Epilogophilia – Faster Heart

Former McCormick flame and top fuel driver Kiki Cutter is involved in a drag race crash and Mark arrives just as an attempt is made to kill her in the hospital where she's recuperating. McCormick suspects foul play regarding the crash and investigates; sure enough, her dragster was sabotaged. Hardcastle manages to trace the would-be killer's car to Hal Jenkins, an insurance broker. Kiki, now on the road to recovery, tells McCormick and Hardcastle that she's divorcing her husband, Sammy "Sidewinder" O'Connell, also a drag racer. The bad guys are arrested, except for O'Connell, who's in on the money-laundering deal. As revenge for a previous defeat, Mark challenges him to a grudge match. McCormick wins the race and O'Connell is arrested at the finish line.

Epilogue – by Owlcroft

Judge Hardcastle sat in his chair behind the desk in the den and tried to concentrate on the crossword in the daily paper. They're gonna take at least another five minutes just to get her in her damned car. Lovebirds, he thought testily.

Just at that moment, he heard Kiki's car engine fire up and only twenty seconds later, the front door slammed, as usual.

McCormick sauntered in, hands in pockets, and said, "What do you want for lunch?"

Hardcastle looked up at him in surprise. "What?"

"What what?" said McCormick, then held up a peaceable hand. "I know, I know. I'm quacking again. What do you want for lunch?" he enunciated precisely.

"What are you doing in here asking about lunch? I thought you were seeing Kiki off to her lawyer's."

"I did. So? She's gone." Mark perched on the arm of the leather chair at the end of the desk. "Come on, Judge. I'm hungry. And we're out of ham."

"Well, I figured you'd be a while out there. You two've been closer than two pinchbugs since yesterday morning." Hardcastle folded his newspaper and set it down.

"Yeah, well, that's all over." McCormick tilted his head at the judge. "How about bologna? We still have a little of that sliced Swiss."

"Wait a minute! What's all over? You and Kiki?"

"Me and Kiki," said Mark ungrammatically. "We decided we're not right for each other. Maybe we never were, but we're definitely not now."

"Hold it, hold it." The judge was astonished. "You were slobbering all over each other and now you're 'not right for each other'? What the hell?"

McCormick shrugged casually. "We talked about it. And we did give it a chance, but it was pretty obvious we're going in different directions, Judge. I mean, she's got a life to put together now without Sammy and her racing career's over, so she needs to decide where she's headed before she gets into another long-term relationship."

Hardcastle looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Who are you," he demanded, "and what've you done with McCormick?"

"Ho, ho, ho."

The judge was still looking at him in disbelief. "That's mighty mature."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to sound so surprised!"

"But I am surprised!" The judge waved a hand apologetically. "I don't mean it like that. I mean based on the evidence I saw, I figured you two were . . . an item."

"Ooh, call Hedda Hopper! Come on, lunch! Tuna fish maybe, if you don't want bologna?"

"Whatever you wanna fix." Hardcastle leaned his hand on his hand and looked appraisingly at the younger man. "So this was a mutual decision, huh? You're 'going in different directions', and you're going there alone."

"Well, not alone." Mark looked the judge with a small smile. "Besides, I've got a plan and she doesn't. She has to figure out what she wants to do with her life and then go do it. Me, I'm all set."

"Oh, yeah? And what's this plan you've got for your life?"

McCormick stood and grinned down at Hardcastle. "First, tuna fish sandwiches for lunch. Then," the grin turned wicked, "man-to-man? I'm gonna take a nap."