Page 64 of Good and Gone

"He followed my wife and children to my kids' school. He's been stalking my family. As you know,Mr. Simpsonabducted and tortured my wife for weeks before she managed to escape."

"So you went to his house because he followed your wife in his car?"

This kid.I can see that this is going to take a while. It’s very obvious he’s hell-bent on doing everything by the book. Whatever training he’s received—he’s dedicated to it. He hasn’t yet learned to think outside the box. He doesn’t have the skill to think for himself, so he isn’t going to understand why anyone else would. “He was stalking her—he was followingus—so I followed him.”

"And when you arrived at the house on Laverty, you didn't think to call the police and let the authorities handle the situation?"

"I tried that," I say. "It didn't seem to be working."

I know it's the wrong thing to have said the moment the words leave my mouth, but I can't help myself.

"So? What?" the detective sighs. "What exactly were you thinking going into that house?"

"I was thinking about the women inside. I was thinking that if it were my wife—and it had been—or my daughter in there experiencing what those women were, that I wouldn't want anyone to wait one second longer than they had to before doing something about it."

“What my client means,” my attorney says, “is that those women were in imminent danger.”

“Would it have been different if it were a fire?” I ask. "Would you have wanted me to wait for the fire department or just let them burn to death?"

I see a flash of something on the detective’s fresh face, a hint of annoyance, or anger—perhaps surprise, I can’t say. But I can see that he does not like my question, so he chooses not to answer it, reminding me I have the same privilege. "So, you gained entry and then what?"

"He was physically assaulting one of the women in the bedrooms."

The investigator rests his hands on the table. "He meaning Mr. Simpson?"

"That's correct."

"And then?" he asks.

"And then?" I let out a deep breath. "Then I told him to let the girl go. He proceeded to attack me, so I shot him."

"So, from your point of view, the girl was in immediate danger of being injured or killed?"

"Yes."

"And you allege you shot Mr. Simpson in self-defense?"

"Yes."

"Did he say anything? Before or after he assaulted you?”

"No."

"How many times did you shoot him?"

"Once."

"Then what happened?"

"Then I called 911."

“You don't think you should have perhaps reversed the order of those steps, Mr. Adams?”

“I guess you should ask the woman he was in the process of raping.”

49

Hailey

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