Cheating Wife Shot Her Husband 10 Times – He Survived, Got Out Of The Hospital And Killed Her |Crime
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“Sharon, tell me what happened,” the sheriff asked softly, taking a seat beside her.
“He came home drunk,” she began quietly.
“Frank had never been so drunk before.
He was different, angry, yelling at me, accusing me of cheating.
” Her voice was shaking.
Then he grabbed me by the throat.
I couldn’t breathe.
Dawn.
I thought he was going to strangle me.
She pointed to her neck where bruises were beginning to show.
I reached into the dresser where I kept the gun.
I just wanted to scare him into letting go, but when he saw the gun, he he came at me like an animal and I fired.
And then Sharon covered her face with her hands.
I don’t remember.
I just kept shooting and shooting.
I couldn’t stop.
The sheriff watched her carefully.
In his 23 years on the force, he’d learned to tell when people were lying.
There was something about Sharon’s words.
Not quite true.
A few minutes later, the ambulance arrived.
The paramedics rushed to Frank quickly assessing his condition.
10 bullet entry wounds.
One of the paramedics reported.
Four bullets in the chest, three in the abdomen, two in the left arm, one grazed the neck.
It’s a wonder he’s still alive.
His pulse is faint, but it’s detectable.
Sheriff nodded.
Save any bullets that are recovered.
We’ll need them for the investigation.
Deputy Mike Connor, 26 years old, an energetic young man who had graduated from the police academy 3 years ago, drove up.
Mike, this is a crime scene.
Cordon off the house, take pictures, collect all the shell casings.
While Frank was being loaded onto a stretcher, the sheriff gently lifted Sharon off the floor.
You need to come down to the station with me.
We need your official statement.
When they reached the porch, he handed Sharon to the officer.
Neighbors were already flocking to the house, awakened by sirens.
On her front porch stood Edith Price in a colorful robe with her lips pressed tightly together.
“Dawn,” she called out to the sheriff.
“Is Frank alive?” “Not yet, Edith,” the sheriff replied as he walked Sharon to the car.
“Go home.
There’s nothing to see here.
” But the older woman didn’t budge.
Don, I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time.
Something’s been going on at the Miller house the last few months.
The sheriff stopped and approached Edith.
What do you mean? Edith lowered her voice even though no one could hear them.
Sharon wasn’t a faithful wife, Don.
On Thursdays, when Frank worked the night shift, a man would come to see her.
His car was parked until morning.
Are you sure about that? The sheriff frowned.
I have insomnia.
Edith shrugged.
I often sit at the window at night and my eyes are still sharp.
Do you know who it was? That handsome guy from the sporting goods store.
Bill Turner.
Edith pressed her lips together.
Had a thing for her back when she worked at the Bluebird.
Don nodded.
Bill Turner, the 38-year-old owner of the town’s only sporting goods store, had a reputation for being partial to married women.
Walking back to the car, the sheriff saw Sharon looking at him anxiously.
What were you two talking about? Later, Sharon.
Right now, we have to go to the station.
At the police station, a small brick building with three offices and two cells.
Don sat Sharon down in the interrogation room.
She looked exhausted, pale with circles under her eyes.
“I need you to tell me again what happened from the beginning,” he said, turning on the recorder.
Sharon sighed.
I finished my shift at the diner at 11:00.
Frank was supposed to pick me up, but he didn’t.
Tom, our cook, gave me a ride.
She rubbed her temples.
When I got home, Frank was gone.
I took a shower and went to bed.
Her voice was shaking.
Around 1:00 in the morning, I heard the sound of a car.
Frank had come back.
I knew right away he was drunk.
He usually moved quietly, but here he was rattling everything he could get his hands on.
Then he burst into the bedroom and started screaming, accusing me of cheating, saying he knew everything and that I would pay for it.
Sharon rubbed her neck.
When I tried to calm him down, he hit me.
For the first time in my life, I ran into the living room.
He caught up with me, grabbed me by the throat, and started choking me.
I panicked.
I thought he was going to kill me.
I found the gun in the dresser drawer, and I fired.
“How many times did you fire, Sharon?” the sheriff asked, looking her carefully in the eye.
She looked away.
I don’t know a lot.
I was so terrified.
There was a knock at the door.
It was Mike.
Boss, can I talk to you for a minute? In the hallway, a young deputy handed the sheriff a bag of shell casings.
10 of them, chief.
