Freedom of Choice

By Erik P. Feldmanis

Fate is at times harsh, forcing us to make decisions that affect the rest of our lives and the lives of those around us.

Kevin had the perfect life.  A loving family, prosperous business and the serenity of the surrounding Colorado Rocky Mountains -

Until that dreadful afternoon when fate shows its ugly face, forcing him into the decision of his life! 

Will he follow the law or be the law? He searches for answers and finds them in........ Genesis 9:6.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erik P. Feldmanis
• Release date: Nov 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386991892

Erik P. Feldmanis

Erik is an American/Latvian author and artist who resides in West Palm Beach with his wife Agnese.  His literary works include numerous articles for magazines such as the U.S. Army Aviation Digest and ALEA’s Airborne Law Enforcement Magazines. His creative writings include  “The Jungle”, “The Lost But Not Forgotten”, “Freedom of Choice” and a screenplay titled “Only in America”. Erik is a graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, The University of the State of New York, as well as holding a law enforcement certification from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. During this tenure, he also attended the Ohio Peace Officer Academy where he trained as a hostage negotiator.  Erik Retired from the United States Army with the rank of CW4.  During his military tenure, Erik served as a V.I.P. helicopter pilot, Aviation Life Support Officer, Maintenance and Standardization Officer.  He served as a line pilot, instructor and training center evaluator for the CE-560XL, DA-2000, Piaggio P180 and Sikorsky S-92. Erik’s work as an artist primarily focuses on seascapes although he is also known for painting landscapes found in Latvia, the birthplace of his parents.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

It’s a sunny winter afternoon in the small town of Summit, a quaint community nestled in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, not too far from Vail.  With a fresh blanket of snow added to the three feet of recently plowed snow already covering the area folks are going about their leisurely personal affairs.  Snow- mobiles, SUV’s and people walking, some dressed in their preppy winter attire were plentiful as you looked around. Summit is one of those small rural towns where everybody knows everybody with the exception of course of the annual tourists that flock there during the spring and winter months, but even those visiting feel and are treated as residents and friends.  There are never any problems and any real crime is literally non-existent.

Being in the mountains breathing the crisp clean air is almost therapeutic.  Couple that with the warm sun, bright clear skies and the typical festive attitude and you feel as though this is the only place in the world one would want to be –  which explains the tourism and why family trees here can be traced back to 1801 – three years before the town of Summit was even officially established.

As with any town, businesses are a plenty.  Summit has its bank, gas station, reality office, post office, grocery store and its local restaurant and tavern – Meggie’s and Jake’s Saloon.  But it also has a very unique store that stays busy from opening to closing.  Not necessarily unique to mountain towns, but unique in how the business operates and what it offers.  This is the Mountain People Outfitters Store.

Rustically designed, from the outer structure – constructed from the very trees that once stood on the store site – with the exception of a dozen or so aspen and pine trees that have been strategically left to create a path of sorts leading from the street to the entrance – to the cedar shingles, hand-blown glass windows and huge wood burning fireplace. The store looks and feels as though released from a time capsule buried for nearly two-hundred years.  The store’s interior however is anything but.  Modern equipment from GPS navigation systems, satellite telephones, ski equipment, ATV’s, archery equipment, hunting, fishing, survival and camping equipment and apparel for all four seasons can be purchased.  In the lower level of the store a wide hallway divides two large areas, the perimeters of each protected by bulletproof glass.  One area houses an archery range, the other a firing range.  Kevin wants to give his customers the opportunity to try out and compare the equipment before they actually buy it.

Walking to the rear of the store on the large cedar and pine deck that wraps around the entire building, you find yourself overlooking a stream.  Walking down to a lower level deck you find a large rack.  On those racks are a dozen or so of fly rods, spinning reels and rods and a large variety of tackle.  This is a place to try out different fishing equipment.  The stream is full of trout.  A sign posted on the rail asks that any fish caught be gently released back into the stream.  Back on the upper deck, overlooking the fishing area, umbrella tables and chairs are positioned so as to allow onlookers to watch the activity below them.  Tower propane heaters provide warmth to the onlookers, as do the two counters that are stocked with fresh hot coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cider.  All of this is provided of course for free, and there is never any pressure to go into the store.  Everybody does though.  If not to buy gear, ski lift passes for many of the area ski resorts, book a guide for a hunting or fishing trip - at least to stop and say hi to Kevin Sanders - the owner.

Kevin, a young good looking man in his early thirty’s, is typically dressed in blue jeans, mountain boots, and a cotton turtleneck worn under a flannel shirt.  Although always well groomed, educated and articulate, folks are never intimidated by him.  His communication skills and quick perception of people allows him to seamlessly adjust his presentation to any level.  Always friendly and available, he is the perfect businessman.

CHAPTER TWO

It is late afternoon and Kevin is at the handgun counter helping one of the regular customers.  Handing the customer a Black Six .357- Magnum he looks the customer in the eyes, as he always does;

Tom, I think this .357 might be what you’re looking for.  It’s only a six-shot but it carries a hell of a lot more punch that the 9mm you were looking at last week.  You’re not a cop, you’re only wanting a back-up weapon for your hunting and fishing trips.  The 9mm just doesn’t carry the punch.

