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Gene's Story or How I Gained a Cousin A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright 2016

CHAPTER 38

What I did hear was pounding and the crash of my front door flying open.

My hated alarm clock said 3am. I grabbed my robe and opened the lock box containing my 9mm automatic. After checking the clip was loaded, I headed for the living room. Ginny was right behind me.

“Who the f*** do you think you are breaking into this house?” Tina screamed. “You don't own me. Get out!”

“You ungrateful little shit,” a deep voice shouted, “You're as bad as that tramp of a mother you had, all she wanted was money, money, money!”

“You go to hell,” Tina responded. “All you do is threaten and have people beat up, and for all I know, you have them killed too!”

With that, Morales raised his fists, about to strike Tina.

Suddenly a sound like no other overrode the shouting, the snick-snick of a slide loading an automatic pistol.

Everyone froze, as I shouted “Don't move, don't even blink Morales. Who do you think you are, breaking into my house and threatening my guest?”

I didn't know if I was more scared or pissed off, but I had the shakes.

Ginny's jaw dropped as she saw the pistol in my hands. “Shiite” she said.

Tina stopped yelling; only Morales moved, right at me!

I kept the gun pointed at his chest.

“You don't want to do that,” he said. “Why don't you give it to me?”

“I'll give it to you if you come one step closer. I mean what I say Morales. Think how it would look, three young, pretty girls attacked by a thug at 3am. I could shoot you now, and when cops arrive, they will see the three of us crying. I might get a medal. Ginny, call that cute cop of yours and tell him what's going on. Tell him I'm holding this guy at gun-point.”

She did as I asked, and soon in the distance, we could hear sirens converging on my condo, and shortly afterwards two Swampscott cops entered through my busted door.

“Ma'am, please put the weapon down and step away from it.” The first cop ordered.

Morales tried to sneak out, but the first cop's partner stopped him. “Hold it pal, put your hands against the wall and spread 'em.

Morales was quickly frisked, nothing was found.

“Now will someone please tell me just what the heck's going on?” the cop asked.

Ginny, Tina and I all started to talk at once.

“One at a time. You who had the canon, you start first.”

So I did, starting with the argument at the stable and finishing with him breaking in to my condo.

Tina went next, saying she was his daughter, and why she moved out of his house.

Ginny wisely kept her mouth closed, except to ask permission to get dressed.

The cops didn't want to arrest anyone, but asked if Tina or I wanted to press charges.

All I wanted was to have my door repaired.

All Tina wanted was to be left alone by Morales.

After suggesting we get restraining orders to keep Morales away, the police left, guiding Vinnie to his car. They waited for him to drive off, before turning to me and warning me about handling firearms.

Tina and Ginny watched in awe or fear as I picked up my 9mm Rock Island. I released the magazine and operated the slide to empty the chamber.

“Holy cow, you weren't kidding when you said you had guns and were a target shooter, were you?” Ginny breathed, “Dirty Harriet, that's what I'm calling you from now on.”

Tina just looked at me, then walked over and gave me a big hug, “Thanks.”

Some how that one word meant a lot, I burst into tears, then Tina started to sob. Ginny looked from Tina to me and started to weep.

It's a great way to relieve tension.

I looked at the clock, oh my, 4.30am, I have to get up in a hour to go to work.

I was able to close and secure the door.

I looked at Tina, “why don't you try to sleep, I think you should stay here a few more days before you live alone. Look how messy tonight was and there were three of us here.

Ginny reached into the pocket of her robe that she left over the back of the sofa. Out came a little .25 Beretta. My eyebrows rose.

“Hey, I always carried a gun in my dump truck, I never knew when I might need it; better safe than sorry.”

“Do you always carry that?”

“Yes, I'm licensed in all five New England states.” she said proudly.

“You never cease to surprise me” I said, “Never.”

With that, she gave me a big kiss on the cheek, and returned to her room and bed.

After holding a man at gun point, I was wide awake, so was Tina.

We decided to put on the TV and watch 70's comedy shows.

After a while Tina started to ask questions. The first one had me wetting my pants.

“Are you a man under those clothes? You faced a killer down; you didn't know he was unarmed, and I've watched you in lessons, you don't let the horses bully you, they know you are in charge.”

“I can say that I was born a girl, and I'm still a girl.”

Tina then said, “The gun, you are comfortable with guns too.”

I laughed again. “I've been around firearms since I was a child , I like target shooting, but that one was for defense, I keep it in a locked box beside my bed, only I can get it. To tell you the truth, that's the first time I pointed a gun at someone, I was scared to death.”

“I'm glad you had it, I think this time Dad was going to hit me. He was so mad, I've never seen him so angry.”

“Tina, will you be safe today? If you want, you can come with Ginny and me to the construction site. Or stay here, of course.”

She hugged me again, “I'll be fine, don't worry, you two go to work.”

My alarm chose this minute to ring. Time to hop in the shower, and get dressed.