The End of Evil Ch. 10

Junie looked up spoke as she cooked, "It wasn't much. Just saying that I hoped you were feeling okay after finding out about Sanders, and a silly suggestion for you to dress up pretty." Junie looked over her shoulder and smiled, "But you look pretty. That is a cute blouse."

Monica pulled nervously at her clothing, "I don't have much that fits. I have lost a lot of weight in the last year."

Junie put the chicken in the hot oil and turned to Monica, "How did your mother take the news about R. P. Sanders?"

Monica's lips pressed together. Her words were short and clipped, "She said she didn't believe it. She said that you guys had to be mistaken. She said that she was sure there was an explanation." Her voice trembled. "David said she would find out the truth eventually. They ended up yelling at each other."

Not wanting to stir up the same negative feelings of yesterday, Junie shrugged, "Well, I think David is right. She will learn the truth eventually and she will need your support then. She will feel very betrayed and angry. Until then, don't let it get to you." Then she changed the subject, "David looks different out of his FBI suit, jeans and cowboy boots suit him." Monica nodded absently.

Donna watched the two women leave and smiled softly to herself that while Junie was probably older than Monica's mother, that both had a quality of youthfulness that made her think of them as 'the girls'. She turned to Agent Durant, "You know I am sure Junie did that deliberately to give us a chance to talk. Are you going to attend the whole trial?"

The FBI agent looked toward the kitchen and spoke in a low voice, "Yes, ma'am. I chased that son-of-a-bitch across a dozen states. I am going to be there. I want to see him sitting in that chair facing the music." He ran a hand over his bald head and narrowed his eyes, "Makes me madder than hell that Sanders hired that New York shyster to defend him. What is her percentage?"

Donna shrugged, "Percentage? I think it gives her more access to Card. We know he is a manipulator, using others to set up his victims, stalking them through the eyes of others and then only striking when he feels safe and moving on before he can be caught. He is most likely using Sanders in the same ways, using her to continue his little games. You have talked to him. What kinds of things does he say?"

Agent Durant's face became very guarded and his voice dropped to a low growl, his eyes on the door leading toward the kitchen, "Speaking confidentially, ma'am, he does not say much. What little I can get out of him are very oblique statements. He protests that he had no intention of hurting Monica and that it was just an accident. He says that he wasn't going to hurt Junie. Then he smiles and says things like he is sure that if he could just talk to Monica again he could make her understand," he took an angry swallow from his beer bottle, "...understand that he was just doing what she wanted. He says he is looking forward to seeing both Monica and Junie in court. You can't help but get the feeling that he has not given up in the slightest. That he believes he is going to get off and somehow finish what he started. He says things like he hates loose ends or leaving people unsatisfied." The FBI agent drained his beer bottle and looked down into it. "He is a very evil man. He gives me the willies and I am an old country lawman that thought he had seen it all and that nothing could scare him anymore."

Donna stood up and took the bottle from his hand, "Can I get you another?"

David Durant looked at his watch and shook his head, "Maybe later. I am the driver after all."

Bob held up his empty glass, "I am not driving anywhere."

Donna took his glass, "I will check on those two girls and see how dinner is coming along. Bob is kind of a country boy too. I am sure you have a lot more in common than you are aware of. I bet you both have some hunting stories."

David looked at Bob in surprise, "You hunt?"

Bob grinned, "Bow hunt. Deer mostly, but I have gone elk hunting the last few years. I haven't bagged one yet. I came really close to a nice big bull last year though. It's not so much about the kill as the stalking that I like."

Durant looked impressed, "Never shot a bow. I hunt birds mostly, pheasant, ducks and geese; but one time in East Texas a buddy and I went out after wild boar..." Donna stood for a minute and watched as the two men went off into stories about hunting and turned and walked into the kitchen.

Junie was turning golden brown pieces of chicken in a frying pan and both she and Monica were laughing about something when she walked in. Junie stopped and smiled happily at her Mistress, seeing the empty glasses and beer bottle in Donna's hands she reached for the wine bottle, "Can I get you another glass of wine, Ma'am?"

"Yes, go ahead and take another glass out to your Master. David said 'no' to a second beer. I will stay in here with you two girls. They are starting to talk about hunting and I get squeamish when they go all caveman like that." Monica giggled.

Junie came back in and looked at the frying chicken, carefully poking the pieces with a fork and satisfied she began to quickly transfer them onto a platter. She quickly slipped the biscuits in to bake and started on the country gravy. "Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.

Donna brought David and Bob into the dining room as Monica was helping Junie carry the food in. David's eyes lit up when he saw the fried chicken. He gave Junie an appreciative look, "Ma'am, you don't know how long it has been since I have had a good home-cooked meal."

Junie ducked and blushed, "I may have been a little ambitious making fried chicken for a southern gentleman. You will have to tell me how it compares to your mother's."

