>FAYETTEVILLE, AR
>FREEMAN RESIDENCE
>08.JUL.2019
>1205...///

The sound of Bob Marley and the Wailers drifted through the neat suburban house, the connected bluetooth speakers allowing the music to fill the kitchen and dining room including the corner converted to a makeshift office. Kaliah was working from home today as she had her schedule arranged to give her more time with her son especially while on summer break. 

She made sure to keep him busy to avoid him getting into trouble, his father taking him on the weekends. Usually. 

Kaliah frowned, it was unlike Dave to just not show up. He was terrible at calling or texting but she could always rely on him to show up early Saturday mornings to fetch Mal. And so did the boy relied on his father's regular presence and when Dave never arrived they both were worried. Mal had been silently upset, his sunny nature clouded with disappointment. Perhaps the basketball camp at the University campus would raise his spirits but she knew better.

She checked her phone again. Nothing. Her texts and calls had gone unanswered, anger and fear knotting up inside her. Kaliah knew his family, they were dangerous and likely had long memories of kin blood feuds like their hillbilly ancestors. 

Kaliah noted the time and got up, peeling her bare thighs off the vinyl chair. She dressed in brief pink running shorts and a loose off shoulder t-shirt over her sports bra. Her plan was to work out once the depositions were done but in reality she just relished the comfort of not wearing a suit and heels. 

She went to the kitchen to take out the Tupperware of jambalaya she made last night, it always seemed to taste better the next day. Kaliah put it into the microwave to reheat, the scent of saffron rice and spice soon filling the kitchen.  It was an old family recipe passed down from her mother's people who claimed Creole ancestry from Louisiana. 

Dave looked nervously at his phone. He had parked two blocks away and taken a circuitous route, in the hopes of throwing off any potential tail. He wore another of his full-size combat pistols in a shoulder holster beneath a light jacket, and a compact SBR was tucked behind his seat.

He eyed Kaliah's number in his phone, took a breath, and dialed.  

As Kaliah poured sugar in a pitcher of iced tea her phone went off, a chiming that made her turn on the balls of her bare feet and leaned over the counter to snatch it up. Her heart jumped and she tapped it, answering breathlessly, "David Daniel MacCready! Where the hell are you?"

"Two blocks away," he said, his voice low. He got out of the truck and pulled a plain brown ball cap low over his eyes and starting towards Kaliah's house. "I'll be there in a minute. Go to your back door, okay?" 

"Why are you talking like that, Dave?" she asked but still walked to the back door.

Bella the pitbull mix saw this and jumped up with a jingle of tags and scrabble of claws on linoleum. Wagging her tail, Bella whined and sat at the door but Kaliah ignored her, still talking, "Are you in trouble?"

"I'll tell you when I get there," he said. "See you soon."

He hung up, looked around, and then broke into a light jog. It was a mid-week afternoon and the streets were empty, so after a half-block he cut a hard right between two houses, hopping a low fence in the process. He reached Kaliah's back yard and climbed that fence as well, then approached the back door, fighting down a sudden case of nerves.

Bella barked and wiggled in excitement, jumping up to scratch the door when Dave approached. Kaliah did not wait for him to knock. She yanked open the door, ready to jump on him but the rush of words halted at the sight of his handsome face discolored by old bruises. 

The silence was only a split second before she gasped, "Dave! What happened to your face? Where have you been? You never called this weekend, Mal's been-"

She stopped herself and opened the door wider to let him in, pushing the dog with her foot to give him room. "Come on inside, boy, you just....you been fighting? Am I gonna have to give you legal counsel again?"

Dave entered, taking a quick look around the backyard. Once inside he allowed Bella to jump up on him, absently scratching the ruff of her neck.

"I got… I'm caught up in some stuff," he said. "I'm on the right side. It's just… You got a beer? This is gonna take some explainin'."  

Kaliah blinked then nodded, her curls bouncing in the ponytail she wore. "Sit down at the table. You hungry? I'm heating up jambalaya, you know the one you always liked."