Looking at the gun and studying the frame and ergonomic design, the customer grins and looks up at Kevin.

You know Kevin, I think you might be right.  The 9mm carries more rounds, but I guess you need more rounds when you’re shooting something with a 9mm.

Tom, you got it my friend.  If you ever decide to hunt with this, I can set you up with a scope.

Okay buddy, I’ll take it. Tom replies.

Good choice!  You’ll need some rounds as well. Kevin says, as he turns around toward the rear counter and pulls out five boxes of 185 grain .357 hollow point rounds.

Kevin, I don’t think I can afford to buy five boxes right now.  How about if I only buy one for now? he hesitantly asks.

Hey, you’ve been a long time customer Tom.  The rounds are on the house.  I’ll get Sam to ring you out if that’s okay.  I’ve got some paperwork I have to finish.

That’s fine Kevin.  Thanks for helping me out. Tom graciously says.  Are you coming to drill next month?

Yeah, I think.  I’ve got to give B Company’s XO a Huey check-ride that weekend. Kevin replies.

Okay Kevin, I’ll see you then.

Kevin walks over to his firearms counter manager, Sam, and quietly says something to him.  Sam acknowledged by shaking his head yes.

Let me know how that gun works for you Kevin then says, as he turns and waves to Tom. He then started for the backroom staircase.

Walking into his upstairs office, Kevin sits down to do his paperwork.  His office is beautifully decorated.  Two dark brown leather couches, separated by a large hand-carved oak coffee table.  Above the table hangs a large chandelier made from the antlers of white tail bucks that reside in the region. Both walls adjacent to the couches provide a home for his trophies.  These trophies include wild Boar, Elk, Moose, Deer, Brown Trout, Bass, Walleye and Musky.  In the far corner stands his prized possession though - a Grizzly Bear, standing almost twelve feet high, poised on its hinds, front paws frozen in a decapitating thrust.  His desk, also oak, is almost six feet wide.  A beautiful deerskin lamp provides just the right amount of light.

As he sits, he momentarily glances outside toward the lower deck at a few customers that are trying out the fishing equipment.  He then turns his attention back to his desk and the stack of invoices lying there.  With a slight sigh, he picks up the stack and begins going through them.

CHAPTER THREE

Five miles away, a Jeep Cherokee is traveling down a snow-covered road.  Behind the wheel is Kevin’s wife Jennifer, a beautiful ash blonde in her early thirty’s listening to Phil Collins and thumbing the beat of drums on the steering wheel.  She looks into the rear view mirror and smiles at her bundled up six-year old son, strapped securely in his car seat in the middle of the bench seat.

Are you warm enough David? She asks.

Yes Mom, I’m warm enough as he fights to keep his winter hat from falling into his eyes with one hand while holding tightly onto his favorite stuffed bear with the other.

We’ll be home in a few minutes.  Dad will be home in a couple of hours or so.  What would you like for dinner tonight?  She then asks him.

How about peanut butter, pizza, and jelly?

For dinner? She asks laughing.

Sure!  Dad likes that stuff!

Well, yes, he does.  But I don’t think he’d like that for dinner.

Yes he would.  Call him and ask him.

Picking up the cell phone, she presses speed dial 2.

Hello? Kevin asks as he answers his private phone line.

"Hi Sweetheart.  David and I are just heading home from the grocery and were wondering what you’d like for dinner.

Honey, you know I don’t care.  Whatever the two of you decide is just fine.

Peanut butter, pizza, and jelly! David yells from the back seat.

Did I hear him right? Kevin asks.

Yep.  You heard your son right! She replies.

Well, that sounds wonderful! Kevin jokingly exclaims.

I’ll put some steaks on the grill. She whispers.

Okay sweetie, that’s fine.  I’ll be leaving here in an hour or so, so I’ll see you guys at around five-thirty.  Oh just so you know I called the phone company again about the house phone issue and they said they would send out a technician to check the lines sometime tomorrow afternoon.  I told them I didn’t think the problem was with the phones themselves, the phones were just replaced and we still get what sounds like an open line every once in a while. Hey, looks like it’s snowing again, so be careful.

Okay, love you.

Love you Daddy! David yells from the back seat.

About five minutes later, the Jeep pulls onto a long uphill driveway.  At the top of the driveway sits a beautiful log home – the entire front lined with large vertical windows.  Hidden by the five-foot high snow pile from the plowed driveway, the lower half of the house isn’t visible.

As the Jeep reaches the house, Jennifer notices, sitting in front of the four-car garage an older beat up Chevy pick-up truck.  Snow hasn’t yet accumulated on the truck so it hasn’t been there long.  Pulling up in front of the second garage door, Jennifer parks her Jeep and turned off the engine.

Who’s this? Jennifer rhetorically asks.

She gets out and walks to the rear of the Jeep and grabs a couple of bags of groceries.  David unbuckles himself from his seat and climbs out as well, clutching onto his bear.

"Who’s