Six Weeks of Grace Pt. 01

Forward: First, there is no sex. I know this is an erotic story website but it just wouldn't fit the story I wanted to tell. So, if that is what you are looking for, please pass on this. Second, it is slow. I wanted to develop the characters and the situation they find themselves in. Third, there is violence, but again, I wanted to tell a story and it was necessary to that end. I will hint that the violence is in context and not gratuitous. Fourth, it is long and so I have decided to put it up in parts.

And last, please allow yourself to fall in love with my characters. I hope that when this tale is finished, you have smiled to yourself, laughed out loud, frowned a bit and maybe even shed a tear. If so, then I have fashioned a nice romance, and that is what I endeavored to achieve.

Please leave feedback, hopefully the story draws you in and makes you want more. QUICKLY!

*****

As the car rolled to a stop in front of the run down trailer house, Sheriff Robert 'Bobby' Duncan shifted it into 'PARK' and slumped back in his seat. He looked at the decrepit wreck of a home before him and sighed loudly.

Through his thoughts, came the squeaky voice of his new hire. "Do you want me to get him out Sheriff?"

Bobby's head swiveled slowly to his right as he took in the sight of the new deputy sitting beside him. Bryce Kincaid, young and full of piss and vinegar as they say, he wondered just how long this one would last. "A month on the job and you're ready for anything huh?" He asked with a small smirk.

"I can handle it Sheriff, just say the word." The enthusiastic reply coming from the young man in the new uniform.

"Handle it, exactly how would you handle it?" Bobby asked him, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Well I would be ready for anything, that's for sure." Bryce responded quickly. "You never know with a guy like him!"

Bobby's face clouded instantly. "A guy like him, just what the fuck do you know about a guy like him?"

"I heard all about him Sheriff, the guys told me plenty of stories this morning." Bryce replied confidently, puffing his chest out like a strutting rooster. "But personally, I think they're full of shit, trying to scare the new guy. I know damn well it didn't take six of 'em to bring him out of that fucking bar last month. Nobody's that tough, I can tell bullshit when I hear it!"

Bobby just shook his head, wondering once again about his policy of the new hire riding along with him for the first few months. "You know what Bryce, for a college boy you are one stupid son-of-a bitch." He finally asserted to the eager but clueless young man. "Here you are running your mouth off about something you don't know shit about and talking about a man you've never even laid eyes on!"

Bryce quickly looked away from the stare that was coming from his boss. He could see the anger mounting quickly and he realized that he might be talking his way out of a new job. "I'm sorry Sheriff, you're right, I don't know him." Bryce replied meekly.

Bobby turned back to the trailer house, his anger fading a bit.

"Sheriff?" Bryce asked hesitantly.

"Yeah."

"Is it true that he's actually . . . ah . . . actually your cousin?" He asked haltingly. "I don't mean any disrespect; I guess I should know about him before we go get him."

Bobby stared out at the run down mobile home for what seemed like forever. Bryce started to wonder if the he was ever going to answer. Finally, without taking his eyes off the house, Bobby responded thoughtfully. "If the reason you're asking is because you want to understand a man you might have to arrest, then that's a good question."

But then Bobby turned to look at his young deputy and looked straight into his eyes and Bryce knew he was serious. "But I don't do rumors, you understand that?"

The young Deputy turned away, unable to meet the piercing glare of his boss. "I do want to know about him Sheriff, I guess some is curiosity, I mean there's so many stories that it . . . well what I mean is, on one hand he's supposed to be some kind of a war hero on the other . . . well . . . I'm sure you know." Bryce said, his voice tapering off.

Bobby turned back to face forward in the car and Bryce felt the tension ease a bit. "All right, I'll give you the short story, and then you'll know who he really is." Bobby began. "First off, yes he is my cousin and he works for my dad in his construction business."

Bryce nodded his head as he knew that the Sheriff's dad ran one of the largest businesses in the region. It was his dad's money and influence that was rumored to be the cause of Bobby Duncan being elected as the youngest Sheriff in the state.

"His parents were the worst drunks you can ever imagine and he grew up in a rough spot. Finally one day, they just left and no one has seen 'em since."

"Wow," Bryce muttered under his breath.

