City By Night: Requiem: A Sam Stevens Mystery
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Lucinda caught him by the arm before he could open it. ‘Wait,’ she said, turning him to face her. ‘What are you doing?’
He looked at her and shook his head. ‘No more,’ he said. ‘I can’t do this anymore. I can’t face any more death because of me.’
‘I thought we had a deal,’ Lucinda said. ‘You know what I can offer you. Somewhere safe. Luxury. Peace. Only the occasional job.’
‘Thank you,’ Sam said. ‘For that and everything else. But I mean it. I’m done.’
‘Your brother,’ Lucinda said.
‘Whatever you’re going to do, I don’t need to see it,’ Sam replied. ‘And I’ve got nothing left to say to him.’
He opened the door and walked out. Nobody called after him, and he didn’t even hear a gunshot until he was halfway down the building again.
Walking out into the city streets, he let the tears come. Tears for Robert, and himself, for Sally, for James Carney and the nameless soldier who had fought so hard to avenge him. It all washed over him, all the pain and blood and loss, he had never felt so alone.
He didn’t know where he would go next. He didn’t know what was waiting for him out there in the night. But he couldn’t stay here anymore. This city had taken too much from him, had twisted him too terribly for him to remain. If he wanted a chance to change, to really change, then he had to leave and never look back.
He paused only to wipe his tears and retrieve a packet of cigarettes from his jacket pocket. He lit one and inhaled. He thought of Sally.
Then Sam Stevens disappeared into the shadows of the night.
The End