Chapter 47

Oh, oh, oh my, that feels good. A small light-brown woman was sitting on me, rising and lowering with her eyes squeezed shut. Maria opened her eyes when I pushed back, and grinned. “You didn’t stay awake for me last night, Gringo, so I get that first batch of the day. I know I probably already have our son in me, but I want to make sure. Nancy says you enjoy being woken up like this. She says that’s how she has her son in her.”

“I hope Nancy gets her son, but she’ll have to take what Mother Nature gives her.”

The darker-skinned Nancy moved over the top of Lisa to kiss me, and said, “My sonogram showed something dangling between my baby’s legs, and it wasn’t the umbilical cord. I have a boy in there and he’s going to be all boy, just like his daddy.”

I was getting close, so I pulled Maria down to me and rolled us over without rolling out of bed. A solid minute of thumping the beautiful brown lady had us both gasping and me filling her with the juices that would make her pregnant if she already wasn’t.

Maria is small, so I didn’t want to collapse on her and rolled to the side with me on the edge of the bed. We kissed and petted each other while still connected. Maria whispered, “I do love you, Chuck. I tried to resist you in the beginning and again when I left to try out Tom and Zena, but I couldn’t stand not being with you and the girls. Brandy taught me to enjoy girls and to love all your women. I knew you weren’t prejudiced when you took Tiani and Nancy, and would like a brown-skinned woman like me. I’ve been very happy with you and the girls ever since. I love you, Chuck.”

Tina climbed on top of me and said, “It’s time to let me look at your leg and arm, Dude, then I’m going to go to the clinic and help the boss doctor today. I need to act like a doc if I’m going to be one.”

Tina removed the bandages when we were in the bathroom for the extra light, looked at the entrance and exit holes, and proclaimed me a fast healer. She said I should have an x-ray to make sure nothing was going on inside. She inspected my upper arm at my shoulder, and said, “You’re good to go. Don’t go swimming yet, but you should be able to do any exercises you want to do.”

The two of us took a shower that included me massaging her scalp while connected to her. Tina said, “I love to get a hair wash and pussy pleasure at the same time. I think I should bring the doc home with me so she can experience what all we girls have experienced. You’d wash her hair, wouldn’t you?”

I laughed, but only a little, as we were down to the short strokes that had me filling Tina. We were kissing and hugging when she said, “You’re going to give me that stuff for real very soon. God, I love you, Chuck, and want to be a mother with the other girls.”

I put on my regular leg instead of using my peg, then slacks, a knit shirt, my shoulder rig, and my sport coat. I figured I should make an appearance at my office, although the place operated very well without my presence.

Wanda poured me a cup of coffee when I made it to the kitchen, and she asked, “Are you dressed for the work day or just dressed nice to impress?”

“I’ll go in this morning to see what needs to be resolved. I need to write a couple of reports. I also need to do something with Sharon this morning – find her a ride, get her a commercial seat, or make a decision as to what she should do.”

Lisa had come in and was sipping some coffee. She said, “I like Sharon. Let me be with her for a while today. I’ll convince her to stay at least for today, but she may be one I want around. She might be my replacement. Let me try okay? I’ll know by tonight.”

Sharon came in dressed in a skirt and conservative blouse. I kept envisioning her in the filmy gown she had on last night, and the rather delicious body underneath. I asked her, “Lisa would like to visit with you today, and will bring you into my office at the local station later. Are you good for staying another night?”

The attractive lady said, “I might want to stay a while if I get as much attention tonight as I did last night. Your ladies really do enjoy someone like me. I’ll stay and visit today, but I’ll have to call to see if it’s all right to stay here another night.”

I told her, “For some reason, I think Sam wants you to enjoy staying with us for a while. You may be an answer to our problem.”

“What kind of problem could you possibly have?” Sharon looked a little confused.

Lisa said, “The problem of me not being able to back him up. You saw how he doesn’t give a shit what someone is doing. The man goes after the objective so single-mindedly that he doesn’t see anything else. He needs a keeper. You could be that person.”

Sharon sighed, “So that was what Sam was trying to tell me.”

