The two men came with their dog to the park at the same time every day, rain or shine. They stopped at the same spot, let their dog off the leash and sat on the same bench not quite touching, sometimes speaking, but mostly they sat in silence and watched the world go by.
The older man was well dressed. He wore glasses and walked with a limp, sometimes he needed the help of the younger man who always walked beside him. His companion was taller, well dressed in a dark suit, there was silver in his dark hair and his blue eyes sparkled when he smiled.
Regulars to the park made guesses about their relationship, were they father and son, work colleagues, or lovers, no one knew for sure and no one was going to intrude on their privacy to ask. It was whispered that these two had saved many lives even perhaps the world and that the younger man was the legend that people had called "the man in the suit". Everyone saw them but in the end no one remembered them.
One day the younger man was on his own, there was no dog, no older man. The younger man only came to the park on his own a few times and then he didn't come anymore. Park regulars noticed the couple and their dogs absence, wondered briefly what had happened to them and then in time forgot about them.
But there were three people who didn't and wouldn't forget, three people who had worked with them, known them and loved them. And now these three gathered at their grave side to mourn their passing. Leon remembered the number of times he'd been rescued by them and their dog, Fusco thought about how he'd changed and become a better detective through knowing these two. Zoe mourned the passing of the younger man the most; he'd understood her better than anyone.
As the priest said the final words over the two coffins laid side by side Zoë placed a red rose on each one. Silent tears falling she said her goodbyes.
The next day there was just one line in the newspapers obituaries announcing the death of Professor Whistler and his long-time partner ex Detective Riley.
Their headstone simply said
Harold and John
Together Always
RIP.