Mona Washington (OC), an 18-year-old high school student is obliged to find out who murdered her best friend Tarni McGavin, with a little help from friend's and someone special in particular. Will they solve the case?
Written on 26/04/2023
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Chapter 13: John and Bailey
That afternoon. John in baggy blue jeans and a thin red patterned sweater holds a shotgun and begins to aim it at a target stuck on a tree in his backyard. He begins to remember his past when he had to shoot a buck in his training for the academy.
~~~
He wore his old, light brown sherrif uniform with a brown thin-brim hat. He was cleaned and shaved with fewer wrinkles on his face. He begins to remember Jones, as well in the sheriff outfit coming beside him, folding his arms and watching quietly. John takes in a breath and notices the buck grazing the plains.
Jones licks his lips. "Thought I'd find you here." He lowers the shotgun. "What do you want?" Jones stands beside him peering out toward the distance filled with hills and open, fresh grassland. "Nothing much." John takes a deep breath in. "Constable really has taken a liking to you." John turns his head slightly. "Is that a problem?" Jones scoffs. "You're a challenge." John fully turns around to face him in an unimpressed manner. "What's that even supposed to mean?" Jones's eyes become filled with jealousy. "You heard him. There can be only one who takes his spot when he retires." He moves closer to him. "I am not looking to make friends. I am here to get that position. So, I best you stay out of my way." John pulls back and scoffs.
"Is that supposed to be a threat? Because I ain't scared of you."
Jones pulls back and begins to chuckle and shake his head. "I'll see you back at headquarters." He begins to walk away as John watches. He begins to aim the shotgun at the buck.
~~~
Back in his open backyard, he shoots and the bullet hits Bullseye in the middle. Unnoticed, Bailey walks up to him from behind. He begins to lower the shotgun. "Hello, old man." Bailey greets. John turns to face him confused why he came. "I ain't old." Bailey cocks his eyebrow. "You are old as the days come, my friend." John leans the shotgun on a small, glassed table and pulls out a cigar and red lighter from his jeans pocket. He puts the cigar on the brim of his lips and begins to light it with the lighter. "You want one?" He asks politely. "Sure." He hands Bailey a cigar as Bailey pulls out his blue lighter from his black, skinny jeans.
They drag and start to smoke together. "What are you doing here?" Bailey leans up against the red-as-fire bricks of the house. "I heard what you and Melissa done. At the hospital. For me." John gazes at him with a peaceful expression on his face. "I wanted to thank you." John's facial expression drops from Bailey's response. "Yeah. I don't say that much. But really, you didn't have to." "It's no trouble. It's what I was trained to do." Bailey notices his shotgun rifle. "I got that exact one. Bailey puts out his cigar and checks out the shotgun.
"May I?" John nods as Bailey picks up the heavy shotgun. The handle was a timber brown with a slight shimmer to it like it had been regularly cleaned. The body of the shotgun was black with a few little scratches on the side. He begins to aim it toward the tree looking through the aim hole. "She is a beauty. Isn't she?" John smiles softly. "I remember when I was younger, my father would take me out hunting. I used to love it." Bailey's expression begins to drop and he gazes down dejectedly. "But that was long ago" John puts out his cigar. "You used to hunt?" Bailey nods confidently. "Yep. Buck, warthogs, deer. You name it."
"You must be good at using it then." Bailey chuckles. "I try." John places his hands on his hips. "I took Jordan hunting once. But he would always be too scared to even hold the gun let alone kill a deer." Bailey begins to laugh. "Yeah. I thought so." John nods firmly and begins to twist his lips. "Let's do a few rounds." Bailey gives him a surprised expression as John begins to walk by his side. "Are you serious?" John thinks for a minute. "I think so... Yes, I am serious. Let's see what you got." Bailey grins and begins to aim it at the target. He pulls the trigger. 'BANG' it fires aiming in the middle. John's expression becomes impressed.
"Well done." Bailey lowers the gun and flicks his hair. "And you have been chasing me all these years. Lucky I didn't shoot you." John frowns in concern. "You wanted to shoot me?" Bailey shrugs. "It came around in thought here and there." John bobs his head with a shrug. "Fair enough." Bailey begins to aim again. "How does it feel being jobless?" John shakes his head and focuses out in the distance. "It's shit. Been trying to fucking get my name cleared." Bailey shoots again and scoffs. "Now you know how I feel." John shakes his head. I ain't like you."
Bailey turns to face him. "I think we are more alike than you think." John doesn't respond. "So you and Jones? You both had issues?" John rolls his eyes. "He is fucked up. That guy has no sympathy for anyone." Bailey shakes his head. "I don't understand, why didn't you get head constable?" John sighs. "I guess Jordan told you." John sighs again. "One day the constable pulled me aside. He told me I was going to get the position before ceremony day. He was trying to prepare me for it. I was already a cop. Everyone knew how good I was. Everyone knew I was going to get that position." John heads toward the patio sitting on a straw chair and plays with his red lighter.
"I started to think about it. This has been my dream since I was a kid. John shakes his head. I ended up getting a call from the nursing home where my mother was currently. At the time she had terminal cancer. She was 80 and didn't have much left in her. They called me and told me she wasn't going to make it. I couldn't leave her to die alone. Unfortunately, it happened on presentation day, and I didn't turn up. I told the constable I would try to make it back for the presentation. I stayed with her till her last breath. Jordan was only five. I tried to rush back, but I was stuck in traffic."
Bailey lowers his head while listening. "In the end, Jones took my position. But it wasn't anyone's fault." "I am so sorry to hear that." Bailey respectfully says in an upset tone. "Don't be. It is hard when you have kids and a family. I was always late for things, especially for work. They didn't want that." John clenches his fists and shifts forward focusing on Bailey. "When family is involved, nothing else important matters. Jones, doesn't have that happiness. He lives alone with no partner and no kids. Just money. He has nothing to lose. But I helped my mum throughout my life and she helped me. I had to be there to support her."
Bailey understandingly nods. "I respect that." John nods as he slouches back in his chair. "That's why I stayed with you at the hospital during your coma." Bailey grins. "Well, after all this shit. We will get your job back and that promotion. I'll make sure of it." John chuckles as he rubs his eyes with the tips of his thumbs. "You're a good kid. Even down that deep criminal heart of yours." Bailey laughs. "Yeah well. I am trying." Bailey glances out at the distance. "Jordan is lucky to have a good dad like you." John frowns. "You think I am a good Dad?" Bailey nods. "At least you give a shit about him. My Dad never gives a shit about me. Or my mother. He is a crooked man with no heart." John perks his lips and jolts up. "Let's have a beer before you go. Mona and Jordan are trying to find that guy in the meantime."
Bailey's smile became brighter when he heard beer but even the acceptance made him even more happier. "I'd be happy to." "I got some in the fridge. Won't be long." John slides the sliding door and heads inside.
