The Brave Line by Kate Stewart

Author:Kate Stewart [Stewart, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Self-Published
Published: 2017-03-17T04:00:00+00:00

A shooting range. The man brought me to a shooting range.

“I have absolutely no interest in this.”

Rowdy pointed to his covered ears and took a set of silencing headphones off the shelf and decorated me with them. I heard him thank the man behind the counter.

“You totally heard me.”

Rowdy continued to play deaf as he turned his back on me and expected me to follow.

I spoke up in my best Japanese accented broken English. “Ho-ney, you promise me bang bang to-day. Nawt dis bang bang! I caw you Daddy and you take panties off like las time!”

Rowdy stopped mid-stride as every head of an unoccupied booth peeked out behind the partitions to stare us down. I cowered under Rowdy’s glare with a smirk on my face as I passed him and addressed the men who gawked at me. To keep my illusion going, I added an afterthought.

“Some time he like it in de booth.”

Rowdy gripped my arm and yanked me into the closest open booth and looked down at me with his arms folded. I was quick with my excuse.

“None of those men are in the department.”

I bit my lip as he gauged me with murder in his eyes. “I didn’t think it was possible for you to blush, Day.” After the longest fifteen seconds of my life, I finally caught the whisper of a smile. “I am a quarter Japanese.”

Rowdy picked up a small handgun and stuffed it with a clip. I took a step back, but he caught my hand and pulled me forward.

I shook my head as a few guns went off around us. There wasn’t much traffic on a Tuesday afternoon. Rowdy took off his headphones and drew his brows together.

“I’d rather run through hell with a gas can, sergeant. Like, I believe in the right to bear arms...and legs and keep fingers and toes.”

Rowdy smiled then as he positioned me in front of him. He covered me completely while he placed my fingers correctly and lifted the gun so I had a chance of hitting the target. He moved one of my headphones aside as he put his face close to mine.

“There’s hardly any kick.” It was a whisper in my ear that sent a trail of goose bumps up my neck straight to the tip of my head.

“I am so going to screw this up.”

“You can do this. Worst case, you’ll be a shitty shot.”

I stared at the metal in my grasp and tried to take aim.

“Hold it firmly.”

“I’m fucking nervous.”

“Michelle, squeeze the trigger.”

I took a shot and then quickly set it down on the table. Rowdy picked it up and handed it back to me.

“Again, until you’re comfortable.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re scared of guns and you’re around them constantly.”

“No, that’s you.”

“That’s everyone.”

I swallowed his truth as he stared me down. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

“I’m from liberal California. We’re supposed to hate guns.”

“Do you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have you ever needed one? To save yourself or someone else?” He knew the answer. I knew the answer.

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