"oh carlee, you did it, you saved my life," lissell said. there were bloody slash marks all over her body. i was in shock, i couldn't even talk. "honey, are you alright?" she asked.

"i killed him lissell, i killed him!" i shouted.

"no, baby, you did what you had to do, if you hadn't have shot, he would have killed me."

"oh god, i did kill him," i cried. lissell hugged me.

"it's ok baby, it's ok." sirens down the road, not too far, loud, penetrating, stopping outside the house, two or three of them.

"carlee, lissell?" harry called.

"over here captain," lissell responded. harry ran to us.

"lissell, you're bleeding!"

"i'm ok though, thanks to carlee. he had his knife over my body when she fired captain, another second or two, and i would have been dead meat."

harry shouted to the uniform: "get an ambulance out here."

"on it's way, captain zimmerman," he said. harry held me.

"i'm so proud of you baby."

"for killing leroy?" i sniffed.

"no, for saving officer stacy," he said. "i really thank you lissell, for getting here so soon, you're barely out of the hospital. i know this wasn't easy."

"it was worth it sir," lissell stated. the paramedics arrived, and while two helped lissell outside to an ambulance, the other three put leroy in a black plastic body bag.

"the coroner hasn't seen him yet, boys," harry said. they took leroy's body out and placed him back on the floor, near where they found him. i didn't know what to say, or what to do. leroy made me more uncomfortable in death than in life. i felt like crying, but couldn't. all i could do was stare at him. i wondered if he had parents, or brothers or sisters, people who would care if i blew his head off or not. i cared, although i knew that he wouldn't have had a qualm about killing either me or lissell tonight. i was thinking about leaving louisville when all this was over, thinking about taking my dad and mikey up on their generous offer of the house on green river. the floor was white from leroy's powder; i wasn't going to let this make me crazy, i just wasn't, lissell was right, i did what was necessary, what i had to do at he moment.

"damn, what kind of cannon was he shot with?" coroner jefferson swain asked.

"it was a 38, dr. swain, but the bullet was hollow point," harry answered.

"your pistol, captain?"

"yeah, it was mine."

"did the trick," the coroner said. "you pulled the trigger young lady?" he directed to me.

"yes sir, i did, i had to," i answered.

"what in the hell is all that white shit on him?" swain asked.

"powder, i believe," i answered.

"it's a weird world," he said. and he motioned for the paramedics to take him away. harry signed a mess of papers, then drove me home.

"what a damn nightmare," i said. harry put his arm around me.

"you gonna be ok baby?"

i smiled. "sure harry, i'm just tired, a drink and a bath and i'll be as good as new," i lied. he opened the door for me.

"just remember angel, if you hadn't of shot him, officer stacy and probably you, would both be history."

"i have to remember that harry, believe me." i grabbed my bag and headed up the stairs, it was after two in the morning. i heard a door open.

"carlee!" carie shouted. i dropped my bag on the steps and ran to her.

"i've never been as glad to see anyone in my life," i said as i hugged her.

"what happened baby, you look awful?" she said.

"i killed him carie, i shot leroy." she hugged me tighter. "come on up for a minute, i'll tell you all about it, i've simply got to get out of these shoes." i got barefoot and made a big drink in the kitchen area. sitting in the mayflower chair, i took a huge drink. sighing, i said to carie. "ah, the elixer of life." i then proceeded to tell carie everything that i remembered. i put my feet up under me and massaged my aching toes.

"god, carlee, it must have been terrible," she scowled.

"an absolute nightmare carie, most terrible night of my life."

"what happens now carlee?"

"gosh, i have no idea, if lissell had shot him, she'd be investigated by internal affairs, i don't know about an unemployed private citizen."

"is there anything i can do babe?"

"nothing that i know of at the moment love, maybe you could be a character witness if they arrest me." she smiled.

"i doubt that happening carlee." talking with carie made me feel a little better. i took a hot bath and thought about leroy a lot. sleep came easy, i was worn out. the phone woke me the next morning, it was after nine.

"hello?"

"hey, are you just getting up?" it was andy.

"no, in fact i'm still asleep."

"you haven't seen the papers?"

"i haven't seen daylight, andy."

"go out and get a copy baby, you're front page."

"god, am i under arrest andy?"

"no, practically famous, you shot a mass murderer and saved the life of a police officer. it's beautiful carlee, go get a copy." i thanked him and put on a pot of coffee. it was strong, but refreshing. the next phone call was from my father.

"carlee, what in the hell's going on in louisville, are you alright?"

"i'm fine dad, just trying to wake up."

"you shot a man last night, you're unemployed?"

"i can explain all that, dad."

"you need to come home carlee, today," he said. mikey picked up, or chimed in.

"i'm proud of you baby, even if he's not." that made me smile.

"i didn't say i wasn't proud of her, mikey, i just said that we needed to talk about this."

"look guys," i said, "i haven't even seen the papers, but a friend of mine told me i should, last night was awful, i feel like i'm coming down from a dream. i'll come if i can, alright?" i dressed in jeans and a middriff friendly tee shirt with "earth is flat, pigs can fly and nuclear power is safe" on it, above the caption was a flying pig. hair in a tight pony tail, i was ready for freddy. a knock at the door.

