CHAPTER 1

About the time Ash Burton was 170 miles away as co-driver in a car rally and drove over the finishing line to take third place, Sheriff Bates and deputy Frank Lynch reportedly burst into the Burton's ranch house after a neighbor reported hearing gunshots.

They found Sally Burton had been shot through the throat, apparently by a small caliber handgun and Jed had taken a full shotgun blast into the left-hand side of his chest at close range.

A full homicide investigation followed and subsequently the Coroner found the couple had been murdered by an assailant or assailants unknown and no motive had been established. No weapons were found at the scene and that ruled out the likelihood of a murder/suicide.

At that Coroner's inquest, Sheriff Wally Bates confirmed he had a new and recently unfired shotgun at the time of the investigation and claimed his former shotgun had been stolen from his vehicle a month earlier but he'd not reported the theft. He explained that breach of procedure occurred because he'd been embarrassed he'd left his vehicle unlocked when calling at a café for coffee and claimed the gun was overdue for replacement.

The slug from Mrs Burton was a .32 caliber and Sheriff Bates' claim his department's handguns were all .45s was established by documentation and collaborated by witnesses include the Sheriff Department's arms officer. The Coroner was critical of the sheriff's failure to report the theft of his shotgun and said that was no way to run a Sheriff's Department.

Ash Burton said at the hearing that Sheriff Bates and his father had recently quarreled over the alleged unfitness of a horse Jed Burton had sold to Sheriff Bates' wife and there had been a fight, watched by Ash and his mother, and Sheriff Bates had been knocked unconscious and dumped and left in his vehicle. Under oath the sheriff had claimed there had been no fight, just a heated discussion, and that Jed Burton had handed over half of the money Mrs Bates had paid for the horse. There was no evidence to support that claim.

"That's bullshit," yelled the enraged Ash Burton and two officials had to restrain him.

Elderly Tom Herbert, the closest neighbor to the house where the bodies were found, said in evidence he'd called the sheriff and reported hearing gunshots and that call had been logged.

It was established from records that Sheriff Bates and Deputy Lynch had been on routine patrol only a mile away from the scene and radioed they'd respond to the call. They found the bodies but no sign of an intruder and had not seen anything suspicious and the smell from gunshots in the room was still apparent.

"It remains a mystery to us," said the sheriff.

"Liar, you two murdered my parents," yelled Ashleigh James Burton who, at the instructions of the Coroner, was escorted from the hearing room.

Sheriff Bates said that the young man was gravely distressed by the horrific nature of the murders and was wildly ranting and attempting to implicate two lawmen who'd only been doing their duty in responding to a call and had arrived at the scene and discovered a crime had been committed.

The Coroner later ruled that the deaths of Jed Edward Burton and Sally Ann Burton were the result of two close-range shots fired from a shotgun and a handgun by a person or persons unknown and medical evidence had stated clearly in both instances death would have been almost instantaneous.

A full State investigation followed the release of the Coroner's report. No new findings eventuated but Deputy Lynch accepted transfer to another county in the State in an attempt to quell persistent rumor that the sheriff and his favored deputy were the likely murderers.

Ash's aunt and uncle were staying with him and returned him home from the inquest. He was sullenly distressed. When he calmed, Ash called another horse ranch owner Harry Smith four miles away and asked if Harry would he be interested in leasing the ranch for a year and having the first option of buying it.

"That was a dreadful thing what happened to your dad and mom Ash, and I said that to you at the funeral. But if I said yes to your proposal, wouldn't people think I was implicated in their deaths, to get my hands on their land?"

"This was my idea and I called you Harry. Think about that. And anyway I won't be putting the ranch up for sale immediately and I tell neighbors about the lease if you take it up."

"Oh that gets over the gossip problem. Well how many horses did you have on the ranch now?"

"One hundred and twenty-three from an independent count made yesterday on behalf of my attorney. They will be counted again when papers are being prepared for probate."

"Well what happens if I rent the property?"

"You care for the horses, land and buildings for twelve months from the date any lease is signed. At the termination of that lease the horses will be sold at auction and we'll split the proceeds 80/20 in my favor after the deduction of all expenses including anything you have spent on caring for the ranch."

"Would you accept 60/40 in your favor?"

"No because the horses include six valuable breeding stallions and you haven't paid a cent towards any of that livestock and getting them to this state. I think you'll accept that Harry," said the 23-year old who was about to begin a college sport coaching career.

"Yeah you make the obvious point Ash. Well I'll talk it over with my wife Ellen and with my foreman Garth and give you a call tomorrow."

"Thanks Harry. Have you heard that earlier this afternoon at the inquest I accused Sheriff Bates and Deputy Lynch of gunning down my folk?"

"Aye and the phone went hot for a while. Some of the callers thought you were crazy with grief while others thought you had come to the logical conclusion."

"What do you think Harry?"

"Well Jed had told me about that fight and made no mention of giving Bates half the money back. Now that's really something to think about. Are you aware Lynch is Bates' nephew on his wife's side?"

"Jesus no and the inquest should have been told about that. Are you thinking of family conspiracy?"

"I might. For your additional information, I've been ranching here for nineteen years and in that time I'd not heard of Bates ever losing a punch-up until Jed knocked him down and out. What does that tell you?"

"Plenty. Look could you forget we ever had this conversation about Bates?"

"What conversation are you on about son? All you were asking did I wish to lease your ranch. I'll call you tomorrow morning with my decision."

"You know it's the best horse ranch in these parts Harry."

"I know and I also know you have no stomach for ranching. But you are a good youngster Ash. Just tread very warily and accept that out there somewhere is a nice young woman waiting for you. Bye."

That call left Ash seething. The family relationship between those two thugs and involving the sheriff's uncle who'd found the victims was the final straw in his belief the sheriff and his deputy had killed his parents. He had no idea what had happened in the ranch house that morning but suspected the sheriff had arrived with his nephew and took in his shotgun to give Ash's dad a good bashing but his mom had pulled out a .32 that Ash didn't know she had.

Ash, developing his theory, believed there had been a struggle, presumably by the deputy to get that handgun and he'd got the gun from Ash's mother, she swore at him and enraged he shot her or perhaps the gun when off in the struggle. The sheriff, aware of the implications of that, had reacted faster than Jed and shot him cold.

Oh Jesus.

Ash knew the only way to settle this was to get a confession but right now those two guys would be watching him like a hawk.

Harry called Ash next morning and said he was interested in looking after the ranch for a year but not leasing it, and in return receiving 20% of the sale of the horses that he didn't wish to buy if he decided to buy the ranch in a year's time.

"I called my attorney and said if you accept my terms we need to do an agreement. So if you pay me $100 a month to looks after your property, including keeping the house and barns and whatever maintained, and establishing a contract allowing me access to your property, then we have a deal."

"Right I accept and thanks Harry. I'll pay your legal costs. When the agreement is signed I suggest you and the foreman tour the ranch with me and I'll answer your questions. I'll also give you dad's diary in which he will have logged what he'd done in farm management and has scheduled for the months ahead. It should be a breeze for you guys to manage. I'll just disappear for a year."

* * *

Ash's job was 700 miles away, far enough away to stop the seething but not to forget and to not having people talking to him sympathetically and looking at him as if they wondered had he shot his parents.

Jonathon Black College had been Crampton City's former Riverside College but was renamed as a memorial to the city's and only Olympian, middle distance runner Carl Bryson Black after his tragic death when caught in an avalanche on a skiing vacation.

Head coach Willy Benton greeted Carl warmly at the airport.

"I'm terribly sorry about the murder of your parent's young man. All I can add is perhaps it was fortunate you were not there at the time but 200 miles away at that car rally otherwise with the double murders unsolved, the finger could have pointed at you."

"Yeah so people have told me," Ash said bitterly. "Have you thought about the possibility that I employed a professional hit man?"

"Jesus Ash, they were your parents."

"And I'll never forget that," he sniffed and Willy saw the distress and hugged the new guy, patting Ash's back and noting with satisfaction the well-developed muscle under that thin blue checked jacket.

"You'll like it here son," Willy said. "With only just under 15,000 students we are not so big that you end up practically knowing no one on campus. We must divert to pick up my younger daughter Clara. She teaches at elementary school and this will save her getting the bus home with two changes."

"Why don't you buy her a car? She'll pay you back when she establishes. At your age I guess she's a recent graduate."

"You appear quite sharp for a guy Ash," Willy said, scratching an ear. "Clara accepted Lil and my help to get her through college and says that's more than enough benevolence from us. She'll get a car when she can afford it."

"If she buys an old one I'll work on it for her. I've been working on vehicles and machinery since I was nine years old. My dad..."

He stopped and they drove on silently until Willy began telling his new recruit about the city.

Clara was sitting on a seat opposite the school gates, reading a book, her laptop and bag of homework at her feet. She looked up and smiled... and that smile seared Ash's brain, copying her image on to the hard-drive.

She looked, well wholesome, like a country girl, well most of them. She stood and Ash saw she was leggy and had nice puppies and she was blonde and very athletic and that was no surprise, her dad being head coach at her old college for the past seventeen years.

Ash jumped out and waved her to the front seat of the SUV.

"Hi."

"Hi Ash, dad said you were arriving this afternoon. Here I'll put these down to give you a big hug."

"Welcome and I'm so sorry," she said, without saying what she was sorry about but they both knew as did her father who would be listening.

"Thanks for the welcome Clara. I'll take your computer and bag into the back with me."

Ash watched with satisfaction as lovely Clara and her father hugged with obvious affection. He hoped she didn't have a boyfriend but would soon find that she did.

Ash was invited to the Benton's house on campus that evening for dinner where he met Lil and Clara's boyfriend an accountant who worked in his father's public accountancy practice.

Ah well, he sighed that evening, when being introduced to Paul Tanner. It's always said the best ones were already taken, meaning horses but it applied to women and cars for sale as well.

Later when the three Benton's stood outside at 9:30 to wave off the two visitors, Ash glanced at Paul's pre-owned mid-sized BMW and said, "Paul get that right-hand front tire off and dumped as soon as you can. It has a bulge that could turn into a blow-out."

"Where?" said Paul anxiously, standing beside Ash. He peered at the tire illuminated by the porch lights.

"See the slight shadow caused by the bulge?"

"No, it looks like a normal tire to me."

"Look in the position of 4 o'clock."

"Yeah I see something," Paul said, stepping forward and feeling the tire with his hand.

"Jeepers pal, you have extraordinary night vision."

"It comes with practice Paul. I've driven in night rallies for years where we have to rely on the integrity of the lights and tires. Just get that tire off in the morning."

"Help me do it now," Paul said. "Being accountancy trained I'm conditioned to avoid risks."

"I'll do it," Ash said, and changed the tire with smooth efficiency.

