hosting another woman. “This is the mommy space. You can sit and relax here with the others, while we wait for Agent Paul to arrive.”
Cheryl left Jennifer and her children in the waiting area, while she began some paper work for her stay. Then, what seemed like hours later, Agent Paul buzzed into the shelter to meet with Jennifer Wilson.
***
Cheryl provided a space for Jennifer and Agent Paul to talk, while she arranged to watch the children in the play area.
“I’m so glad you called me!” Paul said. “What happened?”
“Oh God!” Jennifer gasped. “I can’t believe this is happening. My world’s been turned upside down!”
“What happened?” Paul demanded.
“After you left I got to thinking about what you said and wanted to find out what Mason was doing at work this morning, so I went to the bar. The front door was locked. As I went around back, I could hear people talking, so I looked in the window to watch what was happening. That’s when I saw Mason with the gun! Oh God! He shot him!”
“Who shot who?!”
“Mason shot Gary! And I think he was going to kill Amber too, but when I saw him shoot Gary I fell off the box and ran for my car. I know he followed me out. He knows I saw him. I know he knows!”
“You did the right thing by calling me.” Paul said assuredly.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do…”
“The first thing we need to do is find a way to keep you and your kids safe.”
“Where? Here?”
“No, that's not practical. But, Witness protection is…”
“Witness protection?! I don’t want that! If I don’t testify he won’t kill me.”
“He won’t ask you which way you're leaning on that matter, trust me.”
“But the kids. We have kids together!”
“He might show loyalty to Mason JR. It’s been our experience that that’s always a possibility. But Chelsea isn’t his child, right?”
“Right…”
“Right!” her gut wrenched violently. “I think I’m going to be sick.” This wasn’t morning sickness, either. This was, ' Oh My God! What am I going to do?’ sickness. Agent Paul handed her the nearby waste basket as he sat upon the seat beside her. He carefully held her hair back and rubbed her back compassionately, as the emotion of the day manifested itself in a revolting display of stress.
“I am truly sorry you are having to deal with this, Mrs. Wilson. I truly am.” his voice was sincere, and in his heart he truly was being sincere. In matters such as these, it always seemed that it was the family that really suffered. He did like bringing down the bad guys , but never enjoyed watching the innocent suffer for their violent deeds.
Finally, Jennifer composed herself and sighed. “You really think he’ll kill us?”
“I know he will.” Agent Paul said. “I know he will as sure as we're sitting here. He’s eliminated all of our witnesses so far, so why would he stop now?”
“I thought James was a good friend and you say he turned up dead, right?”
“He did.”
“Then I have no choice, do I?”
Paul shook his head.
“It won’t be the first time my life was turned upside
Cheryl left Jennifer and her children in the waiting area, while she began some paper work for her stay. Then, what seemed like hours later, Agent Paul buzzed into the shelter to meet with Jennifer Wilson.
***
Cheryl provided a space for Jennifer and Agent Paul to talk, while she arranged to watch the children in the play area.
“I’m so glad you called me!” Paul said. “What happened?”
“Oh God!” Jennifer gasped. “I can’t believe this is happening. My world’s been turned upside down!”
“What happened?” Paul demanded.
“After you left I got to thinking about what you said and wanted to find out what Mason was doing at work this morning, so I went to the bar. The front door was locked. As I went around back, I could hear people talking, so I looked in the window to watch what was happening. That’s when I saw Mason with the gun! Oh God! He shot him!”
“Who shot who?!”
“Mason shot Gary! And I think he was going to kill Amber too, but when I saw him shoot Gary I fell off the box and ran for my car. I know he followed me out. He knows I saw him. I know he knows!”
“You did the right thing by calling me.” Paul said assuredly.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do…”
“The first thing we need to do is find a way to keep you and your kids safe.”
“Where? Here?”
“No, that's not practical. But, Witness protection is…”
“Witness protection?! I don’t want that! If I don’t testify he won’t kill me.”
“He won’t ask you which way you're leaning on that matter, trust me.”
“But the kids. We have kids together!”
“He might show loyalty to Mason JR. It’s been our experience that that’s always a possibility. But Chelsea isn’t his child, right?”
“Right…”
“Right!” her gut wrenched violently. “I think I’m going to be sick.” This wasn’t morning sickness, either. This was, ' Oh My God! What am I going to do?’ sickness. Agent Paul handed her the nearby waste basket as he sat upon the seat beside her. He carefully held her hair back and rubbed her back compassionately, as the emotion of the day manifested itself in a revolting display of stress.
“I am truly sorry you are having to deal with this, Mrs. Wilson. I truly am.” his voice was sincere, and in his heart he truly was being sincere. In matters such as these, it always seemed that it was the family that really suffered. He did like bringing down the bad guys , but never enjoyed watching the innocent suffer for their violent deeds.
Finally, Jennifer composed herself and sighed. “You really think he’ll kill us?”
“I know he will.” Agent Paul said. “I know he will as sure as we're sitting here. He’s eliminated all of our witnesses so far, so why would he stop now?”
“I thought James was a good friend and you say he turned up dead, right?”
“He did.”
“Then I have no choice, do I?”
Paul shook his head.
“It won’t be the first time my life was turned upside
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