Anna, Svetlana, Mikhail, Joe Pt. 03

Anna, Svetlana, Mikhail, and Joe-Part 3

Part 3 of what I think is pretty good story-wise. I hope you agree. Sorry if it's disappointing. Sorry, it took so long.

There's one more part. It's my story, so please enjoy it.

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Anna came in and looked around. "This is beautiful. You live here??"

I smiled and said we had plenty of time to tell the story. With that, Svetlana and Mikhail came out from the backroom and ran to Anna, embracing her sister before disintegrated into tears and laughter.

I smiled and felt relieved that we had done it.

"Excuse me, ladies. I have a chore to take care of."

Just then, Joe bounded into the room. Anna screamed, the baby started to cry, and Joe went nuts. He ran up to Anna and jumped up on her, knocking her to the floor. He started licking her. After all, she had been hugging his Svetlana, so she must be a friend. Svetlana started to laugh.

"No, no kroshka, good boy. That's enough." But she couldn't stop laughing as she attempted to pull him off her sister.

I was chuckling, but I had an idea. I grabbed my cell phone and hit speed dial #2.

"Alaskan State Police, Girdwood Barracks, Trooper Wilkes speaking. How can I help you?"

"This is Charles Carson up on the Bird to Girdwood Parkway. Is Trooper Anderson there?"

"You mean Sergeant Walt Anderson; he got that promotion."

"Well, congrats to him. I have a problem here. There's a big black Tahoe driving slowly up and down the Parkway, and I get the feeling they're up to no good. I have weapons here, but I would like you guys to come out and run them off."

"I'll get a hold of the Sergeant; he's out on patrol right now. He'll call you back, sir." He signed off, and I hung up. I put on a big pot of coffee, and went to my bedroom, and opened the gun safe. I pulled out the Winchester model 97 pump and loaded it with slugs, high brass. I went back to the kitchen and filled two thermoses with coffee. Then I went and swapped out the Colts that I was carrying for each other.

I grabbed some paper cups and headed out the door amidst stunned looks from my female guests and an eager 'woof' from Joe.

"No, boy, stay. Protect them." He woofed twice and dropped to his belly. I'm glad he still speaks English.

"Where are you going??" said Svetlana.

"I'm just going to run some coffee down to the cops. It's cold out there."

"The police are here?? YOU CALLED THE POLICE???"

Anna came unglued. Svetlana soothingly held her.

"It's alright, milaya. Charles is one of the good guys. The cops probably love him, too. I know I do."

I grinned, blushed, and said I would be right back. I turned and went out the door and walked down to the Parkway. By the time I got to the chain-closed driveway, all hell had broken loose.

There were three Ford Explorer cruisers on the road. One parked across my drive, and the other two were down at the turnoff to the left.

I came to find out there was a fourth vehicle and a coroner's van down where the Tahoe had gone off the edge of the mountain.

Sargent Walt Anderson put down the radio mike and extricated himself from the cruiser at my driveway.

He knew me. "Hey, Sarge," he said, grinning.

I returned the greeting with a grin. "Hey, Sarge yourself," I returned. "Congratulations."

"Little bit of excitement, huh?" I said as I handed him the thermoses and the cups. "Sorry it's black, but it's hot and fresh."

"Thanks. Appreciate it, Chuck. Yeah, we got here and found two nefarious types making their way down to a crashed Tahoe. Also found two bodies in the crashed vehicle. Gunshots to the head, execution style."

He looked at me and said, "You still carrying that Colt??"

I opened my jacket and pulled it out, ejected the magazine, cleared the chamber, and handed it to him.

He smelled it and then looked it over.

"Wrong caliber. It looks like it was a...22. It's alright, though. I didn't think you were involved."

"How's Joe dog doin'?

I had had him and his family over for a Bar-b-Que about six months ago, and his two kids fell in love with my dog.

"He's good."

"The kids bugged Irene and me for a month or two till we got them a Joe dog. Or I guess you should say a Josephine dog. Her name is Princess Jolene of Anchorage. The kids call her Josie."

I laughed. "You should bring Josie over and let them get acquainted."

He laughed. "NO, THANKS. I don't want to have the birds and birds talk with them yet." He handed me my weapon back.

"You'll have some more company tomorrow morning. We'll have to get a wrecker to pull the Tahoe out of the defile."

"No problem, Walt.

"Leave the thermoses by the gate post when you're finished."