Paul shook hands with Ash and that established a bonding until Paul was dumped by the distressed Clara eight months later when she found he'd gone for a dirty weekend with a hot number who was a fellow accountant.

* * *

Ash was placed to share a two-bedroom unit with the female's tennis coach Bev Bosch, indicating that the college had liberal policies perhaps. Bev had just arrived back from an intercollegiate tennis tournament with her team and she and Ash met for the first time and he was hugely disappointment. She was built like a bridge pier and had a manly laugh. But she was jolly and friendly and hugged him, almost crushing ribs, and said the last time she'd shared with the opposite sex the guy was a gay wimp.

"So I'm manly in your opinion?" he said, pouring Bev coffee.

"Yes and I'll know you'll not be interested um sexually in the likes of me. I'll fix you up with some of our other female coaching staff. We aren't all lesbians."

Ash almost dropped the coffee glass carafe in shock although accepting she'd given him the message in really smart way.

By the time they went off to their separate beds he knew he'd really like Bev. She was so easy going and fun to be with and fastidious about cleaning up and he liked that. She was a late-riser and he an early-riser and next morning he served her breakfast in bed and she was delighted.

Willy (William) briefed Ash at 8:00 as pre-arranged.

"You are the last cab into the rank and for that you look after the general fitness of everyone on campus who bothers to use our gym, the pool or the track outside of coaching hours."

"What I'm responsible for their fitness levels?"

"Well not quite. You are responsible for personal programs and keep them motivated and attending fitness activities regularly and to measure any advancement or regression in their level of fitness."

"Jesus Willy. When counting everyone down to janitors we'll probably have 30,000 people on this campus."

"The figure is 24,000 and we don't call cleaning staff janitors. Half of that number becomes 12,000 who turn up at least a couple of times a month and about 5000 of those will regularly exercise and approximately half of those don't want any of us trainers near them. So how are you with 2500 to 3000 bodies to care for with one guy and two women to assist you at the gym and one female at the pool and one female at the track?"

"How am I with 1500 to 3000 people to look after? I'd say overwhelmed."

"I suppose you thought you'd be coaching the senior football team?"

"No you made it quite clear at my initial interview you did that with two assistant coaches."

Willy smiled and said the usual reply he got from new coaching recruits was yes.

Ash said, "Well as your notes will show I gave swimming or track as my coaching preferences."

Willy scratched an ear. "We are short of a coach for the women's social soccer team. Those girls are yours, with coaching on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons."

"But I know little about coaching soccer?"

"Hmmm. Don't I recall you played soccer at high school?"

"Jesus Willy, why does an old guy like you have to have a good memory?"

"If I didn't already like you son I'd be kicking your butt for saying that. No one around here abuses the head coach."

"Willy, I apologize."

"Accepted and don't worry about those social soccer players. They have little idea what they should be doing and will regard you as god no matter what crap you teach them. They are required to be involved in at least one active sport and it's known by students that being in social soccer is a breeze."

"Oh Christ. This is turning into a nightmare. Have you any idea who my roommate is?"

"Yes Bev. I placed you with her because of her leadership qualities. Bev has forgotten more than you ever learned about coaching at college and going to that fancy sports coaching academy. Academies are for masturbators."

Ash said dryly, "Did you attend a coaching academy Willy?"

"Listen here punk..."

"Oh that might have been regarded as offensive. I'm willing to consider apologizing Willy."

"Son I'll telling you once, if you wish to stay on my team you never ever think I might masturbate."

"Yes coach."

"Yes what?" Willy roared.

Ash said panicking, "I was saying no I'll never ever think that."

"Yeah right. Go to the gym and take over your team. Ask for Caroline."

There was only one person in the well-appointed gym who wasn't sitting on a bench resting. She was exercising with 25 lb. dumbbells.

"You have good fluid movement. I suggest you tighten your butt muscles as you lift."

"Fuck off bozo," she said, not turning to look at him.

"Well okay. Um do you know where I can find Caroline?"

She said she was Caroline.

Oh crap. "I'll come back later."

"Stop, are you Ash?"

Ash said yeah.

She turned, grinning and he couldn't take his eyes off the sweat patch between her breasts.

"What you are looking at?" she said mildly.

"I was checking out the sweat on you top. It's a sure sign you've been giving it plenty."

"Is that all you were looking at?"

"Yeah apart from the top. I like that blue in Lycra."

She smiled and put the weights into the rack and invited him to come for a juice before she showed him around and brief him.

When they came out of the office, everyone who'd been sitting on benches chatting was up and involved with equipment. A guy and two other females were in blue Lycra.

"In here and at the pool, assistants to coaches are the only people permitted to wear blue Lycra for ease of identification. The assistants are students who accept that role as credits for campus involvement in valued activity."

"Good idea," Ash said, trying not to look at them and thinking they must be 34Cs. Lovely.

"What size do you think they are?"

"Eh?"

She laughed and said never mind.

An hour later after a full briefing, Caroline took Ash to the three-pool complex, one of the pools being a separate diving pool, and introduced to the assistant coach, Wendy another 34C in blue Lycra who was in charge of the team of 'pool attendants' who were on 8-hour shifts and were responsible for overall supervision at the facility that opened at 5:00 and closed at 9:00. The school's swim teams had their own coaches of course and did most of their work-outs in the smaller pool or roping off four lanes in the Olympic sized pool.

Wendy them took Ash to the track and introduced Ash to Thelma, who appeared to have no bust and who Wendy had said held the college's women's track records for the 200 yards and the 400 yard hurdles in the days when she was a student.

Thelma took Ash on tour in a golf cart and she said to Ash, "I don't require you to supervise me but you a welcome to drop in and say hi and go through the motions. I run this facility my way. It's open 24/7 but I do time trials for students who want them between the hours of 8:00 and 4:00 and assist anyone who cramps up or spikes their foot with their javelin. Any questions?"
"No and er do it your way providing there are no complaints."

"Don't expect to hear complaints Ash. Those who have complaints complain to me or else leave this facility for good."

"In a box?"

"That's not funny Ash."

"Um no."

"I see in your CV at college you regularly ran under 49:50 in the outdoor 400 meter dash and in the pool you were pretty hot on the 800 meters."

"You read too much."

She laughed and said nice reply. "Do you run at evenings?"

"I have just arrived here and plan to run most evenings. I like setting off around 6:00 until winter sets in."

"You can run with me if you wish, say starting next week after you have settled in. I like to run for an hour."

"Me too, so here's my phone number and tell me where to meet."

Ash was glad that he would be kept busy because they would give him less time to think of how he'd organize the death of Sheriff Bates and his former sidekick deputy Frank Lynch. He knew it would be unwise to do anything inside the next six months but it needed to be done because it was clear no authorities would bring those two swine to justice to punish them for their crimes. He wished to bury his desire for revenge in the meantime.

He returned to Caroline, said hi to her tits with his gaze, and she sent him off to get issued with three blue Lycra tops, and three pairs of blue shorts and blue track pants and two blue jackets, his official uniforms as a coach, plus footwear and two whistles and a stopwatch.

Later Ash arrived home and found Bev was home ahead of him.

"I thought you would coach after classes?"

"No my people are released from classes and so I work even better than office hours."

Ash was about to ask what was the arrangement for dinner when there was a knock and the door and Bev said, "This is your first date at this college. I'll get it."

Date?

Bev returned and pushing what appeared to be a reluctant young woman but when she saw Ash was a lean and good-looking guy she appeared to relax and broke into a big smile.

"Hi Ash?"

"Hi, um huh?"

"Britt Olsen, squash coach and assistant tennis coach."

"Hi Britt. I guess you know this is not my idea?"

"I do but pushy Bev said if I dropped one of my regular dates to date you this evening I wouldn't regret it. Is that true?"

"It could be a disaster with me producing boring conversation and falling asleep while you were talking."

"Well that's refreshingly honest. Are you ready to go?"

Ash said no, he needed to freshen up.

"Yes please," smiled Britt and Ash liked that.

They went to the college's Piccolo Café because Britt liked its salad bar and she'd been asked to choose where to eat.

They lined up to book a table and then went to the bar.

Britt chose a light white wine and Ash chose red wine and they sat on bar stools and their knees touched and neither of them pulled away.

Britt looked at her arranged date steadily and said, "I suppose you are expected sex tonight?"

"The thought had entered my mind when I first saw you but I'm not taking it for granted."

Making no reply she asked for his first impressions of the college.

As they left the café, Ash asked, "Do you wish to come back to my room for sex?"

"What if Bev is home?"

"Does it matter? All she asked was for me to be tidy and considerate. Taking you to my room is not being untidy or inconsiderate."

Britt giggled, grabbed Ash around the waist and swung around on to him and delivered a great kiss.

"I take it that's your consent for me to have sex with you?"

"Yes she smiled, and may I touch to see what's on offer."

"Yes."

She reached down and yelped, "Omigod, I wish to back out of our evening of lust."

He knew she was kidding and liked being teased. Ash considered his dick was about normal size, well perhaps a bit longer and a big fatter than normal but who really knew what normal was?

They talked, getting to know each other better as they walked. As Ash unlocked the door of the darkened apartment Britt said she didn't want to be too late because she had her first coaching appointment at 7:00.

"Don't students leave classes for coaching appointments?"

"That cooperative approach by the professors applies only to swimming, track and field and football coaching. If you leave class to go to coaching for minor sports the student is marked as absent and no lecture notes are supplied."

Ash said hotly that was unfair, discriminatory.

"Or tradition," Britt smiled.

They went straight to Ash's room.

"Ash there's not full sex unless you wear a condom."

"Agreed and you may roll it on me. Shall I undress you?"

"Please."

"Push your pussy out towards me."

She did that and he munched at it softly over her panties and when her breathing deepened he rose and began undressing Britt, not that it was much to remove because it was late spring and the weather was warm. The panties were last to go and when Ash dug his fingers into the tops of her thighs Britt groaned. Leering, Ash lowered her on to the bed and she spread her legs wide and whispered, "Lick and finger me."

Few men would have been capable of resisting such an offer; Ash was not one of them. Later, his chin dripping, Ash crawled up and sank his straining dick into quite the widest pussy he'd penetrated for quite some time but Britt, being athletic, knew what to do to get the desired level of resistance and a great bang was underway that would leave them panting, sweaty and gloating, mentally giving each other a big tick and both already thinking about Round 2.

"Do you want my butt?"

"Um doggie back in where I've been would be great after you roll another condom on me."

They were dozing when they heard Bev come home and the door to her bedroom close.

Britt sighed and said she better go because she had an early morning coaching session.

"Do you really need to rush off?"

She sighed and rolled on to her side to begin working up his limp cock.

Bev eyed Ash closely when he arrived with her breakfast next morning and said, "You look a million dollars."