She grabbed a bottle of Bud, kept for his weekend visits, and gave it to him. 

Kaliah turned with a bounce of her ample rump in the running shorts. "So tell me about it," she said as she served two bowls of the spicy rice dish. "What stuff are you into that you can't call me and you stand up your son."

She placed the dishes on the table and sat across from him, giving him the lawyer look, steady and penetrating. 

Dave took the beer, staring at the bottle for almost a full minute as he marshaled his thoughts. Then he took a long pull.

"There's… There's some stuff I can't tell ya," he said. "I'm helpin' the Feds. I know, I know. I ain't happy about it. But that body, the one me an' Mal found? Is part of… Somethin' bigger. Mob. Maybe Cartels. They're… they're killin' people. Girls, mostly. Killin' 'em bad, Kaliah."

He shivered and trailed off for a moment. "The cops, they know all about me. They needed someone with my skills. Someone who can hunt, track… A mountain man, you know? So I went with 'em. Not because I trust 'em, but because these bastards hurt some people here. In my mountains. My mountains, where my son plays, you know?" He clenched a fist tightly, his fierce gaze boring a hole in the table. 

"I can't have people dyin' when there's somethin' I can do to help. It ain't right. I hate the goddamn Feds, but this is… It's for the greater good."  

Kaliah sat quietly, absorbing what he told her. David MacCready working with the Feds had to mean everything he told her was truth, because no other reason would propel him to work with those he distrusted as much as the government. Only the threat to their son. She took a deep breath and leaned over, reaching out, her fingers brushing the clenched fist. 

"Dave...you always been a good man," Kaliah said softly, then gently squeezed. 

"You're good, even if you drive me crazy.  But goddamnit we were worried sick. Mal thought...he was upset. And I was so worried...I thought it was your family come back, your Daddy," Kaliah said, her big dark eyes peering at him. "Is it over, did they catch the men killing those people?"

Dave shook his head. "Not even close," he said quietly. "We got… There was a fight. Gunfight. Buncha thugs. We killed a handful… But there's still plenty of 'em to wade through. I'm only home for a bit. A break. I'm gonna hafta go back, but I had to see Mal. You too."  

"A gunfight? You killed...oh lord, Dave, what are these people doing? Bringing a civilian into something like that you could have been killed ..." She trailed off, if there was any civilian more than capable of taking care of himself it was Dave. Her hands moved to her face and then she took a deep breath. "And I know you will go back until the job is done. Damnit...well, are you alright at least? Your face...did you have to fight one of them?"

Dave gave a rueful chuckle. "I uh… Kinda got shot a little bit. Don't tell Mal, it wasn't nothin' serious." 

Kaliah slapped her hands on the table, "You got shot?! David MacCready... I swear if you wasn't already bruised up I'd beat your ass myself. Where'd you get shot?"

"Shoulder," he said sheepishly. He scratched at the table with a fingernail. "And a little in the chest. Vest stopped that one, though, so it don't really count." 

Kaliah's eyes widened and she stood up, clapping her hands for emphasis, "You got shot in the chest. They was tryna kill yo cracka ass. Goddamn, Dave..."

She glared, her hands now planting themselves on her wide hips. "You tryna do the right thing but I can't have you going and getting killed, it would destroy our son. And I would...well, you know."

"I know," he said. They left it unspoken. They always did. "But this ain't your decision. It's mine. These people are sick. They're evil. And there ain't exactly a lot of people who can do what I do."

He raised his gaze to hers. The old MacCready obstinance blazed in his blue eyes. "I'm goin' back when they call me. I've got no choice." 

Kaliah  glared back but then shook her head, neither would budge but he was a man with a conscience and morals and it was something she respected about him. Even when it frightened her. "You always got a choice but I know you will go back because it's the right thing to do. It just scares me." she asked, her tone softening. "You still hurting?"

