The past few weeks with the death of his father and almost loosing Diana to Mongol had caused him to do a lot of soul searching about what he wanted f...or the future. And more importantly who he wanted to spend that future with. Loosing Diana for that week had broken his heart about as much as losing his farther had. It had surprised him at first how much the loss of his best friend, the only friend who could really be called his equal, the only friend who wasn’t afraid of knocking him down a peg. " My last class is Tuesday. I'll be available to go after that. When will we come back?" If you're done Tuesday we can go that evening or Wednesday and be back Sunday. Will we need a car? If we do, I can reserve one at the same time as I make the flight arrangements." We shouldn't need a car. Someone will come get us at the airport and we have enough vehicles at home if I want to take you anywhere. What about the cats? We'll be gone five days." I'll think about that. I don't like to leave them. ” “Thanks Dad!” Hank answered sarcastically and walked away as Koomins looked daggers at his back. Hank did not like Koomins one bit, but he knew how to handle jealous hot heads so Wasn,t worried. Anne had already agreed to meet him at the trees above the ranch house at 9pm when most of the bunk house was quiet. Koomins and three other hands were in a nickel ante five card draw poker game and Koomins was about five bucks up as Hank left quietly smoking his pipe and gradually making his way to. "The next round of drinks arrived, and talk turned to other things. But the night before Halloween found Chuck dressed in camouflage and set up with motor oil, eggs, firecrackers and dog poop. It was an overcast night, slightly humid, and the widow's garden patch gave off smells that made Chuck's stomach turn. He figured it would be best to start around back, and stepped carefully up the rickety wooden stairs to the rear porch. Setting his pack down, he brought out the plastic bags of doggy.