Ruby

I made sure the phone was handy. I was ready.

It was about eleven when I heard the car outside. Yes, I was damn ready.

The door opened and Ruby stepped in, followed by Chaz. Her lipstick was smeared and her blouse pulled loose from her skirt. She saw me sitting there and screeched, "Damn you, Deal! I told you not to smoke those foul cigars."

Chaz closed the door. I took the paper off my lap and raised the pistol. My hand was rock solid now. I pointed it at Chaz. "Come here, now."

He slowly looked at me and started forward. I had him turn around and get on his knees. He looked back, like he was getting ready to try something.

"Dammit, Chaz! I'm not going to kill you. Turn your head."

When he did I hit him firmly ... but not too firmly behind the right ear. I didn't want him dead.

I went through the same routine with Ruby. I gathered the four pieces of wire and carefully shot each of them behind both knees, wrapping the cord tightly around each thigh as a tourniquet. I did the knees one at a time – I sure didn't want them to bleed to death.

I had fond hopes that they would both wind up needing wheel chairs for they rest of their lives. Maybe one of them could use mine to save some money.

Finishing with them I called the operator and asked for the police.

"There has been a shooting at 411 Hays Street. There are two people wounded. I don't know if the shooter is still in the house."

I hung up and turned on all the lights. I opened the front door and wheeled back to just around the bedroom door. I waited with a small smile on my face, knowing it was the last one ever for me. I felt a sense of peace come to me that I'd never known before.

It was just a few minutes later I heard the sirens and then the screeching brakes. I heard a man walk slowly up to the front door then a sudden shout. "Jim! Take a look at this."

I heard a man run up the sidewalk as another car came to a noisy stop in front of the house. I edged quietly around the door in my wheelchair and started shooting as fast as I could over the two cops I could see – almost aiming at the ceiling. They hit the floor and immediately started shooting at me. I felt a hard jolt to my left shoulder then the other cop raised his riot gun and the sudden flash was blinding. I listened for the sound of ...

~~~~~~

WICHITA EAGLE
December 17^th, 1968

– Jason Rose reporting –

Late last night a man was
killed in a hail of police
bullets and two persons
critically injured in a house
next to the Big Ditch in
North Wichita.
Police report they responded
to an emergency call and found
the door open. As they entered
they came under fire and
returned fire immediately.
The two policemen were
not harmed but will be
on desk duty while the
shooting is investigated.
A spokesman at Wesley
Hospital said that that the man
And woman were both shot
And will most likely lose their
legs from the knee down. In
response to a question it was
made clear that the Chief of
Surgery expects both of the
victims to spend their lives
in wheelchairs.
Names are being withheld
Pending notification of next
of kin.