The End of Evil Ch. 13

"Yes." Then Monica stiffened in his arms, "That was blood on Happy. Where did that blood come from?"

"He was there at your house with R. P. Sanders. He had taken her hostage. He killed her."

"He was there to kill me wasn't he?"

"I think so."

Then Monica giggled, "I hit my mom. I have always wanted to do that."

"Did you really see something out your window?"

"My window? Oh, no. I guess it sounded like that. I meant just 'out there in the world'."

Monica looked around realizing the little room was full of people. She blushed and apologized, "I woke you all up, didn't I?"

The commotion had woken the puppy sleeping in the corner and she was sleepily bumbling around the room. Junie leaned down and scooped her up, "It's okay, pretty girl; it has been a crazy night. I am just glad you are feeling a little better. I am going to take this puppy out for a quick potty and then I will be right back."

Her Master followed her out. "Junie, I will come with you." As they walked outside, he said in a serious tone, "I don't want you to go outside alone until this is over."

Junie nodded, "Yes, Sir, to tell you the truth, I don't want to be alone." She slipped her arm around his waist and leaned against him. "I completely understand Monica's reaction when she thought David had left. If you weren't here, I think I would be running in hysterical circles."

As they watched the puppy explore the rain-soaked ivy and pee, the policewoman came out to watch over them. Junie reluctantly pulled away from her Master.

Bob spoke in a low voice, "You have pulled it together very well. We need your good sense to help us with Monica. She remembers now and will be even more fragile and unpredictable. We will be taking her home with us tomorrow."

Junie turned to him, her eyes filled with joy, "We are going home?" She lowered her voice into a whisper, "Oh, Master, that is good."

"It will still be dangerous. We will not have so many police, so close by. In many ways, we will be more responsible for our own safety. If R. P. Sanders told Card where Monica lived she could have told him where we lived."

Junie shook her head, "I don't care. I want to go home."

Junie carried the damp puppy back to Monica's room. Monica was lying down with her covers pulled up to her armpits and David was sitting on the edge of the bed holding her hand. Junie put the puppy down on her bed and smiled as Happy obediently turned around three times, scratched a little at the blanket and plopped down. David started to stand to leave, but Monica kept his hand trapped in hers and begged, "Please stay a little longer. I know you will have to go soon. But please, just a little longer."

The grizzled lawman sat down again. Junie quietly left the room and closed the door behind her. She slipped back into bed and slid close to her Master's warm body. Strangely, for the first time in days, she did not have the dream.

By the time Agent Durant and Monica came out of her room, Junie had a quick breakfast cooked and ready in the oven. She had all of Bob and Donna's clothing packed. Her Master was in the basement packing up his big bag of toys. Donna was sitting in the dining room reading Sam Card's confessions that Agent Durant had left laying there. The teeter board was already in the SUV, ready to have the other bags and things piled on top of it. Agent Durant watched her and raised his eyebrows, "You are not wasting any time getting out of here."

Monica looked confused, "Where are you going?"

Junie looked up, "Home, we are going home."

Monica looked frightened, "I can't go home."

Junie looked at Agent Durant, confused, "My Master said Monica was coming with us."

David turned to Monica, "Pretty girl, you know I can't stay with you. I have to go after that guy. You have some choices to make. You can go home to your mother."

Monica violently shook her head at the thought. Her voice was adamant, "I hate her. I don't ever want to live with her again."

"You can go into witness protection."

"By myself?" Her voice was tiny and desolate.

"Or Bob has said you can come and live with them for a while."

Monica looked surprised and nodded. "I like Junie. And I can take Happy with me there."

Agent Durant held up his hand, "Monica, it will not be the safest choice. There is a chance that R. P. Sanders will have told Card where Junie lives. I can't be there. I don't know how good the police there are."

Monica looked at him and smiled tremulously. "David, I will not feel safe no matter where I am. I need to be with people that make me feel safe. If I can't have you, then I want Junie and..." she hesitated and then said clearly, "...her Masters. They feel like strong people, safe people."

Junie nodded briskly, "Good, that's that. There is breakfast in the oven and Happy's breakfast is in her dish. I put a leash on the counter over there. Do not go outside alone; Master says we cannot be outside alone until the monster is caught. When you are done eating, come help me pack." She bustled off to the back of the house.