I told the two of them and the others who were holding babies to put car seats in the carts, “Let’s roll, Ladies. Breakfast is waiting.”

This was Friday, so there would only be breakfast sandwiches, but everyone would be there because it was the last day of the week, and it was Steve’s and his family’s homecoming.

Almost every person came to greet us as soon as we walked into the patio. Nothing could help you if you didn’t feel welcome after that. Tiny was trying to interest me in one of his imitation Dewey libations, but I told him that I was going to work this morning. We shook hands, and man hugged me with backslaps. We were genuinely happy to see each other. Henry, Steve’s brother, was equally happy to see me, and looked around at the floor where a dozen little ones were running around. They were my ten, Mickey’s Sue Ellen, and a dark-skinned girl toddler about the same age. She came to me and put her hands up to be picked up. I did and she hugged me while jabbering about something that only she knew what she was saying.

A dark girl in her twenties came up to me and said, “Izzy must like you. She doesn’t usually want men to hold her.” The woman wanted to take her, but the little girl wouldn’t let go of my neck. The woman was becoming angry and I said, “It’s fine. I love kids and have a bunch of my own. I’m sorry, but I don’t know you. I’m Chuck Johnson and a lot of these women and kids are with me.”

The lady now acted embarrassed and said, “These people hired me to be one of the kids’ teachers when they came back from their vacation. I’m Cassandra Nightowl, and this is my daughter, Izzy or Isabella.”

The little girl was continuing to talk to me and would kiss my cheek every once in a while and giggle. She finally wanted to be put down, but hugged my good leg instead of running off. The woman in front of me told me, “You can call me Cassie, most do. I’m half Native American and half-black as you can tell. Izzy is from a Native American father who is now deceased. She usually doesn’t like men, so you should feel privileged.”

“I do, Cassie. She can stay with me as long as she wants. I’m going to sit with my family and have something to eat.”

I scooped the little girl up and took her to sit at a table with a lot of my family. Sal Feeny was sitting with his little kids and my little Julie came to sit next to me when I sat down with Izzy. Julie looked at the girl and me and asked very plainly, “Daughter?”

Whoa, where did she learn that? Missy was at the same table and was grinning as she said, “See what these little ones are capable of learning?”

I pulled Julie onto my lap and said, “No, not my daughter, but a new friend. Do you know what a friend is?”

Julie leaned over, hugged Izzy, and screwed up her mouth before asking, “Name?”

I said, “Izzy” and little Izzy began chattering to Julie. The two were down on the floor running in seconds. I saw them with a cluster of their brothers and sisters a few minutes later.

Cassie came over to me and said, “This place is amazing. It was very friendly before you all came home, but it’s now filled with something. I can feel it, but I can’t name it.”

Glenda smiled and said, “It’s love, Cassie. All these people love each other, and they are now home again for a while. Just relax with them and enjoy the love they share.”

I needed to get to the office, but I took time to hug Glenda and tell her that she was who I came back to see. She grinned, but swatted at me. You have to love her and her husband, Martin.

I had Lisa take Sharon and me back to the house so I could get my car after kissing everyone. Lisa was driving and Sharon was riding in the front passenger seat on the way. Lisa asked Sharon, “Stay here and visit today. It’s Friday, so you don’t have to go back until Sunday anyway. We can have a good time until then. Workaholic back there feels he should go to work, but I’m not going near the workplace right away. Stay with me, okay?”

“My pleasure, Lisa. I’m already feeling good about this place. That patio place we were just at is something. It’s outdoors, but there is air conditioning and fans blowing the air around. What were they talking about when they were talking about a tent?”

Lisa said, “They erect a huge tent and have a caterer for food when they have a gathering of people from the two big companies. It’s a big party that everyone enjoys. You’ll love it. Maybe Chuck will play some of his special music for us tonight. He wrote some neat stuff while we were on vacation.”

“My goodness,” Sharon said, “Chuck writes music too? He flies, he’s a black ops guy for the Secret Service and Marshal Service, you say he creates music, and is a father to what, ten or twelve kids? What else does he do?”