"Yeah well robust sex is a pretty good exercise to tone up all systems."

"So you obviously enjoyed Britt?"

"God yeah."

Bev smiled and said Britt was a fine young woman.

"Do you wish me to tell her you really enjoyed her company in all respects?"

Ash told her to please do that and inject a few complimentary adjectives because Britt really knew how to move her ass.

Bev giggled.

As Ash went to the gym in his new uniform, he wondered if Britt would want to hear sexually intimate talk like that from a lesbian and he had a sudden mental twitch: Britt could be bi-sexual.

Jeepers.

At 5:00 that afternoon, Ash went to the training area allocated to the social soccer players.

The nineteen women appeared to be all there and sitting on seats or sprawled on the grass and talking.

He checked his watch and found he'd arrived exactly on time and assumed all nineteen were there, that number being too many to count at a glance. At least they'd turned up on time to see the new coach.

"What the hell are you doing," he yelled. "You should be warming up. All of you, run around the perimeter of the half soccer field twice, and I don't wish to see stragglers."

The mix of freshmen to seniors looked startled, even resentful, but off they all loped, the leaders being considerate enough not to set too fast a pace for the weaker runners. Ash liked seeing that.

He eyed them as they returned for the second circuit looking for the most athletic one with the biggest tits to make her temporarily captain until he found the player with leadership qualities including an understanding of the attack/defensive strategies.

When the women were grouped in front of him, still panting, a senior dressed for sport came loping up and Ash yelled, "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Sandra Leigh coach."

"Well Sandra if you are ever late again you can forget about being in this group."

"But Sandra had to host our guest instructor until she was ready to leave," said a buddy.

"Well I'm sorry, the time to remedy that is the time any loading is placed on any of you when you know it will interfere with your designated soccer training time. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," some said enthusiastically while others muttered it or remained closed-lipped.

"Could we please some discipline here. It's one of the requirements of a winning soccer side. Now could I have that acknowledgement again please but change the wording to yes coach."

"Yes coach," they all said obediently.

"Coach we can't be a winning team because we never get to play with anyone but ourselves by dividing into two sides."

"Is that so?"

"Yes coach," they said unhappily.

"Well we see about that. Do you have enough cars between you to get the playing team and reserves to town? I don't have a vehicle yet."

"Yes we sure do," someone called.

"Then I'll organize friendly games here and around the city and when I think you are ready we'll challenge our top women's team and if you guys fail to perform I'll kick butt."

There was stunned silence.

"God, what a pack of losers. How can you win if you don't believe you at least have a chance?"

Most of them now looked confused.

"Anyway I only said I'd kick butt if your guys fail to perform and that doesn't mean you get kicked if you don't win. It means giving 90%-plus effort all the time you are on the field. My name is Coach Burton and you call me that when we are engaged in soccer and at all other times except when referring to soccer you call me Ash. I want you all to get my cell phone number from my web page on the college network and phone me if you cannot make coaching or cannot make it on time at which all reasonable explanations will be accepted. Is that clear?"

"Yes coach."

"Right now that you've had a few minutes to assess me and there are things about me or my technique you don't like which will be used to make at least half-decent soccer players out of all of you, then you may leave right now and seek an alternative active sport. Anyone who leaves will be ignored as they leave and not jeered and that's an instruction, not a request. You have thirty seconds to leave."

"Coach thirty seconds is up," someone called.

Ash who was reading his notebook was aware it was only twenty seconds but looked up and couldn't see anyone walking away.

"Jesus," he laughed. "Are we on to a winner? You all want to play soccer."

Laughter and a buzz of excitement swept through the group.

"Yes I use bad language a bit and may call things like get your ass into gear and you are free to report me on that if you truly believe you have been abused and so be it. But we are here to learn the fundamentals of soccer and build a top team with reserves who can slot into at least two different positions if required. If you are named a reserve it's your job to fight for a regular place or simply accept your best is not good enough and use your intellect to accept there always will be top and bottom placed players because so many considerations come into play such as poor coordination or your shorts are too tight."

The brightness of the laughter told Ash those females knew they were accepting the new guy as their coach and he might be capable of teaching them how to play soccer and inspire them to give it their best.

"Right we need to appoint someone as captain."

"Coach Burton, Miss Evans our temporary coach appointed Sandra as captain?"

"Who said that?"

"I did coach, Ellen Graves."

"Does the team have a vice-captain Ellen?"

"No Coach Burton."

"Then you are it."

"Sandra, why were you picked as captain?"

"Because I'd played soccer since I was ten and had trialed unsuccessfully for the senior team."

"Can we beat the top team if we put in the effort and put our minds to it?"

"No coach."

"Sandra!"

"Coach we'll fucking well try."

There were gasps and laughter.

"Okay Sandra, that's the spirit but we don't use the F or C words around here and that applies to everyone including me. Sandra you are confirmed as captain."

Everyone clapped.

"Well socially you appear to be a reasonably couth group, now it's time for me to learn what you've got as basic soccer skills. Would the goalkeeper go to the goal and her stand-in position behind the goal and stop wide shots."

Ash picked up three soccer balls from the carry-bin.

Everyone else line up single file six paces behind me until it's your turn to shoot when I call go. You are free to kick as hard as you wish."

A heavily-built red-faced youngster said, "Miss Evans banned four of us from taking full-power shots."

"Well this coach is coaching soccer. Kick as hard as you wish and if you do not wish to hurt the goalie, be considerate and bend your shot around her out of reach."

"Yes coach."

"What's your name?"

"Milly."

"You're off a ranch aren't you? It takes one to recognize one."

She grinned. "You're right. Do you ride?"

"Horse yes," Ash said and heard giggles.

"Coach, do I let the hard ones go?" said the woman pulling on her gloves.

"No never. Learn to deal with it. If you learn to compromise you'll never be a good goalie. Do you want to be a good goal keeper?"

"Yes coach."

"Then why are we talking about this?"

"Sorry for wasting your time coach. Will you comfort me if I get hurt and cry?"

"Sure um..."

"Linda."

"Sure Linda. I'm not that tough that I would ignore injury or distress. You keep telling yourself hands-eye coordination, hands-eye coordination and I must never pull away otherwise I'm letting the team down."

"But this is practice."

"Oh that's a good point. Everyone, even at practice we play as if we really mean it. No compromise."

"No compromise," several players called.

"Come on you lot, at the count of two we all repeat that," said their captain.

"No compromise," shouted the team, and skills practice got underway.

Ten minutes later Linda took a curling shot into her side and she dropped like a stone.

Several girls rushed to her assistance.

"Get back into line and keep your shots coming. You the stand-in you're goalie."

Ash carried Linda behind the goal and rubbed her side.

"Rub my breast coach. I'm okay."

"You little devil," Ash grinned, placing a mitt over her right breast and squeezing. "Dupe me again like this and I'll kick your butt."

"Shaft me now coach, the other girl's won't mind, won't say anything to anyone."

"Linda I am free to shaft any female on campus with her consent but not anyone in my coaching team or anyone who receives coaching in areas where I have responsibility."

"Christ, who made up that regulation, my mother?"

Ash really like Linda and kissed her forehead before lifting her up.

She said yes when asked if she was okay.

"You play behind the net back-up for the rest of this section and don't push yourself. You may be bruised."

"My right breast feels bruised."

"Go, you are such a tease."

She giggled and said she liked that.

CHAPTER 2

Clara called Ash a couple of weeks after she'd first met him and said, "I had a nasty experience this afternoon when waiting for my next bus to come along. A mature guy grabbed me but I rammed my knee into his balls. Um dad said if I bought a pre-owned car at a price I could afford, you would be prepared to bring it up to scratch for me?"

"That's correct. It's best I go with you to buy it."

"Oh Ash, that's a great idea. What about Saturday afternoon? I can borrow mom's car. You work Saturday mornings."

"Okay but we look at no more than ten vehicles and that's it. I can't waste time with someone who can't come to a decision within reasonable time."

"Perhaps I should ask someone else to accompany me."

"No, I said I'd inspect up to ten vehicles with you. Work out what you want and then circle vehicles that sound good to you in the private sales section of Saturday morning's newspaper."

"Shouldn't we buy from a reputable dealer who'll stand by his vehicles in after-sales problems?"

"By going private we'll get you a better buy for your money that you'll get from a dealer but it's up to you."

"Very well, let's do it your way."

They looked at the sixth car and Ash said, "This is it."

"No it isn't," Clara said. "It's a gray car, yuck."

"It's an incredibly good buy. May we take it for a test drive Mr Young?"

Mr Young handed over the keys and Clara drove off slowly and confidently.

"I wanted an American car."

"This car was built in Ohio."

"I wanted an auto."

"Why?"

"I'd rather not say."

Ash scowled, "I know, because it's gray. You just want to fabricate another objection."

She had the grace to blush.

"Clara, believe me, this reasonable mileage 5-speed coupe is a little honey. Mr Young said he has the receipts and I see that the vehicle has been serviced regularly. The Young's just wish to make do with Mr Young's car now that he's retired and I believe that statement. Look around you. Everything is spick and span and I noted the tires have heaps of miles left in them. As I said it's a little honey. Let me have a drive to test the vehicle for tightness and to check there are no strange noises when driven harder."

Clara drove her mother's car home and Ash followed in her newly purchased Honda. When they'd returned Ash had told Mr Young it was an excellent buy but Clara really wanted a red or blue car. Ash and Mr Young talked some more and Mr Young said if he dropped by price by $500 would she take the vehicle and the surprised Clara said yes.

They found nobody at home and Clara said she'd like to drive her new car and took Ash for a drive on the 10-mile highway around the lake.

"How's the romance going with Paul?"

"Quite unspectacularly but I guess that's to be expected because he is an accountant."

"Oh I wasn't aware a romance ran between hot and cold according to the guy's vocation."

Clara laughed and said she hadn't had the experience to be able to answer that.

"What about you?"

"Oh you know, just the casual dates one expects at college.""

"What even for coaches."

"Well I haven't had the experience to be able to answer that but are you aware coaches will face disciplinary measures if they connect romantically with any one they coach because it's considered a breach of trust."

"No I didn't know that."

They were at the top end of the lake where the road went through a council-owned nature reserve.

"Do you wish to stop for a while, um off the road where we can't be easily seen?"

Clara glanced at him and said whatever for.

He grinned and said, "For you to thank me appropriately for helping in the purchase of this vehicle."

"But I didn't want a gray car."

He growled, "But you finished up with a great vehicle nevertheless and I worked it so that the seller offered you $500 off the asking price after initially he'd told you he wouldn't take less."

"Oh, so if we pull over what will you do to me?"

"That's for you to decide."

Clara pulled over the road and came in behind a roadside thicket.