"So my mom and dad took him in when he was twelve and I was nine. He did really well with us, ended up graduating High School with Honors and was All-State as a Linebacker. He went on to college with full scholarships and was working towards his degree and maybe even the NFL when in his junior year it all blew up." Bobby paused and Bryce noticed him shake his head as he reflected on what was obviously a bad memory.

"So, what happened?" Bryce asked.

"He had this girlfriend and they were pretty serious, even talking marriage. Then one night he found her fighting off a rapist and he beat the guy half to death."

"Holy shit!" Bryce exclaimed.

"Yeah, they had to piece the bastard back together. But the worst of it was that it all came up against him, he was thrown out of college and the girl disappeared."

"Wait a minute, if he was defending her, how was he thrown out?" The young Deputy blurted out with righteous indignation.

Bobby glanced over at his new hire with the look that said there's always more to a story. "Well when your father is a senator, you can't be the guilty party, can you?" Bobby asked rhetorically.

"Christ, you've got to be kidding." Bryce asked quickly. "A fucking senator's son!"

"Yep, next thing we knew, my cousin was in the Army and gone." Bobby turned back to the front and sighed deeply. "We didn't even hear from him for three years. We never even knew where he went until we read in the papers that he was awarded a Silver Star for bravery."

"Silver Star," Bryce repeated and whistled softly.

"Yep, in Iraq, under fire he pulled four men out of a burning armored personnel carrier. He was hit three times and just kept going back, again and again." Bobby paused and Bryce could see the emotion well up in his boss.

"Jesus Christ Sheriff, I didn't know." Bryce said softly. "Silver Star, I'm surprised he didn't get the Medal of Honor."

"He probably should have, but senators have long memories." The Sheriff replied. "But it really doesn't matter; he didn't want any part of it."

"But if he's a hero, then why? " Bryce left his question hang in the air.

Bobby slowly turned his head and looked deep into the young man's eyes. "It wasn't the four he pulled out that made him the way he is." Sheriff Duncan stopped and looked back towards the dilapidated trailer in front of him. "It was the five that were burned alive when it exploded, that's what makes him the way he is, that memory. The sounds of those five screaming men, it's that sound that makes him drink. Those screams, he hears them day and night, and after it builds up for a few weeks or months, he goes to the bar. Most times he just drinks until it stops but sometimes there's someone who thinks he's the resident tough guy. What they never realize until it's too late is that Donald Duncan is just aching to take out his anger on somebody; and once he starts, he doesn't stop. At least until we get there to pull him off. Unfortunately then all hell breaks loose like it did last month."

Bobby just looked back over at Bryce with a sad expression. "He's in his own world, I just wish people would leave him be. Leave him alone, that's all he wants, just to be left in his misery. I wish it wasn't that way, but it is what it is."

Bryce shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry Sheriff; I guess I do have a lot to learn about things."

"Yeah, you do," The Sheriff replied quietly and then with a last heavy sigh looked to the task that had brought him here. "Well, I guess I'll go talk to him."

"Do you want me to go or stay, Sheriff? " Bryce asked hesitantly.

Bobby stepped out of the car. "You stay here."

"Yes, Sir." Bryce replied with a new found understanding of the man inside that wreck of a house.

Bobby walked around the side of the mobile home and climbed up the rickety set of steps before knocking on the door.

"WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT?" A voice bellowed from inside.

"Don it's me."

"ME WHO?"

"Don it's me, Bobby, your cousin, let me in." Sheriff Duncan replied calmly, praying to himself that things stayed calm. He knew that if his cousin came at him, he would have no chance and with only a rookie as his backup, things could go terrible wrong in a hurry.

Suddenly the door was swung open causing Bobby to step back a bit. The huge man who answered the door looked down on him for a few seconds before he finally spoke. "Fine, come in!"

Entering the home, Bobby was immediately assaulted by the sights and smells before him. The place looked like a tornado had gone through it, food, clothes, beer bottles and trash littered every spot inside the living room. The smell was almost overwhelming. The man who opened the door fit right into the environment.

Donald Duncan glowered down at his younger cousin. Dressed in greasy jeans and a raggedy shirt, it was obvious that it had been a few days since he'd even showered. "What the fuck you want coming here?"

"Don, the judge sent me out here." Bobby replied, wondering, as he always did, what happened to the guy who was his hero growing up.

"What the fuck for, what did I do now?" he spat out and Bobby could see the fire building in his face and he knew he was only moments away from a fight.

