Winds of Change

"I didn't either," John said. "Rudy, scout," said John pointing at the house.

Rudy dashed out of the woods into the tall field grass toward the house. John watched his friend run through the grass. Rudy halted just before he would come out of the tall grass. For the longest time, he didn't move. Then ever so slowly, Rudy crept forward, keeping the large oak tree between him and the house.

"There," John said pointing at the window facing them. "The curtain just moved. See, Rudy caught the movement too, he's stopped."

As John finished his statement, Rudy rushed forward as a man came out of the house, running up the drive toward the road. Michelle went to leave, but John grabbed her reins, hauling her horseback.

"No," John said, reaching back in his saddlebags. Pulling the device out, he handed it to Michelle. "You stay here," he told her pulling his Colt from its holster, "until I call you."

Suddenly, Michelle was alone. John's horse was rushing from the woods, across the field toward the running man. Rudy caught up to him first and brought him down with a leap to his back. Michelle could hear the dog snarling as she sat in the woods astride her horse. Turning she stuffed the device in her saddlebags.

Turning back, she saw that John was off his horse running to the man and calling off Rudy. Shots echoed across the landscape and suddenly, Michelle was racing toward the house, the Sig Sauer in her hand. All she could see was John lying on the ground and Rudy tearing the other man apart. She also noticed a second man, standing on the porch facing John and Rudy, a gun in his hand getting ready to fire again.

The paint she was astride was at a steady gallop as Michelle lined up the sights of her pistol on the stranger on the porch. She tried as best she could to keep the sight picture steady as she squeezed the trigger. She was extremely lucky. Her first shot hit the man square in the back, knocking him down to the ground. As she reined in the paint, she noticed John was kneeling, pointing his Colt at the porch. Jumping off her horse, she was surprised she didn't break her legs, she was standing over the man on the floor of the porch in front her as he tried to slowly roll over.

"Don't or I put one in your head," Michelle growled. The man stopped, flopping back onto his face.

Rudy was suddenly at her side, his muzzle covered in blood. "Hold," she told him. Rudy looked up at her and then sat, growling at the man on the floor.

Then John was on the porch, looking down at the man lying there. "I thought I told you to stay put?"

"I did until I saw you go down," Michelle stammered, a lump in her throat and tears in her eyes.

"I... I... never mind, I'm just glad you're all right," John croaked, his throat constricted by his emotions.

"Same here," Michelle said as she started to tremble.

John gave her a gentle squeeze and she calmed down. John then went into the house to call the office. Michelle sat in one of the chairs on the porch to watch their intruder.

"You know they will get the thing eventually," the guy croaked.

"Not today, now shut up before I put another slug in your back," Michelle told him.

The guy groaned and lay still. Getting up, Michelle bent to check him, then thought better of it and sat back down. She watched his back and saw it move as he breathed. She relaxed. She hadn't killed another man after all. Rudy came over and sat next to her. Looking down at him, she shuddered. By the amount of blood on his muzzle, she was sure that he had killed the man down the driveway. Shaking her head, she rose and went to her horse, which had stopped at the stairway of the porch and stood waiting for someone to take her to the barn.

Michelle took the canteen and a rag from her saddlebags and returned to the porch. Wetting the cloth, she started to clean Rudy's muzzle of the blood. He stood as she ministered to him, without complaint. Every once in a while he would look at the man on the porch and growl. When she finished cleaning him, Rudy moved to the side of the chair she was in and lay down, his eyes on the man.

Chapter 37

Ten minutes after John went into the house three squad cars came roaring down the road. One stopped at the entrance to the ranch while the other two slowed as they proceeded up the drive to the house. One stopped at the man lying in the drive, the other came to the house. Jimmy stepped out of the car and rushed to Michelle. When she signaled she was all right, Jimmy checked the man on the porch.

"He'll live," Jimmy said, looking up at Michelle. "Did you do this?"

"Yes."

"She did and at the gallop," John said as he came out the door.

"Shit you say," Jimmy said in disbelief.

"She did."

"Lucky shot," Michelle said meekly.

In the distance could be heard the siren of the ambulance. The closer it came the louder it got until it topped the rise in the road, then the siren shut off.