She stopped the vehicle and said, "I feel a little naughty doing this."

"You mean it fills you with foreboding?"

"Oh no, quite the opposite. Here let me reward you with a kiss."

The kissed and Clara removed his hand off her boobs twice and then when it returned the third time she left it there. He squeezed her boob and she kissed him harder and slowly her mouth opened and their tongues touched and then entwined

Ash slowly worked a hand between her legs and slowly they parted.

Clara came up for a breather and said, "Please don't go under my panties."

He respected that wish, rubbing her over her panties and eventually they felt quite damp. He could smell her and then she said, "Oh damn, you have aroused me."

"I know, cool eh?"
"All I know is you are naughty. Pull out a breast if you wish."

Clara held out her mouth to be kissed and Ash resumed the kissing and tonguing and flipped out a breast over the neck of her dress and she said, "Oh Christ, if I allow you to continue I'll allow you to bang me."

"Oh we can't allow that," he said, pulled away. "Gee you've got me really erect. Have a feel."

"No," she said, putting away the bared tit. "God my panties are wet."

He smiled and pushed up her fringe and said, "As well you know, that's meant to happen. You were getting ready for my insertion."

"Oh for goodness sake."

"Just remember one day I'd love to bang you. I don't mind how long you make me wait."

Clara combed her blonde hair and said, "I suppose I should accept that as a compliment?"

"Yes you should, absolutely."

"Thanks for the lovely compliment."

He grinned and slapped a hand high up on her thigh.

She looked at the hand but left it there. It was removed when she put her lipstick away and started the engine.

"I feel well-rewarded," Ash smiled and she said she'd bet he usually got what he wanted from a female because he was rather smooth.

"Thanks."

She giggled and said she'd take him back to the college.

"I'm beginning to really like this vehicle. It's even easier to drive than mom's Chevy and is very peppy. What car will you buy?"

"I'll look for something, probably a SUV within a day or two. Monday is a good time to contact private advertisers who failed to sell their vehicle over the weekend."

"God you know stuff I don't even think about."

"Well yes, that's one of the burdens males have to bear."

Clara laughed and said she really enjoyed his company.

"Yeah well if you and Paul decide to split, please let me know. Um that's if you remain interested in me."

"Me interested?"

"You know you are but let's leave it at that for the moment. I don't want you wetting you panties every time you see me or think of me."

Clara offered no comment.

On Monday he purchased a year-old luxury-model GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab 4X4 and was delighted with his purchase. The V8 pickup hadn't sold at the weekend and, just as Ash had predicted, the private seller was anxious to deal. Ash had looked at extended cab pickups to take girls and the team's gear to away soccer games. He also liked the idea of buying a big V8 engine because they appeared to be on the way out in passenger vehicle production.

He resisted the temptation to drive over to show it to Clara and take her for a drive back around the lake and he could really test it out if he managed to get her fully aroused.

* * *

Ash had noticed a student with a built-up left boot would appear from time to time to watch the soccer practice.

One evening he went up to her and said, "Hi, I'm Coach Burton. I occasionally see you watching the girls practice and I notice your built-up boot and conclude you will be unable to play fully active sport."

"Thank you for noticing me coach and oh boy you can be so blunt. I'll not appear here again."

"What? Oh I think you have misunderstood me. Would you like to gain credits for being the team's manager. You see when we play away games I won't be able to go into the women's changing rooms and really deal with players having emotional problems. You could do that by being my assistant."

"Are you serious or is this just talk because you feel sorry for me."

"Feel sorry for you, why? You have a leg defect and nothing else appears defective as far as I can see. Something tells me you might have a friend or two in the team and..."

"Yes I do, Peggy and Michelle. On and thanks for speaking to me bluntly and perceptively. Yes I'd be thrilled and honored to take on that role. It would mean a lot to me and the credits I gain would be awesome."

"What's your name?"

"Diane Fields."

"Great Diane and welcome to the team. I'll make the announcement at the next rest break and I write a letter of appointment tonight and give it to Michelle when I see her on the track tomorrow. Why don't I see you at the gym, pool or track?"

"I have one foot 2½ inches shorter than the good one."

"I guessed as much but that doesn't stop you swimming and/or working out and/or throwing the discus or javelin."

"M-my parents would never allow me to take part in active activities."

"Well you are eighteen and can legally make your own decisions and also your parents are not here to see you push boundaries. Can you meet me tomorrow if I call you? I'd like Doc Stewart to examine you. It won't cost you anything but I'll not immerse you into placing any load on your shortened leg without getting a good report from Doc Stewart. I'll try to arrange the appointment during the midday break."

Diane looked at Ash carefully.

"Why are you doing this for me?"

"I'm responsible for the general fitness of everyone on campus who requires it and I want you fit and able to manage our soccer team."

"Are you this intense about everything you do?"

"I just like to focus and get things done, that's all. And I'm not out to bed you if that's what you're thinking. As a coach I'm prohibited from laying even a finger on any student or for that matter any college employee who is under coaching, even general supervision."

"I could always arrange..."

"Thanks but no Diane. I'll not risk my job."

His duties as a coach were going well, especially with students who were committed to fitness. The half enthusiastic lot were a bit of a pain but some reacted well to motivational techniques while those who gave the impression they wished they weren't at the gym or the track, he all but ignored unless they pressed for assistance. He didn't believe he would be alone as a coach in placing his real focus on those who wished to be coached or who could be persuaded they needed to be sharpened up on what they were doing.

Clara called him a couple of nights later and asked what he was doing.

"Writing a report."

"Oh I apologize for disturbing that worthy activity."

"But I'm delighted you've called," he said, scrambling to try to be charming.

"Why?"

"Because...." Jesus he couldn't say when she wasn't warmed up that he wanted to screw her.

"Yes?" she prodded.

"Because you are lively, good to talk to, your intelligence shows through and I like the thought of being seen with you."

"Good gracious," she said, sounding surprised. "Here was I thinking your only interest in me was to screw me."

Ash's mind raced. He couldn't believe she would call him to ask is he still intended to screw her when the time was right. Perhaps she called simply to stay in touch as he appeared okay to be a male pal?

He cleared his throat. "I think with you I'd rather work to become your pal. Many females around here are looking to be screwed but few as far as I can tell are seeking male pals."

"I understand that because I also went to college. So you won't attempt to grope if we see each other from time to time and when we are alone?"

"I could say I would resist the temptation but I cannot give an absolute assurance."

She laughed and said well he must not look sideways at her in the presence of her parents or Paul or other people for that matter.

"I could live with that."

She simpered, "Do I really excite you sexually?"

"Um could you ask me an easier question?"

"Okay, shall we associate as good friends?"

He put smile into his voice and said, "I'd like that."

"Good. My reason for saying that is junior teachers at my school will be a picnic scheduled for 3:00 next Sunday afternoon with partners. Paul will be away and I was..."

"Yes certainly. I wouldn't want you to be the only teacher there without a partner."

"You are so kind. I asked mom should I ask you and she said yes."

"Good, involving her like that means she would think you are two-timing Paul."

"Oh," Clara said. "My mind doesn't work like that."

Ash laughed and said she shouldn't say anything to Paul otherwise he'd think she was two-timing him.

"Oh god, no I mustn't. You are really clever to think like that."

"Oh Clara, something I meant to ask you. Do you like having sex?"

She laughed and said she'd better go. She said goodnight and cut the call.

Ash was bored stiff at the picnic, not being big into education although he was an assistant coach at a college.

He won the men's sprint and he and his allotted partner Wendy won the volley ball and he and Clara won the three-legged race and towards the end of the picnic someone called for a contest of the best hunk, with the men required to take their tops off, and Ash won that easily, Carla's jaw dropping when she saw his gym toned upper body exposed for the first time.

Some of her friends gathered around her and judging by the screaming laughter some lewd remarks were made in her direction, but it was all great fun.

Ash and Clara had arrived separately, coming from different directions and she was surprised when she saw his new vehicle was a pickup.

"I thought you would have bought a Honda, being so eager to get me into one."

"A Honda was the second preference on your list," he smiled. "I never expressed a preference."

"I'm not sure I like a pick-up."

He smiled and said did it matter, he would be driving it and she would be riding in Paul's BMW."

"Are you jealous?"

"That you go around with Paul? Yes I am."

"Oh god, you shouldn't say things to me like that."

He smiled and said then she would not ask such leading questions.

They kissed goodbye and somehow, well not accidentally for sure, their tongues entwined.

"God Ash, I almost wet myself when I saw your beautifully toned torso."

"Touché," he grinned. "I sense you also have a great torso."

She giggled and kissed him again, this time pressing hard against him.

But more than seven months would pass before Clara banged him in a huge display of lust, the first time they enjoined in full penetration despite dating a few times when her beau was otherwise engaged.

* * *

Ash worked out the safest person to bang on campus was his gym coaching assistant Caroline. She had a boyfriend, a law lecturer whom she described and 'the kind of guy you marry after you've finished playing around.'

Caroline had a roomy pussy but made it a good fit with good muscle control, had the stamina to match and really liked to fuck. Ash couldn't believe his luck the first time he banged her in her office after the gym had closed because it went so well and she liked her tits being crushed. And after three rounds she eyed him, red-eyed and sweating and said she thought she could manage one more time but Ash held up his hands in surrender, absolutely zonked.

"Thank Christ for that," she said, and slump over her desk, looking absolutely depleted.

They fell into the routine of banging every week to ten days or so.

A Mrs Collins, deputy director of the college's health and counseling services, called and arranged a time for Ash to see her.

"Please sit Ash and call me Judith. This meeting is simply for my information. Coffee?"

They sat on lounge chairs facing each other over the coffee table.

"This concerns Diane Fields. We have tried to place her in several areas including our theater, the administration of the Student Government Association and as student liaison officer in her hall of residence to allow her to get campus services involvement credits that go towards her degree marks, but to no avail, she remained uncooperative and we remained concerned because this would not look good on her academic record. Then out of the blue she applies for registration for maximum credits on the claim she has been appointed team manager of the women's social soccer team. This seems unbelievable and I chose to consult with you rather than question Diane whom, as you will understand, is somewhat sensitive of her disability."

Ash put down his coffee cup and said, "I'm glad you approached me for clarification Judith. I'd noticed her several times watching soccer coaching and had noticed her built up boot. I spoke to her and found two of her friends were in my group. I intend organizing some away games for the social team and apparently that has not been done before. I saw problems being coach-manager dealing with personal problems, checking security in the female changing rooms and so I hit on Diane asking would she like to be team manager. It's fair to say Diane jumped at the opportunity."

Judith looked pleased and said precisely what would her duties be.

Thinking quickly, Ash gave a whole string of duties that would leave him only with coaching duties. Judith looked up from making notes and said it appeared Diane would be busy and very closely involved and would deserve to get the full credits providing she toiled through to the end.