"A bit," he nodded. "Cracked some ribs, and the hole in my arm ain't healed yet, but I'm on the mend." He gave her a sudden, boyish grin. "Concussion gone away, though."  

Kaliah shook her head, trying not to respond to his grin, her full lips pressing together to suppress the smile. "Like you'd notice with that thick skull of yours," she said, her hands slipping from her hips. 

She looked away, covering her mouth as she caught the emotional response, her voice muffled, "Crazy ass white boy, what am I gonna do with you?"

"Well," he drawled, leaning back in his chair and cocking an eyebrow.. "I reckon we can start with lunch. Then… well, when's Mal comin' home?" 

Kaliah tilted her head slightly, her tongue running along the inside of her cheek and she smiled at him. She chuckled, taking a deep breath as strong feelings rolled through her. "You gettin' ideas, Dave MacCready..."

Kaliah moved over to him, finding a seat on his thigh as he leaned back in his chair. Her hands gently caressed his handsome bruised face and she gave him a light kiss on the cheek, breathing warmly against him, "His basketball camp is over at five, they're having a pizza party."

He sighed and relaxed, leaning into her hand. "Then let's start with lunch." 

***

Kaliah checked the time on her phone, she still had depositions to finish but Dave held her as he dozed. Whatever he had been through had not slowed down his sex drive and they had spent most of the afternoon in bed. Her hand brushed over his, the contrast between their skin was always fascinating especially the paler parts of him that weren't regularly touched by the sun. 

Her thoughts turned over what he had told her. Murders of girls not much older than their child, dangerous men with guns trying to cover their crimes. Dave was a man who would not stand for that on his mountain or if he could help stop it. All the training his devil of a father had given him to make war in the name of hate, Dave was fighting for love, for justice. 

Kaliah sighed and smiled at his handsome bruised face now the tension gone while he slept. She kissed his brow before sliding out of his arms to go wash up and finish her work. 

Once it was around 5:30 pm, Kaliah sat on the bed, now dressed in jeans and cream colored camisole stretching across her generous chest. Over it she  wore a matching cardigan, giving her a more modest air.  

She leaned over gently shaking Dave, and she said in a low voice, "I'm heading out to pick up Mal, you gonna get up and dressed."

Dave jerked awake, his hand reaching for a gun that wasn't there. His eyes were wide, wild, a feral ferocity briefly glinting in them before he mastered himself. He sat up in the bed while he took in his surroundings, his brain slowly assimilating the information. 

"Huh?"  

Kaliah startled at his reaction, jerking her hand back. "Dave, it's me. Take it easy, you alright."

She shifted so she faced him, her warm dark eyes full of concern, "Were you havin' a nightmare?"

"Dunno," Dave grunted, looking around. "I uh… I'm sorry. 'Bout all that, I mean."  

Kaliah put her hand on his arm, giving him a slight squeeze, "Ain't gotta be sorry, you've had a rough couple of weeks, running around getting in gunfights and tryna be a hero... God, Dave. No wonder you are having nightmares and waking up like you're getting attacked. You got that in you for sure, just take care of yourself."

She leaned in and kissed his cheek, whispering, "You've always been our hero."

When she pulled back, Kahlia said, "Now wash up and get dressed, your son is gonna be so excited to see you. I'm gonna keep it a surprise. I'll be back in about twenty minutes."

Dave nodded, managing to grin at the kiss despite the jumbled state of his head. Being jerked into wakefulness left him feeling sluggish, his thoughts jerking and grinding like an old pickup. He watched Kaliah leave the room and then hauled himself from the bed with a groan. 

He followed Kaliah's orders, making the bed and then heading to her bathroom for a shower, taking his gun with him from room to room as he washed, dressed, and started a pot of coffee. Bumping around the house felt comfortable, natural. It wasn't unusual for him to spend the night, and he knew his way around their kitchen as easily as he did his own. 

As the coffee pot began to bubble he seated himself at the breakfast bar and took out his burner, checking for messages. Seeing none he pocketed the phone and settled in to wait on his son, a smile growing on his battered face.  

