Passion In James County X
Badge of Dishonor
By D.C. Roi
Chapter twenty-five
Sheriff's Department Sergeant Joan Mills was just turning onto Millis Street when she heard what sounded like shots. She was on her way to make a swing past the little diner where other deputies had spotted Lise Billingham's car, to see if Lise had returned to pick up her car.
The shots caused a surge of adrenaline, which sent Joan's heart rate sky-high. She grabbed her radio microphone. "Operations from James County Five, I have shots fired in the vicinity of the Jamestown diner! Get me some backup! Now!" she yelled. She dropped the microphone and turned on her siren and blue lights.
"Operations to James County Five," the dispatcher said, her voice at least an octave higher than it usually was, "We copy. You have shots fired at the Jamestown diner. All available Sheriff's units respond, your call is Code Three!!"
Rod Billingham, with rage in full control of his actions, continued to hold the combat shooter's stance and point his 9mm pistol into the sheriff's cruiser. He thought he'd hit Luke, but the deputy had returned fire, which meant he wasn't dead. He wanted to kill both Luke and Lise, and fully intended to. He was starting to squeeze the trigger a second time when the sound of sirens, and screech of brakes as Sergeant Mills arrived, made him pause.
Joan Mills jammed her cruiser into "Park," grabbed the riot gun out of the rack next to the radio, and jumped out. She saw the man - she thought it was Rod Billingham, but wasn't sure - pointing a gun at another sheriff's cruiser. "Sheriff's Department!" Joan yelled, aiming her shotgun at the man. "Drop the gun and get on the ground! Do it now!"
Rod turned and pointed his gun at Joan, but he remembered that Luke had fired at him and that he wanted to kill him, so he turned back to the cruiser.
"This is your last chance!" Sergeant Mills yelled. "Drop the gun and get on the ground now, or I'll shoot!"
"Fuck you!" Rod screamed. He realized Luke wasn't moving and instinct told him the officer yelling at him posed a greater threat at that second, so he turned and fired two shots in Joan's direction.
Luke continued to hold his fire. Backup had arrived and Rod had stopped shooting at him. If there was a chance they could take the deranged man alive, Luke wanted to take it. Besides, his chest hurt and he wasn't sure he'd be able to raise his gun and shoot again.
As he watched Rod, he saw the man his gun toward Sergeant Mills. Then he turned it back toward the cruiser where Luke sat. "Stay down, Lise," he said. His passenger remained huddled on the floor of the cruiser, sobbing.
Suddenly, as Luke watched, Rod swiveled back toward Sgt. Mills and fired two shots. Out of the corner of his eye, Luke saw the sergeant fall down. He immediately triggered two shots of his own. He saw Rod's body jerk, then the man turned and began running toward his truck.
Luke grabbed the microphone attached to his two-way radio. "Operations from James County Nine!" he yelled. "Officer needs assistance, shots fired, officer down, in the parking lot of the Jamestown Diner! I need help! Now!"
"Copy, County Nine!" the dispatcher replied. "All responding units, did you copy? We have shots fired, an officer down! I'm starting paramedics and rescue! Please advise when the scene is secure!"
Rod saw the female officer fall, but was shocked when Luke fired at him. He was wearing his bullet-proof vest and the bullet barely clipped him, but it did make him jump. He heard more sirens and realized he'd be in big trouble once more cops got there, so he turned and started running toward his truck.
Luke heard the sound of a vehicle's starter motor, then an engine roared to life. He saw Rod Billingham behind the wheel of his pickup truck, screeching out of the parking space behind the diner.
"Lise!" Luke gasped. His chest hurt as he tried to breathe. "Are you OK?"
"I...I think so," Lise replied. "What...what about you?"
"I'm OK, I think," Luke replied. He put his cruiser in "drive" and started toward the other cruiser.
