Page 4 of High Velocity

When I walk past the meat cooler without picking anything, Janey softly chuckles behind me.

“I’ll drop some elk off this afternoon, and I’m sure Jackson will be happy to share some bear meat too.”

I give her a thumbs-up and make my way through the aisles. I’m trying to stick to healthy food items, but when I get to the baking aisle, I find myself perusing the shelves, thinking maybe I can try some baking. I’ve read making your own sourdough bread can be gratifying. So I start by picking up a bag of flour and some yeast, but by the time I get to the cash register, my cart is almost full with other baking-related items.

Janey is through the checkout line faster than I am, but is waiting for me just outside the doors.

“I was thinking, why don’t you come over for dinner tonight? JD can give you a quick tutorial on how to cook elk meat and I can find you that recipe. That is, if you feel up to it,” she adds carefully.

I hesitate for a moment, wondering if maybe after my run-in with Jackson and this outing to Rosauers for groceries was enough for today. After my near solitary existence these past weeks, perhaps it’s too much people exposure at once. Then again, it feels almost rude to refuse after what they’ve done for me.

“Sure. Yes,” I reply clumsily, quickly adding, “I’d love to. I’ll bring dessert.”

Lord knows I bought enough baking ingredients to feed a family of six comfortably. At least I’ll have an opportunity to share some of those calories, otherwise they’ll just end up on my hips.

I load my groceries in my vehicle and wave at Janey a row over before climbing in behind the wheel. No sooner have I started my engine, when a call comes in over the CR-V’s sound system my phone automatically hooks into. The screen on my dashboard lists a Michigan number I don’t recognize, so I silence it and turn on the easy-listening playlist I found on Spotify.

If it’s important, they’ll leave a message.

Jackson

“That’s great. Yeah, we’re home, drop by any time.”

It had taken me a good chunk of the day to process that bear, and haul all of it in parts across the creek. No way I was going to get it to my truck any other way, he was a big guy. So I opted to butcher him in place. I’d already given Buck Adams—our fish and game warden—a heads-up, and he showed up to take a look to make sure this was the same bear they’d been receiving complaints about. He confirmed it and, with his blessing, I got to work.

It’s a messy job, but also very gratifying. There is some primal satisfaction in hunting and gathering to feed your clan. I could never eat all this meat by myself—heck, I wouldn’t even have the room to store it in my cabin—so it gets divided. Some of it will go to the ranch house for Jonas, my mother, and Thomas. At least half goes to JD; not only did I shoot the bear on his land, but even when we hunt together, we always split the meat between us.

My share is already hanging in bags in the garage at the ranch, where I’ll let it age for a couple of days before wrapping it up for the freezer. The other half is in the back of my truck waiting to be delivered. I’ve already taken a quick shower to wash the stench and the grime off me, and grabbed a quick bite to eat.

“I’m on my way,” I tell JD as I walk to the door.

My dog, Ash, starts to whine, none too pleased I’m leaving him alone again. He’s a border collie cross, smart as a whip, but very excitable. At not quite a year old, he’s going to need a bit more training before I let him tag along on a hunt.

“You wanna come see Ginger?” I ask him as I tuck my phone in my pocket and grab my keys off the hook.

Ash is by my side like a shot, his tail wagging furiously. Ginger is Janey’s dog—or I guess now both Janey and JD’s—and Ash loves her, even though she’s not that sure about him. He’s a bit too rambunctious still, but she doesn’t hesitate putting him in his place when he gets out of hand. Something that doesn’t appear to bother Ash in the least.

He’s already standing by the passenger side of my truck before I can close the door to my cabin.

“Heading out?” Thomas yells from his perch on the porch.

Thomas is technically my stepgrandfather. He’s my mother’s father-in-law. My dad died in combat when I was just thirteen. Ma was alone for a dozen or so years before she moved her horse rescue to Libby and bumped into a local rancher. That was Jonas, my stepdad, and Thomas is his father. Jonas doesn’t have kids of his own, and even though I was already twenty-three when I met him, he has treated me like his son. Maybe it’s because I was already older, but for some reason I’ve never called him Dad, although I do occasionally call Thomas, Grandpa. If only to see the smile it puts on the old man’s face.

“Just dropping off the rest of the meat at JD’s,” I share.

“You tell that boy to smoke me some bear jerky. My mouth needs something to do now his ma cut me off my cigars.”

Ama, JD’s mother, runs the ranch house and tries to keep Thomas—who she treats like he was her own father—on the straight and narrow. He’s a bit of a handful, especially now that his mind is slowly starting to go. He’s forgotten he’s been cut off from his cigars for a while now.

“I’ll pass it on,” I tell him as I open the passenger door and let Ash jump up. “Later, Grandpa.”

He raises one bony hand in acknowledgement before tucking it back under the blanket covering his lap. Then he leans his head back against his rocking chair and closes his eyes. He’ll probably be asleep before I turn my truck down the driveway.

The garage door is already open when I get to Janey’s place, and JD steps outside as I back my truck in. I have to maneuver past a small SUV I don’t recognize. Impatient, Ash jumps over my lap the moment I open my door and is already assaulting JD for pets by the time I get to the back of my truck.

“Still can’t curb his excitement, can he?” JD observes, scratching my mutt behind the ears.

“He’s been cooped up inside for most of the day. He hasn’t had much exercise.”

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