All from Mrs.
Miller’s gun.
And the strange thing is, judging by the position of the casings and the marks on the carpet, all 10 shots were fired at very close range, less than 2 m, and all aimed at the victim.
Don frowned.
Are you sure? The blood spatter leaves no doubt.
The shots were methodical one after another, as if the shooter deliberately wanted to kill, not just defend himself.
I took pictures.
Mike showed me a digital camera with crime scene photos.
A picture was starting to emerge, but Don wanted to hear the truth from Sharon herself.
Thanks, Mike.
Keep searching.
Check the bedroom.
Look for any clues.
Back in the interrogation room, the sheriff sat down across from Sharon.
Sharon, we need to talk straight.
I found 10 shell casings.
Forensics show that all 10 shots were fired at close range and on purpose.
That doesn’t sound like self-defense.
Sharon’s face turned even paler.
Yeah.
I was in a panic.
I didn’t know what I was doing.
When he lunged at me, I just kept shooting.
I was so scared.
Don.
The sheriff stepped forward.
Sharon, don’t make this harder than it is.
We know about Bill Turner.
Neighbors saw his car outside your house when Frank was working the night shift.
Sharon’s eyes filled with tears.
It’s not true.
Edith’s always making things up.
The ringing of a cell phone interrupted her.
Don answered it.
It was Mike.
Chief, I found something interesting.
There’s a torn note in the bathroom trash can with a man’s handwriting on it.
All I could make out was, “Meet me tomorrow.
Our plan, Bill.
” The sheriff looked at Sharon.
Her face spoke for itself.
She knew she was caught.
“Sharon,” Don said slowly as he turned off the recorder.
“I think you have a relationship with Bill Turner.
Frank found out about it and you decided to get rid of your husband.
” 10 shots wasn’t panic or self-defense.
It was attempted murder.
Sharon covered her face with her hands and burst into tears.
Her shoulders shook with sobs.
The sheriff sighed heavily.
He had known them both since they were kids.
Frank was a good, honest man.
Sharon was an attractive woman who had always dreamed of more than small town life could provide.
And now 10 shots in the night had changed their destinies forever.
Dawn left the room, leaving Sharon alone with her grief and guilt.
He didn’t know that Frank Miller, against all odds, was destined to survive and that the story was far from over.
Oakwood Hospital greeted Sheriff Don Wilson with sterile silence.
He walked down the long hallway, passed the nurse on duty, nodding to her like an old acquaintance.
Everyone knew each other in the small town, and Martha Jenkins, who had worked here for 20 years, was no exception.
In the ICU, Frank Miller lay entangled with tubes and wires.
His chest rose and fell to the beat of the ventilator.
His pale face with closed eyes resembled a wax mask.
“Dr.
Steven Gray, a short gray-haired man with permanently tired eyes, met the sheriff at the patients bedside.
” “The prognosis is bleak,” he said quietly, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
All 10 bullets had done serious damage.
Four went through and the rest had to be removed.
Damage to the lung, liver, spleen.
He lost a lot of blood.
Don Wilson looked at Frank in silence.
The mechanic had always seemed the epitome of strength.
Broad shouldered with calloused hands and a calm gaze.
Now there was no trace of that strength left.
Would he live? The sheriff asked, though he knew the answer himself.
Dr.
Gray shook his head.
I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
Might last a day or two, maybe a week, but the chances of recovery are practically nil.
The sheriff nodded.
There was a heaviness in his soul, not only at the thought of losing a good man, but also at the realization that the murder he had to investigate might soon be a fat accomply.
Leaving the hospital, Don headed toward the Miller house.
Yellow police tape girdled the property, scaring away curious neighbors.
Mike Connor, his young assistant, was already waiting for him inside, methodically photographing every detail.
“What did you find?” the sheriff asked, crossing the threshold.
Mike silently handed him an envelope.
Inside were pictures of Sharon and Bill Turner together.
One picture showed them embracing on the shore of Red Creek Lake, 20 m outside of town.
In another, they were sitting in Bill’s car with Sharon kissing him tenderly on the cheek.
Where did you find them? The sheriff scrutinized the pictures.
In a box under the bed, there was also this in there.
The deputy held out a small redcovered notebook.
Sharon’s diary.
The sheriff flipped through a few pages.
The entries were sparse but candid.
Saw be today.
How tired I am of pretending.
If f only knew.
