Shooting with Rick

Lara called their rented place 'The House' so late that Friday night when she came out of the shower at 'The House' dripping wet, Rick entered the bathroom, grabbed her and they had groping sex on a towel on the floor like two over-sexed teenagers.

"Condom," she yelled.

"I lay in wait and came in with it already on," he'd said as he banged the cock-loaded sheath home deeply and temporarily leaving Lara breathless.

"God you brute," she snarled and bit his ear and slapped his butt and that ensured she got the really robust fucking she appeared to be seeking.

* * *

Fraser dialed up the code of the center lock of the steel-door to the smaller gunroom where Rick entered for the first time. Earlier over coffee Fraser had told Rick he was being promoted to take out parties of two to four hunters maximum and briefed him about procedures with emphasis on group safety.

Now he said, "The guns in here are for VIP hunters and we get quite of few of them."

"I have some very expensive European side-by-sides and over-and-under shotguns in that steel cabinet over there for really top VIPs who want a no expense-spared day out but I take them out. These other guns include the shotguns many VIPs are seeking and I'll now tell you about each gun, it's characteristics, what can go wrong if anything, and what you do to get it operating again if possible.

Rick knew about them all but had only shot with the Winchester 21, the Remington 870 and the Browning Citori. He listened intently when Fraser spoke about the German-made Merkel 200E and the Weatherby Athena and was impressed, thinking Frazer was as knowledgeable as a gunsmith. He certainly knew his guns.

After that day Rick assisted in the depot but spent more than half his time taking out small parties, having being fully briefed about the best selection of places to find deer or water fowl or whatever game the hunters were after.

He loved his work as a guide and knew what he wanted to do when he arrived back home, to convince his parents to progressively sell off the sheep from their 15,000-acre high-run, get a big bank loan to fence the boundaries of the 23 square mile property with deer proof fences and then stock the farm with deer, goats and pheasants and have the property registered as a game shooting estate. The redevelopment work could be done in stages to begin an early income stream to supplement income from the downsizing of the sheep flock. There were other game estates in the region but unlike other game estates, the Chambers Game Park would be restricted to shotgun shooting and thus pose a huge reduction in threat of stray shots entering neighboring properties thereby reducing the fears of those families and allowing game to be shot closer to the game park's boundaries.

Rick called home and his mother thought it was a wonderful idea and they could have the model redeveloped into a lodge. His father didn't know although said the idea sounded good and Rick's mother said she'd work on his father. He didn't tell Lara and her parents about his plan to develop and manage a game farm in New Zealand because it could sour the relationship because he now believe they were believing he'd seek permanent residency in America.

But that changed when he was sitting in Fraser's office being complimented for the very favorable feedback Fraser was receiving about Rick-led hunting parties.

Rick's phone went and Fraser said to take the call.

Rick's mom sounded very excited.

"We mentioned to John Marks and Yvonne about your proposal when we were over there for dinner last night. They were most interested and said they would be interested in a partnership deal if you were interested."

"Would you and dad want that?"

"Yes it solves the problem of accessing capital because as you know they are very well-heeled."

"Right."

"Do you have more information?"

"Not yet. Well that's good news mom, I'm at a meeting so better go. Thanks for calling."

"Good news I take it?"

"Yes Fraser."

Rick decided to unload to Fraser who listened intently.

"That sounds a great idea particularly when you say the returns from sheep have been down for some years and the country motel struggles for profitability although the tavern does well."

"You're not mad at me for wanting to go home."

"Nah you return when you wish. Lindsey and I were hoping something solid would develop between you two but obviously this in not to be."

"Yeah right. Of course Lara might decide to come to New Zealand."

Fraser shook his head and said, "Sorry pal but I don't think so. All of her friends are here."

"I'd like to leave at the end of the month if that's okay."

"Yeah you decided when you want to end it Rick. Businesswise I've really got good money out of you and you've been great to have around."

CHAPTER 3

Anyone watching at Chicago O'Hare International Airport must have thought Rick, although not in uniform, was on his way to begin a tour of duty in Iran judging by the long faces of everyone in the group.

