The Last Hunt
A work of fiction by Tsao Alexander
Waterton Publishing Company
This is a work of fiction. The events described are imaginary and the settings and characters are fictitious and not intended to represent actual places, companies, or persons.
Copyright © 2026 by Waterton Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved.
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THE LAST HUNT
CHAPTER 3
There was a three-hour layover in Washington before Thomas and Yvonne’s flight to Cape Town. Other than small talk, the two had not said much on the flight to Washington. In Reagan National, Yvonne stuck close to Thomas, even has he tried to create some distance.
It was 5:40 p.m. in Washington. Thomas perched at a bar in the international terminal and Yvonne sat down beside him. “You stick pretty close, don’t you,” he said to Yvonne.
“I have to. It’s my job. Sorry if I seem intrusive. We just want to know as much about you as possible for your welcome at the ranch. And I don’t want you to get lost!” Yvonne ordered a Coke with no ice.
Thomas ordered a draft beer. “Why do you want to know so much about me? I’m just a guest there to shoot a tiger. What more is there to know?”
“Lots!” exclaimed Yvonne. “For example, do you prefer Thomas or Tom?”
“Tom is fine.”
“Great! See, there you are, an important bit of information.” Yvonne winked when she said “information.” “And are you married?”
Thomas looked annoyed, to say the least. “Now, how does that have anything to do with me going on safari? It’s just none of your business.”
“Ah, my dear Thomas, Tom, but it is my business,” Yvonne sipped warm Coke.
“Well, I’m not going to share my personal life with some stranger in an airport. You guys will just have to do without knowing about my personal life. I’m 52. I’m an accountant. I’m a hunter. I have a reservation at your ranch. That’s it.” Tom asked the bartender for a bar menu.
Yvonne was quiet. She was not, however, discouraged. She had tested the waters and found them chilly. As such, she would take a different tack. This was not her first experience with closed-mouth hunters, and she knew enough about Tom at that point to find success with a different approach.
“Let’s talk about something else. Let’s talk about…me.” Yvonne said it in a cocky manner as she squirmed on her bar stool. “I’m 38. I’m not married. I have son in his last year of high school. I am a friendly outgoing person!” She laughed. “Now, what else do you want to know?”
Tom did not respond. He just stared at the television, watching an American football match. “I don’t need to know anything,” he finally said, “we know you’re friendly and outgoing!” and smiled. He wondered just how friendly and outgoing.
“So, you’re an accountant,” Yvonne said after a few minutes.
The TV was making her job more difficult than it should have been – competing with the Miami Dolphins and some other team. Tom seemed quite interested in the game.
“Five American dollars on the Miami team,” Yvonne quipped. That got Tom’s attention.
“Are you crazy? They’re behind be two touchdowns.” Tom looked back at the TV.
“Chicken.” Yvonne reached over and took a piece of celery from Tom’s chicken wing plate. Then she dipped it in the ranch dressing cup. “Bawk bawk bawk,” She teased Tom.
“Alright,” Tom looked at Yvonne, “You’re on. Plus, a drink.”
“Deal,” Yvonne was in full ice-break mode.
The Cowboys fumbled the ball. Miami recovered and ran it in for a touchdown. Miami then converted a two-point play, and suddenly the score was close. Yvonne went to the ladies’ room and returned to find the game almost over and the Cowboys with a 7-point lead. ‘Thank goodness,’ she thought, and then asked Tom what he was drinking.
“Another beer.” Tom’s answer caused Yvonne to chide him: “A beer? Don’t forget I am buying!” Tom looked at his glass and checked the time on his phone.
“You’re right; I’ll take a Jack and Coke; make it a double.” What the heck, he thought, ‘I can sleep all the way to South Africa. And I’m on vacation!’
Yvonne smiled. But she made sure Tom did not see it.
Back at the gate waiting for boarding, Yvonne resumed her inquisition, albeit gently. Tom was a bit tipsy so his guard was down. While the two waited for the flight, Tom divulged that he was divorced, had three kids – all in high school – that he saw on weekends, had a successful accounting practice, did not have girlfriend, and did not have any hobbies other than trophy hunting.
“How many trophies do you have?” asked Yvonne.
“I don’t know, maybe ten, or eleven, plus a few hides.” Tom considered this quite an accomplishment and Yvonne could tell that he beamed with pride while speaking of his hunting.
That, and the liquor, made it much easier for her to do her job. For the next four hours she quizzed Tom about his pastime, how he got into it, where he had been, that he had been to South Africa once before where he had shot an elephant, what else he had shot, what he had missed, how he felt when he killed an animal, and on and on.
Yvonne’s dossier was complete by the time the plane landed in Cape Town, Yvonne knew everything she needed to know about Tom, and Tom knew only that he felt like he hadn’t slept in days, though he had slept four hours on the plane, and had a throbbing headache.
“Welcome to South Africa!” Yvonne smiled.
