EPILOGUE

After a few days of well-deserved rest, Steve found himself deeply engrossed in the pile of files that had been neatly stacked on his desk, eagerly awaiting his return.

Amongst them was a list of current case distributions Mike released every Monday morning, the blank spot beneath their names signaling that they were on call for the next 187 coming in over the radios. The rest were court notices for previous cases, a few successfully executed subpoenas, a meeting request for Mike and he to sit with Devitt in the next day or so and a reminder that he was due for range time.

Below it all was a note of a missed phone call from Lieutenant Williams of ISP, conveying that they were still looking for their arson suspect in the house fire that ended up claiming Jacob Daniels' life, taking any secrets he'd harbored about this case into the grave with him.

Enjoying another sip of strong hot coffee, Steve glanced over at his partner, whose door was closed and who was busy with an engaged phone conversation. Judging by Mike's overall demeanor, he was talking to a friend.

"Hey…Stephen?"

Sekulovich appeared by his side, nervously playing with a small cardboard box in his hand.

"This just came for the Lieutenant. You mind giving it to him when he gets off the phone? I gotta head down to booking."

"Sure."

Nodding in gratitude, the older Sergeant patted his shoulder as he placed the package on his desk before disappearing through the wooden hallway door. As his curiosity got the better of him, Steve reached for it, immediately noticing the sender's address matching that of the hotel they'd stayed at in Nappanee. Wondering if there was something they'd left behind on accident, he tried to shake the package but found the contents to be unmoving.

"Mhm…"

Pondering about the mysterious package over another sip of coffee, Steve heard his partner hang up the phone and get off his chair, his arrival having been duly noted.

"Two days off and you forgot to set your alarm? It's 10am, Inspector."

Returning his partner's irritation with a smug grin, Steve leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.

"Maybe I spent my morning making some follow up calls to Indiana to ensure all the paperwork is in order for the District Attorney and ISP to take over the case."

"And of course, you were doing that from the comfort of your bed."

"And yet, the work still got done."

Smiling as he shook his head in defeat, Mike leaned against the edge of his desk, before poking a finger at partner's chest.

"7AM tomorrow morning, no debates. We have a full week ahead."

When Steve nodded obediently, Mike pointed at the package sitting on his desk, noticing that it was addressed to him.

"This just come in the mail?"

"Yeah, Art dropped it off. Didn't want to interrupt your phone call."

"Mhm."

Eyeing the package suspiciously, Mike played with it for a few moments, then shook it and held it against his ear.

"Well, it's not ticking."

"Then why don't you open it?", Steve countered impatiently and straightened back out in his chair, "Who knows, maybe it's an invite to come back."

"I doubt that."

Borrowing a pair of scissors off his partner's desk, Mike carefully cut through the tape holding the package together, then slowly opened it, as if he was expecting something to jump out at him.

Enjoying the moment of anxious suspense way too much, the Lieutenant kept his features unreadable, before a wily smile spread on his lips.

"Come on. What is it?", Steve nudged and tried to look inside, only to have Mike pull the package away.

"Patience, my boy!", he teased, before reaching inside and surfacing a small paperback along with a handwritten note, "This came from Bonnie."

"Bonnie? As in the judge you met at the hotel?"

"Hm mhm.", Mike answered mysteriously as he studied the title, "Romeo and Juliet. She must really be liking it. She referenced it when talking about our case."

"Well, there are some similarities if you look at Capulet's regret at the face of pushing his daughter to marry-"

"I know, I know. I read it too, College boy. I get the reference to our current case.", Mike interrupted and stared at the book, his eyes seeing something more than just the cover.

"What's she trying to tell you then? Is this some sort of invite to come back to discuss…books?"

Unable to hide a chuckle, Steve shook his head at his partner's failed attempts to stay serious.

"Maybe she enjoyed my company."

"Maybe you should use your upcoming vacation to visit her."

"Maybe you should stay out of my love life, Romeo…Let's see what she wrote…"

Holding the note away from his face to read the small print, a warm smile spread on his features.

"To my two favorite detectives from California: Inspirational literature for the Lieutenant wise beyond his years, and something useful for the good-looking Inspector."

"She included something for me too?", Steve asked incredulously and leaned closer toward the package.

"Yeah for you.", Mike countered and smiled as he examined the last of the contents, "It's amazing how she read you like a book from the first moment on."

"Come on Mike, don't keep me waiting. What is it?"

Reaching inside the package, Mike grinned broadly as he surfaced a small beige bottle.

"Sun screen. Bonnie got you some sun screen. For that pale Californian skin of yours!"