Call of the Dove

Copyright © 2019 - This is an original work by Zeb Carter and is protected under copyright by U.S. copyright law. It is only submitted at Literotica.Com and any submission to any other site has not been authorized by the Author.

Author's Note: This story is a little over the top. I did enjoy writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it. There is no sex, but you gathered that from the category where it is published.

Chapter 1

That was the song. It was blaring from the radio speakers. Stevie Nicks, Edge of Seventeen. It went well with the roaring growl of the car's engine as John sped down the highway. Sped. John was doing one-thirty-five. That's miles per hour. One hundred thirty-five miles per hour. The telephone poles flashed by on the right side of the car. The seams in the highway were one continuous thump. He was in a hurry. She had called, almost hysterical. Someone was in the house with her. They were banging around downstairs. John called the police, but he was closer than any county deputy. She sounded frantic as he had to hang up. She was going to lock herself in the bedroom.

His turn was quickly approaching. He slowed. Not quite enough, fortunately, the skid wasn't all that bad. John recovered nicely and accelerated down the road. Two more miles. Just two more mile to go. The car roared its anguish into the night. John was lucky the roads were as smooth as they were. Railroad tracks loomed in the distance. John slowed hard again. Ninety-five. The car was air born as it shot over the tracks. It hit the ground hard on the other side. John pressed the accelerator to the floor. The engine bellowed its mating call into the surrounding darkness. One twenty, the speedometer would go no higher. There was smoke pouring from the back of the car as it raced down the road.

"Come on girl you can do it. Please?" John cried into the night.

One mile. Just one more mile. Five thousand feet, just a measly five thousand feet. He could see the outside lights of their house shining brightly. The car's engine was starting to make some unpleasant noises.

"Come on baby. Just a little farther," he whispered trying to coax more speed from his baby.

The car didn't start to sputter until John had to lift off the gas. He couldn't take the curve up ahead at full throttle. John could now see their driveway. He could almost reach out and touch the damn thing. When he tromped on the gas again, the car sputtered even more. It slowed drastically. Twenty miles per hour and dropping. John could see the glow of the engine out his side window. The car was on fire, as it slowed the flames shot out of the scoop on the hood. He was just one hundred feet shy of their drive. John opened the door and stepped out of the slowly rolling car. The car continued slowly down the road as he ran up the driveway to the house. It was a hundred yards up to the house.

The explosion shocked him, almost knocking him to the ground. She had been a good car, a great car, lovingly restored from a rusty old junker. John would miss her. Millie. His Millie was in trouble, he had to get to her. John was huffing. He was puffing. He was on the verge of passing out when he reached the back door. His knees were on the verge of giving out on him. Then John could hear screams from inside. His wife's screams. Even though his heart was pounding in his chest, he entered as quietly as he could, gulping air into his oxygen-starved lungs. John paused in the dining room for his pistol, which he grabbed out of the gun safe. Clip full, round in the chamber. His Millie screamed again, a shrillness edging her voice. John heard low, gruff voices shouting back. More than one of them.

He could hear the sirens of the county cops. So could the intruders. They didn't seem to be in any rush. Climbing the stairs as quietly as he could, John gripped the pistol tightly with both hands, muzzle pointing up, ready to point and shoot. Peeking over the top stair in the flight, he saw them. Three men. They were scrambling around the bed trying to get Millie to not only shut up but to drag her down off the bed. She stood there, legs spread for balance, a grim look on her lovely face, swinging an aluminum baseball bat. Two of the men already had bloody noses. When Millie connected with one of them again, John shot another in the leg. Then another. The third stepped out of his line of fire as his pals fell to the floor. The door slammed shut.

"Millie down," John yelled stepping up into the hallway.

"Down," she shouted back.

He ran up the hall. He hit the door at full speed. The door was ripped from its hinges as it fell into the room. John was lying on his side atop the door. Gun pointed at the third man. The man just stood there staring at him. He had the bat raised above his head. John squeezed the trigger and shot him point blank in the chest. One of the others was suddenly on top of John, punching, and grabbing and biting. He was trying to get the gun. Then the guy just fell to John's side unconscious. Millie stood over both of them, bat in hand, looking down at her husband. The third guy was moaning loudly across the room. John had caught him in the knee almost taking the lower leg clean off.