Lisa laughed and told Sharon, “I’ll try to clue you in today. You’re gonna shit when you find out everything.”

I was glad to go to the garage and get my car. I had to go back into the house to get my keys off the big board that someone had printed labels out for each set of keys. Mine was under ‘CJ Lincoln’.

Traffic was normal for a Friday morning, and that meant stop and go all the way in. Hank came out and shook my hand when I parked in the garage. “I’ve missed you, my friend. We’ll do the maintenance on your fancy beast today so you’ll be up to date. Your Chevy is upstairs washed and serviced, ready for you to use if you need it.”

That’s when I realized that I hadn’t put my equipment case in the Lincoln. Shouldn’t be a problem, as I shouldn’t need it.

The men at the Federal offices entrance were new, and I showed them my badge and opened my coat to show my sidearm. I almost forgot to show them my backup strapped on my prosthesis. They even called up to the station to confirm who I was. I heard Sarah squeal and tell the guy to send me up pronto.

Sarah gave me a loving hug and a very un-businesslike kiss when I walked into the station. She held my shoulders and said, “It’s so good to see you. I know you’re supposed to be out of here most of the time, but we really enjoy when you’re around. All the guys know they can ask you about something and you’ll give them an answer. My man will do it too, but you’re still our leader.”

I was grinning as Sarah pulled me toward the little kitchen to have a cup of coffee. She pointed at the official law officer donuts she had. How do you resist?

It took a while to shake everyone’s hand and meet a couple of new men. This was home and I could feel it. Maybe I could be a regular Deputy and not some guy whom everyone wanted or needed to have me do something. I finally had to tell everyone that I had an office to go to and left.

My two clerks, Conish and Angelina, were out of their chairs and around their desks to hug me as soon as I walked into the office. Homecomings are great. I thanked the two for keeping my office operating when I’m not there. Both told me they were proud to represent the Marshal Service and me. Wanda was standing in her doorway waiting for me.

Wanda told me, “You do know that most federal offices have a fairly high turnover rate. Your girls have been here since the beginning.”

I interrupted, “And you have been since the beginning, as well.”

Wanda smiled and said, “I know, but I’m one of your junkies and need to be with you. My John is one of the best men ever, but I still miss you when you’re not around.”

Wanda had a sheet of paper with a printed list of items on it, and handed it to me. “Use this as a guideline for today and next week. Get back into the swing of things so that we can begin doing some office visits. Homeland doesn’t want your oversight for their offices unless they ask for it, so concentrate on the Marshal stations. Hopefully no one will need you for a while. First things first though, I need your report on your capture yesterday, and the airport incident in Denver. Remember, you still have to do some creative writing.”

I laughed as I went into my plush office. The door to the reception and clerk area was closed, so I opened it. I felt better, less confined now with the doors open.

I was answering e-mails and following up on the list of items to do within a couple of minutes. I wrote two separate incident reports on the capture and the airport confrontation. I was honest in both of them, and said I did the killing. The people in charge would hopefully recognize that both were justified. I had two wounds to attest there was danger.

Wanda came in about ten, and said, “Cap says the range is open and you should come down. I’m due for some range time, so let’s go see him.”

The elevator stopped at the Fibi floor and Jan got on. She rode down to the basement with us and went into the range reception area. She told Cap, “The usual, three mags for my daily practice. I might need more if my long lost lover decides to play on the range with me later.”

I could see I was being set up. Cap said, “She’s been practicing like crazy lately. She won the inter-service competition last month with two perfect matches. Her times were so good that they checked the clocks for accuracy. She might best you this time.”

Wanda and I took our three magazines and each went to a booth after putting on ear and eye protection. I lazily used my three magazines centering every round exactly, making the cluster hole in the body mass about an inch and half wide and the hole in the head no more than an inch. My Glock was as accurate as ever. I took the three empty magazines to the desk and Jan was standing there. “How about a competition round. Let’s do a head to head to see who’s the fastest and who gets the most hits. No decision, just straight competition.”

I smiled and asked, “Okay, how many rounds and how many targets?”

Jan said, “Just like the trials, forty rounds, and four paper targets. You choose the lane.”