Rick walked to the departure admission area after being kissed by Lindsey and the really weepy Lara. Fraser and son Larry had done their best to crush Rick's right hand.

He waved for the last time and was checked through the entrance and felt quite depressed. Although he'd only being into Missouri on a day trip and had spent five-days staying overnight with friends of Fraser's in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan he planned to return to America one day to have a good look around. The families in Wisconsin and UP (the upper Peninsular of Wisconsin) were great in taking them out to show Rick examples of American wildlife. Species he saw included bobcats, grey wolves (and oh boy were they hard to spot), red fox, black bears, cougar and otter and of course frequent sightings of White-tailed deer. But there was no sighting of elk in UP although he was told given more time they would have found them and the bison they saw in Wisconsin were on private property.

Rick flew on an internal service from Auckland to Dunedin where his family, including his married sister who was married to a country veterinarian.

Lorna kissed him and said, "Welcome home wanderer. You've got that American slut pregnant and have ducked back here to wipe your hands clean of her?"

"Don't talk about her like that or I'll yank out your ovaries."

"Oh my god mom, he's carrying a soft spot for her."

"Will you two stop that disgusting talk," Shirl (Shirley) said. "Welcome home son. Give your old mom a big hug."

"Welcome home son," said Bruce. "The contractors have got almost eight miles of deer fencing up, working three gangs."

"But dad I've not..."

"Don't worry son. The game estate is licensed, we have Resource Management Consent to the change in land use and at Dougal's suggestion (Lorna's husband, a Scot who is a country vet) we have another RM Consent application in to build a low-level dam across the outlet of the swamp to form an eighteen inch maximum depth lake to provide an estimated 48-acre ponding area to attract water fowl and provide another string to our bow to attract hunters and to add variety."

"Oh great move dad and with native grasses growing wildly without sheep we'll offer pheasants and grouse, having to stock those, but the feral rabbits will stock the land themselves."

"Lucy the new editor of the Upper Country Clarion has already done a feature on the shotgun game farm proposal Rick and is waiting to interview you. She's single and rather ducky and you ought to get a length into her no problem."

"Lorna!"

"Oops sorry mum, I forgot you were there."

* * *

They drove for almost three hours and went straight to the farm being developed into the game hunting estate to look at the fencing contractors at work to ring fence the property, circling the farm house to leave it outside the fencing and two gates would be installed. With an additional cross section of fencing with two gates to run between the two parallel side boundaries, a contract had been let for NZ$323,000.

"Your mother and I have formed a company with capital of $750,000 to launch the hunting operation on the farm and to upgrade the motel into a hunting lodge, but we retain full ownership of both properties," Bruce said. "Your mother had our accountant to come up with figures and accept it will be five to seven years before the operation returns a profit on development costs. Your mother and I have leased both properties to the hunting operation. You'll be paid $40,000 from capital until profitability covers your salary and begins to give your mother and I an income. We'll have income from the half of the farm that will remain stocked with sheep until we can begin the final stage of development and we will continue to gain income from the motel operation until conversion commences."

"God dad I wish you had waited to discuss all of this with me. What if it doesn't work out?"

"Joyce our accountant has worked out the costing and believes it's okay. She's also drafted an impressive business plan that awaits your perusal. The lodge will be all two bedroom suites so whether the hunter is a single person or comes with his or her partner and up to two other persons the room tariff will be the same. It's up to you to decide the fees for the hunting packages. Remembering we also have to stock the estate, Joyce is quite confident you should have the operation into profitability at least by year four or sooner if you are very successful in your marketing and management to produce the necessary levels of response and hunter satisfaction."

Rick focused on his father and said, "Gee that's pretty complex, coherent and powerful comment from you dad."

"He's only parroting what our accountant told him," said Rick's mum and they all laughed.

"It's risky business guys."

"We know," replied his dad. "But your mother and I have been bored witless of our life since you kids left home and believe we are overdue for change and to grip a new challenge."

"Well to work," Rick yawned but his mom said he needed sleep after that long travel home.

