Midnight Ep. 023: hEARsay

"Bring it on Niles Long!" Miles!

"She knows me so well."

"Bus!" Will looked down the dusty road toward the main highway, "Rez Rider. Dawn's big ass truck behind it. Oh hell! I think the Elders are with them."

"That's Nodin Merrick's car." Veronica covered her brow to look against the bright sun. "What's that crooked bastard doing here?"

"Be nice!" Nick informed her as the vehicles slowly reached their destination. Two more riding mowers on short trailers were pulled in all along the roadside. Once everyone came to a halt Veronica joined Nick. "Nodin brought his daughter Crimson. I graduated with her. Go Santee Raiders!" She laughed doing a cheerleader move.

"Panty Raiders!" Will chuckled carrying off another handed 2X4. "Rez High School. I played against those crazy natives." Nick absorbed it all as cars parked and people began to unload from the vehicles. Young Lukas sprinted over from Dawn Bearpaw's Ford Raptor to say hi to Nick and jump right in helping unload the lumber.

"Hey Nick! Here to help."

"Morning!" Nick fist bumped the boy. "We'll get to the lumber. Why don't you unload that mower you brought? You can get started on the other side of the bridge."

"Okay!" He knew that was what he needed to do but Veronica Redmane was over here, not back at the Raptor. Kid had a crush on every girl in sight. "Hi V! Bye V!"

"Eww!" Like the plague!

Nick in walking around the bus to greet its passengers noticed Dawn Bearpaw looked interesting today. So did the passengers of the bus. Some of them eager to help her unload the riding lawnmower she had up in the bed of the Raptor. The tailgate removed there was a makeshift ramp of three-quarter inch plywood strong enough to support the mowers weight that Lukas and another Santee boy unloaded before rolling it down to the road. Everyone loved Dawn that's for certain.

"Gogo boots?" He questioned passing her by with a smirk.

"Too many damned snakes." She referred back as she watched the mower being lowered.

"In every pair of jeans out here Bearpaw!"

"Don't encourage them." Big ole' boas! She found herself looking, regretting it immediately. "I hate that paleface." Not for a second! As if her daisy dukes showing off ass cheeks and her spaghetti string white halter with no bra was helping. Nips were barking orders.

"Thanks for coming." Nick shook hands with those volunteers and took names with the help of Ernest the bus driver so that Nick could write checks later. "Morning Ernie."

"Hey Nick. How's... the better half?"

"I'm doing great." He winked back. "Left her at home. Too distracting and I want things done."

"Not gonna happen as long as you have Lillian out here helping. Crimson is here too. Word of advice?" He resorted to whispering, "Dawn should be worried more about that snake." A pinky directed at Nodin Merrick lured a peripheral glance. "Watch yourself Paycheck."

"Thanks! Once the crew here grabs all their things from the bus come on back and get everyone around 5:00. Who's got your regular route?"

"My cousin Ruby Wren. She backs me up when I'm sick or too drunk to drive. I have three buses in my fleet in case one breaks down. They always sputter these days they're getting high mileage and overworked."

"Can't have that now, can we?" On Nick's mental to do list.

Stepping away to let a pair of workers carry down water jugs and their gear Nick waved goodbye to the driver. Circulating to meet the towing vehicles passengers he found he had more than fifteen volunteers. All of them seemed cordial but he was their bread and butter, so generosity was met with fake blessing. Niles taking charge of many of the workers the lumber was both unloaded and much of it hauled over the bridge by hand, stacked up in wait for use. Healthy bunch it seemed.

"Mister Sanchez I presume?" Nodin Merrick stepped forward. "Nodin Merrick. My daughter Crimson. Fellow elder Bobby Black Fox."

"Lady in red even on a hot day." Nick shook Nodin's hand, then Bobby's. As Crimson studied Nick, she offered her own hand as if expecting a kiss to her knuckles. Nick declined with, "Allergic to painted nails." She was offended yet intrigued. Her red dress more scarlet than her namesake she did have some mighty fine legs leading down to sandals with more painted nails on her toes. "Watch out for the corals and the cottons. They'll bite you in the ass." She quickly looked around as if there might be some slithering by from the tall grass. Nodin and Bobby Black Fox laughed at her reaction.

"Newton Waterfall sends his regards. The Rez thanks you for helping our residents." Bobby spoke up. "You are a brave man Mister Sanchez. This place Harbinger Shoals is haunted."

"Whole world is Bobby. Just gotta navigate around the ghosts that get in your way." He looked directly at Nodin Merrick. Nodin sensing Nick's intuition nodded and took his jacket off handing it to Crimson.

