A Pair of Second Chances (Ben Jensen Series Book 1) (22 page)

"Wha... what do you mean walked in to?" Amanda's voice quavered as the realization of what she was being told started to dawn.

"Tell me Amanda, tell me true... what do you know, was going to happen, if those men found you, and took you back to that Tyrone fella." Ben demanded.

She looked at him, suddenly very scared. His eyes had a dark, smoking, raging aura that almost sparked as he looked at her.

"They would take me back to Tyrone, and he would do what he promised the last time they caught me." she said very quietly.

"What was that Amanda? What did Tyrone threaten to do? Say it!" Ben demanded in a tone that said they both already knew the answer.

"He didn't threaten me Ben. He promised. If I ran again, they'd catch me again, and he'd kill me."

"Yeah, well, he might still do that. But, it won't be because those men took you to him. Tyrone's gonna have to get himself some others to do that chore. Those fools won't be taking anyone anywhere."

The finality with which he spoke startled her. Even though, deep down, his demeanor and tone told her what had happened, she tried to deny it.

"Why not Ben? What did you do?"

He looked up at her and his eyes flashed again; "What did I do?" he laughed, but there was no amusement in his voice. The chill in his laughter cut clear to her core.

He looked down at the cup held in his calloused hands. "Those fools shot at me. They missed. I didn't." Ben suddenly looked up, his eyes jumping around the cabin, and asked; "Where's the boy? Where's Timmy?"

"He's in the bedroom, it's early, he's still sleeping Ben, he's ok." Amanda answered, once again startled by this strange, violent man. They sat here, talking over breakfast, about what she realized was the killing of four men, and his concern goes to the welfare of her son!

"They're... you killed all... you..." Amanda couldn't finish the question.

"They were going to take you to that scum, so he could make good on his 'promise', weren't they? You want to spend the rest of your life running and hiding girl? You want your son to have to hide? His whole damn life? Only way to deal with a rabid coyote, is, you hunt it. You find it. You kill it. Whatever it takes. End of problem. But no, not all of 'em. That big one, the one held Timmy by the tent the other morning... he got away... but he does have a hole in him. He's got something to remind him how close he came. But that one, got away."

Amanda's face went still and white. Her hands went to her face, covering her mouth.

"What did you think I was gonna do Amanda? Kiss 'em and ask 'em to play nice? What did you think I meant when I told you that Tyrone and his boys didn't have no idea what was about to land on 'em? How did you think this was gonna play out? We'd all sit down and talk it out like some God Damn reality show on the God Damn TV?"

The anger in his voice startled her. She jumped when he stood up suddenly and his chair scraped back on the floor, almost falling over. He looked across the table at her, sitting there in silent shock.

Slowly Ben leaned over and put his hands, fingers spread, flat on the table top.

"Look girl, you want out of that Bastard's world, you better get an understanding of his kind real damn fast. You better get a real solid understanding of what it's gonna take to get you loose, and, you best decide that you're up to dealing with what it's going to take to do that... Don't, and you and that boy in there" one hand jabbed at the closed bedroom door; "are gonna take a short ride, straight back to hell. I'll help. But not if you're gonna quit on me, halfway through this mess. You make your decision, you make it quick... and you let me know." his hand angrily slapped the table top, bouncing his plate and coffee cup.

He picked up his cup, stepped over to the stove and refilled it. Then, going to the door he opened it and whistled softly to A.H. When the dog ran outside, Ben stepped outside himself, and softly closed the door behind him.

The sun was up strong now, with the morning shadows from the pines behind the cabin running out deep into the meadow that held the camp. A half dozen Elk grazed along the tree line two hundred yards away.

Ben stood on the porch, leaning against a post sipping coffee and quietly watching the cows, with that year's calves still trailing along. A.H. lay beside him, head up, quietly watching the Elk as well. Along with the man he guarded.

Behind him the door opened as quietly as he'd closed it. He heard the soft footsteps come across the porch, but he didn't turn to look.

She stood beside him for some time before she spoke. "They're beautiful. I haven't seen those since I was a little girl" she said.

