Page 39 of More Than a Fling

“I’m sorry to have bothered you Mr. Hunter, have a nice day.” The officer smiled and hopped back into his patrol car and left.

Sam showed up right as the cop drove away. “What was that all about?”

“Not sure, a ‘wellness check’ according to the cop.”

“For who?”

“Dunno.”

“Let’s get started on this meeting. I’m staring down about twenty hours of catch up work,” Sam said.

“Aren’t vacations grand?” Gabe said. “Doesn’t take long to lose that vacation glow does it?”

Much later it suddenly occurred to him that the officer had called him Mr. Hunter. Now how in the hell had he known that?

* * *

It was Saturday and Pepper had the day off and of course the priority was to ride her horse, Kizzy She passed Slim’s trailer on the way out to the pasture where Red was grazing. He and Gabe were sitting on a lawn chairs concentrating on something they held in their hands. Laying curled up at Slim’s feet was a little orange ball of fluff.

“A kitten!” Pepper said walking over to Slim and scooping him up. “What’s his name?”

“Gus,” Slim said.

“Aww, he is so cute. Watcha doing there?” Pepper asked, curious about the wooden figure in Slim’s hand.

“Whittlin,” Slim said.

“Whatcha whittling?”

“You sher are full of questions ain’t cha?”

“Can I see?”

Slim held up a small wooden figurine of a horse. “Oh, Slim it’s lovely! How did you do that with such a small piece of wood and that teeny tiny knife?”

“Jest like paring an apple.”

“Hardly, this is hard as hell,” Gabe said.

“Passed on to me from my paw. All the old-timers used ta whittle, nobody left doin it now,” Slim said.

“That’s why Slim agreed to teach me,” Gabe said, standing up. “I guess I’d better get back to work.”

“Jist keep a practicin’ and it will come to ya before ya know it,” Slim said.

“I’m afraid I’ll need a few more lesson Slim.”

“You know where ta find me I reckin.”

“See ya around,” Gabe said.

After Gabe left Pepper sat in the chair he had occupied.

“Slim, will you make something for me?” she asked.

“You want this here one you kin have it.”

“Really? Yes, I would love to have it. Thank you.”

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