The Salmon

Rob just stared at her.

Mike came over and asked, "Sean what do we do with them now. The girls I mean?"

I was surprised and happy that he was smart enough to leave what to do about the thugs until last. Maybe he knew as I did that we would have to dispose of them.

Rob broke in again, "Hah Mike, you act like he was in charge. He's just a fair weather Yank that blew into town and he'll blow out again just as soon."

Mike looked at Rob and grimaced. "Ah Rob. You know the ritual that new married's go through. What's the fastest we've ever been back out of the woods?"

Rob said, "You should know Mike. You and Sarah finished in about two hours. Why?"

"And what happened when Sarah and I finished in that time?

"You know Mike, you became the village head man. Everyone defers to you on important questions. Why?"

"Because Rob, that ritual is a test. A test of the love and connection between the couple. It's also a sign of how the gods bless the pair and give them the way to know the right from the wrong."

"So what is this test and what has it to do with Leah and the Yank?"

Mike looked sad as he said, "Rob, Leah and the Yank completed it in thirty minutes. Rob the reason you got caught was because Sean could feel Leah's distress at seeing you and the other thugs. We were out fishing and I thought he was going to burn out his engine or rip the bottom out of his boat getting back here. Rob the rest of us went to our houses to look for our wives and daughters but Sean didn't hesitate. He took off through the woods to cut you off at the road. He knew through the connection he and Leah have where she was and that she needed saving. Rob the three of you never stood a chance. You poor dense ass. You'd have never completed the task with Leah. That's why we listen to him and follow his lead. He's a special man and the two of them are a special couple . We trust him like we can never trust you again."

The ladies brought the girls we rescued from Duncan down to the fire. Two of the women watched the girls and one by one they were questioned by the rest of the village.

Duncan shouted, "You sluts had better support me. I'll get you back and it'll go hard with you when I do."

The first girl came over and we started asking our questions.

"What's your name?"

"Alice."

"Alice do you have any family?"

"No sir. None that would claim me."

"If you could go anywhere, where would it be?"

"I don't know sir. I haven't a job nor any training to get one."

"Are you religious?"

"No sir. I was brought up Protestant but I never liked the church."

"Would you consider staying here in the village?"

"Would I be safe sir?"

"Yes. We'd see to it that you're safe. You'd have to work but we'd train you."

"Then I'd like to stay sir. I don't care what religion you are."

"That's fine." I looked up and chose Amy. "Amy could you take Alice over on the far side of the fire and give her some soup and bread?"

Amy took Alice and they walked over and got some soup.

Alice asked Amy, "What are they going to do with me."

Amy smiled at her, "I don't know child but I'm sure we'll help you and it'll be much better that it has been for you."

Alice barked out, "That wouldn't be hard. Almost anything would be better."

We separated the girls into three groups. Those with family to support them and help them, those with strong religious convictions, and those who had neither. There were two more like Amy that had no support and no religion. We ask them to stay with us in the village. The others we told we would take them back to families or to a shelter where they could get the help and support they needed.

By the time we'd finished sorting the girls Duncan and the thugs were yelling and screaming for food and beer or whiskey.

They were screaming until I said, "We can take you back into the woods. The girls have had a good rest and some food now." They shut up immediately.

Amy and a couple of the village girls took the girls we rescued to the meeting house to bed them down for the night.

The rest of the village gathered around and we considered what to do with Duncan and the thugs. I was worried because Rob was of the village and a thug as well.

Seth spoke first and I'll be forever grateful to him. "Sean," says he, "We can't turn them over to the police. They'll get out in a few years and our women will be in danger again. I've been thinking all night and I think we have to kill them."

There was a long somber pause and one of the women ask, "Does that include Rob?"

Much to my relief, Rob's mother said, "Yes it has to include him. He betrayed us and led them to our village. Ah it breaks my heart but yes we have to kill Rob or we'll never be safe." She started crying.

Rob's father pulled her gently to him. "Aye it has to be. It hurts like damnation but his Mum's right. We'd never be safe if he lives"

Mike turned to practical matters . "So how do we dispose of them? If we bury them there's always the chance that someone will find them and dig them up. These forensic lads are terrible clever." He trailed off and everyone looked at me.