The Mercedes pulled up into the driveway and Mal was out the door. He called out to his mom, "Can I play Call of Duty?"

Her answer was inaudible but must have been affirmative as Mal dashed across the yard, basketball under one arm and he yanked the door open. Mal was still in the basketball shorts and shirt, the muscles just now starting to be noticeable in his skinny limbs. Bella barked and jumped around him and he gave her a pat before she skittered across the linoleum to the kitchen where Dave waited. 

Mal's eyes widened and he shouted, his voice cracking, "Dad!"

His excitement mingled with anger and he paused inside the entrance way. The disappointment and heartache over his dad forgetting him made him pause. Mal stood looking at Dave, fidgeting with the basketball then bounced it once. "So... you're back." 

Dave felt a pang in his chest at the subtle accusation in those words. He stood, masking the hurt, and approached his son. 

“Yeah, I had some stuff that...Well...I’ll explain it all, okay? Durin’ dinner.” He hesitated and then held out his arms. “Got a hug for me?” 

Mal hesitated, his dark eyes dropping, a mingling of hurt and relief in his expression. The boy dropped the ball, then threw his arms around Dave's neck. "I thought you forgot about me, I thought something happened," he muttered, hugging his Dad with none of the teenage awkwardness. "Mom was scared."

“I’d never forget about you, bubba,” Dave said, squeezing him tightly. “I love you too damn much. But this thing I was doin’, I couldn’t… I couldn’t talk about it, okay? I’m gonna tell you, I already told your mom. But you gotta keep it to yourselves.” 

There was relief and affection in the squeeze, the boy gripping his dad tight. The childish fear of abandonment  had weighed on him, especially when some of his friends found out and made jokes about Dave going out for dip and not coming back. Mal straightened up, taking a step back to meet his father's eyes. He saw the bruises now, fading but still colorful and the tired circles under the steel gaze. 

"Yes, sir," Mal said, his curiosity now intense, "I won't tell anyone, Dad. I swear. What were you doing?"

“Whoever killed that person on our mountain, he killed some other folks too,” Dave said. He’d resolved to keep things short; there was no sense scaring the boy. “I been out East, helpin’ the feds track him down. Normally I wouldn’t have shit to say to a fed, but...These are young women bein’ hurt. I don’t think God would want me turnin’ away from that, you know? Not when I’m the kinda man who can do somethin’ about it.” 

Mal swallowed hard, the memory of what had ended up being on the mountain had plagued his dreams, he had picked up a human bone of someone murdered. It was kinda cool but mostly it scared him. He wiped his hand instinctively against his basketball shorts recalling that day. Monsters had prowled his dreams but it was men that killed and no one was more of a man than his Dad. His dad could take the mountain back, with the Feds or not. 

"The dead body," he asked, "Did you find who killed her? Did you k...."

He stopped, remembering when Dave had got after him about asking that question. "Did you get in a fight?"

“Just a little,” Dave said lightly. “Wasn’t nothin’ serious.” 

He squeezed his son’s shoulder. “I’ll tell ya more at dinner, okay?” 

"Yeah, okay," Mal replied, rubbing a hand over his tight curls, "I better shower before Mom yells at me, I'm glad you're back. Maybe we can go camping, I miss it."

He missed his Dad, too. Getting away from the house, his chores, as much as he loved his mother it was nice to have a break and just be with Dave and talk about things she couldn't understand. He fetched up the ball just as Kaliah walked in.

"Gonna take a shower but I'm not hungry, they got us pizza," he announced then tossed the basketball at Dave. "Can we shoot some hoops after dinner?"

Dave caught the ball and nodded. “I think we can manage that. Long as your mama don’t mind me stayin’ a little late?” He looked at Kaliah, quirking an eyebrow. 

Kaliah winked at him playfully over Mal's shoulder and said, "You're welcome to stay overnight, no need to drive so far after dark. Not after such a long trip back."

