Hunter's Choice (7 page)

Hunter

The Sheriff was asking me questions but my eyes were on
Jessamine. She was ghostly pale in the deepening twilight. Medics and Sheriff Deputies
were moving into the barn. I heard several muffled curses and maybe some
gagging. I didn’t care.

The Deputy that had been in the barn a short time back
stopped in front of me.

“Tell me what happened?” he asked, mouth set in grave lines
below his moustache.

“I was walking along the highway. I saw the sign for the owl
haven and thought I would come down. I do odd jobs, work for room and board for
a time, then move on. Thought there might be some work to be had. I was most of
the way down the driveway there when I heard screaming from just in there.”

“What did you do?” he asked, pen moving across his notebook
page.

“I ran, went in, the skinny one, he had her bent over the
table by the stairs, pinning her down. The other one was…” I coughed, throat
closing with the bitter rise of anger.

“They were fixing to rape her. So
I did what any decent man would do. I beat the shit out of them.” I shrugged. The
medics were leading Jessamine to a gurney, she sat on the edge and nodded to
something that someone said. John clapped me on the shoulder and I made a great
show of flinching, hissing out in pain. It hurt, just not
that
bad.

“One of them get you?” the Deputy
asked.

“Across the back, pipe or
something.” I answered.

“Where are you from?” John asked
quizzically.

“Wales originally, all over
mostly.” I answered.

“Wales, isn’t that part of
England?” John asked, the Deputy nodded and continued taking copious notes.

“Yes.” I answered simply.

“Long way from home aren’t you
buddy?” John asked, but he was no longer quite as hostile, at least for the
time being. I looked him in the eye when I said:

“It’s a good thing for her isn’t
it?” he scowled at that.

“Yes, yes it was.” The Deputy
murmured. We turned as one, the paramedics were wheeling Jessamine past us; her
small, pale hand shot out and gripped mine.

“Hey there.” I murmured. Her
storm clouded eyes were beseeching, she pulled me towards her.

“Do you need me fellas?” I asked,
but my eyes stayed on hers.

“You going to the hospital?”
John’s expression was dark, likely with envy.

Jessamine was nodding
emphatically. I smiled.

“I think the lady would like me
to accompany her.” I twined my fingers with hers and she sank back gratefully
into the gurney. I looked to the medic who nodded.

“You should probably have your
back checked out. I have more questions, I’ll meet you at the hospital.” The
Sheriff’s man said to my retreating back.

“I’ll have your answers there.” I
called back.

Jess was staring at me as the
medic moved about her in the back of the ambulance. He shone a light in her
eyes and took her vital signs. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I wasn’t a
huge fan of closed spaces. Hard to be when you were used to the open skies and
the wind in your feathers.

I wanted to go back and finish
the two drug addled idiots. Her creamy skin was marred by blood and tears and
the angry red and deepening purples of a ripening bruise. Her hand still shook
within my own and I wished I knew what it was I could do to erase the fear
shining behind her eyes.

For now I simply stayed with her.

I never liked human hospitals.
The smell of sickness and death was barely covered by the stench of the
industrial antiseptics they used. I felt vaguely nauseated but now was not the
time for weakness.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask
you to wait here.” A nurse was saying. I looked to Jessamine.

“Is that all right with you?” I
asked her. She gave a cautious if weary nod and I waited for her to let go of
my hand. She did, finally, and I stepped out of the curtained area.

“You can take a seat in the
waiting room, it’s just down the hall on the right.” a friendly nurse said from
behind the central desk. I smiled very politely in her direction.

“I’ll wait right here, thanks.” I
gave her my best smile, which of course she returned. I never did have any
trouble with the women of this species…

Jessamine

The nurse pulled the curtain shut but Hunter’s boots
remained steadfastly rooted to the linoleum just on the other side. I closed my
eyes and rested my head against the pillow. I hurt from the roots of my abused
hair, to my battered face to the myriad of pulled and strained muscles in
various parts of my body from my struggle with the two men.

“Okay sweet heart, do you feel up to changing into this gown
without help?” the nurse asked.

I nodded carefully and sat up reaching for the gown. She put
it into my hands and ducked out to the other side of the curtain. I was alone.
I fought down the well of fresh tears and changed quickly, leaving my scrubs in
a pile on the folding chair by the bed. The only thing I kept was my notepad
and pen.

I got back on the bed with some tribulation. My body
protesting loudly. I pulled the thin sheet over me and hugged my knees. The
nurse came back and smiled.

“We’re going to have to put your bloody clothes into bags
for the police.” She said gently and I nodded. She set about putting everything
into brown paper sacks. I sniffed, tears sliding down my face and wondered what
was going to happen to me.

“Can I come in?” A softly accented and very masculine voice.
I nodded to the nurse and she gave him permission.