I took a deep breath. "I've been thinking the same thing that you have. That we'd have to kill them. The only thing I can think of is to bury them at sea. Weight them down and toss them overboard."

Mike said, "Aye that would work but where. We don't want them discovered."

I waited for about five minutes before I said, "I thought we'd dump them in the shipping lanes."

Mike nodded, "Aye that sounds good but why the shipping lanes?"

"Well," I explained, "First, the water's good and deep. Second, we cross the lanes to get to the fishing grounds. We wouldn't have to do anything out of the ordinary. Third we wouldn't have to worry about anyone snagging one of them in their nets. Finally, we wouldn't have to worry about any oceanographers doing a study finding them. They would avoid the shipping lanes because they are so busy. It's damn hard to study something when you're dodging big ships all the time. Besides the ships dump a lot of junk over board and contaminate the area."

We polled the entire village. Mike said, "We'll do it just the way Sean says. Tomorrow morning. What do we do with them in the meantime?"

They all looked at me. "I'd say feed them some soup and bread and give them some beer and whiskey to drink. We'll leave for fishing as normal tomorrow morning."

I went to tend to my boat only to find someone had pulled her back to the dock, cleaned her up and fueled her. She was ready to go. As I turned to find the covers for the gages I saw Patrick with them in his hands. Together we snapped on the covers.

"Thank you Patrick."

"Tis the least I could do. Without you they'd have taken my Keri. I want to cry just thinking about what they would have done to her."

I gave him a pat on the shoulder. "It'll be alright. You made a hell of a tackle on the guy holding the gun on me."

He smiled, "Shur now, I had to save Keri. Could I go out with you tomorrow."

I nodded, understanding that he needed to see it through. "Yeah, I'd be glad to have some company."

The next morning we put each of the thugs into a different boat. Duncan was in my boat. Leah and Keri insisted on going with us. I ask why.

Leah said, "Sean I am part of you. If anything goes wrong I won't live without you. I want to be sure this pile of shit is really gone. If you go to jail for this then I'm going too."

Keri said, "He was going to take me from Patrick. He was going to make me a whore and hurt me like he did those other girls. I want to be sure I never have to worry about him again. I need to know and I need to be with Patrick."

I looked at Patrick. He shrugged so we helped the girls on board, then we loaded Duncan. He was wrapped and sewn in fishing net. We also added half a hundred pounds of weights to his feet after we got him into the boat. I'll give this to Duncan. He didn't give up.

Laying on the deck wrapped like a mummy he taunted Leah and I. "You know sweetheart you should have just taken your punishment and went back to work. Now the busies will take both you and your Yank boy and toast you. Now if you were to cut me out of this net maybe. ... maybe I'll be grateful."

Leah suddenly started laughing. "Duncan, Duncan. If I have only one more day with Sean it'll be worth it. But I'm betting that no one will miss you except the crooked cops you have on your payroll. I don't think they'll bring it up. I think we'll get away clean. I'd rather cut my throat rather than subject myself to one more minute under your control."

He laughed. "You'll sing a different tune when I get a hold of you."

Keri looked frightened but Leah didn't look worried at all. Patrick gathered Keri into his arms and she calmed down.

By this time we were well over the bar and it was fairly rough out. The swells were about fifteen feet and we were approaching the shipping lanes. The only ship we could see was far out and headed away so it looked like we were in luck. I'd tied the weights onto the net and heaved them up on the gunnel when Keri got too close to Duncan and he managed to reached out and grabbed her leg.

She screamed and Patrick grabbed a hold of her.

Duncan laughed, "Let me loose or I'll take this little slut with me to the bottom."

I motioned Leah back and got a pair of line cutters from the tool box. They were a lot like the pruning shears used by gardeners. I knelt and slipped them around one of his fingers. "I'll cut her loose. I won't hurt me or her a bit."

He said, "You don't have the stomach for it," and laughed.

I neatly lopped off his finger. His shocked scream resounded in the boat as Keri pulled free. I handed the cutters to Leah and grabbed his shoulders lifting him up on the gunnel.

He screamed, "Oh God no! I'll leave her alone. I promise . I'll never come near your village again. Oh God you can't do this!"