By the time I got back to the house, the was a slumber party going on. The ladies were on the couch eating ice cream and popcorn. Mikhail was cooing away on a blanket while Joe was alternating between scarfing up errant kernels of popcorn, licking ice cream bowls, and washing Mikhail's face.

I'm surprised my dog still understands English, as the ladies were cooing over him and the baby in Russian. Svetlana had on one of the cotton nightgowns I had gotten her. Her sister looked freshly scrubbed and had on another set of my sweats. She made them look a hell of a lot better than Svetlana did.

Svetlana looked up at me and asked if everything was alright. "Everything's cool," I said.

Anna got up and came to me. She wrapped her arms around me and ground into me.

"Thank you for everything. We owe you our lives."

"We're not out of the woods yet. Tomorrow we have a few things to do. I need to take a couple of pictures. Svetlana will fill you in. I'm sorry, but it's necessary to get you off their radar.

"Then we will get a list together, and I'll make a shopping run. NO, YOU CAN'T COME!! You're as bad as your sister.

Anna had started to protest, and Svetlana just giggled.

"He will make sure we are safe. And he won't let you say thank you any more than that. I thought he was gay."

Anna spun and looked me square in the eye.

I blushed. Anna cocked her head. "I'm quite sure he's not gay," she murmured. Then she turned and looked at Svetlana.

"You're just not what he's looking for, is she, cowboy??" She turned and looked back at me.

Oh, they're talking about me again. Joe looked at me like, 'Welcome to my world.'

I shook my head and went to the refrigerator. I pulled out some bologna and rye bread, some plain ole' French's Yellow, a jar of dill pickles, and a small bottle of Coke.

Beer?? What, are you kidding me?? I have to keep my wits about me, or they'll eat me alive. Or maybe they'd only eat me, I chuckled.

I went back into the living area. I sat at my work table and started to construct my sandwich.

The ladies were back in sister mode, and I could have been in the next town, except that they kept looking at me and giggling.

I finished my meal and took the dishes to the sink. Then I adjourned to the living area and sat on my leather recliner. I contemplated the scene in front of me.

Two beautiful women, an infant, and a large dog who probably considered himself human. I was pretty lucky. Actually, I had not dwelt on my shitty life in several days, thanks to them.

They had lifted my spirits and given me something worthwhile to do.

The conversation had slowed and died down, and Svetlana had an evil little grin on her face. Anna was staring at me like I was the second coming. Joe was oblivious to everything, as the three humans on the couch were fussing over him, scratching his ears, or pulling his nose while trying to bite it.

I stood up and said, "Well, I think we should all get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day. I'll check all the alarms and make sure the doors are locked."

With that, Svetlana pushed her sister towards me, and Anna padded across the floor like she was a slave girl. As she got closer, she pulled the sweatshirt over her head and stopped in front of me.

"How can I ever thank you?" she purred. She slipped her hands up to my chest and her fingers entwined in my shirt, drawing me down to those luscious lips. The kiss was out of this world as she pressed her magnificent breasts into my chest.

'Oh, my God!! What do I do now??' Little Charlie knew what to do, but what kind of man would I be if I took advantage of her now.

'NORMAL' was my little friend's answer. But I was a little bit embarrassed and not quite ready for this.

I disengaged her hands and her lips and pushed her gently away.

Svetlana giggled and said, "I told him I thought he was gay."

Anna smiled a worldly smile and turned to look at her sister.

"OHH, NO, HE IS DEFINITELY NOT GAY!!" she said with a smile on her face. She turned back to me.

"Svetlana told me about your life. You paid for me, so you still have a 'rain check,' Jagadka. You can cash it at any time."

With that, she tossed the sweatshirt over her shoulder and turned to go down the hall. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "And I don't share." She disappeared into the other spare bedroom and closed the door. She didn't lock it.

Svetlana rose and collected her son. "Well, as they say in America, 'You are off the market.' " She came up to me and kissed my cheek.

"Good night, babushka. Sleep tight." She turned and sashayed down the hall to the other bedroom and closed the door.

O.K., when did I lose control? Did I ever have control?? I shook my head and looked at Joe. My buddy looked up at me with a look that said, 'Oh, you stupid human.' I grinned.

I made sure that everything was locked up and went in to take a shower. I finished cleaning up and shut off the lights in my bedroom, wondering if I should lock MY door. I fell asleep smiling to myself.