Don’s heart clenched.
He’d known the Millers since they’d moved to town 15 years ago.
Frank had always seemed like a model husband, caring though not verbose.
Sharon, a beautiful woman with sad eyes, often complained that her talents were wasted in a small town.
She dreamed of a singing career, but settled for a job as a waitress at the local diner.
“I checked her phone,” Mike continued, holding out a smartphone in a clear evidence bag.
Messages between her and Turner, lots of intimate details, and they were planning meetings.
The sheriff flipped through the long correspondence.
The messages were full of passion and impatience.
Can’t wait for Thursday, miss you.
Imagine if we could be together forever.
And what particularly caught Dawn’s attention were the frequent mentions of some plan to be discussed.
Mike gathered physical evidence and went out to interview the neighbors while the sheriff continued to search the house.
At first glance, it was an ordinary house of an ordinary family, a worn couch in the living room, an old TV, family photos on the walls.
But behind that facade lurked secrets that were now coming out.
Mike returned an hour later, and it was clear from his satisfied look that he had learned something important.
“The neighbors are talking, Chief,” he said, pulling out a notebook.
“Mrs.
Price, the one across the street, says Bill Turner used to come here regularly on Thursdays when Frank was working the night shift.
His car was parked until the morning.
Anyone else confirm that? Three other neighbors.
One even took a picture on his phone, wanted to complain about parking.
Turner was always parking his car on his lawn.
Don tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully.
The picture was coming together more and more clearly.
But one question remained.
Did Bill Turner know of Sharon’s plans to kill her husband? Let’s go to a store.
The sheriff decided it’s time to ask some direct questions.
The Hunter Luck Sporting Goods store was located on Oakwood’s Main Street.
Bill Turner, a handsome man of 38 with an impeccable haircut and a white-tothed smile, met them at the counter with deliberate nonchalants.
Sheriff, what can I do for you? A new rod for the season? But his eyes showed concern.
We need to talk, Bill.
Alone in a small back room filled with boxes of merchandise.
The sheriff laid out photos in front of Turner.
You want to tell me about your relationship with Sharon Miller? Bill tried to deny it at first, but gave up quickly under the sheriff’s hard stare.
We’ve been going out for about a year, he admitted, his eyes downcast.
It just happened.
She’s not happy with Frank.
Said he didn’t understand her.
Didn’t appreciate her.
Did you know she was planning to kill her husband? Bill flinched.
His face pald.
What? No.
I swear never.
We talked about being together, but not like this.
His genuine shock led the sheriff to believe that Bill really didn’t know about his mistress’s plans.
What was the plan? In your correspondence, you keep mentioning some kind of plan.
Divorce, Bill replied.
She was going to file for divorce after Christmas.
We were going to leave town, start a new life.
The sheriff watched him carefully, trying to catch the slightest sign of a lie, but found none.
You’re free to go, Bill, but don’t leave town without my permission.
On the drive back to the station, Don pondered the strange story.
If Sharon and Bill planned to be together after the divorce, why would she kill her husband? Something wasn’t adding up.
A phone call interrupted his thoughts.
Sheriff Wilson here.
Don, it’s Nancy Parker at the hospital, came an excited female voice.
I need you to come over.
Something’s going on with Frank.
Nancy Parker, an ICU nurse, met the sheriff at the entrance to the room.
Her normally calm face expressed a mixture of alarm and amazement.
I was doing rounds checking vitals, she began, adjusting a spotless white cap over her dark graying hair, and I noticed the monitors were showing strange brain activity.
Dr.
Gray says it could mean Frank’s regaining consciousness.
He’s awake.
The sheriff was surprised.
Not quite, but there are signs that he can hear and understand.
I noticed something strange.
Nancy lowered her voice.
When I mentioned Sharon’s name, his pulse races, and when I casually said Bill Turner, his brain activity readings jumped.
Don frowned.
Do you think he knew after all about Sharon and Bill? Nancy shrugged her shoulders.
I don’t, but something is going on in his mind, even if his body isn’t responding.
The sheriff walked over to Frank’s bedside.
The mechanic looked the same as he had in the morning, pale, motionless.
But now, Don noticed a slight twitching of his eyelids, as if there was intense eye movement underneath.
Dr.
Gray entered the room, reviewing the test results as he went.
“Unbelievable,” he murmured.
“His vitals are stabilizing.
I can’t explain it.
