Cautionary Tale
Johnny Eames. He remembered the name, of course. Back when he'd been a cadet at the academy, the name Eames had become somewhat of a cautionary tale. Even an outsider like Goren had caught the whispers. "He was double dipping." Okay, fine, but what's that? "He takes bribes." Something more tangible, more understandable. "Hey Goren, there's your future. Not gonna be able to take the heat, gonna get caught with your hand in the ole cookie jar, eh?"
Maybe, he'd always think. He didn't so much doubt himself as he did his peers' respect for him. He realized the effect an outsider status can have on the human psyche. It at times made him want to quit. But then, he knew it would. It had always been like this, even as a military cop. But, it was something to be proud of.
He never suspected he would have that. Nor the accolades he garnered for being, in spite of all expectations, a good officer, then detective. He never thought he'd forget the high of leading a six-man team in the arrests and convictions of twenty-seven perps. Now, that was a rush.
Johnny. Johnny Eames. What a funny name. It didn't really work, was his own opinion. Funny. From what he heard of him, he'd been a stand-up cop. It must have hurt his family, to have that sting attached to their husband, father, brother. What had made him do it, was the job simply too boring? Had it lost its thrill?
He had a kid in the service, someone named Alex. Poor guy, with a father like that for everyone to remember.
The night he'd gotten transferred to Major Case, he'd read over the letter he'd received from the Chief of D's. "Your partner from now on will be Alex Eames." He still remembered, with deep shame, the bitterness he felt at reading that. They'd stuck him with a crooked cop's son. Probably a bit crooked himself. So, that's what they really thought of him. Setting him up to fail. Not good enough to be a straight cop's partner, not even in Major Case.
All these years later, as his partner, his touchstone, his role model and his friend slammed the door after her—her!—for possibly the last time, he remembered bitterly his thoughts that day. He thought she'd be the one to let him down.