Hunting Season (20 page)

“We should discuss the final plans for Brownie before you get too hot and heavy.”

Henry’s growing erection retreated and started a conversation with his asshole. Just when he had the deer out of his mind, Claire dropped it like an anvil on his testicles. Bullseye.

“Okay.” Henry let Claire go and walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. “Let’s talk.”

Claire hurried over to the table and pulled out the seat across from him.

“First,” Claire said, “you need to go ask Nate to borrow his trailer.”

Henry shook his head. “No way.”

“Why?”

Henry thought about his neighbor, who also happened to be the county Sheriff, and imagined how he’d respond to Henry asking to borrow his horse trailer to take a deer to the woods to release it to the wild. Then he stopped imagining because he knew Nate would laugh in his face. Nate Lewis was a good old boy, a great guy, but a good old boy who would probably drink testosterone out of a bottle if he could. Releasing a deer, let alone caring for one, didn’t suit him.

“No.”

“You didn’t tell me why?”

“Because it’s Nate, how’s that?”

“What, you scared he might make fun of you?” The devilish grin reappeared but Henry refused to succumb to it.

“We can put him in the back of the CR-V.”

“Brownie won’t fit back there.”

“He did the night we found him on the side of the road.”

The devilish grin turned to a frown. “That was an emergency, Henry. I won’t stuff Brownie back there when there’s a perfectly good trailer we can borrow. If you won’t do it, I’ll ask Nate.”

Henry’s pride rose up. He waved Claire off. “I’ll do it, okay.

One horse trailer for the deer coming up.” Claire patted his right hand. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Henry looked at Claire and thought of the deer and then Nate and then the ball-peen hammer again.

“Not hard at all.”

“Good.” Claire took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“Now, where do we release Brownie?”

Henry drummed his fingers on the table. “I thought we went through this.”

“I don’t want to release him near the house.”

Henry agreed. He didn’t want to wake up one morning to find Brownie hit by another car outside their house or standing on the front porch waiting to be fed or waiting for Claire by the side of the house to take him for his walk. He wanted him far away and unable to find them.

“I never said I wanted to release him near the house. I want to release him in Blackwater.”

“I’m not sure Blackwater Forest is the best place.”

Henry sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Why?”

“It’s close to a highway and a lot of tourists go there.”

“It’s a state forest, people are going to visit.”

“Right, which is why I don’t think it’s the right place.”

“Look where we live, Claire. There’s not exactly a lot of woods around Cainswell anymore. We can go to Pensacola...wait, there are hardly any woods there either. We can go towards Ft. Walton Beach...wait, they’re constructing a new highway north of the beach. Blackwater is twenty minutes up the road. And it’s huge.”

Claire shook her head and looked at her hands on the table.

“Hey,” Henry said, “I know you want to make sure Brownie makes it into a nice forest away from civilization. But civilization is everywhere around here. The backwoods doesn’t exist anymore in Florida. Blackwater is the best bet. Lots of trees and plants and other deer for him to play with and make baby deer.”

The right corner of Claire’s mouth curled a little. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I am right.”

Henry knew better than to tell her about the numerous hunters which populated Blackwater every deer season. Or about the countless ghost stories he’d heard about those woods as a kid. Claire hadn’t grown up in Cainswell like him and Henry was in no rush to educate her. Some things were better left unsaid.

Claire nodded and looked back up at Henry. “So when are you going to talk to Nate?”

Chapter Three:

Requests

Henry stood in front of Nate’s oak front door and stared at the cross hanging on it. A Southern Baptist, good old boy, shitkicker. Henry’s manhood shrank. He’d mentally rehearsed asking Nate but never figured out the right words to use which didn’t result in his neighbor laughing at him.

“Screw it.”

Henry balled up his right hand, raised it, and started to knock on the door.

He froze, his knuckles an inch or two from the wood to the right of the cross.

Just do it and get it over with, Henry thought.

The knuckles rapped four times on the door. The cross bounced with each hit.

A few moments later, the door opened and Nate Lewis filled the frame. He was tall, probably six-five easy, and slightly overweight, though not much for a man pushing fifty. Henry noticed the lower right corner of Nate’s lip sticking out and knew he enjoyed a pinch of his normal Copenhagen.