"Thank god," Michelle said. She had been cringing the whole time the siren was wailing.

For the next three hours, statements were written, photos were taken and diagrams were made, the ranch bustled with activity. The man on the porch went in the ambulance, as did the man down the driveway. Both were whisked off to the hospital. The man on the porch would live. The man Rudy had mauled was dead. Rudy had been willing just hold him, but when he pulled his gun to shoot John, well he shouldn't have done that. His duty as John's friend was to protect him, just as John's duty was to protect Rudy.

By the time everyone had left and the horses were put up, watered and fed, Michelle was still sitting on the porch in her chair shivering. It had become cold, yet she just couldn't get up to move inside. As she sat there, things were running through her mind she hadn't thought of in years. He husband... her husband. And now she knew about John's wife, although his loss was a long time ago, it was new to her. As she shivered, Rudy stayed beside her, waiting, pressing himself against her leg, letting her know she was not alone. John came walking back up the drive after seeing everyone else away.

As John approached the porch, he took his cue from Rudy and slowed. Softly he climbed the steps, walked to the chair next to Michelle's and without hesitation he sat, leaned back and took her hand in his. When she looked up, he smiled.

"She was my soul, my reason for living, as I'm sure your husband was yours," he whispered.

"He was. He is, still. But, I am confused."

"Why?"

"I find that someone else is... "

"I know."

Michelle looked at John, tears in her eyes and could make out the tears in his. Hastily, he wiped them away on the sleeve of his jacket. Michelle shivered but, did not wipe her tears. John took his jacket off and placed it around Michelle's shoulders.

"Thank you," she whispered sniffling.

"There was one thing that surprised me though."

"What is that?"

"Harvey didn't show up."

Michelle's eyes widened and she began to laugh. The tears of sorrow turned to tears of laughter. John rose, offering his hand to Michelle. Taking it, she rose flowing into his strong all-encompassing arms. The minute he squeezed her, she stopped shivering. Her chest was flooded with warmth and joy. She didn't know how long they stood there holding each other, but eventually, they went inside, closed and locked the doors. A draft blew across the living room and they both looked up at the hole in the far wall.

"Damn it," John growled as they headed for the bedroom.

Sometime later, they lay in each other's arms, Michelle's head resting on John's chest listening to his heartbeat. Her confusion, somewhat assuaged, was still present and niggling at her mind.

"John," Michelle started.

"Yes, I will."

"Will what?"

"Tell you about Carla."

"How did you know... "

"Because I have wanted to know about Gary," John told her.

"Oh. Did I tell you his name?"

"No, Susan did, just in passing when she told me about you. She wouldn't go into... anything else."

"I see. Do you want me to... "

"No, I'll start. I think I need to tell someone... I don't mean I'm going to dump on you... why, don't I just start. We met in high school. Were together through college and when I joined the service, she went with me to Texas, for boot camp and my technical training. She lived in a hotel, we had some money saved... well, that's not important."

"Why was she in Chicago?"

"It was my first deployment overseas, to Korea, it was an unaccompanied tour. She moved in with my parents. Got a job at the grocery store down the street and just hung out with my mom. She was happy as she could be without me there. Then my parents went on a long-awaited vacation to Hawaii. What we saw... was it just this afternoon... was her coming home from working the late shift one night soon after mom and dad had left."

"Did they catch those two mongrels?"

"Yes. The two of them decided to fight their way out of the house where they were staying, with another woman they were tor... they didn't make it. I had a lot of friends on the police force back then... they... took care of things for me."

"Good," Michelle whispered.

"Yeah, that's what I said."

"How long?" asked Michelle.

"Two days," John answered, knowing exactly what she wanted to know.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," Michelle cried, tears flowing down her cheeks. She squeezed John as she sobbed into his chest.

"How did Gary," John started.

"In a car accident, nothing as dramatic as... "

"You loved him of course?"

"I did, very, very much. He paid for my education. He was older than I was. A good seven years."

"I see."

"We were happy and planned on starting a family when I got my Ph.D. Not a month before... well, I found my doctorate was going to be approved so we were looking at houses. I was going to do research at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Gary's death... I withdrew into myself and almost pined myself to death.