Isn’t that a good thing? The sheriff asked.
Good, but it’s confusing.
With those wounds, he should have died in the ambulance.
10 bullets, Dawn.
10.
At that moment, Frank wiggled his fingers slightly.
It was a subtle movement, but all three of them saw it.
Note the time, Dr.
Gray quickly commanded.
The patient is showing signs of motor activity.
Don Wilson felt a chill run down his spine.
Something told him this wasn’t the end of the story.
The sheriff returned to the station where news awaited him.
Sharon Miller had been released on bail pending trial.
Her lawyer, who had traveled from a neighboring town, had argued that she wasn’t a danger to the community and wasn’t going to flee from justice.
She should be coming home tonight, Mike reported.
I’ve got Officer Jenkins watching the house.
If she tries to escape, we’ll know.
Don nodded, but something was bothering him.
a premonition of danger that in his many years of service had rarely failed him.
Evening descended on Oakwood, bringing with it a cold October rain.
Sharon Miller, sheltered under an umbrella, walked toward her house.
“Officer Jenkins, a young policeman new to the force, stood under the visor of a neighboring house, watching her.
” “Mrs.
Miller,” he called out to her.
“The sheriff wanted me to tell you that you’re not allowed to leave town until the trial.
” Sharon nodded coldly, not looking at him.
Her once beautiful face was drooping, dark circles under her eyes.
She walked into the house and turned on the light in the hallway.
The living room still bore the marks of the police search, drawers pulled out, furniture moved, and worst of all, a dark stain on the carpet where Frank lay bleeding.
Sharon went up to the bedroom, going to grab a few things.
She didn’t plan to stay in the house overnight.
Too many heavy memories.
Bill promised to meet her and take her to a motel in a neighboring town.
Opening the bedroom door, she froze.
The window, which had always been closed, was now open.
Rainwater dripped onto the window sill and floor, forming a puddle.
Wet footprints were clearly visible on the wooden floor.
Sharon’s heart raced.
Someone was in the house.
She crept toward the door, but at that moment, a figure emerged from the shadows by the closet.
Sharon barely held back a scream.
In the dim light of the bedside lamp, she saw a man she had never expected to see.
“Frank,” she whispered, unable to believe her eyes.
“But it’s impossible.
You were supposed to be dead.
” Her husband stood before her, pale, shriveled in hospital clothes, drenched with rain.
But worst of all were his eyes, empty, lifeless like two dark wells.
Sharon rushed toward the door, but Frank was faster.
He blocked her way, moving with a speed and grace that was unexpected for his condition.
“Frank, please,” she pleaded, backing against the wall.
“I didn’t mean to.
It wasn’t me.
It was It was Bill.
He made me do it.
” But Frank didn’t say a word.
He just stared at her with that blank stare in which there was no anger, no pain, nothing human.
Slowly, methodically, he approached his wife.
His hands, strong mechanics hands used to hard work, reached for her neck.
Sharon tried to push him away, but Frank was too strong despite his wounds.
His fingers closed around her throat, gradually tightening.
He strangled her silently, without emotion, with cold methodicality, as if he were doing some mechanical work.
And the last thing Sharon saw before consciousness left her were those empty eyes of her husband that had once looked at her with love.
Don Wilson never got much sleep.
In his 23 years as sheriff of the small town of Oakwood, he’d gotten used to the fact that phone calls in the middle of the night didn’t bode well.
But this time, when the sharp trill broke the pre-dawn silence, his heart twitched in a particularly anxious way.
Sheriff Wilson, he answered in a voice horse from sleep, glancing at his watch.
4:00 in the morning.
Chief, this is Jenkins, came the excited voice of a young officer.
I was patrolling the streets outside the Miller house like you told me to.
I thought I’d check to see why the lights were on all night.
The door was a jar.
I Jenkins’s voice trembled.
Sharon Miller is dead, strangled.
Don sat up abruptly in bed, momentarily shaking off the remnants of sleep.
Don’t touch anything.
I’m on my way out.
The rain that had started in the evening turned into a torrential downpour.
The sheriff’s jeep was sloshing through the water, splashing puddles on the deserted streets of Oakwood.
Dozens of thoughts raced through my mind, forming a chaotic mosaic of the events of the last few days.
10 gunshots, a love triangle, and now a murder.
The Miller house was lit by the blinking lights of a police car.
Officer Jenkins, pale and confused, waited at the front door, hiding from the rain under the porch awning.
