I haven't stolen them, I'm borrowing without permission, with every intention of giving them back (well, maybe!)
Tom Hanson's funeral was to be held two weeks later, after a postmortem and inquest. Following his death, Doug had yet to set foot back in the Chapel, afraid of what it would mean to walk in there and have the events of the past few days become real. Instead he stayed shut in his apartment devoting all his time to Clavo. This morning though, after taking the boy to day care, there was a soft tap on the door. Letting out a heavy sigh he opened the door and found himself looking down into a familiar pair of brown eyes, so much like her son's, these of course belonged to Margaret Hanson.
"Hi Doug" she said smiling weakly.
"Mrs H!."
"Can I come in?"
"Sure!" he replied a little surprised to see her as he stepped aside to let her in.
"I came to talk to you about the funeral. I've arranged to have him burried by his dad." she said a distant look in her eyes.
"Is there anything you need? I'd like to be able to help."
"Well, actually, that's what I came to talk to you about. You were Tom's closest friend, and I'd like it if you could say a few words at the service."
"Me? Are you sure?"
"I think he'd be proud to have you stand up there"
"Well, I'd be proud to stand up there for him, and if there's anything else, you know, just ask."
"Just do my boy justice up there" she said looking up at him.
"Oh, I , er, had his jacket cleaned" Doug said going to pick it up from the back of the couch. He'd had it cleaned the day before intending to give it to her, thinking it wouldn't be appropriate giving her back her son's jacket still coated in his blood. Although now there was no trace left on it, Doug could still see dark stains whenever he looked at it. She smiled as she took it from him.
"Thank you" she said as she ran her hands over the surface of the brown leather. As she turned it over in her hands the contents of the inner pocket spilled out onto the floor. Margaret and Doug looked at each other with matching looks of anxiety before Doug bent down to retrieve the small pile on the floor. The items he picked up were so typically Tom that they couldn't surpress a smile. Doug looked down at the small leather case containing his partners badge, the keys to the blue Mustang that had been parked outside Dougs appartment for six weeks, half a packet of gum and an eight week old ticket from the local bowling alley. Somehow the packet of gum hit Doug harder than anything else had over the past few days. The idea that Tom would never finish the packet brought the reality of his death home to him. Holding his emotions in check he handed them to Margaret who stilfled a sob as she took them. She opened the wallet containing her son's badge and looked at the I.D long and hard before handing it back to Doug.
"I think you should keep this." she said looking at him with watery eyes.
"I can't"
"You were his partner, you should have it. Besides, it may have meant the world to Tommy, but to me it would just be a reminder of how the institution put together to protect us took my husband and my baby from me" she said fighting back tears. "25 years old. It's no age at all really is it?"
"Thank you!" Doug said as he put his arms around his friends distraught mother.
"He was lucky to have you Doug."
"Yeah well, I was lucky too."
"Booker" he answered as he picked up the phone on his desk.
"Dennis, it's Fuller. I need your help."
"What do you need?"
"How do you feel about doing one last favour for an old friend?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"Revenge. Get Harry and meet me and Hoffs at Penhalls."
"Do you know what you're doing?"
"Something that should have been done along time ago Dennis. See you in half an hour."
"You got it. Captain?"
"Yeah?"
"Dispite everything, you know, I am truly sorry about Tommy."
"I know. Half an hour." With that the line went dead. Booker sat staring blankly at the phone, so many conflicting emotions running through him. He wanted to be with his former partners and share in their grief, because in the end he had come to respect, and even like Tom Hanson. But because of all that had happend while he was still working out of the Chapel he felt like a hyopcrite, that he had no right to feel this way when the others who had known him and been close to him for all these years were in so much pain. He could even hear it in Fullers voice. But he had been given a chance to help and he wasn't going to pass it up. So with determined steps he made his way out to his car and Harry's place.
"What's this about Captain?" Judy asked as they all gathered outside Penhalls appartment a short time later.
"I'll tell you when we're all together" he answered, rapping loudly on the door, which Doug answered shortly after, to see the crowd gathered outside.
"Hey. What are you all doing here."
"We need your help." Harry said as they pushed their way in.
"Sit down why don't you" Doug said sarcastically. "What's this about?"
"Crane!" Booker answered, instantly getting Dougs undivided attention.