I told her, “I don’t care which side, but you take the right side since you’re right-handed.”

Jan asked, “You’re right-handed, why do you want the left?”

“I can shoot with either hand, it doesn’t make a difference.”

“No way, José, are you going to beat me left-handed. Are you serious? You know your ego is going to take a hit if I blow you away.”

“Let me try. I’ve never fired left-handed in a competition. Give me those left-handed magazines, Cap. I need to show this babe I can play with her.”

Jan giggled, “You can play with me any time you want, and you can do it left-handed too, but I’m going to outshoot you today, smart ass.”

As we lay our weapons and magazines on the shelf, Cap said, “I’ll ring the buzzer to start and you hit your button when your last round is fired. Do you see the button on the shelf in front of you, Chuck?”

I nodded and prepared. I figured Jan to beat me, but I was going to make it close. I hoped I could be as accurate left-handed as I was right-handed earlier.

I jammed a magazine into the gun and began firing left-handed when the buzzer sounded. Ten rounds went fast and I completed the second and third magazines, when I realized I had skipped two targets on the middle sheet. The fourth magazine went pretty fast, even though I had to switch between sheets, and then hit the button. Three more rounds went off in the next booth, so I knew I had the better time.

Jan came out dropping her last magazine and asked, “How in hell did you beat me left-handed? I’m fast, but you had to be missing targets all over the place to beat me in time.”

Cap said, “Bring your targets up front and let me measure the hits.”

I knew my hits were all in the paint, but I also knew they weren’t clustered as tight as I had done earlier. Jan and I cleaned our weapons, slid a magazine with field rounds into our guns, and chambered a round. I still was in the habit of dropping the magazine and putting the extra round back in. Jan watched and went to Cap’s desk and got another round and put it into her magazine. She said, “If you do that, I need to do that too. That one extra round might be the difference.”

Cap looked up and said, “You won on time and have all your hits in the paint, Chuck. Jan, your clusters are fractionally tighter than Chuck’s. Do you want to tell her now, Chuck?”

Jan looked at me and asked, “Tell me what?”

I laughed, “I missed two targets on the second sheet and had to go back to put the rounds there before finishing the fourth sheet.”

“You did that, still beat me on time, and you did that left-handed? I’m going to beat you so bad one of these days, you’ll be dragging your dick through glass to get over it. I can’t stand it, Chuck. You did that left-handed and still beat me like a redheaded stepchild.”

“Not really, Jan. You beat me fair and square. I disqualified myself because I went out of order.”

Jan hugged me and gave me a very passionate kiss. She looked at me and said, “God, I should be one of your women. Shooting with you makes me so wet.”

“Ahem, there young lady. No antics in my range. You have a husband that might take Chuck on if Chuck’s out of practice, and I don’t want to see either of them hurt.”

Jan said, “Don knows that I love Chuck, and would still fuck Chuck in front of him. He’d probably get off on having seconds, but Chuck has enough women without me. I just like to tease him and fantasize sometimes.”

Wanda said, “Don’t worry, Cap. Chuck is a gentleman and wouldn’t do that in front of you.”

Cap laughed, “Hey, that might be a show I wouldn’t mind seeing.”

We all went back to our respective offices.

I was surprised to find Lisa and Sharon in Lisa’s new office when Wanda and I got to our office. She was showing Sharon what she did and stopped to introduce her to Wanda.

Lisa said, “Wanda, this is Sharon Stanhope. Sam had her escort Chuck home yesterday. She was the other Deputy who was also shot in the Denver Airport.”

“Wanda smiled and shook hands with Sharon. Wanda said, “I remember your application and picture from when you first started as a Deputy. You’ve been a Deputy for what, three, four, five years?”

“Just passed my fourth anniversary. I’ve made grades very fast, and look forward to being a Station Chief one day.”

Wanda said, “Stick around, and Chuck will show you how to go up in rank even faster. I think he holds the record for promotions with a short time in grade.”

Lisa told me, “I was showing Sharon what I do and what she could be doing if she was to take my place. I know I won’t be worth much soon, so I want you, Chuck, to have a partner and a backup. Sharon said she might like to try. I’ve already called Sam and told him I liked Sharon and wanted to keep her.”