“She’s upstairs in the bedroom,” he said as the sheriff approached.
“I didn’t touch anything, just like you said.
” “Good for you,” Don nodded, putting on his latex gloves.
“Call Mike and have him come over and call the coroner.
” Going up to the bedroom, the sheriff saw Sharon.
She was lying on the floor by the bed, eyes wide open, staring lifelessly at the ceiling.
Finger marks were clearly visible on her neck.
Dark bruises in the shape of a palm.
Don looked around the room methodically.
Open window, wet sill, footprints on the floor, but no sign of forced entry.
The lock on the window was intact.
Someone either had a key or the window was open from the inside.
After looking all over the house, the sheriff found no signs of a struggle except for an upturned lamp in the bedroom.
It was as if Sharon knew her killer and let him in, or he was already in the house when she arrived.
The bloody irony of the situation didn’t escape Dawn’s attention.
In this same house just 2 weeks ago, Sharon had shot her husband, and now she herself lay dead.
By the time Mike, Connor, and the coroner arrived, the sheriff had already put together a rough picture of what had happened.
Based on body temperature and rigor mortise, Sharon was killed between 9 and 11 pm shortly after she got home.
“Do we know who was the last person to see her alive?” Mike asked, taking pictures of the crime scene.
Jenkins says he saw her enter the house around 8:00 that evening.
“No one else came in, at least not through the front door.
” “What about the window?” Could be.
We should check the neighborhood, look for footprints.
Rain could have washed away a lot of stuff, but maybe there’s something left.
While Mike was looking for clues, the sheriff was thinking about the prime suspects.
First on the list was undoubtedly Bill Turner, a lover who might have been afraid Sharon would testify against him.
Or perhaps she threatened to reveal his involvement in planning Frank’s murder.
But something was bugging Dawn.
An intuition honed by years of police work told him the answer lay deeper.
By the time Sharon’s body was taken away and the technicians finished collecting evidence, it was morning.
The rain had stopped, leaving a chilly dampness and fog that shrouded Oakwood in a ghostly shroud.
The sheriff’s first order of business was to Bill Turners.
The Hunter’s Luck Sporting Goods store hadn’t opened yet, but the lights in the back room were on.
Don knocked on the back door, knowing Bill often came in early to sort through the merchandise.
Sheriff Turner looked surprised and sleepd deprived.
Something wrong? Sharon Miller was murdered last night, Don said without preamble, watching Bill’s reaction carefully.
Turner’s face pald and he grabbed the door jam as if looking for support.
What? How? How did this happen? She was strangled in her own house.
Where were you last night between 9 and 11:00, Bill? Turner was visibly nervous, his eyes darting around the room.
Yeah, I was at home alone watching TV.
Can anyone confirm that? Uh, no.
I told you I was alone.
Don scrutinized Bill.
For a man who’d learned of his mistress’s death, he looked more frightened than saddened.
But there was something else in his eyes.
Relief? Or was it just the sheriff’s imagination? Were you going to meet her yesterday? Bill paused, then nodded.
Yeah, she was supposed to call when she packed.
We wanted to get out of town for a few days until things settled down, but she didn’t call.
No.
I tried to call her, but her phone was disconnected.
I figured she changed her mind or got tired and went to bed.
You didn’t go to check.
No, Bill answered too quickly.
I wouldn’t risk it.
You said yourself that the house is being watched.
Don nodded.
It made sense, but something told him that Bill wasn’t telling him the truth.
I need you to come with me to the station for an official statement.
Bill turned even paler.
I uh am I under arrest? Not yet, but you’re the prime suspect, Bill.
The whole town knows about your relationship with Sharon.
On the way to the station, the sheriff’s cell phone rang.
It was Nancy Parker at the hospital.
Dawn.
The nurse’s voice sounded strange with a hint of fear.
Frank Miller had disappeared.
The sheriff breakd sharply, almost driving into a roadside tree.
What do you mean disappeared? I came on shift this morning and found his bed empty.
No one knows how or when he left.
The guard swears no one left the hospital last night, but uh he’s just gone.
Don felt a chill run down his spine.
I’ll be right there.
And Nancy, don’t say a word to anyone.
There was a quiet panic in the hospital.
Dr.
Gray was rushing from one staff member to another, trying to figure out where a patient who had been between life and death just yesterday had gone.
Nancy met the sheriff in Frank’s empty room.
