Greene County Killer

by Ann Mullen

  I did as she suggested, and it helped. I let off the brake and we continued our journey. I turned off Bear Mountain Road onto our driveway and made the trek to our house.

  “The sign said that Bear Mountain Road is a private road.”

  “It is. It’s the road leading into the Blackhawk compound.”

  “You call this a compound?”

  “It’s just a name. That’s what the Blackhawks call it, but actually, it’s just another word for family. Most of Billy’s family lives here, except his two sisters. They live in the city. It’s too rural for them out here. Why?”

  “It’s just that every time I hear the word compound, I think of Waco.”

  “That’s creepy. I don’t think of it like that. I see a loving family who guards their privacy.”

  “That’s nice.”

  I parked the truck and turned off the ignition. I removed the keys and stuck them in my coat pocket opposite the one holding my gun. Without even asking, Savannah reached down, grabbed my purse and handed it to me. She was shivering.

  “Next time you leave the house you might want to wear a heavier coat. The winters here can be rather harsh. Luckily, the basement in that house was heated, or you would’ve frozen to death before you ever died from blood loss.”

  “You say the nicest things, Missy,” she responded, nervously.

  “Oh, no. You’re been around my mother too long. You’re starting to talk like her. Next thing I know, you’ll be picking up her bad habits.”

  “I doubt very seriously that your mother has any bad habits.”

  I looked Savannah in the eyes and said, “We’ve stalled long enough. Are we ready?”

  “I guess it’s now, or never.”

  “Let’s just play it cool,” I said as I climbed out of the truck. “Keep your fingers crossed that everything is going to go smoothly. I’d hate to shoot someone this late in the day.”

  The two of us giggled, huddled together, and then made our way up the steps to the front porch. I turned the doorknob, but it was locked. I tapped on the door lightly as if nothing was wrong, and waited for someone to answer.

  The door opened and we were greeted by Helene and Geneva.

  “I’m so glad you’re back,” Helene said. “We have company.” She turned and looked at a woman who was standing in the kitchen holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a gun in the other. From the looks of her puffy eyes, we could tell she had been crying for a long time.

  “Are you all right?” Savannah asked her as she approached the upset woman. “Vera, where did you get that gun?”

  She laid the gun on the counter along with the cup of coffee. “I’m so sorry,” she said, looking at Geneva and Helene and then back to Savannah and me. “I know I must have scared them half to death coming here in such a state, but as I explained to them, I wasn’t trying to intimidate them. I was trying to protect us all. I didn’t know what else to do after I drove past the house and saw all those cops. I knew something bad had happened. I told you that man was no good. I tried to warn you. He was after your money all along. I tried to tell you, but you were so…”

  “Everything is okay, Vera,” Savannah said as she walked up to the woman, gave her a hug and tried to soothe her. “You were frightened. I’m sure you didn’t do anything to these ladies, did you?”

  Helene stepped forward and said, “We weren’t afraid of her until she showed us the gun. That scared the life out of me, but just for a second. You see, I didn’t really think she was a threat. I’m pretty good at sizing up people. I knew she was scared and from what she had told us, and she had good reason to be. She brought the gun with her for protection from that killer. Besides, I had everything under control.”

  Helene walked over to the cabinet above the sink and opened the door on the left. She pulled out a 9MM handgun just like mine. “Billy left this for me… just in case. He hid it in the cabinet behind the coffee container, and explained that even criminals can be soothed by the offer of a cup of coffee if they’re waiting for someone. And if that didn’t work, I could always use this one. Helene pulled up her long skirt, unbuttoned a pocket in her pantaloons and pulled out a Derringer. She showed it to everyone and then replaced it, buttoning the pocket to keep it from falling out.

  “Why did you let me think something was wrong?” I asked, locking the door behind me and not bothering to take off my coat. “I was worried sick.”

