Chapter 3
Sunday morning was another cool, yet pristine one as Jack, Dave and Aaron walked down the hill. Jack and Dave were carrying their shotgun cases. Aaron carried the bag holding the two thermoses filled with coffee and hot chocolate, along with the container of assorted mini donuts. Dave looked at Jack. "You OK? You're pretty lethargic this morning."
Jack shook his head with a smile. "I'm OK pop. It was a long day yesterday. You two," he growled, looking at Dave and Aaron, "interrupted my nap. When I went upstairs, I made the mistake of turning my cell back on after giving Deputy Mutallah my statement. You can guess how that went." He smiled at Dave. "And then I stuffed myself at dinner last night as usual on your awesome tortellini lacassine. Then throw in the Jacuzzi." He shook his head. "And maybe a Skype session with the guys after I headed to my bedroom," he admitted. He looked out over the lake with the sun starting to rise across the lake. "I'll be ready," he smiled.
Aaron rubbed his shoulder. "What did the guys say?" he smiled.
Jack grinned. "They were all happy for me," he reported. Then looked at his dad. "I know you've figured them all out." Aaron smiled. "Keegan and Carter aren't really big on the hunting thing."
"Jack?" Dave asked.
"Pop, they don't buy into killing an animal. And they've seen the videos of idiots that spend thousands of dollars to go to Africa and kill big game. Just for that thrill and then leave the animals rot. Sure, they can argue it's the circle of life. But not like that. That's not fair. And especially with the guides they have and the guns they use. So I get where they're coming from," Jack said as they got to the boat. "I feel the same way."
"And…?" Aaron asked, helping Jack and Dave get the boat ready.
Jack smiled. "I explained to them we don't let the ducks go to waste. We eat what we shoot. Or share with our friends. And we only take our limit. Not one duck goes to waste." Dave eyed Jack with his smirk. Jack laughed. "Yup pop, even Micah didn't give his wiseass comment to that." Aaron thumped his shoulder. "Really dad?" Jack asked, looking at him."The language thing on me being spot on with my profile?"
Dave smiled at Aaron. "Busted."
"Shut up Dave," Aaron growled back.
Jack and Aaron sat down in the back of the boat together. Aaron put his around Jack as Dave backed the boat away from the dock. "I've got to ask again," he said.
Jack nudged his dad with his shoulder. With his height, now nearly reaching Aaron's shoulder and Jack filling out in chiseled, soccer playing weight, he moved his dad's upper torso. "I told you yesterday, I'm fine," he smiled at this dad. He looked Aaron in the eye. "But I'm gonna hunt for something more." Aaron looked at him. Dave turned to listen to the conversation as well, while still piloting the boat towards the point.
"Can you two admit I'm growing up."
Aaron smiled. "That means we have to officially let go of the boy that used to crawl into our laps to read a book together." He looked at Jack. "That isn't easy."
Jack smiled. "I get that. But come on you two. I'm going to be a driver soon."
"Don't remind us," Dave said.
"Next year, at this time," Jack grinned, "I might even be able to join your morning whisker-roo party," pointing at their unshaven faces.
Aaron laughed. "With your mom's blonde hair? Sorry Jack, you'll always run a distance third on that one." Dave pointed at Aaron with a smile.
Jack shook his head. "I mean it you two," he said, dead serious. "I'm sixteen. I should be occasionally allowed to say shit, damn and hell."
Aaron looked at Dave. "Very occasionally," Dave chided.
"Good enough for me," Jack grinned. The grin quickly faded, giving his dad and pop the Hotchner glare. "Both of you take a damn pill. Like I told you yesterday, I'm fine."
Aaron smiled at Dave. "You're getting a little too close to the point," he nodded. Jack roared with laughter as Dave made the course correction.
Forty minutes later, Dave was using his duck call. Jack and Max, on the shooting platform, were ready. Like yesterday, Jack took out the lead drake and one at the end of the flock. He clicked the safety on and opened his twenty-gauge double barrel shotgun. It exited the two spent shotgun shells. Dave picked them up off the deck of the boat and threw them into a bucket as Jack guided Max to get the second duck. Everyone missed the great Max shake out of water from his coat after bringing in the second duck .
After they all enjoyed the thermos goodness and donuts with the cool air, Jack, working the duck call, got another flock going for Dave to bag his two. A bit later, Jack standing on the platform and Dave in the middle of the boat, each dropped one more.
They decided to take another break. Warden Valdez approaching their boat, winked at his passenger in the boat. The three guys were taking a whiz. Jack, noticing Valdez coming after zipping up his pants, nodded at his dad. "It's Jorge," he smiled.
Aaron looked out in the distance and then at Dave. "Who's the extra guy?" Dave shook his head with a shrug.
Jorge pulled up to the duck boat and grabbed the side. The other person, in a sweatshirt of the Amherst sheriff department but wearing shorts, smiled at Jack. "I told you yesterday. That shotgun is for ducks."
