Chapter 30 Handguns Are Easy
David ignored my initial shock at his suggestion of taking me to shoot guns. He simply handed me my coffee, told me that I need to be ready in 20 minutes, and left the kitchen.
I blink at the empty doorway for a good minute before the smell of the coffee in my hand brings me back to my senses.
Shooting a gun is a very particular skill set. A very handy skill set since I’m now involved with the Mafia. And the fact that he is going to teach me this skill set, is because he is assuming that I don’t know how to shoot a gun.
But I do.
My brain keeps my mind occupied as I finish my coffee, as I get dressed, and as I leave the apartment with David. I can play this many different ways. Lying, being honest, being half honest…
By the time I’ve gotten to my destination, I haven’t made up my mind, because I am suddenly trying to work out where I am. It doesn’t look like any gun range I’ve been to before. It looks more like a country club, where the wealthy have spa visits, and yet, I am being led down a path by one of the staff members, with David, with Marcus and Theo behind me, as though this is definitely the right place to shoot a gun.
I know why he is bringing me, even though he hasn’t explicitly told me the reasons. He wants me to be able to shoot, because it’s dangerous to be in business with the Mob.
It’s dangerous to be with him.
As the path unfurls and winds through shielded, forest looking areas, I end up at a large field, with some targets at one end, and numerous tables of guns and bullets at the other.
It makes me stop in my tracks as a distant memory plays in my mind, but I quickly recover myself when David puts his hand on my back and guides me forwards.
The staff member disappears without me noticing, and Marcus and Theo take a stance on either end of the tables, so that they can keep an eye on the surrounding area, while I face the targets I’ll be shooting at.
“So,” David says as he leads me over to the tables. “Have you ever shot a gun before?”
“I… yes.” I say finally.
Guess I’m going with the truth.
One of his eyebrows raises at my answer, and he reaches over for a simple semi-automatic pistol, quickly getting the correct bullets off the table and loading the chamber. Then, he hands me some ear defenders, and gets some for himself.
He watches as I walk over to Marcus and pass him my defenders.
“What’s this for?” Marcus asks.
“Sel would kill me if I was the reason you couldn’t hear her yelling at you anymore.” I tease, making him laugh, and he puts them on.
As I walk back to the middle of the table, I see David has passed Theo some as well, and is walking back to me with a small smile on his lips.
Taking my own pair of defenders and putting them on, I take the gun out of David’s hands, pointing it down as I adjust my grip on it.
“Point, squeeze and shoot.” David says simply, gesturing to the targets ahead of me. “We’ll see what we’re starting with.”
I look ahead at the target, one of those red and white circles that they use for archery. I raise the gun, aiming for the centre, closing my left eye as I line it up. With my thumb, I flick off the safety, and see David’s eyebrows raise again in my peripherals, and then I squeeze the trigger.
The bullet shoots through the centre of the target.
The next two I shoot hit the same spot.
All three men stare at it, then one by one, they turn round to me. David is last to look at me.
Putting the safety back on and laying the gun down, I pull the defenders off, letting them hang around my neck. He mirrors my actions, with a crease in the middle of his eyebrows as he analyses me.
“Handguns are easy.” I state. “I’m not so good with long range guns, rifles, shotguns and stuff.”
I can see Theo trying to stifle a snigger over David’s shoulder, and I fight my own smile as I wait for David’s reply.
He finally moves his jaw, his tongue licking over his bottom before his teeth bite the soft skin for a moment.
“Well then doll,” He finally says, stepping closer to me. “Why don’t you pick the next one to try?”
Looking back at the table, I sweep my eyes over the selection, before landing on one that looks very interesting. I start picking it up, then David is suddenly holding his hands out, and taking it from me.
“Absolutely not.” He says, moving that one to the other end of the table.
“You said I could pick.”
“Not a machine gun just yet.” He argues. “You had a good shot with a pistol, but you’re not ready for that.”
“Then I don’t really have a choice do I, so you might as well choose for me again.” I snap, folding my arms over my chest and narrowing my eyes at him.
He shakes his head as he laughs, then reaches over to grab a shotgun to hand to me, and I eagerly take it. Then he reaches forwards, moving my ear defenders back over my ears, as he looks down at me.
He moves behind me as I hold the gun pointing downwards, then starts moving my body. Kicking my legs into certain places, hands sliding over my hips to turn my body slightly, up to my arms as I raise the gun to the target.
He slowly moves the butt of the gun to my shoulder, then places his hand over mine, moving it to where the pump action level is, then back to the trigger, his other hand covering where I am holding the gun.
I have to admit, this is the most hands on gun tutorial I’ve ever had.
When his movements finally still, I turn my head slightly, seeing him in my peripherals staring at me. Refocusing on the target, I look down the barrel of the gun to concentrate my aim, then fire.
My body jerks back from the impact of the shotgun, which makes me panic for a split second, but I feel David’s hands on my waist stabilising me.
The bullet still hits the centre of the target.
Slightly more on one side, but still very much in the bulls-eye circle.
He taps me on my shoulder, and I look round to him. He takes his defenders off, making me do the same.
“So that’s how you shoot when you’re not so good?” He asks suspiciously.
“I guess so, Mr. Reid.” I retort coolly, putting the shotgun back on the table.
“Where did you learn?”
“Oh you know, out and about.” I say, waving my hand dismissively, ignoring how he steps closer to me.
He reaches onto the table. And picks up the machine gun.
“Go on then.” He says, holding it out to me.
It’s a test, I know it is. I flick my eyes up to his, and I can see the speculative theories whizzing around in his brain, ready for whatever my answer will be.
I swallow.
“You said I’m not ready for that.” Is my reply.
Holding my gaze for a painful few seconds, seconds where I can practically feel Theo and Marcus also staring at the two of us, he finally breaks the tension by dropping the gun to the table, the loud clatter making me flinch, and breaking his eye contact.
He looks over my head at Theo.
“Take her back.” He orders, and before I can process his words, Theo has tugged gently on my arm, and is guiding me back down the path.
I follow him, dumbly, wordlessly, not even wanting to look back at David as I walk in silence, thinking the same thing over and over.
That isn’t a good response.
Theo continues to be perfectly nice and professional, opening the car door for me, and shutting it after I’ve gotten in. I breathe in the empty car until Theo gets behind the wheel, turns the car on, and starts driving off. Finally looking over my shoulder at the country club getting smaller and smaller as I head home, the dread of what happens starts to sink in.
“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” I ask Theo, turning back to him, and seeing his eyes flick to the rear-view mirror to look at me.
He sighs loudly.
“I gotta be honest Nora, he didn’t seem pleased.” He replies, sympathy lacing his words. “None of us expected you to know how to shoot. But you don’t just know how, you’re good, aren’t you?” His eyes meet mine in the mirror again.
I decide to just look out the window, instead of replying.
“He’s going to try and figure out why you’re good, you know.” Theo continues. “So if it’s something that he’s not going to like, it might be best to tell him straight.”
Yeah, I think, it probably would be best.
But that is a part of my life that I have desperately tried to keep buried for the better part of a decade. I never thought I’d be in a position where I have to dig it all back up.