the fight and then I just leave."

"Fair enough, young man if there's no hard feeling after; agreed?"

"Agreed, Mr. Brady on the count of three" and without further comment, the young man threw several probing rights and left jabs and feints at Jim's head and torso.

Jim was ready for them and blocked or deflected the blows gauging the man's style which was predominately right handed in power and speed. No doubt the man was feeling Jim out as well and was holding his best in reserve.

Obviously in fit fighting shape and an experienced brawler; he lacked the finesse of a trained boxer. The man stepped back palms up smiling and nodded, confident he would win and said "Challenger next, it's your turn Mr. Jim Brady, or should I just leave."

"I'm beginning to like you, son."

"It's John Morgan."

"Now that the preliminaries are over with, John Morgan lets have at it for real on the count of three."

Wasting no time, Jim commenced with bone jarring blows to John's body with his massive fists. John blocked them wondering what he got himself into; he'd never been hit this hard before in his life. John's return body blows to Jim were ineffectual; he might as well be hitting an oak tree. He did manage to hit Jim twice high in the face, putting a bleeding cut above Jim's eye.

Smiling at the bloody cut and the blood dripping down the side of his face, Jim unrelentingly advanced raining jackhammer punches on him; numbing and hurting John's arms and forcing John to cover up in pain.

Changing tactics John grappled with Jim trying to knee him in the groin and smash his forehead into Jim face. Again, Jim expected this, keeping his head low and chin tucked, as he smashed his fist several times into John's left kidney to force him let go, which he did, staggering back and sitting down hard.

When he tried to get up, twice, Jim kicked his feet out from under him to send him crashing to the ground.

"This fight is over, son" Jim said holding up his palms and then wiping the blood from above his eyes that continued to drip in a stream down the side of his face and neck "We've had our fun and I may need stitches. Your kidney is bruised and I may have cracked some of your ribs. Sit here and think about it."

Wasting no time, Jim searched the trucks to get the registrations, insurance cards, or any documentation identifying the owners. There was also an unopened fifth of Jack Daniel's Old No.7 Sour Mash Whiskey in the King Ranch truck and Jim took that too.

He then called the Sheriff's Department. John was sitting up against the truck watching him. "Well young man, the Sheriff is on the way."

Jim broke the seal and removed the cap from the whiskey bottle and took a long swig. He handed the bottle to John who in turn took a longer swig and gave the bottle back to Jim.

"No hard feeling, John?" Jim asked offering him his hand to help him to his feet.

"None, Jim Brady" John replied wincing from the pain as he took Jim's hand to be helped to his feet "You play the game; you accept the pain. How about another sip of Jack?" and Jim gave him the bottle to take a long sip.

"Good attitude young man so I'll make you this one time offer. We'll consider this fight a draw. You wait here in your truck and I'll drop all charges against you when we go before Bob Sanders."

"Agreed; you're not a local, Jim, how do you know Judge Sanders?"

"He's a third cousin on my mother's side."

"Just my luck and they're not my friends.....I've been out of steady work for months with my first baby on the way. I needed the money and they offered me two hundred dollars to sit here for a few hours and drink coffee. Naturally I didn't ask many questions."

"You win some and loose some, John. How do you know Bob?"

"I've been good friends with his son Bryan since grade school. We were on the High School wrestling team together and State champs four years in a row."

"What kind of work do you do?" Jim asked.

"Any kind of work with my hands; construction work mostly including heavy equipment; electrical, carpentry, some plumbing; why all the questions and why are you being so reasonable?"

"You took a beating and all you did is grunt. I admire that. There are no hard feelings between us and we had a drink together. You remind me of me, when I was your age, except you're way better looking. Have they paid you yet?" to which John replied "No Sir."

"Excellent, don't take their money. When you heal up my barn needs painting. Can you operate a backhoe or a grader?"

"Yes, Sir, I'm certified with both."

"Have you ever been in serious trouble with the law before young man?"

