Epilogue

 

The wind swept briskly across the verdant lawn along the north shore of Capitol Lake, the leaves of the maples already turning a brilliant crimson in the crisp late October air, waving in the breeze. Across the water, the golden dome of the Capitol Building gleamed in the autumn afternoon sun.

“I think this is the only time this place actually looks beautiful to me,” Lieutenant Bennett said. “It’s a dreary mess otherwise.”

“You mean the city — or the capitol?”

“Good question.”

Bennett had called the meeting hastily — and it wasn’t at the normal debrief interval either. That usually meant one of two things. Neither of them good.

“This… is never easy. All the prep, the set-up. With all you’ve invested in this, all you’ve gone through.” The collar of Bennett’s long coat flapped in the wind, a lock of his sparse remaining hair caught on the breeze as he looked over at Eldon. “I can see it in you… this one’s been hard on you.”

“It has.”

But it was worth it.

Bennett let out a long, weary sigh, gazing back out over the water. “I’ll just say it then. The investigation—”

“Sir, I need to tell you something.”

Bennett sniffed as he nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I’m resigning.”

“I know the end of operations can be—”

Bennett’s mouth dropped open.

He handed his superior the battered, silver badge and his ID. Then he pulled out his M&P Shield, and laid it in his lap, holster and all. It was a stubbier pistol, and his colleagues in Vice never failed to rib him for it, but it had gotten him out of the shit more than once. He would be a liar if he said he wouldn’t feel naked without it though.

His new employer had different ideas for proper sidearms though.

“I don’t — is this a fucking joke?” Bennett looked down at the gun then back up at me. “You’re serious with this?”

“Yes, sir. I’m out.”

“Jesus Christ — why?” But Bennett held up his hand almost instantly. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. You’re a trained liar.”

Eldon couldn’t help but chuckle at that. He watched as his former superior officer slipped the remnants of Eldon’s career into his pocket — and into memory. It was as a simple as that.

Bennett laced his fingers together across the span of his thighs, and he leaned over a little, gazing at the way the chill wind stirred the tips of the green grass.

“Guess I can tell you this, rather than give you the standard bullshit end-of-op crap. You’re not a cop anymore, so it won’t matter either way.”

“I can’t be a cop anymore, sir. I should’ve done this a long time ago. But I was too chickenshit to do it.”

“The job never gives up on us, Bishop. Sometimes we have to give up on it.”

Eldon didn’t reply though, grappling inside with the confusing mix of gut-churning regret at hanging it up, and at the same time, allowing the profound relief to flow through him. It was finally done.

He knew what he was here for now.

“Got a call from the assistant DA this morning.”

Eldon whistled between his teeth. “Was it Harris, or the other one? Can never remember her name. The ballbuster, heartbreaker chick.”

“Shaw? Yeah, it was her.”

“Jesus. That bad?”

Bennett nodded slowly. “Yeah, that bad. She didn’t even give me an explanation either. Just said the operation was canceled immediately, and to pull all assets from the field. Bitch even yanked the funding. Had to pay my hotel bill on my card, and have the goddamned department reimburse it.”

“Why so fast?”

He hated to lie. Bennett, like so many on the force, was a good man. A decent man. The world could use a lot more Lieutenant Bennetts.

And maybe fewer Eldon Bishops.

“She wouldn’t tell me. Never seen a DA that close-lipped about an op. Not even if IA is involved.”

Eldon couldn’t help but tense at the mention of internal affairs. They were more than officious assholes. They could be a cop’s worst nightmare.

Especially a crooked one.

“Are they involved? IA, I mean.”

“Nope — thank Christ for small favors.” Bennett shook his head, cursing under his breath. “We were so fucking close, Eldon. Just a little more time. I could feel it. I just… god damn, I need to get over it. Part of the deal, right?”

“Sir, do you need me to submit a letter or anything…?”

“No — I’ll take care of it. You just… you’re free, I guess. Poor bastard.”

Eldon laughed at that, and stood, extending a hand. “Lieutenant, I want to th—”

“Save it, save it. I know. Feeling’s mutual and all that shit.”

Then with a silent, knowing nod exchanged with his former lieutenant, Eldon pulled his coat tighter and walked away — and toward a new, and still uncertain, future.

“Bishop.”

He froze at Bennett’s voice. Turning back to him, he forced himself to give the man a weary grunt. “Lieutenant?”

Bennett fished inside his coat, producing his phone. His thumb swiped it a couple times, then he held the phone out to Eldon. “Take a look at that for me, will ya?”

Eldon took the phone, the picture on the screen making his heart seize in his chest. “Who’s this?”

The lurid scene in the field was still seared into his mind. The beautiful, terrifying woman putting her beloved — but very strictly controlled — slave through his agonizing paces.

He knew very well who the magnetic brunette on that screen was.

“Look familiar at all?”

He gave the Lieutenant his best puzzled shake of the head. “Nope.”

“I was running a bunch of names of known Dominion Trust associates, trying to find a pattern — and she came up. Name’s Anna Shaw. No priors, not even so much as a traffic ticket. But she’s definitely in their fucking orbit.”

“Hmm, Shaw. Like our ballbuster assistant DA? Any relation?”

It took Herculean strength to keep his voice from wavering, and Eldon hoped the Lieutenant didn’t notice the slight tremor of his fingers as he handed the phone back to his former superior.

“Nah, just coincidence, apparently.”

“Lots of Shaws in the world, right?” Eldon hoped his chuckle didn’t sound as forced as it was.

“I wonder though… dye this broad’s hair to blonde, and get her a tan? Eyes are a shade darker, I suppose, but… she’d be the goddamn spitting image of our pain in the ass assistant DA.”

The lieutenant fixed him with a look that froze Eldon’s blood, the man’s gaze cold, calculating. Evaluating.

“Nah.” Bennett tucked his phone back in his coat, giving Eldon a wink. “Probably nothing.”

 

 

The End

 

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