James Axler – Trader Redux

“Trout,” Sukie said.

“Very likely.”

“You aren’t hunting, Doc?”

“No. My talent with a long gun or a rod is about the same as my skill in speaking Mandarin Chinese.”

“But you said something about leaving Krysty and the others to come up here and do some hunting.”

He was holding his sword stick, poking with the ferrule at the tiny pebbles by his feet. “Did I say that? No, not quite a hunt. Perhaps a hunt for myself.”

“How’s that?” She lay flat on her back, revealing more of her breasts to him.

“Seek first within yourself. I’ve been feeling a little less than happy for a while now. I decided that I should take some time alone to try to discover what was wrong. And what I should do about it.”

“Have I fucked that up for you?”

Doc sat up so sharply he strained his neck. “Ouch! Did you” He fell silent for several hearbeats while he considered what she’d said. “I think that what you did was put a lot of things into perspective, Sukie.”

She reached out for him, and he grasped her hand tightly. “You mean I helped some?”

“Indeed. I believe that I would like to return to the spread, bring you back with me to meet my friends.”

“I still got this idea that I’d like to track down my sister. In Hope Springs.”

“Of course. I would not wish to hinder that for a moment, Sukie, my dearest. But would you like to come back and meet my companions? Mayhap even Ryan and John Barrymore Dix will have returned during my absence.”

She sat up again, fastening one of the carved bone buttons on her blouse. “I’d like that. You don’t think they’ll sort of resent me?”

“By the Three Kennedys! Why on earth should they? I think that I should be proud to go anywhere with you upon my arm. Anywhere!”

“But you still didn’t say whether you’ve kind’ve cleared your mind, Doc.”

He looked out across the magnificent view. A pair of ravens had appeared and were swooping low over the far side of Bearclaw Lake, etching their shadows against the still water.

“As we make our way back, there are some things I must explain to you about my previous life. Things that may prove difficult for you to believe.”

“What sort of things?”

He patted her hand. “Nothing criminal, my dear. Nothing of which I feel the least ashamed. But a strange story, I promise you that.”

“Tell me now. Or we could have a cuddle and a kiss and then you could tell me after that.”

Doc smiled, showing his set of perfect, strong teeth. “You tempt an old man, my sweet one. But the day is passing. If we set off now, then I think we should be safely back at the ranch before sunset tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Sukie sounded disappointed. “If you say so, Doc.”

“I do. And I have a fine wide bed in my room at the house. But I will tell you, before we set off, that meeting you has quite changed my perspective on life. I had begun to think that I was walking a lonely path. Never daring to turn and look behind for fear That is not to say Ryan and the others are not good, good friends. They are the best. But when I tell you some more about my past, you’ll understand. Like you, Sukie, I have lost a marital partner.”

“I didn’t lose my four husbands, Doc. They all just up and died. If any of them had just gotten lost, then I could have searched for them.”

He laughed, making Judas look up suspiciously. “Upon my soul, but you are a treasure, ma’am, you are indeed. I meant to say, in my clumsy fashion, that I am a widower.”

“Children, Doc?”

“Two. A little girl and a baby boy.”

“Dead?”

“Oh, yes. A long while ago. Since I have been traveling here in Deathlands, I have never for a single hour been able to forget Emily and the children. And I have spent futile times in working out ways of trying to rejoin them.”

“Top yourself, you mean?” Her fingers tightened on his comfortingly.