John climbed to his feet. Millie flowed into his arms. Only then did she start crying. John held her tight as feet pounded up the stairs. Neil Mason, the sheriff's deputy who patrolled the area, stepped through the bedroom door. Gun at the ready he looked the situation over. When he saw Millie and John were all right he lowered his pistol and holstered it. Shaking his head he started to handcuff one of the three men.

"This guy's still alive. You must be slipping John."

"He rushed me," John replied still holding Millie.

"These two will be limping for the rest of their lives," Neil said.

Two more deputies came rushing in. They checked at the door. Then they checked on the other men, while Neil radioed his dispatcher.

"I'll need your gun," Neil said once he was off the radio.

"Sure, no problem," John replied removing the clip, ejected the round in the chamber and handed the gun, clip and round to Neil.

"I'll see you get this back after the arraignment."

"Thanks, Neil."

"Now, take Millie downstairs. Go sit in the kitchen. I'll be down to talk to you in a little while. Let EMS in when they get here."

"Sure thing Neil."

John led a trembling Millie down the hall to the stairs. They descended to the living room. They turned right and went down the hall to the kitchen. John stopped in the dining room to lock the gun cabinet while Millie went on ahead to make coffee. It would be hours before they would be able to go to bed. When John entered the kitchen, Millie grabbed him and hugged him hard. John hugged her back gently.

"Are you hungry?" she asked meekly.

"No, no, not right now. I'm just so glad you're okay."

"Me too. You got here quick. How's Betsy?"

"Toast."

"Oh...I'm so..."

"Don't be, it had to be. I would do it again for you."

"I know. Thank you."

John hugged her a little tighter. She sighed.

"I wish we were alone..."

"Me too. God, I love you."

"I love you too. I love you so much..."

"I know."

They stood there for what seemed like hours, lost in their own little world, enjoying the closeness of each other, but was in reality only a few minutes. Neil coughing broke their spell. John stepped back from Millie. She turned toward Neil.

"Coffee?" she asked.

"Yes, please and thank you. You didn't have too."

"Neil, not only are you a friend, you are a hero to many around these parts."

"Millie, stop, you'll have me blushing and give me a swelled head."

Millie just giggled at his words. She poured the blushing Neil a cup of coffee, strong, black. Then she sat at the table. Neil sat across from her. There was a knock at the door. John opened it. The lock would need replacing, the casing around the lock would need to be patched. It was EMS. John stepped aside letting them enter.

"Upstairs, back bedroom," he told them.

"Tony is up there, he'll fill you in," Neil told them as they tromped through the kitchen. "Now, tell me what happened, Millie."

"I had just locked up, I was tired. I turned off the downstairs lights. When I was upstairs in the bedroom, I heard someone smash in the back door. I closed the bedroom door as quietly as I could. I locked it. I called John. They broke the bedroom door in. I grabbed John's bat. I climbed into the middle of the bed and started swinging. John was here in about five minutes. He started shooting. He told me to get down. He crashed through the door and shot the last man."

"Great. Have you ever seen these men before?"

"No."

"John?"

"No."

"Millie, did they hurt you?"

"The one John shot in the chest punched me in the stomach."

"The others?"

"I didn't give them a chance."

"John, you know there will be an inquiry?"

"I know. And you know I was justified. Breaking and entering, assault, attempted rape."

"Those will be the charges. Yet..."

"They'll say she invited them in. Well, that back door didn't get broke by itself."

"I know, I know. The evidence is against them and with Millie's and your statements they will be going away for a long time."

"Do you know who they are?"

"No, but I suspect they are members of the cartel."

"Fucking government," John shouted.

"Calm down John," Millie said softly.

"Millie...," he said loudly. "I'm sorry baby," he said more softly and hung his head.

They all knew the problem. The Mexican drug cartel wars were spilling over into the US. Arizona is on the front lines. Millie and John's place was only twenty miles from the border. The government had started that damn fence back in '07 but never quite finished it. Illegals were free to come and go as they pleased since the budget cuts reduced the border patrol. And here were Millie and John paying the consequences.

