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“What?”
“Thanks.”
“You can thank me by buying me breakfast when I get there,” Max said as he quickly began getting dressed.
“I am at a diner,” Carmen paused and looked at the three dead bodies on the floor, “But you might wanna eat somewhere else.”
When the police arrived at the diner, the cook and the waitress told them exactly what they saw. “That man walked in here,” the waitress said and pointed toward the bodies. “He shot them two people and then Carmen Taylor shot him before he could getaway. Ain’t that right, George?”
“It happened just like that,” he pointed at Carmen. “That woman there shot him.”
Once the police had taken their statements, one of the cops walked over to Carmen and held out his hand. “I just wanted to shake your hand and say thank you.”
Carmen shook his hand. “Thank you for what?”
“You saved a cop’s life. I respect that.”
Not knowing what else to say and always being embarrassed by the attention, Carmen simply said, “You’re welcome.”
It was then that Max arrived with his camera. The cop stopped him immediately. “You can’t be in here.”
“He’s with me and he has no intention of recording anything in here. Right, Max?”
“Right,” Max said as he flipped the on switch on the camera and held it by his side, being sure to scan the room as he slowly turned to leave.
“If you’re finished with me for a while, I’m going outside,” Carmen said.
“Just don’t leave. I’m sure the detectives will have some more questions for you when they get here,” the cop said and walked away.
“Come on, Max,” Carmen said and started for the door. “Tell me you got some of that,” she said quietly.
“What’s my name?”
“You’re Mad Max,” Carmen put her arm around him, “The best cameraman in the world.”
“Damn right, I got it,” Max laughed. “I just have no idea what I got.”
When they were outside, the news truck had arrived from the station. Carmen and Max wasted no time reviewing the footage that he caught. While the footage was edited, Carmen thought of something important.
Gunshot residue. I don’t have any.
Carmen looked at her watch. It had been at least thirty minutes since the shot was fired. She had read somewhere that gunshot residue deposits on the hands decline rapidly during the first hour after firing the weapon.
But what if they want to test the clothes? Carmen shook her head. This isn’t gonna be as easy as I thought.
“Don’t we keep an outfit for me in here?” Carmen asked.
“I think we do,” Lacara Krisella, an aggressive, young associate producer said.
“I need that outfit and makeup,” Carmen said.
“Quickly people,” Lacara said, clapping her hands. “We’re live in ten.”
“And I’m gonna need a little privacy.”
“Everybody out!”
Once Carmen had changed, and her makeup was touched up, especially her hands, a good spot was found, and Carmen went to work.