"Here daughter. Use it to swat away the snakes." He then began rolling up his sleeves. "Mind if I put in a hard day?"

"Somehow I think that's everyday Nodin." He nodded at Merrick's calluses. Observant man!

"Firewood!" Nodin smirked, "Axe throwing too."

"Been awhile since I've done that." Nick nodded with a pucker. "End of the day challenge?"

"You are on." Merrick puckered right back. "Come brother let us show our people how it is done." Bobby rolling his own sleeves up handed Crimson his black hat, placing it on her head, too big and hiding her big, beautiful eyes. She frowned at her abused attire, returning to her father's car with them. Nick led Merrick and Bobby to the bridge, both men leery at first even with workers traveling back and forth with lumber. "Need a new bridge."

"On the list. Step at a time."

"A careful step at that." Bobby felt a plank give a bit under his boot.

"Wouldn't want to go swimming Bobby. Old Steeltoe still resides." Nodin pointed at the twelve-foot gator in the stream flowing below them.

"He's a pussycat." Nick grins. "Feed him a snake or two he'll roll over for you."

"DADDDDDDDDY!" They paused hearing Veronica Redmane's shrill voice.

"Joseph is here?" Nodin winced.

"I asked Veronica to see if her father would restore an old Jeep the past residents left behind."

"Ah! Business is good." Bobby expressed seeing how Nick was throwing money around so freely. Eye contact with Nodin alluded to a shared thought.

"What is it you do Mister Sanchez?" Nodin knew military but not where his money came from.

"Retired Marine. Saved up!" He left it at that.

"Far be it from us to be too curious." Bobby prompted Nodin to let it rest. Nodin would still keep digging until he knew everything about Nick. "Where would you like us to begin?"

"Get with Niles Gullivant. I'm thinking help him build a new deck on the house. The front steps are weak. I'd like to keep the house in its original state, but I know that's impossible. Everything is weak from age, even the last updates. A few new additions are for my personal choices. I happen to want a big deck."

"I want a big dick too." Veronica chuckled. "Sowwy Nick! This is my dad, Joey."

"Forgive my nympho daughter Mister Sanchez. Too much like her mother."

"More like you Old Man." She razzed her father. "Don't go blaming mommy. She puts up with you and you know it." A clamped hand over his daughter's mouth Joey smirked. "Just beat her ass if she gets too unruly."

"I'll do that." That cold stare gave Veronica the chills.

"So... 63 Gladiator she handed me a note. Nodin! Bobby!" Joey nodded with respect. Joey stood at 5'6 160 pounds, gator tooth necklace around his neck, a small arrowhead tattoo on his right temple. Short raven black hair otherwise. "Apologies if I interrupted."

"We were just going to work." Nodin patted Bobby on the shoulder to join him in seeking out Niles Gullivant. As soon as they were out of earshot Joey looked to Nick with a wince.

"Eyes and ears open. Keep them at arm's length Sanchez."

"Already had my suspicions. Veronica? If you're not afraid of the barn ghost go show Joe here the Jeep. Look it over! No key so you'll need to replace the ignition. Make notes on everything you think you might need and tally up cost. I want it pristine if you're up to the challenge. By the way... love the 65 Mustang you rode in on."

"Saw that did you?" Joey grinned, "Good eye. I can't even see it from here."

"Goes to show my eyes and ears are open, doesn't it?" He winked.

"That it does. Bought Nola at an auction two years ago. Polished her up nice and she's been faithful ever since."

"Mower coming through!" Lukas on his riding mower drove behind them. Joey eying the boy with a shake of his head.

"Meaning?" Nick followed the motion up.

"Kids gifted. Ever since he was a young boy, he was called Spirit in Head. Talks to ghosts some say."

"Maybe he can help Veronica here get through to her barn boo." Nick chuckled.

"Shush! It wasn't an animal." Only a Bear paw! Close enough! "And keep Spooky boy away from me. He undresses me with your eyes." A razz led to giving up on Nick, his sense of humor just wasn't into it. "Come on Daddy I know when I'm not wanted." Dragging Joey along she peered over her shoulder just to see if she were wrong. Nope! She would just have to try harder. Sad thing? She hadn't even thought of Midnight once. Some Bestie!

The Rez Rider driving on to get out of the way of progress, the lumber truck unloaded completely, it too followed the bus out of the cluster of other vehicles. Will Gullivant taking charge over the grounds keeping left his father Niles to divide up crews into two areas. Deck, and adding to the bridge so that actual cars could roll over it once sturdier. Heading back out to the road Nick found Dawn trying to figure out how to add a twine spool to a weed eater. Alone after sending greedy lustful assistants away, she struggled. Grounds keeping was not her forte.