* * *

Joyce, who'd became the Chamber's accountant after her father's retirement, was a little over-weight brunette three years older than Rick with widely-spaced breasts.. They sat in Rick's old jeep looking at one of the fencing gangs at work.

"I'm glad you brought me out to take a look at the property and this fencing work," Joyce said. "I'm very interested in this project and to see if we can make it a goer."

"And?"

"Much depends on marketing and management to grow a big reputation to attract the sufficient turnover of clients you'll need. You need to sit down with me to be fully briefed about that."

"Yeah and don't I know we require advice on how to crunch numbers," he sighed, dropping a hand on to Joyce's thigh.

They both looked at that hand until he pulled it away when she said softly that she was married.

"I apologize."

"No it's okay. You can touch me."

An inner voice was calling to Rick that it he went around fucking guy's wives or girlfriends the reputation he'd gain would not be conductive to good business relationships and the women were hate him when he moved on to the next pussy."

"No I shouldn't have done that. I must back off Joyce."

Rick looked at Joyce and couldn't believe how disappointed she looked.

"Joyce it would have been adultery. Believe me, tomorrow you will admire me for having backed off."

She looked at him big-eyed and said, "Are you sure about that?"

Rick wasn't sure because he'd never backed off before. "I just know," he lied.

Joyce reached over and pulled him against her and said, "I really admire you Rick for your good moral judgment. Kiss me."

He kissed Joyce passively and pulled away and started the engine of the jeep and said, "At nights I won't be able to avoid thinking of sinking into your wet pussy but that's life isn't it."

"Indeed," she said, sounding less than convinced. "Rick can we be close friends? You have a very appealing way about you and I see you as a guy of substance conversationally and intellectually."

Oh really? Jesus he must be doing something right.

"Yes of course Joyce. Let's be friends who don't have sex."

"Rick I really won't mind if you feel up between my upper thighs."

"But Joyce, that's fine right now. You must think what about in the morning when you wake up next to your husband and remember how close you came at breaking your trust in him."

"Gawd Rick," Joyce said breathing heavily. "I'd never thought going after something on the side could be as complex as this. You have exposed me as being morally weak."

"You're a lovely woman Joyce. Stay lovely particularly to your husband. You are no more morally weak than I am and most people around us."

She whimpered and Rick drove off thinking most women would let you bang them if you pressured them artfully. But it really wasn't necessary for him to bang every woman he came across who presented him with a seduction opportunity. Masturbation was a more benign and less problematic alternative. But hey, what was this? Was he reaching maturity? Rick Chambers turning down a casual fuck; he couldn't believe it.

The bar manager at the family's tavern asked for a month's leave to visit his family and ex-wife in the far north of the country. Rick had held a bar manager's qualification since he has twenty and agreed with his mother it would keep him occupied and earning income while they were waiting for further development approvals and for the fencing contracts to be completed.

Rick enjoyed the meeting up with his relatives, old friends and acquaintances again and he focused on people who would be suitable at building an infrastructure around the family's hunting estate business, although not hitting on them all at this stage. The people included a couple who ran a chartered helicopter service, food and drink suppliers, electricians, plumbers, builders, sub-alpine guides and even baby sitters and two women who probably would be prepared to operate as call girls.

During down time when the tavern wasn't busy and the dining room manager wasn't panicking because some of her personnel hadn't shown up, Rick would deal with some of this people he'd listed as being service providers.

Rick had gone through primary and secondary school with Harry Chappell who after leaving high school joined his older brother in his father's building business. Harry's dad was now retired and Rick me Harry and brother Jim at the motel to inspect the facilities and he then sat down and outline the conversion he had in mind and asked them to get copies of the original plans and specification s for the motel from the district council and sketch some development ideas for his family and accountant to consider.

Rick had resumed his friendship with Janet Walsh, night manager at the motel and had banged her a couple of times when he found her sitting in her office board. They'd gone to high school together and first had sex together on graduation night when Rick's partner went early when her parents called for her and Janet's partner had failed to show that night.