Ben drank down the last of his coffee, tossed the dregs out across the yard and silently turned to face her, his face a blank mask.

Looking into his eyes she told him; "I'm sorry. I know what I'm up against. I know what I asked you for, I realize that. I know it. I didn't mean to... I wasn't judging you. That's not what... you have to know... I may be a tramp and a whore, but, I'm not a... a... a warrior or a killer. Ben... I... I'm sorry if killing shocks me... If you think that makes me weak. I... it isn't something I'm comfortable with. The justification doesn't change anything. I can't just easily say; Oh yes, let's go grease 'em all! Can you understand that?"

Her words came out haltingly... confused... agonized. Her pain and emotion would be clear to a blind man.

Ben looked at her in a mixture of amazement and sadness. That a woman such as this should have her life taken from her, and be bound into this sort of hell, because some slimy scum with legs figured to make a profit off her...

The rage that seethed within him at that moment, she could see smoking in his eyes. Once again she shuddered, fearful that it was directed at her.

It was a lucky day for Tyrone that he wasn't standing there, available, right at that moment... or maybe he'd have been luckier if he had. If he had been there, right then, it would have been quick! Given time, Ben Jensen might devise ways to drag out Tyrone's eventual demise.

"Look God Damn it!" Ben seethed. "Just because some, scum sucking pig took your life from you, forced you into... into things you hadn't the power to fight... Doesn't change who you are. You never quit. You kept trying to find a way out. You kept hoping. A woman fighting to get out of the sewer she was thrown into, been drug into, is no tramp ... and no God Damn whore! and for God Damn sure, she's not weak! Don't you, EVER, let me hear that come out of your mouth again. Not ever!"

"The only son of a bitch in this whole deal is that miserable puke that calls himself Tyrone. That two legged filth that walks around pretending to be a man. I'll let you in on a little CertainTeed fact girl" Ben jabbed his finger at her; "Me an' Ol' Ty-Rone" he broke up the name, emphasizing the last half; "are 'bout to have us a severe difficulty; and I promise you girl, that piss ant Jamaican prick, ain't up to the task he's marked out for himself."

"But that don't matter now. What matters, here today, is what are you going to do about it? What are you prepared to deal with? How far are you gonna go, for yourself, and for that boy." Again, his hand jabbed toward the boy, asleep inside. He'd said what he had to say. Now, he waited for her answer.

Amanda, as she constantly seemed to be with this man, was startled by the unexpected. She'd never been shown respect, by anyone, except maybe Timmy, in her entire life. To be repeatedly shocked by the contradictions of this man kept her off balance. He owed her nothing and yet he risked everything. She'd watched him move from a raging, savage, violence to softly caressing her son's cheek. She didn't understand. She had nothing in her experience to judge him by. He was something entirely new to her... She decided, standing on that porch, watching the morning sunlight creep across the meadow, here stood the first true, Man, she had ever known.

"I won't quit on you Ben. I'm scared to death. But, you tell me what I have to do to protect my son, I'll do it. I can't tell you I'm not afraid, or that I'm OK... but... all that matters is that I get my son a decent life. I'll do whatever I have to, for that. No matter what. I promise."

"I believe you."

Without warning, without even thinking about it himself; almost before the thought even entered his brain, Ben stepped toward her and wrapped Amanda, the scared girl, up in his arms. Hugging her close he whispered in her ear; "There's no reason you should believe me. There's no reason on this earth that you should trust or have faith in me; but I promise you Amanda, somehow, some way, I'll get you and your boy out of this. On my life, I swear it to you."

Embarrassed, self-conscious, he released her and stepped back. Amanda's eyes were wide, blue and the look in them tore at his heart. She looked to him, at that moment like a small child, wanting to believe, to trust, but too scared to really commit.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why not?" he laughed.

"No! Don't you make fun of me! Why would you do this? I have to know. What's in it for you?" She spoke the words in a sharp, intense voice, yet still, almost a whisper. He could feel, he could smell the fear in her. He knew what she was thinking; "Am I just trading one monster, for another?"

"Because, Amanda... I need a reason." Ben answered her simply, as if it explained all. Yet for Amanda, it answered nothing.

