Chapter One

    I had been having a good day, until I drove up my driveway to see mt twin twelve years old girls being drug out of our cabin, crying, screaming and to one guy’s surprise, kicking. So I sped up and skid to a stop in such a way I blocked them in.

    “Who the hell are you, and what do you think you’re doing?” I asked.

    “We’re with CSP, Mr. Striker. We received a report of you beating on them.” said the guy that got kicked.

    “That answers one of my questions. Who the hell are YOU?” I asked.

    “I’m John Harden,” he replied.

    “Our daddy never beats us. These bruises are form practicing Karate,” said daughter Kalli.

    “Yeah, right. Next you’ll say you fell.” said the guys holding Christie’s arm.

    “Mr. Harden, I would suggest you guy there shut his mouth. What Kalli said is true,” I said.

    “Please move your truck so we can leave,” said Harden.

    “You aren’t leaving my property with my girls,” I said, as friend who lives a couple blocks from me pulled up.

    “Is there a problem, Nick?” asked Fred Clark, as he leveled a double barrel shotgun on Harden.

    “Yes, Fred. These guys sat they’re from CSP, but I haven’t seen and ID’s. Call Roy and tell him to get up here,” I told him.

    “You fellas better not move,” said Fred. “Roy is the county sheriff.”

    “I don’t think he can take all of us,” said loud mouth. “That Karate bullshit don’t work.” This is when daughter Krista stomps down on the instep of his foot and nails him between his legs with a snap kick.

    “You should have taken Fred’s advice,” I said, as Krista runs around behind me and holds me close. “Let go of Kalli.”

    “No,” said Harden.

    “You’re a fool, mister,” said Fred, as he got off his cell phone. “Nick here was a Navy SEAL. He’s a fifth degree black belt in Kempo Karate and Weng Chun Kung Fu.”

    Kalli grabbed Harden’s hand and bent his arm behind his back. “My father said to let me go,” she said, as Harden did so.

    “Come over here, honey,” I said, as Roy pulled up and hopped out of his vehicle.

    “What’s up, Nick?” asked Roy.

    “These guys where trying to make off with my girls, saying they were with CSP,” I told him.

    “I have the head of CSP right behind me,” said Roy, as a Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled up. Out of it stepped the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Her eyes were of the deepest blue. She had light brown hair which falls to her elbows and thirty six inch breasts.

    “Nick Striker? Kylie...Burke,” the woman said.

    “Nick Striker and his daughters Kalli and Krista,” introduced Roy.

    “Nice to meet you. You teach martial arts right? Could you teach me?” asked Kylie.

    “Yes to both questions?” I said.

    “I’ve never seen these men before Sheriff Cutter,” said Kylie.

    “All right, move it you three,” Roy said, as he led them to his Ford Expedition.

    “Would you like to stay for dinner, Mrs. Burke?” asked Kalli, as she noticed how Kylie was looking at me. I’m five-eight and a half. I have a stocky build. I haven’t shaved in about three days, and this vision of beauty is looking at me as if she’s ready to bare my children.

    “Yes, Miss Burke. Please have dinner with my girls and I. It is getting late,” I said.

    “It’s barely six o’clock, but all right. How much land do you have here?” asked Kylie.

    “Forty seven acres,” I answered.

    “It’s so beautiful up here. I’d love to leave the city,” said Kylie.

    “Where do you live, Miss Burke?” I asked.

    “Denver. Call me Kylie, please. My office is there also. I think what you do for the unwanted children is wonderful,” she said.

    “Well someone has to care for them. Stay the night? We have an extra room,” I said. “Or two.”

    “Really? You mean it?” asked Kylie.

    “If id didn’t, I wouldn’t have said it,” I said.

    “Is that a horse trailer by the barn?” she asked. “What is the bunk house for?”

    “The bids I take in. Yes. Do you ride?” I asked.

    “Not for a long time. I think I was thirteen or fourteen the last time I rose a horse,” said Kylie.

    “We’ll have to go riding later,” I said.

    “We’ll get dinner going, daddy,” said Kalli.

    “Ok, honey,” I said. “So, do you have a boyfriend? Or a husband?”

    “No one both questions,” she answered smiling.

    “Are you interested in me?” I asked.

    “I was wondering if you’d notice. Yes, I am.” she said.

    “Do you like camping, hunting and fishing?” I asked.

    “I love all three plus hiking, skydiving, snowboarding, skiing, ice skating and swimming,” she answered. “Do you believe in love at first site, Mr. Striker?”

    “Yes, and it’s Nick.” I think we were supposed to meet tonight,” I said at the time I saw Roy returning, pulling up next to us. “Who do I talk to about the van?”

    “Those guys run or ran a white slavery ring, east of here a ways. Good work, Nick.” Roy said. “The car lot in town.”

    “Thanks, Roy. Stay for dinner?”

    “Yeah. Vicki is out of town. Is Kalli cooking?” he asked.

    “Yep.”

    “You’re in for a treat, Kylie.” said Roy.

    “I know. I’m spending the night here also,” said Kylie.

    “Movin’ kind of fast, aren’t you Nick? I mean, you only met a few hours ago.” said Roy.

    “Yeah, but I’ve been looking for someone longer,” I said. Everyone laughed.