"Cool!" Mal grinned, the same bright handsome smile as his father often wore. "Alright, I'm gonna wash up, I'll be right back."

Kaliah watched the boy rush to the bathroom and then she looked at Dave, "How much are you going to tell him?"

“Just a bit,” Dave said, watching him go. He felt his voice catch and he swallowed hard. “Just enough, you know? He don’t need the details. It’s dark shit.” 

Kaliah nodded, moving into the kitchen to start dinner, "He had nightmares when y'all came back. Spent the first three nights sleeping with the light on and his TV, said it helped because he kept seeing and hearing things in the dark."

She glanced over her shoulder as she took out two steaks to allow them to come to room temperature. "He ain't done that since he was a little boy. Remember? Watching scary movies and games when he wasn't supposed to."

Kaliah stepped over to Dave, her hands moving to his shoulders and she massaged him absently as she spoke. "I wish we could keep him protected a little bit longer, that body shook him up. You doing what you're doing, it's admirable but it's still frightening for us to be waiting to see if you come back."

“I know,” he said quietly. He leaned against her hands. “But I gotta. What I told Mal was true. God wouldn’t want me steppin’ away from this. There’s people out there dyin’ because they’re beyond whatever law our government’s made. They’re out there in the dark, where the cops can’t get ‘em. But [i]I[/i] can. So I will.” 

She kissed the top of his head and hugged him against her chest, "I know you'll fight the good fight, that's something I've known since I met you. One of the reasons I love you, you've always been a good man and the best father. And I know you'll come back to us."

Kaliah slid back and gave him a massage on the back of his neck, "And if you don't, if something happens...they'll have me to answer to."

Dave snorted. “Lord knows I’d rather fight another buncha goons than you.” 

She smiled, walking around him to go to the stove, "You right about that."

Kaliah steamed broccoli and whipped up mashed potatoes to go with the steaks she picked up while getting Mal. The boy chattered happily, telling Dave about basketball camp and his latest Call of Duty match. 

She set the rare T-bone in front of him with a mound of mashed potatoes beside it. Her own steak was medium, as undercooked as she dared go but an improvement from the time she used to make it well done. 

"Then I blasted their camping sniper," Mal said, picking at the broccoli his mother put in front of him since all he had for dinner was pepperoni pizza. 

"I don't like that game," Kaliah said, picking up her knife. "Too much violence, guns aren't toys."

It was an old argument that stalemated and she said no more only glancing at Dave as he ate. Mal left it, the less said on the matter the better. 

"Hey Dad, when can I go to the cabin?"

“I think in a while,” Dave said, looking up from his steak. He’d let the gun comment go; his recent experiences had only reinforced his views regarding firearms, but he didn’t want a fight. Not now. “Maybe next time I’m home, okay bubba? I wanna run that mountain a bit on my own. Make sure everythin’ is okay.” 

Mal sighed but nodded, "Yeah, okay. But when's that gonna be?  Before I gotta go back to school? I'm trying out for basketball this year, did Mom tell you?"

Kaliah flickered her gaze to Mal, but let the boy ask his questions. 

“She didn’t say you were tryin’ for the team,” Dave said. He latched onto the distraction; he knew Mal wanted to be out on the mountain with him, but he couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not until he was sure it was safe. “What position you goin’ for?” 

"Point guard," Mal said, grinning,"I wanna run things on the court, it's kinda like you gotta know where everyone is and where they're gonna be. Plus...well, I ain't that tall."

He smiled sheepishly and took a few bites of broccoli, "I'm only gonna be a freshman so it won't be varsity but you'll come to my games? I mean, if I make it."

“Wouldn’t miss ‘em,” Dave said seriously. “This business’ll probably be wrapped up by then. If it ain’t, I’ll come to every game I’m in town for. Promise.” 