Lisa laughed, “Sam laughed at me and told me to keep my hands off his Deputy. He also said no funny business with you, Chuck. Sam says that he runs a good, clean, decent organization, and doesn’t need any unexpectedly pregnant Deputies.”

Wanda was muttering under her breath, “None of us girls can keep our legs together around the guy.”

I grimaced at Wanda and she winked at me.

Wanda said, “Since you’re here for a change, how about taking us to the fancy restaurant for lunch. I’ll bet the girls would love a special treat.”

Wanda called and reserved a table before we locked the office up and walked the two blocks to the building where the restaurant is.

The maitre d’ broadly smiled as soon as he saw me, and said, “Welcome back, Mr. Johnson. We’ve missed you. Did you have an extended vacation?”

I knew the guy’s name was Charles, so I told him, “You never cease to amaze me, Charles. Thank you for remembering us, and yes, I was on an extended vacation that I hope I can repeat soon.”

The man said, “I am a blues enthusiast, and know you were recently on tour. I have a copy of your USO tour and I must say that is quite impressive.”

Oh wow, another blues guy.

“Where do you have us today, Charles?”

How about with Tom, Zena, her uncle, and Miss Hightower? They insisted you join them when they heard you were coming.”

“Sure, lead on, my man. We are all hungry.”

The people at the table all stood as we approached. Tom was exuberant with his handshakes, and Zena wanted to know who the tall good-looking woman with us was. I think she might already have had a couple of drinks. Tom whispered in her ear and she grinned, but continued to be Zena.

Mrs. or Miss Hightower came around the table to hug me and say, “It’s so good to see you again. I thought you might have run off to the tropics. You know, I went to your island and had a wonderful week there. You do know how to treat your clientele.”

I chatted with the people there after sitting and most of us ordering iced tea. Tom leaned over to me and said, “Thank you for lending me your lady, but it might be me who’s the problem. I’m doing some tests, but need to ask you something very personal. Can you come out to visit or can we come to your place?”

Lisa heard this and said, “I love your cabin or house out there. Can we come out to visit? Only Chuck and I will come so you two can talk.”’

“Perfect, Lisa, I do need some time alone with Chuck to discuss this.”

Lisa said, “How about we come out and visit tonight? The men can go off somewhere or out on the porch. Sharon and I can visit with you Zena, along with Joanie and Shannon.”

Tom was smiling and cryptically said, “This may be the perfect time to do this.”

Lunch was wonderful as usual at this restaurant. It was always a treat to eat here. Tom wouldn’t let us pay for our meal, but I did leave a substantial tip. We walked back to the office with Wanda on the outside of me. She commented, “You know what he wants, don’t you?”

I looked at Wanda strangely, and asked, “What would Tom want with me?”

Wanda almost giggled, and that was unusual, “The man wants you to give him kids. You’re so damned prolific that he knows if anyone could do the trick with his women, that it would be you. Go out there and punch the bunch. (She giggled) It might take a couple of tries, but give them what they need to start a family. I think those three women really want to raise some kids with Tom. If he can’t and you can, is that bad?”

That’s a hell of a request. I thought that we would go out there and see what the deal really is.

I was busy for an hour back at the office, and then everything was caught up. Lisa and Sharon had left, so I called Angie, Conish, and Wanda into my office. I sat at one of the chairs at my conference table.

“Okay, Girls, you’ve been able to keep this office going while I was under the scrutiny of the DC wheels, and while I was learning not to shoot the bad guys. I want to keep the office open for several reasons, but the most important is your jobs. Make sure I do what I should do and make sure to warn me if I’m off track. It doesn’t matter who’s in power up there, because I need to please any and all of them. I don’t care what their ideology is, I want to do what a Deputy Marshal should do and be sure to take care of my other responsibility as an operational Secret Service Agent. You guys can help me stay on track and do what I should do. Do what Wanda did and keep a list. I did all the things she needed to have me do, so I’m a little ahead. Help me to keep you guys.”