Jack looked at the deputy for a second and then broadly smiled. He stood up and reached across the side of both boats. "Thank you Javy," Jack smiled, offering a handshake to the deputy.
Javier stood up, with one leg being an artificial limb from the knee down, and shook Jack's hand. "My pleasure Jack," Javy grinned. "My twin brother told me I would get the chance to meet you out here this morning. I couldn't pass it up."
Aaron reached his hand over to Javier. "Thank you deputy. Dave and I truly appreciate what you did yesterday."
"I'm Javy," he smiled, "and you're welcome SAC Hotchner. I'm just glad I was able to get through to Jack. I knew you two could handle the situation. You reputation precedes you," he winked.
Aaron smiled back. "Thank you Javy. And I'm Aaron."
"And I'm Dave," Rossi smiled, reaching to shake Javy's hand. "Let me add my thanks as well. You nailed it and kept Jack safe. Be proud of that," he said.
Javier shook his head. "When I was laying in a hospital bed at Walter Reed, looking at half a leg, I thought I lost my chance to contribute. I always wanted to go into law enforcement after my time in the Marines." He looked at Jorge. "It took my brother to fly out there, kick me in the ass and get my head straight."
"Why you get paid the big bucks," Dave smiled at Jorge. The brothers laughed. He looked at Javy. "You off today?" Javy nodded his head. Dave looked at Jorge. "What time you done today?"
"Why?" Jorge asked.
"Aaron and I owe your brother a beer. Or two. You're in as well," Dave smiled. "Stop by the cabin when you're done."
"Let me add, we don't take no for an answer," Aaron said.
Jack smiled. "That was dad's 'I'm the boss' voice'." Jorge and Javy laughed.
Jorge pushed his boat away. "See you around three," he smiled, starting the motor.
An hour later, Jack and Dave had their limit of ducks. Dave started the trolling motor to pick up the decoys. Jack and Aaron had pulled the camouflage into the boat. Max was conked out in the sunshine at the brow of the boat. The decoys on board, Dave started the regular engine.
Aaron sat down and sent a text to Cory. Like I said, we share. Run down to the shack for your six duck breasts for your holiday parties.
Dave was cleaning the last duck breast. Aaron was starting the clean up in the shack. Jack went out the door with the duck remains with Max following him. Max immediately took off to chase a rabbit. Jack shook his head. "Good luck Max," Jack smiled as the rabbit scampered for his nest. Jack smiled at Cory and Tina riding together on their two passenger Polaris Ranger ATV coming down the hill and waved at them. He waited until they got to the shack. Cory and Tina got off, with Tina holding a Tupperware container.
Cory looked in the bucket. "Who shot that big duck?" he smiled with a point.
"Me," Jack grinned. "Pop taught me to shoot for the biggest duck."
"Of course," Tina smiled, rubbing Jack's shoulder.
"Dad and pop are inside," Jack thumbed. "And excuse me and Max. We both need our morning dump," he smiled, pointing at the roll of toilet paper tucked in his left armpit.
Cory and Tina laughed. "Go," Tina said.
"That's the plan," Jack snarked back, grabbing the shovel. "Come on Max!"
Cory and Tina walked into the shack. Cory looked at Aaron and Dave. "We have a police scanner. Everything OK?"
Aaron smiled. "Bottom line? Yes. It involved an old case the team worked on."
Dave looked at the couple. "There's one less of them out there. And families are getting closure."
"Thank you," Tina smiled, rubbing Dave's shoulder. "How's Jack?"
Dave grinned. "He matured more on us yesterday. I think we're going to have another driver in the family come Tuesday."
"We're really proud of him," Aaron added with a smile.
"Driver?" Cory asked.
"He's taking his driver's license test," Aaron explained.
Dave held up the last cleaned breast. "All yours," he smiled at Tina, putting the breast into her Tupperware container and adding the others from their hunt that morning.
"Thank you," Tina smiled. "Our holiday guests look forward to them so much."
Cory looked at the couple. "What do you do with yours?"
Dave smiled. "The same thing as you. We provide the duck sandwiches. The rest is potluck with our guests. The gang of five boys and their families are one group. The team is the other."
"Speaking of," Tina said, "I've got a big batch of chili to prepare." She looked at Dave and Aaron. "Dinner is at six," she smiled.
"We'll be there after we have a beer or two with someone we owe," Aaron said. Tina and Cory looked at him. "Jorge, the lake game warden," he said, with Tina and Cory nodding their acknowledgment. "Javy, his twin brother, was the 911 dispatcher that made Jack grow up a bit more yesterday," he smiled. Cory and Tina looked at Aaron. "He kept Jack in the garage with his shotgun rather than being John Wayne."
"He definitely needs two," Tina smiled. "See you later," she winked.
Cory and Tina were climbing onto their ATV when Jack and Max came out of the woods. "How'd things come out guys?" Cory asked with a laugh.
"Just like they they're supposed to," Jack grinned back, twirling the roll of toilet paper on his index finger.
XXX
A/N: I've established in a previous story that Dave shares the ducks he shoots with Cory and Tina.