Chapter 86

Monday morning started early. Michael, Mike, Roy, and I worked out after our run. We finished breakfast by seven-thirty. Roy left after he showered since Sam had relieved him.

Susan left for the office after breakfast. Lena said she was meeting Lisa at the office at nine. I told Audrey we would begin our day in the study about eight.

Michael and Mike had to meet the film crew in Truth or Consequences by noon. I told them it was only a two-and-a-half hour drive south. Michelle asked if she could stay for another day. Michael said he wanted to get a feel for the location before she arrived. Tamara answered immediately with a resounding yes.

I showered and met Audrey in the study. I explained that she needed to get a laptop and PDA. I told her to coordinate with Susan.

"The first thing you have to get up to speed on is my schedule and contact list. I will be relying on you to not let me forget any appointments."

I went over the different projects I had going.

"First there is Kegler Enterprises. Susan is my office manager and will oversee the office activities. She is the direct supervisor of the receptionists and any clerks we hire. You don't report to her but you do have to coordinate with her.

"Steve is the manager of Kegler Leasing. He reports to me. He will also be the liaison between the car dealerships and me.

"Lisa works for me under my CEO hat for Eagle Investments. Lena reports to her. I expect you to coordinate meetings with her.

"Eagle Investments has three separate projects that I need to stay on top of. The first is the construction of the golf course. I want weekly updates from James Jones. He may delegate that to Scott. The second project is the resort construction. Sean will probably be our contact.

"The third and most important is the land development. George Stiles is acting as the project manager. I want weekly progress meeting minutes. I expect I will get very involved with that project until the sale of the lots begins.

"There is also my investment in the movie Michael and Mike are shooting. Just keep that one in your task list to follow-up on once a month."

I noticed she had been jotting notes on the tablet. I decided to test her skills and asked her if she had any questions. She asked where she was going to get the contact information for the people I had mentioned.

I told her that as soon as we got her laptop and PDA we would sync them to mine. She would then have every number and address I had.

"I expect you to then keep mine updated. Who is the contact for the resort project?"

"That is Sean," she said after looking at her notes. "Are there any other job-related issues?"

"I think that is enough for now."

"Good, because I want to thank you for the excellent fucking you gave me last night. I can't help but think you had thoughts of Tracy while you were doing me. I'm not complaining and if that is what I get after she is here, then I'll invite her over daily."

"You are just like your mother."

"She's the one that told me what to expect. She told me about you dragging her into the bathroom and fucking her after Tracy had teased you."

"I swear there is nothing sacred between you women."

"That's because we love you. And John... I really do love you."

I pulled her on to my lap and held her. She felt so nice. She is the largest of the women in the circle. She is the same height as Susan but has more body mass.

"I forgot to mention Shield Security. Dan Smithers and I will coordinate most of the activities ourselves. We'll be hiring an administrative assistant and you will coordinate with her... or him. How do you feel about guns?"

"I shot a rifle when I was younger. Why?"

"I want you to get trained using a handgun. With you being my personal assistant and trouble always finding me, I want you to be able to protect yourself. I also want you to learn martial arts. You have excellent coordination and I think you'll be a fast learner."

"Why are you treating me so special?"

"Special? I'm treating you as my personal assistant. I don't want a prima dona. You lit into me when you first thought I was abusing your sister. You have spunk and I want to exploit those qualities. Why don't you go change into jeans."

When she left, I called Dan. He was at the police station. I told him I wanted to teach Audrey to shoot and needed to get her a pistol. I asked him how long it would take to get her a concealed handgun license. He reminded me that she needed to be twenty-one before she could be issued a license. He said he would do what he could to speed up the process.

I grabbed my Glock and headed to the kitchen. Tamara and Michelle were visiting. I kissed Tamara good-bye and walked out to the driveway with Audrey. I asked Audrey if we could take her car. "I'm feeling like letting the wind blow through my hair?"

Henry greeted us when we walked in the door of the shooting range. He handed me a bag. He said Dan called ahead and told him what to put in the bag. He asked if I was carrying the Glock and I said yes. He said there were clips in the bag for it as well.

There wasn't anyone in the shooting area. I walked to the end where I liked to shoot. I emptied the bag on the counter behind the benches. The pistol was a Kahr P40. You are probably wondering how I had such knowledge but I cheated since there was a card in the bag with the specifications on it. It was a.40 caliber like mine but made for a woman. It was small. It weighed 16.8 ounces dry. It was only a little over six inches long and the clip held six rounds.

I locked the slide open and handed it to Audrey. She didn't hesitate taking it and holding it out. When she started to point it at me I reached out and pushed it away.

"Never ever point a weapon at someone unless you are going to shoot him or her. Always treat a weapon as if it were loaded. My weapons are always loaded."

I instructed her how to hold it in a two-handed combat stance. I had her release the slide. With her pointing the pistol downrange, I had her dry fire the pistol. We repeated this several times and when I felt she was ready for live fire, I took the pistol from her. I hung a target and sent it out about ten feet.

I walked over and picked up a couple of clips and went to the ready position. I felt I needed to fire the pistol before Audrey. I handed her the sound attenuators and had her put them over her ears. I put mine on and hefted the pistol. It was very light and even when I put the clip in it didn't weigh much more. I chambered a round and tried a two handed grip. It wasn't working, as it was almost too small for my big hands. I tried a one handed grip and leveled the pistol at the target. I fired a round and hit a little high as the pistol jumped a little. I adjusted the firmness of my grip and fired a second round. That one was better. I then emptied the clip and the spread was not one of my best.

I set the pistol down and took off the ear mufflers. Audrey removed hers and said, "That is good shooting."

"Not really but since I had never fired that type of pistol before it was okay. Put you ear pieces back on." We both did and I took out my Glock. I set up with a two handed stance and emptied the clip in the target. Every round was center mass and inside the pattern from the Kahr.

"That was great shooting!" she said.

"Thank you. I want you to get that good."

I brought the target back up and replaced it. I told Audrey to step up to the ready mark and prepare to shoot. When everything was right, I had her slip a fresh clip in. I told her to lock and load. She looked at me and I pointed to the slide release and she pushed it. She flinched a bit as it startled her. I positioned her in the two-handed combat stance and tapped her on the shoulder. She fired the first round; it hit the target. Not in the black but in the target. I tapped her shoulder again and she fired once more. This time she hit the black. I yelled for her to empty the clip and she fired the last four rounds. All of those shots were in the black.

She laid the pistol on the bench and turned to me. "That was awesome. I can't believe I hit the black part."

"I can. I figured you had good hand-to-eye coordination. I see you improving with practice. How did the pistol feel?"

"It felt good. I would like to try yours if you don't mind?"

"By all means." I walked back to the table and brought up more clips for both pistols. I released the clip from my Glock and then handed it to her. I handed her a clip and she slipped it in. She put on her ear mufflers and then faced the target. She released the slide and took up her firing stance. She fired one round and then continued. Her pattern was better with the Kahr. She laid the Glock down and turned around.