I worried my abused lower lip between my teeth. Hunter sat
down on the chair and rested a hand next to me on the bed. A silent invitation
of support if I needed it. I tried to smile at him but it turned into a grimace
when the split in my lip pulled and began to bleed afresh.

“The doctor will be in very shortly.” The nurse soothed.

“The doctor will be in now.” A tall, younger man, late
twenties perhaps, with sandy blonde hair just beginning to recede stepped
through the curtain. He pushed his glasses higher on his nose and looked at
Hunter imperiously.

Hunter smiled and put up his hands.

I waved mine in front of my self and then in front of
Hunter, desperate for the doctor to understand that he hadn’t done this to me.
The doctor frowned at us both.

“What happened here Ms. Connors?” he asked, taking a seat on
the little rolling stool and wheeling it closer to the bed side.

I opened my notepad and began to write…

Hunter didn’t do this, I came home and was attacked by
two men. Hunter showed up just in time and saved me.

I showed the doctor the note.

“I see, and you would be Hunter?” the doctor turned to him.

“Yes sir.” Hunter fidgeted in his seat.

“Can you tell me what happened?” he asked.

Hunter recounted his side of the story, omitting the parts
about being an owl. He explained to the doctor that the two men that had
attacked me had appeared to be on some kind of drug.

“I see,” the doctor said finally, “Can you explain to me why
one of the men has what appears to be claw marks to his scalp? Did you use a
knife?” he asked Hunter frowning. I snapped my fingers and wrote quickly.

I was attacked in my barn, I run an owl sanctuary, one of
the enclosures was knocked open and one of my owls got out and attacked the
man.

“Ah, that explains it.” The doctor nodded sagely and clicked
the back of his pen.

“Sadie,” he addressed the nurse, “I want x-rays of Ms.
Connor’s face, and a CT scan to rule out broken bones and any possible
concussion or hematomas that may exist. Clean her wounds and…” he snapped on
gloves and gently prodded the cut near my hairline, over my eye.

“Yes, no stitches but butterfly this one.” He stripped off
the gloves and disposed of them.

“Why aren’t you talking Ms. Connors?” he asked me gently.

Psychogenic stutter since I was seven. Severe, this is
just faster and easier.

“I see, and what was the root cause of that?” he asked
gently. I swallowed hard and shook my head.

“Jessamine! Jess!” the shout came from out from the main
hall, I’d recognize Charlie’s voice anywhere. I went limp with relief and dug
my little tin whistle necklace out from inside the neckline of my hospital
gown. I blew a short sharp note and the curtain jerked back.

“My God, what have they done to you?” Charlie asked and
strode up I reached out and took his hand, fresh tears starting to fall. He
hugged me and I breathed in his familiar smell of Old Spice and Sage.

“What happened?” he asked, looking from the nurse to Hunter
to the Doctor.

“Right, when she’s ready.” The doctor said to the nurse and
strode out.

“Somebody tell me what happened right now damn it!” Charlie
was mad. I cringed inwardly.

“Not mad at you Jess, I wanna know who did this, I swear,
I’m going to make ‘em wish they were never born.” He rubbed my back gently.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve already accomplished that.” Hunter
smoothly broke in.

“Who are you?” Charlie’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Hunter Grayson at your service.” Hunter nodded.

I pulled on Charlie’s sleeve and showed him my first note to
the doctor.

Hunter didn’t do this, I came
home and was attacked by two men. Hunter showed up just in time and saved me.

“Did he now?” Charlie eyed Hunter
suspiciously before sticking out his hand. Hunter grasped it firmly and they
shook. I could see the wheels turning in Charlie’s head. It wasn’t lost on him
that we had just lost an owl named Hunter and now there was a man with the same
name in front of him, a man who had conveniently been in the right place at the
right time. Charlie wasn’t stupid. The nurse cleared her throat and the three
of us turned.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to
take Jessamine for some tests and help get her cleaned up.” She smiled
serenely. The two men backed away from my bedside and let her take me to parts
unknown. I felt much better now that Charlie was here.

I just wanted to go home and
check on my owls. My owls! I waved frantically at the nurse and blew three
sharp blasts on my little whistle Charlie stepped around the corner into the
hall, took one look at my face and said,

“Relax Jessa-my-girl. I’ve got
Aaron heading out there to deal with things. Everything is gonna be fine.” He
reassured. I slumped back into the bed and nodded to the nurse. She resumed
pushing me up the hallway.

She gave me some medicine for
pain after the x-rays and scans and admittedly the pills made me both tired and
woozy. I could tell I was going to be here a while so I tried to cooperate as
much as possible to get out of there sooner.