"The post mortem report came back this morning." Fuller told them all. "The findings are that the injuries sustained from the bullet wounds, and the resulting coma were responsible for causing the heamorrage. We can bring a murder charge against Crane, make sure he never sees this side of a jail cell as long as he lives."
"So what's that got to do with us. We're witnesses aren't we?" Judy asked.
"Exactly. We can make sure this murder charge sticks. As far as anyone outside this room is concerned Crane fired first, the bullets from the other gun were fired in self defense. We've got to make sure it stays that way."
"You giving us permission to lie Captain?" Doug asked, uncharacteristically serious.
"It's more than that Doug. I'm ordering you to. Not only has he taken someone we all loved from us, but he has ruined countless other lives. We've got a chance to get him on at least four murder charges and I don't know about you guys, but I don't think 15 years is long enough for what he has done."
"So what do we do?" Harry said.
"We get our stories straight, make sure there is no way Crane can wriggle out of this one. I'm not letting him get away with killing my boy."
"I want to see him." Doug said suddenly.
"Doug." Judy said, "What good could possibly come from this?"
"I'd get to watch as that smug self satisfied smile is wiped from his face."
"Well, I'll be there with you" Fuller spoke up.
"Me too!" Harry and Booker said in unison.
As Raymond Crane was led into the visiting room he was confronted by five tired, drawn, yet deadly serious faces. Fuller, Penhall, Ioki, Hoffs and Booker were all sat on the other side of the wide table, and if looks could kill Crane would have been dead ten times over.
"What can I do for you officers?" he said, smug look spread across his face.
"You can rot in hell!" Doug spat, barely able to keep from flying at Crane and ripping his throat out.
"Doug!" Fuller said in warning, "Leave this to us."
"To what do I owe this honour?"
"Cut the bullshit Crane. I think you have a pretty good idea why we're here. You're up on four murder charges Raymond, you're looking at 30 years, at least!"
"Four?" Crane said with a raise of his eyebrows. "Oh dear! Did little Tommy not make it?" he asked looking over at Penhall.
"Don't you dare say his name!" Doug said through gritted teeth.
"I take it from Officer Penhall's reaction that that's a yes." Crane said looking Doug square in the eye. "He shot at me, I can plead self defense."
"That's not what I saw." Dennis put in. "The way I saw it you shot at Officer Hanson trying to escape arrest."
"Yeah, I saw that too" Harry added.
"That's what it looked like from where I was standing" said Judy, backing the others.
"That mad man shot at me and threatened me with a gun on numerous occaisions. You think they're really going to dismiss a self defense plea?"
"Your word against ours Crane." Fuller said. "And that mad man just happened to be someone we all love very much. You picked the wrong guy this time Crane, cos this time we're going to make you stay down. You killed my boy Crane, and I will make sure you pay for it."
"That's not what happened!I wasn't even shooting at him" Crane said as they all stood to leave, a touch of desperation in his voice.
"Well, there's five witnesses who say different." Booker said.
"Five witnesses who just happen to be cops" Harry continued.
"Who do you think they're going to believe? Anyway, I don't think 'sorry your honour shot the wrong guy' is gonna make a plausable defense" Dennis finished. With one last look at Crane, with Dennis and Fuller each with a restraining arm on Doug, they left the room, leaving Crane shouting and cursing.
"What do you think will happen to him Captain?" Doug asked as they walked through the prison hallways.
"What he deserves I hope."Fuller answered.
"Will we all have to testify?"Harry joined in.
"We're the arresting officers Harry. Maybe."
Judy walked behind with Booker. Watching him in that room, so calm, in control, speaking in that low voice that was so unlike him was like watching someone else. She looked over at him and smiled.
"What is it?" he asked
"You did really well in there."
"Yeah?"
"You know Booker, you and Hanson were more alike than you realise."
"I'll take that as a complement shall I?"
"Definately!"
"You miss him don't you?"
"More than I thought possible." she said tears threatening once again. "I kissed him you know Dennis, before everything happened."
Dennis turned surprised eyes on her. "You and Hanson?. Was there anything to it?"
"I don't know. I guess now I never will. All I know is that when I think about the fact that I'm never going to see him again I feel so sick."
"Hey!" he said putting a comforting arm around her, "It's ok to be upset, whatever way, you loved the guy."
"We all did" she said gesturing to the three men walking before them. "God, I'd do anything to have him back!" Dennis put his arm around her and led her out of the building after his former partners and comanding officer.