Mal nodded, a smile on his youthful face that he was once again back to his sunny nature, that his Dad was still his Dad and not like the stupid jokes of black kids without a father. He still stung with abandoned son memes thrown his way once he had expressed his anxiety about Dave not returning after the first weekend. It was a roast by friends but the fear of the fourteen year old had only increased as each day passed without word. Now his father was at the dinner table and he was even giving his mom those looks. The long looks he figured both of them still thought Mal didn't understand but it made him happy. It meant more time to hangout with his Dad. 

Kaliah was eyeing Dave, hoping he would prove true as he always had. He wasn't the parent that had to pick up the pieces. 

"I'm done," Mal announced, the serving of vegetables gone. 

"Well if your mother feels like excusin' you, I'll join ya when I'm finished and we'll play some ball," Dave said. He raised an eyebrow at the boy, a reminder to watch his manners.  

Kaliah gave Mal a quick nod, "Go on, just put the bowl in the dishwasher."

"Thanks," he replied, doing as he was told before scooping up the basketball to head outside.

Dave watched him go before looking over at Kaliah.

"So uh… I'd love to see him some. But I don't wanna take him back to the mountain for a while. Not yet." He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "You… think I could stay here, just a couple days?"  

Kaliah hesitated then nodded, "You're always welcome here." 

She stood up and collected her plate and Mal's dish, scraping and putting them in the dishwasher. She moved over to where he sat and put a hand on his shoulder, tracing the taut muscle beneath his t-shirt. "You want me to make up the couch or do you want to sleep with me?"

Kaliah's warm dark eyes met his gaze, it wasn't like he never slept over but it had been sometime since he stayed more than just the night. He might need the closeness not just with Mal but her own comfort after hunting killers in the mountains far from home.

"Hell, if the offer is there…" He gave her an open grin. "You know what I'm gonna say."  

She laughed, shaking her head with a sway of dark curls. "You know I can't ever say no to that smile. At least when you ain't pissing me off. We'll just need to explain to Mal...you know, so he doesn't get his hopes up about..."

Kaliah rolled her eyes and brushed her hair back, "That it's just temporary, you know how kids are." 

Dave sighed. "Yeah. I'll talk to him." He stood and picked up his plate. "I'll pitch in with dishes real quick, then go play some ball. Thanks for all this."  

Kaliah waved him off, then took the plate from him, "I got it, go spend time with your son."

She looked at him then leaned up, kissing his cheek and said, "We're always here for you, just like you are for us. Now go."

Dave smiled and gave her hip an affectionate squeeze. Then he headed for the door, a new spring to his step as he went to join his son. 



>BOONE COUNTY, AR
>MACREADY RESIDENCE
>14.JUL.2019
>1915

Dave looked up from his basement workbench and rubbed a hand over his face, trying to wipe away the weariness. And the boredom. 

His days since the visit with Mal and Kaliah had been spent in his mountains, hiking the trails that only he knew with his behemoth dog and a rifle in his hands. Eventually he became restless and had returned to the house, turning his attention to his impressive arsenal. He'd cleaned every gun in the collection, an activity that usually brought him a measure of peace. Now, however, he found himself unable to focus. His nights were plagued by half- remembered nightmares, his days by a strange blend of boredom and anxiety that he couldn't find a way to quell.

He sighed and slid the bolt carrier group back into the RPD that lay before him, snapping the top cover closed. He stood, studied the weapon for a moment, and then picked up a loaded drum and shoved it into place before hefting the gun and making his way upstairs, detouring to snag a six-pack from the fridge. 

He carried both gun and refreshments outside and sat on one of the old porch chairs, leaning the machine gun against the wall within reach and then cracking open one of the beers. After a few moments of restless silence he pulled his burner from his pocket as he had a hundred times over the past week. 

"God damn, where are y'all?" He muttered at the empty inbox. He clicked through the contacts, watching the names of his teammates scroll past one by one. He paused when he got to Ava, smiling a little. On impulse he hit the [i]dial[/i] key and raised the phone to his ear, his eyes scanning the treeline as it began to ring.  