Her normally confident face expressed an extreme degree of confusion.
How could a man with 10 gunshot wounds just walk away? Don asked, looking around the room.
There was no sign of a struggle, just neatly folded sheets and disabled medical devices.
Nancy nervously rubbed the edge of her uniform apron.
“Don, there’s something I need to tell you,” she whispered, looking back at the door.
“Frank came to his senses last night completely.
He could talk and move a little.
I was on the night shift alone in the ward.
” “Why didn’t you tell anyone?” “Because.
” Nancy hesitated, her eyes filling with tears.
“Because he asked me not to tell.
He said he knew who shot him and why.
that Sharon and Bill were planning to kill him.
Don frowned.
And you believed him? I’ve known Frank since he was a kid, Don.
He’s never told a lie.
And then you didn’t see his eyes.
There was so much pain and uh determination.
What happened next? Nancy lowered her head, avoiding the sheriff’s gaze.
He asked for painkillers.
A strong one.
Said he wanted to get up.
Yeah.
I gave him an injection of morphine, more than I should have.
Her voice shook.
I didn’t think he’d be able to leave.
I only went out for 15 minutes to get him some food.
And when I came back, he was gone.
Don was silent for a long time, digesting the information.
Nancy had violated medical ethics and possibly the law, but he understood her.
In a small town where everyone had known each other since childhood, professional boundaries often blurred.
Did he say where he was going? No.
But Nancy hesitated.
When Frank was having trouble with PTSD, he often retreated to his grandfather’s cabin on Blue Ridge Lake.
Said it was the only place he found peace.
Don knew the place.
An old hunting cabin about 20 mi from town, deep in the woods.
The perfect hideaway for a man who wanted to disappear.
Thank you, Nancy.
If anyone asks, we haven’t spoken.
He left the hospital with a heavy heart.
He needed to find Frank before someone else did, especially now that he was the prime suspect in his wife’s murder.
But first, the sheriff decided to stop by to see an old friend, Harold Jenkins, the young officer’s father.
Harold, a former military man, had served with Frank in the same unit and might know something useful.
Harold, a stout man of 65 with a gray beard, met the sheriff on the porch of his house.
“I’ve heard about Sharon,” he said without preamble.
Sorry to hear about the girl, but I can’t say I’m surprised.
Why? Harold stroked his beard thoughtfully.
When a man plays with fire, sooner or later he gets burned.
Sharon had always wanted more than Oakwood could give her.
Or Frank.
What do you know about the cabin at Blue Ridge Lake? Harold looked at the sheriff carefully.
So, you think he’s there? Do you know something I don’t, Harold? The old man was silent for a moment as if weighing how much he could tell.
Frank came to see me last night, he said at last.
He didn’t look well, but he was on his feet.
Took my old rifle and some ammo.
Said he was going to the lake.
And if he wasn’t back in 3 days, he’d be in heaven with his grandfather.
You didn’t think to tell me? I gave my word as a soldier, Don.
And besides, I know Frank.
If he chooses to leave with dignity, that’s his choice.
The sheriff knew what Harold was talking about.
The military has its own code of honor, its own rules.
I need to find him, Harold.
He’s the prime suspect in Sharon’s murder.
Harold didn’t seem surprised.
Do you know the way to the cabin? I vaguely remember.
Can you show me? You better go alone, Don.
If he’s out there, he needs a friend, not a cop.
The road to Blue Ridge Lake was difficult, even in good weather.
After the rain, the dirt road had turned into a mud mess, and the sheriff had to walk the last two miles, leaving the car on high ground.
The cabin stood on the shore of the lake, surrounded by tall pine trees.
It was small, wooden, with a drooping roof and narrow windows.
Smoke was rising from the chimney.
Someone was definitely inside.
Dawn made no effort to conceal his approach.
He crunched the branches, stepped deliberately loudly on the fallen leaves, didn’t want to frighten a man who might have been on edge.
The door of the cabin opened before the sheriff had even reached the porch.
Standing in the opening was Frank Miller.
The sheriff stopped, shocked at what he saw.
Frank looked both worse and better than expected.
Worse because his face was gaunt, his skin grayish yellow, his eyes deep set.
better because he stood straight, confident, with no visible signs of pain, even though his body had been riddled with bullets only two weeks ago.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Don,” Frank said in a quiet, almost lifeless voice.
“Come in.