John had been one of those border patrol agents. He was placed on furlough just last month along with seven other agents. Jimmy, his supervisor, told him it should only be a couple of weeks. He was now in the fifth week of his furlough. John was lucky, his dad owned the local feed store and hired him right away. He at least had an income. There were five other agents who didn't. The county tried to help, but money was tight. Two were hired by the county sheriff's department. They lived and worked further north in the county.

Neil and the rest of the deputies, were there taking photos, making sketches and making sure they dotted the eyes and crossed the tees. They left about midnight. John was jury-rigging the back door when his dad showed up.

"I got that son," he said handing John a new lockset for the door. How he knew John never found out.

"Thanks, dad. Millie's in the living room resting. There's coffee on the counter."

"Thanks, son."

John's dad walked into the living room to see how Millie was. He was back in seconds.

"She's asleep," he whispered.

John nodded as his dad poured himself a cup of coffee. John had the lockset in the door in minutes. It was a token obstacle in the least. It would slow them down a little, but not much. The jam was torn out where the deadbolt ripped through the wood. Tomorrow he would replace it with a steal jam. Then John heard her. A white-winged dove, singing outside. He frowned. Stevie Nicks was still echoing in his head from his desperate drive home. Stepping over to the living room entrance John peeked in at Millie. He smiled as he looked in on her. She was lying down on the couch. Her eyes were closed. She was asleep. It was a restless sleep. She jerked. Then she moaned. Then she shifted a little and settled down.

"Well son, I'm glad to see Millie is okay."

"Thanks for coming over dad."

"You bet. See you tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Probably not until late. My car is toast. Blew up the engine getting here."

"No problem. Get some sleep and comfort that wonderful lady you have there. Too bad about your car. She was a good one."

John smiled. His Dad had been smitten with Millie from the first time he met her ten years ago.

"I will dad. Good night."

"G'night son."

He was out the door and in his truck quickly. John just stood there watching Dad's headlights back down the drive. He was surprised when another set pulled in and drove up the drive. Now, what and who? Then John could make out the county fire marshal's car, Mike Hastings. He guessed this would be about his car down the road a piece. John opened the door and stepped out. He waited for Mike to come to him. Mike waved as he climbed out of his car. He didn't say a word until he was on the porch with John.

"Sorry to hear about what happened. Is Millie okay?"

"She's fine. Gave more than she received. I guess you're here about my car."

"Yes. I'm afraid it's totaled. By the time we got here, it was fully engulfed."

"I know, it was burning when I jumped out. It went down the road a ways and exploded."

"Okay, that explains a lot. I called Bruno, he's going to haul it to his boneyard in Healy in the morning."

"Fine."

"That was a great car."

"It was, but my wife is more important..."

"Didn't mean to imply. I would have done the same thing."

"No problem Mike."

"Well, I just thought I'd stop by and tell you and find out how Millie is."

"She's well and thanks, Mike."

"No problem buddy."

Mike turned and went back to his car. He pulled out of the drive and was gone. John stood there looking up into the sky. The stars were out, sprinkled across the midnight black sky. The moon shone brightly, lighting the drive in front of him. He took a deep breath of the cool night air. The dove gave its cry again. Turning, John went back into the house. He stopped at the entrance to the living room. He watched Millie as she slept. John was almost tempted to let her sleep. He knew she would want him to wake her. Quietly, he crept to the couch. Standing there John watched her as she slept. She was frowning, eyes twitching under her lids. Kneeling down beside the couch, John gently placed his hand on her shoulder. Her eyes flew open and she inhaled deeply.

"Oh god," she croaked.

"I'm sorry, baby. Everyone has gone. It's time to go upstairs..."

"No, not upstairs. Not tonight. In the back bedroom please."

"Of course," he said nodding as he scooped her up in his arms.

"I love you," she whispered.

John walked to the back bedroom, carrying his wife easily. Gently, oh so gently, he set her on her feet. Pulling her close, he kissed her lips. She sighed. Her arms snaked their way around his neck, hands messing his hair. She pushed him away. She undressed and crawled into bed. John undressed and followed her. They cuddled under the covers.