"She developed the deformity as a child I understand."

"Yes, it was a growth issue, affecting her lower left side. The family is religious and decided that was how God meant Diane to be and Diane shares that view and doesn't want her right femur to be shortened surgically by 1½ inches. Our medical staff examined Diane and confirmed she suffers from leg length discrepancy and therefore is excused from all sport and other physical activity."

"Yes I found that out when I approached Doc Stewart to look at her for me before I put Diane to work."

Ash left Judith very pleased and called Diane and told her of the meeting.

"I'm disappointed they didn't believe me."

"Well Diane, my view if they've done the right thing by questioning me. You must accept that college administration has experienced students attempting to pull ever con know to student life."

She laughed and he said he'd email her the list of duties as he'd outlined to Mrs Collins.

"I actually added more than intended to heap on you in order to convince her you'd be heavily involved. She bought it."

"Well I wish to be heavily involved and so there's no problem coach."

"You may call me Ash if you wish."

"Okay and thanks. That will tell the girls I have some authority."

"Oh I will tell them that in an email when outlining your duties. Your involvement will allow me to concentrate fully on coaching."

The social team played a friendly game with a team in a nearby town that played in the A-league and were beaten 1-3.

When Diane came out and said it was clear for Coach Burton to come in and address the team and reserves.

He told them, "I was delighted by your performance today."

"No coach, we did poorly," called someone.

"Well you might think that but as your coach this is how I saw it. I saw you guys go out on to the field and I worried that I might be pushing you too fast. I half-expected you to be slaughtered out there but I although was convinced if you played the full game at only 90% of what you have been doing in practice then all would be well, and so it was. You went down 1-3 to be team that plays in the A League. Christ girls you should be immensely proud of yourselves. We'll stop at the Pit-Stop for something to eat and drink on the way back to college and I'll pay. That's what I think of you guys."

He walked out and heard their captain shout, "Three cheers for Coach Burton" and three hurrahs were shouted.

* * *

Clara's mom Lil called Ash and that rather scared him. He guessed she would be warning him off from associating with Clara.

"I hear you are going very well on the coaching team."

"Thanks."

"Why are you sounding so defensive?"

"I um didn't know I was. I've just come back in from a tiring run."

"Oh, you poor darling. And I guess you haven't eaten yet?"

"No."

"Well I won't keep you. We've rented a four-bedroom cabin up at the Blue Lakes for Labor Day weekend and I decided to invite you to join us."

"Um what does Coach Benton say?"

"He thought it was a good idea. You will recall we are aware you lost your parents tragically so we feel this hosting in a family atmosphere should be most appropriate for you."

"That's very kind of you but um, what about Paul? He might resent me being there."

"Paul is away elsewhere that weekend. Anyway I favor you over Paul by a country mile."

"Christ Lil don't tell Clara that."

"Did you just say Christ to me?"

"Yes."

"And there is no apology forthcoming?"

"No."

"Oooh I took you to be mentally tough. I am aware that you have been seeing Clara from time to time."

Ash felt his heart beginning to thump. "Yes but not romantically if you can understand that."

"So she's told me. We keep our private conversations private you can understand that?"

"Oh, I guess that is to avoid her father behaving like a moralistic dad?"

"You've got it."

Ash's mind was churning and he felt he was with his back to the wall.

"I don't know what to say."

"Well acceptance of our invitation would satisfy the purpose of this call."

"Yes I accept and am humbled to have received such an invitation."

"I do like you Ash. Clara will be in touch. Good night darling."

Darling? He couldn't believe Lil had just called him that.

After dinner he called Harry Smith to see how his management of Ash's ranch was going.

"Hi son, great to hear you in fine voice. Everything is going fine. I'm glad you've called and it's great timing. Ellen and Garth and I drove around your ranch yesterday and there's no doubt the land is better than ours. You see it in the condition of the horses; yours look a couple of notches above ours."

"That's nice of you to say that."

"Has the property legally passed to you?"

"Yes and it's cleared of debt and taxes. Are you thinking of buying it?"

"That's right. Garth believes his parents will finance him into buying our ranch and guarantee the mortgage. Ellen and I want to talk to you about buying your ranch."

"Oh great Harry because I can imagine dad saying Harry Smith would be just right to take over our ranch. Just get a fair offer worked out with your attorney Harry and get it to me. We can sort anything out on the phone and then I'd come down for the signing. As you know I'm really not a ranch boy and I could never live in that house again."

"I understand Ash and would really like to see this change in ownership go through and then you would be released."

"I hope so. Look if you don't want those stallions we could sell them off."

"No, Ellen and I have decided to talk to you about a lock, stock and barrel deal."

"Right you have talked to me and I believe that's the right way to do this deal."

The deal was done a few weeks later and after disbursements, $4,218,000 went into Ash's bank account and he immediately invested most of that money using the bank's investment adviser and an independent firm of investment advisers because he didn't have much idea about money or investment.

CHAPTER 3

Willy had gone to the cabin a day early to check things out. Clara and Lil accepted Ash's invitation to go in his vehicle.

"Omigod, this looks as refined and as comfortable as a sedan," Lil said, being steered into the front seat. "I thought it would be a basic bumpy truck although it looked great from the outside, rather masculine I'd say."

"And you'll regard it as a comfortable ride," Ash said, "providing you remember it has a workhorse pedigree. It's a six-speed auto with a powerful V8 engine. I love driving it."

"As I said on the phone Lil, I appreciate you inviting me to spend the weekend with you guys."

"Well I'm hoping you'll spend most of your time with Clara."

"Mom!"

"Yes dear?"

"Oh never mind. I can't understand why dad took the day off yesterday to go up and check out the cabin. Being a rented cabin it would have been prepared for the incoming guests."

"Well you know your father. He'd want to be in the wilderness alone, if only for one day. He can be such a boy at times."

"But he's still a good guy," Ash said.
Lil said indeed and a good father.

"We appreciate you assisting Clara buy her car. She says except for the color it's perfect for her."

"Yes so she'd told me."

"Exactly how often do you two associate and how often are you alone at those encounters?"

"Mom!"

"We meet occasionally Lil and we don't pet if that's what you are thinking."

"Pet? They call is a much stronger name for that sort of thing these days."

Ash laughed easily, looking in the rear vision mirror at Clara's huge frown, and he said, "Lil, I'm not banging your daughter and never have. Does this end this conversation?"

"Well why aren't you?"

"Jesus," Ash yelled in frustration, thumping the steering wheel with both hands.

"Mom will you shut up about this or I'll ask Ash to stop and you can walk to the cabin."

"Is he telling the truth?"

"Yes."

"Very well, I will shut up but I still expect you two to act like lovers this weekend."

They drove on silently for quite some time, appearing lost in thought.

When the stopped for a coffee break and Lil went to the bathroom, Ash said to Clara, "I've been driving for with past two hours with a hard-on thinking of thrusting up you."

"God you are disgusting," she flared. "You have been the one saying we shouldn't do it and now just because my mother decides to change horses to become a sex liberal you decide to become lecherous."

She walked off to the toilets, slamming the door on the way out, leaving Ash surprised and wondering what had brought that on. Clara was usually so laidback when it came to talking sex. Perhaps she was having her monthly?

But later when they left the café, walking through the door behind Lil, Clara reached for his hand and squeezed it and he knew she was saying sorry for her outburst. He squeezed back and she looked at him and smiled warmly.

Willy came out of the cabin waving and kissed his family and shook Ash's hand and said it was a clean and comfortable cabin with bare essentials, just as a wilderness cabin should be.

They had coffee and a snack and then Willy said to his daughter and Ash to do down and view the lake but not to get lost.

There was a defined track downhill and after they'd walked about 200 yards Clara pulled Ash off into a thicket amid the trees and said, "Come on, let's do it. Just push in and do it."

"I don't have condoms."

"Well that's a pity but just do it and cum inside me. I'm protected and want you to know you've really possessed me."

"Why?"

"A sense of ownership for us I suppose."

"Eh?"

"It doesn't matter, just do it," Clara said, lying on her back and pulling off her panties.

Ash dropped his shorts, shuffled between her legs and pulling his briefs aside, pushed his half-erect cock into her.

Clara gasped 'Oooh' and extra blood raced to pump up his cock almost instantly into full readiness and he pushed all the way in and leaning over Clara resting on his hands he accidentally dribbled on to her face.

"God you're sexy," she said, and pulled him down and thrust her tongue into his mouth and Ash banged her almost frenetically and she shuddered and panted and he blew his load deep into Clara.

They rested, she not moaning that he was heavy on her. Instead she ran and hand through his hair and said that really couldn't be called a good fuck but nevertheless it was a fuck, their first one as lovers.

Ash said in surprise, "Are we lovers?"

"No, probably not. It's just that I have grown a little more unsure about Paul's professed love of me. He still mentions it but rather mechanically in my opinion."

"Do you think he has someone else?"

"The thought had occurred to me."

"So you are aiming to please me to have me hanging around for when you dump him?"

"That's a great idea that no, I can't expect that from you. I'm a little confused. Paul and I have been together for eight months and yes we have been having sex for most of that time and yes he's quite good at it. His parents are friendly enough with me but I suspect his mother wants him to marry up the social ladder a bit and to an accountant."

"Suspect?"

"I've sort of asked how well did she like me and all I can say is her reply was simply I was a very nice young woman. I regarded that as evasive, thinking she could have done much better than that."

"Well that's for you to work to a conclusion. Come on, let's go to the lake."

"Yes I will dribble but can wash myself when we get there."

They returned to the cabin and found Willy and Lil having a drink. Willy poured a wine for Clara and gave Ash the choice of beer or white wine and he chose wine.

"Sleeping arrangements," Lil began. "As you found when we arrived there are only two bedrooms. Willy had already taken the main bedroom, as one would expect, and that leaves you two sharing the other bedroom."

"Or one of you can sleep out here," Willy hastened to say.

"It's a three-bed room," Clara said. "I'm willing to share the room."

Ash said, "Willy?"

He shrugged and Ash said, "Then I'm willing to share the room too."

At 9:30 when the DVD film finished and her father put on a DVD on 'Superstars of Sport' Clara yawned and said, "Are you coming to bed Ash, um coming to the bedroom?"

"Yep."

"Shouldn't you give Clara a few minutes to undress and get into bed?"

"No Willy, I have an urge to see her nude."

Willy scowled and Lil snickered but turned that reaction into a yawn when Willy scowled in her direction.

Clara said, "Dad these things happen and Ash and I are adults. Get used to it."

"Well have a good night you two," Willy said. "And don't keep us awake."

Clara went to the only bathroom and when she came out and went to the bedroom Ash emerged from the bedroom with his toilet bag and went to the bathroom and said goodnight to Lil and Willy who responded respectively with a bright goodnight and a grunt.