"carlee, are you decent?" it was harry.

"just a minute harry. i might be." i pulled on my pony tail and opened the door. he looked at me, from top to bottom.

"you're perfect," he smiled and said. "come on, we're going to be on television." harry drove us to the wave studios.

"i don't think i can do this, harry," i said.

"sure you can angel, piece of cake."

"can i call my dad, is this live?"

"no, it's taped." a manager of some kind motioned us toward him. lissell was talking with a guy i had seen on the six o'clock news.

"yes, he was a prime suspect in at least five other murders," i heard her say. lissell's new short hair cut looked dazzling, as did she.

"and were you afraid?" he asked.

"my life passed right before my eyes, mr. newman," she answered.

"you are zimmerman and mccord?" the manager asked."

"right," harry said. the manager motioned for someone else and had us sit down in make-up chairs. "you two are on in ten minutes. remember mavis, she has brown eyes, she's pretty, do her camera justice." we were commodities to him.

"that's commissioner jorden, carlee, my boss, everyone's boss." i could barely see him. mavis set to work on us and fixed up pretty good. "ok guys, you're ready," she stated, as she sprayed something on my hair and brushed it lightly. and the manager came and got us.

"i don't think i can....." i stuttered.

"and this next young lady, miss carlee, i know you'll be glad to see officer stacy," mr. newman held out his hand for me. "welcome miss mccord," he said. lissell came over and gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. i looked at her and smiled.

"oh carlee, i am glad to see you." we sat down.

"ladies and gentlemen this is captain harry zimmerman lpd and the young lady we've been talking so about for the past hour. scary night miss mccord?"

"yes sir, very."

"we're very proud of you miss mccord," commissioner jorden said. i blushed slightly. this went on for a half an hour. the stage lights were horrendous, i was sweaty and still very uncomfortable. i was presented an honorable medal from commissioner james jorden, and harry raved over me. the stories of leroy's probable murders of hazel, mr. gray, the youngsters and star lynn were told, as well as the occurences of last night at colonel sander's house. lissell thanked me for saving her life. i was glad when it was over.

"kill the lights carman!" the manager said.

"whew, it must be a hundred fuckin' degrees in here."

"listen, you all did well, after a little editing i think it will be perfect. it will run at six tonight, five tomorrow morning and at noon i believe. i thank you all, good show, you looked especially fine, commissioner," he added. harry drove me home. i really needed to get out of town.

"honey, you were great, i mean that."

"i was scared out of my gourd," i replied.

"it didn't show carlee, you were very professional."

"stop and get a paper, harry." i mulled over the paper in the mayflower chair. quite impressive, i thought. what would happen now? would they tack the murders on poor leroy and close the books? i imagined so. dad wouldn't like the newspaper article, nor would he like the television segment. i just knew it.

my mind was spinning in a thousand directions as i approached dad's later that day. i got out of the car and dad and mikey came to greet me. both hugged me and said they were glad i was home. "come on in darling," dad said. "i know that yesterday was a bad day." dad had helped me with bad yesterdays for many years, and there had been quite a few.

"i'm so sorry guys," i said as we sat down in the living room.

"according to the papers, carlee, you did what you had to do," dad said. i was at a loss for words.

"let's have a beer folks, your wave thing will be on in a half an hour, carlee." i was embarrassed, i didn't want to watch it.

"good thought mikey", dad said and went to get us a beer. we drank, engaged in small talk, and i looked at the pictures on the mantle. mama. she was so beautiful, god, could i ever use you now.

"carlee, mikey made an astute observation-----" i started to cry, bawl, actually, i wasn't interested in mikey's observations, i was ashamed, and i wanted to die. i ran to my bedroom and threw myself on the bed.

"hey, is it all right if your old man hugs you, baby?"

"sure," i sniffed.

"carlee, i know you're upset, and you have a right to be, i just wanted to feel you and tell you it's alright. mikey and i are here for you, you know that don't you?"

"oh daddy, how soon can you get the house by the river ready?"

"are you serious baby?"

" yes, i am, i've got to get some order back in my life."

"will the weekend be soon enough?" he asked.

"hey in there, the show's on!" mikey shouted. "and you've gotta see this chick, bill."

"come on now, you come tell us who everyone is carlee."

"man, she's a knockout," mikey observed.

"that's lissell," i said.

"she is a beauty carlee," dad said. i appeared, and lissell hugged me. the interview began. the guys were enraptured. when it was over, dad hugged me. "i'm very proud baby, very proud."

"i coundn't hardly take my eyes off your belly button, carlee. what is that?" mikey asked. i pulled my top up a little.

"butterfly mikey, i thought you'd like it."

"yeah," he said. "well, i just have to videotape that interview, what time is it on again?"

"ten o'clock i believe," i answered. mikey was all smiles.

"got to go then, and get my recorder ready." he hugged me tightly. "love you carlee."

"love you too mikey."

"i'll call mr. likens and have him start on the house tomorrow, carlee, if that's alright."

"sure dad, that's fine."

"after your adventures in louisville dear, you need a little vacation." i smiled........