Charlie and Hunter stayed nearby.
I didn’t know what to make of the man. The three of us spent several hours
sitting and waiting for news. The police came and went, I wrote a statement for
them. Hunter gave his out in the hall way. No one spoke after they left.

Charlie used the restroom several
times and I remembered that he was ill. I tried in vain to get him to go home
several times but the stubborn, bull headed and wonderful old man would have
nothing of it. By the fourth hour I chewed my thumbnail and tried valiantly not
to be impatient, finally in the fifth hour the doctor came back.

“Well, that’s much better.” He
said in an attempt at levity. I’d been cleaned up but my face was both swollen
and a kaleidoscope of bruising. My eyes were both ringed in deep purple though
luckily my nose hadn’t been broken. There was a cut across the bridge and it
had bled from the inside, but no permanent damage done.

“We’re going to send you home
Jessamine, but someone needs to stay with you tonight and into tomorrow. Give
yourself a week off of work and I’m going to recommend that you seek
professional help in dealing with what happened to you.” I nodded wearily.

“Here is a prescription for some
stronger grade ibuprofen and for a couple of Vicodin to get you through the
next couple of days. Take it slow.” He handed Charlie a couple of slips of
paper. I signed the discharge paperwork and a nurse brought me some hospital
scrubs to wear home.

I changed while Hunter and
Charlie waited outside and padded out into the hall in those hospital socks
with the silicone grip. A nurse wheeled up with a chair and I frowned at it.

“Hospital policy.” She said with
a sympathetic look. I sat down and Charlie went out to get his truck. Hunter
stayed with me.

“Need a lift
Hunter
?” Charlie
asked from the driver’s seat as Hunter helped me into the cab of the truck.

“I would appreciate that sir. My
pack of belongings is back at Jessamine’s place.” He said quietly. He climbed
up beside me, sandwiching me between the two men.

I closed my eyes and hung my
head. I was just so tired. The hum of the highway beneath the old Ford’s wheels
was hypnotizing in my drugged state. I don’t think it was long before I fell
asleep, warm and safe between Charlie and Hunter.  

Hunter

The old Indian was suspicious, smart too. Jessamine slumped
between us, fast asleep. She’d left her hand loose in mine and Charlie kept
stealing glances at our entwined fingers then at me.

“Right place at the right time eh?” he asked.

“That’s right.” I drew in a slow breath, in through my nose
and out through my mouth.

“Mmm.” He grunted.

There was a long silence between us. Finally with another
stolen glance at my hand covering hers he cleared his throat.

“If you’ve something to say elder man, say it.” I ground
out.

“Jess is a good girl,” he started, “I don’t want to see
anything happen to her. Now I’m not sure who or what you are but I know you
ain’t right…” I cut him off.

“I am what I am and what that is, well it is none of your
concern. The fewer people that know, the better. As for Jessamine, I was coming
to meet her, properly. I wish to know her. If she wanted to get to know me
back, well then good, if not, then I would take my leave. Never did I think I
would happen upon what I did today.” I swallowed hard the bitterness of my
anger. More silence stretched between us.

“I saw what you did to those boys.” Charlie said.

“And?” I asked.

“And good job, I’m impressed… Still, a feller like me has to
worry, if you’re capable of doing what you did to them, what would you do to
anyone else that pissed you off? What would you do if you didn’t like what Jess
here has to say or if she did somethin’ you didn’t like?” He turned in the
darkened cab to look at me. I stayed quiet, letting him have his say.

“Jess is all the family I’ve ever had.” He went on, “Seein’
her like this, well I’m grateful for what’cha done.” The words left unsaid hung
thick between us in the cab of his old truck.

“But?” I said.

“But you ever think of layin’ a hand on her like you did
those boys, I’ll kill you.” I smiled, a short laugh escaped my lips. Not so
much at his threat, though I suspect he would find me difficult to kill, but
more so that he clearly didn’t know me at all. While it is true that in my long
life I have committed more than my fair share of transgressions, never and I
mean
never
was one of them laying a violent hand upon a woman.

I stared out the window into the dark and turned back to him.

“I’d never touch a woman that way elder man.” He read the
sincerity on my face and gave a slow nod.

“Glad we understand each other,” he said slowly, adding
“Jess is a grown woman. I’ll leave it up to her. She ever tells you to get
outta her life, you better do it. We clear?” he looked at me and I inclined my
head.

“We are clear.” I echoed.

“I did mean what I said. Whoever you are, whatever you are…
I’m grateful you were there today.” He turned onto Jessamine’s road.

“Me too elder man. Me too.” He crept down the pitted gravel
drive, easing his way through the wash outs and pot holes. I would fill them in
the coming days. I had formulated a list of several things that needed to be
done around here on my long hike. Charlie pulled up to the front of the house.
The youth of the day before came out and hurried to the passenger door of the
truck. He opened it and took a startled step back.