"Can I be hospitality and events manager when this place is upgraded to a lodge?" Janet asked, as she and Rick sat in the motel kitchen having lunch.

"Would you also be prepared to act as relief day or night manager/receptionist as the need arose?"

"Yes."

"Then you can run around after our clients performing hospitality and events management but I think the title should be client liaison manager."

"Oooh, fancy premises, fancy title... does that suggest a salary increase."

"Sure Janet to go with your elevated responsibility and I'm confident you won't let us down."

"Thanks. I though you would have given your mother that role."

"Her title will be general manager and she'll supervise the running of the lodge, the tavern and the restaurant and preparation of the accounts for our accountant."

"What will your father do?"

"He'll be in charge of the sheep until they go and then will demolish the woolshed and salvage everything possible for resale. His title will be operations manager and maintenance alone will keep him busy because that includes checking the integrity of the deer fencing."

Janet nodded and said, "Then with your parents doing everything what will you do?"

Rick said stiffly he'd be hunting guide and game warden."

"Oh yes, I had forgotten about the purpose of the venture. You'll be right at the core activity of the business."

"Yes and thank you Janet."

Rick was aware more and more local people were calling it Rick's game part and his parents now called it your park when addressing him.

His parent's friends John and Yvonne Marks, who ran a sheep and deer farm, had visited him asking would there be an opportunity to invest in the hunting operation.

"Yes is due course, for sure, as a provider of interest-bearing capital for us," he said.

"But not the chance to buy shares?"

"Not yet John because it's all expenditure and no income at this stage but that could change."

Rick said when they were up and running he could offer John casual work as a second hunting guide and to dispatch any maimed animal.

"I'd really like that Rick."

"What about me."

"What about cleaning toilets?"

"Get stuff Rick."

"What about being on call for when any of the clients want a woman for the night?"

"Rick," John growled but his wife said oooh, when could she start?

They laughed and Rick wondered if his mom would be offended she wasn't asked when Yvonne told Shirl about his dirty-minded son's suggestion.

* * *

Rick called Lara in Illinois.

"Oh hi. I'd given up on you. I'd been expecting a call to say you'd arrive home safely."

"I don't board aircraft that are going to crash."

"Oh god, Mr Perfect. I've been really missing you Rick."

"Then why didn't you call?"

"I had other things to do."

"Oh yeah, like decided which dress to wear. How is the family?"

"They are all good. Mom said a couple of days ago she misses having you around and Larry said yeah and that same went for him."

"Give him one of your girlfriends to fuck Lara, and that will keep him too busy to miss me."

"We are Americans Rick, we don't seek casual sex."

"Yeah right."

Lara giggled.

"I'm calling because our local primary school at Hallett is in danger of closing because there are two teachers short and can't attract replacements way out in the country like this. Our local paper said the school hall was packed to discuss the crisis at an emergency meeting two nights ago."

"What's wrong with the school?"

"Nothing, Hallett's a great school. Mom and dad went there and my sister and I went there."

"I never knew you had a sister."

"I guess that's because you never asked. Yeah there are two kids, Lorna and me. She'll love you when you come here to teach."

"Rick I'm not coming to New Zealand. Practically no one around here knows where it is."

"We have the wheels grinding away to get the hunting estate established. Your dad told me he could send hunters to us once we were up and running and have a website going. He told me what to emphasis on the promos to attract American hunters."

"Luxury and adventure and trophy-standard heads."

"Yeah who told you that?"

"Dad told us what he'd told you. Scarcely a day goes past without him saying something like, "I wonder what that Kiwi boy is doing today?' He's told us your operation will become famous because of what you are."

"Is that so?"

"Yes and you know my father will believe that."

"I sure do. If I told him I want you down here he'd kick your ass and tell you to get on down to Rick."

"Rick please don't..."

"I won't. You have your comfort zone where you are, your friends and your career that's going well and lovely well behaved little American kids to teach not like snotty-nosed Kiwi kids who'll tell you that you don't know much because you're American and that you wouldn't know the difference between the back of a sheep and the back of the school bus."