“Well, hi there Hank.” Nate stepped through the doorway onto the porch and patted Henry on the shoulder. His hand felt heavy.

Henry hated being called Hank but never told Nate after all the years of being neighbors.

“Hey, Nate.”

Nate spat brown juice on the grass. “What’s going on?”

Henry hesitated then said, “Just came by to ask a favor.”

“Sure. What can I do you for?”

Henry nibbled at his bottom lip for a second. “I was wondering if we could borrow your horse trailer tomorrow.”

“The horse trailer?” Nate looked over at the trailer parked on the side of the house and then back to Henry. “What do you need that for?”

Henry knew Nate asked the question as a joke. The smile on the big man’s face said as much. Nate had watched them bring Brownie home six months before. He pointed out at the time it’d be better to put Brownie out of his misery than try a fool’s errand to heal him. Henry agreed but Claire would have none of it. If Brownie died, Brownie died but none of them would aid the animal in such a venture.

“We’re releasing the deer.” Henry looked down at his shoes.

“Taking him back to the woods, huh?” Nate spat more tobacco juice. “Guess Claire healed him after all.”

“Yeah.”

“Where you taking him?”

“Blackwater.”

“Maybe I’ll follow you, pop him with the rifle after you leave.” Nate chuckled. “Just kidding. Know Claire would have my hide if I did that.”

Henry nodded. “So can I borrow the trailer for the day?”

“Sure. You have fun spending Sunday with the family.”

Nate released a big belly laugh and slapped Henry on the shoulder again and turned and went back in the house and shut the door. Henry could still hear Nate laughing on the other side and saying “the family” a few more times. A real knee slapper.

Henry repeated Nate’s words in his head and gritted his teeth as he took a few steps toward home. He’d known Nate for ten years since moving in on the three acre lot next door but Nate’s bluntness had never grown on Henry. And never would.

“Hey, Hank,” Nate said from behind.

Henry turned and saw Nate walking from the opened front door toward him. He stopped gritting his teeth. Time to be nice so he wouldn’t withdraw the offer of the trailer.

“What’s up?”

“I didn’t mean to come off like an asshole just then.” Nate stopped in front of him and spat again. “I can be down right insensitive sometimes. I forgot about all the trouble you two have had trying to have kids. That was damn unfair what I said. The family comment and such. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay, Nate.”

“Tell you what,” Nate said. “Why don’t you come on back over in a couple of hours to pick up the trailer? I’ll throw some burgers on the grill. We’ll have a few beers. And then I’ll help you hook up the trailer. Sound good?”

Henry didn’t know what to say. Part of him still felt uncomfortable around Nate but now another part of him craved to hang out and be one of the boys. After a moment or two, he found he still couldn’t say anything so just nodded a yes.

Nate laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “See you in a few then.”

Nate headed back inside while Henry walked home. He smiled as he rubbed his shoulder where Nate just hit him. It stung but he didn’t mind it.

Chapter Four:

Burgers & Beer

“Well, what’d he say?” Claire said as he walked in the door. She still sat at the kitchen table.

“You’ve been sitting here waiting the whole time?”

“You haven’t been gone that long.” Claire lifted a crossword puzzle. “Besides, I had nothing else to do.”

“He said yes,” Henry said. “Also invited us over for burgers and beer in a couple of hours.”

Claire clapped. “I told you it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Henry didn’t like the clapping but didn’t say anything about it. “Do you want to go over with me to eat?”

“Will he have anything besides meat?”

“I don’t know.” Henry poured himself a glass of water. “I’m sure he’s got salad or something.”

“Well, how about I come over there for some beer after you eat? I’ll make me something over here just to be safe.”

“Why don’t you eat now and come over with me?”

“You know I can’t stand the smell of meat cooking.”

You can’t stand the guilt of enjoying how it smells, Henry thought. “Okay. I’ll come get you when we’re done. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Henry cleaned up and changed and caught the evening news before heading back to Nate’s. As he approached, the sweet smell of grilling burgers hit his nose and, for a moment, he remembered being a kid and how much he loved when his dad cooked burgers and dogs on Saturday afternoons. Good days.