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The morning dawned (as much as it does in Alaska in the fall). I rolled out of bed at 6:00 a.m. I dressed, heeded the call of nature, and proceeded to the kitchen. I walked out to the smells and sounds of domestic life-in Russian. The chattering and laughter were welcome. I just wish I could understand them.

They looked up as I came into the room, and the smiles were glorious. Anna was cooking, Joe was eating, and Mikhail was chowing down, somewhat discreetly, at his mother's breast.

"Good morning, ladies," I said. Svetlana smiled with that innocent, childlike grin she had. Joe didn't even break stride as he continued to demolish the Alpo. Anna smiled a bedroom smile that said she was contemplating HER breakfast, and it was me.

"Come eat breakfast before it gets cold."

She plated a cheese, onion, and pepper omelet with small ham steaks.

I'm going to have to replenish the freezer soon.

As I dove into the great-tasting food, Svetlana started the discussion.

"I have started the list and told Anna what we had to do about the picture and why. She agreed, and as soon as breakfast is over, we will take care of that. I have all of her sizes and what she needs. I also explained to her why we had to stay here. She agrees and will abide by that." She hesitated as Anna came and sat down next to me and poured two cups of coffee. She fixed hers and then asked me how I liked my coffee.

"5 sugars, and creamer. I don't want to use all the milk."

She smiled and said, "I think you are sweet enough."

I blushed, grinned, and said, "I am, but I don't like the taste of coffee."

She laughed.

'Oh such a lovely laugh,' I thought.

Svetlana continued, "We are trying to come up with a plan going forward. What are your thoughts?"

Anna was eating happily, and I thought for a minute.

"Well, we are safe here and pretty much off the grid. I need to make one more trip to Anchorage for supplies. Then I think we should hold up for the winter and figure out what we want to do. Oh, yeah, I have to get into Girdwood and talk to the midwife to see about Anna. After all, 'I don't know 'nothin about birthin' no babies.'" I chuckled at my best Butterfly McQueen impersonation.

You would have thought I'd tossed a stink bomb and a flash-bang into the room. Svetlana paled and looked at Anna.

Anna dropped her fork and looked like Svetlana had disowned her. Mikhail spit out the nipple and whined.

Joe swirled around and barked.

I was the only clueless individual in the room.

"What? What did I say??"

Anna started to cry. Deep soulful sobs. Her head fell to the table, and she started banging it on the tabletop.

Svetlana got up and came around the table, but I beat her to the punch and gathered Anna into my arms.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I was just thinking of you and the little....."

Svetlana interjected, "She lost the baby a week ago. She was 2 1/2 months along."

By now, she was inconsolable. I cradled her in my arms and cooed to her. Svetlana stood still, watching.

'Yes, I made the right choice,' she thought to herself.

"It's alright -we'll get past this.

"It's alright, baby."

'Yes, definitely the right choice.' Svetlana was very smug and satisfied with herself.

Anna was calming down and had stopped soaking my shirt. She sniffled and raised her head. Those beautiful brown eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot.

"OH God, why?"

I cradled her in my arms for quite a while. Finally, she sniffled and straightened up.

"I'm alright. I just need to sleep on it."

"Don't lie. You have to face it. What happened? How did you lose the baby?"

She sobbed and shook as she started to remember.

"HE found out about the baby, and he beat me. He said I was too valuable a property to 'dispose' of like he did my sister. He beat me, and he beat me, and he beat me, and he would not stop. I bled, and then he threw me in my bedroom and locked the door. The other girls came and took care of me. Then he came and showed me her pictures. He laughed and said that no one dared defy him. I cried and then....."

"Hush," I told her. "Never again. I promise. Do you understand? I'm going to get you and Svetlana out of this. I promise."

The tough hard-boiled hooker looked at me, and I think she died right there.

"Svetlana was right. You are a good man. I don't deserve you. You don't have to do this."

"I'LL decide what I deserve, and right now, you are the greatest thing in the world. My world. Understand??"

'WOW!! Where did that come from,' I wondered.

She started to cry and threw herself at me, planting those beautiful lips on mine.

It's a good thing that Mikhail can't understand what's happening because if he could, it would be Sex-Ed 101 in about 2 minutes if I didn't put a stop to it.

"Look," I said, "now our breakfast is cold. What do we do now??"

She looked at me like I had two heads.

Then I couldn't hold it anymore and started to grin.

