Life after the Lottery Ch. 80

"He won't take anything," Samantha said.

"I will when this is over."

Linda and Rachel sat with us and discussed what to tell the press. Fred and his people showed up at 5:30.

"The press is already waiting on the road. Here, read my statement," Fred said.

I took the paper and read it.

"You know the drill," he said. "Ms. Williams, are you going to be at the press conference?"

"You bet I am."

"These things work best if you give as few details as possible," he said.

"We talked about it," I told him.

"I'll tell them to let the press in to set up out front."

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" Dawn asked me.

"Yes. Let's get it over with."

After Fred made a call, we heard all kinds of noise out front. I was trying to get my strength together, and my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Smith. This is Anita Hall."

"Hello, Anita."

"I am outside and just wanted to let you know I will be there."

"Okay. Are there a lot of reporters?"

"About a dozen...and cameras."

"Thanks for letting me know."

"Any questions you want me to ask?"

"Yes, please. Ask what I think about Judge Prescott letting this guy out."

"I thought you would want to comment on that. How are all of you doing?"

"We're okay."

"Good. See you in a few."

I told Fred and Linda about Anita.

*****

At 6:00, I got up and headed outside to all the noise.

"Dawn, you and the girls, stay inside," I said. "Rachel, you too."

Fred and Linda helped me to the front door. I opened it and walked outside to a group of yelling reporters.

"Dr. Smith! Ms. Williams! What happened!? Where you shot!" They yelled.

"I have a statement," Fred said.

They calmed down while he waited.

"Saturday night, there was an officer-involved shooting at this residence, the home of Dr. James Smith. Dr. Smith is a duly sworn Lieutenant on the Attorney General's enforcement bureau."

"At approximately 10:00 PM last Saturday, the suspect chased Ms. Linda Williams and her bodyguard to this residence. Ms. Williams and her bodyguard made it into the house safely before the suspect crashed through the gate and into several cars. Lieutenant Smith was stationed outside the home, preparing to take the suspect into custody. The suspect, Paul Bradford, was recently released from jail after being stopped for DUI and assaulting several police officers. Once the suspect got out of his truck, he produced a pistol and a shotgun and shot up the house and the vehicles in an attempt to get into the house."

"Since it was dark and all the lights had been turned off to provide cover, the suspect did not see Lieutenant Smith as he took cover behind the shrubs behind you. He announced to the suspect he was a Law Enforcement officer and told him to drop his weapon numerous times. The suspect began firing at Lieutenant Smith, and he had no choice but to defend himself. The suspect was struck four times and was pronounced at the scene. Once we searched the suspect's truck, we found numerous weapons and ammunition. He obviously intended to harm or murder Ms. Williams."

"Was Lieutenant Smith shot!"

"Lieutenant Smith was struck by a shotgun blast during the altercation. He underwent surgery for broken ribs and bullet fragments Sunday morning and was released later that night."

"Dr. Smith! Dr. Smith! How are you doing?!"

"I am starting to be able to move around."

"Where were you shot?"

"In my left side. The buckshot from the shotgun grazed my ribs and broke two of them. They have repaired the wounds and removed the bone and bullet fragments."

"Ms. Williams? Why did you come here?"

"My bodyguard and I had left our new stores at the mall that the Smiths and I own together. We were coming here to discuss some business. We observed the suspect following us on the interstate."

"How did you know it was him?"

"We had previously determined who he was and had observed him driving around my residence months ago. We had made local law enforcement aware of him, and they had been on the lookout for him. They finally arrested him for DUI and assaulting an officer, and they put him in jail. Judge Prescott let him out. The judge seems to think that people who assault police officers and stalk people are fine to let out."

"Had you had any other run-ins with the suspect? Do you know why he was targeting you?" Anita asked.

"We had a run-in this Spring. I was on business in Italy, and he snuck into my hotel room disguised as a waiter. My bodyguard recognized him, and he ran from the room. The local police were unable to apprehend him. We determined later that he had been following me all over Europe for the previous weeks as I traveled on business."

"Were the local police here unable to do anything?" Anita asked.

"Once we discovered he was back in this area, I notified the local police. All they could do was keep an eye out for him. He had not broken any laws here yet," Linda added.

"The suspect was stopped for DUI several months ago. He assaulted several police officers and was sentenced to a year in jail. He recently got an attorney and went before Judge Prescott, and the judge let him out on parole, and no one was notified," Fred added. "And this happened..."

"Dr. Smith? How do you feel about Judge Prescott letting this potential murderer out?' Anita asked.

"We were all shocked he did that. When he was originally sentenced, that judge said he was a menace and gave him a full year. He managed to get in front of Prescott, and he let him out to serve on probation. And...this is what happened. Things could have been much worse. We have got to do something about these bleeding heart judges before someone they let out does get killed. We were very lucky."