I growled, "I don't believe you. You're a liar, a rapist, a slaver and a killer. You'd say anything to save your worthless life." With that I pushed him overboard and the weights followed him into the sea. I picked up the finger, with the ring still attached and threw it after him. Then I slumped down on the deck. Doing that had taken every ounce of determination I had.

Leah came and sat in my lap and held me close without saying a word. Keri looked a little stunned and held on to Patrick.

Patrick shook himself and took Keri to the shelter of the wheel house and had her hold the course to the fishing grounds. Then he took some sea water and washed the blood off the deck. He also cleaned the shears and put them back in the tool box.

Leah helped me up and all four of us crowded into the shelter of the wheel house. Leah tucked herself under one of my arms. Keri was under one of Patrick's as he conned the boat. Everyone was silent lost in their own thoughts.

After about an hour Patrick said, "Look fishing nets. Sean I'm thinking that they're the ones you cut loose yesterday. He cut the power and skillfully maneuvered us close enough so we could throw a grappling hook and snag the net. When we pull the net in, sure enough, it was my net that I'd cut loose yesterday so I could make more speed getting back to the village.

We connected the net to the winch and reeled it in. To my surprise there was a bounty of fish in the net. So many that we threw many of them back rather than waste them. When we got back to the village the rest of the boats had tied up and the village was waiting for us.

Mike stood up and asked, "Did everything go alright?"

I nodded. "And you you?" I asked.

Mike said, "Yes it went alright but twas a slim day for fishin'."

I smiled, "Well I had some extraordinary luck. Patrick spied the nets I lost yesterday and they were brim full. I'll treat the whole village to a fish fry."

Keri was by her parents with Patrick holding her. Mike looked at them and back at me. "Something happened. Will ye tell us? If it's too private it'll be ok if you don't."

To my surprise, it was Keri who spoke. "Yeah something happened. I got too close to that slime Duncan and he grabbed me by the ankle and threatened to haul me overboard with him. Leah's Sean did the bravest most noble thing I can think of. He saved me. Patrick grabbed me so I couldn't be tossed over the side but we were stalemated. Sean got out clippers and cut off one of Duncan's fingers. The shock caused him to let go then Sean heaved him over the side and he was gone. I could tell it took all of his willpower to do such a horrible thing but it is the only thing that could have saved me from worse. I don't wonder that Leah adores him. He put it all on the line for us. For all of us. He'll always be my hero." She smiled and took Patrick's hand. "He'll be one of my heroes but Patrick is my love as well as my hero."

Mike said, "That was quick thinkin'. Now let's start a fire so we can fry some fish!"

There was applause and my boat was quickly cleared of fish.

Leah took me home and showered me and we redressed in soft warm clothes. She said, "Sean you'll always be my hero as well as my love. I was petrified when that bastard grabbed Keri but you acted. I know how much strength it took to do that grisly deed but you saved Keri and in a real sense you saved me. I'd never feel safe except I saw him disappear into the sea and I know he'll never come back. All because of you. All because you had the strength to carry it through."

I held her close. "Ah Leah I couldn't risk having him get ahold of you again. This is the only way I knew of to stop him for sure. I don't think it'll trouble me. It's like killing a rabid dog. The killing is the only thing that'll stop him. Duncan was a rabid dog. I'm thinking of how hard it must be on Rob's Mum and Dad. They are the ones that took him and shoved him over the side. Think of how they must be hurting."

"Aye," she said, "I know but when you consider that one of the girls they tried to kidnap was Rob's sister maybe that may be the reason. Lord knows the women of this village are surrounded by male heroes. No one flinched. I saw the ring on Duncan's finger that you threw overboard. It was worth a bloody fortune but you threw it away without hesitation to protect us. Didn't you?"

It was my turn to nod, "Yeah, It was distinctive and would have shown that the rat bastard was dead. That might have started the cops looking for him and led them to us." I wrapped my arms around her. "Nothing in this world is as precious as what I'm holding right now. My wife and my unborn child."

We both had a good cry and when we finished Leah washed the tears off our faces. We went to the fish fry that was more like a wake. It wasn't exactly somber but the normal spirit wasn't in the group.

Sally, Rob's sister, came over and gave me a hug. "Thank you for saving us. I've heard a little of what Leah and the other girls went through. You saved me you saved all of us. Mum and Da are broken up about Rob but they are happy that you stopped him. T'would mean a lot if you'd say hello."