"No, Sir not counting a felony that was reduced to a misdemeanor for disorderly conduct; there were two of them and it was self-defense. In the end it was adjourned contemplating dismal."

"Who were you protecting, John."

"I was protecting my wife, who was then my girlfriend.....how did you know that?"

"Intuition young man; I'll supply the paint and the brushes and you'll paint my barn when you feel better in consideration to charges against you being dropped.

I'll leave your wages with the judge. When you finish with the barn, I'll then make some inquiries about you. Before I leave for Florida, I want to meet your wife and your parents before I consider you for more work."

"Yes, Sir, thank you."

"All the gravel roads on the property need work to varying degrees and this will keep you employed for a while. I'll need your cell-phone at the moment. I'm going to give those tree poachers a chance to do the right thing........"

As before, Jim causally walked up to where the men who were sitting on a fallen tree, their work done for now: as he did, one of them used his cell phone to place a call.

Jim answered the cell-phone he took from John Morgan saying "This is Jim Brady speaking. I own this land. Your lookout is indisposed at the present time; will I do?" he asked, tossing the cell phone to one side.

"The way I see it you owe me several thousand dollars for those trees" said Jim removing the truck registration and insurance paper from his other pocket. "That's a fine truck you're driving Frank Fowler and thanks for the whiskey. Which one of you is he?" Jim asked taking a small sip and then pouring the whiskey to the ground and tossing the bottle behind him.

"How did you get those; they're mine? Did you break into my truck? That's a felony?" Frank Fowler indignantly accused while stepping forward and holding out his hand as if Jim would just hand them over to him "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"You know who I am. We can play nice and do this the easy way; or we can do it the hard way before the Sheriff gets here" Jim answered reasonably "the easy way is to wait for him here with me. We'll settle out of court for cash in consideration from me for dropping the trespassing and vandalism charges."

"Fuck you! What's to stop us from leaving you for dead or worse?" the other asked sneering "there's two of us" he pointed out, picking up a double-bit felling axe "I can make it look like an accident."

Frank lunged for the papers while reaching into his rear pocket; taking advantage and grabbing Frank's wrist, Jim used Frank's momentum to pull him towards him; putting him in a crushing bear-hug while butting him in the face with his head and breaking Frank's nose.

Jim let go and Frank staggered back a step or two. He turned to pull a nickel-plated Baby Browning 25 caliber semi-auto pistol with mother-of pearl grips out of his front pocket while wiping the blood from his face and mouth with his other hand.

Jim lunged to the side and grabbed Frank's arm raising in the air and pulling him to him to knee Frank in the groin. He spun him around to face his partner. In his pain and panic Frank accidently jerked the trigger to get off one round in the air. Apply bone crushing pressure to his wrist; Jim made Frank drop the gun. He then twisted Frank's arm behind his back to use as a human shield.

"Throw the axe in the bushes" Jim ordered, getting Frank up on his tip toes, applying pressure to Frank's arm and wrist.

"He's breaking my arm!" Frank screamed struggling to get free.

"Let go of him or I'll kill you!" he shouted advancing to within a few feet of Jim, the axe raised up in the air.

"We've already established your intent and it's not nice" Jim said calmly breaking Frank's arm with an audible "SNAP!"

"The bastard broke my arm Ron...he broke my fucking arm" Frank moaned going limp.

"You're a fucking dead man!" the axe-man screamed "Let go of my cousin or I'll butcher your whole family!"

"Not happening" said Jim "throw the axe in the bushes or I'll break his other arm followed by his neck; I won't be that nice to you!"

Seeing his chance when Ron looked momentarily at the axe trying to decide what to do, Jim rushed him using Frank as a battering ram to send the axe man sprawling from the impact as he tripped over a tree root.

Scrambling to his feet and leaving the axe behind, Ron turned and ran toward Katherine as Jim slammed Frank up against a fallen walnut tree and took the handgun before running after Ron.

