Detective Mike

Chapter 20

I'm sorry, did we wake you?"

Again the dry tome, "Sam did that."

Mike says, "I guess everyone's awake now."

Crystal comes out through the privacy curtain and wanders back to the bathroom rubbing her eyes. She sees her mother's bare bottom staring at her and Mike half covered so she walks passed the bathroom door to purposely close the bedroom door then goes to the bathroom.

Mike chuckles, "See what an embarrassment you are to your own kid?"

Her retort, "I am not! It was you tickling me!" She jumps on his chest again and slithers down under his covers. "Mmm, that's better."

"Trudy! The kids are all awake!"

"The door's closed." She wheedles with him as she wiggles on his frame.

"We should get up and get breakfast going." He can feel his body responding to her wiggles. "Come on now, they're all awake out there." He tries to push her off.

She reaches down and grips him. "Come on now, you little baby maker. Get harder for me!" She giggles. "That's a good boy, that's better!"

"Trudy! They'll hear you!" He pulls away from her.

She whispers, "Quit struggling then. If you don't I'll scream."

Mike plays along, "What will you scream?"

She giggles and whispers, "More! More! More!"

He slips off the side of the bed and stands looking down at her. "I'm off to the bathroom."

She stares at him, "Wow, what a whopper!"

He turns away quickly shushing her with his fingers to his lips. "You stop that!"

She rolls back on the blankets and opens her legs. She starts to play with herself with one hand and beckon him with the other. "Come on daddy, put it right in here." Her eyes are full of merriment.

Mike shakes his head as he turns to leave. She squeals, "Oh yes, darling!" Mike swings with his finger to his lips and she does it again, "Yes Mike, yes!" He dives to put his hands over her mouth and she scrambles away.

Mike sits on the bed shaking his head. "You're impossible!" He opens his arms for her and she slivers across the bed to kiss him. He eludes her and pops off the end of the bed going out the door. Looking back at her he sticks his tongue out as he goes into the bathroom.

When he comes out she's in the kitchen making breakfast. "Can you give me a hand here, Mike?"

"Be right there." He drops his wet towel in a hamper inside the bedroom door and goes back to hover behind her.

She grins up at him and says, "Can you do those eggs while I set the table? The bacon's done."

He drops eggs in the pan and they sizzle. "How about it, girls, how do you like your eggs? How about scrambled?"

Rick calls out, "Make mine over easy, Dad."

Jan and Crystal call out, "Scrambled, scrambled!" Julie shrugs and joins them. Mike adds a couple eggs and scrambles them in the pan. He pours in some milk and applies salt and pepper. Swirling it all around and then using a lifter light fluffy scrambled eggs with crispy brown bits emerge.

Trudy nods encouragement, "Those look pretty good, darling."

He serves up the plates with bacon and scrambled eggs and gets the girls seated. Cracking more eggs he asks Trudy, "How about you, love? How do you want your eggs?"

She sidles up to him and whispers, "I'd like mine fertilized." He grins at her and does them like his and Rick's. She helps him serve them up and they take theirs out to the picnic table. Trudy brings a tray of cutlery, juice and coffee so Mike takes her plate and Rick gets the door.

The sun is just rising so steam is starting to rise in the grass and from the roofs around the campground. Mike pulls his robe closer around him as he sits on the damp seat at the picnic table. He speaks to Rick, "Shall we take that rifle of yours over to the gravel pit after breakfast?"

Rich grins and nods his head emphatically.

Trudy asks, "Is everything alright with Julie now, Rick?"

He looks embarrassed, "I think so." He munches on his breakfast.

She drops her hand down on Mike's leg beside her and squeezes it to indicate she doesn't believe him. Mike lets it slide and says nothing. He drinks his juice and watches his son.

After breakfast he sends Rick to get his rifle out of the wagon in the parking lot. Mike enjoys his coffee with Trudy. "I think our antics have just made it harder for them, love."

She leans her shoulder against him, "But I love to play with you in the morning, darling. They'll just have to get used to that. Doesn't Marlene do it?"

Mike chuckles, "She does but we have a house between us and the kids." He pauses and then adds, "Although we do get noisy at times but nothing like you. You're really vocal when you get carried away."

She looks sad, "Don't you like that?"

Mike laughs. "I love it! I love everything about you! You know that."

She grins, "I'm glad because I love to have fun with you."

He slides one arm around her and hugs her close to his side. She reaches up and kisses his neck then under his chin. "Lets go back to bed."

"What!" She giggles at his expletive and tries to tickle him. Then she gets up and says she better get the dishes done. He helps her by stacking the dishes as she carries them in. Then he goes inside to the bedroom to get dressed. He opens a drawer and brings out a fireproof documents box. He unlocks it and takes out the 30-30 ammunition. He counts the rounds, as is his habit of double-checking such things.

Rick comes in with his rifle in its case. He lays it on the table and Mike sits down with him. "Okay son, what's the first thing you check?"

Rick unzips the case. "That it's empty and the barrel's not obstructed."

Mike watches as his son pulls the c*****g handle and is surprised when a casing pops out on the floor. He puts his hand on the rifle forcing it down on the table. "You didn't clean it after we last used it?"

"I did, I used the cleaning rod, Dad." He looks bewildered.

"You didn't know that empty casing was in there, did you?"

Rick looks at the floor and reaches, picking it up. "I guess I didn't."

"If I had asked you if it was empty you would have said yes, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's how accidents happen! I thought I made it clear. You open the mechanism and look to see it is clear before you put your weapon down. Do I have to double check on you from now on?"

"No Dad, I understand. I'll double check it in future."

"Okay, pick it up and do your check."

Rick looks around to see where everyone is and then checks in the mechanism for anything else that might be in there. He then inserts his thumb and turns the bore so he can peer through it and see his thumbnail. He announces, "It's dusty but clear." Carefully he lays it down again.

"Okay, I'm glad to see you are aware of where the muzzle is pointing at all times as you handle it. We'll put a drop of oil on one of those cleaning pads and use the cleaning rod to remove the dust and lubricate the bore. Do you remember how to do that?"

He watches as Rick prepares one of the pads from his gun case and then drops the cleaning rod down the barrel. "That's it, try to keep it centred so it doesn't rub against the sides of the barrel and cause any wear."

"I remember, Dad." He swishes it around as he pulls it out. Then he inserts his thumb again and checks it. "Clean and clear."

"Good, lets pack it up again and head out to the pit."

Carefully Rick puts it away and stows the cleaning supplies. Mike gives Trudy a kiss and says, "We'll be back by noon, love. See you then."

As they head out to the parking lot Mike explains they have twenty shells and he thinks they will work on accuracy today. "Do you remember most of the safety stuff we went over last time?"

"Yep, I remember."

Mike unlocks the car and notes his son has locked it all up before coming back with the rifle. They head out towards Agassis and soon are climbing Mt. Woodside. The morning sun is trying to burn off the dew as they pass the lookout and they see a mist shrouded valley and river below them. The low clouds of steam are brilliant white in places where the sun reflects brightly.