” Inside the hut was as austere as the outside, a rough huneed table, a couple of chairs, a narrow bunk against the wall.
A fireplace crackled in the corner, providing the only source of heat and light.
Frank moved slowly but surprisingly crisp for a man with his injuries.
He indicated a chair for the sheriff sat down across from him.
“Did you kill her, Frank?” Don asked, seeing no point in beating around the bush.
Miller stared at the fire for a long moment before answering.
“Yes.
” There was no remorse or gloating in his voice, only weariness.
Why? Frank got up and walked over to an old army bag lying on the bunk.
He took out a small tape recorder and put it on the table.
Listen to it.
The sheriff pressed the play button.
At first, only russles were heard.
Then voices became distinct.
Sharons and Bills.
He’ll never know.
Sharon said, “We’ll make it clean.
” “I don’t know, honey.
” Bill’s voice sounded unsure.
Murder is serious.
Maybe just a divorce and leave him half the house and the savings.
No.
Besides, the insurance will cover all our debts.
The recording went on for several minutes.
Sharon and Bill discussed the details.
How and when best to fix the problem, how to create an alibi, what to say to the police.
“When did you make that tape?” Don asked when the recorder went silent.
“A week before she shot me,” Frank replied.
“I woke up in the night and heard voices.
They were in the kitchen.
I uh I couldn’t believe my ears.
15 years of marriage and suddenly my wife is planning my murder.
” He spoke quietly, monotonously, as if he was not talking about his life, but about some movie he had seen long ago, and not very carefully.
Why didn’t you come to me right away? I wanted to gather more evidence.
And part of me didn’t want to believe it.
Thought maybe it was just stupid talk, fantasy.
Frank rubbed his face as if trying to wipe away the fatigue.
And then that night came.
I came home later than usual.
We talked.
She said she was going to bed.
I stayed in the living room, had a few drinks.
Then I heard footsteps and turned around.
His gaze became absent as if he were reliving the events.
She was standing there with a gun.
There was no fear or anger in her eyes, just determination.
And I knew it was the end.
She fired.
The first bullet hit me in the shoulder.
I went down.
I could have tried to reach for her to stop her, but uh I just lay there and watched her keep firing.
10 shots, Don said quietly.
10 shots, Frank echoed.
With each one, I felt a part of me die.
Not my body, my spirit.
As if with each bullet, it wasn’t killing my flesh, but my soul, my feelings, my memories.
By the 10th shot, I was no longer the man I had been a moment before.
The sheriff studied Frank closely.
His friend, the kind and honest mechanic, had turned into someone else.
There was no life in his eyes, only emptiness and determination.
When did you decide to kill her? The minute she pulled the trigger the first time, I swore to myself that if I lived, I would finish what she started.
And Bill, are you going to kill him, too? Frank shook his head.
No, he’s a coward, but he’s not a killer.
You can hear on the tape that the idea was Sharon’s.
He was just following her like he always did.
Don thought about it.
He was about to make the toughest decision of his career.
Legally, he had to arrest Frank.
But in good conscience, “What now, Frank?” Miller smiled weakly.
The first display of emotion in the entire conversation.
“Now? Now I can rest, Don.
I’m tired.
10 bullets in my body and each one still burning with fire.
” Only now did the sheriff notice how pale Frank had gone.
how his hands were trembling.
Nancy said his condition was critical, that he wouldn’t last much longer without medical attention.
“We need to get you back to the hospital.
” “No,” Frank said firmly.
“I’m staying here.
This is a good place to get away.
My grandfather used to say it’s a short walk to heaven from here.
” “Frank, listen, Don.
10 shots is not an accident.
It’s intent.
” Frank’s voice was getting quieter and quieter.
And now my intention has been fulfilled.
I’ve done what I had to do.
Now I can go in peace.
His eyes closed, his breathing became ragged.
Dawn rushed to him, but it was too late.
Frank Miller had fired his last shot, a shot of retribution that took not only his wife’s life, but his own.
The sheriff sat beside his friend’s body for a long time, not knowing what to feel.
grief at the loss, relief that justice, however harsh, had been served, or just weariness at the endless darkness that people can bring to each other’s lives.
Outside the window, dawn was breaking.
A new day in Oakwood, a town that would never be the same after this story of 10 shots and a final decisive 11th.
A shot of retribution fired not by a bullet but by the hands of a man whose heart had been broken by betrayal.
