I woke up in the morning to the smell of coffee. My last day would involve noting more than sitting in the office. I was done being a Homicide Detective. Helen sent me off with a sly little smile. She knew this day would be bitter sweet for me; first because my career was ending, second because I was also going to be on the receiving end of a LOT of jokes. Helen and I both knew that at the end of my shift I would walk away leaving it all behind me. Literally.
This case had really put a bad taste in my mouth. Two former friends turned out to be adulterers. OK, maybe the one didn’t start until after the other, but why not separate, then divorce and start living again without turning yourself into what you despised most?
I wasn’t wrong about being on the receiving end of a lot of jokes. OK, I didn’t mind the balloons and cake. It was my going away present that hurt. My fellow officers whom I had served with for decades, got me a walker to use in my retirement. You know the type, the same kind used by the old man in the movie “UP?” Would you believe the fuckers even put bicycle training wheels, a bell ringer and little girl streamers on the damn thing! Assholes!
Needless to say, I loved it! I even gave it a try there in the squad room to a room full of laughter. It turned out that the idea was my Lieutenant’s and Chief of Police’s idea. Actually they said it was “mostly” their idea.
Since I had already completed all the administrative work to collect my retirement, all I had to do was hand over my gun and badge. The gun was accepted by my Lieutenant, but the badge was placed back in my hand by the Chief. He told me my badge number was being retired in honor of all my years of service. This sentiment was completely unexpected and supported by all my colleagues with a round of applause. I actually got choked up a little while graciously accepting their gift.
I did refused beers after the end of day telling everyone I needed to get home and start being a full-time husband to Helen. She deserved nothing less.
Helen’s reaction to the walker was something I’ll never forget. She laughed so hard she had tears running down her face. Eventually she said something about them actually doing it. I looked at her is confusion, not too sure what she meant. She ended up telling me, “who do you think gave the chief the idea? But they were too worried of offending you but I told them to do it and I would soothe it over.”
Didn’t I tell you she was the best?
We were holding each other tightly laying in bed after a round of retirement sex knowing this is was just the beginning of a new life together. No more watching other peoples grief after you tell them their loved one was murdered and especially no more late night phone calls.
It actually felt nice knowing I was no longer a cop. No more obligation to the law and the sacrifice that came with it. Like I said, I knew who he killer was. She had eyes on Beverly and Canadian Bacon the night they were killed. She hated the display the two put on and voiced her absolute displeasure seeing them act the way they did. Our killer being female was proven by forensics evidence caused when they cut their finger opening a box of shot gun shells. Her blood was left behind on the box and the trigger of the shot gun, but we had no match in any DNA file.