In the second bedroom she noticed that the second twin bed had not been slept in and smiled softly to know that David had not left Monica's side the whole night. There was no question in her heart the older lawman would have been a perfect gentleman, but the thought of them close, holding hands through the night was sweet.

She packed her clothing in just a few short minutes. Monica came in and timidly asked what she could do. "David said he had to go get some things. He said he would be back before we go." Junie had her strip the bedding and together they carried it down to the laundry room. Junie noticed that the eyebolts were gone, but there still were holes in the ceiling where they had been.

When everything was packed and in the cars, Bob looked around the house, "Junie, don't worry about cleaning. We will just forfeit the cleaning deposit."

Junie laughed, "Master, this place is cleaner now than when we got here."

He continued, "Donna will drive the Miata; Monica and you will ride with me in the SUV. You two will have to manage that puppy in the backseat."

Monica hesitantly said, "We aren't going to leave before David comes back, are we?"

Bob frowned, but seeing Monica's distress, shook his head, "No, we will wait for him. He said he was going to be getting me something."

When Agent Durant came back he did not have just one something. He had a whole bag of items. He laid out four small canisters, "These are pepper spray. I want you to learn how to use these and carry these with you, in a pocket or on your belt, not buried in a purse." He showed them how far it would shoot, and how to spray it aiming for the face. "These are police issue; they will stop almost anyone that is not on drugs. It ought to drop Card like a ton of bricks."

Next he gave all four of them simple alarms on key chains, "You just push this button and it will make a very loud alarm." He pushed the button and the noise was agonizingly loud. Junie winced, knowing that if any of the neighbors were home, they were all standing up wondering what was going on. "Carry these attached to your pepper spray. Do not hesitate to use them. If you even suspect he is nearby, push the button."

He handed Monica a cell phone, "This is a prepaid cell phone. I have programmed in my number and both Junie's and Donna's numbers. I want you to program in the local police phone number too."

Last he handed Bob a gun in a shoulder holster. "It is illegal for you to carry this in the city limits. It is registered to me, but you do not have a concealed weapon permit. Once you are at home and are on your property, I want you to carry it with you at all times. It will not do you any good if it is put away in a closet." Agent Durant showed Bob how to load the gun and the safety button. He handed him several boxes of bullets, "When you get home I want you to set up some targets and practice shooting some. If you end up shooting at a person, get up close and once you start shooting do not stop until that person is lying on the ground and not moving."

Junie watched Bob heft the gun and nod grimly.

Agent Durant spoke again, his tone matching Bob's expression. "I have spoken to the local sheriff of your county. He knows about the APB and has a picture of Card, but he says he does not have the staff to put anyone out at your place. He understands the situation and says he will get out there as quickly as possible if you call."

Agent Durant stood looking at them with a worried look on his face. "You all know I hate this, I hate leaving it up to you. But I can't stay with you and I can't make you stay here." He turned to Bob, "Take care of them. I am depending on you." Then in a softer tone, "Don't let anything happen to her."

Bob stood and held out his hand. "I will keep the women safe. You catch the bad guy." It sounded so much like a line from an old cowboy movie that Junie had to fight the impulse to giggle. She noticed that Donna rolled her eyes, but she also noticed that Donna hooked both the pepper spray and alarm button to her belt loop.

Before Monica got into the SUV she turned to David and gave him a hug and then stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his cheek. She whispered something in his ear and then got into the car. Her eyes were filled with tears and Junie reached and took her hand as the puppy crawled over and climbed into the little blond girl's lap.

Bob made sure that Donna was behind him the whole drive home. They stopped twice to take the puppy for a walk, all standing together, watching the other people around them at the rest stops. Junie was very conscious that everything seemed to be filtered through this sense of danger. She fingered the pepper spray and alarm button dangling from her waistband. Her Master spoke little and Monica ended up leaning up against Junie and falling asleep. Junie rode looking out the windows, thinking about how nice it would be to get home.

When they pulled into their driveway, Junie was distracted by Bob stopping and loading the pistol David had given him. She looked at him with large eyes. He met her eyes in the rearview mirror. "Girl, he has had a twenty-four hour head start on us. I don't know if he was coming here, but he could have. We need to think smart." She nodded and when she looked out the windows, for the first time she looked between the trees instead of at them.

*

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