The Final Bullet

by Chris Taylor

  Lachlan reeled back like she’d slapped him. “Mike? Mike Barnes from the hardware store?”

  “Yes. I went in there one day looking for something to unblock the drain in the kitchen sink. I’d mentioned it to you a couple of times and you’d promised to fix it, but you never did. I finally decided to darn well do the job myself. We got to talking in the store and Mike offered to come over and help. Afterwards, we had a cup of coffee and…things led to where they are.”

  “Did you sleep with him in our bed?” The words came out harsher than he intended, but he needed to know.

  “Yes.”

  “How many times?”

  “Oh, for goodness sake, Lachlan! Why does it matter? The fact is, things hadn’t been good between us for a long time, even before this stuff with you at work. Once, I loved you like crazy, but I haven’t felt like that since before Harry was born.”

  Lachlan shook his head, dazed. “Before Harry? That long ago?”

  “I’m sorry, Lachlan.”

  He pushed away from the bench, needing to put some space between them. If he were honest, he was more shocked than upset by her revelations. He understood her need for attention and for seeking out comfort and love. God knew, he hadn’t provided those to her for a very long time.

  “Please, don’t be angry, Lachlan. I never meant to hurt you. Things with me and Mike just kind of happened. We never planned it.”

  “Do the kids know?” he asked quietly.

  “Charlotte knows more than Harry. Mike’s been staying with us.”

  Lachlan shook his head in surprise. “At your mother’s?”

  Kristy averted her gaze. A guilty flush stained her cheeks. “No, I… I was only at my mother’s for the first week. After that, we found a little place by the beach. Mike has been coming over from Moree on the weekends.”

  “I see. It sounds awfully cozy. A proper little family.” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice.

  “Please don’t be like that, Lachlan. I want to try and keep things civil. If not for our sake, then for the kids.”

  He wanted to bite back with another sharp retort, but clenched his jaw and let the moment slide. With an effort, he got his anger under control and realized his pride was hurt more than his heart.

  He wanted to see Kristy and his children happy. If that meant sharing them with another man, then so be it. As much as he wanted to keep his family together for the sake of his kids, it wouldn’t do them any good to live with two parents who no longer wanted to be together. As sad as that was, it was true.

  “Thank you for being honest with me,” he said softly.

  Kristy looked at him in surprise. He guessed that she anticipated she’d be in for a tougher fight.

  “I wanted you to know the truth,” she replied simply.

  Lachlan drew in a deep breath and blew it out on a heavy sigh. “As long as we’re being honest, I should tell you I’m also seeing someone.”

  “The therapist?”

  “Yes. How did you know?”

  “Your voice softened when you mentioned her name and a smile came into your eyes. She’s very special to you, isn’t she?”

  His chest went tight with emotion. “Yes,” he managed.

  Kristy moved closer on the bench and put her arms around him and held him tight. “I’m glad. Good luck, Lachlan. I wish you all the best.”

  He hugged her back. “You, too.”

  Standing again, she stepped away and collected her handbag. “I’ll be in touch,” she said, turning to leave. “We’ll work out something with the kids. I can probably bring them over next weekend for a visit. Would that suit?”

  Joy and relief surged through him and he offered her a shaky smile. “Yes, that would be great. Thank you.”

  “Anytime.” And with that, she strode off.

  Lachlan watched until Kristy disappeared. He sat back down on the park bench, scrubbed a hand through his hair and sighed. It was over. His marriage of nearly ten years was over. The knowledge saddened him, but at the same time, he was relieved he and Kristy had managed to end it amicably. It would make things so much easier when it came to the kids. He was confident next time he spoke to his wife, she’d agree to something more permanent as far as his contact with his children went.

  He thought about Mike Barnes and though it was upsetting to know another man was now going to be a big part of his kids’ lives, he was glad it was somebody decent and hardworking, like Mike.

  His thoughts turned to Ava and his heart skipped a beat. He wanted to go to her right away and tell her about his meeting with Kristy. And then he remembered the way the two of them had parted and his excitement dimmed. He hadn’t spoken to her since she’d left.