"A reason? What the hell is that? What reason? Damn it Ben... answer the God Damn question. Quit talking in damn riddles all the time!" she snapped.

Something spooked the Elk on the edge of the meadow. They ran west and south across the open looking back toward the east as they ran. Ben took a couple steps down the porch as he watched them. He loved the smooth power they glided across the land with. God they were beautiful.

"Please, answer me!" Amanda pleaded.

Ben turned toward her. Calm and quiet. At least for the moment, that dark, smoking rage that shook her so deeply, was gone from his eyes. "Because Amanda, I need a reason to be alive" and he turned back to watch the Elk now reaching the far side of the meadow, disappear into the timber. She watched him smile.

One more time with unnerving ease, he'd knocked her off balance. She'd watched this man crush four of Tyrone's thugs and then almost in the same breath, turn and gently soothe her son's fear. He thought to get her a new phone. Now, he'd calmly described how he had intended to trap those same men in a deadly ambush, and then wrapped her up in the tenderest of hugs to soothe her own fear, and speak to her of seeking out life!

Her head was spinning so wildly she quickly sat down in one of the Adirondack chairs that lined the front wall of the Lodge so she wouldn't fall over.

One time after another, the man just stunned her. Where the hell had he come from? Sitting there on the porch in the morning light, she looked up at the, past his prime cowboy, now watching her with a concerned look on his unshaven face. One more time, she couldn't help it, Amanda started laughing... looking at the errant knight standing in front of her.

"Aw damn. Your not gonna start that laughing again?! Jeeeeessus!" Ben exclaimed and stomped off across the yard toward a small barn behind the cabins, to check out the place, and see what was around.

Not all the hunters Blythe had brought to this camp had stayed in it. He'd also operated a couple of camps deep in the wilderness, and used this location as the base from which he packed hunters into the wilderness camps in the fall, as well as summer fishing and photo trips.

The cabins, here at the Lodge, were for the less adventurous hunters that wanted to hunt in greater comfort and sit by the fireplace drinking beer and whiskey, in the main lodge after a long day on the mountain.

The others would stay here at the Lodge a night or two as Blythe made ready for their ride up into the mountains. Guides based here would cater to the Hunters whose hunting would be done from the comfort of the Lodge.

The barn had stored feed for the horses and pack mules they used for those hunting camps along with those kept here for the Hunters who boarded at the Lodge. It also served to store all the tack and camp gear Blythe had used for packing his hunters up into the mountains.

The Tack room and hay mow were empty this season. Except for a few pieces of worn out, rotted leather still littering the tack room floor, all the tack and camp gear had been hauled away to the auction after Blythe's death.

Wandering through the empty barn, Ben couldn't stop the melancholy thoughts about his own place.

Leaning on the rails of the attached corral, now standing empty of animals, he thought of his own corral at home, and the horses that stood in it. The feed he'd filled the bunks with would run out today, if it hadn't already. Ben realized he had to get back there and take care of those horses. It wasn't something that could wait. He'd drive back to the ranch this afternoon. With that thought in mind he headed back across the graveled yard toward the lodge.

Chapter
23

"I don't know Tyrone. The men at the warehouse say they left just after midnight. Just like Jamal told them to. Rashan and Kai. They haven't seen them or heard a sound from them since. They haven't called anyone. They haven't gone to their cribs and they ain't been seen by any of the whores they run with. The boat is gone from the Marina. The van is gone. It's like they just went pffft! In a puff of smoke!"

"I don't like it Sawon. Makes me nervous when people just go pffft! 'less they disappear 'cause I say so!" Tyrone said to the man giving him the latest report on the missing disposal crew.

"What you think mahn? This the Feds? They fuckin' with me mahn?" Tyrone asked.

Sawon looked at his boss and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know mahn. If they just busted them we'd have heard something by now. They'd have called you to bail them out. The van is yours mahn. The cops would have been here to bust you too by now. Where's the van? Where's the boat? It jus' don' make no sense to me Tyrone. It jus' don' make no sense. Something else goin' on here. Another outfit maybe? Somebody trying to move in on you? I don't know mahn. It just don't feel like cops."