John and Millie were laying in bed, gazing into each other's eyes. They were enjoying the afterglow of their intimate coupling. She smiled at John.

"My sister Lori and Steve are coming out for a couple of weeks," she told John.

"Really? I'll be glad to see Steve again. Too bad your sister Janice and her husband Don won't be here."

"I could call them. Mom and Dad too. It might be nice to have them all here at the same time," she said a small shiver running up her body.

"It might at that. Call them in the morning."

"I will," she replied snuggling closer. "I love you."

"I love you. Sweet dreams my love."

"Thank you. Good night dear."

Chapter 2

The next afternoon John had Millie drive him to work in her minivan. They were down to one car now. Millie came inside with him to say hello to Dad. Dad was all smiles when he saw her and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so glad you're al'right," Dad told her.

"Thank you, Dad," she replied. "So what time should I pick you up?" she turned asking John.

"You won't have to. Dad, I'm going to borrow the companies '66 pickup. If that's okay with you, Dad?"

"Sure, but take the new one..."

"No you'll need that one if you have a delivery while I'm gone," John told him.

"You're right, sure grab the keys off the panel. Are you going someplace?

"Thanks, Dad. No, not today. Tomorrow probably. Saturday for sure."

"Anything you need, you let me know. I'm going to miss that car. Had tons of fun building it with you."

"I know. I had fun too."

"Okay, I'm going to go. I should have been at the office four hours ago," Millie said.

"You take care, young lady," Dad called after her.

"I will Dad. I love you, John Sterling," she yelled as she opened the minivan's door.

John watched as she drove off, smiling to himself. He thought himself so lucky to have found his Millie. Work, the rest of that day was slow. There were only four small deliveries and one big one. The next day, Friday, was much busier. Sixteen small deliveries, four big ones, and one huge one. The last one of the day was the huge one. They needed both trucks to make it. It was well into the night before John finally got home. Millie greeted him at the door. She was happy to see him.

"God I missed you," she told him hugging him tightly.

"I missed you too."

John hugged her back, picked her up and stepped inside the house. Millie reached out and swung the door shut. Dinner was on the table. John kissed his wife hello.

"So when is everyone coming?" John asked as they ate.

"Well, Lori and Steve will be here tomorrow morning. Janice and Don will be here Sunday afternoon. He was able to get leave. Thirty days. Mom and Dad will be here Monday morning."

"Where are they all going to sleep?" John asked.

"Mom and Dad will stay at the motel in town. You know how my Dad is. Has to have a bathroom to himself in the morning. They will be renting a car while they're here."

"Ah, then we have just enough beds for everyone else."

"We do. I'm so happy we are all getting back together."

"Me too. I've missed your sisters."

"You mean you've missed their husbands?" Millie teased.

"Yeah, them too," John told her with a straight face. "But your sisters are by far, better looking than their husbands," John said winking at her.

"I thought we agreed..."

"We did and I will abide by that agreement. I assure you."

"As will I," Millie agreed.

The next morning Millie and John were at the airport waiting by the baggage claim for Lori and Steve. The two sisters squealed and jumped around hugging each other when Lori and Steve entered baggage claim. John and Steve smiled, shook hands and watched their wives act like schoolgirls. Then Lori turned her attention to John, while Millie said hello to Steve. The two couples hugged each other tightly. Then John and Steve grabbed the bags off the carousel. The walk to the minivan was short. Small airport.

"So, how many plane changes?" John asked Steve as they walked.

"Two. We've been up since four this morning. I'm beat."

"Too beat to go looking at junk cars?"

"So you really did total your car?"

"I did."

"And now you're going to replace her?"

"I am. So you want to come?"

"You bet. You know how long it's been since I've worked on a car?"

"Since we finished Betsy?"

"Right you are."

"Did I hear you right, John Sterling?"

"You did Millie."

"When were you going to discuss it with me?"

"Right now seems like a good time."

They were at the car, John and Steve loaded the bags in the back, while Millie and Lori climbed in the middle row of seats. The men got in and John drove off.

"Well?" Millie said from the backseat.

"Are you against it?" John asked.

"No, you know I'm not. It's just... bring back a good looking car."