PASSIONS OF CRIME

Reconcilement

Five – Reconcilement

After having breakfast, Antonio Connor and Jennifer Frankland decided to have one of their regular walks by the garden. They left Martin and Morgan's after about half an hour, and exited through the door with her holding his arm like she'd never left it.

The clouds had cleared just a bit, and the rain had become a soft drizzle, and so there was a beautiful band of colours stretched across the sky that caught Jennie's attention the moment they walked out.

"See that?" asked she, pointing towards the beam, "I think of you every time I see one."

"Really? You must've been thinking a lot about me then."

"More than I want to admit."

"So I guess we don't have any bad blood? No past grudges or something like that?"

"I don't know. I think we've been away from each other for so long we've forgotten what it is like to have anything between us."

"I guess so. But I never hated you, Jennie. We've been through some pretty rough times, I'll admit, but none of them have made me hate you."

"That's very nice to hear. Hey, you wanna go to the range?"

"They'll still allow me in the range?" he laughed, "I don't think so."

"Not the local range," said she, "my private one. I could allow you there, you know."

"Well I don't know." said he, toying with the decision, "I don't think I feel safe around guns anymore."

"Hey, what's gotten into you?" she asked, "You used to love coming to the range with me."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

"Alright I'll go," he replied, "but on one condition."

"And what's that?"

"I need a Python."

She thought for some time.

"Okay," was the answer, "but remember it's the only one I have. And it belonged to my dad, so..."

"I'll use it nicely."

"Good. Come on then. I'll lead the way."

She got in her car and Antonio got in Jo's. After about half an hour of driving, he could see that she was taking him to the outskirts of the city, and he remembered that the area looked very similar to her uncle's ranch which they'd visited a few years ago. It had changed, but it was surely the ranch.

And sure enough, they stopped a half mile later and got out of the car.

"This your uncle's?" asked he, walking towards her.

"Yeah," she replied, "he died last year, so I guess you can say it used to be his."

"That's a shame," Tony said, looking at the landscape, "well who runs it now?"

"He left it to my brother, but he's out of town for about half a year. So every now and then I like to come here and sharpen myself up."

"You come here?"

"Why not?" she asked, "It's quiet, there's not many people around, and that's one hell of a vacation house, so..."

"Indeed it is." he remarked, glancing at what used to be Uncle Ted's home, "You come here alone?"