David shook his head, a rueful grin on his face, "My mother made the worst fried chicken in the whole parish, ma'am, but my grandmere, now there was a woman that could cook. She was a Cajun granddame if there ever was one."

Bob sat down and reached for the platter with the fried chicken. "We don't have a lot of formality here. It's boarding house reach manners around here." He speared a piece of chicken and then handed the platter to David Durant, "Grab some and pass it on."

Durant laughed and helped himself to some chicken. Junie waited and watched, looking at the faces of her guests as they began to eat. David Durant bit into his chicken, closed his eyes and smiled, "Ma'am, nothing can compare to my Grandmere, but this is damn good, better than anything I have had in years. Almost takes me back home."

Junie smiled happily and began to eat, watching in delight as everyone ate with content, happy expressions on their faces. "Don't fill up too much. I made peach pie for desert."

Bob bit into a biscuit and rolled his eyes, "I think these biscuits are better than pie, Junie."

After they were done eating, Agent Durant pushed himself away from the table, "Miss Junie, my Grandmere made better chicken." He held up his hand, "Just barely better, but I have never had better biscuits in my life. This was a fine meal. Thank you for making it for me. Now you are right, I am a southern gentleman and you have to let me pay for my dinner." He stood up and began to pick up the dishes off the table. "Where I come from, the eaters do the dishwashing." He nudged Monica and handed her a stack of plates. His eyes sparkled, "I saw you eating too, pretty girl."

Monica giggled and followed him into the kitchen. Bob sat at his place at the head of the table, a satisfied look on his face, "He was right, Junie; that was a fine meal. Go ahead and make a pot of coffee to go with that pie."

Junie stood back and let David and Monica clean up after dinner. She knew that most likely she would redo that whole job in the morning to meet her own stringent standards, but for now she liked watching the two standing side by side at the sink, one washing and the other drying, apparently ignoring the existence of the dishwasher. They were speaking to each other in soft bantering tones and every once in a while Monica would lean toward Agent Durant, touching her head against his shoulder. He would say something in a reproving tone and lean away, but then would be back in seconds.

After most of the dishes were done and the coffee done brewing, Junie brought the carafe and cups out to the dining room. She cut slices of the pie and offered scoops of rich vanilla ice cream to go with it. Agent Durant took a bite and looked at Junie with wonder in his eyes, "Ma'am, you sure you aren't really a southern girl?"

Junie giggled and shook her head. "No, sir, just a simple girl from Seattle."

Bob laughed, "Not such a simple girl."

After dessert and coffee, Agent Durant looked at his watch and stood up, "Thanks again for the home cooked meal, ma'am, but I promised this little lady's momma I would get her home early."

As they made their way to the door, Junie pulled Monica to one side and gave her a hug. "Call me if you need to talk."

After she had stood waving as the big black sedan drove away, Junie felt her Master's hands on her shoulders turning her around to face him. "Sweet Junie, that was indeed a wonderful meal and a nice evening. Thank you for thinking of inviting them over."

Junie smiled happily, "I had a good time too."

Donna moved to stand close behind Junie, her hands slipping around her, her lips bending to kiss her on the back of her neck. Her voice was soft and teasing, "I know what you are up to, girl. You are matchmaking."

Junie giggled and then yawned, "Well they are an improbable couple, but you can see that Monica lights up when she is around him. Even if it doesn't work out, it makes her happy to be around him. I was just giving them that."

Bob moved closer to Junie, trapping her body between them, his voice dropping to a low rumble, "Come to bed, little one." Junie leaned against him, for the first time sensing the familiar fatigue she had come to recognize as having been tense for too long. It had been a long day, with shopping and then company. She could feel the stress draining out of her body, her limbs suddenly heavy and her thoughts slowing.

She yawned again and nodded sleepily, "Yes, Master."

Junie loved the feel of her owners' hands on her, curious, exploring. Their delight in her body made each touch feel like it was the first time. Their lovemaking that night was leisurely and had a quality of soft serenity that set her mind and body drifting, relaxed and languid, even her cries of completion were muted and seemed to come from far away. She nestled close to her Master and drifted off to sleep, a smile of sleepy satisfaction on her face and in her heart.

As she stood in the house, the tiny part of her that knew it was a dream was outraged, she felt herself rebelling and angry. Not again! She did not want to have this dream again. But she could not force herself to wake up and she could not make the dream go away. Again she had that sense that someone was there, watching her, and she stomped her foot in the sodden carpet and screamed, "Go away!"

Again she woke to her Master's hands shaking her, his voice sleepy and patient, "Junie, you are dreaming again. Wake up."

*

You might recognize this story as one I had up in the past, under the title Northwest Hunters. I took it down for revision and a brief flirtation with possible publication.

Books One and Two of Northwest Hunters, titled Joining the Circle and Finding Happiness are already posted.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please take the time to rate and leave a comment if the spirit moves you.

Enjoy

xantu