**** Nicodemus (Nico) Montague and his little sister Gwynevere (Gwyn) were out in the Bayue. It was nearing the end of the one month long alligator season and his vacation. They still had one tag left to fill, and less than an hour left to get it done. Nico was feeling the pressure.
He looked up to check the sun. Yep, less than an hour until sunset. Night hunting was illegal in Louisiana, so they had to fill this tag fast and make it count.
One week before the start of the gator season his uncle had broken a leg. So his father (known as the Gator King) called up his two kids asking that they help him fill tags. Nico and Gwyn had agreed.
Behind him sat his 18 year old sister, Gwyn grinning at his back as she watched him slip their last white tag into his pocket for luck. She knew he was bound an determined to win the bet he and their daddy had made. The one to get the largest gator of the day had to clean out the hunting boats the next morning.
Gwyn being the smaller of the two was captaining the boat, and enjoying every minute. She maneuvered the large pirogue close to the Cypress tree that marked the last line of the day and season. It was her job to send a bullet into the only place on the dangerous animal to guarantee a quick kill. The spot was about the size of a quarter and her revolver had to be ready. Since Nico was the strongest, and most experienced, he would pull the beast to the surface and next to the boat.
They had 14 good sized gators in the boat, and Nico was hoping to bring in the largest one before he had to go back to D.C.
He stood in the boat and studied the line. A slow grin spread across his handsome face as he tested the weight and began to slowly pull it up and out to the water Lilly patch.
"This one has some weight to it, petite soeur. Dug deep down unde' de lilies." (little sister)
Gwyn stood with her revolver ready. "Ya think it's de Ol' Man? He been attackin' otha' gata"s and steelin' the bait fo' years. He's straightened daddy's hooks, an' snapped da lines."
Nico grinned as he felt the pull on the other end. "No, chère. Dis one, he can't be de Ol' Man. He'd be ova 50 years old...."
Suddenly, a huge monster burst from the water and bit down on the side of the boat! Nico grabbed on tight and began to pull on the line with all his strength. Water flew everywhere as the behemoth tried to drag him out of the boat and down into the murky depths.
Her brother had been fighting, getting the monster gradually closer for several minutes. As strong as he was, her brother was straining to hold the gator and stay in the boat. Gwyn had to make the shot count. There was only a quarter sized spot on the back of a gator's head weak enough for a bullet to get through. As her brother tried to hold the large bull gator in place for her to take the shot, the deadly assassin went into a death role.
"Shoot 'im!" Nico yelled as he fought to keep hold of the line. "Shoot dis motha!"
Nico was forced to brace his booted foot on the edge of the boat to keep from being pulled into the swamp. The mammoth sized gator growled as he fought to pull his would be victim into the dark depths to his death.
Gwyn tried again but couldn't get a clear shot on the kill spot. "I'll only stun 'im if I do!" She cried.
Nico held tightly with one hand and reached for the revolver. Unfortunately, with a bull gator of this magnitude he knew that Gwyn wouldn't be able to hold up to the strain of the fight, not with her tiny frame. Nico was forced to fight the murderous beast with one arm and fire the weapon with the other.
Nico wrapped the line around his wrist, took aim and fired. The thrashing monster went still and sank beneath the surface of the muddy water. They waited a breath and cheered when the blood bubbled up to the surface.
"We got blood!" Gwyn cried!
Brother and sister high fived each other and began the work of hauling in the 16 foot over 900 pound Ol' Man into the pirogue with the winch.
"You realize dat wrappin' dis line 'round your wrist was stupid."
Her brother looked at the sky and took a breath. "Yeah, I know an' I'm hoppin' you'll keep dat between us."
She looked at her brother with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Guess dat means you owe me....big time....don't it?"
* * *
Back at the local buyer Gwyn put the truck into reverse and slowly backed up to the delivery shed. Catherine Shard walked out to meet her cousins.
"What did you bring me this time?!" She called.
Nico hopped out of the truck bed with a huge grin on his face. "We got a nice load, includin' a 16 foota'!"
Cat's eye grew wide. "Yeah, I'm so sure, cuz! Now I know y'all were teasin' me on de phone!"
Nico climbed into the boat and gave his sister a hand up so together they pulled the black the tarp aside revealing their catch.
They turned to watch Cat take in the scene. Catherine nearly swooned at the size of the beast that was nearly as long as the 17 foot boat.
Gwyn slipped her phone into the jeans pocket and hopped out of the truck. "Nico."
He jumped out as well amd pulled her into a one armed hug. "What ya need, chère?"
She looked him in the eyes. "I jus' talked to yer partner. Somethin's wrong. He sounded off."
Nico sighed, "Our orders must be in. He be worried 'bout goin' home, facin' his fam'ly an' puttin' an end to da case we been workin' on."
* * *
Two hours later -
Nico waved as a black dodge Ram pulled up to the house boat. His old swim buddy and best friend stepped out in his customary cowboy hat, jeans, and boots.
Brett was a big man, well over six feet with jet black hair, and cobalt blue eyes. At first glance a person would see a handsome cowboy. But, looking into his eyes, you wanted to take a step back. This was a man who had seen too much blood and death. And each battle had left an unseen scar.
Brett slammed the truck door and shook his buddy's hand. "I talked to Gwyn, I hear congratulations are in order."
Nico grinned and turned back to the Ol' Man. I'll be winnin' that bet ta night." He turned back to his partner. His smile faded at the look in Brett's eyes.
"It's time?"
Brett nodded, "We have our orders. I have to face my family. Rodriguez is back, and he's somewhere on or around the ranch. We have orders to make contact with the attorney working the rape cases, and bring the unsub's in."
Nico crossed his arms and leaned back against his old truck. "Who's de attorney?"
Brett looked like he was about to be sick. His eyes dark, all blood drained from his face. To steady himself he took a deep breath and looked his best friend in the eyes.
"My kid sister, Bobbi."