  “I’m sorry, Jesse, but I couldn’t take any chances.” She looked over at Vera. “I don’t know this woman from Adam, as the saying goes. Sorry, Vera. And I wasn’t about to be flippant about the situation. Always suspect the unexpected. Isn’t that what Billy says?”

  “Okay,” I said loudly. “You can come out now.”

  Billy stepped out from behind the stairs with his gun drawn. Everyone froze at the sight of him, even me. I’m his wife, and I’m the one he loves. I know he’s not going to shoot me. But after seeing the spooky look in his eyes, I decided not to move. Who knows? He could’ve gone off the deep end. He’s been under a lot of stress since his brother died. I almost killed a teenager today in cold blood and hot temper—murder is what the police call it. When you cross that line—whether it is only in your mind, or in your actions—there’s no turning back. At this stage, I have come to realize that I, too, could become a killer. Now isn’t that a pretty thought? What have I turned into?

  Billy, kind as he is, wasn’t taking any chances or taking anything for granted. He walked over to Vera, picked up her gun from the counter and handed it to me. He lowered his gun, pulled up his pant leg and then holstered it.

  “I can see that everyone is all right and I’m not going to have to shoot anyone at the moment, so you ladies can relax. I’m going to take care of everything.”

  “I have never seen so many guns in one place,” Savannah said. “Am I the only one who isn’t armed?”

  All of us let out a sigh of relief, including me. I was a little concerned there for a minute... not for my safety, but for the safety of our uninvited visitor. As I said, Billy is on the edge. I’ve never seen him quite this emotionally intense. It’s as if he has a bomb ticking inside of him that could explode any minute and take everyone with him. I know this because I feel the same way.

  He looked over at Savannah and said, “We’re going to see to it that you get to the hospital soon. Jesse will take you while I stay here and hold down the fort. I think Vera should also go with you. I think we can round up enough guns so that all three of you will have one. Helene and Geneva can fix dinner, and watch the kids while I bring out the cannons.”

  We all looked at Billy as if he’d lost his mind, and then I asked, “What’s the matter with you? Are you taking drugs?”

  He chuckled and said, “I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

  The ladies remained quiet.

  I looked at them and said, “He doesn’t normally act insane like this. I think he needs more vitamin C in his diet.”

  Everyone laughed, and the room’s temperature went up a few degrees. I wondered if our new acquaintances thought this could possibly be a nut house.

  “I guess I’m not very good at making jokes,” Billy said, and then changed the subject. “We should get a move on it. I think our first priority should be to get Savannah to the hospital.” All of a sudden, Billy had a coughing spasm.

  “Are you all right?” I asked, concerned.

  When he finished coughing, he responded, “I will be. I guess my lungs haven’t cleared up just yet. Don’t worry about me, `ge ya. I’m okay.”

  I pretended to be okay with his coughing fit, but I was worried. Yet, I tried not to show it. “I’m going to go see my children before I do anything.” I looked over at Helene. “Where are they? It’s late in the day for them to be down for a nap before bedtime. And where are the dogs and that silly cat?”

  Helene had a guilty look on her face. “I guess we played too hard. The kids are asleep. They’ve been fed and bathed, and the dogs are in the nu
rsery with them, asleep on the floor. The cat is in the house somewhere.”

  “I thought you said you put Duke outside,” Vera stated.

  “I lied,” Helene replied. “And his name isn’t Duke. It’s Spice Cat. Although…” She looked at me. “I kind of like the name Duke.”

  “I need an aspirin and a shot of whiskey,” I whined. “After I go see my babies.”

  “May I come with you?” Savannah asked.

  “Sure,” I said. “You can all come if you’d like.”

  They all did.

  The children lay in their beds, content and oblivious to the outside world. Athena raised her head to look at me for a brief moment, but Thor only rolled over on his back, and never bothered to open his eyes.

  “This is a lazy crew,” Billy announced.

  “I say let sleeping babies lie,” Helene remarked.

  “I thought that was supposed to be sleeping dogs,” Geneva corrected.