The phone rang barely once before it answered and Ava's gentle, if slightly distracted sounding voice drifted through, “This is Analyst Moore.”

"Hey, sugar," Dave drawled, grinning at the serious timbre of the small voice on the other end of the phone. "Them Feds keepin' you busy?"  

“Dave?” Ava asked, her tone surprised as there was a small pause. “Oh! Hi Dave! I didn't even look at my phone when I answered.” She said with a light chuckle. “How have you been?” She asked her voice warming with familiarity for the mountain man.

"Been alright, I s'pose," he said. He paused and took a sip of his beer, frowning. "Ain't sleepin' great, but I guess that's normal. How about you? How's your friend, Mrs. Grier right?"  

“Yes and she's good.” She answered, a concerned note in her speech. “I'm sorry you're having trouble sleeping, I have too. Are you having nightmares?”

"Yeah, most nights." He sighed. While it made him feel a little better to know that he wasn't the only one of the gang having a rough time, he hated the idea of Ava having trouble. "You havin' nightmares too then?"  

“Uh, sorta.” She said, the soft sound of a chair creaking coming through the phone. “I've always had issues sleeping, off and on since I was a kid, so I'm kinda used to it...Do you want to talk about it? Your nightmares?”

"It's nothin' I can really remember." He shrugged, then smirked at the gesture, remembering she couldn't see him. "I think it's the shootout. The bodies… That… You know. That [i]thing[/i] on the mountain…" He trailed off. "Just dark shit. How's your belly healin' up?" 

“It's feeling better, it's not as sore.” She answered, the frown clear in her voice. “I'm sorry, I know I said that already, but I really am. I can't imagine what you went through and I wish I could make it better so you can sleep easy.” She said, her soft voice filled with sympathy even though she seemed at a loss of what to say.

Dave chuckled. "I appreciate that. Really." There was a pregnant pause. "I want you to know you can talk to me, too. I'm here for ya anytime you need."  

“Thank you Dave.” Ava said, the smile clear in her voice. “My offer still stands too, I'm not good at advice but I'm a good listener.” There was the sound of shifting and a chair creaked as she grew comfortable. “What else have you been up to? Did your son like his present?”

"Heh, yeah, he liked it," Dave said, the smile evident in his voice. "Went and hung out with him and his mama. I'm er… not sure he'd wanna be on the mountain. Not right now, anyway." 

“I can imagine.” Ava said her voice growing soft empathetically, but then it perked up again. “But that’s good, you spent time with them, that kind of quality time can help a lot. Is there anything else you like doing when you want to relax? Favorite movie or show or a sport?”

“I don’t actually have a TV,” Dave said. “I’m kinda in the boonies. I’m lucky I get cell service, an’ even that’s kinda hit-or-miss. Usually I’m workin’ on one project or another.” He glanced over at his empty garage and smiled ruefully. “Ain’t been around to get any work though, so I’m lucky the Feds are footin’ my bill right now. I figure one of these times I’ll come back and find a broke down truck on my lawn. That’s usually how it works. My neighbors know I sometimes take off into the mountains for a few days at a time, so they just drop off stuff that needs fixed.” 

There was a quiet beat on the other end before Ava spoke, “I’m sorry, my brain got stuck on the idea of not having a TV. How many neighbors do you have? What kind of cars do you end up working on? Like beaters or a few hidden gems from back in the day?”

“I got neighbors all over the mountain, really. And there’s a little town near here, they’re usually who I work for.” A rhythmic clicking drew Dave’s attention and he reached for his gun, looking over to see the large form of Rufus approaching from the end of the patio, his nails clacking against the wood. Rufus was a mammoth of a dog, his mastiff heritage strong, and he walked over and sat beside Dave’s chair, then leaned heavily against his leg in the manner of mastiffs throughout history. Dave smiled and rested a hand on the dog’s large, blocky head, scratching at his ear. 

