I left the Police Department Headquarters without even a thought of saying goodbye to anyone at the courthouse. I hardly knew them and sure as hell didn't have any friends over there. What I did do was drive to the Hospital.

"Hello, can you tell me what room Mary Seymore is in?" I asked it of an older lady at the information desk. She was obviously a volunteer. Probably a retired hospital employee who got bored. I sure hoped that I never got so bored I had to give my time away just to stay sane.

"Are you family?"

"No," I said it discretely showing her my badge. She looked at my face for the first time. My God you are the man who saved all those people.

"No Ma'am, I'm just the man who would like to see Mary Seymore." I didn't add that they were lawyers, not people or that I was just getting rid of Mr. Jane

"She is in 526, but you will have to clear it with the floor nurse." She said that with a motherly smile. I returned her smile, then walked to the bank of Elevators.

"Hello, would it be alright if I looked in on Mary Seymore." I said it showing the nurse my badge. I hope that it would clear the way, since it had worked so well at the information desk. The floor nurse was not as impressed.

"When are you people going to have enough information. You are the forth different detective to come here since she was admitted,"

"I'm sure one of them was the investigating officer taking a statement. Then there was probably the Sheriff's internal affairs investigator, since she was shot with a cops gun. I have no idea who the other ones were. I'm just here to wish her a speedy recovery, not interrogate her."

"Oh really, well she needs her rest."

"Then could I write her a note?"

"Sure, I'll give it to her when she wakes up."

"Fair enough," I took a page from my memo book and wrote. Dear Ms. Seymore.... My name is John Abba, I was in the courtroom hall that morning. I just wanted to wish you a full and speedy recovery. If you need to talk about it, call me. .. I wrote my cell number down, then folded and handed the note to the nurse."

I was waiting for the elevator when I heard the somewhat familiar voice, "Detective Abba, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you." It was the nurse.

"It's okay, you did the right thing. Just give her the note it will be fine."

"I'm sure she would want to see you."

"No that's fine. Just tell her I stopped by."

That was a monumental waste of time, I thought as I rode the elevator down to the lobby. From the lobby I walked to the parking garage where I paid good money to reclaim my car. The drive to deputy Meadows house took about fifteen minutes.

I knocked on the door since there were several cars parked in the drive and on the street. I wasn't at all surprised to see the man who answered the door to be an older man in a deputy's uniform. "I'm John Abba here to pay my respects to the family."

"I know who you are. Come on in John. By the way good work."

"Just in the wrong place at the right time," I said walking past him.

"Aubrey too," he suggested to my back.

I saw what I took to be the grieving widow seated on the well worn sofa. "Mrs Meadows, I am so sorry about your husband. I'm sure he was a fine man."

"Mama this is the man who killed the bastard that killed daddy." I had no idea how the middle aged woman knew me. I suppose she watched the news coverage.

The older woman looked me in the eye and said, "Thank you sir, I could not have managed a trial or stood to see him still alive after he kill my Aubrey." I could only nod. I wasn't proud of what I did, I suppose that I was looking for absolution from someone.

I made my apologies and turned to leave. "Too bad you only winged that sleaze bag lawyer."

"I can't take credit for that. If it was my bullet, it was just an accident."

"Ah the hand of god. Maybe he will think of the cop who died, when he defends that cop killing asshole client of his."

"Maybe, but I doubt it."

"Well he sure as hell will when he sits down for a while." The grin on his face told me he wasn't looking for a reply. I just left.

When I arrived home, I had a bowl of cereal then went back to work on my slides and negatives from the old days. After three hours, I called Wilson. Actually I spoke to the receptionist in human resources who doubled as his secretary.

"Detective Abba, your papers are being processed. You have been assigned administrative leave with pay until they are complete. Your first full retirement benefit payment should be transferred to your bank account the first of next month. In the meantime your payroll check be for this month will be sent to your bank account as usual. We will need you to come in for out processing in a week or so. May I have your phone number, it seems the one I have is no longer in service."

"Well Ma'am I moved and didn't reconnect the land line. The cell number in my file should work. You do know that you will have to turn that phone in at your out processing. That number is associated with the police department and will be reassigned."

"Actually I didn't know that but okay. I was going to change it anyway. When I get a new number, I'll give you a call."

"Good, do you have any questions."

"Actually I do, how is Wilson's Blood Pressure."

"Let us say, he is not happy about all this."

"Good," I replied.

"Indeed," she added then hung up. It didn't appear that Wilson was all that popular, even with his own posse.

I had the phone thing on my mind, and no other real plan for the day, so I began researching cell phones on the net. I found what I believed was the best deal on a prepaid cell phone. I didn't really want to be without a phone, so Instead of ordering on line, I drove to Wal-Mart. It was fortunate that they sold the phones and the recharge cards as well. The phone and the first small activation card ran me over fifty bucks. It looked as though with minimal use, my cost for the phone would be about the same as my subsidized cost of the police cell phone.

I decided not to give the phone number to anyone but my siblings. I really had no desire to talk to anyone else. I was sure that I would end up giving the number to others but I had no immediate plans to do so.

When I arrived home, it was to find Molly's car in the drive and a strange car in the street. Since there was no one in it, I assumed the owner was visiting Molly and put it out of my mind.

I pulled my car onto the grass beside Molly, so that she could leave if she wanted. Then I went inside to begin my dinner. I had the hamburger patty out of the freezer, when the knock on the door came.

"Mr. Abba, I have a friend over who wants to meet you Would it be okay if I brought her over?"

"Sure bring her over," I put the patty on a paper plate and the plate into the fridge.

"Detective Abba this is Misty Roberts, Misty meet my landlord."

Misty was every bit the surfer girl cliche that her name suggested. Bleached blonde and a body that screamed fitness training.

"It is such an honor to meet you Detective Abba."

"I'm surprised by that. Why in the world would you think that?"

"The school is all abuzz about what happened yesterday."

"Why?"

"Mr. Abba, misty is in the law enforcement program at the college," Molly explained.

"Ah I see. Well it was just a fluke, don't expect that kind of thing to happen around her for another hundred years."

"My professor said you did everything just right."

"Well I hope it works out that way." I had the Chipster in mind, when I spoke.

The flattery was a little much for me, so I said, "Well ladies, I'm just getting ready to fix my supper."

"Oh, then we will be going," Molly said.

"We were getting ready to go out for pizza, why don't you come along?" Misty suggested. I would love to hear more about you.

"Thanks but I better stay here. I have some things that I need to do."