Ash entered the bedroom to find Clara facing him, nude.

"Lock the door," she said softly as she cupped her breasts.

"Okay," Ash said hoarsely.

Ash and Willy were having coffee next morning when Clara came on and immediately made her position clear, swinging Ash around on his chair and then sitting on his knee with an arm draped around his neck.

"Good morning dad."

Dad ignored the greeting and instead said, "Have you no loyalty to Paul?"

"Answer this dad, do you really like Paul?"

Willy looked away.

"I thought so. So please no more of this pretense acting like an uptight father."

Ash said, "I'll leave now if I'm causing you grief Willy."

"No, it's okay. It hasn't happened in my house and as Lil has told me it really is none of my business."

"But I don't wish to harm our working relationship."

Willy repeated what he's just said, "I said it's okay. Why don't you get us breakfast sweetie and then you and Ash go for a bit of a hike but be back here for a cook-out at 1:00. You will be the cook Ash."

They walked for an hour along the track alongside the lake and it went over steep ridges so was more than a walk in the park. They sat on a rough log seat in a look-out point and Ash decided it was time to talk seriously.

"I want you to know even if you do end up parting from Paul, there's no way I could enter a permanent relationship with you."

Clara eyed him steadily. "Well that would be your decision and judging by the way you announced it, it would appear unlikely I could change your mind."

"Promise me to keep this confidential?"

"Yes of course."

"In time I intend returning to my former home district and killing two or perhaps three people for their involvement in the killing of my parents."

"Jesus Ash, you can't be serious."

"I am and it needs to be done because they believe they've gotten away with perfect murders."

"But the law..."

"The murders were investigated and the coroner's decision was my parents were killed by a person or persons unknown. The State then ordered a second investigation and nothing new was found. The sheriff and one of his deputies I accused as having killed my parents were questioned, extensively according to the report, and nothing incriminating was found to link them to the murders they'd been called to investigate. I was questioned and the report says I failed to produce any evidence to back my accusations apart from the fact that my father knocked down the sheriff in a dispute over the sale of a horse. The report said the sheriff denied there had been a fight but admitted there had been a heated exchange when he accused my father of selling an unfit horse to his wife."

"Well they were cleared, you can't kill them."

"Is that so? How about a conspiracy theory that involves this triangle: I knew that the deputy was the nephew of the sheriff's wife but after it was all over including the State investigation, I learned that the neighbor of my parents who called the sheriff's Department about hearing gunshots over at my parent's ranch house was the sheriff's uncle. My theory is there had been a fight and the sheriff returned with his trusted deputy to beat up dad but a gun was produced, probably by mom, there was a scuffle and she was shot in the throat and then dad was shot by the sheriff using a shotgun. Interestingly, no weapons were found in the house and at the inquest it was found the sheriff claimed his old shotgun had been stolen from his vehicle some weeks earlier but he'd failed to report the theft and log details. Very conveniently his new shotgun tested as not having been fired recently."

"Omigod. You must present your theory to the authorities."

"And then what? At the end of the day do they believe conspiracy theory of the son of the victims or the denials of the sheriff, a sworn officer of the law? I intend to close this matter by getting that uncle who lives alone and beating the crap out of him until he confesses. I'll then decide whether to kill him. I wait for the sheriff to arrive home and then I place a shotgun under his chin as he's getting out of his SUV and talk to him and then I step back and as he straightens up wondering how to get the drop on him I smile and say "Goodbye your murdering bastard" and blast his chest open. I then drive for three hours and find that deputy and kill him and then I turn myself in to the police and confess."

"And your life effectively ends."

"Perhaps. Under interrogation I explain my motives and tell them about the old guy, the sheriff's uncle, that I'd left tied up. With a bit of luck that guy will explain what really happen and I will go to jail but the judge will exercise leniency with sentencing me."

"No Ash, there will be no killings. My uncle Bevan is some kind of federal undercover agent. You and I will talk to him with the view of getting the case of your parent's deaths reopened and investigated thoroughly with the plausibility of your conspiracy theory at the core of that new investigation."

She left Ash to go off for a pee. When she returned he smiled thinly.

"Very well Clara. We'll try it your way but remember it has to work because once those three bastards know the case is reactivated, if that does occur, they will be more difficult for me to catch alone and in fact they may come after me."

She cried in frustration, "Oh god what a mess."

"That mess comes with me. Give yourself time to get your mind sorted."

"No, I'm sorted as you call it. This will be plan B. We must not mention your plan A otherwise you could be arrested and charged with planning a felony against two officers of the law."

Ash scratched his head and said yeah, it really was a mess.

"Hold me Ash."

She was soft and felt lovely. He felt his dick stiffen and frowned but obviously she felt the same way because she reached down and cried, "Oooh, I want this."

"I don't have a condom."

"I don't want you wearing a condom unless you go anal."

At that Ash's erection gave its best impression of trying to burst out of his jeans.

Clara removed her top and bra and knelt on the seat, lifting the back of her skirt and pulling her panties aside to display a swelling pussy.

Huh, didn't she go in for the preamble that most babes required? But Ash thought it didn't matter, he was ready.

"I'm ready for this," he said, as he moved in and slapped both sides of her butt.

She reached around and spread her pussy lips and said, "So am I. Make us one Ash."

Clara was already lubed and he began sinking in his dick slowly but she began banging back at him and her cunt smothered his dick quickly and they were away but Ash, feeling the sensuous warmth of her more than ready vagina, kept his stroking long and slow to drag out this amazing experience. He guessed what it was: she was anxious for him and was using her femininity to draw him closer, as she'd indicated by her make us one comment.

She moaned and he reached under and grabbed a swinging tit and squeezed and her hand slapped against his and pushed his hand harder against her breast. She convulsed but turned and said not to stop and they stretched to kiss and their tongues kissed.

They both heated up and began to sweat and the noisy slap-slap of their bodies banging together in relentless rhythm gave Ash the impression his cock had become even longer and fatter and he picked up the pace. Clara began groaning and shook as he banged against her even harder. She squeezed and he cried out and flooded her with semen.

They panted and she twisted around, resulting in his still dripping cock to pull out and as he fell on to the seat beside her she pulled his head against her breasts and commanded, "Suck."

With his heart still racing, Ash thought it was his best fuck ever. It had been so intense, so emotional. He knew he now loved Clara and not only for her cunt. He loved her for her tenderness and compassion, for being so soft and lovely to him and keen to help out with his desire to bring closure to his parents' violent deaths.

Clara was a honey.

Later as they walked after dipping into the cold lake water to clean up, she said, swinging his hand, "That was a sensational fuck, my best one ever. I was emotionally awash."

"Yeah it was a huge one, brilliant in fact. You were such a honey."

"Oh darling," she said, and stopped to be kissed. * * *

Bevan Copeland sat relaxed in the café as his niece Clara requested him to act on Ash's behalf.

Ash then related the story as heard by the Coroner and the decision delivered and then delivered his conspiracy theory.

"Well firstly I have to tell you my area of operations is narcotics, not murder. But I can refer this to the appropriate department with a request for a review. I think there will be a new and independent investigation because it is an unsolved double murder, the three participants involved in the call-out to the murder scene are loosely related by family ties and above all the sheriff's explanation as to why he had a new shotgun appears, on the surface, to be almost unbelievably coincidental. Ash I need you to write a full submission..."

"Here it is, on this memory stick. Clara suggested I do this for you."

"Good, good. Consider the process is underway and please don't worry if you don't hear anything for a while. If a review if initiated it will occur rather slowly because legal papers have to be called in and collated and several people will be involved. This statement of yours would be considered but you would not be examined at this preliminary stage. Well that's it and all I can promise you guys is immediate and direct action from me."

"Thank you," Ash said, kissing Clara after Bevan left the café. "You may have saved me from becoming an avenging assassin."

"I know and I'm thankful I have a good brain and my Uncle Bevan is situated to make the right connections."

* * *

Life continued normally for Ash on his return to the college.

Two weeks later Clara called and said, "I've done it, severed my association with Paul. I was told he went on a romantic weekend with a woman from his office and confronted him and Paul admitted it. He said Helena could be very influential in his career and it was time he went after her. Needless to say when I told mom and dad about this and that I'd swung the axe, they were delighted."

"I am sorry you had to go through that experience."

"Thanks but I'm fine. Do you wish to date tomorrow night?"

"Yes and every night after that. I suppose you have opted for a quiet night with your parents tonight?"

"Correct. As you might guess I am a little emotionally upset at the moment and mom's sympathy will be good for me. Um I have to ask this Ash, if I'm to associate with you long term I won't want you nursing the idea of becoming an avenger."

"What say I discuss this with you when we find out if there is to be a review and then what the decision is?"

"Yes but..."

"If there is a full review and my conspiracy theory is ruled totally unfounded then that will be the end of my follow-up involvement. Now we must not again discuss what I was proposing."

"Yes I agree. Someone might eavesdrop. So let's continue on as normal."

"Agreed and thanks for being so cooperative and understanding."

"Well Ash I know I would have wanted justice at any personal cost had my parents been murdered."

After Ash's social soccer team had won two more away matches in nearby communities, he had coffee with the top women's team's principal coach and suggested a friendly match between the two sides.

Heather suggested a huge defeat could demoralize his girls.

"I will have them psychologically prepared for that but perhaps you might be interested in the team's record to date, three away games for three wins."

The coach listened to the details and was impressed although adding none of those teams were in the top five of the regional A-League division.

She agreed to the match-up and they agreed to the date on a Wednesday afternoon and that Ash could publicize the game on the college website.

"Um may I also advise the coaches of the teams we beat? They treated us well."

"Yes of course."

If Heather was astonished at the news of next Wednesday's fixture under the heading, 'College Z-Team Challenges A-Team in women's college soccer' she made no reaction that reached Ash's ears.

The story gave details of the match and Coach Burton stated, "My girls have played three friendly away matches with wins and now I want them to show would dedication under disciplined coaching can do when they face our elite team."

Nothing about the clash was taken up by local media but from 3:00 on that Wednesday vehicles including two buses arrived from nearby towns and the estimated college turnout was 2500 students, academics and staff.

"Don't worry about big turnout," Ash said. "They are only here to see you guys brutally thumped 15-nil or something like that. But you know we have trained for this and that if you concentrate only on defense you will be thumped. Now listen carefully. In my opinion as a team you lack nothing in comparison with your opponents in players in knowledge and skill although they have two outstanding players in their team and you know who they are and how to try to shut them down. But it's my belief you guys have superior fitness because of our training techniques and your own self-motivation to work on your fitness on non-practice days. If you wish to win this you hold something back and go in for the kill in the final fifteen minutes. Have you got that?"

