My back was to them as they entered and they were justifiably cautious. "Put your hands up and turn around. Don't do anything sudden or stupid." Lucy was about to explain until I stopped her. I turned slowly so they could read the front of my shirt. "Got some ID, buddy? Anyone can buy a shirt and have it lettered." He stepped forward so his pistol was only about three feet away from me.
"I'd like to suggest that you step back a bit. We'll both be losers if you don't. You'll lose the use of your right hand for the rest of your life just like this asshole over here and I'll lose my best friend. My ID is in my left-hand cargo pocket. Okay if I reach for it?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" I pointed then behind them to where Max had come silently. He growled when they turned. "Oh, God—what is that thing…a wolf?"
"No, he's my partner." Kneeling, I called Max to me. "It's okay, Max. Come here, boy." I held him with my right hand even though he could pull away from me any time he wanted. Reaching with my left hand I opened and showed my official ID to the deputies. They holstered their weapons and stepped back. "Okay, Max; you can go back to the kids now." He looked at me for reassurance then trotted away.
"What happened here, Marshal?"
"I was seated in the booth behind you with Max while two girls petted him when I saw these two drive into the parking lot. Their actions put me on guard. They went to the trunk and removed something I couldn't see. They both had their hands inside the raincoats when they reappeared. I sent the girls back to their parents and put Max on alert. He's a highly trained and experienced police dog. He attacked this one as soon as I stepped out of the booth, first biting his wrist and then shaking it until the guy dropped the rifle. I'd be amazed if he didn't have half a dozen broken bones."
We were interrupted then by three city patrolmen and two EMT's who went straight to the injured man. "Who's going to take custody of these two? It's armed robbery, at least and I'll bet that these firearms aren't registered. I'm sure your DA can come up with a bunch of charges. I'll also bet that these two are responsible for the other robberies in the area."
"We're in the city so it's their case, but they always send their prisoners to the county jail."
"Okay, then I suggest that some of you need to get the names and addresses of all of the witnesses." The two deputies and two of the city police went to do that while the other started to remove my handcuffs so he could replace them with his own. What he did was all wrong, ass backward, and a potential disaster in the making. "What are you doing," I asked as he had almost removed one of the cuffs, stepping between him and the robber and ratcheting the cuff tightly on his wrist again.
"Um…I was removing your cuffs and replacing them with mine."
"Give me your handcuffs," I instructed him. I placed them onto the perpetrator's wrists just above mine then I unlocked mine and replaced them into their holder. "Never…ever remove handcuffs before putting yours on a prisoner's wrists. There are potentially dangerous weapons here—steak knives, even forks—and plenty of potential hostages. These are violent, dangerous men."
The prisoner had a sickening smile on his face when I pulled him up and turned him around. "Too bad you were here. I would have gotten away from this hick cop for sure."
"I doubt it. Max would have been on you before you went ten feet. Then you'd be as messed up as he is." His smile disappeared in a flash as he realized what I said was the truth. Once again, Max was standing only a few feet behind me, fangs bared. Turning to the patrolman I told him to Mirandize both of these a-holes so it would be witnessed by dozens of people. I didn't want either of them to get off on a technicality. Ten minutes later, both prisoners were removed—one to the hospital, the other to the jail.
Max and I were standing in the diner when Lucy walked up to me. "You both deserve a reward. Max is getting a big salmon steak, but I have something else for you." Then she pulled my head down so she could kiss me. It was long and sweet as she pulled herself into my body. I responded by clutching her tightly, too. Breaking it, she whispered in my ear, "The rest will have to wait until later."
>>>>>>
Lucy and I were in bed my second night with her when she moved over behind me. "How long since you last had sex, Matt?"
"You mean with another person?"
She laughed then jabbed me in the ribs. "Asshole!"
"Well, you asked! It's been a long time…probably close to a year. The kind of work I do keeps me moving around a lot so I don't get into very many relationships."
"It's been a long time for me, too. I don't get very many dates, let alone relationships."
"That doesn't make much sense to me, Lucy. You're an attractive woman with a great outgoing and upbeat personality. I'd ask you out. In fact, that's exactly what I'm doing right now. Want to go out for dinner and maybe a movie. You pick the night. It looks like I'm going to be here for a while." There was still a lot of flooding in the area and it was still raining.
"I accept. We can go out Thursday if that's okay with you. However, I find that I have a really bad itch that needs scratching right now. Want to help me with it?"