from going too far.”
Shot called the state police on the radio to pick up the suspects. While he waited, he walked up to the wounded deer and put it out of its misery.
Cat waited around till she heard the state police sirens.
The state police came, picked up the suspects, and took them to town. Judge Bean was waiting at the jail when the state police, and Officer Shot showed up with the suspects. As they took the suspects back to the cells, Shot kept yelling at them, “Where’d that girl go?”
“Like I said, asshole, there weren’t no girl with us!”
Judge Bean said, “Calm down, Shot. While they’re being put in the cell, come out here and tell me what happened.”
Officer Shot sat down at the Judge Bean’s desk and told him the whole story. He ended with, “I still say that Cat girl was with them.”
Judge Bean rubbed his chin. “Now, let me get this straight. A girl that has been giving you the slip and staying one step ahead of you since you’ve been here just rode her bike past your truck like she never saw it.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then you started following her?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, and then she turned her flashlight on, not knowing you were following her?”
“That’s right. I told you, that girl’s no good.”
Judge Bean leaned back in his chair. “Now let me cut you in on something. Cat may bend the rules a bit, but there is no one in this county that respects wildlife the way she does. I know Cat pretty well. I would bet my last paycheck she didn’t have her rifle, or there would’ve been a couple of dead bodies with the deer. You didn’t follow her. She led you there.”
“What, you think I’m that dumb?”
Judge Bean ignored the question. “Now go and write your report. You have a good case. Drugs and drug-making paraphernalia found in their truck. So you have a drug charge to go along with the animal cruelty charge. They are going to admit to everything so that they don’t get charged with the kidnapping of an underage girl they’ve never heard of.”
“All right.”
“Clear your head, and be sure to read over your report after you’re done. You don’t want to look stupid.” Like he needs any help with that.
“Anything else?”
“No, that’s it. I’m gonna stay here tonight with the prisoners till the state transfers them in the morning.”
Officer Shot left the jail and went to his truck. On the hood of his truck were two sets of lug nuts.
6
Cat went over to Mike’s, hoping that he would let her shoot his Winchester. She knocked on his door.
“Come on in.”
Cat walked in. “Hi, Mike.”
“I figured it was about time for you to show up.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, it’s been a few days since you’ve been over.”
“Miss me?”
“Like the plague.”
“When you gonna admit you like me hanging around?”
“Never. Come over here, I have something to show ya.”
Cat walked over to Mike as he handed her the practice rifle he finished up the day before. Cat’s eyes got big.
“For me?”
“Calm down. This is nonfiring. You can use it to practice your trigger squeeze.”
“Wow, it sure looks real! You even put a scope on it.”
“Want it to be as close to real as possible. You can take it home and practice.”
“I will. When do I get to shoot your Winchester?”
“I figured that’s why you showed up today. I don’t see why we can’t shoot today.”
“Really?”
“Only if you want to.” Mike picked up his rifle and cartridges. “Grab that target.”
Cat smiled. “You had this planned.”
“Not me. I have the bench set up at fifty yards. I will start you off there, then I’ll move you back as you progress.”
Mike hung the target and went back to the bench. He sat the sandbags on the bench then laid the rifle on the bags.
“Now sit down behind the rifle. The bench is a good place to start. Later, we’ll get into prone, kneeling, and other shooting positions.”
Cat was all smiles. She brought the rifle up to her shoulder and looked through the scope. “This is neat.”
“All right, now make sure you hold the stock tight against your shoulder. This has a little more kick than your little Rossi. Think you’re ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Mike put a live cartridge in the chamber, and Cat closed the bolt. “Line up on the bull’s-eye, and slowly squeeze the trigger.”
Cat looked through the scope. When she had a good sight picture, she squeezed the trigger. The rifle barked. Cat found herself on the ground behind the bench.
Mike started laughing. “Didn’t hold it tight, did ya?”
Cat got up and picked up her earmuffs. “Wow, guess not.”
“Let’s go see if you hit anything.” Mike had loaded that cartridge on the hot side, not enough to be dangerous, just enough to get her attention. They walked down to the target.
“Look at that, right through the center!”
Cat was rubbing her left shoulder. “Not bad, huh?”
“That’s pretty good. Shoot a couple more rounds, then we’ll move back to the hundred-yard mark. That is if you don’t want to quit.”
“What, you think I’m some kind of sissy? Of course I wanna shoot some more!”
“That’a girl.”
The rifle didn’t seem to kick as much as it did with the first shot. Cat wondered if it was because she was holding the rifle tighter against her shoulder or if Mike had something to do with the first cartridge. Cat stayed around while Mike cleaned his rifle and put it away. Cat noticed some magazines and catalogs setting on the table.
“May I look at these?”