"Yes coach," they chorused.

"Okay, it's time. Now when you get to the middle of the pitch go into that huddle into a donut and pile one hand on top of a hand and chant, 'We are the underdogs, we are the underdogs just as we have practiced. Now I haven't told you this but it's a tactic. The crowd will love it and they might get behind you guys. As you girls know when you are with a guy, ever little bit counts."

They laughed and lined up, with blue tops, and trotted out waving to him, some blowing kisses. They were on a high. Ash hoped that Sandra and the vice-captain Ellen would remember their instructions about working on team discipline and morale all through the game.
People cheered when the 'donut' was performed and the red team watched almost in bewilderment.

But the honeymoon was over forty-four seconds into the game when the red team intercepted a sloppy pass and from forty-five yards out the red striker shot for goal and caught the blue goalie napping. The crowd, excited by such early action, cheered as the ball slammed in to the back of the net.

Half-time was called with the red team taking seven shots, two being stopped, one going in and the others going wide. The blue team had one penalty shot and the goalie practically had time to do her nails as the miss-kick rolled straight to her, slowly, to be picked up and booted downfield.

Ash grinned at his players as they bit into their quarters of oranges as if they were tasting lemons.

"Right you are only two down. Great work. The other team must be really worried."

The girls looked at him stoically.

"Right this is where we attack. As soon as we gain possession I want the ball to out to Janice. Dribble down right up to their winger Janice and then step left, taking care to keep the ball in play. She looks a weak link and will have anticipated you would go to her other side. You then put a high kick in front of Sandra who will be barreling down center field and Sandra you will have noticed the tendency of their goalie."

"I shoot to her left."

"Spot on."

"Okay that's all. Some of you need to tighten your defense and Shona and Eileen at times you leave a gap by both going for the same attacker. Watch what you are doing and only one of you commit. Right have a natter while I relax."

Ash grinned when he heard Michelle say, "Isn't he supposed to be bawling us out?" and then Ellen say, "No dummy. Half of you would cry. He's expecting you guys to play soccer as if you mean it and you know that and he's told us to thump those bitches in the closing minutes."

"Thanks Ellen," Sandra said. "Time's almost up. Go out and keep alert and play with precision. I'm sorry I fucked up that penalty shot; it won't happen again."

The blues trapped the first pass by the reds right on start-up that was misdirected and the ball went across-field to Janice who only just managed to keep the pass in play. It went like clockwork and thirty-eight seconds into the second half Sandra rammed the ball into red's goal and many in the crowd went wild.

Unfortunately less than a minute later the red team conducted a melee in front of blue's goal and a cross kick went out to the right wing and was returned as a high kick and was headed into the net.

That took the score to 3-1 to the reds.

Thereafter the blues defended well and kept the reds scoreless and with seven minutes to go Sandra calmly slotted a penalty kick at the place where the goalie had been standing before lunging to the right.

Down only 2-3, the blues heard the senior team's coach screaming at her girls. They looked at their coach who was talking to his girlfriend Clara and then he waved.

"Listen up you lot," Sandra said. "So far in the second half all our attacks have been down the wings. This time when I get the ball Ellen and I will drive hard down center field with short passes to you Ellen and Ellen you take the shot because they'll be expecting me to take it."

"Oh god, it will be my moment of infamy if I miss. Okay."

"Cross me when I pass you the ball and they'll know that's not your good side."

"And if you are wrong and they close in on me?

"Put up a header to Linda waiting near the left post."

"A header... me?" said Linda. "You know I'm the shortest and weakest attack player in the team."

"Yeah funny that," Sandra said. "And those in the red team will have figured that out. Our coach says to beat a stronger team we need to be foxy. Well this is being foxy. You can do it; just don't panic."

With three minutes to go Sandra seized the opportunity to attack forty yards out centerfield and Linda ran into position and they were off and the tactic had the reds scrambling. The header went to Linda and it was as if time stood still for the blues. The kick was a little too high but somehow Linda leaped high enough to allow her head to graze the ball late.

It hit the left post and deflected into the goal beating the goalie's outstretched hand.

Half the blue team did a donut with others scramble back ready to defend the onslaught.

The game finished 3-all, the elite players running at the social players to congratulate them.

Their coach rushed over and kissed Ash and was heard to say, "Thank Christ your girls didn't beat my girls."

They then went out to congratulate the players. When the blue team went to their dressing room they had to pass through two lines of players from the teams they'd played against outside of college. That was a huge moment for the underdogs. The blue's manager, Diane Fields, who'd been standing alongside Clara and Ash and hugged and kissed him when Linda headed in the goal to draw the game, came out of the dressing room and said, "The girls are ready for you coach."

He went into the room and was mobbed and a number of the girls pulled up their tops and were braless and wobbled their tits at him.

"Put them away girls but thank you. That's an impressive display. You all did tremendously as a team and Sandra all credit for you in coming up with that brilliant final attack. I have faith in you and recognized you were a leader and rather a sly bitch. Brilliantly done and worked with Ellen and Linda who helped make it work. God Linda, I couldn't believe how you got up that high."

"I was motivated by the thought if I failed Sandra would plant her boot up my butt."

The excited females screamed with laughter.

Two days later, there was a meeting of the two coaches, plus head coach Willy and the college's chief administrator of sport and fitness. It was decided that next academic year women's soccer would be combined into one unit of three divisions. The premier team would play in the intercollegiate league, the senior team would play in the district Senior A-League and the social soccer teams would play each other and friendly exchange visit matches would be organized with junior teams from nearby. Ash was promoted to assistant chief coach for women's soccer and would coach the A-League and the social teams.

CHAPTER 4

Bevan Copeland called Ash to advise that a cold case homicide squad would investigate the death of his parents.

"Oh great Bevan, and thanks."

"The authority for the investigation has come from very senior level. Doubt raised over the claim of the stolen shotgun would have been the principle trigger, I feel, and also the suspicion that the local and State investigations may have been inclined to give too much weight to the credibility of the sheriff and his deputy testimonies."

"Well I think those are reasonable assumptions. As you know, I remained suspicious all along."

"Quite and this is a case that needs to be solved but I prefer not to say why."

"So what now?"

"The investigation will begin at the scene so sit tight. You will be interviewed in due course, extensively I would think because this will be an excruciatingly thorough investigation. You better be absolutely clean."

"Yes indeed. Well that's what I wanted, a thorough and trustworthy investigation. I'm truly thankful Bevan."

"Thanks and I hope you get closure out of this. I expect we'll meet again because my niece says you two are going seriously. I called her first and she'll be waiting to hear from you."

Ash called Clara and said, "A victory, at least tentatively, for the little guy and my poor unfortunate parents."

"Indeed. Why Uncle Bevan called me first I have no idea. Perhaps it was because I initiated the meeting."

"It doesn't matter. My big hope now is the new investigation will turn up vital evidence."

"Well here's hoping. Do you want to come over and tell my parents? There are unaware of this initiative."

"Yes and thanks, I'm on my way."

One Saturday morning five weeks later Ash received a call at 7:00 a.m. from a Mr Gulliver who identified himself as a member of the three-person cold case squad investigating the murders of Ash's parents.

"I'm parked outside fifty feet away from the entrance to your college residence. Is that where you are now?"

"Yes."

"Is it convenient to come out now to my black Ford Explorer. I need to stop somewhere for breakfast and we are due at a hotel where you will be extensively interviewed by the panel. This could take from two to four hours."

"That's fine. Give me ten minutes to shave and change into street clothes."

Ash walked up to the driver's window ready to ask for ID but Agent Gulliver held a badge up to the window and Ash recognized it.

"The meeting will be at the Hotel Royale so could you direct me to a café nearby."

Agent Gulliver paid for Ash's breakfast and coffee.

As they sat he said, "I'm Gary Gulliver. The head of the team is Christine Oliver and the third member is John Knox. The interview will be recorded and you will be requested to speak the truth at all times and to make it quite clear when you are theorizing. We are interested in your theories and to learn the basis of any such conjecture. That's all I can tell you at this point."

At the hotel the over-weight and hard-eyed Christine Oliver was straight into it as she introduced the third member of the team. Ash wondered if she saw him as lean and handsome with the look of a lying assassin. He told them to call him Ash.

"Ash this is a formal interview and we will call you Ash to avoid any confusion with the name of your late father. Please address us as Mrs Oliver, Mr Knox and Mr Gulliver."

Ash was asked to identify himself and he produced his passport and three other forms of identity, having anticipated being asked that question. He was advised his whereabouts at the time the neighbor heard the gunshots had been confirmed as being 178 miles away at a rally conducted by the Greendale Car Club. The investigating team had obtained a time stamped photo of his car finishing and then another photo, not time stamped but confirmed it had been taken minutes later of him and his co-driver Lance Warren taken leaning against the car within five minutes of them crossing the finishing line.

To the question had he either directly or indirectly organized the shooting of his parents Ash said no, definitely no.

"Do you find that question offensive?"

"Not particularly because I know it had to be asked."

Another hour of questioning and comment followed and the inquiry stopped for a coffee break.

Mrs Oliver's first question after the break was who did Ash suspect of killing his parents and he said he believed they were killed by Sheriff Bates and his nephew deputy Frank Lynch when the sheriff accompanied by his trusted deputy went to Ash's parents' ranch where the sheriff wished to beat up his father to get even. He then filled in details.

He then added, "Are you aware that Deputy Lynch is Sheriff Bates' older brother's son?"

"Yes and confirmed," Mrs Oliver said. "That relationship was established by the first and second enquiries."

"That's good. Now this is something I've since discovered. The neighbor who reportedly raised the alarm after hearing shots at my parents' ranch house, Tom Herbert, is the brother of the Sheriff Bates' late mother and that means he's the uncle of the sheriff. In my view that gives further credence to my theory of the visit going horribly wrong ending in two shootings, the first possibly being accidental."

The three agents looked at one another and then made notes.

"I have no proof of this of course. My theory is that mom produced a .32 handgun when the shouting became threatening and possibly Deputy Lynch moved in to disarm my mother and in the struggle the gun went off and she was shot through the side of her throat, or rather her neck. Dad roared and lunged at the sheriff who swung up his shotgun and blasted dad in the chest."

"Those two lawmen panicked and cleared off taking both guns of course. My theory is they went to the sheriff's uncle who lived next-door and told him what had happened. As a result of that Tom Herbert told them they had to get rid of the incriminating weapons and to drive off a little way and he'd call the department saying he was concerned about hearing gunshots over at the Burton's ranch house and the call would go out to the nearest unit and that of course would be Sheriff Bates and his deputy Frank Lynch. This is all conjecture but I say it fits."

"Okay, we have heard your side of things," Mrs Oliver said. "Is there anything more you wish to say?"

