Chapter 11

Day Eleven - Thursday

I woke up at seven-thirty starved again but this time I just had oatmeal and coffee after a quick shower that I finished this time. I had some more coffee out on the patio and saw the kids leave for school. Kathy came out of the house and came over in her bathrobe. I got her a cup of coffee.

"Steve, I can't stand this," Kathy said "I've put you in so much danger that I can't believe you even allow me to come here and talk to you.

She said in a shaky voice, "I can't stay here. I've talked to my mom and dad and they are going to help me move back up north. I have to get away from here, away from all the memories of Jake. The kids miss their grandma and grandpa too."

"I'm sorry to hear you're leaving. I know you haven't felt comfortable around me lately with all this bad stuff going on. I'm just thankful you and the kids have not been hurt. We've all been lucky," I said really feeling the emotion.

"Another thing," Kathy continued, "I saw how you just reacted and kicked that guy, killing him. It was automatic, almost a natural reaction. Jake was like that. Are all you ex G.I.'s that way? Do you all kill so easily?"

"Kathy, I didn't mean to kill him, I was trying to save the deputy. If I had not done something, Henry would have shot one or all of us. I couldn't reach him in time but I could kick him in time, so that's what I did. You know I didn't want to kill him or I would have done it in the trailer."

"It's still scary and I don't want my kids to ever see something like that again. Anyway, we're going to be leaving this weekend. Before that though I want you to come look at something with me okay?"

"Sure, anything. When do you want to do it."

Kathy smiled, "With you I really want to do it all the time but for the other, let's do it this morning. I'll go get dressed and you can drive."

She got up and headed back to her trailer. I went in and put on some clean jeans and T-shirt. My boots were a little cramped. I was going to have to look for another pair of boots soon as I was wearing these everyday.

I locked up and waited till Kathy came back. We got in the truck and headed out with me asking directions. She told me to go to the storage place. It was the same place I had all my stuff. We went to one of the smaller garages where she said to stop.

Kathy unlocked the padlock and raised the door. Inside was a fairly new Harley evolution FLH with the fairing, all the bags and the rear trunk. Kathy went over to it and petted it, disturbing some dust that had accumulated on the paint. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, "See if it will start," and handed me the keys.

I turned on the gas, cranked the throttle a couple of times, checked to make sure it was in neutral then turned on the key. The dash lit up. I hit the button and it started instantly. I looked at Kathy and she was bawling. I shut the bike off and held her till she quit shaking.

"This is the first time I've looked at it since he left. This is hard but I want you to have it. This way you'll always have a part of me and Jake. You didn't know Jake, but you're like him in so many ways. I could love you like I do Jake but I'm scared of you and after seeing it up close, I'd rather love you the way I want to remember you."

Kathy straightened herself and said, "You have to have it out of here by tomorrow. If you have time, clean it up, change the oil and give me a ride tonight or tomorrow night. Let's go back to the house so I can get you the title so you can put some current tags on it. I'm serious though I want a ride."

I couldn't let her just give me the bike so I figured Dell would know what it was worth. Kathy gave me the papers so I sent her home with my truck and I went to the bike shop to have Dell come outside and appraise the bike. He looked at it hard thinking he was going to buy it and finally said, It's worth right at eleven-five. I asked him to write it on a service ticket so I would remember the number. He fell for it and wrote it up complete with the serial number, the miles and the correct model.

I went to the DMV and showed them the estimate and paid the sales tax on the bike and got some new tags. This time I called the number on the card the adjuster gave me. A lady answered and I explained why I had called her and a little of what I wanted. She said she had personal and commercial lines so she felt she could do everything I needed. I went to her office and purchased motorcycle insurance that included passenger injury money and all that.