I drove slowly up Lookout Mountain early that afternoon. It was one of those days when all is well with the world. The rain had stopped, the sun was shining, the sky was clear and blue, and the view over downtown Chattanooga was stunning. Dr. Willard was waiting for me. We sat together in his living room and I told him the story, all of it except for Tabitha’s so-called career. I just didn’t see any point in destroying the man’s illusions.
“So it’s over, Doctor. Tabitha was a victim of corruption in high places. Because Falk gave her the files, she fell victim to Congressman Harper’s political ambitions. I didn’t use the whole retainer. Here’s my invoice, marked as paid in full, and a check for the balance.”
He took the check from me and tore it up, thanked me, then got up, patting me on the shoulder as he walked out of the room. I left his home and walked out into the bright sunshine, but it did little to uplift my spirits. Dr. Willard was a changed man, a sad old man who would have to live with the loss of his eldest daughter for the rest of his life. It was tough to take.
I drove back to the office. There was a message for me to call Kate, but somehow even that didn’t make me feel any better. I dialed her anyway.
“Harry?”
“Yes. It’s me. What’s up?”
“What’s wrong, Harry? You sound down in the dumps.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve just got back from seeing Dr. Willard. Not a pleasant experience.”
“Well, maybe this will cheer you up. We found it, the camera and the recorder, and a whole library of DVDs. Talk about Richard Nixon. He recorded everything. We even have Falk at his computer. The Feds will have a field day with it all. Oh, and you were right. There will be no charges for the shooting. It was self-defense, clear and simple. It’s on camera. You’re good; you’re in the clear.”
Good? The hell I am.
“How is he? Hamlin, I mean.”
“He’ll recover. He’s at Erlanger, under guard. The Feds will transfer him to a government facility as soon as he’s fit to move.”
“How about Harper and Hope? Where are they?”
“In Federal custody, facing a litany of charges including conspiracy to commit murder. Hope was just a minor player, Harper’s gofer. He’ll probably cut a deal with the Feds. I doubt he’ll do much time, if any, if he agrees to roll over on Harper… Harper and Hamlin will get life if they’re found guilty, and there’s little doubt of that. You did good, Harry.”
“Hah.” I should have been elated, but somehow I wasn’t. Not at all.
“The Mystica organization,” she said, “has collapsed. Shady Tree has disappeared. Gone south with his money, probably to the islands, but the Feds will get him, eventually. We grabbed his two boys, Stimpy and Ren, as you call them, but we had to let them go. They didn’t know anything. So, it’s done. Over. Good work, Harry.”
Yeah, it’s over. It’s all over.
“Thanks. I guess we’ll—”
“Yes, we’ll talk, sometime. I’ll call you. Goodbye, Harry.” She disconnected before I could answer. I heaved a sigh, got myself a cup of coffee, and sat down again.
It was late when I finally decided that enough was enough. I was home by nine. It had been one hell of a day. I slept like the dead that night.