"No apart from my thanks for this cold case inquiry and that I wish it success to bring the killers of my parents to justice."

"Anything else?"

"No."

Mrs Oliver said, "Ash do you promise to keep the details of this interview with you confidential and particularly what we are about to discuss."

"Yes of course. We don't want the media becoming involved and raising false trails."

"Was the early allegation that you may have hired an assassin correct or false?"

"False, absolutely. I believe it was a heartless prefabrication, a total slur and I deny the allegation emphatically. Consider this, would a professional assassin use a shotgun and even more laughable and .32 handgun what is on the verge of being a toy gun although, admittedly, at close range it can kill. Any guy paid to kill someone would surely use a high-power and short-barreled rifle, but then I'm no expert on the modus operandi of assassins."

The three agents were making notes again.

"Ash we visited the former Burton farm where the new owners Harry and Ellen Smith had only recently moved in. Mr Smith said you had explained your theory about the killings to him shortly after the inquest decision was released and he said he found it plausible. What do you say to that?"

"Harry has been around for a long time and is rather wise. That's all I can say. He had been managing the property for me since I left the district to come here and everything went fine and he and his wife recently purchased the property from me."

"Could Harry have shot your parents to get his hands on their land?"

"No Mrs Oliver. Harry and my father were more than friends, they were buddies and I've known Harry all my life and say emphatically he doesn't have a greedy or treacherous bone in his body."

"He told us you suggested he manage the ranch and refer to your late father's diaries he'd find in the house. It would have a year's work plan and record would have been achieved and that information would provide a useful guide. He found diaries that were useful but not the current year's diary."

"Jesus, dad would have recorded the punch-up he had with the sheriff. Sheriff Bates would have taken the diary when they went to investigate the report of gunfire possibly suspecting my father might have noted details of that fight and that could be regarded as suspicious behavior of the sheriff with his shotgun also missing. Omigod, that's it. This should nail the slippery bastard."

Mrs Oliver said, "Yes it could providing we find the diary and find the missing shotgun. One never knows."

"One last question Ash, where do you think that missing diary and missing shotgun are? The pellets removed from your father's body tested as regular issue buckshot and Sheriff Bates' department used regular issue. If we can locate the missing shotgun containing the second cartridge there's a real chance that forensic examination can establish whether that gun was used to kill your father."

"Alas Mrs Oliver I have no idea. The guns and diary could have been dumped in a river or lake or tossed into a ravine or buried. Who knows?"

"Well that ends this interview," Mrs Oliver said, announcing the time, date, place and details of the person being interviewed and the nature of the enquiry. Agent Knox then turned off the digital recorder and the backup recorder.

"Right Ash," Mrs Oliver said. "Where do you think the emphasis of our investigation should focus?"

"Is this on the record?"

"No absolutely not. I feel this is your enquiry, not ours."

"Go get them Mrs Oliver and thanks for those kind words. I suggest you fall on sly old Tom Herbert like a ton of bricks. In my view he's the weak link and will crack first, believing he's not really implicated."

"Thank you Ash. You may be pleased to know that Sheriff Bates thinks this is a cold case enquiry and wasn't told representations were made on your behalf to have it launched. Moreover, no one else will be told that somehow you got to our Director's ear. Take Ash back to his college Gary."

Gary and Ash were waiting for the elevator when Ash had a sudden thought.

"I need to go back to tell Mrs Oliver something."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes it could be vital."

Mrs Oliver asked what he wished to say.

"There's a disused well on Tom Herbert ranch behind the barn nearest the house. I remember when I was about twelve he showed it to me, removing the steel plate from over it and he dropped a rock down and we heard nothing, no splash but of course it could have dropped into wet mud. He told me it was a dry well and was one mile deep."

"One mile?"

"That's how some guys lie to kids to impress them. The diary and the two guns might be down that well if the sheriff asked his uncle where they could safely dump the weapons."

Mrs Oliver said flatly, "And they returned with the diary and dumped that?"

"Possibly."

"Well that sounds plausible Ash but don't hold your breath. We'll organize a specialist team with the right equipment to take a look while we have Mr Herbert in for questioning. I understand he lives alone. The well will have been dug by hand I suppose if it's that old?"

"Yes. From memory it was 3 to 3½ ft. wide at the wellhead. Remember there could be recent fingerprints on the steel cover."

"Not your prints I'd hope."

"No Mrs Oliver," Ash smiled, "and not from eleven to twelve years ago. Tom would have got me clear before pulling off the cover."

* * *

Ash told Clara when they were driving to downtown to see a movie that he'd met the investigation team and had been at an interviewed that lasted almost two hours.

"But I've been asked to talk to no one about the enquiry and agreed to that. This is for your ears only but I feel confident the team is very thorough and it has narrowed its focus."

"Well I think after what you told me they should concentrate on that old guy on the neighboring ranch who called about hearing gunshot. I think it's very suspicious that he made the call and yet saw no one arrive or leave your parents' ranch. If he heard gunshots surely he would have heard a vehicle arrive or depart?"

"Yeah well I gave a similar line to the investigators saying I felt Tom Herbert knows a lot more than he's letting on, but enough of this. We now just have to wait. How's pussy?"

"What?" Clara asked and then saw his leer and said, "God you are disgusting."

But that didn't stop her snuggling up as close to him as she could get with the center console and higher storage bin presenting a barrier between them.

Eight days later Ash had just left a college café and was heading to the gym when Mrs Oliver called him.

"Ash Burton speaking."

"Ash this is Christine Oliver. I'm calling from outside the college's main gates. I need to speak to you privately."

"Okay park where you are and I'll come down."

Ash wondered if she intended arresting him to answer lies conjured up by the sheriff and kin. But perhaps it was about a breakthrough? He hoped so. This had dragged on for far too long.

Mrs Oliver had parked in an open area. Ash flashed his lights and as he walked across Mrs Oliver reached across and opened the passenger door of her green coupe.

He slid in beside her and asked, "Do we kiss?"
"A friendly peck, yes. Go ahead."

He ignored that and kissed the women, who appeared to be in her mid-40s on the lips.

"You young devil," she said. "I suppose that's you true to character?"

"Yes do you have good news or are you here to arrest me?"

"We don't knowingly arrest good people."

"Those three men are in jail after a short court appearance this morning when they were charged with conspiracy to conceal evidence relating to suspected twin homicides. Other more serious charges will follow. We have got them by the balls Ash, mainly thanks to you."

Ash grinned and said Christine had a beautiful way with language.

She laughed and said she was so happy for him because when the trials were over he'd have closure if he let it happen.

"Yes and I think like that too. I take it a search of the well was productive?"

"Very much so. We recovered both murder weapons and your father's current diary in which there was a notation of the fight with the sheriff on the date it occurred and the threats the sheriff made to your father for knocking him down. Bates is suffering a bruised ego, is how your father recorded it."

"Fortunately the interior of the well was dry. We recovered clear images of your mother's prints on the gun that matched her prints we found on her wooden sewing box in the loft. Deputy Lynch's prints were found on the barrel of the handgun and also on the butt. There was one unfired cartridge in the recovered shotgun that was conclusively identified by the arms officer at the Sheriff's Department as the sheriff's missing shotgun."

"Omigod."

"We interrogated Tom Herbert and he broke down and confessed to knowledge of the conspiracy of the shootings. Both men had told him when they rushed into his house they'd shot your parents during a confrontation that went horribly wrong when your mother pulled a handgun on them and order them to leave the house. Mr Herbert said he suggested the well was a good place to get rid of the guns and watched the sheriff and deputy toss them down and then the sheriff tossed down a cattleman's diary."

"Gee that's really promising."

"Well Sheriff Bates continues to deny everything and claims his uncle is hallucinating. Fortunately our procedure is we interview suspects separately and when we played the recording to Tom Herbert's statement of the conspiracy and how the weapons were disposed of, Deputy Lynch broke down and confessed to grappling with your mother to take the handgun from her and it went off and a shotgun blasted behind him and he saw your father fall, bleeding profusely. He turned and saw the sheriff holding the shotgun, smoke still coming from one barrel and Sheriff Bates cried, 'Oh hell, I've just killed Jed Burton'. So your theory has turned out to be spot on. You won't get much joy from that but at least confirmation of what happened in that room that day should mean a very long time in jail for Bates and perhaps a shorter time for Lynch who will plead extenuating circumstances and will be given credit for assisting the with the case against Bates."

"Won't the sheriff claim credit to assisting the inquiry and the court if he changes his not guilty plea?"

"I think from the jury's point of view that would be a waste of time. Sheriff Bates called on your father to give him a bashing, probably with his shotgun, in revenge for your father knocking him down. But the plan went wrong and it is logical to believe he thought he'd have to kill your father to avoid having a hostile witness explain what had happened in that ranch house that day."

As Ash thanked Agent Oliver one more time he reached over and kissed her again and this time she kissed back as if she meant it.

"Good bye for the time being, you lovely man, and get a first-class claims attorney because when this case reaches its conclusion you will be in line for a very big claim against the State for compensation because one of its senior lawmen gunned down your father."

Ash called Clara's school but not unexpectedly her phone was switched off. He called admin and gave his phone number and asked for Clara to call him urgently.

"Hi is everything okay?"

"Clara this morning Bates, Lynch and Herbert appeared on court on a charge of conspiracy in respect of a homicide with other serious charges to be laid later. They are in jail with application for bail denied."

"Omigod how wonderful. Did the leader of that investigation team call you with the news?"

"She's just left. She drove all that way to tell me in person. It turns out my theory of what happened in the ranch house that day is absolutely correct. Lynch has admitted that and the investigators recovered both guns and dad's missing diary from a deep well on Herbert's ranch. He and Lynch admit to being involved in a conspiracy. At present Bates is denying any involvement in a killing cover-up. It's unlikely he knows the other two have confessed their involvement. He'll crumble when he finds out they've bleated and the weapons have been found. The diary records dad knocked down Bates that day when Bates told the Coroner that was untrue. I'm no expert but I reckon Bates is a goner."

"I do too."

"Great. Well get back to your class. I'll be waiting at your place for when you come home from school. Fortunately I don't have soccer coaching this afternoon. God I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from me."

That night Clara asked Ash if he were interested in marrying her.

"Oh for sure."

"Soon?"

"Um not until that sheriff and cohorts are put behind bars for a very long time."

"But that could take a year."

Ash said grimly or longer.

"Then can we move in together somewhere?"

"Yes. Let's begin to look around the city for an apartment or house this weekend, something you really like, something good. I have money, we could buy rather than rent."

"Omigod, I'd like that. You know when we do that we can have sex all night, every night."

Ash grinned and thought he was glad he hadn't put a dampener on their cohabitation. Jeeze, all night and every night ... who was she kidding?

THE END