"Dr. Smith? Why are you a member of the AG's enforcement bureau?"

"I am the staff psychologist for them and the local law enforcement agencies. I help officers and their families in the event...in the event, they are involved in a shooting. I have been through the same POST certification and training all the officers have been through because I may be called to an active crime scene."

"Lieutenant Smith undergoes the same annual training and recertification for weapons as all the officers must do," Fred said.

"Mr. Attorney General, is this the end of the investigation?"

"Yes. This case will be closed as a justified self-defense shooting."

"One last question, please?"

"Okay."

"We had a report of a reporter being attacked by a wolf here early today. Is that true?"

"One of the sheriff's deputies that was patrolling nearby called and said it appeared that a reporter had trespassed onto the property and snuck through the trees in an attempt to get some photos of my family. It appears he was attacked by a large dog or coyote. There is a lot of acreage surrounding the house, and we have observed wild animals occasionally," I said.

"Are there any more questions?" Fred asked.

Anita stepped up.

"Dr. Smith? It has been reported that you have taken a new position at the university...Dean of the Student and Staff Wellbeing to oversee some of these reports of sexual assaults on campus after a few weeks ago. Is this going to affect you accepting that position?"

"No. It will not. I am honored to be taking the position and hope that it provides much-delayed help for students and staff."

"Thank you, Dr. Smith," she said.

"Anything more? Fred asked.

"Yes. Dr. Smith, do you still have three wives?"

"That's all for today," Fred said. "Dr. Smith needs his rest."

We turned and walked back into the house as they shouted more questions.

"Sorry about that last question," Fred said.

"Fuck'em," I said. "They are just jealous!"

Fred laughed. "True!"

"What did they ask?" Dawn wanted to know.

"They asked if he still has three wives," Linda said.

"Assholes," Dawn said.

"What was that about a wolf?" Linda asked.

"We'll tell you later," Dawn said.

"We will run them off so you can get some rest," Fred said.

"I put dinner in the ovens. Linda brought us Italian," Amy said.

I sat down slowly.

"I need a pain pill...or two."

"What did you tell them?" Samantha asked.

"Nothing. Fred shut it down at that point."

"Wait until the press finds out you knocked up the five of us!" Amy exclaimed. Everyone laughed. Fred looked puzzled.

When the food was hot again, they grabbed plates, and Dawn brought me one.

"Linda, take something out to your guards," I said. "Or just tell them to come inside."

Amy and Samantha made several plates up and took them outside, and came back.

"They won't come in the house."

After we all ate with Fred and the agents, Linda and Rachel headed out with Fred and his guys. I managed to get to our bed at 10:00.

"With that wolf around, is it safe for us to be outside?" Amy asked after getting in bed.

"I don't think he will be back," Dawn said.

"Unless we have more trespassers?" I asked. Dawn giggled.

*****

I felt Samantha get up early.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"For a swim."

I went back to sleep.

By 7:30, we were all up and in the kitchen eating breakfast. Samantha got up and went to the den and came back with a camera with a long lens.

"Look what I found on the bottom of the pool this morning," Samantha said as she sat it on the table. "I think that is the camera the photographer had."

"Looks like it," Dawn said as she ate.

Samantha stood there and looked at Dawn for a minute.

"Dawn?" Samantha asked.

"What?"

"Did your wolf bring you the camera?"

"Must have."

"Be sure and thank him," Samantha added.

Dawn smiled and finished her orange juice.

Dawn and Amy went back upstairs to get dressed while Samantha cleaned up the kitchen. When she finished, she came and sat with me in the den.

"James, what happened yesterday?"

"You saw it."

"I know what I saw. What did Dawn have to do with it?"

"You'll have to talk to her, honey."

"Do you know?"

"Talk to her."

Samantha went upstairs.

About 9:00, they all came downstairs.

"I need to run to the school for a while," Dawn said. "I'll be back about 11:30. Do you need anything before I leave?"

"I may try and take a shower."

"No, you won't. You can't get the bandages wet."

"Can you change them when you come back?"

"I'll give him a sponge bath!" Samantha teased.

"Stop by the dealer and check on the Escalade," I said.

Dawn and Amy left together, and Samantha sat next to me.

"I want to ask you something, and I want you to tell me the truth," Samantha said.

"If I can, honey."

"Can Dawn turn into a wolf?"

"I don't know..."

"Yes, you do. Can she?"

"Honey, Dawn, and her great-grandparents have told me some pretty wild things. With Dawn now...I don't know anymore."

"Do you think that is what happened?"

"I don't know...and I am not sure I want to know."

This will be the last chapter for a bit. The next one will skip forward to December. See you for Christmas!