“Who’re you?” he asked, curiosity evident in his hazel eyes.

“Hunter.” I answered simply and reached into the cab behind
me, lifting Jessamine out carefully. I balanced her weight in my arms with
little difficulty but I could not do it forever. I strode past the boy into the
house.

“Her bedroom is on the second floor.” Charlie called after
me, his truck door clanging shut. I took the stairs two at a time and entered
her bedroom. It was large, easily taking up half the second floor. I strode to
her bed and laid her gently in it, folding the triangle of covers up over her
sleeping form. I smoothed some stray hair out of her eyes and turned to go.

“Hun-nn-nter?” she murmured sleepily.

“Yes?” I looked her over, her troubled gaze swept over me
from head to toe.

“L-l-eavin-ng?” she asked.

“Not if you don’t want me to.” I knelt beside her bed so
that we could be eye to eye.

She looked like she wanted to say more, but the pain
medicine was dragging at her consciousness. I sighed.

“I’ll be here when you wake. Is that all right?” I sked
gently. She nodded, I smiled and her eyes drifted shut. I returned to the first
floor. Charlie and Aaron were in the kitchen.

“Dude, what
happened
?” Aaron asked.

“Home invasion robbery.” Charlie grunted. Aaron looked
around, the house, thankfully, was intact.

“She came home and went to take care of the birds. They were
in the barn and attacked her. She put up a fight but it was two against one.” I
explained. Aaron looked stricken.

“Well then who are you?” he asked.

“Hunter Grayson, I’m a nomad, saw the sign out by the
highway and came down to see of the proprietor had any work in exchange for
room and board. Right place at the right time.” The boy looked me over and
spied my battered knuckles. He nodded.

“Thanks. Jess is really great if you get to know her. I hope
you get to stay around long enough to find out.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Aaron.
I volunteer with the owls.”

I shook the boy’s hand and smiled.

“Birds been fed?” Charlie asked.

“Yeah, all taken care of. Explains the barn, it was kind of
a mess when I got in there. I washed down the floor, fed everybody. We need a
new broom. Got here just as the Sheriff’s department was wrapping up. The
Department of Fish and Wildlife guy, John, helped me out getting everybody
calmed down and fed. Nobody would say what exactly happened though. I figured
I’d better stay here until somebody came home.” He shrugged.

“You did good kid.” Charlie patted the boy on the shoulder.
I smiled.

“Agreed.” I added.

“You go on and get home before your mom worries, you got
school in the morning. Come by after tomorrow if you want. Jess is gonna need
all the help she can get around here for the next few days.” Charlie sat down
at the counter. He was looking a little peaked by now and I nodded.

“Okay. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Aaron bumped fists with
Charlie and shook my hand again. I smiled. I could see Jessamine’s will all
over the boy. He turned to me,

“You know we had an owl named Hunter, escaped just this
morning…” Aaron looked at me.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Jess named him.

“A premonition of my arrival perhaps?” I smiled.

“Maybe…” he said, but looked skeptical.

“Night Aaron.” Charlie said, giving the boy a pointed look.

“Night Charlie.” He went out the side door and a short time
later his small pickup left the drive.

“You should rest.” I said.

“Yeah. You too. Things start early around here.” He got to
his feet.

“I’ll take the couch.” I said.

“Linens are in that closet over there.” He indicated with a
wave of his hand.

“Thank you.” I said.

“Boy’s right, it’s an awfully big coincidence…” he raked me
with his gaze.

“Coincedences happen all the time. Do they not? It is why we
have a word for them.” I met his gaze with my own. He searched my face for a
time.

“I stand by what I said in the truck.” He said.

“As do I.” I said.

“Jess know what you are?” he asked.

“Yes, for the most part.” I answered honestly.

“Okay. Night Hunter.” He disappeared into the guest room
looking thoughtful.

I ducked out into the yard and brought in my pack. I stopped
and looked up to the moon before retreating inside completely. The old Indian
and the boy may or may not be a problem that remained, as yet, to be seen. I
sighed. This was not how I planned it, but I had never been so grateful to be
in exactly the right place at exactly the right time as I was now.

Knowing her personally, I knew exactly how fickle fate could
be. I smiled up at the moon and silently sent praise to my great grandmother D
ôn, who in her way was mother to us all.

“Thank you.” I breathed into the night, before
slipping back inside. It wasn’t perfect, in fact it was quite messy, but I was
here and Jess was safe. I would do what I could to allay Charlie and Aaron’s
fears about me by doing well by Jess. It was the best I could do given the
circumstances, and hopefully that would be enough…

I made up the couch with linens from the
cupboard Charlie had pointed out and sat down. I took off my boots and
stretched out, staring at the ceiling. Sleep, would elude me for now.