CHAPTER 60

An hour later we were into the woods almost a mile when Max crouched down. I knew then that we were close to our quarry. I tapped Max and pointed him to the left. I did this for two reasons—first, to keep Max from being shot and secondly, to hopefully ambush Shutt from the side. I spoke into my radio just above a whisper. "He's close by now…probably not more than fifty yards so be very careful and pay attention."

We moved forward very slowly now and I kept Aimee Johnstone behind me and to my left—about five yards away, knowing that my brief interaction with Shutt would make me his prime target. Not only did I think that, but I was actually counting on it. My training in the Navy and in the Marshal's Service had taught me exactly what to do. We had moved forward about twenty yards through an annoying field of vines covered with thorns that clung to our slacks with every step. I stopped briefly to show Aimee a small patch of orange cloth impaled on several thorns. Turning to Aimee I ordered her to turn her flashlight off. Daryl did the same on his side. I wanted all of Shutt's attention focused on me as we moved forward.

I could see an anomaly ahead and slightly to my left. It was a thick-trunked oak tree right smack in the center of a small clearing. Moving my flash back and forth I could see nothing on either side or beyond the massive tree for twenty-five yards or more so I had a strong feeling that Shutt had taken shelter behind it. I'm never one to pussyfoot around so I called out, "Give it up, Shutt. We have more than thirty armed officers with us and you'll never get away."

"Fuck you, muthafucka. Your honkies may get me, but I'll get you first. That's a fuckin' promise." At that he stepped out from the left side of the tree, aiming Biggers' pistol straight at me. "You talk about a good game, muthafucka. Now let's see how you die."

As he raised the pistol I looked to my left and yelled, "NOW, MAX!" When Shutt looked to his right I rolled right—right into the thorny vines, pulling my .44 Magnum before hitting the ground. He fired repeatedly, but he was wide, missing me with all but one shot that struck my left bicep area as I drew a bead on him. But as I fired I heard two loud BOOMS—one to my left side and the other from my pistol. Looking up I saw blood spurting from two wounds in the middle of his chest—the two holes, one from a twelve gauge slug and the other from a .44 bullet, only an inch apart. Shutt's face lost color as he looked down to see the red arterial blood pump out over his body just before he crumbled swiftly to the ground.

I felt Daryl pull me up as I holster my weapon. My arms and face were covered with cuts from the thorns as I stood, slowly and painfully extricating my body from the vines. Aimee ran forward with her shotgun centered on Shutt until she was able to kick the pistol away and call for EMT's. Our remaining team members formed a line showing the way for the medical tech's. I sent them first to check on Shutt, but they knew immediately that he was dead. He was lying face down and the exit holes from the huge projectiles were a dead giveaway. Nobody could suffer that kind of damage and survive. I sent Daryl and the EMT's to look after Aimee who was clearly in distress after killing a human being for the first time. My arm was covered with gauze and wrapped in a pressure bandage until I could get to the hospital.

"Daryl, take command here, please. Call the Sheriff about sending his crime tech's to the scene. Take control of Aimee's shotgun and my pistol. They'll want to check them out. Also, call Lucy and let her know that I'm okay and on my way to the hospital. Then call Pastor Michaels and tell him about Aimee. She'll need a lot of support even though this was clearly self defense for both of us."

"Matt! DUH!! I know all that. You just go to the hospital and do what they tell you. I'll take care of Aimee and the rest of this." He patted me on the shoulder and pushed me toward the EMT's who led me to their ambulance. I climbed in and they strapped me in place. Minutes later I was on the way. I only prayed that Lucy would stay at home because I knew she was still in recovery from her surgery.

Who was I kidding? I was in the room having my wound cleaned by a nurse before having it stitched when Lucy and her dad rushed through the curtain. "Matt! I was so worried when Daryl phoned. Look at you. You're covered in blood."

"Yeah, but you should see the other guy." Oops, that was obviously the wrong thing to say because it was met with a steely glare. "Honest, Lucy; I'm okay. These are from a bunch of thorns I had to roll in so I wouldn't get shot."

"Then, what's this?"

"Better my arm than my chest."

"Why didn't you shoot him as soon as you saw him?"

"Because I love my wife and daughter; I could have been charged with murder if I just shot him. The same goes for Aimee Johnstone. She also shot him once he opened fire. Suppose he decided to give himself up? We had to give him the chance. Yes, I got hurt, but it was self-defense. I'll get a few days off to spend with my two loves instead of ten to twenty in the state pen. Anthony Michaels should be with Aimee now."

Lucy looked down for a few seconds and there were tears in her eyes when she looked up. "I should know by now to trust your judgment, Matt. I'm sorry." I just pulled her to me for a long kiss until the doctor arrived to sew up my arm. Funny, but the bullet's entry was almost exactly where I had been injured the last time I had been shot. The angle was different because my arm was horizontal this time, making the entry wound longer and the internal wound worse. Still, I was sure I could get by with a sling for a week or so.

"What about Max," I asked.

"Daryl found him caught up in a big thorn bush, but he's okay. Daryl said he'd bring him home as soon as he gets done on the site. He told me that Max saved you even though he wasn't there." I explained why that was probably true. I needed the diversion Max gave me to get away from Shutt's aim. The doctor finished the twenty stitches and the nurse gave me a couple of painkillers and two precious before discharging me—the bill going to the city.

Jonathan drove us home and Lucy and I went to bed. Max greeted us at the door and followed us into the room taking the station just below Melody, completely ignoring his bed until I brought it over to him. Jonathan and Marylou drove home after hugging both of us gingerly. I checked with Anthony Michaels about Aimee the following morning and I was pleased to hear that he had arranged for counseling. Shooting another human being is always traumatic, especially the first time, unless you're a sociopath.

I went into Headquarters three days later for just an hour so I could deal with Sgt. Biggers. I had given him written notice of the hearing with the option of having a representative from the Tennessee State Police Benevolent Association with him so I wasn't surprised to see two lawyers present when we walked into the conference room. Fortunately, I was prepared, having spent an hour with Martin Albright to develop a list of charges. It was long—more than two pages ranging from insubordination to failure to follow established procedures. I also charged him with creating a situation in which a prisoner had been killed. I told him that I was suspending him without pay for ninety days and that a committee of the City Council would meet in a formal hearing to determine if he should be fired as per my recommendation. He must have seen the handwriting on the wall because less than a month later he resigned.