  A thunderous bang on the front door startled all of us. The kids woke up immediately and started wailing. Thor jumped up and took off for the door, nearly knocking down everyone in his path. Athena limped behind him. I grabbed up Ethan, Helene snatched up Maisy, and all the ladies huddled to together waiting for Billy to do something.

  He pulled the gun out of its ankle holster and said, “Don’t anybody leave this room until I say so.”

  The pounding continued until Billy got to the door and yelled, “I’m coming! Give me a minute!”

  Taking orders has always been my downfall. I wasn’t good at it when I was a child and I haven’t gotten any better with age. I passed my screaming child to the closest lady next to me without even looking to see who she was, and grabbed my gun from my coat pocket. I snuck out of the nursery and edged my way out to the staircase. I stood there, hiding behind the stairs, waiting to see what was going to happen. I was determined to provide backup for my husband, or die trying.

  Billy snapped his fingers at the dogs, and both of them turned and ran back behind the staircase. They crouched down beside me. He then motioned for me to get back as he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, stepping back behind it as the door swung open.

  A stranger stood in the doorway with his gun raised. “Time to die!” the man yelled. He scanned the room, stunned that there was no one there to confront.

  Athena and Thor starting barking like two crazy dogs, and then took off for the front door again. I tried to stop them, but it was no use.

  The commotion of the dogs must’ve startled the man, because he fired off one shot that hit the floor, fortunately missing both dogs. Their barking continued as they ran around in circles, distracting the intruder. At the time, the only thing I could think of was why didn’t they attack him?

  Billy stepped out from behind the door, stuck his gun up to the back of the man’s head, and said, “Drop the gun and put your hands up in the air, or die right here on my living room floor.”

  Suddenly, Billy’s coughing spasm returned, giving the man time to raise his gun in one swift motion up under his arm. Without hesitation, he fired his weapon. From the shocked look on Billy’s face, I could tell that he had been hit. He stumbled backward, still pointing his gun at the man.

  Thor backed up, snarled, and then attacked, sinking his teeth into the man’s leg, while Athena viciously chomped down on the other. The man screamed out in pain, and tried to shake them loose.

  I had an instant rush of adrenalin and all sane thoughts left me. I ran out from behind the staircase and fired my gun repeatedly with each step, until I had emptied the magazine. I couldn’t seem to stop. I had no fear. My gun clicked several times before I realized that it was empty. Oddly enough, even with all the shots I fired, only three bullets hit their mark: one in the arm, one in the shoulder, and the third one in his thigh. The man fell to the floor in agony. I reached down and snatched up his gun and looked at it. When I realized that it was my .38, I kicked him in the stomach as hard as I could. I was really angry.

  “How dare you try to use my own gun on one of us? Are you crazy, or just a bloodthirsty killer? You dirt bag!”

  I called off the dogs. “Athena! Thor! That’s enough! Back off!”

  The two of them released their grip, stepped back, and stood there with their teeth bared, ready to attack again at my command. “Good work!” I praised them.

  I knew I had startled the intruder when I came barreling out from behind the staircase like a banshee, but I was petrified and my emotions had taken over. My stomach was in knots and my ears were still ringing as I rushed over to Billy.

  He had one arm held against his chest as blood dripped from the fingertips of his other arm. I had to see how badly he had been hurt, so I gently moved his arm and pulled back his jacket, all the while praying that the bullet hadn’t hit him in the chest. I knew that a .38 square to the chest was a death sentence. I should’ve known better because he was still standing, but, at the time, I was in a state of shock and my mind wasn’t being rational. When I saw that he had been hit in the upper arm I was so relieved, even though it was a nasty wound. I cried as I tried to get the words out.

  “I’m sorry it took me so long. I was scared. I didn’t know what to do.” I turned my head and yelled down the hallway, “Helene! Geneva! Someone call 9-1-1!”

  Chapter 25

  The door was still open, causing the temperature in the room to drop drastically. I grabbed a chair for Billy so he could sit down, and then went over to close the door. I had to shove the man out of the way to do so. He cried out in pain.