  He assumed she’d caught a cab home. She’d left her car at her apartment. He lived on the opposite side of town. It was way too far to walk. He’d called her office the next morning on the pretext of making an appointment. All he really wanted was to check if she was in. The receptionist, Janelle, assured him she was and he hung up when the woman put him on hold. He was relieved to know that Ava had arrived home, safe and sound.

  Perhaps he could call her again and test the waters? Apologize for his outburst? Beg her forgiveness? His fingers hovered over the keypad of his phone. The instrument rang in his hand. Starting in surprise, he looked at the screen and swallowed his disappointment. It was his partner.

  “Hi, Martin. How are you doing? I’m sorry, I’m running a little late, but I’m finished up here, now. I’ll be back at the station soon.”

  “Lachie… Lachie…”

  Concern immediately seized Lachlan’s chest. “Hell, what is it, Martin? What’s the matter?”

  “It’s…It’s about the Irwin matter. I just had a call from IA. They’re charging me with manslaughter.”

  “What?” Lachlan gasped, shocked to his core.

  “Yeah. They just got off the plane. They gave me the courtesy of calling ahead, so I could prepare myself.” Martin’s voice was ragged with fear. “What am I going to do, Lachie? What the fuck am I going to do?”

  Lachlan’s thoughts turned frantic. Nothing was making sense. “Where the hell do they get off charging you with manslaughter? What happened with Irwin’s wife?”

  Martin’s voice turned desperate. He sounded like he was on the verge of breaking down. “That’s the thing. She didn’t back up our story. She told IA there was no way in the world Irwin would have shot her. She said he was about to hand over the gun. That’s why he raised it. At least, that’s what she said.”

  “Fuck. He raised it because she was trying to get away.” Lachlan shook his head back and forth, stunned.

  “I need help, Lachie. I need you. I need you to be here when they arrive.”

  “I’m on my way, Martin. Don’t worry about it. We’ll get to the bottom of this bullshit. Stay there. I’ll see you soon.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Lachlan’s thoughts were in a whirlwind as he raced to his vehicle and threw himself behind the wheel. With a screech of the tires, he reversed out of the parking lot, wincing at the pain in his shoulder as he turned toward the station. He couldn’t believe Elsie Irwin hadn’t backed up their version of events. Lachlan had been in that supermarket. He’d seen Irwin raise the gun when Elsie tried to leave, and so had she. Her story simply didn’t make sense.

  Unless Martin had misunderstood the phone call? Was it possible in his fear and confusion that the IA investigators hadn’t implied that at all? Lachlan gritted his teeth in frustration, not knowing the answer, but critically aware his friend was in a bad way and needed him there.

  His thoughts landed briefly on Ava and once again, he was filled with disappointment that he couldn’t go to her and do what he could to make amends. As much as he yearned to do so, right at that moment, Martin needed him more. With reluctance, he pushed all thoughts of a reconciliation with Ava behind him and focused on what lay ahead.

  Pulling his vehicle into a vacant parking space behind the police sta
tion, he half-jogged up the few steps and punched in a security code that allowed him access through the rear of the building. Nodding greetings to several officers and administrative staff, he continued without pause to the first floor where the detectives were housed. He spied Becker coming toward him, his expression grim.

  “Martin called me in a panic,” Lachlan stated without preamble. “What the hell is going on?”

  Becker’s expression remained somber. “IA called. Apparently your eye witness, Elsie Irwin, contradicts your statements. She says her husband had no intention of shooting her. That he was ready to hand over his gun. She said Martin overreacted and now her husband is dead. She’s threatening to sue.”

  Lachlan shook his head in disbelief. “Fuck! How the hell could she say something like that! He caught her trying to sneak out! I was there. I saw the whole thing. I was the one negotiating with the stupid prick!”

  Becker stared hard at Lachlan, his body tense. “And was he listening?”

  Lachlan sucked in a breath and blew it out on a heavy sigh. “Yes, he was listening, but even I thought he was going to blow his wife’s head off when he lifted that rifle.”