"Don, hold on, settle down." Bobby said softly trying to control the situation. "Have you been getting those notices from the Judge about a blood test?"

"Yea, I seen 'em, so fucking what, somebody wants to sue me or something?" Don said with a scowl.

"Look Don, I have no idea what its all about, but the Judge sent me out here to run you into the hospital for a blood draw. That's all I know." Bobby again spoke quietly, staying calm.

"Fuck 'em, fuck all of them, I ain't doing it." Don stepped towards Bobby, his fists starting to ball up.

"Donny, hold up." Bobby said firmly, using the nickname that he used with Don when they were kids, desperate for some way to diffuse the coming explosion. "Donny, I don't know what it's about, but why don't we just get it done and then we can be finished with it, okay?"

Don relaxed just a bit as he heard the Sheriff use his old nickname and he seemed calmer in his reply. "I have to go to work; your old man will give me hell if I'm late again."

Bobby relaxed as he realized that he may be able to talk his way through this. "I talked to dad all ready, he said he wants you to get this done and then I'll drop you off at the job site, he'll get you home at the end of the day."

"He wants you to get this out of the way, he depends on you at the site." Bobby added in, hoping that the respect that Don had for his dad would help convince him.

Bobby watched the fire slowly fade from Don's eyes and he breathed a huge sigh of relief. "All right, let's go." Don finally said flatly.

Young Bryce's eyes opened wide at the sight of the man he had only heard about coming towards the car. "Oh my fucking God," he muttered under his breath as he finally laid eyes on Donald Duncan for the first time. Deep inside his mind came one overwhelming thought, he owed a huge thank you to whatever force had stopped him from having to go to that door.

As they got closer, Bryce realized that Don must be at least six foot six inches tall in his steel toed work boots. Even with the Sheriff walking in front of him, he could see most of the man's massive body. Shoulders that seemed four foot wide and though he wore a grimy sleeveless shirt, it was obvious that beneath that covering, was a chest of solid muscle. Tattoos covered most of his arms and those arms caused Bryce to instantly realize that the stories he heard were true. He had no doubt, it would take several men to subdue him if he was riled up. The fact that his boss was leading this mountain of a man out peaceably made him realize that he sure as hell did have a lot to learn.

After Don got into the back of the cruiser, Bobby got in the front and they started for their destination. Bryce remained quiet but he could definitely smell the foul odor of the huge man in the seat behind him. Looking up at a mirror, he could see Don's long stringy unwashed hair and a face that hadn't been shaved in quite a while.

"What are you looking at boy?" Don barked from the back seat at the young deputy.

"Nothing sir, I . . . I just have never met you . . . but I've heard a lot about you."

"Nothing good, I'll bet!" Don said with disdain and then stared out the side window.

Bryce caught a sidewise glance from the Sheriff and decided to stay quiet. Realizing that anything he said at this point could set the huge man off.

A couple of hours later, Bryce was relieved when they dropped off their charge at a construction site. The Sheriff was strangely quiet as they rode back to the station. "Everything go okay in the hospital?" Bryce asked, making conversation.

"Yeah, all taken care of, hopefully whatever this is about is finished and we can leave him be for a while." Bobby said. "I'd rather not have to do that again."

"I . . . ah . . . I guess I want to apologize for my behavior earlier Sheriff." Bryce stammered out.

Bobby looked over at him and gave a small grin. "Don't worry about it Bryce, just remember that writing tickets and arresting people isn't what this job is really all about. What we do is keep the peace, as long as we can do that, the rest takes care of itself."

But unfortunately for Sheriff Duncan, three months later found him with young Bryce, parked outside of that same run-down mobile home.

"How do you want to handle this Sheriff?" Bryce asked quietly.

Bobby Duncan glanced over at his young deputy, "I guess you're not as eager this time, huh?" He asked with a small grin.

"No I'm not." Bryce admitted. "But I've learned a lot boss, and whatever you need me to do, I'm ready to do it."

Bobby stared at the broken down mobile and tried to come up with a plan, unfortunately he knew far too well what the probable outcome of this day was to be.

Finally he seemed to come to a decision. "Bryce, here are the ugly facts, I can't take him and neither can you." The Sheriff admitted to his young deputy. "The only real chance we have is for me to go in alone, if you hear us going at it, call for backup."

"All right Sheriff, but we could just call for backup now?"