"Then Susan showed up at my doorstep, we had gone to high school and college together, and snapped me out of my lethargy. She pointed out the position at the physics department at the university here and... well, the rest was history. God, I have never talked about this, ever. Not even to Susan or my shrink."

"You see a shrink?"

"Not anymore, although I call her every once in a while... when the need to talk arises."

"Have you talked with her lately?"

"No, I haven't found the need."

"Indeed."

"No, it's true. Even though some of my feelings confuse me, I have never felt more at peace with myself, and what is going on around me, than I ever have. Even though there are men out there trying to kill me, I am at peace with myself."

"I must confess that I too have never felt more alive and at peace since I met you."

"Alive, yes, I feel more alive than I ever have since... Gary."

"Carla... "

A hush came over the room. John reached up and turned off the bedside lamp.

"Good night my love," he said to Michelle wrapping her in his arms.

"Good night love," she replied snuggling next to him reveling in the warmth of his embrace.

Soon the two of them were deep asleep.

Chapter 38

The next day found Michelle in the barn, accompanied by Bobbie, brushing the horses. John was at the office. Steve Dempsey had called to set up a meeting early in the morning. Bobbie wanted to help with the horses, but Michelle told her she had a job to do and it wasn't making horses look pretty, even though Michelle wore a holster with the Sig nestled snuggly in it.

"So, where did a city girl learn to care for horses and to shoot," Bobbie giggled as she looked out over the corral toward the house.

"I grew up in the 'burbs and started taking riding lessons at the age of ten. John taught me to shoot over the last month or so. He said I was a natural."

"Really," Bobbie said. "How long did you ride?"

"Right up until I left for college. I love to ride and this pretty filly is a smooth ride indeed. Do you ride?"

"I have, a long time ago, but not recently. Haven't found the time," Bobbie told Michelle.

"You and your husband should join us someday," Michelle told her.

"Ah, I don't think so, but thank you for the invite. Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure," Michelle responded.

"Do you understand the stuff that was in those pictures I printed for John?"

"Oh," Michelle laughed. "I thought you were... not important. Yes, I do."

"You must be pretty smart."

"Why thank you. Smart, no, intelligent, yes. You are smart. Smart about people, the way of the street... I could go on. I, on the other hand, know about those formulas. If it wasn't for John, Jimmy and you, I would have been either dead or a captive of... of... who knows who."

Bobbie looked at Michelle, nodded, smiled, then started laughing. Michelle looked at her and started laughing too.

"Well one thing's for sure, it hasn't been this exciting around here in the five years I've been around."

"It hasn't has it?" Both women laughed as Michelle returned to brushing the filly she had ridden yesterday.

"What do you think you are doing tell a prominent lawyer like Mister Carlton-Smythe to go fuck himself?" Olsen Lambert shouted as John sat scowling up at him.

Seconds passed and John just scowled at Olsen.

"Well, are you going to answer me?" Olsen shouted jumping up out of his chair.

"Steve," John said quietly.

"Now Olsen... "

"Steve," John said once more.

Steven Dempsey's shoulders sagged.

"Fine, I'll tell the old fool. Olsen, go fuck yourself, I don't answer to you. I don't even answer to the County Commissioners when it comes to upholding the law. And I'm certainly not going to explain myself to a pipsqueak like you," John said softly. "Now I have work to do, as I'm sure you do, good-day."

John stood watching Olsen Lambert turn fifteen shades of purple.

"Why you tinhorn... "

"Olsen!" Steve Dempsey shouted. "You are no longer welcome in this county building."

"What?"

"I am notifying you that you are no longer authorized in this particular county building. Please leave. I will see you in your office after I'm finished here. I brought you along as a courtesy, you have worn out your welcome."

"I... " Olsen started, his mouth moving but no words came out, his face still suffused purple. He shut his mouth, glaring at Steve, then turned, walked to the office door and threw it open. Stepping out he turned and slammed the door behind him.

"Lucky there is no glass in the door," John muttered to himself. "How could you let him speak to me like that?" John asked Steve softly.

"I'm sorry John, I know you're doing the best you can...

"Would you like me to bring Leyland Vickers in on this?"