“I get some good stuff sometimes,” he said. “Mostly it’s old pickups and tractors. Got a guy who collects old motorcycles, so I’ve worked on a few cool things for him. My last project was rebuildin’ a ‘56 flatbed Ford for a guy down the mountain.” 

“You got to work on a ‘56 Ford?” Ava asked with a gasp and a smile in her voice. “Oh you’re so lucky! I love those trucks! What did you guys do? Were you able to keep the original engine mostly intact?”


“Wait, back up,” Dave said, sitting straighter in his chair. “You know shit about trucks?” 

“I do!” Ava laughed, the sound almost musical with it’s jovial lilt. “My grandpa used to be a mechanic and he made sure I would know how to fix my own car.” She said with a chuckle. “And he kind of passed down an appreciation for the engineering behind those engines along with teaching me to turn a wrench.”

Dave laughed in turn, shaking his head and giving Rufus’s neck a good scratch. “I’ll be damned, never figured you for a grease-monkey,” he said. “We saved the engine, mostly it was the carb we were havin’ trouble with. Rebuilt that, and then all new seals and stuff of course. Runs like a dream, now. He did all the cosmetic stuff, but didn’t quite know what to do once he got into the guts.” 

“Those old engines can be tricky to get working, glad you were able to keep the original intact.” There was the sound of shifting and then the rapid clicking of fingers on a keyboard. “Have you had the chance to work on an Indian Scout yet? I’m not super big on motorcycles, but I love the Scout, don’t really know why.”

“Guy down the mountain has an old school Scout, he had me get it runnin’ for him when the tranny was shittin’ the bed a few years back,” Dave said. “Never messed with one of the Polaris ones, though. Supposed to be pretty nice.” 

“You just have all the fun over there don’t you?” Ava asked with a grin in her voice. “Working on some of my favorite classics out in the boondocks.” 

“Yeah, well, gets excitin’ up on the mountain,” Dave said lightly. He drained his beer, grabbed another, and twisted the cap. “You know sugar, you sound like you’re holdin’ up pretty good. I’m glad. I was worryin’ about ya.” 

“Oh, thank you, I’m sorry I made you worry.” She said, her voice growing soft again. “I think I’m okay now, thanks to everyone on the team being so great and supportive. Plus,” She cleared her throat as her tone brightened, “I got my payback for those bastards shooting me and my friends.”

“Oh yeah?” He sat up a little straighter. “What kinda payback we talkin’?” 

“I can’t really talk about it over the phone, just to be safe.” Ava answered. “But, remember how you said I was a ‘scary gal’ back at the cabin? Basically, that.” 

“Oh, shit,” Dave said. There was a note of respect in his voice, as well as a good smattering of humor. “Well, sounds like at least one of us has been doin’ somethin’ useful. All I been doin’ is drinkin’ beer and pettin’ my dog.” 

“Petting dogs is always very important.” Ava said, an overly serious note to her voice. A moment later her voice warmed again, “And, you’ve been taking care of yourself. That’s extremely important.”

“Yeah, fair enough, sugar,” Dave chuckled. “I’m doin’ my best at that. You make sure you’re doin’ the same, okay?” 

“I will, promise.” She said, the smile clear in her softly spoken manner. “Hey, have you tried melatonin for sleeping before? I have a tea with some in it and it helps me get to sleep, the VA even has my Gramps using it. Might be something that could help you.”

“I’m not even real sure what melatonin is, but I’ll look into it?” Dave said, sounding both amused and perplexed. “I don’t mind some tea now and then. But hey, I’ma let you go, alright sugar? I’ve got some stuf I gotta take care of ‘round here. I’ll see ya real soon.” 

“Uuh,” Ava let out a soft huff of a laugh. “Okay Dave, take care. It was nice hearing from you.”

“You too. Take care.” Dave hung up the phone and sighed, setting it on his knee. He leaned down and gave Rufus a vigorous scratch, then cracked open a fresh beer and sat back in his chair, a smile on his face.