She began to laugh.

"I'm so sorry. I don't...."

I got serious. "NO MORE CRYING, OR APOLOGIZING. O.K.?"

"O.K., Cowboy," she blushed.

Svetlana was smiling and sniffling. Now I knew who the brains of the outfit were.

I picked up our plates and put them in the microwave, and nuked them.

I brought them back to the table and put them down.

"Now eat." I sternly said as I tried not to smirk too much.

"Yes, Jagadka."

Svetlana burst out laughing. I've got to learn some Russian, or I'm screwed.

We finished our breakfast and adjourned to the living room.

"Now I assumed Svetlana told you about the pictures."

"Yes, and she explained why. I am not looking forward to them, but I understand the necessity. I can do this."

"Good. Then let's get it over with." She went to her bedroom and changed her clothes, and I got the tarp out again and some dirt from the yard. Not so much this time. I got the burner phone Svetlana had had last night and deleted all the phone numbers from it.

Anna came out dressed to kill (or be killed). She looked good.

I told her to lay down on the tarp and spread her left arm out but keep her right arm close to her body. I marked her forehead with two ketchup stains resembling bullet holes, laid a long mark across her throat, a little sloppier with this one. I smeared some dirt on her face and her chest. I told her to turn her head to the left and keep her eyes open. I pulled her dress up to her waist and pulled the top down to expose those gorgeous breasts.

"Now don't move," I cautioned her.

I shot four different pictures and saved them. Then I shut off the phone.

"O.K., go get cleaned up."

She hurried to her bedroom and closed the door.

Now, what do I do? I have the pictures, and I could send them to Dmitri, but this bastard deserved more. How could I make the police aware of his activities?

I loaded his phone number into the burner and had Svetlana make up a message in Russian to the effect that Anna had been taken care of and would not be a problem anymore, per his instructions. Then I sent the text and the photos to his phone.

I waited till I got a delivered reply and then shut it off. I pulled the battery and the memory card out. I would have to think about this.

Anna came out drying her hair, and we went over her list, checking sizes and quantities.

I added some canned goods and some meat, folded it up, and put it in my pocket.

I cautioned the girls about not venturing out and to behave themselves because I was running out of lamps. Anna looked puzzled, but Svetlana blushed and said she would explain later.

I ruffled Joe's head and tickled Mikhail, drawing a laugh from him. I got hugs from the girls, a sisterly one from Svetlana, and an 'oh, baby' one from Anna.

I blushed and said I would see them in a little bit.

Out the door, into the truck, and the garage door came up. I was turning over in my mind what to do with the cellphone and the pictures. As I got to the end of my drive, I saw that there was no police vehicle. I stopped the truck and got out, moving the spike strip and the chain. I looked both ways as the sun started to peek over the horizon.

I saw no official presence.

I retrieved the coffee thermoses.

I looked at my watch-7:57 a.m. 'I guess they are waiting for daylight so that they can see what they're doing,' I thought. I got an idea.

I turned right, heading up the road toward the north. I got to the jug handle to the left, where I had gone to ditch the Tahoe.

Still, no police presence around.

I stopped the truck and got the cellphone, and loaded the battery. I wiped the battery and the phone. Then I got out and ran to the drop off. There was the other truck. Some police tape. But no cops. I walked up to the Tahoe parked on the road and tried the drivers' door. It opened. So I took the cellphone and slipped it between the bucket seat and the console.

'Let's see what happens. I don't want it right out in plain sight; they've probably already searched the truck,' I thought.

I turned and jogged back to the Ford and got in. I started it up, backed up, and turned around. I drove down towards the access road down to the Seward Highway.

As I approached the right turn, there it was- a State Police Explorer, with the lights and flashers on. I slowed and came to a stop as the Trooper got out and shined his flashlight at me. I held up my hands, and he grinned.

"I'm armed, officer," I said.

"You must be Mr. Carson. Sargent Anderson said you lived up here."

"Yes. Do you need to see some ID?"

"No, sir. There's no other way out of here. You have to be him."

I grinned; I hadn't realized it was a blind alley. "Where is everybody?" I asked.

"They'll be back in about an hour and a half. Waiting for the sun to come up, and the flatbed wrecker, and the tow truck to get here."

"Oh, I got yah. Well, I have to get some groceries and stuff. I'll be back in a little bit. Tell Sargent Anderson I said 'hello'; want me to bring some coffee or something back?"