I hugged her back. "Thank you Sally. I'm glad we could save you from that life. Leah and I'll be glad to talk to your Mum an Dad."

She said, "Leah's not necessary tis you they need to see."

I looked her in the eyes, "Sally, there is no Leah or me. We are one Leah and Sean. Someday I hope you'll understand."

Leah took my arm. "Och I think she'll understand sooner than she thinks."

We talked to Rob and Sally's parents and just about everyone else in the village. Around midnight everyone went home."

Over the next few weeks we freed more girls from Duncan's brothels and left his thugs with aching heads and a lot of explaining to do to the authorities. We managed to leave the van halfway across the country. One of the freed girls' parents gave the driver a lift to a seaside town and we picked him up in a boat to get back to the village.

The newspapers that October ran a few articles about the disappearance of Duncan and several of his henchmen. It seems like the search wasn't very intense. The general reaction of the authorities was good riddance. They figured one of his rivals had taken him out. That was the last we heard about Duncan.

~~~~~

The winter was fairly quiet. The website was doing very well and the rest of the village was doing well as a consequence.

In March Leah gave birth to a beautiful red haired, green eyed girl. She was the toast of the village. Life was very good. We both positively beamed. We made Mike and Sarah godparents or the druid equivalent.

One day in early April Patrick managed to get me off by myself. "Sir, I...I need to ask you something."

I nodded, "Ok, ask away." I was getting sort of used to being consulted. I was uneasy when the person was older than me but Patrick was younger so I didn't have any qualms about answering his questions.

He said, "It's about Keri. Sir I want to marry her but I don't know what to do. I'm so afraid she'll say no. What can I do?"

I put my arm around his shoulder. "What do you think she'll say?"

"Well I think she'll go for it but what about her parents?"

"Patrick, I don't think you'll have a problem there."

"W...why do you think that? Sir?"

I smiled at him, "You didn't see them watching you two last year after you helped rescued her from those thugs. They think highly of you and that's an understatement."

He smiled back, "So what do you think I should do?"

"Well do you have a ring for her?"

"Yes sir. It's my own design." He showed me a marvelous ring. It was really beautiful.

By this time we were almost at Leah's and my house. I took him inside. "In that case I think you need to take this," handing him my fishing rod and tackle box, "and catch the young lady a big salmon. Give her the fish and the ring and beg her to marry you."

He said, "Really? You really think that is what I should do?"

"Yes I do but only if you love her. I have another bit of advice for you. Are you making more jewelry?"

"Yes, I really like making it. I have a whole pile that I've made. I spend all my extra money for materials."

"The second bit of advice is to bring some of the jewelry to Leah and let her put it on the web site. You're very talented."

He blushed and nodded and took his leave.

He was at the river for about three hours every day for three weeks after that. Leah put some of his jewelry up on the web and it sold very well. I myself, bought a necklace and some earrings from him. I had him keep them so Leah wouldn't know until the solstice.

In mid-May Patrick hooked a big salmon and landed him. I think half the village was sneaking along behind him as he walked to Keri's house. Leah and I were sneaky and went to visit her parents before he could get there.

Patrick presented the fish and Keri jumped into his arms . Then he gave her the ring and she shrieked in joy. They were both shocked and turned bright red when the whole village started applauding. It was a truly magical way to start the summer.

Keri and Patrick were married and at the solstice it only took Patrick two and a half hours to find Keri. It was a joyous time.

~~~ Five Years Later ~~~

Leah and I have three children now, two girls and a boy all with Leah's lovely red hair.

Mike and Sarah are still our best friends. Mike has guided me through a lot of the duties of being the village headman and the druid ceremonies.

The woolen business has grown and the women sometimes have trouble keeping up with demand. It was suggested that we import wool but cooler heads prevailed. We couldn't be sure of the quality so we vetoed the proposal.

Patrick is doing very well as the village jeweler. He and Keri are very close. They now have a beautiful little girl with another child on the way. We sometimes see them sitting on the verge of the river. Back to back holding hands. This has become quite a new tradition in the village. When young couples start getting serious they often find a favorite spot and practice, what they call 'Growing together.' The women still make frequent forays into the woods above the falls, just to keep the young people's baser urges in check.