"Hell no! If he sees us all roll up on him; he'll be ready and it'll be a melee!"

Bryce nodded his head, he had learned a lot in the last few months. The most important being that even though his boss was the youngest Sheriff in the state, he knew what he was doing. "After I call, do you want me to come in?"

"No, you stay here and wait for help." The Sheriff replied staring out at the mobile home.

"Sheriff, I can handle myself." Bryce replied confidently, but without a hint of his former arrogance.

Bobby turned to the young Deputy, choosing his words carefully. "Bryce, I know you can. But here's the thing, I don't think if it comes down to it, he'll seriously hurt me." Turning back to the front he continued. "If you go in, he could beat the hell out of you before I can stop him."

Bryce took a deep breath. "I understand Sheriff, but - . "

"No buts Bryce, when this day is over, I don't want anyone maimed or dead. That includes you, me or him."

"I got it Sheriff, first sound of trouble I call for help, then I wait for 'em."

Bobby Duncan nodded his head, took a deep breath, and then got out of the car and headed towards the rickety steps. As he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. His cousin had been quiet lately, staying to himself, out of trouble and that meant he was bursting for a fight. Why the Judge wanted him there this morning was beyond him, he had asked, but the Judge told him to get him and have him there at nine, no reason given.

Bobby knocked on the door and stepped back.

"GO AWAY." He heard from inside.

"Don it's me Bobby, let me in."

"WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT NOW!"

"I need to talk to you."

"FUCK YOU, GO AWAY!"

Bobby took a deep breath and knocked again. "GO AWAY!" he heard repeated.

"Don, open up." Bobby said calmly again, hoping to keep the peace.

Suddenly the door flew open and Bobby found himself face to face with his red faced cousin. "I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!"

"Don, calm down, I need to talk to you."

Don pulled himself up to his full height and glared down at his young cousin. His hands were flexing and starting to ball up into fists but the Sheriff didn't back away or even flinch. There they stood for several long seconds before the big man finally turned and walked back into the house.

Sheriff Duncan stepped into the mess and stood watching Don for any sign of aggression. He was scared but knew that if he backed off now, there would be trouble. Even though it was only eight in the morning, he saw Don grab a can of beer and take a healthy swig, then slam it down onto the filthy countertop, his anger clearly building.

Turning back towards the Sheriff, Don finally spoke up. "All right, you're in; now what the fuck do you want this time?"

"Don, Judge Baker wants you in his courtroom at nine." The Sheriff said calmly.

"So what, he can kiss my fucking ass!" Don spat back at him.

"I have to get you there, I don't have a choice."

"How many guys you bring with you?" Don replied with a scowl.

"I have a young deputy in the car, but I came in here alone."

"You shouldn't have cause I ain't going. So what are you gonna do now?" Don snarled out at the Sheriff.

Bobby stood in the middle of the pig sty that Don called home and contemplated his options. Finally he spoke slow and calm to the angry man. "I'm going to help you get cleaned up, get in some decent clothes and take you in to see what the judge wants."

Don just stared at him, bewildered by his reply. "Why in the hell do you think that's going to happen?" he finally asked.

"Because I owe you and you owe the judge." Bobby answered calmly.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Don asked with a smirk.

"Donny, Judge Baker is a good man and if it wasn't for him you'd be in prison. He has been incredibly lenient with you and has always looked out for you; I think you owe him the benefit of the doubt."

Don looked down at his feet for a moment before raising his eyes back to his cousin. "You're right about that, he has been pretty good to me, damn if I know why."

"You don't know?" Bobby asked suspiciously.

Don shook his head slowly so Bobby continued. "Judge Baker was an Infantry Company Commander in Vietnam, came back, went to law school and ended up a judge. He has a soft spot for you Donny, I believe you owe him one."

Don seemed to soften and Bobby could see some of the hostility leaving him. "Company Commander huh? Maybe that does explain why he puts up with me. Could be you're right."

Bobby could see him absorbing that bit of information until he finally replied, his voice quieter now. "But . . . but what's he want with me Bobby?"

"I honestly don't know, I asked but he wouldn't tell me. All he said was to bring you to his court 9:00 AM, Monday morning. He did say it's just a formality, so maybe it's nothing, let's get you presentable and get this over with." Bobby answered wondering to himself if he was going to actually get this done without a battle.