In gripping the weed eater from her hands Nick hopped up on the tailgate to sit while he worked. Dawn appeared defeated so hopped up beside him now that the ramp was on the ground. "Gonna get your daisy dirty." He spoke threading the lawncare tool.

"Denim hides dirt better than white cotton. You notice Crimson Merrick over there changing?"

"Red dress was meant to gauge if I could be seduced. By the fear in her eye, I would say her father put her up to it. Wait for it." Dawn tried not to look but peripherally saw the Santee beauty bend over to put on a pair of jeans. Her bare ass perfectly sculpted proved she partook in persistent workouts, gifted a winking clam and a beady eyed butt pucker until she pulled her jeans up. Merrick's car was only a hiding spot from her fellow tribesmen. Having been totally nude up until hoping for Nick's notice, she was dissatisfied that he saw her so pulled her pants down multiple times to repeat her performance. Nick concluding the adjustment to the weed eater climbed down and mumbled, "Go to the barn and make sure Joey Redmane doesn't discover the trap door. This weed eater is best suited in a Merrick's hands for today." Amused by his subtle way of saying get lost Dawn put her fingers in her back pockets and took a walk. Who needed Midnight Amador to distract the men? He had Dawn Bearpaw to do that job for him.

Still topless and jeans undone Crimson noticed Nick walking toward her, and like he, she tried to ignore him in favor of acting out her shock in Nick getting to see her changing. "Need those pubes trimmed." He fired up the weed eater into a hum. Turning it to her advantage she jumped in step and faced him holding her 36C breasts to prevent nipple escape. Jeans unfastened her thick black pubes bushed up between the zipper tracks.

"You are not using that on my pubes." She busted up and feigned a blush. "Spying on me like all the others?"

"Not buying the theatrics Crimson O'Hara. Yes, I've seen Gone with the Wind. My mother's favorite classic. You could have gotten dressed in one try not three. Did your father instruct you to set me up?" Buzz! Buzzz! Intimidation. She let her breasts go and put her palms up toward Nick as if defending herself.

"No... I... he didn't. I swear! I just wanted... to... be noticed."

"Noticed! Drop the jeans."

"What?" She looked horrified.

"Want me to believe everything you say? Drop the Walmart knockoffs."

"You're crazy. I heard what you did to Oliver Heavy Feather. It... turned me on that there was someone who could take him down in thirty seconds."

"So, Daddy knows too."

"Ollie works for my father. Not much escapes him. Just so you know... Ollie was reprimanded and ordered to stay away from Caprice. You and the Sheriff of Caretaker too. You should be safe." She knew better but it was worth a shot.

"I was never worried. If it came to it, the hell I could bring down on him and anyone associated to his threats would wipe him off the planet. No trace!"

"Whoa! That's dark web to weave."

"No more digging. Webs can be removed with a broom." He suspected her computer talents by her fingertips. "Unless it's in there under all that crab grass."

"In..." She lowered her chin to her chest to see her revealed pubes. Shooting her gaze at him with an are you serious look.

"I'm no threat to you people unless you make me one. I only defend those I find loyal. Are you loyal Miss Merrick?"

"Family loyalty is in our upbringing." She peers to her side over the roof of her father's car to see if they were being watched. Her father barely seen in the distance had left Crimson Diana Merrick to her own defense. "I... don't know you well enough to find any loyalty. You're... threatening me with a trimmer."

"Trimmers cause tremors." He glared with another short buzz. "Pants downs."

"Oh my god!"

As terrified as she was Crimson was wet as hell. Fear always did turn her on. Just not snakes! Indiana Jones handled those better than her. She was too tech, not hands dirty. Well, depending on how dirty. Knowing her father's instruction to test Nick's ability to be seduced she swallowed dryly and wiggled her jeans down to her ankles. Socks only left on she stepped out of them and put them over the opened windowsill. Shivering she played it the only way she knew how to. 360 visuals! "Well?"

"You're beautiful. I'm interested, but only if those pubes go."

"I'll shave them off before our first date."

"Date's today. Hold still or go grab daddy and tell him you failed." That would prove worse than dealing with this mad man. This... gorgeous enigmatic mad man. Crimson Merrick had never really dated much, Daddy's girl most of her life. High School loss of virginity her only outgoing source for sex. Too bad daddy made him enlist in the Army to keep him away from her. No letters to say goodbye other than his letterman's jacket. He wanted her to have it. At least that's what Nodin told her.