  “Oh, did that hurt?” I asked him in a most patronizing tone. “Too bad. You’re lucky you’re not dead. If I were a better shot, you would be.”

  “You’re crazy!” He coughed, and whimpered in pain. “I need a doctor,” he moaned before curling up into the fetal position. Blood ran from his wounds and soaked the floor. His boots caught my attention. I didn’t see the word Leatherneck on the side. He wasn’t the one who attacked me!

  Athena and Thor stood guard over the man while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.

  I offered him no aide. I had to attend to my husband.

  Savannah, with her housekeeper by her side, had made the call for help explaining that we had three people with injuries and that we might need more than one ambulance. She proceeded to describe the extent of the injuries, while Helene and Geneva made sure that the children were taken to another part of the house, out of sight of the bloody mess in the living room. That was something they didn’t need to see.

  I ran to the laundry room to grab a clean towel and then to the bedroom for one of Billy’s belts. When I returned, I wrapped the towel around Billy’s arm, coat and all, and then secured it with the belt. I pulled the belt tight, hoping to staunch the flow of blood. He looked pale, but I knew he was going to be all right.

  Before the ambulances had a chance to arrive, three vehicles pulled up into the yard—Jonathan’s Humvee, Robert’s pickup, and the chief’s new Dodge truck. Jonathan didn’t even bother to knock; instead he opened the door with his gun drawn, followed by Robert and his gun. Both men almost fell onto the man lying in the floor. Chief Sam and Sarah were right behind them. The chief was carrying a shotgun.

  “What happened here?” Jonathan demanded as he looked around at the carnage.

  “Don’t mind the man lying on the floor,” I said. “Come in and close the door. I see everybody came prepared.” I looked at their weapons. “That’s just one of the many things I love about this family.”

  Sarah, after seeing Billy sitting in a chair with a blood-soaked rag wrapped around his arm, ran up to him and started to cry. She stooped down to his level and managed to get out, “We heard the shots all the way up at the house. Are you all right, son? You don’t look so good.” She looked at me.

  “Billy’s lost a bit of blood, so he’s weak, but he’s going to be okay. That scumbag on the floor shot him.”

  Jonathan walked over and hugged me, as did Robert, and then the chief.


  “This looks bad,” Jonathan said. He looked at Billy. “What you got going on there, brother?”

  “Just a flesh wound,” Billy replied, and then had another coughing attack.

  I looked up at Jonathan and said, “He started coughing again.”

  “He never stopped,” he replied. “He just never did it in front of you if he could help it. I told him I was going to tell you if he didn’t go to the doctor.”

  “Then why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I…”

  “Savannah!” the man called out in a raspy voice.

  All of us turned our attention to the man lying on the floor.

  “We should help him,” Sarah announced. She looked at her two sons standing close to her.

  Jonathan and Robert obeyed her without question. They both walked over and bent down to check the man out.

  “Get away from me!” the intruder screamed. “I don’t need your help!”

  Jonathan looked at Robert and nodded his head. Robert walked over to me and asked if we had any rags. After telling him to look on the shelf in the laundry room, he left and then returned with a stack of clean, white rags. He and Jonathan proceeded to apply the cloths to the man’s injuries and tried to stop the bleeding. The man cried out in pain several times. All we could do was stand by and watch. To be honest, I would’ve let him lie there and die after what he did to Billy if it hadn’t been for their intervention. Maybe after I was sure that Billy was taken care of, I might’ve gone over and tried to help him—I do have some compassion—but I can’t say for sure. I guess I will never know what I would’ve done next, because I put it out of my mind.

  “Savannah,” he called out to her.

  Savannah slowly walked over, bent down and whispered, “I’m so sorry for my part in all of this.”

  “It’s not your fault,” he murmured. “I love you.”

  “Don’t say that!” she insisted. “I told you I was married. What happened with us was a mistake. It should’ve never happened.”