"No, no, we handle what we can in house. You have been consulting Leyland about this case, or is it now cases, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have. And it's cases. Although Doctor Bajek is quite capable, there are some parts of the forensics that she isn't quite able to handle, even with the help of the University Medical department to back her up."

"You have been keeping Captain Vickers in the loop."

"Yes."

"Where are we at with the murders? And what's with all the arrests of these strangers?"

"They've been sent here to kill someone."

"Who?"

"I'm afraid I can't disclose that at this time, Steve. I have two murders to solve and someone to keep alive until I do."

"Okay, okay, what can I do to help?"

"Keep those morons out of my hair and don't be surprised if I... " John halted thinking better of what he was about to say.

"If you what?"

"Nothing, forget I said anything."

"John," Steve drew out John's name.

"Don't worry, it will all be legal and by the book."

"But will it hurt the reputation of the university, the county does get quite a lot of its funding from there."

"It shouldn't. I hope," John whispered.

"You hope?"

"Did I say that out loud," said John smiling at Steve. "It won't.

"It better not. All right, I'll leave you to it and I'll try to keep the city council out of your hair. Now I have to go placate that idiot, Olsen Lambert."

"Sorry Steve, but... "

"I know, it's your way as far as enforcing the law was concerned and so far we haven't a complaint in that area."

"Thanks, Steve," John said seeing him to the door.

Chapter 39

Now alone in his office, John sat behind his desk, head in his hands trying to calm his emotions. As he sat there immersed in his thoughts, Carol silently entered, placed a cup of fresh coffee on his desk then backed to the doorway and waited. Without lifting his head from his hands, John cleared his throat, took a deep breath and looked up.

"I know, Larson needs to be relieved," John said.

"No, that's not it. Although he has been down there a long time. He said he can use the overtime."

"How is he doing down there?"

"He has his dogs with him... "

"I don't know about that... "

"They sleep outside during the day. He only brings them inside at night when he is sleeping. They not only keep the prisoners from escaping, but they will keep anyone out while he sleeps."

"Well, I guess it's the best we can do. Still, ... what else is there?"

"Jimmy and Bobbie have been putting in a lot of overtime."

"Are the others grumbling?"

"No, but we have had to move Cyril down south leaving Hank up north alone. Moose and Calvin are on nights, staggered shifts, leaving Jimmy, Bobbie and you free to work the case or be back up. Although, it has been you generating all the work for you three. We could call up our reserve deputies."

"Shit! All right, call Bill. Have him bring three... no four, reserve deputies with him. I want Larson out of the lockup at night and someone in his stead. One of the others will patrol up north with Hank... do we have enough cars?"

"The reserves use their own vehicles. We provide the lights and such."

"Bill and whoever is left will patrol, add one to nights the others to days."

"Will do boss."

"I know you'll work it out for me Carol and I want to thank you in advance. Do we have enough money in the reserve fund for this?"

"Probably not, but there is the other fund... "

"I know. Not unless we have to, understand?"

"Indeed, I do."

"It might be time for Michelle and me to get lost."

"Where are you going to do that? This part of the state is flat as a billiard table."

"Well, what would you suggest?"

"I have friends... now just listen... who owe me."

"Are these the same friends you had to get that report on Harvey?"

"Yes, one and the same," Carol retorted. "They owe me big, so... I can have ten of them down here by tomorrow morning. You and Michelle hold up at your ranch with... my friends, you'll never even know they are there... safe and sound."

"I don't know... the county, nor I for that matter, have no way of paying them."

"They owe me. Therefore, they will be working for me, not you."

"I see."

John sat his head in his hands once more, thinking. Carol waited, watching him. When five minutes passed, Carol turned and when to her desk. John didn't even hear her leave and was startled when she cleared her throat.

"They'll be here by morning. I told them to make themselves comfortable out at your ranch. You will never know they are there until someone tries to come onto your land. You and Michelle can stay out there as long as necessary."

"Michelle has a job she has to go to, here in Valley City."

"She can take a vacation, a leave of absence, whatever they call it over there."

"I have a job to do."

"I'm not all that worried about you, you can take care of yourself and I think Bobbie or Jimmy would be shadowing you."

"Fine. When they get here, I want them to introduce themselves to Michelle and me."