  Unable to stand still, he moved away and began to pace, shaking his head back and forth. He still couldn’t believe how quickly things had gotten out of control, now or then. Spinning on his heel, he stalked back to Becker.

  “This is bullshit, boss. The guy was obviously unstable. He turned up in a supermarket, held people hostage and threatened his wife with a gun. I did my best to calm him down, talk him out of doing anything stupid, but we both know how situations like that can escalate in an instant.”

  Becker stared at him. “Except your eyewitness disagrees.”

  Lachlan made a sound of frustration deep in his throat and tugged at his hair. With narrowed eyes, he held Becker’s gaze.

  “Martin Griffin saw the man raise his gun and point it straight at his wife. Martin called the situation as he saw it. Any one of us would have reacted the same way. It was our duty to protect her. She was an innocent victim. He posed a significant threat. He had to be dealt with.”

  “I’ve read the training manuals, Coleridge. You don’t need to remind me how it goes.”

  Lachlan’s breath came hard and fast. The tension inside him was tightly coiled. He wanted to scream out his frustration, hit something, hard; force Becker to understand. But it wasn’t his boss he had to convince.

  “When are those IA assholes expected to arrive? I want to speak with them again,” he growled.

  “They’ll be here any minute. “They called from the airport.”

  Anger surged through Lachlan’s veins and he narrowed his eyes again. “They sure as hell didn’t give us much warning.”

  “No. And I’m not sure how much good it will do you talking to them again. It seems to me like they’ve already made up their mind.”

  “That’s bullshit!” Lachlan exploded. “What about the other witnesses? The other people in the store? There were two other staff members with Elsie Irwin. What do they have to say?”

  Becker tossed him a look that bordered on sympathetic. “Unfortunately, they’re not saying much. They agreed Barry Irwin came in with a gun, angry at his wife, but they say they left the supermarket before the situation turned fatal. They didn’t see him raise the gun. They didn’t see the shooting. They have nothing to add.”

  Lachlan cursed again. “So, it’s me and Martin against Elsie Irwin. The two big bad cops against one defenseless woman. Jesus! We were trying to save her life! Doesn’t she get that? Doesn’t she care Martin will see that poor bastard in his dreams forever more, with a bullet in his heart? Doesn’t she realize the decision to shoot was made because he thought he had no choice?”

  “I get where you’re coming from, Coleridge,” Becker said, “and I hate this whole shit show as much as you, but there’s nothing I can do. It’s out of my jurisdiction.”

  Lachlan’s anger boiled over. “We try and do our job, keep the community safe. Something like this happens and we get crucified for it. Where’s the fairness in that?”

  “I agree. It isn’t fair. It isn’t right, but unfortunately, we don’t get the say. Goons from IA come in here, trying to keep the peace. Their job is to pacify the community, keep the media from our door, and this is what they come up with. They sacrifice one of their own for the greater good.”

  “That’s bullshit, boss, and you know it! Where do they draw the line? How many of us will they sacrifice in order to maintain the peace? It’s bullshit! Absolute bullshit!”

  Becker stared at him, his expression calm. “Like I said, there’s nothing we can do about it, Coleridge. IA’s made up its mind. They’ll go through the motions of charging Griffin and no doubt there’ll be a trial. We can only hope he gets a decent lawyer and a sympathetic jury who sees sense.”

  Fury and disbelief battled inside Lachlan. He stared back at his boss. “And if he doesn’t? What then? His career will be over, to say nothing of the time he’ll most likely spend in jail! I can’t believe you’re just standing there, doing nothing to help him! He’s our colleague, our friend. He needs our backing and support. He needs to know we’re on his side, that we don’t think he did anything wrong.”

  “And I’m sure you’ll be prepared to tell him that, Coleridge.”

  Lachlan shook his head again and bit down on his anger. He couldn’t believe his boss was going to walk away from one of the members on his team and hang him out to dry.

  “He needs to hear it from you, Becker,” he shouted. “He needs to know it comes from the top. It’s the only way he’ll have the courage and spirit to fight this. I know Martin. He… He’s been doing it tough. His brother’s barely cold in the ground and now…now this.”

