04
CJ sat back from the computer with a satisfied smile on her face and wondered just what Tamara Placer's reaction would be to the disconnection of all of her utilities - including her cell phone. A few keystrokes had her accounts in arrears to the tune of roughly $5,000. Although she was sure that it wouldn't take the reporter long to get the problems straightened out it was nevertheless fun for her to imagine the turmoil that Placer would endure during the process. She tapped the desk as she thought about her next move to make the woman's life a tad more interesting. Her cell phone rang and she was surprised at the name that popped up on the ID. "Uncle Roy, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I heard that Mattlock is trying to get a guy out that's barricaded himself in a house?" The older man had been through a rough few months after the death of his son Will. He hadn't seen Matt since the funeral. Although CJ had assured him that it would be okay, he had been afraid that it would cause more problems for his nephew.
"He is." She stretched and yawned, looking at the time. It was almost two o'clock in the morning. "So are you in town?"
"We're spending the night up at the cabin. Rosa and I were trying to decide what to do with it." He looked over at the Italian lady, Vince Novelli's mother. "I couldn't sleep and turned on the TV and there was a picture of Matt arriving at the scene. He looks good."
"He's doing really well - but he sure misses you. We all do."
"I've just been afraid…"
"Roy…" She paused and moved over to the couch where Sheila was now asleep in one of the recliners and she curled up in the one on the other end. "I think it might be good for both of you if you got together."
"I'll think about it." His voice was very quiet. "How are the kids?"
"Getting bigger by the second. And you know Catey can read now."
"No way. Time really flies."
Back at the Travis place, Matt continued to look at the pictures. "Chris, did you touch her at all after you found her?"
"I…" Travis thought back. The whole day had been so rotten and disjointed he couldn't think straight. "I don't think so."
"Do you have any blood on you?"
"No."
"Bud, I don't want to get too graphic here. But there's a void where the killer was standing and the angle of the wound doesn't match up with you being right handed. Look, we need to get that processed and well…" He stopped. "Man, she's still laying out there because they were afraid that you would start shooting at them. We need to take care of her." He didn't know how else to say it. There was a sob on the other end of the line. "I need you to come out of there so we can tend to her and get this straightened out, Chris." The only sound was that of the man crying. "Can you do that for me, bud?"
"How do I know they won't shoot me?"
"You've got my word."
"You know they're gonna throw me on the ground and cuff me after all of this."
"How about this: how about I meet you out there? I'm not gonna lie to you. I'm going to put you in cuffs. And you're going to go to the hospital for an evaluation." He heard a snort on the other end of the line.
"Fat lotta good that'll do. I can't talk to anybody."
"You've been talking to me."
"Well...you're different. You know what's going on."
"What if I can get you set up with my doc? He's a good guy. He was in the sandbox and knows exactly what we went through."
"Man, I don't have money for that."
"I've got you covered. Right now he's at Fort Hood but my wife talked to him on the phone about what's going on here. As soon as he gets back he'll talk to you. I promise."
"Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because you earned it." He listened to the silence on the other end of the line. "I've even got somebody that can take care of the horses while you're away."
"Okay."
"Alright. I need you to leave the guns in the house. When you see me out front I want you to walk out to me with your hands in the air."
"And they won't shoot me?"
"No." Matt looked to the sheriff who nodded his agreement and sent Lt. McKinney to pass word of the arrangements.
"Okay."
"I'm going to hang up now and walk out of here." Matt stood and removed the gunbelt and handed it to Don MacLemore.
"Okay." Inside the house Travis disconnected the call and set the pistol on the table, taking a deep breath. He stood and felt as his legs shook. What the hell? If they shoot me it will all be over. Slowly he walked toward the door, looking out the front window. He saw a tall man with a beard slowly walking out from behind the trailer, with his hands out to his sides.
Matt stepped out into the yard, his heart pounding. He had put on the bulletproof vest Strauss handed him before coming out of the command center. If Chris Travis changed his mind there would be a hail of bullets. His best option was to hit the ground.
The front door of the house opened and Travis stepped out onto the porch, his hands up just as Matt had instructed. He looked around, the brightness of the floodlights from the command center and all of the flashing blue lights in combination with the alcohol making him feel drunk.
"Chris…" Matt walked halfway across the yard. "Come on out to me."
Nodding, the man swallowed hard and started forward. After several steps his gaze drifted over to where his wife's body lay next to the truck and he stopped, a crushed look on his face.
"Bud, don't look at her right now. Look at me." The last thing Matt wanted was for the man to lose it again. "Look at me, okay?"
Once again, Travis nodded and began walking toward him.
"Alright, now I want you to turn around and face the house." Closing in the distance between them as Chris did as he was told, Matt removed the handcuffs from the back of his belt. "I'm going to put these cuffs on you. That's just to keep both of us safe, alright?"
"Yeah." The voice was a croak. Travis felt as the first cuff was clicked into place on his right wrist and then very gently Houston pulled back his left and applied the second. Matt could feel the man begin to shake as he broke down crying again.
After a quick pat down he put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Okay, bud. C'mon." He walked him over to a waiting ambulance and helped him step up inside for the trip to the hospital.
"Will you come with me?"
Matt looked back to Sheriff Strauss. "You don't need me here do you?" He stripped off the vest and handed it back to the sheriff.
"No. Thanks for your help. I'll catch up with you in the morning."
The P.I. turned his attention back to Travis. "Tell you what: I'll follow along behind you. Will that work?" The answer was a nod and Matt patted him on the shoulder. "Just try to relax a little, okay? We're gonna get to the bottom of this. I promise."
After the door of the ambulance closed, Matt felt a tap on his arm and Don MacLemore was holding out the gun belt to him, a sad smile on his face. "Told you that you could do it."
"I appreciate it."
"I'll catch up with you later. This old man is going home to bed." He gave the younger man a pat on the back and turned toward his SUV, stopping to talk with Strauss as Matt went down toward his truck.
Taking a deep breath he hit CJ's number on the phone. "Hey, sleepy head." He could tell from the sound of her voice that she had been asleep. "Travis came out for me and he's on the way to the hospital. I'm going to meet him there. Don't know when I'll be home."
"Okay, hon. Congratulations. Love you."
"Love you too, Babe. 'Night." He disconnected the call and punched the number for Roger Mullins, explained what had happened and asked for a favor.
A while later, Matt parked outside the emergency entrance of the hospital and escorted Travis inside. "Bud, I promised you that I would find out who did this. Now I need you to promise me something." Travis was sitting quietly in the exam room and nodded. "I need you to cooperate with these folks. I talked to Doc Mullins on the way over and he will be back in town on Wednesday." He saw the look that crossed the man's face. "But...he will talk to your doc here and help get things started for you. I know…" He paused again, looking for the right words. "I know you've been through a lot of crap. This is a chance to get things back on track."
"I don't even remember what it's like being on track."
"You will. But when you feel like you're running out of patience with somebody here, just remember that we promised to help each other, okay? And I will probably need to ask you some more questions." He stood up. "Right now though I think you need to get some sleep." He looked to the doctor who was in charge of Travis' case and who nodded. "I'm going to take these off now. You going to keep your promise?"
"Yeah." Travis sat still as the cuffs were removed and the P.I. walked back around to the other side of the table. "Houston?" He held out his hand and the two men shook. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Talk to you later."