Chapter 24

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Michael was just standing in the crowd, watching the pageant along with his mother. Like the others in the crowd Michael was listening to a teenage girl giving a patriotic speech aout why July 4th meant so much to her. She was the third girl to give this kind of speech, and there were more than a few girls waiting for their chance to impress the judge, but the festivities were cut short this day. In front of everyone Samantha Larabee shot Michael in the back. She just kept shooting until she ran out of bullets. Within seconds sheriff Duncan arrested Samantha and doctor Hayward began treating Michael. The crowd stayed out of doctor Hayward's way, most were not sure what exactly happenned. Michael had lived in Sanctuary for about two years, never really bothered anyone. Why would Samantha Larabee want him dead? Michael was taken to the hospital, his mother rode in the ambulance with him. Even now, she wanted to comfort her son, make him believe he'd be okay. Agent Fredo went to the hospital to try and comfort the mother, Kathy. Kathy was in the waiting room, just praying that the doctors could save her little boy. She was not particularly happy to see Gary.

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Kathy: The doctors don't know if my son will survive. Doctor Hayward seems to think he can save Michael. Hayward has an ego the size of Montana, hopefully that will pay off today.

Gary: I'm sorry about what happenned to him.

Kathy: I heard some of the nurses say that she shot him because she thought Michael killed her mistress.

Gary: I can't comment on an ongoing investigation.

Kathy: My son is a good man. I was 13 when my father raped me, that is how Michael was concieved. In addition to being my son, he's also my half-brother. My father, our father, tried to threaten me into having an abortion. He was pro-choice, at least in the sense he could cover up his crime. But I was determined to give my child a good life, that he would be a good man. Unfortunately we both seemed to have inherited our father's, predilictions. We had a two-person support group, helped each other deal with these temptations, that's how we were able to avoid it. Michael joined the FBI and volunteered for an assignment to take down a ring of child-molestors, and we went into Witness Protection. But he still wanted to do more, so we started a support group here. How many people do you supposse we've prevented from molesting children?

Gary: I don't know.

Kathy: No, you don't. And that is the man who might die because you accused him with no proof. You came to our home, accused him of raping and murdering Angel Flint, which I'm guessing is how Samantha Larabee came to believe it. If Michael dies, I will spend the rest of my life suing you and telling anyone who will listen exactly what kind of person you really are.