  Becker stared at him, unmoved. “I get what you’re saying, Detective. I really do. Do you think I don’t care about the way IA’s treated this whole thing? They’ve come in and made you and Griffin out to be the baddies, like you’re the ones who were doing the wrong thing. It shits me! It shits me every time! But I can’t do anything about it. I don’t have the power to fix the system. It’s just the way it is.”

  Lachlan clenched his jaw tight, holding back another torrent of words. It was no good venting his anger on Becker. His boss was right when he said he didn’t make the rules.

  “I’m taking this bullshit to the media,” Lachlan said, staring hard at his boss.

  “No, Coleridge, you’re not. We deal with this internally. We don’t want any outside interference.”

  “And what if that doesn’t work?” Lachlan exploded. “What if the media twist it all Elsie Irwin’s way? The poor woman who’s now been made a widow because of some trigger-happy cop. If they don’t know the truth, they’ll go with rumors and you can bet your last dollar those won’t support Martin.”

  “You know the protocols, Coleridge,” Becker hissed, “and I refuse to antagonize the police commissioner. I forbid you to have any contact with the media. We deal with this in the usual way.”

  Lachlan opened his mouth again to protest, but Becker shot him a look that brooked no argument. “I said no, Detective. That’s a direct order. Breach it and I’ll report you for insubordination. Be careful, or you might be facing an IA investigation of your own.”

  Lachlan tensed at the overt threat. He couldn’t believe Becker would sell him out that way, and more importantly, Martin. He shot his boss a cold look filled with disgust.

  “You spineless prick.” Spinning on his heel, he strode away, so angry he could barely think.

  “Coleridge! You get back here!”

  Lachlan ignored Becker’s angry shout and continued walking toward the locker room, looking for his partner. He found him huddled on a bench. It looked like Martin had been crying.

  “Hey,” Lachlan murmured and took a seat beside his friend.

  Martin turned slowly to face him and when Lachlan saw the devastation in the other man’s eyes he felt like he’d taken a punch to the gut.r />
  “It’s all over, Lachie. They’re going to hang me out to dry.”

  Lachlan was overcome with panic. “No, Martin, you’re wrong. We’re all behind you in this. I just spoke to Becker—”

  “Becker’s a worthless piece of shit. He cares more for his next promotion than the men under his command. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect his own ass. We both know that.”

  The sad resignation in Martin’s voice both frightened and angered Lachlan. It was true what his partner said about their boss, but it scared him to hear the defeat in Martin’s tone. He needed to go in there swinging, refusing to accept IA’s claims. He needed to be strong and courageous in the face of adversity, not accept it calmly, as if the outcome were a foregone conclusion.

  “This is bullshit, mate. We have to fight them,” he said a little desperately.

  Martin stared at him. Fresh tears welled up in his eyes. “You’re a good friend, Lachie, but you and I both know, there is no us. It’s me they have in their sights. I’m the one they want. I’m the one who pulled the fucking trigger.”

  He wanted to shout out in protest, to argue that Martin was wrong, but he couldn’t. His partner spoke the truth. The IA pricks were out for blood and they were fixed on Martin’s scent. It wouldn’t be over until they had their trophy and could feed an acceptable storyline to the media.

  Lachlan could only hope the circus would end before there was a trial. That someone higher up in the police command would bring an end to this travesty of justice before it went that far. If Becker wasn’t going to do it, by God, he would.

  As the thought took hold, a tiny frisson of hope blossomed deep inside his gut. Becker and his gag order could go to hell. Lachlan was going to do everything he could to help a friend in need, including paying for the best lawyer he could find. But first, he had to talk to Ava. He needed the quiet strength and encouragement only she could give.

  * * *

  The late afternoon sun shone wanly through the window of Ava’s office as she tried to concentrate on the monologue coming from the man who sat in the chair opposite her desk. She was grateful he was her last patient of the day and soon, she’d be free to close up and go home. The man was a regular patient of Phoebe’s and although he’d been a little disconcerted to discover Phoebe had gone away for a brief while, it hadn’t taken him long to feel comfortable with her locum.