Ron didn't get far though. In his panic he didn't see Kate racing at him with the dogs of war not far behind; righteous furious wrath burning like flames in her green eyes until it was too late.

As she passed him and using the speed and momentum of the motorcycle, Kate lambasted Ron full in the mouth with Jim's helmet.....Ron went down hard landing on his back spitting blood and his front teeth

Kate slowed down and turned; coming back to stop in front of Ron as Jim caught up to them. Getting off the motorcycle Kate torn off her helmet and threw it at Ron, hitting him between his shoulder blades; her fiery red hair spilling down her back and shoulders to match her fury. Jim thought she looked magnificent; Ron literally wet his pants.

Kate's face was flushed with adrenaline and rage that this coward attacked Jim with an axe. She was waving Jim's helmet over her head in a circle like a medieval morning star flail; daring him to stand up and fight her....he refused to move; as is the way with base cowards like Ron.

Ron hardly knew what to think. He was waylaid by a crazy bloody grizzly bear man who broke his Cousin's nose; the bear man disarmed Frank and then effortlessly broke his arm like a twig. The crazy bruin bastard then dared him to chop his cousin Frank up with the axe

He, Ron, then had his teeth knocked out by a beautiful red-haired acid tongued banshee on a motorcycle who was cursing him out and wanted to kill him. Ron's best course of action in his mind to avoid further injury was to close his eyes and stay on the ground to play possum until the Sheriff to rescued him.

"Katherine" said Jim "I told you to wait until I called you. You could have been hurt, however I'm....." when she interrupted.

"Like hell I'm going to wait when you're outnumbered" she said her green eyes a blaze "Especially since this pants wetter; this cowardly and impotent eunuch......this despicable stinking lump of excrement; this limp dick inbred incest progeny of an imbecile father and his diseased whore of a slut of daughter was waving an axe at you."

Kate declared directing her frustration, worry and anger at Jim now that her adrenaline rush was diminishing because he was safe.

"You're bleeding and you could have been killed; despite what you think you're not invincible: I heard that gunshot! And furthermore Jim Brady, while we're on the subject.......

"You're right on all counts and you did well, Katherine; I'm proud of you" Jim interrupted "you're magnificent when you're angry and I love you."

"Don't change the subject.....wait.....what did you say?" She asked dropping the helmet to the ground.

"I said I love you and you did the right and brave thing by helping me."

"Oh....you....you..."

"Sweetheart" Jim suggested putting his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek "your eyes are on fire, baby. Don't be angry with me."

"Don't tell me not to be angry with you" she said turning her head but not pulling away "I was so worried when I heard gunshots; and just look at your poor face, you're bleeding" she said, turning to tenderly touch his cheek "you're going to need stitches."

"Yes, I know, but we make a good team. When I saw you charging at him like a redheaded Valkyrie on a War Horse I thought: "Blood and destruction shall be so in use; and dreadful objects so familiar; that mothers shall but smile when they behold. Their infants quartered. With the hands of war; All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war; That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial."

"You're darn right we do, Petruchio" Kate said putting her arms around Jim's neck to kiss his lips. Jim put his arms around her waist in anticipation to one or more of her hot sweet kisses "Really Jim; at a time like this; only you would quote lines from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar."

However before she kissed him Kate glared deadly vitriolic venomous poison at Ron, reigniting the angry green fire in her eyes "What are you looking you pee pants limp dick? Close your eyes and roll over the other way or I'll castrate you for real.

You'll wish you were a dead possum instead of a pathetic palpitating poltroon pile of putrid pulsating puke!" and being the pathetic palpitating poltroon pile of putrid pulsating puke that he is, Ron did.

"Now where were we?" said Kate "Oh yes....I was just about to kiss you, sweetheart" and she kissed Jim's lips long and deep "Darn, I see flashing lights. It looks like two patrol cars. We've a lot of questions to answer."

"Ignore them, Katherine my love. The explanations can wait until we're done kissing..."