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Ed Winslow sat behind the desk that had been his for the past twenty years. Added to being a street cop for eight years before the promotion, he was a couple of years shy of the requisite thirty. But he'd put in so much overtime after Teresa took the girls, the department offered him an early retirement package.
And he was glad because he'd had enough. He was tired of trying to fight crime in a world that had changed too much over three decades. Yeah. Past time to move on to the proverbial greener pastures.
Like his new little hole in the wall office in Charlotte. Located above a used bookstore, it came complete with a flight of stairs only those of a robust constitution, or an extreme case of desperation, would want to tackle.
It put him in mind of all the shows he'd watched as a kid. Orange-ish brick walls, faded wooden floors, and tall, narrow windows overlooking the main street below. Jenna insisted on buying some throw rugs to add a little color and helped him choose new office furnishings. In his mind, it was perfect for the new chapter in his life.
Ed Winslow, Private Detective
He smiled just a hint of a smile and glanced out the wall of glass to the outer office, fondly known as The Asylum—because that's where they all slowly lost their minds.
Too many rules and regulations made it hard to do the job now. Too many loopholes and excuses allowed too many criminals to walk away instead of doing the time they deserved. All it did was make for more paperwork and headaches for everyone.
Yeah. He was done.
The party, to wish him well before he walked out of the department for the last time tonight, was still going strong as eight o'clock came and went. But Ed wasn't in much of a mood to celebrate.
Somehow, he thought he'd feel jubilant when this day came. Instead, he felt a little melancholy. Glad as he would be to stop making the daily commute and having to deal with society's criminals, he would miss it a little too. This job had kept him from losing his mind on more than one occasion.
He didn't often allow himself to dwell on the past but sometimes, the memories needed pulling out and tonight, they needed to be remembered...