"Please don't hurt me." She closed her eyes and clenched her fists. Tensing every muscle, she had she felt the coil spiraling into a tender precise buzz trim. He didn't even warn her to hold still. Whining at the breeze and the light tugs to her follicles it was over just that fast. The bush while still there was much thinner. Holding her breath expecting more to be cut she opened one eye and discovered she was alone. "What the hell?" Peering down at her patch she saw hair at her feet and a much smoother cut. Her adrenalin shot through the clouds and her fingers immediately went to her cunt, back pressed to the passenger door of Nodin's Crown Victoria. Crimson Merrick came so hard she screamed. Not one person heard her moment. Too many mowers and trimmers prevented associations. Getting dressed in a hurry, new Nikes rearing to go Crimson shot off like a track star to join the others, mainly because she did run track in High School.

Go Santee Raiders!

********

Caretaker Police Department...

"Behave yourself or I'll lock you up with the crazy woman."

"Crazy woman?" Alexis Roster questioned her father the Sheriff as they walked into the front door of the cop shop. Waving at young Hannah Bell the dispatcher, Hannah waved her in to watch through a camera feed at Shantel Bigelow dancing in her cell. Speaker turned down at first Hannah chuckled at Alexis then twisted the volume nob. Audio up they endured the hag singing and twerking her big ass to Sir Mix-A-Lot's I Like Big Butts... she knew every single word, even smoothing her palms over her cheeks and spanking herself. "Oh!"

"I know right? She's gross but hilarious." Hannah laughed. "How you been girlfriend?"

"Borrrrrrrrrrrred! Daddy grounded me."

"You were grounded the day you were born, weren't you?"

"I know, right? Feels like it. I might as well live here in a cell."

"Stop streaking." Hannah laughed. "Our secret?" Hannah smirked and looked around for safety in her confession, "I broke my habit when I started college. You going to school next year?"

"Naaa! Too I Litter right! Illiterate! Get it?" She laughed. "Left too!"

"Cute! So why are you here today?"

"Dad has some work for me to do as community service. Any idea what it is?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Hannah returns to her monitor and flips the camera feed toward the second cell. Leaning over Hannah's shoulder Alexis squinted at the glare, "Is that a hole in the wall?"

"Look closer."

"Oooo! Who's the big bear? I want to cuddle." She giggled.

"Back off bitch he's mine." Hannah laughed, "I hear he's our new deputy even. He went from convict to officer in under a day."

"Did he break the wall?"

"Yeah, he growled at it, pushed, and it collapsed." She rolled her eyes at the blond. "No Miss Rants-A-Lot did it trying to bust out Esteban Amador. Oh... Yogi Bear there is married, he just made a booboo. Domestic crap!"

"Aww! Poor guy. Maybe I'll give him a bear hug."

"Your arms won't even reach around..." Hannah observes Alexis making a jerking off motion with both hands clenched tightly. "You're asking for trouble little Cub."

"Live for it! Bye Handah!" A hand job sign with a razz left the dispatcher blushing. On her way to the prisoner holding door Dolan beat her to the knob while he was on the phone.

"Oh, no you don't. My office now!"

"But I want him to see my bear caves." She laughed but wiggled into his office. "He can thighbernate for the winter." Funny, she thought.

Goldilocks was dialed back.

********

Borrowed beach house...

Midnight Amador had completed all of but the laundry in the washer but found herself in a dilemma. Her hour was up, and she was required to return to her knees. Not wanting to leave Nick's clothing wet for him to find still in the well, she explored her options. Not one to give up on a task once she set her mind to it, she adapted.

"Is a washing machine classified as furniture?" Shrugging she crawled into the doorway of the laundry room and looked up at the camera in the hallway. "Kami? I have one last load still wet. I will remain on my knees as instructed but I don't want to leave my job half done. My plan is to build my way up to the washer and climb up on my knees until I can unload the washer into a basket below. You told me I was not allowed on any furniture but until you tell me a washing machine is furniture, I will do what I feel needs to be done so that your clothing is clean and dried neatly. If I am wrong in my judgment, I accept any punishment you wish to inflict. Here goes!"

Crawling on her knees only she uses a foot stool to reach a certain height. She knew the camera could not see her actions, but she refused to lie about her extraction of the laundry. The foot stool like a small ladder got her aloft enough to move one knee up on to the dryer top, her feet trying hard not to be useful. This was next to impossible, but she was determined. Nick had not mentioned putting her hands behind her back while on her knees, so she did allow one hand to be used as anchor in dragging herself atop the dryer. Once up there she opened the washer lid and used that single hand to reach down and claim the wet clothing. His hamper resting flesh with the washer she dropped each article of clothing into it until emptied.