“Hey, Hank,” Nate said as Henry rounded the house into the backyard. “Got a few almost ready. Claire coming?”

“Doesn’t eat meat, remember?”

Nate nodded. “Oh, yeah. I set some salad stuff out in case she came. Don’t like the smell, does she?”

Henry shook his head. “She’ll come over once we’re done.

She’s looking forward to the beer.”

“Speaking of which...” Nate reached into a cooler by the gas grill and fished out a Budweiser and handed the can to Henry. “Bottom’s up.”

Henry took it and popped the top and swallowed a large gulp. He was a Samuel Adams man but the ice cold Bud tasted great. He sighed after he swallowed and let out a small burp.

“You act like you haven’t had a beer in ages.” Nate flipped a burger.

“Nah,” Henry said. “It’s just the deer. Looking forward to setting it free tomorrow.”

“Probably looking forward to getting your garage back more than anything.”

Nate looked at him and Henry didn’t say anything, just smiled. Nate nodded and went back to flipping patties.

“Yeah, I know the feeling,” Nate said.

“Know what feeling?”

Henry turned and saw Nate’s wife Sarah walking through the screen door to the back porch carrying paper plates and plastic utensils.

“Hello, Sarah,” Henry said and got to his feet. He offered his hand to shake but Sarah walked by it and gave him a hug.

“Good to see you, Hank.” Sarah released the hug and then set the plates and utensils on the outdoor table. “Looking well.”

“Thanks.”

Sarah nodded and turned to Nate. “So what feeling were you talking about?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nate smirked at Henry.

“Oh, horseshit,” Sarah said. “You were talking about knowing the feeling about something.”

“Oh, that.” Nate turned to Sarah. “We were discussing the differences between how men and women handle their feelings when a child leaves the house.”

Sarah put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyebrows. “Were you now? And what do you think is the difference?”

“Moms like to pretend they want their kids to leave the nest but they really want to keep them as long as they can. It’s the dads who are ready to push them out and reclaim space. Went through the same thing with Samantha.”

“You lying sack of shit.” Sarah smacked Nate on the shoulder. “Don’t let him fool you, Hank. He bawled like a baby when Sam went off to school.”

Nate laughed and Sarah smacked him again and Nate laughed some more. Then he looked at Henry and winked.

“Damn sin to tell lies like that.” Sarah shook her head but Henry could see the smile on her face. “I’m going inside to watch Jeopardy. You boys enjoy your burgers.”

“Love you, hon,” Nate said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Sarah said as she shut the screen door behind her.

Henry chuckled and took another gulp.

“Don’t just sit there, Hank,” Nate said. “Come fix your burger while they’re hot.”

Henry did, grabbing a bun and slapping some ketchup and mayonnaise and a slice of cheese on a medium-rare burger. He took a bite and chewed slowly, savoring the taste. Claire let him cook meat but he rarely did since it offended her sense of smell so much. Instead, if he wanted meat, he heated up pre-cooked meals in the microwave or opened a can of chili or tuna. Eating something this fresh was a rare treat.

“How’s the burger?” Nate said.

Henry nodded as he finished chewing and uttered a yummy moan.

“Always thought I’d make a better cook than cop.” Nate fixed his burger and grabbed a Budweiser and sat down next to Henry. “Should have opened up my own burger place.”

“You regret becoming a cop?”

“Nah,” Nate said. “It’s like any other job. You work one and wish you did another. If I had a burger joint, I’d probably be wishing I was a cop working normal days instead of slaving over a grill fourteen hours a day.”

Henry nodded. “I just wish I was rich. Make life easier.”

Nate laughed. “Damn skippy it would.”

Henry polished off his burger and beer. Then he made himself another and grabbed a fresh Bud.

“They make you get a psych eval when you apply to become a Deputy Sheriff, you know?” Nate sipped his beer. “Want to make sure you’re not likely to kill someone without just cause, or go home and shoot your wife after drinking too much off-duty.”

“I could see why they wouldn’t want a psycho to be deputized.”

Nate nodded. “The shrink asks you a bunch of standard questions. Did your daddy beat you? Did your mom make you take a bath with her until you were fourteen? Did you ever think about touching your little sister?