Sharpshooter Read Online Free PDF Page A

there.
    The Captain, obviously, is my father. He rose as high as captain in the Army, and since that’s exactly where he is now in the State Police chain, I think Captain is his fair designation all over life. I can see where people might find him intimidating. Doesn’t mean he isn’t a great man, and a perfectly nice host.
    â€œYou can’t say no,” I say to Rudi. “He’ll beat me. I’ll show up for the war looking like I’ve already been there.”
    I really shouldn’t mess with the guy like this. But there are lots of things I shouldn’t do.
    â€œAw,” he moans. “Ivan … I can’t let that happen.”
    â€œOf course you can’t. So you will be there tomorrow night, and you will eat and not choke, which would ruin everybody else’s dinner.”
    â€œFine,” he says.
    I sit down on the bed, dropping myself right onto his outstretched legs. He doesn’t retract them. I grab Joe away from him and do a quick inspection. He is wearing his camouflage outfit, which is not surprising as it is his only outfit. He has the fuzzy hair, too.
    â€œYou thinking this is gonna be you?” I ask him.
    â€œReally, I was thinking it was gonna be you,” he says, taking the action figure back from me. “ This is gonna be me.” He snaps the man’s head off.
    â€œOh, put that back,” I say. “For better or for worse, your head is going to remain right where it is. And tomorrow night, six o’clock, I want to see that head and the rest of you at my house. Don’t be late. You can imagine how The Captain feels about punctuality.”
    â€œHe’s in favor of it?”
    â€œInsanely in favor. And since it is my last night in town, I’m kind of serious about it myself, since who knows when I’ll see you all again.”
    â€œWhen, or if .”
    I stare at him. “Do I have to commence the slapping again?”
    â€œNo, sir. See you at six tomorrow.”
    I give his legs a good strong bounce as I get up and go.
    Â 
    We will all be gone within a week. I go first, which is only right. Rudi and Morris both ship out three days later, Beck two days after that.
    It’s starting to feel very real.
    I march crisply to the door as soon as the bell rings. When I open up, all three stooges are lined up on the step. Rudi is holding flowers for my mom, Morris has two six-packs of drinks — one Moxie, one orange soda for the sadly misguided — and Beck is cradling a pan of something covered in foil and smelling of molasses.
    â€œOrange soda and home baking, that’s the Navy and Air Force for ya,” I say.
    I lead them into the living room, where The Captain and Mom await. Dad practically leaps off the couch to greet the guys. He’s so enthusiastic about this you would think he was greeting guys returning from war rather than diving into it.
    â€œMen,” Dad says, stepping up to each guy individually and saluting. “Now normally, it would be you saluting me first, because I outrank you. But we won’t stand on ceremony here.”
    â€œWhoa, really letting your hair down there, Dad,” I say.
    There is a two-second silence. Beck laughs. Then I get a clip behind the ear, and everybody laughs.
    â€œThank you so much,” Mom says as she takes the flowers from Rudi. There are visible clumps of root and dirt sticking out of the bottom of the paper. Lord knows where he collected the things, but the arrangement is pretty nice. She gives him a massive squeeze. He looks embarrassed at first but then gives all the way in, not only hugging her back but even laying his head down on her shoulder.
    â€œShall we head to the dining room?” Dad says.
    â€œYes, sir, Captain,” Beck says. I have always enjoyed Beck’s relationship with my father, though it has the slightest suggestion of danger to it. Or maybe because it has the slightest suggestion of danger to it. Beck’s